An air carrier first officer expressed concern that he would be pressured by his company if he did n...

Attributes
ACN	619114
Time
Date	200405
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mdt.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	619114
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

Prior to sign-in for trip, I was feeling the start of a cold coming on. Due to the recent heightened pressure from the flight department to reduce sick calls, and the prospect of being called into the office to defend myself for calling in sick, I decided to take sudafed and go to work. After the 3 leg day and the late arrival, I had a total ear block in both ears. Feeling like a call from the flight office was imminent over a holiday weekend if I called in sick, I continued on the sudafed and by pickup time, the next day, was marginally able to clear my ears. Against my better judgement, I continued on the trip and put myself at risk of blowing out both eardrums. Fortunately, I completed the trip without any major injury, just a bit of discomfort and shame for letting myself be bullied into flying sick. I promise, in the future, I will do my best not to let this happen again.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FO EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT HE WOULD BE PRESSURED BY HIS COMPANY IF HE DID NOT FLY, EVEN THOUGH HE WAS SICK AND HAD TAKEN SUDAFED MEDICATION FOR HIS SYMPTOMS.

Narrative: PRIOR TO SIGN-IN FOR TRIP, I WAS FEELING THE START OF A COLD COMING ON. DUE TO THE RECENT HEIGHTENED PRESSURE FROM THE FLT DEPT TO REDUCE SICK CALLS, AND THE PROSPECT OF BEING CALLED INTO THE OFFICE TO DEFEND MYSELF FOR CALLING IN SICK, I DECIDED TO TAKE SUDAFED AND GO TO WORK. AFTER THE 3 LEG DAY AND THE LATE ARR, I HAD A TOTAL EAR BLOCK IN BOTH EARS. FEELING LIKE A CALL FROM THE FLT OFFICE WAS IMMINENT OVER A HOLIDAY WEEKEND IF I CALLED IN SICK, I CONTINUED ON THE SUDAFED AND BY PICKUP TIME, THE NEXT DAY, WAS MARGINALLY ABLE TO CLR MY EARS. AGAINST MY BETTER JUDGEMENT, I CONTINUED ON THE TRIP AND PUT MYSELF AT RISK OF BLOWING OUT BOTH EARDRUMS. FORTUNATELY, I COMPLETED THE TRIP WITHOUT ANY MAJOR INJURY, JUST A BIT OF DISCOMFORT AND SHAME FOR LETTING MYSELF BE BULLIED INTO FLYING SICK. I PROMISE, IN THE FUTURE, I WILL DO MY BEST NOT TO LET THIS HAPPEN AGAIN.

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.

An air carrier first officer expressed concern that he would be pressured by his company if he did not fly, even though he was sick and had taken sudafed medication for his symptoms.