Medical emergency event when extended holding for an en route MD80 is rejected by flight crew as passenger on auxiliary oxygen would not have enough supply for remainder of flight to ord, il.

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Attributes
ACN	611586
Time
Date	200403
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : irk.vortac
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl single value : 33000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc.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 cruise : holding
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	611586
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical cabin event : passenger illness inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : cab 4
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : landed in emergency condition other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Aircraft Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Environmental Factor

Narrative:

Passenger complained of asthma symptoms near gck. Her rescue inhaler was not working or unavailable. Oxygen from walkaround bottles was administered and passenger felt better and was stable. Oxygen supply was judged sufficient for remainder of flight. Near irk, a 35 min hold was encountered. ZKC was questioned as to the extent of further holding and informed that extended holding could not be accepted due to insufficient oxygen. I did not declare an emergency, but was in effect given emergency handling and this event was treated as an emergency from that point. Dispatch was called and a normal landing was made. I requested paramedics meet flight and passenger was treated. Thanks to flight attendants for great work and communication and to first officer for his usual great support.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MEDICAL EMER EVENT WHEN EXTENDED HOLDING FOR AN ENRTE MD80 IS REJECTED BY FLT CREW AS PAX ON AUX OXYGEN WOULD NOT HAVE ENOUGH SUPPLY FOR REMAINDER OF FLT TO ORD, IL.

Narrative: PAX COMPLAINED OF ASTHMA SYMPTOMS NEAR GCK. HER RESCUE INHALER WAS NOT WORKING OR UNAVAILABLE. OXYGEN FROM WALKAROUND BOTTLES WAS ADMINISTERED AND PAX FELT BETTER AND WAS STABLE. OXYGEN SUPPLY WAS JUDGED SUFFICIENT FOR REMAINDER OF FLT. NEAR IRK, A 35 MIN HOLD WAS ENCOUNTERED. ZKC WAS QUESTIONED AS TO THE EXTENT OF FURTHER HOLDING AND INFORMED THAT EXTENDED HOLDING COULD NOT BE ACCEPTED DUE TO INSUFFICIENT OXYGEN. I DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER, BUT WAS IN EFFECT GIVEN EMER HANDLING AND THIS EVENT WAS TREATED AS AN EMER FROM THAT POINT. DISPATCH WAS CALLED AND A NORMAL LNDG WAS MADE. I REQUESTED PARAMEDICS MEET FLT AND PAX WAS TREATED. THANKS TO FLT ATTENDANTS FOR GREAT WORK AND COM AND TO FO FOR HIS USUAL GREAT SUPPORT.

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.