Narrative:

We were informed by our purser that we had an elderly passenger complaining of chest pains. The passenger had taken her nitro spray and the flight attendants were administering oxygen. I informed dispatch of the pending situation. The workload was very high as we were right near the top of descent. We briefed the approach and then the first officer handled ATC and flew the plane, while I coordinated between dispatch and my purser. My purser informed me that she had a doctor examining the passenger. ATC gave us a descent to FL310 pilot's discretion FL270. Dispatch asked if the emk or eemk kit had been used. The purser told me the doctor used the eemk and was requesting the emk. The doctor administered drugs from the eemk but nothing from the emk. The purser then relayed that the passenger was much worse than the passenger had told us (blood pressure 210 over 100 pulse 90). My first officer (a first responder with the fire department) and I decided to declare a medical emergency. ATC were very accommodating. They cleared us direct to the outer fix for runway xxr. My first officer accelerated to 340 KTS, and did not slow immediately below 10000 ft, exercising our emergency authority/authorized to get the plane on the ground. (That is the reason for the report), and to inform the personnel of the intentional violation below 10000 ft. During this time I coordinated with dispatch to have paramedics meet the airplane. ATC were extremely accommodating and helpful. Landing on the inside runway expedited our ground time. We landed at XA48Z and turned off right at our terminal. You might consider sending the dispatchers to emergency recurrent training with us pilots and flight attendants, to help us to further understand the resources available to us, and to help with the realism we are dealing with, as the workload was extremely high. I felt more like a coordinator than a crew member.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER DECLARING A MEDICAL EMER WITH AN ILL PAX, THE FLT CREW EXCEEDED 250 KTS BELOW 10000 FT TO EXPEDITE LNDG.

Narrative: WE WERE INFORMED BY OUR PURSER THAT WE HAD AN ELDERLY PAX COMPLAINING OF CHEST PAINS. THE PAX HAD TAKEN HER NITRO SPRAY AND THE FLT ATTENDANTS WERE ADMINISTERING OXYGEN. I INFORMED DISPATCH OF THE PENDING SIT. THE WORKLOAD WAS VERY HIGH AS WE WERE RIGHT NEAR THE TOP OF DSCNT. WE BRIEFED THE APCH AND THEN THE FO HANDLED ATC AND FLEW THE PLANE, WHILE I COORDINATED BTWN DISPATCH AND MY PURSER. MY PURSER INFORMED ME THAT SHE HAD A DOCTOR EXAMINING THE PAX. ATC GAVE US A DSCNT TO FL310 PLT'S DISCRETION FL270. DISPATCH ASKED IF THE EMK OR EEMK KIT HAD BEEN USED. THE PURSER TOLD ME THE DOCTOR USED THE EEMK AND WAS REQUESTING THE EMK. THE DOCTOR ADMINISTERED DRUGS FROM THE EEMK BUT NOTHING FROM THE EMK. THE PURSER THEN RELAYED THAT THE PAX WAS MUCH WORSE THAN THE PAX HAD TOLD US (BLOOD PRESSURE 210 OVER 100 PULSE 90). MY FO (A FIRST RESPONDER WITH THE FIRE DEPT) AND I DECIDED TO DECLARE A MEDICAL EMER. ATC WERE VERY ACCOMMODATING. THEY CLRED US DIRECT TO THE OUTER FIX FOR RWY XXR. MY FO ACCELERATED TO 340 KTS, AND DID NOT SLOW IMMEDIATELY BELOW 10000 FT, EXERCISING OUR EMER AUTH TO GET THE PLANE ON THE GND. (THAT IS THE REASON FOR THE RPT), AND TO INFORM THE PERSONNEL OF THE INTENTIONAL VIOLATION BELOW 10000 FT. DURING THIS TIME I COORDINATED WITH DISPATCH TO HAVE PARAMEDICS MEET THE AIRPLANE. ATC WERE EXTREMELY ACCOMMODATING AND HELPFUL. LNDG ON THE INSIDE RWY EXPEDITED OUR GND TIME. WE LANDED AT XA48Z AND TURNED OFF R AT OUR TERMINAL. YOU MIGHT CONSIDER SENDING THE DISPATCHERS TO EMER RECURRENT TRAINING WITH US PLTS AND FLT ATTENDANTS, TO HELP US TO FURTHER UNDERSTAND THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO US, AND TO HELP WITH THE REALISM WE ARE DEALING WITH, AS THE WORKLOAD WAS EXTREMELY HIGH. I FELT MORE LIKE A COORDINATOR THAN A CREW MEMBER.

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.