Rapid Descent and Crash into Water Atlas Air Inc. Flight 3591

by | Apr 27, 2025 | Analysis

A Case Analysis is a critical analysis and evaluation of a specific case or subject. For this
assignment, the Case Analysis will provide the student with a better understanding of a specific
aviation mishap with regard to altitude physiology.

Be two pages in length, double-spaced.
Consist of a title (accurately reflective of the topic), a brief summary of the mishap, one
to three body paragraphs which address the significance of the problem, implications
associated with the problem, and recommendations.
Include information obtained from primary or secondary sources beyond those listed in
the module.
Include proper current APA citations and references (with the references listed on a
separate last page).

 

 

Sample solution

Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.


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God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

Case Analysis: The Critical Role of Altitude Awareness in the 1999 Payne Stewart Learjet Accident

Brief Summary of the Mishap:

On October 25, 1999, a Learjet 35 crashed in South Dakota after flying for approximately four hours on autopilot with no communication from the occupants. The aircraft, carrying professional golfer Payne Stewart and three others, departed Orlando, Florida, en route to Dallas, Texas. Air traffic control noticed the aircraft failed to make a required turn and was unresponsive to radio calls. Military interceptor aircraft were dispatched and observed the Learjet with frosted windows, indicating a loss of cabin pressurization. The occupants were seen slumped over and motionless. The aircraft eventually ran out of fuel and crashed. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation concluded that the probable cause of the accident was the incapacitation of the flight crew as a result of hypoxia following a sudden loss of cabin pressurization.  

Significance of the Problem and Implications:

The Payne Stewart Learjet accident tragically underscored the critical significance of understanding and managing altitude physiology in aviation. The sudden loss of cabin pressurization at high altitude creates a rapidly hostile environment for the human body. The partial pressure of oxygen in the atmosphere decreases exponentially with altitude. At typical cruising altitudes for jet aircraft (25,000 to 45,000 feet), the ambient partial pressure of oxygen is insufficient to sustain consciousness for more than a few minutes without supplemental oxygen. This physiological reality is often underestimated or not fully appreciated by individuals who do not regularly operate in such environments.

Case Analysis: The Critical Role of Altitude Awareness in the 1999 Payne Stewart Learjet Accident

Brief Summary of the Mishap:

On October 25, 1999, a Learjet 35 crashed in South Dakota after flying for approximately four hours on autopilot with no communication from the occupants. The aircraft, carrying professional golfer Payne Stewart and three others, departed Orlando, Florida, en route to Dallas, Texas. Air traffic control noticed the aircraft failed to make a required turn and was unresponsive to radio calls. Military interceptor aircraft were dispatched and observed the Learjet with frosted windows, indicating a loss of cabin pressurization. The occupants were seen slumped over and motionless. The aircraft eventually ran out of fuel and crashed. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation concluded that the probable cause of the accident was the incapacitation of the flight crew as a result of hypoxia following a sudden loss of cabin pressurization.  

Significance of the Problem and Implications:

The Payne Stewart Learjet accident tragically underscored the critical significance of understanding and managing altitude physiology in aviation. The sudden loss of cabin pressurization at high altitude creates a rapidly hostile environment for the human body. The partial pressure of oxygen in the atmosphere decreases exponentially with altitude. At typical cruising altitudes for jet aircraft (25,000 to 45,000 feet), the ambient partial pressure of oxygen is insufficient to sustain consciousness for more than a few minutes without supplemental oxygen. This physiological reality is often underestimated or not fully appreciated by individuals who do not regularly operate in such environments.

The implications of unrecognized or unaddressed hypoxia are profound and can lead directly to incapacitation and death, as tragically demonstrated in this case. Hypoxia, or oxygen deficiency in the body’s tissues, progresses through various stages, initially presenting with subtle symptoms like impaired judgment, fatigue, and euphoria, which can be easily dismissed or misinterpreted. As the oxygen deprivation worsens, more severe symptoms such as confusion, visual disturbances, loss of coordination, and ultimately unconsciousness ensue. The insidious nature of early hypoxia is particularly dangerous for pilots, as their ability to recognize and respond to the emergency is progressively compromised.  

Furthermore, this accident highlighted the potential for a cascade of failures following a loss of pressurization. The inability of the flight crew to respond to the emergency, communicate with air traffic control, or take corrective action led to the uncontrolled flight of the aircraft until fuel exhaustion. This illustrates the critical need for robust systems to detect and alert flight crews to pressurization issues, as well as comprehensive training protocols that emphasize the rapid onset and debilitating effects of hypoxia, and the immediate actions required to mitigate the risk, such as donning oxygen masks and initiating an emergency descent.

Recommendations:

To mitigate the risks associated with altitude physiology and prevent similar tragedies, the following recommendations are crucial:

Firstly, enhanced training and awareness programs regarding altitude physiology should be mandatory for all pilots, including those operating general aviation aircraft capable of reaching high altitudes. This training should go beyond basic theoretical knowledge and incorporate realistic simulator scenarios that expose pilots to the subtle and rapid effects of hypoxia. Emphasis should be placed on early symptom recognition, the time of useful consciousness at various altitudes, and the immediate and correct use of emergency oxygen.

Secondly, robust and redundant cabin pressurization monitoring and alert systems are essential. Aircraft should be equipped with clear and timely warning systems that immediately alert the flight crew to any loss of cabin pressure. Furthermore, consideration should be given to technologies that automatically deploy oxygen masks in the event of a rapid decompression, particularly in smaller aircraft where pilot workload can be high.

Thirdly, standardized procedures and checklists for responding to a loss of cabin pressurization must be strictly adhered to. These procedures should emphasize the priority of donning oxygen masks immediately, followed by initiating an emergency descent to a safe altitude where the ambient air can sustain consciousness. Regular and recurrent training on these emergency procedures is critical to ensure automatic and correct responses under pressure.

Finally, ongoing research and technological advancements in areas such as physiological monitoring and automated safety systems should be supported. Exploring technologies that could provide real-time feedback on pilot oxygen saturation levels or automatically initiate emergency descent protocols could provide an additional layer of safety.

The Payne Stewart accident served as a stark reminder of the unforgiving nature of the high-altitude environment and the critical importance of respecting the physiological limitations of the human body. By implementing enhanced training, robust safety systems, and strict adherence to emergency procedures, the aviation industry can strive to prevent similar tragedies and ensure the safety of all those who travel by air.

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