Air carrier descending due to ill passenger, exceeds 250 KT speed restriction below 10000 ft.

Attributes
ACN	239738
Time
Date	199304
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dfw tracon : fra
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent 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 : 100 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	239738
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

After reaching midpoint in the hou-dal leg we were informed by a flight attendant a male passenger appeared to have a seizure which apparently rendered him unconscious. With the passenger health in doubt, we decided to ask for priority handling into dal using direct routing and keeping our speed up. We did not declare an emergency to circumvent the FARS, only asking and receiving full cooperation from all controllers. During the process we exceeded 250 KIAS below 10000 ft. The flight proceeded and terminated without incident. The reason we/I decided to not declare emergency was due to possible sensationalism by the news media. The reason this report is being written is because the FAA is 'not here to help me.' callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter statements on callback lead one to believe he is quite paranoid about media attention. Does not want to step off the aircraft and have a tv camera in his face. Also paranoid that FAA concentrates only on enforcement and always tries to find some way to 'getcha.' he will never declare an emergency if any way around it. Will do just as he did and request priority handling.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR DSNDING DUE TO ILL PAX, EXCEEDS 250 KT SPD RESTRICTION BELOW 10000 FT.

Narrative: AFTER REACHING MIDPOINT IN THE HOU-DAL LEG WE WERE INFORMED BY A FLT ATTENDANT A MALE PAX APPEARED TO HAVE A SEIZURE WHICH APPARENTLY RENDERED HIM UNCONSCIOUS. WITH THE PAX HEALTH IN DOUBT, WE DECIDED TO ASK FOR PRIORITY HANDLING INTO DAL USING DIRECT ROUTING AND KEEPING OUR SPD UP. WE DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER TO CIRCUMVENT THE FARS, ONLY ASKING AND RECEIVING FULL COOPERATION FROM ALL CTLRS. DURING THE PROCESS WE EXCEEDED 250 KIAS BELOW 10000 FT. THE FLT PROCEEDED AND TERMINATED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE REASON WE/I DECIDED TO NOT DECLARE EMER WAS DUE TO POSSIBLE SENSATIONALISM BY THE NEWS MEDIA. THE REASON THIS RPT IS BEING WRITTEN IS BECAUSE THE FAA IS 'NOT HERE TO HELP ME.' CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATEMENTS ON CALLBACK LEAD ONE TO BELIEVE HE IS QUITE PARANOID ABOUT MEDIA ATTN. DOES NOT WANT TO STEP OFF THE ACFT AND HAVE A TV CAMERA IN HIS FACE. ALSO PARANOID THAT FAA CONCENTRATES ONLY ON ENFORCEMENT AND ALWAYS TRIES TO FIND SOME WAY TO 'GETCHA.' HE WILL NEVER DECLARE AN EMER IF ANY WAY AROUND IT. WILL DO JUST AS HE DID AND REQUEST PRIORITY HANDLING.

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.