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A320 crew was advised an ill passenger was expected to die, by an onboard nurse passenger. PIC declared emergency. ATC cleared flight direct to dfw.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 577743 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200303 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001 To 0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : d10.tracon |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl single value : 1000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zfw.artcc tracon : d10.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 3000 |
| ASRS Report | 577743 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | cabin event : passenger illness non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 4 |
| Resolutory Action | controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : declared emergency |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance Passenger Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Passenger Human Performance |
Narrative:
About 300 mi from our destination, (dfw airport), a passenger became very ill. A nurse onboard took blood pressure and pulse, and told us he was possibly going to die. We requested and received direct dfw from ATC (ZFW). When we were handed over to approach control, they cleared us to exceed 250 KTS below 10000 ft MSL. We verified the clearance and accepted. I knew that under normal circumstances a controller cannot waive this restr, but I felt a human life was more important than any far. We had previously declared a medical emergency. I felt we had the moral and legal obligation and authority/authorized to exceed the 250 KT below 10000 ft MSL rule, as did the approach controller. To tell the truth, I am still unclr that we or the controller did anything wrong, as this was an emergency. As such, it seems to me I (as captain) have the authority/authorized to do what is required under my emergency authority/authorized to protect the lives of my passenger.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A320 CREW WAS ADVISED AN ILL PAX WAS EXPECTED TO DIE, BY AN ONBOARD NURSE PAX. PIC DECLARED EMER. ATC CLRED FLT DIRECT TO DFW.
Narrative: ABOUT 300 MI FROM OUR DEST, (DFW ARPT), A PAX BECAME VERY ILL. A NURSE ONBOARD TOOK BLOOD PRESSURE AND PULSE, AND TOLD US HE WAS POSSIBLY GOING TO DIE. WE REQUESTED AND RECEIVED DIRECT DFW FROM ATC (ZFW). WHEN WE WERE HANDED OVER TO APCH CTL, THEY CLRED US TO EXCEED 250 KTS BELOW 10000 FT MSL. WE VERIFIED THE CLRNC AND ACCEPTED. I KNEW THAT UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES A CTLR CANNOT WAIVE THIS RESTR, BUT I FELT A HUMAN LIFE WAS MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANY FAR. WE HAD PREVIOUSLY DECLARED A MEDICAL EMER. I FELT WE HAD THE MORAL AND LEGAL OBLIGATION AND AUTH TO EXCEED THE 250 KT BELOW 10000 FT MSL RULE, AS DID THE APCH CTLR. TO TELL THE TRUTH, I AM STILL UNCLR THAT WE OR THE CTLR DID ANYTHING WRONG, AS THIS WAS AN EMER. AS SUCH, IT SEEMS TO ME I (AS CAPT) HAVE THE AUTH TO DO WHAT IS REQUIRED UNDER MY EMER AUTH TO PROTECT THE LIVES OF MY PAX.
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.