Originally Posted by
Sink r8
With the very incomplete picture I have, it makes me wonder whether it's possible these guys started a few steps, got the aircraft started down, and passed out while within that window. Maybe the oxygen was not fully open, maybe they didn't put it on, maybe there was a fire. I have no idea, CNN definitely has no idea, and based on the unverified information available to the public, I'm pretty sure most of us have no idea.
Yep - almost all cabin pressure recall checklist step 1 oxygen masks and regulators ON.... of course depends on the oxygen and mask delivery system working.
Medically, most people would lose useful consciousness at cabin altitude 30k ft within 20-30 seconds. If plane was started down though via the FD, and reached 12,000 ft as per some reports within 20 minutes, everybody would wake back up with little more than a bad headache and maybe some brief confusion.
Obviously smoke changes everything.