A B757 flight crew decided to land overweight when a medical emergency turns very serious.

Attributes
ACN	581540
Time
Date	200305
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zoa.artcc
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 34000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa.artcc tower : ojc.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	581540
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

About 1 hour into flight from sfo to ZZZ, I was advised of an ill passenger in the cabin. After conferring with a doctor, a paramedic, and an emergency room nurse that were attending to her, it was determined that her life was now in danger. I made the decision to declare a medical emergency and return to sfo. This, unfortunately, meant that we would be landing 7500 pounds over the maximum structural landing weight of the aircraft. We proceeded to sfo and landed on runway 28L. The landing was very smooth and without incident. The aircraft also checked out by maintenance to be fine. We were met by medical staff from the airport, and passenger was attended to and removed from the aircraft to be taken to the hospital.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757 FLT CREW DECIDED TO LAND OVERWT WHEN A MEDICAL EMER TURNS VERY SERIOUS.

Narrative: ABOUT 1 HR INTO FLT FROM SFO TO ZZZ, I WAS ADVISED OF AN ILL PAX IN THE CABIN. AFTER CONFERRING WITH A DOCTOR, A PARAMEDIC, AND AN EMER ROOM NURSE THAT WERE ATTENDING TO HER, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT HER LIFE WAS NOW IN DANGER. I MADE THE DECISION TO DECLARE A MEDICAL EMER AND RETURN TO SFO. THIS, UNFORTUNATELY, MEANT THAT WE WOULD BE LNDG 7500 LBS OVER THE MAX STRUCTURAL LNDG WT OF THE ACFT. WE PROCEEDED TO SFO AND LANDED ON RWY 28L. THE LNDG WAS VERY SMOOTH AND WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE ACFT ALSO CHKED OUT BY MAINT TO BE FINE. WE WERE MET BY MEDICAL STAFF FROM THE ARPT, AND PAX WAS ATTENDED TO AND REMOVED FROM THE ACFT TO BE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL.

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.