Continental Airlines Emergency/Pilot Dies

[Loose rivets]

A Continental flight lobbed into McAllen in South Texas tonight with an emergency. "Find out why the pilot did not survive the emergency.............." were the words I just heard.

Totally frustrating television ploy. Waiting until News at Ten for the details.

Anything known?

[Airbubba]

Continental pilot collapses in-flight, later dies

01/21/2007

Associated Press

The pilot of a Continental Airlines flight became ill after takeoff and was later pronounced dead after the plane made an emergency landing, a company spokeswoman said.

The 210 passengers on the flight, which departed from Houston, were never in danger and the co-pilot landed the plane safely, Continental spokeswoman Macky Osorio said.

The airline is not yet releasing details about the pilot or how he died, only saying that he suffered a "serious medical problem." Continental believes the pilot died of natural causes, Osorio said.

The flight, bound for Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, took off from Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport and was diverted to McAllen-Miller International Airport after the pilot had a "serious medical emergency." The flight continued to Mexico with a new crew, Osorio said.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D8MPDI080.html

[Loose rivets]

Flight 1838 HOU to Puerto Rico/Vallata ??

Local news here is that the Co-pilot landed the aircraft...the only pic I could see was of a large under the wing twin engine aircraft with RR on the engines. View was through a chain-link fence so not too clear.

Thoughts with the family tonight.

[Middle Seat]

aah. The sensationalism of local news in the US. Its all about ratings not inforamtion delivery.

[MNBluestater]

Continental flight

This is just terrible for the co-pilot, the crew and the families involved. Very difficult circumstances.

[vapilot2004]

From the Houston Chronicle:

The pilot of a Continental Airlines flight from Houston to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, became ill during the flight Saturday and died after the plane was diverted to McAllen, the airline announced.

"The co-pilot consulted with Continental's operations center and arrangements were made to divert the aircraft to McAllen and to be met by an ambulance," airline spokesman Dave Messing said in an e-mail. " ... Unfortunately, the ill pilot did not survive."

Messing said the Newark, N.J.-based pilot is thought to have died of natural causes. Messing declined to identify the pilot but said he had more than 20 years of service.

Lt. Paulo Herrera of the McAllen Fire Department said the pilot had a heart attack.

Continental Flight 1838, a Boeing 757, departed George Bush Intercontinental Airport at 11:30 a.m. with 210 passengers. It landed in McAllen about 1:30 p.m. A replacement crew flew from Houston to McAllen and the flight took off again about 6 p.m. and landed in Puerto Vallarta at 7:17 p.m.

Lt. Scott Luke of the McAllen Police Department, who responded to the airport, said the flight's captain collapsed at the controls while the plane was about 200 miles south of the Texas border.

The McAllen Fire Department was notified at 1:21 p.m. about "an inflight medical emergency," Herrera said.

"They told us it was for a full arrest," he said.

"We waited for the plane to taxi to the jetway, and then we went onboard the plane," Herrera said. "The pilot was on the floor by the door. They had done compressions, CPR on him onboard the aircraft."

The pilot was transported to McAllen Medical Center. He was pronounced dead at 1:50 p.m., Luke said.

"There were a lot of passengers on the plane," Herrera said. "Some of them, a lot of them, had assisted the co-pilot and flight attendants in trying to help the pilot."

Luke said the passengers included a couple of doctors and nurses.

"They were pretty upset, losing their friend," Luke said of the crew. He said an autopsy would be conducted today.

[jet_noseover]

Sad news, pf dies in flight:


The pilot of a Continental Airlines flight became ill after takeoff and was later pronounced dead after the plane made an emergency landing Saturday, a company spokeswoman said.
The 210 passengers on the flight, which departed from Houston, were never in danger and the co-pilot landed the plane safely, Continental spokeswoman Macky Osorio said.
The airline said only that the pilot suffered a “serious medical problem.” Continental believes the pilot died of natural causes, Osorio said.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15587328/

[hetfield]

Some die at home, some at work. That is (was) life.

No sarcasm, just to put the journos down.

[nuclear weapon]

McALLEN, Texas - The pilot of a Continental Airlines flight became ill after takeoff and was later pronounced dead after the plane made an emergency landing Saturday, a company spokeswoman said.


The 210 passengers on the flight, which departed from Houston, were never in danger and the co-pilot landed the plane safely, Continental spokeswoman Macky Osorio said.

The airline said only that the pilot suffered a "serious medical problem." Continental believes the pilot died of natural causes, Osorio said. The pilot's name was not released.

The flight, bound for Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, took off from Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport and was diverted to McAllen-Miller International Airport. The flight continued to Mexico with a new crew, Osorio said.

[jet_noseover]

Continental said he died of "natural causes". They also said :pilot suffered a “serious medical problem.”

What's a natural cause? at age below 60?

I guess the medical tests did not reveal much at the time.

hetfield


Jurnos just reported the fact. As you see they did not comment on the event.

