Posted on 06/18/2009 11:03:07 AM PDT by 12Gauge687
By ADAM GOLDMAN and VICTOR EPSTEIN Associated Press Writers NEWARK, N.J. -- The pilot of a Continental Airlines flight from Brussels to Newark died over the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday, but the jet landed safely with two co-pilots at the controls.
Flight 61 touched down on-time just before noon at Newark Liberty International Airport, authorities said. The Boeing 777 was carrying 247 passengers, said Kelly Cripe, a spokeswoman for the Houston-based airline.
Passengers weren't told of the pilot's death in flight. During the flight, an announcement was made asking if any doctors were aboard and several passengers approached the cockpit.
The 61-year-old Newark-based pilot, with more than 20 years of service to the airline, is believed to have died of natural causes, Cripe said.
A relief pilot was on board during the flight and took the place of the deceased pilot, she said.
"The flight continued safely with two pilots at the controls," she said in a statement.
Martha Love, a passenger from Greenwich, N.J., who was sitting in the first row of the plane, said passengers weren't told exactly what was going on in the cockpit.
"No one knew," she said. She only became concerned when after the plane landed, she saw fire trucks and emergency vehicles lined up along the runway.
Simon Shapiro, a passenger from Brooklyn, N.Y., was also unaware of the drama.
"I didn't hear anything or see anything," Shapiro said. "I was wondering why there were so many cops."
As a precaution, the airport's emergency crews were sent to meet the plane.
In 2007, another Continental pilot died at the controls after becoming ill during a flight from Houston to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. It landed safely with a co-pilot at the controls after being diverted to McAllen-Miller International Airport.
On o’seas flights there are two crews ...
My wife was on a plane where someone keeled over. I guess it’s more common than one might imagine. Although, a pilot going over the rainbow in mid-flight is probably a lot more unusual.
What strange coincidences, this the third pilot today dying in mid-flight on the way to New Jersey!
Yeah. Higher stress and lower oxygen isn't a good combo for someone near the precipice...
All things considered, I’d rather be in Philadelphia...
I hope the relief pilot was already on board.
Prayers for the Captain.
“I picked the wrong week to give up sniffing glue!!!”
Sitting on a plane right now.
Told the flight attendant pilot is not given permission to die. Oh wee
Thankfully, he stayed inflated the entire flight...
With that said, can you imagine the passengers' reaction, when over the address system comes, "May we have a moment of silence for our pilot who just passed away."
What a non-story. Flight had three pilots aboard.
The passengers would not be told if a wing fell off or if they were being abducted by Klingons.
ROTFLMAO...”I knew I picked the wrong day to quit sniffing glue!”
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Some people have complained that the passengers weren’t informed about it until after they landed.
Seems to me that there’s no particular reason to tell the passengers. It’s not useful information to them, and would only create worry when it is unwarranted. The co-pilot is completely qualified to fly the aircraft, plus they had a whole reserve crew. I guess they were dead-heading. (ouch...)
You can make light of this all you want but none of that will being back George Zipp.
I agree. The last thing needed on any flight are a bunch of unwashed, fat, hysterical passengers.
Auto Pilot? Nope, I would strongly suggest co-pilot. That is why they have two pilots on every flight.
Over Macho Grande?
I was on one when we had that “If you are a doctor press the stewardess call button” and then proceeded to “If you are a nurse please press”
We landed with someone sprawled out in the back.
Happens more than you might think for sure.
Guess this pilot had to dead-head it back to Newark
self-ping
Seriously - a horrible, scary thing. Just what we need - 1 more plane incident (over the Atlantic, no less).
LOL!
“What a non-story. Flight had three pilots aboard.”
They repeated it every ten minutes on FOX news today. I had to turn the TV off!
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