An A320 flight crew declares an emergency and lands due to an ill passenger.

Attributes
ACN	575134
Time
Date	200302
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pct.tracon
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl single value : 6000
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pct.tracon tower : iad.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	575134
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	cabin event : passenger illness
Independent Detector	other other : fa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

About 15-20 mins out of iad, flight attendant called to advise of passenger who had momentarily fainted after standing up. We advised ATC that we had a medical situation on board. Subsequent conversations with flight attendant and doctor attending the passenger indicated deteriorating condition. Pct approach cleared us direct to OM. Nearing iad, I was told passenger, who had been seated, was now on aft galley floor, unresponsive and breathing shallowly. I told potomac approach 'we have medical emergency on board and need priority handling.' I wanted to be certain we were accommodated. Had medics meet aircraft. Tower cleared us to gate. Followed SOP and landed normally. Passenger left on his own without seeking further medical attention (surprised me).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 FLT CREW DECLARES AN EMER AND LANDS DUE TO AN ILL PAX.

Narrative: ABOUT 15-20 MINS OUT OF IAD, FLT ATTENDANT CALLED TO ADVISE OF PAX WHO HAD MOMENTARILY FAINTED AFTER STANDING UP. WE ADVISED ATC THAT WE HAD A MEDICAL SIT ON BOARD. SUBSEQUENT CONVERSATIONS WITH FLT ATTENDANT AND DOCTOR ATTENDING THE PAX INDICATED DETERIORATING CONDITION. PCT APCH CLRED US DIRECT TO OM. NEARING IAD, I WAS TOLD PAX, WHO HAD BEEN SEATED, WAS NOW ON AFT GALLEY FLOOR, UNRESPONSIVE AND BREATHING SHALLOWLY. I TOLD POTOMAC APCH 'WE HAVE MEDICAL EMER ON BOARD AND NEED PRIORITY HANDLING.' I WANTED TO BE CERTAIN WE WERE ACCOMMODATED. HAD MEDICS MEET ACFT. TWR CLRED US TO GATE. FOLLOWED SOP AND LANDED NORMALLY. PAX LEFT ON HIS OWN WITHOUT SEEKING FURTHER MEDICAL ATTN (SURPRISED ME).

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.