 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
An A320 first officer became ill in-flight. Onboard physician suggested kidney stone. Flight proceeded to destination.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 647346 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200502 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | msl single value : 37000 |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zzz.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 4200 |
| ASRS Report | 647346 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : provided flight assist flight crew : declared emergency |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
This event is regarding an in-flight medical emergency. About 1 hour into the flight; first officer complained about stomach ache in his lower left side. He felt he needed to use the bathroom and thought it might ease his pain. Actually; his pain after that got worse and he was turning pale. A doctor on board was called for and dispatch was notified for a possible diversion. First officer stepped to the back and was examined by a doctor. Diagnosis was that first officer was possibly having a kidney stone and to ease his pain; the doctor was ready to give first officer a phenergan injection. At that time; first officer thought he could handle the pain he was in and refused the injection. With the doctor's concurrence and first officer's; decision was made to press on to destination; as we were by then only 40 mins away. A medical emergency was declared and a direct routing was given by the ATC controller. First officer was able to return to the cockpit to his seat; and was able to perform the PNF duties. Paramedics did meet the airplane and suggested to first officer to go the hospital emergency room and be examined and tested.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN A320 FO BECAME ILL INFLT. ONBOARD PHYSICIAN SUGGESTED KIDNEY STONE. FLT PROCEEDED TO DEST.
Narrative: THIS EVENT IS REGARDING AN INFLT MEDICAL EMER. ABOUT 1 HR INTO THE FLT; FO COMPLAINED ABOUT STOMACH ACHE IN HIS LOWER L SIDE. HE FELT HE NEEDED TO USE THE BATHROOM AND THOUGHT IT MIGHT EASE HIS PAIN. ACTUALLY; HIS PAIN AFTER THAT GOT WORSE AND HE WAS TURNING PALE. A DOCTOR ON BOARD WAS CALLED FOR AND DISPATCH WAS NOTIFIED FOR A POSSIBLE DIVERSION. FO STEPPED TO THE BACK AND WAS EXAMINED BY A DOCTOR. DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT FO WAS POSSIBLY HAVING A KIDNEY STONE AND TO EASE HIS PAIN; THE DOCTOR WAS READY TO GIVE FO A PHENERGAN INJECTION. AT THAT TIME; FO THOUGHT HE COULD HANDLE THE PAIN HE WAS IN AND REFUSED THE INJECTION. WITH THE DOCTOR'S CONCURRENCE AND FO'S; DECISION WAS MADE TO PRESS ON TO DEST; AS WE WERE BY THEN ONLY 40 MINS AWAY. A MEDICAL EMER WAS DECLARED AND A DIRECT ROUTING WAS GIVEN BY THE ATC CTLR. FO WAS ABLE TO RETURN TO THE COCKPIT TO HIS SEAT; AND WAS ABLE TO PERFORM THE PNF DUTIES. PARAMEDICS DID MEET THE AIRPLANE AND SUGGESTED TO FO TO GO THE HOSPITAL EMER ROOM AND BE EXAMINED AND TESTED.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.