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Plane Lands Safely after Pilot Dies Mid-Flight

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout' started by The_Yoyo, Jun 18, 2009.

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The_Yoyo Contributing Member

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OH MAN I am just glad the plane was able to land safely, imagine the horror if you were on that flight.

Plane Lands Safely After Pilot Dies In-Flight
61-Year-Old Pilot of Continental Airlines Flight From Brussels Dies Over Atlantic
By RUSSELL GOLDMAN
June 18, 2009

A Continental Airlines en route from Belgium landed safely in Newark, N.J., today after the pilot died midflight at the controls of a jet with 247 passengers onboard.
Plane With Dead Pilot Lands Safely in Newark, NJ
The Federal Aviation Administration says a plane carrying a pilot who died in mid-flight has landed safely at the airport in Newark, N.J.

The crew onbord the Boeing 777 included two trained pilots who took control of the plane and landed it at the airport just outside New York City. There were also federal air marshals onboard Continental Flight 61.

The 61-year-old pilot apparently died of natural causes, Continental said in a statement, and the passengers were not immediately told of his death, according to the airline.

"The crew on this flight included an additional relief pilot who took the place of the deceased pilot. The flight continued safely with two pilots at the controls," according to Continental's statement.

The pilot, a Newark native, had 21 years of experience flying.

Congress recently made a change to a federal law that raised the mandatory retirement age for pilots from 60 years old to 65 years old.

As passangers left the plane, they said they had no idea that pilot had died onboard. Early into the flight, they said, passangers were asked if a doctor was onboard the flight.

Ted Reback of Short Hills, N.J., was driving to the airport to pick up his son Daniel, who was on the flight, when heard heard about the pilot's death on the radio.

"I know that they had multiple pilots on the plane so there was no real concern," he said. "Then I found out when I got here that actually they had two additional crew, so they had three pilots."
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LINK

#1 The_Yoyo, Jun 18, 2009

ItsMyFault Contributing Member

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Wow.. that's pretty scary.

That's pretty smart that they didn't tell anyone to start chaos, but man what's been going on with flights these past 6 months, It makes me sort of afraid to fly... It's like theres a problem or an incident every month now.

#2 ItsMyFault, Jun 18, 2009
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He was pretty young to die so suddenly of natural causes...

#3 finalsbound, Jun 18, 2009
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My friends who live in Belgium (one is German and the other Welsh) are on their way to Austin. I just found out they were on that plane. I already asked if one of them said, "Stewardess...I speak Jive."

For real, though...they were on that plane. Adrian said he was interviewed by ABC and CBS. Crazy.

#4 the futants, Jun 18, 2009
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the futants said:

My friends who live in Belgium (one is German and the other Welsh) are on their way to Austin. I just found out they were on that plane. I already asked if one of them said, "Stewardess...I speak Jive."

For real, though...they were on that plane. Adrian said he was interviewed by ABC and CBS. Crazy.
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I feel bad for laughing

#5 plcmts17, Jun 18, 2009
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They still use pilots? How 20th century is that?

#6 lpbman, Jun 18, 2009
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finalsbound said:

He was pretty young to die so suddenly of natural causes...
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Heart attack is natural cause. He didn't get stabbed in the neck with his pilot wings is what they mean. And only specifically what they mean.

#7 Yonkers, Jun 18, 2009

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Im not sure what is so scary about the pilot dying. Tragic yes. Between auto-pilot, co pilot, wait staff, and people who can get the plane down safely, I think the odds are pretty good.

#8 Space Ghost, Jun 18, 2009
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A pilot died on the airplane? What was it?

#9 CrazyJoeDavola, Jun 18, 2009
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Early into the flight, they said, passangers were asked if a doctor was onboard the flight.
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This didn't raise any red flags?

#10 ima_drummer2k, Jun 18, 2009
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CrazyJoeDavola said:

A pilot died on the airplane? What was it?
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It's a large vessel that is able to transport people and/or things by route of open air, but that's not important right now....

#11 deadlybulb, Jun 18, 2009
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ima_drummer2k said:

This didn't raise any red flags?
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Flight attendants may ask for a doctor if a random passenger is having allergic reaction to peanuts. So no, that wouldn't raise a red flag.

#12 Microfridge, Jun 18, 2009
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yay, so this is crazy. im flying continental in 2 weeks from newark to edinburgh. eekkk

#13 gbritton, Jun 18, 2009

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I think the scariest part is the pilot dying at just 61 years of age from "natural causes".

#14 Asian Sensation, Jun 18, 2009
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That's gotta be some freaked out wingmen though. I'm surprised they didn't ask if there was a doctor on board. So they just moved some dead guy out of his seat and went about there normal business?

#15 Asian Sensation, Jun 18, 2009
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Asian Sensation said:

That's gotta be some freaked out wingmen though. I'm surprised they didn't ask if there was a doctor on board. So they just moved some dead guy out of his seat and went about there normal business?
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ummm...they did.

Early into the flight, they said, passangers were asked if a doctor was onboard the flight.
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#16 Uprising, Jun 18, 2009
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Asian Sensation said:

I think the scariest part is the pilot dying at just 61 years of age from "natural causes".
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61 is pretty old. For jobs like bus driver, pilot, etc. They should maybe have a lower cutoff age.

#17 Air Langhi, Jun 18, 2009
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Air Langhi said:

61 is pretty old. For jobs like bus driver, pilot, etc. They should maybe have a lower cutoff age.
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Instead Congress did the exact opposite. lol.

#18 Uprising, Jun 18, 2009

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Uprising said:

ummm...they did.
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My bad I skipped over that part. For some reason I thought they didn't cause it could've potentially caused panic. Even though it really shouldn't have and apparently it didn't.

#19 Asian Sensation, Jun 18, 2009
Supermac34 President, Von Wafer Fan Club

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So I know most planes have a copilot, that can land the plane, but how many have so many crew members that can land a plane? Are flight attendants trained to land planes? Air marshals?

#20 Supermac34, Jun 18, 2009

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