[hetfield]

Jurnos just reported the fact. As you see they did not comment on the event.

Wait............

[United B-777]

He was 58 years old. He was one IOE when this happened, as he had only just upgraded from the 737. The Ceck-Airman landed the aircraft. I have this information from Continental Airlines pilots.

My condolences to his family, may God bless him. I hope he is in a better place now...

[jet_noseover]

I am sure most here can read between the (jurno's) lines. I suggest you do too.

What I wonder, is back in my previous post.


"The airline is not yet releasing details about the pilot or how he died, only saying that he suffered a “serious medical problem.” Continental believes the pilot died of natural causes, Osorio said. "



http://www.khou.com/news/local/stories/khou070121_tnt_pilotdies.619e9dc.html

[barit1]

Not the first time, nor the last. In the 70s on a HNL-DFW flight (Braniff?) the cpt died over the Pacific, his death confirmed by onboard MD's.

Rather than divert to LAX the flight continued to DFW.

[arem]

<<Not the first time, nor the last. In the 70s on a HNL-DFW flight (Braniff?) the cpt died over the Pacific, his death confirmed by onboard MD's.

Rather than divert to LAX the flight continued to DFW.>>

Also his wife was one of the FA's - it was in the early days of BNF big orange - from what I can recall - all the FO's were ex 727 Capts - more info is found in articles written by the late Len Morgan - who was one of the FO's

[Graybeard]

My neigbor was in a group of physicians that chartered a fishing boat for a three day trip. After the first night, one of them was found dead in his bunk. They called his wife, and the US Coast Guard, who said they could continue as along as the death was certified by a physician.

They stuffed the body in the cold storage locker and continued fishing as planned. The ship's crew would not go in the cold storage, however.

GB

[FLCH]

He was 58 years old. He was one IOE when this happened, as he had only just upgraded from the 737. The Ceck-Airman landed the aircraft. I have this information from Continental Airlines pilots.
Pretty much spot on, but he was an F/O on the 777, and this was his first upgrade, and was a hell of a nice guy.

[stilton]

As to the pilot in question, he will be sorely missed by his friends and family.

A real tragedy, his first sector in the left seat.

[HKPAX]

Sadly this is not news, but sad for the ones left behind. Mate of mine, 43, fit as a fiddle, very happy family man, non-smoker, very light social drinker, pegged out after going to the gym. Happens to anyone. Good reason for having two up front.


Ask ye not for whom the bell tolls....

[galdian]

HKPAX
Relevant, short, simple, straightforward and considered. Thank you.

[cwatters]

Continental said he died of "natural causes". They also said :
What's a natural cause? at age below 60?

Very sad but people do die <60.

Here some odds vs age range..

http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/death/overview.htm

infant (<1 year including neonates) 0.706% (1-in-141)
infants (older than 28 days) 0.188% (1-in-531)
1-4 years 0.034% (1 in 2,941)
5-9 years 0.017% (1 in 5,882)
10-14 years 0.021% (1 in 4,761)
15-19 years 0.069% (1 in 1,449)
20-24 years 0.093% (1 in 1,075)
25-34 years 0.108% (1 in 925)
35-44 years 0.199% (1 in 502)
45-54 years 0.427% (1 in 234)
55-64 years 1.021% (1 in 97)
65-74 years 2.484% (1 in 40)
75-84 years 5.751% (1 in 17) and
85+ years %15.475% (1 in 6) [CDC NVSR 2001].

[boaclhryul]

Here some odds vs age range..
[snip] and
85+ years %15.475% (1 in 6) [CDC NVSR 2001].
So 5 of 6 in the 85+ age range never die. Interesting... I'd always thought it was 100% there.

[A330AV8R]

Thoughts and prayers with the family ....

I guess GOD's his CoPilot now !

[barit1]

I've had three friends die in their mid-40's.

One contracted a staph infection in a medical facility, had a high fever, went into a coma and lingered two or three weeks.

One had a heart attack during surgery, induced by anaesthesia, died the following day of a stroke.

One had a heart attack while swimming at the company's health center. He was dead within a minute.

Scary.

[4PW's]

With the deepest of respect to readers, and family of the man involved...

We're all going to go, and soon. If I die at 85, that's only 40 odd years to go.
I'd call that 'soon'. And not enough.

Don't give in to the inescapable finality of it all. Bollocks to that. When, where and how matter little. Every single one of us need to get out there and 'do', now.

Like that HK guy said so very well...you know, about the bell and all.

Deepest respect to his family.

[archae86]

The Albuquerque Journal today carried a story on a participant in this incident. It says that the co-pilot asked whether there were any pilots flying as passengers.

A private pilot (licensed 1.5 years, 150 hours) responding wound up in the right seat. In his own description the co-pilot "knew full well he could land the aircraft without my or anyone else's help". The private pilot stated that he performed some standard radio work, co-reviewed checklists, and lowered flaps and landing gear as instructed.

