MD80 crew returned to departure station after a passenger had an anxiety attack.

Attributes
ACN	422364
Time
Date	199812
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : smf
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 18000 msl bound upper : 18000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	422364
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Shortly after takeoff, my #1 flight attendant advised me that a male passenger in the back row was laying on the aisle floor crying and becoming extremely irrational. He would not return to his seat and could not be calmed down, even after repeated attempts by our flight attendants and his wife, who was traveling with him. The man was apparently afraid to fly and wanted off the airplane -- now. He was becoming increasingly agitated and there was a legitimate concern that he would become physical with a crew member and possibly try to open a cabin door. This was a large man. We returned to smf, making an overweight landing, and deplaned the passenger. The conduct of our flight attendants and performance of my first officer, who made the approach and smooth landing were outstanding. The agent at smf had coordinated security, refueling, and maintenance for our arrival in a very efficient and competent manner. This greatly minimized our passenger inconvenience by reducing our ground time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CREW RETURNED TO DEP STATION AFTER A PAX HAD AN ANXIETY ATTACK.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER TKOF, MY #1 FLT ATTENDANT ADVISED ME THAT A MALE PAX IN THE BACK ROW WAS LAYING ON THE AISLE FLOOR CRYING AND BECOMING EXTREMELY IRRATIONAL. HE WOULD NOT RETURN TO HIS SEAT AND COULD NOT BE CALMED DOWN, EVEN AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS BY OUR FLT ATTENDANTS AND HIS WIFE, WHO WAS TRAVELING WITH HIM. THE MAN WAS APPARENTLY AFRAID TO FLY AND WANTED OFF THE AIRPLANE -- NOW. HE WAS BECOMING INCREASINGLY AGITATED AND THERE WAS A LEGITIMATE CONCERN THAT HE WOULD BECOME PHYSICAL WITH A CREW MEMBER AND POSSIBLY TRY TO OPEN A CABIN DOOR. THIS WAS A LARGE MAN. WE RETURNED TO SMF, MAKING AN OVERWT LNDG, AND DEPLANED THE PAX. THE CONDUCT OF OUR FLT ATTENDANTS AND PERFORMANCE OF MY FO, WHO MADE THE APCH AND SMOOTH LNDG WERE OUTSTANDING. THE AGENT AT SMF HAD COORDINATED SECURITY, REFUELING, AND MAINT FOR OUR ARR IN A VERY EFFICIENT AND COMPETENT MANNER. THIS GREATLY MINIMIZED OUR PAX INCONVENIENCE BY REDUCING OUR GND TIME.

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.