1988-07 · NASA ASRS report 91253
PIC OF ACR LGT INCAPACITATED ENROUTE FROM DTW TO LAS. FLT DIVERTED TO DEN FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE.
CAPT FELT SICK AT HOTEL BEFORE BOARDING VAN TO ARPT. AT ARR AT ACFT; HE STATED THAT HE FELT ALL RIGHT TO FLY. DEP FROM DTW TO LAS WAS NORMAL WITH CAPT FLYING ACFT. AS FLT CONTINUED CAPT FELT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. SICKNESS PROGRESSED TO POINT WHERE CAPT WAS LAYING ON COCKPIT FLOOR AND MOANING. AT THIS POINT; APPROX 400 MI E OF DEN; DECISION WAS MADE TO LAND AT DEN AND COMPANY AND AMBULANCE NOTIFIED. ACFT DIVERTED TO DEN AND NORMAL LNDG WAS MADE WITH F/E OCCUPYING CAPT'S SEAT FOR STEERING AND TAXI. WITH NO EXPERIENCE IN LEFT SEAT LNDGS; I FELT THE SAFEST COURSE OF ACTION WAS TO MAKE THE LNDG FROM THE RIGHT SEAT. ARR AND TAXI WERE NORMAL AND AMBULANCE WAS WAITING. NO EMER WAS DECLARED. ACFT WAS SOUND AND WX CONDITIONS CAVU. CAPT WAS AWARE OF POSITIONS AND ACFT STATUS AT MOST TIMES AND WALKED OFF ACFT. HE THOUGHT HE WAS PASSING KIDNEY STONES AND WAS IN EXTREME PAIN. IN RETROSPECT; ALTHOUGH FLT WAS NORMAL WITH EXCEPTION OF DEN DIVERT; I THINK IT WOULD BE PRUDENT TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE CREW MEMBER'S HEALTH CONCERNS AND STATEMENTS BEFORE ACCEPTING 'I'M OK.' SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 91548: THE F/O ELECTED TO STAY IN HIS SEAT AND THE S/O PANEL WAS SET FOR CRUISE SO I GOT INTO THE CAPT'S SEAT. APCHING DEN THE F/O AND I DID THE IN RANGE CHK AT WHICH TIME I LEFT THE CAPT'S SEAT TO SET UP THE S/O PANEL FOR LNDG AND THEN RETURNED TO THE CAPT'S SEAT.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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