http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013...on-after-takeoff-from-seattle?lite

Very sad. May he rest in peace and may his family find comfort in this difficult time.

Wow thats terrible, my condolences to the family. I wonder what happened? Looks like this was the flight here

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/D...8/history/20131207/1625Z/KSEA/KGEG

Oh my God.

I sincerely hope his family finds closure and comfort in this very difficult time. As somebody who has known families who have lost teenagers, it is truly one of, the not the most, heartwrenching ordeals you'll ever have to endure.

What tragic news. May he rest in peace. Could the death have been related in any way to the takeoff, or would he have had the same likelihood of dying on the ground? I hope we will have more information on the cause shortly.

Quoting Burchfiel (Reply 3): Could the death have been related in any way to the takeoff, or would he have had the same likelihood of dying on the ground?

I know that it is a bad idea to fly with a headcold, but it shouldn't kill. I'm just hoping drugs aren't involved, for the sake of the family.  

Quoting mesaflyguy (Reply 4): I know that it is a bad idea to fly with a headcold

Was that the cause of death?

The story mentions that passengers were transferred to another plane. Why was that? (landing with too much weight is the only thing that comes to mind, but a total speculation on my part)

Quoting frmrCapCadet (Reply 6): The story mentions that passengers were transferred to another plane. Why was that?

Generally when a passenger dies on a flight, the aircraft is quarantined until released by the authorities.

[Edited 2013-12-07 16:33:43]

They couldn't have been more than 30-40 minutes into the flight at that point (SEA-ATL but landed in GEG) and the flight attendants were likely doing CPR until EMT's met the plane. Condolences to the family...very tragic.

Quoting rwy04lga (Reply 5): Was that the cause of death?

We don't know, but there are number of fortunately very rare things, both congenital and acquired, that can cause sudden death even in very young, healthy people.

I'm guessing either natural (blood clot) or unnatural (drug use).

Quoting B757forever (Reply 7):

It actually depends where they pronounce the person as deceased. Generally they do it in the jetway so as to prevent the airplane from being quarantined.

Quoting catiii (Reply 11):

speaking from some very recent experiences, the deceased person had to be left on the aircraft until the coroner arrived and did what coroners do...

Maybe it varies from county to county in the US?

Sad, nonetheless.

According to the DailyMail, he had cerebral palsy and went into cardiac shortly after take off.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...tary-veteran-father-Christmas.html

I can't even imagine what his family is going through. This young man was just beginning life. This really is sad.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the family in these tough times. May the Lord be with his family and friends. May he rest in peace.

Cheers,
KLAXAirport   

Quoting B757forever (Reply 7): Generally when a passenger dies on a flight, the aircraft is quarantined until released by the authorities.

Quoting catiii (Reply 11): It actually depends where they pronounce the person as deceased.

Both false.

Aircraft are only "quarantined" when the death is suspicious (or if it was an international flight, even then the quarantine usually lasts less than an hour if the death is not suspicious).

People usually aren't pronounced deceased onboard because there's either not enough equipment for a doctor (if there is one) to certify the death.

Once outside help comes in, it's easier to work on the patient in the jetway, so they'll pull them off to have more room to work.

Quoting airportugal310 (Reply 12): speaking from some very recent experiences, the deceased person had to be left on the aircraft until the coroner arrived and did what coroners do... Maybe it varies from county to county in the US?

This happened recently at SNA with UA; another very young person. He passed away on the plane, but they kept his body in the bathroom by the gates until the coroner arrived.

Quoting B757forever (Reply 7): Generally when a passenger dies on a flight, the aircraft is quarantined until released by the authorities.

Quoting catiii (Reply 11): It actually depends where they pronounce the person as deceased. Generally they do it in the jetway so as to prevent the airplane from being quarantined.

Quoting airportugal310 (Reply 12): speaking from some very recent experiences, the deceased person had to be left on the aircraft until the coroner arrived and did what coroners do... Maybe it varies from county to county in the US?

Quoting asteriskceo (Reply 17): This happened recently at SNA with UA; another very young person. He passed away on the plane, but they kept his body in the bathroom by the gates until the coroner arrived.

