Declared an emergency account passenger behavior physical discomfort.

Attributes
ACN	92752
Time
Date	198808
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bed
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2300 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bed
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 400
ASRS Report	92752
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other

Narrative:

On approach, while descending from 2300' to pattern altitude as directed by ATC, one of my passenger became agitated, holding his head and pointing up. My inquiry gained me the reply, 'emergency, go up,' shrieked into the intercom. I declared an emergency, we as directed off the approach and climbed 200'. The passenger was then able to talk and he advised he was ok, I so advised ATC and was directed back to the airport. Later investigation revealed the passenger was suffering from a blocked sinus which caused pain as the ambient air pressure increased.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DECLARED AN EMERGENCY ACCOUNT PASSENGER BEHAVIOR PHYSICAL DISCOMFORT.

Narrative: ON APCH, WHILE DSNDING FROM 2300' TO PATTERN ALT AS DIRECTED BY ATC, ONE OF MY PAX BECAME AGITATED, HOLDING HIS HEAD AND POINTING UP. MY INQUIRY GAINED ME THE REPLY, 'EMER, GO UP,' SHRIEKED INTO THE INTERCOM. I DECLARED AN EMER, WE AS DIRECTED OFF THE APCH AND CLBED 200'. THE PAX WAS THEN ABLE TO TALK AND HE ADVISED HE WAS OK, I SO ADVISED ATC AND WAS DIRECTED BACK TO THE ARPT. LATER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE PAX WAS SUFFERING FROM A BLOCKED SINUS WHICH CAUSED PAIN AS THE AMBIENT AIR PRESSURE INCREASED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.