Flight crew member incapacitation, divert land.

Attributes
ACN	319863
Time
Date	199511
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : yms
State Reference	ON
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Route In Use	enroute airway : j525 enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 11800 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	319863
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

During cruise flight I experienced low back discomfort which developed into a sharp pain. By lying on my back on the cockpit floor I was able to get some relief. I believe I was having a low back muscle spasm. Since this was an augmented crew member flight, my flight engineer position was immediately filled by a qualified crew member. The captain elected to divert the flight to anchorage, ak. There I received medical attention after deplaning the aircraft. A replacement so replaced my position and the flight departed routinely for narita, japan. Medical personnel diagnosed my problem as in fact a back spasm. After receiving medication, I felt much better and was released from the hospital. As I have generally excellent health, I believe this situation arose from a unsuspected back strain and with proper rest and medical supervision, this should be a very rare occurrence in the future.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC MEMBER INCAPACITATION, DIVERT LAND.

Narrative: DURING CRUISE FLT I EXPERIENCED LOW BACK DISCOMFORT WHICH DEVELOPED INTO A SHARP PAIN. BY LYING ON MY BACK ON THE COCKPIT FLOOR I WAS ABLE TO GET SOME RELIEF. I BELIEVE I WAS HAVING A LOW BACK MUSCLE SPASM. SINCE THIS WAS AN AUGMENTED CREW MEMBER FLT, MY FE POS WAS IMMEDIATELY FILLED BY A QUALIFIED CREW MEMBER. THE CAPT ELECTED TO DIVERT THE FLT TO ANCHORAGE, AK. THERE I RECEIVED MEDICAL ATTENTION AFTER DEPLANING THE ACFT. A REPLACEMENT SO REPLACED MY POS AND THE FLT DEPARTED ROUTINELY FOR NARITA, JAPAN. MEDICAL PERSONNEL DIAGNOSED MY PROB AS IN FACT A BACK SPASM. AFTER RECEIVING MEDICATION, I FELT MUCH BETTER AND WAS RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL. AS I HAVE GENERALLY EXCELLENT HEALTH, I BELIEVE THIS SIT AROSE FROM A UNSUSPECTED BACK STRAIN AND WITH PROPER REST AND MEDICAL SUPERVISION, THIS SHOULD BE A VERY RARE OCCURRENCE IN THE FUTURE.

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.