Narrative:

During cruise at 37000 ft in smooth air, a passenger opened an overhead compartment and a computer fell out striking and injuring another passenger. The flight attendant obtained the service of a medical professional onboard. The medical professional recommended the injured passenger receive medical attention on the ground as soon as possible. With concurrence with our dispatcher we diverted to sea for medical attention. We asked for medical priority from ATC and we were cleared in with no delay. Paramedics met the flight and removed the injured passenger for medical treatment. We were refueled and obtained a new flight release and were ready to depart for original destination within 39 mins. At this time we were advised that our aircraft had been 'impounded' and would not be released until we were inspected by NTSB and FAA. 181 passenger were held on the aircraft for an additional 1 hour 40 mins waiting for NTSB and FAA. Corrective action: passenger carry onboard more and more items everyday. They are, and have been for some time, a ready hazard. The carry-on limit should be reduced by 3/4 and the limit strictly enforced to reduce this kind of injury and inconvenience.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN ACR DIVERTED TO LAND DUE TO A MEDICAL EMER. COMPUTER FELL ON A SEATED PAX WHEN ANOTHER PAX OPENED AN OVERHEAD COMPARTMENT CAUSING SUFFICIENT INJURY AS PER A PROFESSIONAL MEDICALLY QUALIFIED PAX TO DEEM MEDICAL ATTN ON THE GND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Narrative: DURING CRUISE AT 37000 FT IN SMOOTH AIR, A PAX OPENED AN OVERHEAD COMPARTMENT AND A COMPUTER FELL OUT STRIKING AND INJURING ANOTHER PAX. THE FLT ATTENDANT OBTAINED THE SVC OF A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL ONBOARD. THE MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL RECOMMENDED THE INJURED PAX RECEIVE MEDICAL ATTN ON THE GND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. WITH CONCURRENCE WITH OUR DISPATCHER WE DIVERTED TO SEA FOR MEDICAL ATTN. WE ASKED FOR MEDICAL PRIORITY FROM ATC AND WE WERE CLRED IN WITH NO DELAY. PARAMEDICS MET THE FLT AND REMOVED THE INJURED PAX FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT. WE WERE REFUELED AND OBTAINED A NEW FLT RELEASE AND WERE READY TO DEPART FOR ORIGINAL DEST WITHIN 39 MINS. AT THIS TIME WE WERE ADVISED THAT OUR ACFT HAD BEEN 'IMPOUNDED' AND WOULD NOT BE RELEASED UNTIL WE WERE INSPECTED BY NTSB AND FAA. 181 PAX WERE HELD ON THE ACFT FOR AN ADDITIONAL 1 HR 40 MINS WAITING FOR NTSB AND FAA. CORRECTIVE ACTION: PAX CARRY ONBOARD MORE AND MORE ITEMS EVERYDAY. THEY ARE, AND HAVE BEEN FOR SOME TIME, A READY HAZARD. THE CARRY-ON LIMIT SHOULD BE REDUCED BY 3/4 AND THE LIMIT STRICTLY ENFORCED TO REDUCE THIS KIND OF INJURY AND INCONVENIENCE.

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.