Narrative:

I was deplaning the aircraft very slowly, due to an elderly passenger who was 2 people in front of me. The attendant was at the top of the stairs in the cabin. The elderly passenger was obviously having difficulty negotiating the stairs -- moving very slowly. As she reached the tarmac, she fell forward, falling flat on her face. Her nose and eye area were bloody. It was a hard fall -- she was unable to catch her fall. 2 passenger helped her up, then the attendant came to assist. Several problems were evident in the procedure: 1) no one was assisting this elderly passenger negotiate the stairs, even though it was obvious she needed assistance. 2) no place was available for her to situation after the fall. 3) the 2 pilots were outside checking the aircraft, observing the situation, but offering no assistance or condolences or care or interest in the woman. 4) no one was present at the bottom of the stairs to help anyone who may need help. 5) emergency care seemed to take a long time in coming. The incident would have been avoided if someone had been at the bottom of the stairway -- a 'no brainer' when a passenger obviously was having difficulty. Evidently, the airline's rules are for the attendant to stay on the plane. She should have asked a passenger to assist. I was especially disturbed that the crew (pilots) showed such disregard for the welfare of the passenger who was obviously in distress.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PAX RPT, CANADIAN AIR JET BOMBARDIER, NEWBURGH, NY, TO ATLANTA, GA. CRITICIZES AIRLINE, PLTS AND CABIN ATTENDANT FOR NOT HAVING ANYONE AT BOTTOM OF STAIRS TO HELP PAX. ELDERLY LADY FELL ONTO TARMAC, INJURED.

Narrative: I WAS DEPLANING THE ACFT VERY SLOWLY, DUE TO AN ELDERLY PAX WHO WAS 2 PEOPLE IN FRONT OF ME. THE ATTENDANT WAS AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS IN THE CABIN. THE ELDERLY PAX WAS OBVIOUSLY HAVING DIFFICULTY NEGOTIATING THE STAIRS -- MOVING VERY SLOWLY. AS SHE REACHED THE TARMAC, SHE FELL FORWARD, FALLING FLAT ON HER FACE. HER NOSE AND EYE AREA WERE BLOODY. IT WAS A HARD FALL -- SHE WAS UNABLE TO CATCH HER FALL. 2 PAX HELPED HER UP, THEN THE ATTENDANT CAME TO ASSIST. SEVERAL PROBS WERE EVIDENT IN THE PROC: 1) NO ONE WAS ASSISTING THIS ELDERLY PAX NEGOTIATE THE STAIRS, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS OBVIOUS SHE NEEDED ASSISTANCE. 2) NO PLACE WAS AVAILABLE FOR HER TO SIT AFTER THE FALL. 3) THE 2 PLTS WERE OUTSIDE CHKING THE ACFT, OBSERVING THE SIT, BUT OFFERING NO ASSISTANCE OR CONDOLENCES OR CARE OR INTEREST IN THE WOMAN. 4) NO ONE WAS PRESENT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STAIRS TO HELP ANYONE WHO MAY NEED HELP. 5) EMER CARE SEEMED TO TAKE A LONG TIME IN COMING. THE INCIDENT WOULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF SOMEONE HAD BEEN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STAIRWAY -- A 'NO BRAINER' WHEN A PAX OBVIOUSLY WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY. EVIDENTLY, THE AIRLINE'S RULES ARE FOR THE ATTENDANT TO STAY ON THE PLANE. SHE SHOULD HAVE ASKED A PAX TO ASSIST. I WAS ESPECIALLY DISTURBED THAT THE CREW (PLTS) SHOWED SUCH DISREGARD FOR THE WELFARE OF THE PAX WHO WAS OBVIOUSLY IN DISTRESS.

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.