A first officer becomes very ill on board a flight from cvg to phx. The flight diverts to dfw for re...

Attributes
ACN	397411
Time
Date	199803
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cvg
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid tower : dca
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	397411
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

First officer (me) had earlier noticed an upset stomach which he thought due to an 8 hour previous/mexican spicy meal he had eaten. Took antacids and symptoms went away. Initial takeoff and climb were normal. Approximately 30 mins into cruise (leg was cvg-phx) upset stomach returned with nausea. First officer went on 100% oxygen and that helped temporarily. A few mins later acute nausea and intense digestive discomfort manifested themselves. A doctor was summoned and her diagnosis was onset of the flu or other virus. At that point the first officer started to vomit into a bag. At this point the captain and dispatch elected to have us divert to dfw for a new first officer. During the flight the captain handled the radios most of the time and, incorrectly, used the word 'incapacitated.' at no time was I unable to complete my duties, or if necessary fly the aircraft. I did PNF duties such as checklists and sometimes ATC/radio communication. No emergency was declared, although the captain did ask for priority. After a night in the hotel I had no more nausea, but did have general flu-like symptoms, for which I am going to see my physician. Note: I consulted my physician on mar/tue/98. He diagnosed it was food poisoning, and after a comprehensive examination said I was well and could return to flying. Let this be a warning to crews, especially single pilot crews, about the severity and suddenness that food poisoning or a virus can strike with. I definitely never want to go through that again.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A FO BECOMES VERY ILL ON BOARD A FLT FROM CVG TO PHX. THE FLT DIVERTS TO DFW FOR RELIEF AND A REPLACEMENT FO. FO'S BELIEF THAT IT WAS FROM BAD FOOD EATEN 8 HRS PREVIOUSLY LATER PROVED TO BE A CORRECT DIAGNOSIS.

Narrative: FO (ME) HAD EARLIER NOTICED AN UPSET STOMACH WHICH HE THOUGHT DUE TO AN 8 HR PREVIOUS/MEXICAN SPICY MEAL HE HAD EATEN. TOOK ANTACIDS AND SYMPTOMS WENT AWAY. INITIAL TKOF AND CLB WERE NORMAL. APPROX 30 MINS INTO CRUISE (LEG WAS CVG-PHX) UPSET STOMACH RETURNED WITH NAUSEA. FO WENT ON 100% OXYGEN AND THAT HELPED TEMPORARILY. A FEW MINS LATER ACUTE NAUSEA AND INTENSE DIGESTIVE DISCOMFORT MANIFESTED THEMSELVES. A DOCTOR WAS SUMMONED AND HER DIAGNOSIS WAS ONSET OF THE FLU OR OTHER VIRUS. AT THAT POINT THE FO STARTED TO VOMIT INTO A BAG. AT THIS POINT THE CAPT AND DISPATCH ELECTED TO HAVE US DIVERT TO DFW FOR A NEW FO. DURING THE FLT THE CAPT HANDLED THE RADIOS MOST OF THE TIME AND, INCORRECTLY, USED THE WORD 'INCAPACITATED.' AT NO TIME WAS I UNABLE TO COMPLETE MY DUTIES, OR IF NECESSARY FLY THE ACFT. I DID PNF DUTIES SUCH AS CHKLISTS AND SOMETIMES ATC/RADIO COM. NO EMER WAS DECLARED, ALTHOUGH THE CAPT DID ASK FOR PRIORITY. AFTER A NIGHT IN THE HOTEL I HAD NO MORE NAUSEA, BUT DID HAVE GENERAL FLU-LIKE SYMPTOMS, FOR WHICH I AM GOING TO SEE MY PHYSICIAN. NOTE: I CONSULTED MY PHYSICIAN ON MAR/TUE/98. HE DIAGNOSED IT WAS FOOD POISONING, AND AFTER A COMPREHENSIVE EXAM SAID I WAS WELL AND COULD RETURN TO FLYING. LET THIS BE A WARNING TO CREWS, ESPECIALLY SINGLE PLT CREWS, ABOUT THE SEVERITY AND SUDDENNESS THAT FOOD POISONING OR A VIRUS CAN STRIKE WITH. I DEFINITELY NEVER WANT TO GO THROUGH THAT AGAIN.

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.

A first officer becomes very ill on board a flight from cvg to phx. The flight diverts to dfw for relief and a replacement first officer. First officer's belief that it was from bad food eaten 8 hours previously later proved to be a correct diagnosis.