Narrative:

At XA15Z; FL380; flight attendant informed the cockpit that a passenger that was on therapeutic oxygen appeared to be having a seizure. A doctor was on board and assisted with medical care. At XA25Z the doctor talked to me via intercom and said in his opinion immediate medical attention was necessary. The patient was a 35 yr old male quadriplegic having a seizure and was non responsive. We were approximately 45 mins from ZZZ1; 2 hours from ZZZ1 and 10 mins from ZZZ. Based on the doctor's opinion and since I could not reach dispatch due to bad radio reception; I decided to declare an emergency and divert to ZZZ even though an overweight landing was necessary (weight 145.3). We quickly received WX and clearance to divert to ZZZ. We briefed ILS since rain showers were present and completed the approach descent checklist. Once in contact with ZZZ approach we were given a descent to 1500 ft and cleared for a VOR approach to runway. At this time the FAA called us with an update and we descended with speed brake extended. I noticed that the vls was extending well above my airspeed which was 235 KIAS. I then inadvertently asked for flaps 1 degree. As soon as the first officer took the flap lever out of the detent we got a flap overspd warning and immediately returned the handle back to the 'up' detent. The flaps never moved. We then were VFR and were cleared for the visual approach. I then flew an uneventful 15 KT crosswind visual to runway. Upon landing; maintenance was notified about the overweight landing and the flap overspd. No maintenance was required for the flap overspd; but an overweight inspection was completed. After all the paperwork was completed we departed ZZZ to ZZZ2 at XC18Z. We discussed the proper procedure for confirming airspeed before moving any flight control surface.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FLT CREW IS INFORMED BY THE CABIN THAT THEY HAVE A VERY SICK PASSENGER. A MEDICAL EMERGENCY IS DECLARED WITH A DIVERSION TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SLOW FOR THE LANDING THE FLAPS ARE MOMENTARILY OVERSPED.

Narrative: AT XA15Z; FL380; FLT ATTENDANT INFORMED THE COCKPIT THAT A PAX THAT WAS ON THERAPEUTIC OXYGEN APPEARED TO BE HAVING A SEIZURE. A DOCTOR WAS ON BOARD AND ASSISTED WITH MEDICAL CARE. AT XA25Z THE DOCTOR TALKED TO ME VIA INTERCOM AND SAID IN HIS OPINION IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTN WAS NECESSARY. THE PATIENT WAS A 35 YR OLD MALE QUADRIPLEGIC HAVING A SEIZURE AND WAS NON RESPONSIVE. WE WERE APPROX 45 MINS FROM ZZZ1; 2 HRS FROM ZZZ1 AND 10 MINS FROM ZZZ. BASED ON THE DOCTOR'S OPINION AND SINCE I COULD NOT REACH DISPATCH DUE TO BAD RADIO RECEPTION; I DECIDED TO DECLARE AN EMER AND DIVERT TO ZZZ EVEN THOUGH AN OVERWT LNDG WAS NECESSARY (WT 145.3). WE QUICKLY RECEIVED WX AND CLRNC TO DIVERT TO ZZZ. WE BRIEFED ILS SINCE RAIN SHOWERS WERE PRESENT AND COMPLETED THE APCH DSCNT CHKLIST. ONCE IN CONTACT WITH ZZZ APCH WE WERE GIVEN A DSCNT TO 1500 FT AND CLRED FOR A VOR APCH TO RWY. AT THIS TIME THE FAA CALLED US WITH AN UPDATE AND WE DSNDED WITH SPD BRAKE EXTENDED. I NOTICED THAT THE VLS WAS EXTENDING WELL ABOVE MY AIRSPD WHICH WAS 235 KIAS. I THEN INADVERTENTLY ASKED FOR FLAPS 1 DEG. AS SOON AS THE FO TOOK THE FLAP LEVER OUT OF THE DETENT WE GOT A FLAP OVERSPD WARNING AND IMMEDIATELY RETURNED THE HANDLE BACK TO THE 'UP' DETENT. THE FLAPS NEVER MOVED. WE THEN WERE VFR AND WERE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH. I THEN FLEW AN UNEVENTFUL 15 KT XWIND VISUAL TO RWY. UPON LNDG; MAINT WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT THE OVERWT LNDG AND THE FLAP OVERSPD. NO MAINT WAS REQUIRED FOR THE FLAP OVERSPD; BUT AN OVERWT INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED. AFTER ALL THE PAPERWORK WAS COMPLETED WE DEPARTED ZZZ TO ZZZ2 AT XC18Z. WE DISCUSSED THE PROPER PROC FOR CONFIRMING AIRSPD BEFORE MOVING ANY FLT CTL SURFACE.

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.