Investigation Summary
The flight was operating as a scheduled domestic passenger service from Phoenix to Dallas. While cruising at FL330, the first officer informed the captain he was feeling ill. The captain took control and a flight attendant was summoned to the cockpit. Although the first officer briefly used an oxygen mask and felt well enough to resume flying, his symptoms returned with greater severity approximately 30 minutes later as the aircraft began its descent to FL240. During the period between symptom onsets, the first officer had resumed active control of the aircraft as the Pilot Flying. The captain declared an emergency and diverted to Abilene Regional Airport. During the diversion, a passenger trained in CPR attempted to resuscitate the first officer. Post-mortem examinations revealed the cause of death as ischemic heart disease, with evidence of both an old myocardial infarction and a high probability of a recent one. Toxicology tests found insignificant traces of quinine, a substance found in tonic water and some heart medications, in the first officer's system.
Final Conclusions
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of the incident to be the incapacitation of the first officer due to a heart attack. The investigation noted that the first officer's medical records showed a last FAA medical exam on December 21, 1994, though a more recent physical dated January 19, 1995, recorded a blood pressure of 130/82 and a resting pulse of 80. He had a history of Hodgkin's disease diagnosed in 1970, though there was no evidence of recurrence. The final report was published on January 19, 1996.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Crew Experience
Captain
The Captain occupied the left seat and successfully landed the aircraft after the First Officer's incapacitation. He held an Airline Transport Pilot certificate.
Systems & Failure Modes
Oxygen System
The first officer briefly donned his oxygen mask after initially feeling ill at FL330, but removed it shortly thereafter when he felt his symptoms were passing.
Interesting Facts
- 01The Captain was 31 years old and had 2,986 total flight hours.
- 02Autopsy results attributed the death to ischemic heart disease.
- 03The aircraft landed without further incident or damage.
- 04The first officer had a medical history involving Hodgkin's disease diagnosed in 1970.
- 05The captain, three flight attendants, and 60 passengers were uninjured.
Safety Actions & Advisories
NTSB Recommendations
The National Transportation Safety Board did not issue any formal safety recommendations following this incident, as the cause was determined to be a medical incapacitation due to a pre-existing, though previously stable, heart condition.
Location
NO VERIFIED COORDINATES · Coordinates are the estimate published in the ntsb final report. No map is shown, because a marker here would imply a precision the record does not have.
Reported location: Abilene, Texas, United States