A B737-300 FO BECOMES UNCONSCIOUS WHILE ACTING AS PF 15 MI SE OF OBS; MA. CAPT DECLARED AN EMER AND LANDS ASAP.
Synopsis
A B737-300 FO BECOMES UNCONSCIOUS WHILE ACTING AS PF 15 MI SE OF OBS; MA. CAPT DECLARED AN EMER AND LANDS ASAP.
Narrative
FO WAS FLYING. ACFT ON AUTOPLT. FO TOLD ME HE FELT SICK; ASKED ME TO TAKE ACFT. HE THEN GRABBED TRASH BAG TO VOMIT INTO; LEANT FORWARD AND BECAME UNCONSCIOUS. BEING UNABLE TO AROUSE HIM; I DECLARED AN EMER FOR FO INCAPACITATION. PROCEEDED DIRECTLY TO ARPT. AFTER APPROX 3 MINS; FO REGAINED CONSCIOUSNESS AND WAS LUCID. FLT LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT; WAS MET AT GATE BY EMT'S. APCH CTL WAS TOTALLY COOPERATIVE; TWR AND GND CTL AS WELL. I RECEIVED ALL ASSISTANCE NECESSARY. FACTORS AFFECTING QUALITY OF HUMAN PERFORMANCE: 1) OBVIOUSLY; FO WAS INCAPACITATED. 2) PROX TO THE ARPT PROMPTED MY DECISION TO PROCEED DIRECTLY TO ARPT WITH EMT'S STANDING BY; RATHER THAN TRY TO ADMINISTER TO FO INFLT. PRIMARY REASON FOR DECISION WAS THAT HE WAS NOT TURNING BLUE; EVIDENCING CONTINUED RESPIRATION. I FELT THAT; IN AN ENVIRONMENT BELOW 10000 FT IN CLOSE PROX TO THE ARPT; IT WAS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE SAFETY OF ALL NOT TO HAVE THE DISTR OF HAVING A FLT ATTENDANT TRY TO ADMINISTER TO HIM WHILE I WAS TRYING TO LAND THE AIRPLANE ALONE; BUT TO GET THE AIRPLANE TO WAITING EMT'S ON THE GND AS QUICKLY AND SAFELY AS POSSIBLE. 3) SEEING A LONG TIME FLYING PARTNER RENDERED UNCONSCIOUS WITHOUT WARNING WAS A SHOCKING EXPERIENCE. THERE WAS A FEELING OF CONFLICT BTWN WANTING TO DO SOMETHING IMMEDIATELY TO HELP HIM; VERSUS REALIZING PROFESSIONAL HELP WAS MINS AWAY ON THE GND AND THE NEED TO PROTECT THE SAFETY OF THE PAX AND OTHER CREW. FORTUNATELY; HE WAS OK; CAUSE UNKNOWN.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.