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An MD80 first officer reported that 3 passenger passed out on a high altitude (FL370) flight from anc to sea, which caused high cabin altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 453628 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199910 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : czvr.artcc |
| State Reference | BC |
| Altitude | msl bound upper : 37000 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | ils localizer & glide slope : 16r other |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | approach : instrument precision |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| ASRS Report | 453628 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | cabin event : passenger illness other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other other : 3 |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : declared emergency |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Environmental Factor Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Environmental Factor |
Narrative:
Flight attendants informed us of at least 3 passenger who had passed out, one at a time, since approximately 1 hour out of anc. Captain decided to declare emergency when approximately 1 hour out of sea. He wanted to keep the speed up above the 250 KTS required below 10000 ft. We did approximately 320 KTS until on approach to runway 16R seattle. Landed without incident. Paramedics met aircraft. All passenger ok and refused medical assistance. I suspect our high cabin altitude, normal for FL370 had something to do with it. I suggested a lower altitude.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN MD80 FO RPTED THAT 3 PAX PASSED OUT ON A HIGH ALT (FL370) FLT FROM ANC TO SEA, WHICH CAUSED HIGH CABIN ALT.
Narrative: FLT ATTENDANTS INFORMED US OF AT LEAST 3 PAX WHO HAD PASSED OUT, ONE AT A TIME, SINCE APPROX 1 HR OUT OF ANC. CAPT DECIDED TO DECLARE EMER WHEN APPROX 1 HR OUT OF SEA. HE WANTED TO KEEP THE SPD UP ABOVE THE 250 KTS REQUIRED BELOW 10000 FT. WE DID APPROX 320 KTS UNTIL ON APCH TO RWY 16R SEATTLE. LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. PARAMEDICS MET ACFT. ALL PAX OK AND REFUSED MEDICAL ASSISTANCE. I SUSPECT OUR HIGH CABIN ALT, NORMAL FOR FL370 HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT. I SUGGESTED A LOWER ALT.
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.