A medical emergency was declared in order to descend to a lower altitude for attention to a passenge...

Attributes
ACN	598183
Time
Date	200310
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zoa.artcc
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 34000 msl bound upper : 36000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767-300 and 300 ER
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : pacific
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	598183
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	598181
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude cabin event : passenger illness non adherence : clearance non adherence other
Independent Detector	other other : cab 3
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor Aircraft Company Cabin Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

Approximately 20 mins past 'pet' [flight plan equi-time] point, the purser notified us of a 61 yr old female on oxygen and no pulse. Was getting aed ready and called for any doctors on board. Cpr was being severely hampered due to size of passenger. Passenger was lying down, row 23. Several calls made to me inquiring how to release seat backs in row ahead so passenger can be attended to. 2 doctors and a nurse idented themselves and took over, but were hampered by the seat backs. Aed indicated 'flat line' and 'no shock' advisory. Contacted dispatch via satcom and told purser to use 'dsp.' dispatch had company doctor standing by to speak with onboard doctors. Several more calls regarding 'flat line' status of passenger. Advised doctor was to insert jugular iv and groin iv. Declared an emergency and descended to FL340 to lower cabin altitude. The first officer felt he would be able to move the seat backs out of the way. After ensuring from purser and 2 flight attendants this was a real life threatening situation and not a diversion, and aed reporting 'flat line' and already established communication with company doctor and onboard doctors, I felt we had an overriding emergency and the first officer went to cabin using the 2 person rule and all approved procedures opening cockpit door. The first officer was successful in providing space. He returned in 5 mins. After further discussions with dispatch, we determined it would be appropriate to cancel the emergency status of the flight. Medical personnel met the aircraft upon arrival in hnl. Supplemental information from acn 598181: the cockpit crew determined that this was not a distraction created to breach the security of the flight. The first officer went into the main cabin to aid in bending the seat backs and to determine the severity of the woman's condition. The woman was pronounced dead at destination.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A MEDICAL EMER WAS DECLARED IN ORDER TO DSND TO A LOWER ALT FOR ATTN TO A PAX THAT WAS UNCONSCIOUS AND LATER PASSED AWAY IN THE COACH AREA ON AN OVERWATER FLT TO HNL, HI.

Narrative: APPROX 20 MINS PAST 'PET' [FLT PLAN EQUI-TIME] POINT, THE PURSER NOTIFIED US OF A 61 YR OLD FEMALE ON OXYGEN AND NO PULSE. WAS GETTING AED READY AND CALLED FOR ANY DOCTORS ON BOARD. CPR WAS BEING SEVERELY HAMPERED DUE TO SIZE OF PAX. PAX WAS LYING DOWN, ROW 23. SEVERAL CALLS MADE TO ME INQUIRING HOW TO RELEASE SEAT BACKS IN ROW AHEAD SO PAX CAN BE ATTENDED TO. 2 DOCTORS AND A NURSE IDENTED THEMSELVES AND TOOK OVER, BUT WERE HAMPERED BY THE SEAT BACKS. AED INDICATED 'FLAT LINE' AND 'NO SHOCK' ADVISORY. CONTACTED DISPATCH VIA SATCOM AND TOLD PURSER TO USE 'DSP.' DISPATCH HAD COMPANY DOCTOR STANDING BY TO SPEAK WITH ONBOARD DOCTORS. SEVERAL MORE CALLS REGARDING 'FLAT LINE' STATUS OF PAX. ADVISED DOCTOR WAS TO INSERT JUGULAR IV AND GROIN IV. DECLARED AN EMER AND DSNDED TO FL340 TO LOWER CABIN ALT. THE FO FELT HE WOULD BE ABLE TO MOVE THE SEAT BACKS OUT OF THE WAY. AFTER ENSURING FROM PURSER AND 2 FLT ATTENDANTS THIS WAS A REAL LIFE THREATENING SIT AND NOT A DIVERSION, AND AED RPTING 'FLAT LINE' AND ALREADY ESTABLISHED COM WITH COMPANY DOCTOR AND ONBOARD DOCTORS, I FELT WE HAD AN OVERRIDING EMER AND THE FO WENT TO CABIN USING THE 2 PERSON RULE AND ALL APPROVED PROCS OPENING COCKPIT DOOR. THE FO WAS SUCCESSFUL IN PROVIDING SPACE. HE RETURNED IN 5 MINS. AFTER FURTHER DISCUSSIONS WITH DISPATCH, WE DETERMINED IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO CANCEL THE EMER STATUS OF THE FLT. MEDICAL PERSONNEL MET THE ACFT UPON ARR IN HNL. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 598181: THE COCKPIT CREW DETERMINED THAT THIS WAS NOT A DISTR CREATED TO BREACH THE SECURITY OF THE FLT. THE FO WENT INTO THE MAIN CABIN TO AID IN BENDING THE SEAT BACKS AND TO DETERMINE THE SEVERITY OF THE WOMAN'S CONDITION. THE WOMAN WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT DEST.

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.

A medical emergency was declared in order to descend to a lower altitude for attention to a passenger that was unconscious and later passed away in the coach area on an overwater flight to hnl, hi.