Commuter aircraft has no freon in air-conditioning system, passenger gets sick.

Attributes
ACN	276824
Time
Date	199407
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lal
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zma
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4300 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	276824
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were given an aircraft at the completion of 1 round trip which had no freon air-conditioning. We were advised that both air-conditioning packs were working. I accepted the aircraft based on the previous crew's report that the aircraft was not on the ground but was tolerable once underway. Upon passing lakeland en route to sarasota from orlando, a passenger came to the front of the aircraft and informed us that a passenger was having some problems with the temperature in the aircraft. We were able to cool the aircraft to some degree, however, it never got as cool as would have liked. I sent the first officer to the cabin to check on the condition of the passenger. The first officer returned saying that she was in fact having problems. I advised him to offer medical oxygen. It was offered and she refused. I asked for priority handling as well as paramedics upon landing. We landed uneventfully and the paramedics took control of the passenger. She was taken away and about 15 mins later paramedics released her. I feel that freon aircraft units should be nondeferable at high ambient temperatures, i.e., above 85 degrees. Some aircraft may be cool enough to fly without freon aircraft, but my guess is most of this type are not. This would preclude any possible medical ramifications later.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER ACFT HAS NO FREON IN AIR-CONDITIONING SYS, PAX GETS SICK.

Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN AN ACFT AT THE COMPLETION OF 1 ROUND TRIP WHICH HAD NO FREON AIR-CONDITIONING. WE WERE ADVISED THAT BOTH AIR-CONDITIONING PACKS WERE WORKING. I ACCEPTED THE ACFT BASED ON THE PREVIOUS CREW'S RPT THAT THE ACFT WAS NOT ON THE GND BUT WAS TOLERABLE ONCE UNDERWAY. UPON PASSING LAKELAND ENRTE TO SARASOTA FROM ORLANDO, A PAX CAME TO THE FRONT OF THE ACFT AND INFORMED US THAT A PAX WAS HAVING SOME PROBS WITH THE TEMP IN THE ACFT. WE WERE ABLE TO COOL THE ACFT TO SOME DEG, HOWEVER, IT NEVER GOT AS COOL AS WOULD HAVE LIKED. I SENT THE FO TO THE CABIN TO CHK ON THE CONDITION OF THE PAX. THE FO RETURNED SAYING THAT SHE WAS IN FACT HAVING PROBS. I ADVISED HIM TO OFFER MEDICAL OXYGEN. IT WAS OFFERED AND SHE REFUSED. I ASKED FOR PRIORITY HANDLING AS WELL AS PARAMEDICS UPON LNDG. WE LANDED UNEVENTFULLY AND THE PARAMEDICS TOOK CTL OF THE PAX. SHE WAS TAKEN AWAY AND ABOUT 15 MINS LATER PARAMEDICS RELEASED HER. I FEEL THAT FREON ACFT UNITS SHOULD BE NONDEFERABLE AT HIGH AMBIENT TEMPS, I.E., ABOVE 85 DEGS. SOME ACFT MAY BE COOL ENOUGH TO FLY WITHOUT FREON ACFT, BUT MY GUESS IS MOST OF THIS TYPE ARE NOT. THIS WOULD PRECLUDE ANY POSSIBLE MEDICAL RAMIFICATIONS LATER.

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.