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B737-800 crew had a passenger illness, and discovered the required medical kit was only a first aid kit.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 518281 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200107 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : abq.airport |
| State Reference | NM |
| Altitude | msl single value : 31000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zab.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-800 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 3000 |
| ASRS Report | 518281 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 6000 |
| ASRS Report | 518030 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical cabin event : passenger illness maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : company policies other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : diverted to another airport |
| Consequence | other other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Maintenance Human Performance Passenger Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Passenger Human Performance |
Narrative:
Had medical problem with a passenger en route. Diverted to abq. Then discovered medical kit in cockpit was actually a first aid kit. Kits look identical except for lettering on one side. It's very difficult to read identing label. Recommend putting label or lettering on side/edge of box making label visible easier. Found out later that day the passenger died. Supplemental information from acn 518588: during a flight from ZZZ-XXX, a passenger had a heart attack 30 mins from abq. The aircraft diverted to abq. Some confusion was present over the emergency medical kit whether one was on board the aircraft -- one could not be found. They are stowed in cockpit with the flight crew beside the first aid kit. A kit was given to the crew before it left abq. However, no log squawk was generated. It is my belief that the crew looked in the spot for the kits and saw 2 each installed, but it was 2 first aid kits, not 1 first aid and 1 emergency medical kit. I feel that these kits need to be more readily identifiable -- such as in different color boxes and more clearly tagged. As far as generating a squawk for this, it is the captain's responsibility to assure it is on board and if reported not to be, and needed, he is in trouble as is the case. As maintenance, I did not want to get the captain in trouble, that is why a squawk was not generated but a medical kit was aboard the aircraft for the continuation of the flight. Supplemental information from acn 518030: did not declare an emergency -- cleared direct with no problems.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B737-800 CREW HAD A PAX ILLNESS, AND DISCOVERED THE REQUIRED MEDICAL KIT WAS ONLY A FIRST AID KIT.
Narrative: HAD MEDICAL PROB WITH A PAX ENRTE. DIVERTED TO ABQ. THEN DISCOVERED MEDICAL KIT IN COCKPIT WAS ACTUALLY A FIRST AID KIT. KITS LOOK IDENTICAL EXCEPT FOR LETTERING ON ONE SIDE. IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO READ IDENTING LABEL. RECOMMEND PUTTING LABEL OR LETTERING ON SIDE/EDGE OF BOX MAKING LABEL VISIBLE EASIER. FOUND OUT LATER THAT DAY THE PAX DIED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 518588: DURING A FLT FROM ZZZ-XXX, A PAX HAD A HEART ATTACK 30 MINS FROM ABQ. THE ACFT DIVERTED TO ABQ. SOME CONFUSION WAS PRESENT OVER THE EMER MEDICAL KIT WHETHER ONE WAS ON BOARD THE ACFT -- ONE COULD NOT BE FOUND. THEY ARE STOWED IN COCKPIT WITH THE FLC BESIDE THE FIRST AID KIT. A KIT WAS GIVEN TO THE CREW BEFORE IT LEFT ABQ. HOWEVER, NO LOG SQUAWK WAS GENERATED. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THE CREW LOOKED IN THE SPOT FOR THE KITS AND SAW 2 EACH INSTALLED, BUT IT WAS 2 FIRST AID KITS, NOT 1 FIRST AID AND 1 EMER MEDICAL KIT. I FEEL THAT THESE KITS NEED TO BE MORE READILY IDENTIFIABLE -- SUCH AS IN DIFFERENT COLOR BOXES AND MORE CLRLY TAGGED. AS FAR AS GENERATING A SQUAWK FOR THIS, IT IS THE CAPT'S RESPONSIBILITY TO ASSURE IT IS ON BOARD AND IF RPTED NOT TO BE, AND NEEDED, HE IS IN TROUBLE AS IS THE CASE. AS MAINT, I DID NOT WANT TO GET THE CAPT IN TROUBLE, THAT IS WHY A SQUAWK WAS NOT GENERATED BUT A MEDICAL KIT WAS ABOARD THE ACFT FOR THE CONTINUATION OF THE FLT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 518030: DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER -- CLRED DIRECT WITH NO PROBS.
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.