Continental Pilot Dies Midflight, Crew Lands Jet Safely
CNN is reporting that the pilot of Continental Flight 61 from Brussels to Newark died midflight, forcing a relief pilot to take over the controls of the Boeing 777.
The pilot, who had more than 20 years of service to the airline, died of natural causes. The flight landed safely at Newark.
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Natural causes at 61?
"Hey I know you, you're Kareem Abdul Jabar!"
Was Kenan Thompson there to land it?
I feel kind of weird. I'm right under the flight path for EWR at my office, and we have had BADDD rain all day. Of course, if the pilot dies, there's always a stewardess to land the plane. But seriously, my sympathy to the family.
Also, and perhaps I am wrong, but I was always told that you are never pronounced dead on the plane, as it would have to be impounded for an investigation, but rather, you are pronounced on the "bridge"/terminal, to avoid losing a plane for awhile.
@Joewithay: Just means foul play wasn't suspected. Doesn't mean it's not related to too many not-so-natural fast food meals.
bad week for continental. first two kids get routed incorrectly, now this. things happen in 3's as they say...
Relief pilot? So in addition to the First Officer (Co-Pilot) there was also an additional relief pilot on board (likely due to the long haul duration of the flight).
Sorry for being so nit picky on this, but the write up suggests there was no pilot to take the controls following the death... Yes, there were apparently two other qualified pilots on board.
Dear Consumerist,
As an infrequent, but nervous flier, I would like to politely request you stop making me feel nervous and panicky with these stories of misplaced children, pilots who meet their demise mid-flight, and non-English-speaking mechanics. I like my dream world of perfectly running engines and healthy (and bi-lingual) crew members, and would like to request more cat photos, especially for today.
Thanks!
Pecan Pi
what was so coincidental about it?
@MadAsFishGrease_GitEmSteveDave: I suspect that where you are pronounced dead has to do with whether there is someone with the authority to make the pronouncement is on the plane. I haven't read anything saying how/when he was pronounced dead, or even if he has been pronounced dead, but I'm glad to see Continental doesn't have a crazy corporate policy of not allowing first officers to take over until the pilot is examined and pronounced dead by 4 coroners on the ground or anything crazy like that.
@pecan 3.14159265: Well, as long as you're not a 12-year-old Belgium girl you probably have nothing to worry about.
@GreatWhiteNorth: What about the navigator? He does an important job, yet is always forgotten. And what about Karen Black?!
@Joewithay: Heart attack = natural causes. Stroke = natural causes.
NOT saying that either one happened, just that these things (a) are considered natural causes, and (b) have happened to people much younger than 61. Not unheard of at all.
@GreatWhiteNorth: BBC has a little more info: "Two co-pilots were in control of the plane - a Boeing 777 carrying 247 passengers - said Federal Aviation Authority spokeswoman Arlene Salac."
@pecan 3.14159265: Yeah, we need more dead rats in food stories or idiot employees taking baths in the restaurant sink stories...
@MadAsFishGrease_GitEmSteveDave:
Most modern planes don't have navigators. With radar and GPS and ground tracking and all that stuff their job is largely irrelevant now.
If I've learned anything from TV, this guy did not die of natural causes. Mr. Monk, get in here!
Where do they put the dead pilot during the flight? Do they drag him down the aisle a la Airplane? Do they just leave his fetid, stinky corpse in the cockpit?
@Joewithay: Agreed. It must have been Stewardess Brown with the pipe in the black box room. Or it might have been Passenger Plum with a candlestick in the galley....
@MadAsFishGrease_GitEmSteveDave: Navigators with slide rules and sextants were long ago replaced by computers and GPS. The 777 has a 2 man cockpit crew.
@mannyv: They probably put him in a first class seat and covered his head with a hat just like in "Commando" :)
Does the relief pilot get credited with a save?
@tmed: Monk would enter in a hazmat suit, start counting the seats and fold each of the blankets into a perfect square.
@GreatWhiteNorth: i believe wide-bodies typically have a captain on board as well as the pilot & co-pilot - at least that's how it worked when my uncles was flying 777s for continental.
@pecan 3.14159265: How about cats flying airplanes? Or Cats who were placed on the wrong airplane? Or perhaps just some flying cats [itaysworld.com] .
Was the reference to "Coincidental Flight 61" intentional, or coincidental?
Weekend at Bernies 3: Transatlantic
Moar Gladiator movies!
@GreatWhiteNorth: So true. Isn't this exactly why they have a co-pilot / relief pilot on the plane? So that if something happens to the #1 guy...
@MadAsFishGrease_GitEmSteveDave: Don't tell Buster Bluth the world no longer needs navigators. Obviously, the blue part here is land!
Did he have the fish?