<< >> NASA ASRS Report 635424, November 2004

B757-200 flight crew on emergency divert due to passenger illness. Unable to communicate with company dispatch on ACARS. Arinc used for communication.

Attributes
ACN	635424
Time
Date	200411
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den.airport
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl single value : 39000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdv.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level cruise other descent : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	635424
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe cabin event : passenger illness
Independent Detector	other other : 3 cab
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

At top of descent, flight attendant reported that a passenger had collapsed and that he was sweating profusely. Medical help on board was administering oxygen. We advised ATC and declared a medical emergency. ATC cleared us direct den. In my attempt to contact dispatch I sent a 'call me' prompt from the ACARS communication prompt. I was unable to talk with dispatch on the assigned frequency. After several attempts I called comrdo and eventually made a connection with dispatch. Dispatch arranged for paramedics to meet aircraft and ill passenger was deplaned before all other passenger.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757-200 FLT CREW ON EMER DIVERT DUE TO PAX ILLNESS. UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH COMPANY DISPATCH ON ACARS. ARINC USED FOR COM.

Narrative: AT TOP OF DSCNT, FLT ATTENDANT RPTED THAT A PAX HAD COLLAPSED AND THAT HE WAS SWEATING PROFUSELY. MEDICAL HELP ON BOARD WAS ADMINISTERING OXYGEN. WE ADVISED ATC AND DECLARED A MEDICAL EMER. ATC CLRED US DIRECT DEN. IN MY ATTEMPT TO CONTACT DISPATCH I SENT A 'CALL ME' PROMPT FROM THE ACARS COM PROMPT. I WAS UNABLE TO TALK WITH DISPATCH ON THE ASSIGNED FREQ. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS I CALLED COMRDO AND EVENTUALLY MADE A CONNECTION WITH DISPATCH. DISPATCH ARRANGED FOR PARAMEDICS TO MEET ACFT AND ILL PAX WAS DEPLANED BEFORE ALL OTHER PAX.

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.