Jun 19, 2009 6:03 am US/Eastern
Continental Captain Dies On Flight To Newark
Plane Departed From Brussels En Route To Newark; Reserve Crew On Flight Lands Plane Safely
Airline Says 60-Year-Old Pilot Suffered Heart Attack
NEWARK, N.J. (CBS) ―
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Capt. Craig Lenell died during a flight from Brussels to Newark. The 32-year veteran was 60-years-old.
CBS
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Continental Airlines Flight 61 is seen at Newark Liberty International Airport June 18, 2009, in Newark, New Jersey.
Daniel Barry/Getty Images
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A Continental Airlines flight from Brussels landed safely at Newark Liberty International Airport after the plane's captain died mid-flight Thursday morning, CBS 2 has learned.
Federal Aviation Administration officials say Continental Flight 61, a Boeing 777 with 247 passengers on board, landed at Newark at 11:49 a.m. with numerous emergency vehicles standing by. Newark was the flight's final destination.
Continental officials told CBS 2 that 60-year-old Craig Lenell died of natural causes. Officials say he worked for the company for 32 years and was based out of Newark, though he was originally from Houston.
"The company has been in touch with his family and we extend our deepest sympathies," the airline said in a statement. "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."
The plane had departed Brussels at 9:45 a.m., and Lenell died about three to four hours into the flight. A doctor on board pronounced the pilot dead after the crew alerted passengers there was a medical situation and asked if there were any doctors on the flight.
Dr. Julien Struyven, 72, a cardiologist and radiologist from Brussels who was aboard, responded to the call for doctors, went to the cockpit and examined the pilot.
"He was not alive," Struyven said. There was "no chance at all" of saving him, he said.
Struyven said he suspected the pilot had a heart attack. He said he used a defibrillator to try to revive the pilot, but it was too late.
Passengers were not told of Lenell's death during the flight.
"All we heard was that they needed a doctor on board the plane, the doctor went to the front of the plane, and that's the last we heard," said Staten Island resident Rich Eskew who was on board the flight. "Very professional crew, everything was very calm."
Those who spoke to CBS 2 all agreed the crew did the right thing by not alerting passengers as to what happened.
"There was no point in telling people, it would have created a lot of panic and stress, and for what? We were in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean," said passenger Steven Weitz, who learned the pilot died after his son called him when the plane landed.
"I think that they did the best that they could do. They have co-pilots for things just like this and he or she did exactly what they were supposed to do. We're here, we're safe," said passenger Susan Morgan.
Officials say in addition to the two first officers on flight there was a reserve crew as well.
"In this particular case, it was an overseas flight, so because of the length there is usually a second first officer," aviation expert Al Yurman told CBS 2.
Lenell's body was removed from the cockpit and placed in the crew rest area during the flight.
Numerous emergency medical service units were on the scene at Newark and followed the plane on the tarmac after it landed.
Lenell is survived by his wife and their six children.
This isn't the first time in recent years a pilot died mid-flight. In February 2008, a British Airways flight heading from Manchester, England to Cyprus was diverted to Istanbul after one of the first officers died.
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.
Airlines have precautions in place in case of such an emergency. If a captain becomes incapacitated, the first officer is expected to take control of the aircraft.
The pilot and the co-pilot eat different meals to avoid the possibility of both becoming ill from food poisoning.
As for general health considerations, pilots are required to undergo regular medical checkups.
Stay with wcbstv.com for more on this developing story.
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