The Albuquerque angle is that the private pilot lives here.

[jet_noseover]

http://staugustine.com/stories/012507/news_4358533.shtml


"When pilot dies, panic quickly follows "

St. Augustine photographer Tom Addison didn't worry when flight attendants on Continental Flight 1838 asked if there were any doctors on board.
The frequent traveler had heard such requests on previous flights. What came next, however, was a first.
A voice came over the loudspeaker and said, "Is anyone a pilot? We need someone with flying experience."
That's when panic set in for the 210 passengers aboard the Boeing 757, which was en route from Houston to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, on Saturday. Some people gasped. Others laughed, saying the announcement must have been a joke. A few passengers stood up, demanding to know what was happening.
"Nobody really knew what was going on - until the cockpit door opened," Addison recalled, back from Mexico at Addison-Fitzgerald Studios on Wednesday.
The passengers fell silent as two men, who work in the medical field, dragged the plane's unconscious pilot from the cockpit into the aisle. They began administering CPR as flight attendants ran back and forth to the rear of the plane, bringing life support equipment to the men administering CPR.
"It was something right out of the Twilight Zone," Addison said, admitting he, like the rest of the passengers, was beginning to panic.
One passenger asked what was on everyone's mind: "Can one pilot land a plane this big?"
The passenger next to Addison, an Albuquerque, NM, man who owns a plane, stood up and offered to help the co-pilot make an emergency landing.
Addison said flight attendants managed to stay calm and keep the passengers in their seats as the plane changed course.
As the plane diverted toward McAllen, a small city near the southern tip of Texas, efforts to revive the pilot continued to fail. The middle-aged man, whose name has not been released, had greeted the passengers as they boarded the plane just over an hour earlier.
About 30 minutes later, the plane made an emergency landing on the McAllen-Miller International Airport's short runway.
It came to what Addison calls a "hard stop." Then emergency crews boarded the plane and took the pilot away in an ambulance. Minutes before the landing, however, Addison said the pilot "flat lined." He never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead soon after he was taken away.
A McAllen medical examiner has not released the pilot's official cause of death, but Addison said the plane's passengers were told it was a heart attack.
Before they got off the plane, the passengers applauded the pilots for the safe landing and clapped for the people who administered CPR.
Continental employees served them food and drinks over the next few hours as they awaited a new flight crew to take them the rest of the way to Puerto Vallarta.
Addison was headed to the Mexican city to conduct a photo shoot for Ujena swimwear.
The shoot went well, and the trip back to St. Augustine was "strictly normal," the photographer said.
The experience won't discourage him from continuing to fly.
"Flying really is safe. The odds of that happening are one million to one," he said.

One passenger asked what was on everyone's mind: "Can one pilot land a plane this big?"

:} :rolleyes:

[Orographic]

to the point of view of PAX, its a valid question, i mean if you didn't *need* two people, why are there two people in the pointy end ..

and i am sure it would have been similer when flight crew were 3 or 4 persons..

Members-of-public don't know the details of the job, nor should they have to,
but in that situation i would have to be going though their collective minds, that planes do crash occasionaly, despite or best efforts

[Dagger Dirk]

The odds of that happening are one million to one," he said.
Not so sure about those odds.
.
It was probably smart of the F/O to get some other "hands" up front. If they'd been an overnighting holiday charter crew who'd had a good curry together in Alicante or Puerto Grosso or Mukkinsville, it would've been almost "de rigor". And that would've been particularly so if the captain had been upchucking before losing consciousness.
.
But having said that, it wouldn't take a real brains trust terreotype to deviously place some incapacitating food additive in a flight crew's alimentary canals that would take effect some hours later (after takeoff and down-route). I hope the average SOP has a paragraph on that subject.
.
There's delayed acting, slow-acting and deferred action poisons that can put you out of the picture so fast that no-one would know that both pilots were incapacitated on the other side of that locked cockpit door until the top of drop was well overdue.
.
Food for thought. Food for Death.

[Few Cloudy]

A couple of airlines teach getting a cabin attendant to read the checklist etc. in this situation - even to the extent of practising this in emergency courses.

Unless there is known to be a DH cockpit crew member in the cabin, who can be asked discretely, I think I would tend to do the same. It's a small point though - either way it was a nasty situation and successfully handled.

[bubbers44]

Good CRM on the pilots part. Since he was a check airman giving IOE to the new captain he was very comfortable in the left seat and having someone in the right seat made the situation more normal since he also checked out FO's. If nothing else he could read the check lists and help with the radio work. I can understand the passengers being alarmed but how else could you find a pilot passenger? Bet he feels great knowing he helped land an airliner with 150 hours.

[oliver2002]

Another news piece giving a bit clarification on how the private pilot was chosen to assist:

http://www.airportbusiness.com/article/article.jsp?siteSection=3&id=9926