MD-83
Flight Attendant Current
Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Time Pressure
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Other / Unknown; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Illness / Injury
Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed
Aircraft; Human Factors
About 40 minutes into the flight as the #2 and I were finishing the service a flight attendant call button was pressed; the #1 responded. The passenger said she had an extremely painful headache. The #1 was getting ready to bring cold cloths to the passenger when she looked and saw her slumped over in the aisle. The #1 turned the lights on and declared a code red and asked for any medical personnel to come forward at this point. I went directly to the ill passenger to assess the situation. At this point she was sitting upright and vomiting in a market bag. I proceeded to the overhead bin with the oxygen and AED. I grabbed the oxygen and gloves. At this time an EMT and Physicians Assistant came forward. The EMT asked me how long the passenger was unconscious; I did not know and went to ask the #1. The #1 was on the phone with the Captain; I interrupted to ask how long the passenger was unconscious. She said not long; just a couple of moments. At that time the Captain was letting the #1 know we were having problems with the aircraft engine. He gave the #1 the TEST information. We had 7-8 minutes; we needed to prepare the cabin for an emergency landing. At this point I started to pick up all the service items in the cabin. I double checked the exit rows; to make sure all items were underneath the seats and continued to the back of the cabin. The #2 and I talked about what we were still to do. We went up front to double check with the #1. We thought we might have needed to do our emergency checklist. I was also confused on which engine was having the problems. The #1 confirmed we were just to prepare the cabin and sit down and goes over our 30 second reviews and that it was the aircraft left engine. We had conferred with the cockpit once again at this time. The information had gotten confusing because we were dealing with a medical emergency at the same time. We also had jumpseaters who were involved. At this time I did one final check on my way to sit down. I asked the PA to stay with the passenger that was ill. I moved one passenger back. I conferred with the #2 about my emergency plan. I let her know if my door was blocked because of fire I would precede to the window exits. As I sat down for our landing I noticed loud sounds; and then warm air around me. There was air flowing at my door and at the air vent above me. It was not a normal sound of airflow; I assessed out my window and everything appeared to be normal. I also smelled a burning smell; this could have been due to the last of the oil burning off. I am still not sure why the airflow at my door and above me was not normal. We landed and did not have to evacuate the plane. The ill passenger was taken off first; we deplaned. There was another plane at the next gate. We boarded immediately and continued the flight. There was confusion in relaying the information. There was more than the working crew members involved. In the future it would be best if the working crew members involved could direct the non revs on the best way to help in the emergency or emergencies.
We were told by the Captain about 30 to 40 minutes into the flight that the aircraft left engine was experiencing oil pressure issues and we were going to divert; be prepared for a planned emergency landing. He later gave us the TEST information. You have 7-8 minutes to prepare the cabin. In the meantime we were dealing with an onboard medical emergency. We were full and both flight attendant jump seats had commuting flight attendants in them. The forward commuting jumpseat rider took it upon herself to answer the interphone from Captain; unknown to the working crew. She then interfered with communication from the cockpit and proceeded to get in the way of us preparing for an emergency landing. The back jumpseat rider in the cabin was interfering as well with incessant chatter and I had to stop her from talking so much to concentrate on my 30 second review for evacuation. Both flight attendants were out of line and interfered with the communication from the cockpit and conduction of an inflight emergency and planned emergency landing.
Two MD82 flight attendants report a passenger illness at about the same time the Captain informs them of an engine malfunction requiring a diversion and emergency landing. Communication issues develop when jump seating Flight Attendant answers' calls from the Captain.