Pilot report, B737-400, loss of cabin pressure, passenger oxygen masks dropped, passenger couldn't b...

Attributes
ACN	486866
Time
Date	200009
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ztl.artcc
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl single value : 37000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
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 : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 14300 flight time type : 6300
ASRS Report	486866
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical cabin event : passenger illness other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : cab #1
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Shortly after leveling off at FL370, we experienced a loss of aircraft pressurization. I maintained control of the aircraft. We both donned our oxygen masks, established communications and completed our QRH (checklist) tasks. We immediately asked ATC for a descent and started down. At first it looked like we would be able to control the cabin altitude. It then became apparent that we could not control the cabin, and we increased our descent. With loss of pressurization control, I decided to divert to clt. After we advised the flight attendants that they could come off of oxygen and attend to the passenger, the lead attendant came to the cockpit to advise us that they had a passenger with a history of heart trouble that was having difficult breathing. They had administered oxygen and there was a doctor attending to him. I advised her that we were going direct to clt. The doctor asked for the emergency medical kit in order to take the passenger's blood pressure and reported that it was ok and he was stable. We called ahead to have emt's standing by in clt. Clt approach was notified that we had a medical emergency and we were vectored for the ILS runway 36L approach. The landing was uneventful.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT RPT, B737-400, LOSS OF CABIN PRESSURE, PAX OXYGEN MASKS DROPPED, PAX COULDN'T BREATH. PAX MEDICAL DOCTOR INTERVENTION. EMER CLRNC. DIVERT TO CLT.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER LEVELING OFF AT FL370, WE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ACFT PRESSURIZATION. I MAINTAINED CTL OF THE ACFT. WE BOTH DONNED OUR OXYGEN MASKS, ESTABLISHED COMS AND COMPLETED OUR QRH (CHKLIST) TASKS. WE IMMEDIATELY ASKED ATC FOR A DSCNT AND STARTED DOWN. AT FIRST IT LOOKED LIKE WE WOULD BE ABLE TO CTL THE CABIN ALT. IT THEN BECAME APPARENT THAT WE COULD NOT CTL THE CABIN, AND WE INCREASED OUR DSCNT. WITH LOSS OF PRESSURIZATION CTL, I DECIDED TO DIVERT TO CLT. AFTER WE ADVISED THE FLT ATTENDANTS THAT THEY COULD COME OFF OF OXYGEN AND ATTEND TO THE PAX, THE LEAD ATTENDANT CAME TO THE COCKPIT TO ADVISE US THAT THEY HAD A PAX WITH A HISTORY OF HEART TROUBLE THAT WAS HAVING DIFFICULT BREATHING. THEY HAD ADMINISTERED OXYGEN AND THERE WAS A DOCTOR ATTENDING TO HIM. I ADVISED HER THAT WE WERE GOING DIRECT TO CLT. THE DOCTOR ASKED FOR THE EMER MEDICAL KIT IN ORDER TO TAKE THE PAX'S BLOOD PRESSURE AND RPTED THAT IT WAS OK AND HE WAS STABLE. WE CALLED AHEAD TO HAVE EMT'S STANDING BY IN CLT. CLT APCH WAS NOTIFIED THAT WE HAD A MEDICAL EMER AND WE WERE VECTORED FOR THE ILS RWY 36L APCH. THE LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL.

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.

Pilot report, B737-400, loss of cabin pressure, passenger oxygen masks dropped, passenger couldn't breath. Passenger medical doctor intervention. Emergency clearance. Divert to clt.