An A319 passenger falls ill. PIC lowers aircraft's altitude and cabin altitude, proceeds on to desti...

Attributes
ACN	639514
Time
Date	200412
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zau.artcc
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl single value : 37000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A319
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
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	639514
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	cabin event : passenger illness
Independent Detector	other other : fa 4
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

Passenger, ms X, age 25, became light-headed, fainted, recovered and became nauseous. Reported by flight attendants within mins of ms X's fainting spell. A physician assistant, ms Y, tended and attempted to assess the condition of ms X for about 20-30 mins while pilots communicated all known facts to dispatcher. After approximately 15-20 mins of assessment, I talked directly to ms Y, indicated we could land within 20 mins in cleveland or detroit or continue for about another 45-50 mins to iad and she indicated that it would be safe to continue to iad. She explained that ms X had consumed a combination of drugs, some of which contained codeine, that made her ill. I offered to decrease the cabin altitude because it was suggested that the higher altitude may be contributing to ms X's poor condition. Ms X's condition improved dramatically after we descended from FL370 (cabin altitude of 8000 ft) to FL290 (cabin altitude of about 5000 ft). We continued to iad with emergency medical ATC expedited treatment, landed and were met with medical technicians upon arrival at the gate. The passenger consumed oxygen and the flight attendants used the emergency medical kit.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A319 PAX FALLS ILL. PIC LOWERS ACFT'S ALT AND CABIN ALT, PROCEEDS ON TO DEST AFTER CONFERRING WITH DISPATCH AND MEDICAL ASSISTANT PAX PRIOR TO LNDG IAD.

Narrative: PAX, MS X, AGE 25, BECAME LIGHT-HEADED, FAINTED, RECOVERED AND BECAME NAUSEOUS. RPTED BY FLT ATTENDANTS WITHIN MINS OF MS X'S FAINTING SPELL. A PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT, MS Y, TENDED AND ATTEMPTED TO ASSESS THE CONDITION OF MS X FOR ABOUT 20-30 MINS WHILE PLTS COMMUNICATED ALL KNOWN FACTS TO DISPATCHER. AFTER APPROX 15-20 MINS OF ASSESSMENT, I TALKED DIRECTLY TO MS Y, INDICATED WE COULD LAND WITHIN 20 MINS IN CLEVELAND OR DETROIT OR CONTINUE FOR ABOUT ANOTHER 45-50 MINS TO IAD AND SHE INDICATED THAT IT WOULD BE SAFE TO CONTINUE TO IAD. SHE EXPLAINED THAT MS X HAD CONSUMED A COMBINATION OF DRUGS, SOME OF WHICH CONTAINED CODEINE, THAT MADE HER ILL. I OFFERED TO DECREASE THE CABIN ALT BECAUSE IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT THE HIGHER ALT MAY BE CONTRIBUTING TO MS X'S POOR CONDITION. MS X'S CONDITION IMPROVED DRAMATICALLY AFTER WE DSNDED FROM FL370 (CABIN ALT OF 8000 FT) TO FL290 (CABIN ALT OF ABOUT 5000 FT). WE CONTINUED TO IAD WITH EMER MEDICAL ATC EXPEDITED TREATMENT, LANDED AND WERE MET WITH MEDICAL TECHNICIANS UPON ARR AT THE GATE. THE PAX CONSUMED OXYGEN AND THE FLT ATTENDANTS USED THE EMER MEDICAL KIT.

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 A319 passenger falls ill. PIC lowers aircraft's altitude and cabin altitude, proceeds on to destination after conferring with dispatch and medical assistant passenger prior to landing iad.