Narrative:

On the 6TH and final trip between oma and sux city paris, I experienced very strong abdominal and rectal pains, and on the prior trip had noticed some rectal 'leaking' (this is something I've experienced for a few months on an occasional basis, leaking only). At about 20 mi from the airport (oma) I also had (in addition to the pain) substantial rectal leakage. Oma ATIS and approach were reporting RVR's that were below landing minimums at this time. However, given my physical state and not knowing how much worse it could get without warning, I determined that the most prudent course of action was to get the airplane on the ground without delay, if it could be accomplished in such fashion that a safe, controled landing was never in question, and it never was. Complicating this decision was the fact that I was flying with a new copilot on his first trip, other than training. I was, I think legitimately, concerned about possible incapacitation and how difficult it might be for him to fly to either lnk or sux and make a night landing with no assistance, even in good VFR. One often has to make crucial judgements in the face of incomplete information while flying, and the biggest problem in this instance was that I could not assess my physical state with any certainty. I simply did not know how much worse I might get. My judgement at the time was that there was less risk in a below minimums landing than there was in risking partial or complete incapacitation. I've heard all the stories and just recently lost a close friend to an abdominal aneurism. Adequate horizontal and vertical reference was always available for the landing and rollout, and had it not been at any time, we planned to miss the approach and go to lnk and sux, despite the risks. In this event, the right profile would have shifted in favor of diversion to a good alternate. While I will probably second guess this decision forever, given these exact circumstances again, I would almost certainly act in the same manner. I have this morning sought medical treatment/advice from an AME and have been scheduled for diagnostic tests. What I do know is that I will never underestimate the potential consequences of any physical anomaly ever again, no matter how seemingly minor. Another factor that crept into my thinking was that I knew exactly where to get emergency care in omaha in a very short period of time, and for all I know, I might have needed it. I also realize after many years in this business that you will be faced with your most crucial decisions at the worst possible time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DURING A NIGHT OP AN APCH AND LNDG WERE MADE IN BELOW AUTH WX MINIMUMS BY THE PIC OF SABERLINER WHEN FEELING EXTREME ABDOMINAL AND RECTAL PAINS WHILE 20 MI SE OF OMA, NE.

Narrative: ON THE 6TH AND FINAL TRIP BTWN OMA AND SUX CITY PARIS, I EXPERIENCED VERY STRONG ABDOMINAL AND RECTAL PAINS, AND ON THE PRIOR TRIP HAD NOTICED SOME RECTAL 'LEAKING' (THIS IS SOMETHING I'VE EXPERIENCED FOR A FEW MONTHS ON AN OCCASIONAL BASIS, LEAKING ONLY). AT ABOUT 20 MI FROM THE ARPT (OMA) I ALSO HAD (IN ADDITION TO THE PAIN) SUBSTANTIAL RECTAL LEAKAGE. OMA ATIS AND APCH WERE RPTING RVR'S THAT WERE BELOW LNDG MINIMUMS AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER, GIVEN MY PHYSICAL STATE AND NOT KNOWING HOW MUCH WORSE IT COULD GET WITHOUT WARNING, I DETERMINED THAT THE MOST PRUDENT COURSE OF ACTION WAS TO GET THE AIRPLANE ON THE GND WITHOUT DELAY, IF IT COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED IN SUCH FASHION THAT A SAFE, CTLED LANDING WAS NEVER IN QUESTION, AND IT NEVER WAS. COMPLICATING THIS DECISION WAS THE FACT THAT I WAS FLYING WITH A NEW COPLT ON HIS FIRST TRIP, OTHER THAN TRAINING. I WAS, I THINK LEGITIMATELY, CONCERNED ABOUT POSSIBLE INCAPACITATION AND HOW DIFFICULT IT MIGHT BE FOR HIM TO FLY TO EITHER LNK OR SUX AND MAKE A NIGHT LNDG WITH NO ASSISTANCE, EVEN IN GOOD VFR. ONE OFTEN HAS TO MAKE CRUCIAL JUDGEMENTS IN THE FACE OF INCOMPLETE INFO WHILE FLYING, AND THE BIGGEST PROB IN THIS INSTANCE WAS THAT I COULD NOT ASSESS MY PHYSICAL STATE WITH ANY CERTAINTY. I SIMPLY DID NOT KNOW HOW MUCH WORSE I MIGHT GET. MY JUDGEMENT AT THE TIME WAS THAT THERE WAS LESS RISK IN A BELOW MINIMUMS LNDG THAN THERE WAS IN RISKING PARTIAL OR COMPLETE INCAPACITATION. I'VE HEARD ALL THE STORIES AND JUST RECENTLY LOST A CLOSE FRIEND TO AN ABDOMINAL ANEURISM. ADEQUATE HORIZ AND VERT REF WAS ALWAYS AVAILABLE FOR THE LNDG AND ROLLOUT, AND HAD IT NOT BEEN AT ANY TIME, WE PLANNED TO MISS THE APCH AND GO TO LNK AND SUX, DESPITE THE RISKS. IN THIS EVENT, THE RIGHT PROFILE WOULD HAVE SHIFTED IN FAVOR OF DIVERSION TO A GOOD ALTERNATE. WHILE I WILL PROBABLY SECOND GUESS THIS DECISION FOREVER, GIVEN THESE EXACT CIRCUMSTANCES AGAIN, I WOULD ALMOST CERTAINLY ACT IN THE SAME MANNER. I HAVE THIS MORNING SOUGHT MEDICAL TREATMENT/ADVICE FROM AN AME AND HAVE BEEN SCHEDULED FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTS. WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT I WILL NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES OF ANY PHYSICAL ANOMALY EVER AGAIN, NO MATTER HOW SEEMINGLY MINOR. ANOTHER FACTOR THAT CREPT INTO MY THINKING WAS THAT I KNEW EXACTLY WHERE TO GET EMER CARE IN OMAHA IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, AND FOR ALL I KNOW, I MIGHT HAVE NEEDED IT. I ALSO REALIZE AFTER MANY YEARS IN THIS BUSINESS THAT YOU WILL BE FACED WITH YOUR MOST CRUCIAL DECISIONS AT THE WORST POSSIBLE 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.