There is no requirement to keep a body on a domestic flight until a coroner arrives, and there is no requirement that a plane be quarantined under normal circumstances, should someone pass while inflight.

Quoting frmrCapCadet (Reply 6): The story mentions that passengers were transferred to another plane. Why was that? (landing with too much weight is the only thing that comes to mind, but a total speculation on my part)

Could this have been done out of respect for the remaining passengers, and not having them (or them wanting) to fly on a plane where someone had passed away for 3 hours or so?

The stories on CNN and a few other sources now say the teen died after landing at Spokane, not while on the aircraft.

However, the county medical examiner was called to the airport.

The aircraft continued on to Atlanta.

It landed at GEG at 1034 and took off for ATL at 1746 - just over 7 hours later.

I'm guessing part of the delay was lack of ground service equipment for a B763 at the airport. They don't have any regular widebody service.

Overweight landing check might have been required - and they might have had to bring in someone from SEA to do the check. MSP and SLC are the only DL mainline destinations served from GEG.

Quoting airportugal310 (Reply 12): Maybe it varies from county to county in the US?

Yes, and no.

Each state has their own requirements - which do vary. Each county has procedures, not requirements. In many counties in the US, the coroner is not a doctor. He/she is only required to make a pronouncement of death in cases of suspected criminal activity. It is really up to each county to set its own requirements.

Big cities, which is normally what you have if there is a busy commercial airport, almost never require the coroner to actually visit the death scene. While the news stories now say the medical examiner was called to the airport - that could mean that someone from the coroner's department was called, not the actual coroner.

Several people in the emergency medical services department will be able to make a death pronouncement. Along with any licensed MD. The coroner will only get involved, and then it might be his staff, not the actual coroner, in cases where the cause of death is 'unusual'.

The key factor is the definition of 'unusual'.

A healthy young person with no outward signs of a cause of death would normally be considered unusual most places.

A young person with a known medical history - maybe not.

Any one showing signs of a possible fatal injury would be unusual in most places.

If the emergency medical people feel something isn't 'right', they would likely call for police to investigate, and want someone from the coroner's office to examine the body/ scene.

Very few places have the money, staff or facilities you see on CSI. And NO places have the time to spend on an individual case you see on CSI.

Heart breaking story indeed. I'll try to shed some light on this from an Emergency Medical Services point of view - given that I work as a paramedic. Any questions other than the points I address below, just feel free to ask.

Quoting rfields5421 (Reply 20): sources now say the teen died after landing at Spokane, not while on the aircraft.

^ This is because of where the patient was pronounced dead. So, even though the patient may have been pulseless and apneic on the aircraft, if flight crew or other passengers onboard were "working up" the patient, said patient is still "alive" until pronounced dead. That is, supposing a person walking down the street suddenly collapses and goes into cardiac arrest. An ambulance comes, transports the patient to a hospital where the patient is later pronounced dead. The Patient's place of death would be the hospital, not the place on the street where he/she collapsed.

Quoting rfields5421 (Reply 20): Each state has their own requirements - which do vary. Each county has procedures, not requirements.

Quoting rfields5421 (Reply 20): Several people in the emergency medical services department will be able to make a death pronouncement. Along with any licensed MD

^ Correct. For example in New York State, any Emergency Medical Services worker, (EMT, Paramedic etc.) can pronounce a patient to be dead given certain criteria. Generally, a state sets forth a boatload of protocols, and counties then choose which to adopt.

Quoting rfields5421 (Reply 20): If the emergency medical people feel something isn't 'right', they would likely call for police to investigate, and want someone from the coroner's office to examine the body/ scene.

Quoting rfields5421 (Reply 20): Very few places have the money, staff or facilities you see on CSI. And NO places have the time to spend on an individual case you see on CSI.

^ While true that very few places have the resources seen on TV, at least, in New York State, any time an injury (or even long term illness) is fatal and Emergency Services respond, police are notified for an investigation into the death. 9.9 Times out of 10, the cause of death will be ruled to be the injury or condition the patient succumbed to and not another suspicious cause. However, given that the police do have to investigate, the place where the death occurred is held as a crime scene. So, rather than "quarantined" the aircraft is more...held as evidence until Police and/or detectives arrive to investigate and release (which is usually pretty quick).

