B737-300 flight crew has a medical emergency en route; exceeds 250 KTS below 10000 ft.

Attributes
ACN	698867
Time
Date	200606
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon tower : oak.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival star : n/s
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 206 flight time total : 10500 flight time type : 8000
ASRS Report	698867
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	698866
Events
Anomaly	cabin event : passenger illness other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 3
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

Approximately 20 mins from landing; the 'a' flight attendant notified the cockpit that a passenger appeared to be unconscious and unresponsive. We increased our airspeed just in case. I told the flight attendant to advise me on the situation when they knew more; and to check for medical personnel onboard. A few mins later the flight attendant called back and said the female passenger was definitely not responding and they were going to begin treating her with the aed/cpr. We informed ATC we had a medical emergency onboard and requested priority handling to the airport. Center and approach vectored us direct the airport and we flew as fast as we could; including exceeding 250 KTS below 10000 ft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 FLT CREW HAS A MEDICAL EMER ENRTE; EXCEEDS 250 KTS BELOW 10000 FT.

Narrative: APPROX 20 MINS FROM LNDG; THE 'A' FLT ATTENDANT NOTIFIED THE COCKPIT THAT A PAX APPEARED TO BE UNCONSCIOUS AND UNRESPONSIVE. WE INCREASED OUR AIRSPD JUST IN CASE. I TOLD THE FLT ATTENDANT TO ADVISE ME ON THE SITUATION WHEN THEY KNEW MORE; AND TO CHK FOR MEDICAL PERSONNEL ONBOARD. A FEW MINS LATER THE FLT ATTENDANT CALLED BACK AND SAID THE FEMALE PAX WAS DEFINITELY NOT RESPONDING AND THEY WERE GOING TO BEGIN TREATING HER WITH THE AED/CPR. WE INFORMED ATC WE HAD A MEDICAL EMER ONBOARD AND REQUESTED PRIORITY HANDLING TO THE ARPT. CTR AND APCH VECTORED US DIRECT THE ARPT AND WE FLEW AS FAST AS WE COULD; INCLUDING EXCEEDING 250 KTS BELOW 10000 FT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.