MD80 flight crew has a passenger fall deplaning and receives an injury.

Attributes
ACN	706680
Time
Date	200608
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rno.airport
State Reference	NV
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	706680
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	cabin event : passenger illness cabin event other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Company Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

Today an elderly lady tripped exiting the plane to the jetway because of the steep step off required because of the pad warning system and the agents' fear of setting it off. After a long flight these people do not need to step down a foot or more because of our warning system. The lady today fell on her face. She had blood on her blouse and face and lost all ability to state who she was or where she was going. Paramedics worked with her for the 40 mins I was waiting for the crew and paramedics to help her. I found out later she was taken to the hospital. I would like to know the final status of her situation and if anything will be done about the step off problem with the MD80. We need a ramp or the warning system needs to be upgraded so a step down is not required. There is nothing for these old folks to hold onto while deplaning and their balance after a several hour situation is not good enough for them to exit safely.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 FLT CREW HAS A PAX FALL DEPLANING AND RECEIVES AN INJURY.

Narrative: TODAY AN ELDERLY LADY TRIPPED EXITING THE PLANE TO THE JETWAY BECAUSE OF THE STEEP STEP OFF REQUIRED BECAUSE OF THE PAD WARNING SYS AND THE AGENTS' FEAR OF SETTING IT OFF. AFTER A LONG FLT THESE PEOPLE DO NOT NEED TO STEP DOWN A FOOT OR MORE BECAUSE OF OUR WARNING SYS. THE LADY TODAY FELL ON HER FACE. SHE HAD BLOOD ON HER BLOUSE AND FACE AND LOST ALL ABILITY TO STATE WHO SHE WAS OR WHERE SHE WAS GOING. PARAMEDICS WORKED WITH HER FOR THE 40 MINS I WAS WAITING FOR THE CREW AND PARAMEDICS TO HELP HER. I FOUND OUT LATER SHE WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE FINAL STATUS OF HER SITUATION AND IF ANYTHING WILL BE DONE ABOUT THE STEP OFF PROB WITH THE MD80. WE NEED A RAMP OR THE WARNING SYS NEEDS TO BE UPGRADED SO A STEP DOWN IS NOT REQUIRED. THERE IS NOTHING FOR THESE OLD FOLKS TO HOLD ONTO WHILE DEPLANING AND THEIR BAL AFTER A SEVERAL HR SIT IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR THEM TO EXIT SAFELY.

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.