Pilot Dies During Continental Flight Into Newark

[Gerald A]

pilot died during a transatlantic flight into Newark Airport, leaving the co-pilot and another officer to bring the plane in safely.

Flight 61 from Brussels, Belgium, landed on schedule at noon Thursday. The co-pilot flew the Boeing 777 and another Continental pilot who was aboard the plane was at the controls as well, according to Continental officials.Continental released a statement saying the pilot appears to have died of natural causes.




http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Pilot-Dies-During-Continental-Flight-Into-Newark.html

[Robert Zweck]

Back in the 1970s this also occurred to a domestic B727 pilot flying from Perth to Melbourne

[Matt_L]

Also Robert,

If I remember correctly another Continental Captain had a heart attack and died on a 757 in Houston I think it was doing a domestic flight.

A passenger with a PPL was called up to the flightdeck and assisted the F/O in landing the plane (obviously called out ref speeds, atc etc)- there was a blog/article he wrote on the net about the experience in what was obviously extremely sad and unfortunate circumstances.

[Philip Argy]

This ATSB report from last Wednesday shows how quickly flight crew illness can take you by surprise:
http://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2008/AAIR/pdf/AO2008004.pdf

[Matt_L]

For what its worth heres the link to the other CO incident I mentioned above with the 757 departing Houston in early 2007 with the Captain suffering a heart attack inflight.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1773510/posts

[Pat Stevens]

Rumour has it that this has also happened on an Air Canada flight due in Sydney today from Vancouver (AC33). Had to divert to Honolulu overnight. As mentioned, still only a rumour at the moment...

[Pat Stevens]

Well, looks like it was just that - a rumour.

[Anthony T]

A pilot also died on a BEA Trident departing LHR in 1972, although the copilot didn't know that the person sitting next to him was dead, the aircraft stalled and pancaked into vacant land in Staines, a few miles southwest of LHR.

Anthony T

[Nigel C]

We currently have 2 Air Canada B772LR's on the ground at Sydney. Both arrived this morning.

[Grahame Hutchison]

And they have both departed ....

C-FNND AC0034 20/06/2009 10:50 Air Canada B777-233(LR) Sydney-Vancouver
C-FIUJ AC2034 20/06/2009 22:11 Air Canada B777-233(LR) Sydney-Vancouver