<< >> NASA ASRS Report 582557, May 2003

A B757 flight attendant reported that a passenger had mixed pain medication with alcohol resulting in a disruption on a flight to lax.

Attributes
ACN	582557
Time
Date	200305
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zhu.artcc
State Reference	TX
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Experience	flight attendant time airline total : 15.5 flight attendant time total : 17.5 flight attendant time type : 75
ASRS Report	582557
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	oversight : flight attendant in charge
Events
Anomaly	cabin event : passenger misconduct non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : 1
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

Passenger became very loud and belligerent during meal/beverage service. I was unaware that passenger had been taking pain medication and drinking alcohol at the same time. It wasn't until she started yelling at me to 'give her a drink,' that I tried to calm her down. I gave her water, so she could take pain medication. She yelled and disturbed the cabin some more, so I informed flight attendant #1. Passenger fell asleep for remainder of the flight. The only way this problem could have been avoided is if I would have given her the 2ND drink she asked for approximately 15 mins after her 1ST cocktail. However, I think it could have been a very dangerous situation. I was unaware of her pain she was in and her painkillers she was taking.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757 FLT ATTENDANT RPTED THAT A PAX HAD MIXED PAIN MEDICATION WITH ALCOHOL RESULTING IN A DISRUPTION ON A FLT TO LAX.

Narrative: PAX BECAME VERY LOUD AND BELLIGERENT DURING MEAL/BEVERAGE SVC. I WAS UNAWARE THAT PAX HAD BEEN TAKING PAIN MEDICATION AND DRINKING ALCOHOL AT THE SAME TIME. IT WASN'T UNTIL SHE STARTED YELLING AT ME TO 'GIVE HER A DRINK,' THAT I TRIED TO CALM HER DOWN. I GAVE HER WATER, SO SHE COULD TAKE PAIN MEDICATION. SHE YELLED AND DISTURBED THE CABIN SOME MORE, SO I INFORMED FLT ATTENDANT #1. PAX FELL ASLEEP FOR REMAINDER OF THE FLT. THE ONLY WAY THIS PROB COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IS IF I WOULD HAVE GIVEN HER THE 2ND DRINK SHE ASKED FOR APPROX 15 MINS AFTER HER 1ST COCKTAIL. HOWEVER, I THINK IT COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY DANGEROUS SIT. I WAS UNAWARE OF HER PAIN SHE WAS IN AND HER PAINKILLERS SHE WAS TAKING.

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.