An ill passenger dictates the need for priority handling and emergency ground equipment on arrival.

Attributes
ACN	190526
Time
Date	199110
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pit
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 37000 msl bound upper : 37000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	190526
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other

Narrative:

Male passenger complained of shortness of breath but no other symptoms. Flight attendant administered O2. At this time we were 50 mins out of pittsburgh in the area between washington and charlotte. His condition didn't improve but seemed stable. No medical personnel came forward to examine him. About 25-30 mins out of pittsburgh a nurse came forward and examined the man and said he was in serious condition. We had already started our descent for approach and at that time requested priority handling into pittsburgh and medical assist on ground. We landed and the man was still stable when put on the ambulance. In hindsight we might have landed short of pittsburgh and gotten in a few mins earlier. Flying into an unscheduled destination sometimes takes even longer but you never know.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ILL PAX DICTATES THE NEED FOR PRIORITY HANDLING AND EMER GND EQUIP ON ARR.

Narrative: MALE PAX COMPLAINED OF SHORTNESS OF BREATH BUT NO OTHER SYMPTOMS. FLT ATTENDANT ADMINISTERED O2. AT THIS TIME WE WERE 50 MINS OUT OF PITTSBURGH IN THE AREA BTWN WASHINGTON AND CHARLOTTE. HIS CONDITION DIDN'T IMPROVE BUT SEEMED STABLE. NO MEDICAL PERSONNEL CAME FORWARD TO EXAMINE HIM. ABOUT 25-30 MINS OUT OF PITTSBURGH A NURSE CAME FORWARD AND EXAMINED THE MAN AND SAID HE WAS IN SERIOUS CONDITION. WE HAD ALREADY STARTED OUR DSCNT FOR APCH AND AT THAT TIME REQUESTED PRIORITY HANDLING INTO PITTSBURGH AND MEDICAL ASSIST ON GND. WE LANDED AND THE MAN WAS STILL STABLE WHEN PUT ON THE AMBULANCE. IN HINDSIGHT WE MIGHT HAVE LANDED SHORT OF PITTSBURGH AND GOTTEN IN A FEW MINS EARLIER. FLYING INTO AN UNSCHEDULED DEST SOMETIMES TAKES EVEN LONGER BUT YOU NEVER KNOW.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.