The co-pilot of American Airlines died mid-flight while attempting to make an emergency landing, forcing the captain to summon medical help.
An American Airlines spokesperson informed the Guardian, “We are deeply saddened by this event and our focus is on caring for the pilot’s family and colleagues. Our pilot has passed away due to this unfortunate incident.”
The second pilot took charge as the aircraft landed without any issues shortly after 7am EDT, following the pilot’s sudden illness. Consequently, Flight 550 was redirected to Syracuse Hancock International Airport.
The Airbus A320 had a total of 147 passengers and a crew of five on board.
Andrea Huguely, an airline representative, stated that the aircraft eventually finished its journey to Boston, and a substitute team was dispatched to Syracuse.
The captain is incapacitated and has requested to land the plane on the runway. American Airlines Flight 550 calmly announced over the intercom, and the first officer immediately contacted the Syracuse airport tower before landing.
The police officer was given reassurance that they would be able to and instructed to proceed to a designated entrance where the medical personnel would be waiting for the aircraft. During a recorded conversation with the control tower, the officer conveyed their apprehension regarding the prompt boarding of ambulance medics onto the plane.
The pilot’s undisclosed medical crisis and identity were not revealed.
Aviation specialists stated that passengers were never at risk as both pilots and co-pilots possess equal proficiency in operating the airplane.
John Cox, a former airline pilot and aviation safety consultant, said that when a pilot becomes unable to fly, air traffic controllers could rely on automated systems and treatment priority from other planes.
“The passengers were not at risk, absolutely not,” he stated.
Traveler Louise Anderson, who was traveling from Reno, Nevada, to Boston through Phoenix, mentioned that she had fallen asleep during the flight.
She stated, “The pilot fell sick due to the fact that we had to make an unplanned landing, informing us that the person who woke me up was the flight attendant.”
She mentioned that in the Syracuse airport, there were speculations about the demise of the pilot, but they were verified solely through a declaration made during their subsequent flight to Boston.
Anderson stated that the ambiance on the vessel during that period was somber, but she commended the crew’s handling of a melancholic situation.
Airline pilots must undergo physical examinations every 12 months – or every six months for captains aged 40 or above.
According to the FAA, there have been a total of eight fatalities involving pilots from US airlines and charter pilots during flights since 1994. Steve Wallace, who headed the accident investigations division of the Federal Aviation Administration from 2000 to 2008, stated that it is uncommon for a pilot to become unable to perform their duties.
According to James Record, a former airline pilot who instructs aviation at Dowling College in Oakdale, New York, the captains and co-pilots typically alternated between flying and performing takeoffs and landings.
The captain gets to see how the other guy flies and the co-pilot gets the same amount of experience, which is an advantage.
The co-pilot remained composed while recounting the emergency and seeking authorization from air traffic controllers to make a landing.
“Operate the aircraft,” Record stated, “he was carrying out his trained duties. His colleague, his comrade, the well-being of, he was likely more focused on [rather than his ability to land independently].”
There is an ongoing debate in aviation circles about whether the automation of pilots’ flying skills is eroding, but modern airliners are largely capable of flying themselves.
This report was contributed by The Associated Press.