An airbus A320 flight crew declared a medical emergency and returned to land after cabin attendant reported a passenger not breathing and cpr was starting in attempt to restore passenger's life.

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Attributes
ACN	513084
Time
Date	200105
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den.airport
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl single value : 20000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Weather Elements	Windshear other
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdv.artcc tower : den.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time type : 2527
ASRS Report	513084
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	cabin event : passenger illness inflight encounter : turbulence inflight encounter other
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

While climbing out of den to lax and dodging cumulo nimbus, we received a call from the flight attendant that a passenger was not breathing and they were starting cpr. We declared an emergency and returned to den. While on final (about 800 ft), we were informed by tower that windshear was reported on final by a DC9 at 1 mi out, 20 KTS reported loss for runway 16. We elected to change flap setting to 3 degrees and sidestep to runway 17R. Did not encountered any windshear on landing. Did land overweight. Filled out mechanic items for overweight, hot brakes, oxygen used, medical and first aid kit. Passenger was alert and breathing when paramedics removed him from the airplane. The coordination between ATC, dispatch, and customer service was great. Everything was ready for us when we pulled up to the gate. Flight attendants handled the emergency with professionalism and I appreciated their help. Also, the copilot did an excellent job.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIRBUS A320 FLC DECLARED A MEDICAL EMER AND RETURNED TO LAND AFTER CABIN ATTENDANT RPTED A PAX NOT BREATHING AND CPR WAS STARTING IN ATTEMPT TO RESTORE PAX'S LIFE.

Narrative: WHILE CLBING OUT OF DEN TO LAX AND DODGING CUMULO NIMBUS, WE RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE FLT ATTENDANT THAT A PAX WAS NOT BREATHING AND THEY WERE STARTING CPR. WE DECLARED AN EMER AND RETURNED TO DEN. WHILE ON FINAL (ABOUT 800 FT), WE WERE INFORMED BY TWR THAT WINDSHEAR WAS RPTED ON FINAL BY A DC9 AT 1 MI OUT, 20 KTS RPTED LOSS FOR RWY 16. WE ELECTED TO CHANGE FLAP SETTING TO 3 DEGS AND SIDESTEP TO RWY 17R. DID NOT ENCOUNTERED ANY WINDSHEAR ON LNDG. DID LAND OVERWT. FILLED OUT MECH ITEMS FOR OVERWT, HOT BRAKES, OXYGEN USED, MEDICAL AND FIRST AID KIT. PAX WAS ALERT AND BREATHING WHEN PARAMEDICS REMOVED HIM FROM THE AIRPLANE. THE COORD BTWN ATC, DISPATCH, AND CUSTOMER SVC WAS GREAT. EVERYTHING WAS READY FOR US WHEN WE PULLED UP TO THE GATE. FLT ATTENDANTS HANDLED THE EMER WITH PROFESSIONALISM AND I APPRECIATED THEIR HELP. ALSO, THE COPLT DID AN EXCELLENT JOB.

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.