 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
DC9 declared a medical emergency and diverted to sdf because of a sick passenger. During descent had altitude deviation.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 418766 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199810 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : sdf |
| State Reference | KY |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 23650 msl bound upper : 24000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zid |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | descent other other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 4800 |
| ASRS Report | 418766 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Declared medical emergency due to passenger in distress from stl to knoxville, tn. During descent into sdf cleared to FL240. First officer flying. Flight attendant in cockpit relaying medical condition of passenger. With attention divided, I noticed first officer in rapid descent rate at FL242. I immediately told first officer to level at FL240. He arrested descent at FL236.5 and immediately corrected to FL240. ATC did not comment on incursion. Aircraft autoplt was inoperative at the time. No conflicts occurred with other aircraft. I was operating on emergency authority/authorized. However, due to distraction with the event, first officer missed altitude assignment for less than 10 seconds. I assigned flying duties to copilot so that I could coordination diversion.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: DC9 DECLARED A MEDICAL EMER AND DIVERTED TO SDF BECAUSE OF A SICK PAX. DURING DSCNT HAD ALTDEV.
Narrative: DECLARED MEDICAL EMER DUE TO PAX IN DISTRESS FROM STL TO KNOXVILLE, TN. DURING DSCNT INTO SDF CLRED TO FL240. FO FLYING. FLT ATTENDANT IN COCKPIT RELAYING MEDICAL CONDITION OF PAX. WITH ATTN DIVIDED, I NOTICED FO IN RAPID DSCNT RATE AT FL242. I IMMEDIATELY TOLD FO TO LEVEL AT FL240. HE ARRESTED DSCNT AT FL236.5 AND IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED TO FL240. ATC DID NOT COMMENT ON INCURSION. ACFT AUTOPLT WAS INOP AT THE TIME. NO CONFLICTS OCCURRED WITH OTHER ACFT. I WAS OPERATING ON EMER AUTH. HOWEVER, DUE TO DISTR WITH THE EVENT, FO MISSED ALT ASSIGNMENT FOR LESS THAN 10 SECONDS. I ASSIGNED FLYING DUTIES TO COPLT SO THAT I COULD COORD DIVERSION.
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.