B757-200 crew had a disruptive and ill passenger on the flight to cvg.

Attributes
ACN	521292
Time
Date	200108
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zid.artcc
State Reference	IN
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Turbulence Thunderstorm
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid.artcc tower : gso.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
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 : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	521292
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	cabin event : passenger misconduct cabin event : passenger illness inflight encounter : turbulence inflight encounter : weather inflight encounter other
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

Prior to top of descent the head flight attendant reported a stressed, disruptive, abusive passenger who had complained about a crying child seated behind him. He wanted a seat change but the flight was full so this was not possible. The passenger complained about being mistreated and ignored, demanded to be first off the plane and upgraded on the next flight. As it progressed he started complaining of a high heart rate and headache. His problems seemed self induced but we could not ignore that he might really have medical problems. We advised ATC of a medical situation. The head flight attendant went back again and this time he 'did not look good' so she administered oxygen. We declared medical emergency and asked for paramedics to meet the flight. Our handling into cvg was expeditious. Paramedics met the flight and he walked off to their ambulance. He continued on with his next flight. Passenger now claims negligence/injury due to our handling. It was only about 1/2 hour for entire event. Only thing we would do differently would be to see if a doctor was onboard. Unfortunately our mindset was more how to handle a disruptive passenger rather than a medical problem. The transition was difficult to make.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757-200 CREW HAD A DISRUPTIVE AND ILL PAX ON THE FLT TO CVG.

Narrative: PRIOR TO TOP OF DSCNT THE HEAD FLT ATTENDANT RPTED A STRESSED, DISRUPTIVE, ABUSIVE PAX WHO HAD COMPLAINED ABOUT A CRYING CHILD SEATED BEHIND HIM. HE WANTED A SEAT CHANGE BUT THE FLT WAS FULL SO THIS WAS NOT POSSIBLE. THE PAX COMPLAINED ABOUT BEING MISTREATED AND IGNORED, DEMANDED TO BE FIRST OFF THE PLANE AND UPGRADED ON THE NEXT FLT. AS IT PROGRESSED HE STARTED COMPLAINING OF A HIGH HEART RATE AND HEADACHE. HIS PROBS SEEMED SELF INDUCED BUT WE COULD NOT IGNORE THAT HE MIGHT REALLY HAVE MEDICAL PROBS. WE ADVISED ATC OF A MEDICAL SIT. THE HEAD FLT ATTENDANT WENT BACK AGAIN AND THIS TIME HE 'DID NOT LOOK GOOD' SO SHE ADMINISTERED OXYGEN. WE DECLARED MEDICAL EMER AND ASKED FOR PARAMEDICS TO MEET THE FLT. OUR HANDLING INTO CVG WAS EXPEDITIOUS. PARAMEDICS MET THE FLT AND HE WALKED OFF TO THEIR AMBULANCE. HE CONTINUED ON WITH HIS NEXT FLT. PAX NOW CLAIMS NEGLIGENCE/INJURY DUE TO OUR HANDLING. IT WAS ONLY ABOUT 1/2 HR FOR ENTIRE EVENT. ONLY THING WE WOULD DO DIFFERENTLY WOULD BE TO SEE IF A DOCTOR WAS ONBOARD. UNFORTUNATELY OUR MINDSET WAS MORE HOW TO HANDLE A DISRUPTIVE PAX RATHER THAN A MEDICAL PROB. THE TRANSITION WAS DIFFICULT TO MAKE.

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.