Air carrier passenger becomes ill. Crew lands at recommendation of on board doctor.

Attributes
ACN	450139
Time
Date	199909
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dtw.airport
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl single value : 35000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
ASRS Report	450139
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	cabin event : passenger illness
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : 4
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : diverted to another airport
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

40 mi east of detroit at FL350, the #1 flight attendant came to the cockpit and said that a passenger was unconscious. I asked her to make a PA to see if a medical doctor was on board. One was found immediately and attended to the passenger. Information from the flight attendant and from the doctor was not enough to judge the situation, so I sent the first officer (who is also a medical doctor) to check the passenger. He quickly came back and said that the passenger was still unconscious and breathing but had a pulse of 40. He recommended that we land as soon as possible. I called ATC and requested a turn back to detroit and we landed 12 mins later. During the descent, the automatic defibrillator was placed on the passenger by the doctor that was in the cabin. Upon landing and quickly to the gate, the airport emt personnel came up the airstairs and checked the passenger. He did barely manage to walk off the airplane and into a wheelchair. The last we heard, he was being taken to the hospital.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR PAX BECOMES ILL. CREW LANDS AT RECOMMENDATION OF ON BOARD DOCTOR.

Narrative: 40 MI E OF DETROIT AT FL350, THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT CAME TO THE COCKPIT AND SAID THAT A PAX WAS UNCONSCIOUS. I ASKED HER TO MAKE A PA TO SEE IF A MEDICAL DOCTOR WAS ON BOARD. ONE WAS FOUND IMMEDIATELY AND ATTENDED TO THE PAX. INFO FROM THE FLT ATTENDANT AND FROM THE DOCTOR WAS NOT ENOUGH TO JUDGE THE SIT, SO I SENT THE FO (WHO IS ALSO A MEDICAL DOCTOR) TO CHK THE PAX. HE QUICKLY CAME BACK AND SAID THAT THE PAX WAS STILL UNCONSCIOUS AND BREATHING BUT HAD A PULSE OF 40. HE RECOMMENDED THAT WE LAND ASAP. I CALLED ATC AND REQUESTED A TURN BACK TO DETROIT AND WE LANDED 12 MINS LATER. DURING THE DSCNT, THE AUTO DEFIBRILLATOR WAS PLACED ON THE PAX BY THE DOCTOR THAT WAS IN THE CABIN. UPON LNDG AND QUICKLY TO THE GATE, THE ARPT EMT PERSONNEL CAME UP THE AIRSTAIRS AND CHKED THE PAX. HE DID BARELY MANAGE TO WALK OFF THE AIRPLANE AND INTO A WHEELCHAIR. THE LAST WE HEARD, HE WAS BEING TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL.

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.