Narrative:

Passenger was reported ill with chest/breathing problems by flight attendant and physician onboard was attending. Physician determined that the passenger needed to be on the ground as soon as possible so we diverted to mco. No delays or problems. Medical crews removed passenger at mco and we continued to mia. My error was that I did not declare an emergency. We were given a simple clearance to mco without emergency clearance, just expedited handling since ATC knew of our reason for the diversion. Since no delay occurred the thought of declaring an emergency never crossed my mind, until now, a couple of hours after the incident after reviewing pilot operations manual.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MD80 FLC DIVERTED TO AN ALTERNATE WHEN A PAX BECAME ILL AND DOCTOR ADVISED IMMEDIATE TREATMENT.

Narrative: PAX WAS RPTED ILL WITH CHEST/BREATHING PROBS BY FLT ATTENDANT AND PHYSICIAN ONBOARD WAS ATTENDING. PHYSICIAN DETERMINED THAT THE PAX NEEDED TO BE ON THE GND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO WE DIVERTED TO MCO. NO DELAYS OR PROBS. MEDICAL CREWS REMOVED PAX AT MCO AND WE CONTINUED TO MIA. MY ERROR WAS THAT I DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER. WE WERE GIVEN A SIMPLE CLRNC TO MCO WITHOUT EMER CLRNC, JUST EXPEDITED HANDLING SINCE ATC KNEW OF OUR REASON FOR THE DIVERSION. SINCE NO DELAY OCCURRED THE THOUGHT OF DECLARING AN EMER NEVER CROSSED MY MIND, UNTIL NOW, A COUPLE OF HRS AFTER THE INCIDENT AFTER REVIEWING PLT OPS MANUAL.

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.