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History of the flight
The First Officer joined the flight after positioning as a passenger by air from Montreal. The First Officer arrived later than planned for his assigned duties and appeared in the opinion of the Commander to be ‘quite harried’. The Commander had prepared and completed all the preflight paperwork and arranged to meet his First Officer at the aircraft. He told his First Officer that all flight preparations were complete and to ‘settle down and take his time’. The flight departed Toronto (Pearson) on schedule.
The flight climbed to Flight Level (FL) 360 and proceeded normally on North Atlantic Track. As the aircraft proceeded on track, the Commander became increasingly concerned with
behaviour of his First Officer. Communications at this point were with Gander Oceanic on HF2 pending handover to Shanwick Oceanic. The First Officer had left the flight deck several times for short periods, and on attempting to re-enter the flight deck, standard procedure was not followed. In conversation he remarked several times that he was very tired.With the workload now light in the cruise, the Commander suggested that the First Officer take a controlled rest break on the flight deck. The Commander was concerned not only for the well-being of his First Officer but of the possibility of having to carry out a CAT III Autoland3 approach in Heathrow due to low weather minima.He considered it prudent to let his colleague rest now and be fully alert for the descent and approach at the destination.
The Firs tOfficer took the break as suggested on the flight deck, and was later brought some food from the galley. Following the meal he continued on the controlled rest break, about 1 hour later the aircraft approached the mid-ocean point at 30 degrees West (30W). At this point the First Officer began conversation which was rambling and disjointed in nature and not at all in character, as the Commander knew him to be an outgoing and talkative person.
Past the mid-ocean point the First Officer took another extended break after which his attempt
to re-enter the flight deck was contrary to procedures. The Commander again briefed his
colleague on correct procedures.The First Officer re-occupied his seat but did not fasten his
seat belt as is normally done. The First Officers behaviour then became belligerent and
uncooperative which convinced the Commander he was now dealing with a crewmember who
was effectively incapacitated. The Commander called the Incharge Flight Attendant4 to the
Flight deck to witness what was occurring and told him that he was now of the opinion that he
was dealing with a flight crew incapacitation. The First Officer was informed by the
Commander that he was to secure his seat belt and become co-operative or he would have to
consider him incapacitated and with the resulting repercussions. The First Officer was
unresponsive to this communication. The Commander then directed the Incharge Flight Attendant to ‘secure the First Officer away from the flight controls, then with the help of other
crew members, remove him from the cockpit’. The crew then checked if medical assistance was available on board. One Cabin Attendant sustained a wrist injury bringing the First Officer to his seat. Two Doctors on board, one resident in the UK and the other in Canada, attended the patient. Their reports indicated that the First Officer was in a confused and disorientated state.
The Commander reported to the Company Flight Dispatch via data-link on what had taken
place. After verifying good weather at Shannon, Dublin and Manchester the Commander
decided to divert the flight to Shannon. This decision was made in conjunction with the
Company Flight Dispatch in Toronto. At point MALOT, where the flight was back under VHF5 control, the Commander advised his intent to divert due to a medical emergency on board. After making a PAN (distress) call, Shannon ATC were informed that the medical emergency was due to a pilot incapacitation (the First Officer) and the flight was now a single pilot (Captain only) flight for descent, approach and landing. Prior to descent, the Commander asked the Incharge Flight Attendant to get the Passenger Information List (PIL) to see if there were any flight crew on board who might be available to assist on the Flight deck for the remainder of the flight. In the event no line pilots were on board, but one of the Cabin attendants held a Commercial Pilot’s Licence, with a Multi-engine Rating, and a non-current Instrument Rating. The Commander requested that the Flight Attendant occupy the right-hand (First Officers) seat for the remainder of the flight to assist as necessary. The Flight Attendant provided usefull assistance to the Commander, who remarked in a statement to the Investigation that she was ‘not out of place’ while occupying the right-hand seat. As the descent was commenced the Passengers were informed that an early descent was to be made and diversion to Shannon due to a medical emergency.
The descent, approach and landingwere uneventful. The aircraft landed at 07.19 hrs and parked on Stand 39 at Shannon at 07.23 hrs.
The flight was met by a Doctor who rendered assistance to the ill crewmember. The First Officer was medically assessed at Shannon on arrival and then transferred to Ennis Regional Hospital for treatment. Personnel from the Airport Authority and those of the handling agent were noted by the Commander to be of great understanding and assistance. The First Officer was later joined by his wife, and remained under hospital care for 11 days where a gradual improvement in his condition was made. On 8 February he was flown home to Canada by Air Ambulance where his care continued.
