Narrative:

10 mins prior to hotel departure time, I suddenly felt nauseated. I thought I was reacting to something I had for breakfast. I would have liked to get 'off' the trip but we were in a small, remote station (for our airline) and we had only 1 leg to our crew base. The WX was perfect and the first officer was 'sharp.' I also thought the feeling of nausea would pass when I went outside for a few mins to wait for the hotel van. I knew if I took myself off the trip the flight would be canceled and the crew and our passenger would be greatly inconvenienced. Once outside, I felt better. I met my first officer and explained my situation. I told him I thought I could make it to our crew base. He felt that, based on my assessment of my health situation, that he was comfortable with my decision to fly. I made the trip to the airport and accomplished all preflight activities and, while I didn't feel great, I certainly was capable of performing my duties. Taxi and takeoff were normal with the first officer flying. Passing about FL180 I vomited. Fortunately, I had made provisions for that -- just in case. I had never been sick like that before in 25 yrs of flying. After vomiting I felt better but found that I really did not feel as sharp as I thought I would. The flight was completed normally and safely -- the first officer even 'greased' the landing. From this experience I realize that I'm no superman and, just because something like nausea in-flight had not happened before, is no guarantee that 'I can make it.' I wished I had not flown. Next time I'm going to concentrate on what could happen when one of the pilots isn't exactly perfect and not dwell on the inconvenience a hard decision like not flying will cause. Hopefully, there won't be a next time!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FAR VIOLATION WHEN PIC TAKES HIS FLT WHEN FEELING ILL.

Narrative: 10 MINS PRIOR TO HOTEL DEP TIME, I SUDDENLY FELT NAUSEATED. I THOUGHT I WAS REACTING TO SOMETHING I HAD FOR BREAKFAST. I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO GET 'OFF' THE TRIP BUT WE WERE IN A SMALL, REMOTE STATION (FOR OUR AIRLINE) AND WE HAD ONLY 1 LEG TO OUR CREW BASE. THE WX WAS PERFECT AND THE FO WAS 'SHARP.' I ALSO THOUGHT THE FEELING OF NAUSEA WOULD PASS WHEN I WENT OUTSIDE FOR A FEW MINS TO WAIT FOR THE HOTEL VAN. I KNEW IF I TOOK MYSELF OFF THE TRIP THE FLT WOULD BE CANCELED AND THE CREW AND OUR PAX WOULD BE GREATLY INCONVENIENCED. ONCE OUTSIDE, I FELT BETTER. I MET MY FO AND EXPLAINED MY SIT. I TOLD HIM I THOUGHT I COULD MAKE IT TO OUR CREW BASE. HE FELT THAT, BASED ON MY ASSESSMENT OF MY HEALTH SIT, THAT HE WAS COMFORTABLE WITH MY DECISION TO FLY. I MADE THE TRIP TO THE ARPT AND ACCOMPLISHED ALL PREFLT ACTIVITIES AND, WHILE I DIDN'T FEEL GREAT, I CERTAINLY WAS CAPABLE OF PERFORMING MY DUTIES. TAXI AND TKOF WERE NORMAL WITH THE FO FLYING. PASSING ABOUT FL180 I VOMITED. FORTUNATELY, I HAD MADE PROVISIONS FOR THAT -- JUST IN CASE. I HAD NEVER BEEN SICK LIKE THAT BEFORE IN 25 YRS OF FLYING. AFTER VOMITING I FELT BETTER BUT FOUND THAT I REALLY DID NOT FEEL AS SHARP AS I THOUGHT I WOULD. THE FLT WAS COMPLETED NORMALLY AND SAFELY -- THE FO EVEN 'GREASED' THE LNDG. FROM THIS EXPERIENCE I REALIZE THAT I'M NO SUPERMAN AND, JUST BECAUSE SOMETHING LIKE NAUSEA INFLT HAD NOT HAPPENED BEFORE, IS NO GUARANTEE THAT 'I CAN MAKE IT.' I WISHED I HAD NOT FLOWN. NEXT TIME I'M GOING TO CONCENTRATE ON WHAT COULD HAPPEN WHEN ONE OF THE PLTS ISN'T EXACTLY PERFECT AND NOT DWELL ON THE INCONVENIENCE A HARD DECISION LIKE NOT FLYING WILL CAUSE. HOPEFULLY, THERE WON'T BE A NEXT TIME!

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.