2009-09 · NASA ASRS report 853809
A B767's aircraft's passenger call system was MEL'ed prior to flight. After takeoff a passenger's Mother had difficulty notifying the flight attendants that her daughter was in full seizure. An emergency was declared with a return to land.
Upon climbout; passenger suffered from a seizure. Passenger call lights were not working at time of departure and we were aware of this; but call lights were placarded and we departed. Purser questioned the decision in the event of an emergency with having no working call lights. Twenty minutes after takeoff passenger's Mom was screaming because of daughter who went into seizure and again Call Lights did not work. Purser was most involved in incident as she was first on the scene. I retrieved oxygen from mid-galley and took it to her. She instructed me to see if I could find an oxygen unit where the ambu-bag tubular which could connect to it. We do not have this on aircraft and if we did; it is not taught in training. Captain advised passengers we were returning to our departure airport and would be landing in 25 minutes. Landed and passenger was in aisle upon landing. Aircraft had issues as it was brought over from hangar this morning; but again was placarded and we were good to go. In this situation I witnessed; it was pretty extreme and getting back on an aircraft with call lights that maintenance placarded upset me to the point of needing to remove myself at the time. My thoughts went back to security as well as medical in this given situation.
The reporter stated to the Captain during the preflight crew briefing that she did not feel comfortable flying this aircraft because it was a B767 with so many people. The Captain responded that because the call system was in the logbook and properly MEL'ed the aircraft was legal to fly. The flight attendants cannot see the entire cabin and if something occurred it may be some time before the flight attendants know about it. In this particular event; the Passenger and her mother were in the center section First Class seats and were not seen for what the reporter estimated was three minutes. The passenger was experiencing a Grand Mal seizure and needed immediate attention for prevent her from choking to death. The aircraft did in fact return quickly enough to save the woman's life but flying with no means of passenger to Flight Attendant communications was not safe.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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