Narrative:

While en route from pdx to phx at FL330, an onboard medical emergency developed requiring a divert to rno. When the decision to divert was made, our distance from rno was less than required for an on-course descent. Under ATC's control, we took a few vectors off our course to rno to lose altitude. During most of this descent I was on the #2 radio with dispatch/medlink. I did make the point, however, to notice that 11000 ft had been set in the altitude alerter by the captain. Prior to reaching 11000 ft (maybe 13500 ft) I was back on the #1 radio, and digging out some charts/plates for rno. The captain had received ceiling, visibility and altimeter setting from ATC during descent. Again, I noticed that 11000 ft was set in the altitude alerter. At some point the captain said he had received a clearance to 10000 ft and set that into the altitude alerter. I don't recall us getting that clearance to 10000 ft and as we began descending below 11000 ft, I questioned the captain about it. He said we were cleared to 10000 ft and the descent below 11000 ft continued. I still had my doubts about the 10000 ft clearance, so I queried the controller as to our altitude assignment. He emphasized our assignment to be 11000 ft. We reset the altitude alerter accordingly and returned to 11000 ft. I believe we had descended to about 10300 ft before correcting. A short time later, we were handed off to rno approach with nothing else said by the controller involved. If presented a similar situation in the future, I will make it a point to be off of the #2 radio much earlier, and back on the #1 radio to assist with flying the airplane. I feel certain that had I been back on #1 radio earlier in the descent, this deviation most likely would not have occurred. Things were very busy in the cockpit, and I know that our divided duties were a major contributing factor in our deviation. P.south. The passenger was assisted off of the airplane with the assistance of paramedics. He was in stable condition. He had collapsed on the aft galley floor, and had a heart condition. Another of our passenger just happened to be a cardiologist!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 PIC DSNDS THE ACFT BELOW THE ASSIGNED ALT DURING A MEDICAL EMER DIVERSION TO RNO, NV.

Narrative: WHILE ENRTE FROM PDX TO PHX AT FL330, AN ONBOARD MEDICAL EMER DEVELOPED REQUIRING A DIVERT TO RNO. WHEN THE DECISION TO DIVERT WAS MADE, OUR DISTANCE FROM RNO WAS LESS THAN REQUIRED FOR AN ON-COURSE DSCNT. UNDER ATC'S CTL, WE TOOK A FEW VECTORS OFF OUR COURSE TO RNO TO LOSE ALT. DURING MOST OF THIS DSCNT I WAS ON THE #2 RADIO WITH DISPATCH/MEDLINK. I DID MAKE THE POINT, HOWEVER, TO NOTICE THAT 11000 FT HAD BEEN SET IN THE ALT ALERTER BY THE CAPT. PRIOR TO REACHING 11000 FT (MAYBE 13500 FT) I WAS BACK ON THE #1 RADIO, AND DIGGING OUT SOME CHARTS/PLATES FOR RNO. THE CAPT HAD RECEIVED CEILING, VISIBILITY AND ALTIMETER SETTING FROM ATC DURING DSCNT. AGAIN, I NOTICED THAT 11000 FT WAS SET IN THE ALT ALERTER. AT SOME POINT THE CAPT SAID HE HAD RECEIVED A CLRNC TO 10000 FT AND SET THAT INTO THE ALT ALERTER. I DON'T RECALL US GETTING THAT CLRNC TO 10000 FT AND AS WE BEGAN DSNDING BELOW 11000 FT, I QUESTIONED THE CAPT ABOUT IT. HE SAID WE WERE CLRED TO 10000 FT AND THE DSCNT BELOW 11000 FT CONTINUED. I STILL HAD MY DOUBTS ABOUT THE 10000 FT CLRNC, SO I QUERIED THE CTLR AS TO OUR ALT ASSIGNMENT. HE EMPHASIZED OUR ASSIGNMENT TO BE 11000 FT. WE RESET THE ALT ALERTER ACCORDINGLY AND RETURNED TO 11000 FT. I BELIEVE WE HAD DSNDED TO ABOUT 10300 FT BEFORE CORRECTING. A SHORT TIME LATER, WE WERE HANDED OFF TO RNO APCH WITH NOTHING ELSE SAID BY THE CTLR INVOLVED. IF PRESENTED A SIMILAR SIT IN THE FUTURE, I WILL MAKE IT A POINT TO BE OFF OF THE #2 RADIO MUCH EARLIER, AND BACK ON THE #1 RADIO TO ASSIST WITH FLYING THE AIRPLANE. I FEEL CERTAIN THAT HAD I BEEN BACK ON #1 RADIO EARLIER IN THE DSCNT, THIS DEV MOST LIKELY WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED. THINGS WERE VERY BUSY IN THE COCKPIT, AND I KNOW THAT OUR DIVIDED DUTIES WERE A MAJOR CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN OUR DEV. P.S. THE PAX WAS ASSISTED OFF OF THE AIRPLANE WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF PARAMEDICS. HE WAS IN STABLE CONDITION. HE HAD COLLAPSED ON THE AFT GALLEY FLOOR, AND HAD A HEART CONDITION. ANOTHER OF OUR PAX JUST HAPPENED TO BE A CARDIOLOGIST!

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.