An F100 flight crew declare an emergency and land at dfw due to an ill passenger.

Attributes
ACN	603446
Time
Date	200312
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 24000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw.artcc tracon : d10.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Fokker 100
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	603446
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	cabin event : passenger illness
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

En route, a passenger complained of heart beat irregularities and shortness of breath. She had recently been released from the hospital suffering from a pulmonary edema. She reported the doctor had cleared her to fly. We started her on oxygen and descended from FL350 to FL240 to reduce the cabin altitude. Passing 10000 ft she reported more palpitations and began to panic. We declared an emergency and landed dfw without incident. Paramedics were dispatched, but to the wrong gate. After 7 mins the error was rectified and they put the lady on a stretcher and wheeled her away. I would like to thank flight attendants for a superb job. They were excellent communicators and were calm and professional throughout the incident. First officer did an awesome job flying the aircraft. His outstanding airmanship allowed me to concentrate on the problem at hand. Dfw ramp could not have been more helpful. I believe ramp operations was the one who tracked down the paramedics and sent them our way. Dfw approach and tower again showed why they are the best. Thank you all.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN F100 FLT CREW DECLARE AN EMER AND LAND AT DFW DUE TO AN ILL PAX.

Narrative: ENRTE, A PAX COMPLAINED OF HEART BEAT IRREGULARITIES AND SHORTNESS OF BREATH. SHE HAD RECENTLY BEEN RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL SUFFERING FROM A PULMONARY EDEMA. SHE RPTED THE DOCTOR HAD CLRED HER TO FLY. WE STARTED HER ON OXYGEN AND DSNDED FROM FL350 TO FL240 TO REDUCE THE CABIN ALT. PASSING 10000 FT SHE RPTED MORE PALPITATIONS AND BEGAN TO PANIC. WE DECLARED AN EMER AND LANDED DFW WITHOUT INCIDENT. PARAMEDICS WERE DISPATCHED, BUT TO THE WRONG GATE. AFTER 7 MINS THE ERROR WAS RECTIFIED AND THEY PUT THE LADY ON A STRETCHER AND WHEELED HER AWAY. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK FLT ATTENDANTS FOR A SUPERB JOB. THEY WERE EXCELLENT COMMUNICATORS AND WERE CALM AND PROFESSIONAL THROUGHOUT THE INCIDENT. FO DID AN AWESOME JOB FLYING THE ACFT. HIS OUTSTANDING AIRMANSHIP ALLOWED ME TO CONCENTRATE ON THE PROB AT HAND. DFW RAMP COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE HELPFUL. I BELIEVE RAMP OPS WAS THE ONE WHO TRACKED DOWN THE PARAMEDICS AND SENT THEM OUR WAY. DFW APCH AND TWR AGAIN SHOWED WHY THEY ARE THE BEST. THANK YOU ALL.

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.