An MD80 flight crew had to divert and land due to an ill passenger.

Attributes
ACN	594775
Time
Date	200309
Day	Wed
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zme.artcc
State Reference	FL
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute airway : j42.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	594775
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	cabin event : passenger illness
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : declared emergency
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

Flight attendant called to say that we had an elderly passenger that was incoherent and unresponsive and was being given oxygen from a walkaround bottle. I asked if a passenger requesting a physician's help had been made and was told no but they would do that right away. Several mins later, flight attendant called back to say a physician was on board and was looking at the passenger. I told the flight attendant to ask the physician if we needed to land for assistance or continue on to phl and told her to tell him the remaining time en route. She called back several mins later and said the doctor said to land as soon as possible. I declared a medical emergency with ZME and we descended and landed overweight at mem at 131600 pounds. The landing was normal and uneventful. Paramedics had been requested and were waiting at the gate when we parked. The physician/passenger said he thought the ill passenger had a stroke. The ill passenger and his wife were removed in wheelchairs by the paramedics and we re-filed and refueled and departed for phl.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 FLT CREW HAD TO DIVERT AND LAND DUE TO AN ILL PAX.

Narrative: FLT ATTENDANT CALLED TO SAY THAT WE HAD AN ELDERLY PAX THAT WAS INCOHERENT AND UNRESPONSIVE AND WAS BEING GIVEN OXYGEN FROM A WALKAROUND BOTTLE. I ASKED IF A PAX REQUESTING A PHYSICIAN'S HELP HAD BEEN MADE AND WAS TOLD NO BUT THEY WOULD DO THAT RIGHT AWAY. SEVERAL MINS LATER, FLT ATTENDANT CALLED BACK TO SAY A PHYSICIAN WAS ON BOARD AND WAS LOOKING AT THE PAX. I TOLD THE FLT ATTENDANT TO ASK THE PHYSICIAN IF WE NEEDED TO LAND FOR ASSISTANCE OR CONTINUE ON TO PHL AND TOLD HER TO TELL HIM THE REMAINING TIME ENRTE. SHE CALLED BACK SEVERAL MINS LATER AND SAID THE DOCTOR SAID TO LAND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I DECLARED A MEDICAL EMER WITH ZME AND WE DSNDED AND LANDED OVERWT AT MEM AT 131600 LBS. THE LNDG WAS NORMAL AND UNEVENTFUL. PARAMEDICS HAD BEEN REQUESTED AND WERE WAITING AT THE GATE WHEN WE PARKED. THE PHYSICIAN/PAX SAID HE THOUGHT THE ILL PAX HAD A STROKE. THE ILL PAX AND HIS WIFE WERE REMOVED IN WHEELCHAIRS BY THE PARAMEDICS AND WE RE-FILED AND REFUELED AND DEPARTED FOR PHL.

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.