 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Light transport twin deviates right of course while single pilot flight crew deals with passenger emergency.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 127616 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198911 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : gve |
| State Reference | VA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 13000 msl bound upper : 21000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Small Transport |
| Flight Phase | cruise other other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 90 |
| ASRS Report | 127616 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
The problem started while cruising at 21,000'. I noticed one of my passenger having difficult problem with breathing. Requested descent to as low as possible. ATC cooperated, gradually descending to 13,000' and being vectored to intercept airway. Single pilot operation difficult to help passenger so I descended till he looked like he was feeling and looking much better. At that time found his oxygen receptacle had either vibrated or somehow had come loose from aircraft oxygen receptacle. I then put his unit back in position and continued to my destination. During the vectoring because of traffic ATC advised that I had drifted right of course and was vectored back on course. It was very difficult situation as my passenger was in the back and I was single pilot to fly aircraft and cater to his problem. It seems to me that the receptacle should be made to lock in position to the aircraft so it can not come out with vibration or with passenger somehow turning and removing it and not realizing it.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: LTT TWIN DEVIATES RIGHT OF COURSE WHILE SINGLE PLT FLT CREW DEALS WITH PASSENGER EMERGENCY.
Narrative: THE PROBLEM STARTED WHILE CRUISING AT 21,000'. I NOTICED ONE OF MY PAX HAVING DIFFICULT PROBLEM WITH BREATHING. REQUESTED DSCNT TO AS LOW AS POSSIBLE. ATC COOPERATED, GRADUALLY DESCENDING TO 13,000' AND BEING VECTORED TO INTERCEPT AIRWAY. SINGLE PLT OPERATION DIFFICULT TO HELP PAX SO I DESCENDED TILL HE LOOKED LIKE HE WAS FEELING AND LOOKING MUCH BETTER. AT THAT TIME FOUND HIS OXYGEN RECEPTACLE HAD EITHER VIBRATED OR SOMEHOW HAD COME LOOSE FROM ACFT OXYGEN RECEPTACLE. I THEN PUT HIS UNIT BACK IN POSITION AND CONTINUED TO MY DEST. DURING THE VECTORING BECAUSE OF TFC ATC ADVISED THAT I HAD DRIFTED RIGHT OF COURSE AND WAS VECTORED BACK ON COURSE. IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION AS MY PAX WAS IN THE BACK AND I WAS SINGLE PLT TO FLY ACFT AND CATER TO HIS PROBLEM. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE RECEPTACLE SHOULD BE MADE TO LOCK IN POSITION TO THE ACFT SO IT CAN NOT COME OUT WITH VIBRATION OR WITH PAX SOMEHOW TURNING AND REMOVING IT AND NOT REALIZING IT.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.