[Edited 2013-12-08 20:22:17]

Quoting B757forever (Reply 7): Generally when a passenger dies on a flight, the aircraft is quarantined until released by the authorities.

I have had 4 people expire on my flights over the years. None were ever quarantined. In this case it has been widely reported that the boy had a long medical history.

People do the dumbest things when a passenger dies--some freak out and start screaming (God knows why, they didn't die), others are solicitous of the family or traveling companions. I had one woman that had a heart attack just as we were beginning descent into CPH and we were doing CPR on her. For anyone that has ever done it is an exhausting experience--most people only last 2-3 minutes before they have to switch off with another rescuer. We had been just about to start the last coffee/juice/pastry snack when this woman sitting on the aisle, arms folded across her chest, gives me this disgusted look and says "I suppose this means we don't get to eat." I nearly chewed my tongue off but the look of disbelief that I gave her sure translated.
Only once was I a little unsure of what had occurred. We were flying NRT-JFK when this Chinese woman comes into the galley and calmly says "I think my baby is dead." We all looked at each other in disbelief and ran around the corner--the baby was in the bassinette on the wall and was totally blue--death was obvious. Then she said very calmly "I thought my baby was going to die." We passed this on to the cockpit who then passed it on to the authorities meeting the flight. She never cried once. On landing, I asked her if she would like to hold her son for landing and she said "no." So one of my female colleagues swaddled the child in a blanket and held him on her jumpseat. This woman's husband was in the US military and they had lost another child to SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) which was what this death was eventually ruled. The poor husband was beside himself with grief. Heartbreaking for him and for my entire crew. They were very badly shaken up thinking that this woman had done something to harm the baby.

Quoting DTWPurserBoy (Reply 22): This woman's husband was in the US military and they had lost another child to SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) which was what this death was eventually ruled. The poor husband was beside himself with grief. Heartbreaking for him and for my entire crew. They were very badly shaken up thinking that this woman had done something to harm the baby.

Sometimes people are too numb to react as we might expect them to. It can be very confusing.

The DL 767 at GEG had several issues that needed to be addressed before it could continue. It needed an overweight landing inspection by licensed mechanics, and assuming that the aircraft medical kit was opened in flight to treat the original crisis, then it would need to be replaced with an intact kit before the flight could be dispatched. Generally, those medical kits are found only at hub airports and major non-hub stations like BOS, MCO, FLL etc.

This seems to happen every year at hokey rinks as well, a normal seemingly healthy hockey player collapses on the ice and dies of an unknown heart abnormality issue. Also happened at a Detroit Red Wings game IIRC.

Quoting rfields5421 (Reply 20): It landed at GEG at 1034 and took off for ATL at 1746 - just over 7 hours later. I'm guessing part of the delay was lack of ground service equipment for a B763 at the airport. They don't have any regular widebody service.

There is wide body luggage loading equipment at GEG. Contractor Spokane Airports has container loaders for charters (most recently Hawaiian flew weekly 763 charters to HNL a few years back). Also UPS and FedEx have them as well for daily scheduled 767, MD10, A300 service. And DGS has wide body tug equipment left over from the Northwest days.

Quoting roberts975 (Reply 24): The DL 767 at GEG had several issues that needed to be addressed before it could continue. It needed an overweight landing inspection by licensed mechanics, and assuming that the aircraft medical kit was opened in flight to treat the original crisis, then it would need to be replaced with an intact kit before the flight could be dispatched. Generally, those medical kits are found only at hub airports and major non-hub stations like BOS, MCO, FLL etc.

There were multiple issues with this flight...

1/The flight attendant/s either didn't want to fly or timed out. They had to fly in a new cabin crew (1 or more??)for the continuation.
2/The flight was only 9000-13000 lbs overweight. Most probably they had plenty of time to do the inspection.
3/The med kits are MEL-able on Delta. Just for this kind of situation - as long as they are replaced at the next appropriate station.

anyway...very sad.

KD