Sick passenger and the boss on board

[wainscottbl]

You are a pilot for a corporation based in Los Angeles. The head of the company and a few others have scheduled a last minute flight to New York for a time pressing meeting with potential clients from Europe who will be flying out that evening. Somewhere over the midwest one of the passengers has a seizure. Although the passenger is not convulsing and simply lethargic you decide to divert and ask for emergency assistance on the ground for the passenger. The boss however says you are close enough to New York and the passenger can get help there. If you divert he says they may miss the clients. Do you still divert or fly on to New York to avoid trouble with the boss.

 

[durind]

I don't know if I could have something like that on my conscience, even if it cost me my job. I am not a doctor, I don't know what kind of damage is being caused to that person by delaying getting the plane on the ground.

 

[eightballfreight]

How would you not be liable if the person got a lawyer?

 

[web265]

I don't use legal liability to make moral decisions. Land and get medical assistance.

Unless you are a doctor and know all the nuances of the postictal (sp?) stage after a seizure. My opinion is land and get help.

If the boss has a problem with that, I'd find a new boss.

 

[exneophyte]

Tough ethical question. A seizure is a serious medical condition with huge potential complications for the patient. I guess my first instinct is to ask how tight is that schedule that you don't have time to declare a medical emergency so medical services are standing by when you land to offload the patient. Get the extra fuel you need and be on your way.

I guess I'll never be in your bosses position because my first thought is, "If this person dies on my plane because I told the pilot to ignore the medical condition, it's going to cost me WAY more in legal fees and liability than adding a little extra fuel or even purchasing multiple first class tickets to fly to Europe to meet with the client if we happen to miss them."

 

[gotWXdagain]

a friend of mine in the prime of his life - mid 20s, recently died in his sleep because of a siezure. Land.

that being said, in my real job I have an EMT and RN in the back, so...

 

[Cptnchia]

Do you really even have to think about it? Land and get medical attention ASAP. Would you press on and shoot an approach if the weather was below minimums because the boss was pushing you? How about if the fuel burn was higher than expected? Would you try and stretch it if you would be below min fuel because the boss had a date?

Unless you have a time over target to deliver a bomb load, or have to get someone somewhere to disarm a nuclear device, there is never a reason to jeopardize a life just to get somewhere or make a dollar.

 

[Itchy]

Your job is not worth another persons life. I too, am confused why anyone would even ponder this. And it would have to be a pretty cold fish of a boss to put anyone in this position to begin with. Unless the boss is a mob boss. Then no ethics apply...

 

[JordanD]

Screw the boss, I'm not going to let someone potentially die on my watch and know that I could have had a chance to save them. Like others said, I'd gladly find a new boss.

 

[wainscottbl]

I think a situation like this is pretty clear. Maybe it was not the best case. I know there are cases where one SHOULD do something but the pressure of a boss makes them do something bad. My dad does work for a guy who sometimes seems more concerned with the bottom dollar than the rules or law. I think he would want to land in a case like this, but there are serious cases I can think about where guys like him would say go on. Maybe a more debatable matter where it is a less sure emergency. Peer pressure or boss pressure is a lot harder in real life, though yes a case like this is likely too simple.

 

[Autothrust Blue]

Do you really even have to think about it? Land and get medical attention ASAP. Would you press on and shoot an approach if the weather was below minimums because the boss was pushing you? How about if the fuel burn was higher than expected? Would you try and stretch it if you would be below min fuel because the boss had a date?

Unless you have a time over target to deliver a bomb load, or have to get someone somewhere to disarm a nuclear device, there is never a reason to jeopardize a life just to get somewhere or make a dollar.

Said the pilot to the boss when the weather fell,
"Sir, I think we should wait for a spell!"
The boss said "I'm tired,"
"You will fly, or be fired."
Their estates paid the widows quite well.

 

[Avalon781ML]

In this particular case the "boss" isn't the boss... I'd ask him if he expects me to do the same if it were him? Never dilly dally when a life is on the line. I figure if I always do what I consider to be right morally/ethically/legally I will have a clean conscience and there will always be someone willing to hire a person like me. I say land and take care of the sick pax but also try to make it a quick-ish turn so the "boss" doesn't miss his meeting.

 

[pilotmec]

Open the door and send the boss for help!

 

[Lucky8888]

At our company, our ops manual requires a diversion for a medical emergency defined by the PIC. We also have a provision that the people in the "back" (including the boss) do not make flight decisions.

 

[ozziecat35]

At our company, our ops manual requires a diversion for a medical emergency defined by the PIC. We also have a provision that the people in the "back" (including the boss) do not make flight decisions.

That's a great idea, removes any possibility of your paycheck signer influencing PIC decisions.

 

[jskibo]

Is this like a disguised game of Marry, F&^%, Kill?