An overweight landing is made due to a diversion for a medical emergency.

Attributes
ACN	583225
Time
Date	200305
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : mcb.vortac
State Reference	MS
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme.artcc tracon : msy.tracon tower : msy.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-800
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level descent : vacating altitude descent : approach descent : intermediate altitude landing : roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Events
Anomaly	cabin event : passenger illness other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : cab
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

Flight attendant called the cockpit and indicated that a passenger was having chest pains. She informed us that T physician was attending to him, and that once they evaluated the seriousness of the situation, they would get back to us. We informed them that we would be heading off coast within 30 mins, so we would like to make a decision as soon as possible. We contacted dispatch, and had them stand by with the physician on call if needed. It was shortly thereafter that we heard back from the flight attendants that the physician attending to the patient in back recommended that we land rather than continue on to cancun. We decided that new orleans was the closest, suitable airport -- declared a medical emergency and diverted to msy. We landed within about 12 mins, and the passenger was met by medical personnel at the gate and taken off the aircraft. It was never determined to my knowledge if he in fact had a heart attack or not. Supplemental information from acn 583220: had to do an overweight landing. It was soft landing. Had aircraft inspected by maintenance. Everything normal, and continued on.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN OVERWT LNDG IS MADE DUE TO A DIVERSION FOR A MEDICAL EMER.

Narrative: FLT ATTENDANT CALLED THE COCKPIT AND INDICATED THAT A PAX WAS HAVING CHEST PAINS. SHE INFORMED US THAT T PHYSICIAN WAS ATTENDING TO HIM, AND THAT ONCE THEY EVALUATED THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE SIT, THEY WOULD GET BACK TO US. WE INFORMED THEM THAT WE WOULD BE HEADING OFF COAST WITHIN 30 MINS, SO WE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A DECISION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. WE CONTACTED DISPATCH, AND HAD THEM STAND BY WITH THE PHYSICIAN ON CALL IF NEEDED. IT WAS SHORTLY THEREAFTER THAT WE HEARD BACK FROM THE FLT ATTENDANTS THAT THE PHYSICIAN ATTENDING TO THE PATIENT IN BACK RECOMMENDED THAT WE LAND RATHER THAN CONTINUE ON TO CANCUN. WE DECIDED THAT NEW ORLEANS WAS THE CLOSEST, SUITABLE ARPT -- DECLARED A MEDICAL EMER AND DIVERTED TO MSY. WE LANDED WITHIN ABOUT 12 MINS, AND THE PAX WAS MET BY MEDICAL PERSONNEL AT THE GATE AND TAKEN OFF THE ACFT. IT WAS NEVER DETERMINED TO MY KNOWLEDGE IF HE IN FACT HAD A HEART ATTACK OR NOT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 583220: HAD TO DO AN OVERWT LNDG. IT WAS SOFT LNDG. HAD ACFT INSPECTED BY MAINT. EVERYTHING NORMAL, AND CONTINUED ON.

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.