MD80 flight attendants called to assist a passenger that had passed out.

Attributes
ACN	592503
Time
Date	200308
Day	Sun
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cos.airport
State Reference	CO
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdv.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) 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
Qualification	flight attendant : currently qualified flight attendant aircraft qualified on : 4
Experience	flight attendant time airline total : 3.5 flight attendant time total : 3.5 flight attendant time type : 70
ASRS Report	592503
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Events
Anomaly	cabin event : passenger illness
Independent Detector	other other : 9 other other : 2 other other : 1
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

A male passenger passed out in his seat during the service. His wife screamed for help. He came to, just as I and another flight attendant arrived on the scene. Luckily, a doctor (md) was sitting in the same row. He moved the passenger to the last row of coach. He monitored the passenger with the aed and blood pressure cuff. He and another doctor recommended landing immediately -- possible heart attack. We diverted to cos. Medical personnel boarded the plane from the forward entry door and took him off via the tail cone exit, which proved very convenient. My biggest concern safety-wise would be the lack of usable space in which to assist an ill passenger and maintain room for everyone else to access exits, lavatories, etc. If that last row wasn't available, where would we have helped him on a full MD80? If he was in the aisle and there was an accident, it would have blocked exits.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 FLT ATTENDANTS CALLED TO ASSIST A PAX THAT HAD PASSED OUT.

Narrative: A MALE PAX PASSED OUT IN HIS SEAT DURING THE SVC. HIS WIFE SCREAMED FOR HELP. HE CAME TO, JUST AS I AND ANOTHER FLT ATTENDANT ARRIVED ON THE SCENE. LUCKILY, A DOCTOR (MD) WAS SITTING IN THE SAME ROW. HE MOVED THE PAX TO THE LAST ROW OF COACH. HE MONITORED THE PAX WITH THE AED AND BLOOD PRESSURE CUFF. HE AND ANOTHER DOCTOR RECOMMENDED LNDG IMMEDIATELY -- POSSIBLE HEART ATTACK. WE DIVERTED TO COS. MEDICAL PERSONNEL BOARDED THE PLANE FROM THE FORWARD ENTRY DOOR AND TOOK HIM OFF VIA THE TAIL CONE EXIT, WHICH PROVED VERY CONVENIENT. MY BIGGEST CONCERN SAFETY-WISE WOULD BE THE LACK OF USABLE SPACE IN WHICH TO ASSIST AN ILL PAX AND MAINTAIN ROOM FOR EVERYONE ELSE TO ACCESS EXITS, LAVATORIES, ETC. IF THAT LAST ROW WASN'T AVAILABLE, WHERE WOULD WE HAVE HELPED HIM ON A FULL MD80? IF HE WAS IN THE AISLE AND THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT, IT WOULD HAVE BLOCKED EXITS.

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.