Small aircraft on IFR flight. Passenger (wife) has chest pain. Heading deviation.

Attributes
ACN	210013
Time
Date	199205
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lvl
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : v155 enroute other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 27 flight time total : 1468 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	210013
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After circumnaving rdu at ATC direction, I rejoined V-155 nebound somewhere between rdu and lvl. My clearance was to transition to V-157 at lvl and head for ric. That transition at lvl requires a course change of 3 degrees (from 045 to 042). Just before reaching lvl, my wife, who was in the right front seat, started complaining of chest pains. While tending to her, I must have drifted off the airway or failed to make the course change at lvl. In any event, center had to caution me that I was 5 mi to right of the centerline. No problem resulted. My wife's pains subsided, center gave me 'direct richmond,' and the flight went on to an uneventful conclusion.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ON IFR FLT. PAX (WIFE) HAS CHEST PAIN. HDG DEV.

Narrative: AFTER CIRCUMNAVING RDU AT ATC DIRECTION, I REJOINED V-155 NEBOUND SOMEWHERE BTWN RDU AND LVL. MY CLRNC WAS TO TRANSITION TO V-157 AT LVL AND HEAD FOR RIC. THAT TRANSITION AT LVL REQUIRES A COURSE CHANGE OF 3 DEGS (FROM 045 TO 042). JUST BEFORE REACHING LVL, MY WIFE, WHO WAS IN THE R FRONT SEAT, STARTED COMPLAINING OF CHEST PAINS. WHILE TENDING TO HER, I MUST HAVE DRIFTED OFF THE AIRWAY OR FAILED TO MAKE THE COURSE CHANGE AT LVL. IN ANY EVENT, CTR HAD TO CAUTION ME THAT I WAS 5 MI TO R OF THE CTRLINE. NO PROBLEM RESULTED. MY WIFE'S PAINS SUBSIDED, CTR GAVE ME 'DIRECT RICHMOND,' AND THE FLT WENT ON TO AN UNEVENTFUL CONCLUSION.

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.