Air carrier medium large transport aircraft carried passenger with a 'blood stimulator.'

Attributes
ACN	215892
Time
Date	199207
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hou
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 11877 flight time type : 4998
ASRS Report	215892
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

About 12 mins before departure, the lead flight attendant asked if it was ok for a passenger to use his 'blood stimulator' in flight. In a brief discussion with the flight attendant, I perceived the device to be something like a heart pace maker. I told the flight attendant that I thought it would be ok, but I asked the copilot to call flight dispatch to verify that it was ok. Flight dispatch was having transmitter problems, and we were not able to contact them before departure time. Departure, en route, and destination WX were forecast to be VMC, and since I felt that the device was probably very similar to a pacemaker, we departed without further discussion with the flight attendant. The copilot agreed with this decision. We departed on schedule, the WX was clear all the way to dtw, and the flight was completely uneventful. Reviewing my decision during the following crew rest, I decided I didn't really know what the device was, nor did I have the authority or expertise to allow the use of any electronic device that wasn't specifically approved in my flight operations manual. I think I should have gotten more information directly from the individual using the device, and if it was truly needed in flight for medical purposes, cleared it with the company prior to departure. I'll make a better decision next time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG ACFT CARRIED PAX WITH A 'BLOOD STIMULATOR.'

Narrative: ABOUT 12 MINS BEFORE DEP, THE LEAD FLT ATTENDANT ASKED IF IT WAS OK FOR A PAX TO USE HIS 'BLOOD STIMULATOR' IN FLT. IN A BRIEF DISCUSSION WITH THE FLT ATTENDANT, I PERCEIVED THE DEVICE TO BE SOMETHING LIKE A HEART PACE MAKER. I TOLD THE FLT ATTENDANT THAT I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE OK, BUT I ASKED THE COPLT TO CALL FLT DISPATCH TO VERIFY THAT IT WAS OK. FLT DISPATCH WAS HAVING XMITTER PROBLEMS, AND WE WERE NOT ABLE TO CONTACT THEM BEFORE DEP TIME. DEP, ENRTE, AND DEST WX WERE FORECAST TO BE VMC, AND SINCE I FELT THAT THE DEVICE WAS PROBABLY VERY SIMILAR TO A PACEMAKER, WE DEPARTED WITHOUT FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH THE FLT ATTENDANT. THE COPLT AGREED WITH THIS DECISION. WE DEPARTED ON SCHEDULE, THE WX WAS CLR ALL THE WAY TO DTW, AND THE FLT WAS COMPLETELY UNEVENTFUL. REVIEWING MY DECISION DURING THE FOLLOWING CREW REST, I DECIDED I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THE DEVICE WAS, NOR DID I HAVE THE AUTHORITY OR EXPERTISE TO ALLOW THE USE OF ANY ELECTRONIC DEVICE THAT WASN'T SPECIFICALLY APPROVED IN MY FLT OPS MANUAL. I THINK I SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN MORE INFO DIRECTLY FROM THE INDIVIDUAL USING THE DEVICE, AND IF IT WAS TRULY NEEDED IN FLT FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES, CLRED IT WITH THE COMPANY PRIOR TO DEP. I'LL MAKE A BETTER DECISION NEXT TIME.

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.