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Air cargo pilot of a PA31 navajo became ill en route at 17000 ft over the rocky mountains and asked for vectors to the nearest airport.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 498494 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200101 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : ase.airport |
| State Reference | CO |
| Altitude | msl single value : 17000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdv.artcc tracon : ase.tracon tower : ase.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | PA-31 Navajo Chieftan/Mojave/Navajo T1020 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : traffic pattern arrival : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air taxi |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 1400 flight time type : 200 |
| ASRS Report | 498496 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : provided flight assist flight crew : diverted to another airport |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
During a flight returning from gjt, I (the pilot) began to feel ill. Eventually the stomach illness got worse. As a result, I asked ZDV to divert me to the nearest airport. The airport closest was aspen, co. I was instructed to turn 20 degrees left and it was 18 NM out. As I turned, I overshot it to try to be able to get a visual on the airport. I could not see the airport. I switched to aspen approach and was vectored in to the airport. I was vectored in too tight and could not lose enough altitude. As a result, tower allowed me to maneuver at my discretion. I knew the whereabouts of the terrain and executed a tight right 360 degree turn and landed uneventfully. ATC was very helpful in this event.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AIR CARGO PLT OF A PA31 NAVAJO BECAME ILL ENRTE AT 17000 FT OVER THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS AND ASKED FOR VECTORS TO THE NEAREST ARPT.
Narrative: DURING A FLT RETURNING FROM GJT, I (THE PLT) BEGAN TO FEEL ILL. EVENTUALLY THE STOMACH ILLNESS GOT WORSE. AS A RESULT, I ASKED ZDV TO DIVERT ME TO THE NEAREST ARPT. THE ARPT CLOSEST WAS ASPEN, CO. I WAS INSTRUCTED TO TURN 20 DEGS L AND IT WAS 18 NM OUT. AS I TURNED, I OVERSHOT IT TO TRY TO BE ABLE TO GET A VISUAL ON THE ARPT. I COULD NOT SEE THE ARPT. I SWITCHED TO ASPEN APCH AND WAS VECTORED IN TO THE ARPT. I WAS VECTORED IN TOO TIGHT AND COULD NOT LOSE ENOUGH ALT. AS A RESULT, TWR ALLOWED ME TO MANEUVER AT MY DISCRETION. I KNEW THE WHEREABOUTS OF THE TERRAIN AND EXECUTED A TIGHT R 360 DEG TURN AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. ATC WAS VERY HELPFUL IN THIS EVENT.
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.