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Plane lands safely after pilot scare
Medical problems led to impairment
Monday, June 05, 2006 BY CLAIRE HEININGER AND SUSAN TODD
Star-Ledger Staff
A Continental Express pilot became incapacitated yesterday while en route to Newark, forcing the co-pilot to take control of the plane carrying 34 passengers, officials said.
The co-pilot landed the plane safely at Newark Liberty International Airport at 9:54 a.m., said Kristy Nicholas, spokeswoman for ExpressJet Airlines, which operated Continental Flight 1215.
The pilot "could not perform his duties" to land the aircraft due to medical problems he sustained during the short flight from Boston, Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Arlene Murray said.
Though he was able to walk off the plane with help, Murray said, the pilot was hospitalized shortly after the flight arrived.
Nicholas of ExpressJet Airlines said he was expected to be released yesterday evening. She and Murray declined to release the pilot's name or details of his medical condition. They also would not identify the co-pilot.
"The plane only needs one pilot to land, and that's the reason they have two -- so that if one needs medical attention, the other pilot can step in and land the aircraft safely," Nicholas said. "Basically, this was a typical landing. The story really is that all 37 people on board safely arrived at their destination in Newark."
Another Continental pilot who was riding in the plane's jump seat but was not considered a flight crew member helped the co-pilot land the plane, Murray said.
Information on Flight 1215 -- including a list of crew's names -- had been removed from Continental's computer program within hours after the incident, said an airline employee who was not authorized to release information and requested anonymity.
The official crew members aboard the plane, which left Boston at 8:53 a.m., included the pilot, co-pilot and a flight attendant, Nicholas said.
Medical problems led to impairment
Monday, June 05, 2006 BY CLAIRE HEININGER AND SUSAN TODD
Star-Ledger Staff
A Continental Express pilot became incapacitated yesterday while en route to Newark, forcing the co-pilot to take control of the plane carrying 34 passengers, officials said.
The co-pilot landed the plane safely at Newark Liberty International Airport at 9:54 a.m., said Kristy Nicholas, spokeswoman for ExpressJet Airlines, which operated Continental Flight 1215.
The pilot "could not perform his duties" to land the aircraft due to medical problems he sustained during the short flight from Boston, Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Arlene Murray said.
Though he was able to walk off the plane with help, Murray said, the pilot was hospitalized shortly after the flight arrived.
Nicholas of ExpressJet Airlines said he was expected to be released yesterday evening. She and Murray declined to release the pilot's name or details of his medical condition. They also would not identify the co-pilot.
"The plane only needs one pilot to land, and that's the reason they have two -- so that if one needs medical attention, the other pilot can step in and land the aircraft safely," Nicholas said. "Basically, this was a typical landing. The story really is that all 37 people on board safely arrived at their destination in Newark."
Another Continental pilot who was riding in the plane's jump seat but was not considered a flight crew member helped the co-pilot land the plane, Murray said.
Information on Flight 1215 -- including a list of crew's names -- had been removed from Continental's computer program within hours after the incident, said an airline employee who was not authorized to release information and requested anonymity.
The official crew members aboard the plane, which left Boston at 8:53 a.m., included the pilot, co-pilot and a flight attendant, Nicholas said.
