FlightFollowerMedical Emergency on Alaska 602: Urgent Return to Gate
On 29 September 2008, it was a routine day at Seattle Airport—until Alaska Airlines Flight 602 encountered a medical emergency. Seated near the end of the runway, the flight crew received a distressing report: a female passenger, 43 years old, who had flown overnight from Anchorage to Seattle, was experiencing severe dizziness and nausea. She had been cleared earlier by medical personnel to continue her journey, but her condition had worsened.
Accident Facts
- Incident date
- 29 Sep 2008
- Airports
- ANC (Anchorage)
- Category
- Emergency, Intercept, Medical
- Reconstruction
- 3:49
The captain wasted no time. "We need a connection to MedLink now," he radioed. As MedLink connected, vital details emerged—she was on medication for high blood pressure, seizures, and high cholesterol.
Flight attendants reported that she was slumped over, barely responsive. The urgency in their voices left no room for doubt. "Do you recommend returning to the gate?" the captain asked MedLink’s physician.
"If she’s slumped over and looks very ill, then it would be unwise to take off," came the response. With that, the decision was made. The aircraft would not take off.
"We're returning to the gate," the captain confirmed. Operations scrambled to coordinate EMS. Emergency personnel were called to meet the flight upon arrival.
The onboard Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and Emergency Medical Kit (EEMK) had already been used, signaling the severity of the situation