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Captain of an EMB120 begins to vomit when on approach to land. Requesting priority handling due to possible pilot incapacitation, approach calls out emergency equipment.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 422814 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199812 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : dfw |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Brasilia EMB-120 All Series |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Route In Use | arrival star : star |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 3975 flight time type : 2000 |
| ASRS Report | 422814 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : declared emergency other |
| Consequence | Other |
Narrative:
On arrival to dfw at approximately 15 NM out from landing, I began to vomit and continued for approximately 5+ mins. After vomiting, I asked ATC what our sequence was for the field. ATC replied that we were #6-7 for the approach. After a pause, ATC asked why. I then told ATC that we may need priority handling because of a possible incapacitated pilot. ATC then told us to expect runway 17R for landing and told us to keep our speed up. We were then cleared for the approach to runway 17R and asked how many souls and fuel on board. I then told ATC that I was not declaring an emergency, and it was only a possible situation. Upon landing, the first officer asked what the emergency vehicles were for. I did not realize that the emergency equipment was for us until we parked. I felt that I was justified in asking about possible priority handling due to the unpredictability of my illness. I felt that it was best not to prolong any undue delays in the pattern for safety.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CAPT OF AN EMB120 BEGINS TO VOMIT WHEN ON APCH TO LAND. REQUESTING PRIORITY HANDLING DUE TO POSSIBLE PLT INCAPACITATION, APCH CALLS OUT EMER EQUIP.
Narrative: ON ARR TO DFW AT APPROX 15 NM OUT FROM LNDG, I BEGAN TO VOMIT AND CONTINUED FOR APPROX 5+ MINS. AFTER VOMITING, I ASKED ATC WHAT OUR SEQUENCE WAS FOR THE FIELD. ATC REPLIED THAT WE WERE #6-7 FOR THE APCH. AFTER A PAUSE, ATC ASKED WHY. I THEN TOLD ATC THAT WE MAY NEED PRIORITY HANDLING BECAUSE OF A POSSIBLE INCAPACITATED PLT. ATC THEN TOLD US TO EXPECT RWY 17R FOR LNDG AND TOLD US TO KEEP OUR SPD UP. WE WERE THEN CLRED FOR THE APCH TO RWY 17R AND ASKED HOW MANY SOULS AND FUEL ON BOARD. I THEN TOLD ATC THAT I WAS NOT DECLARING AN EMER, AND IT WAS ONLY A POSSIBLE SIT. UPON LNDG, THE FO ASKED WHAT THE EMER VEHICLES WERE FOR. I DID NOT REALIZE THAT THE EMER EQUIP WAS FOR US UNTIL WE PARKED. I FELT THAT I WAS JUSTIFIED IN ASKING ABOUT POSSIBLE PRIORITY HANDLING DUE TO THE UNPREDICTABILITY OF MY ILLNESS. I FELT THAT IT WAS BEST NOT TO PROLONG ANY UNDUE DELAYS IN THE PATTERN FOR SAFETY.
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.