QF pilot 'unconscious'
Fri "The Daily Telegraph"
Pilot 'unconscious'
June 6, 2003
A QANTAS pilot lost consciousness at the controls yesterday forcing the first officer to take over landing of the Boeing 737 aircraft as it descended into Alice Springs.
The incident on the the Adelaide to Alice Springs flight occurred as the aircraft began its descent about noon.
Qantas media spokesperson Melinda Thomson said she could not confirm the cause of the pilot's sudden illness.
"He was well enough to walk to paramedics at the airport. He has been to the hospital and left again."
She couldn't confirm whether the cabin crew or passengers were aware of what happened.
Civil Aviation Safety Authority spokesperson Peter Gibson said that CASA had not been informed of the incident but said there was "nothing unusual" about the first officer landing the aircraft.
"It does raise some questions about why he did lose consciousness - was it a bad Chinese dinner or did he have a more serious medical condition?".
The Daily Telegraph
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