Pilot Falls Ill and Dies as Plane Lands

[Hum]

A Czech CSA jetliner carrying 46 passengers from Polish capital of Warsaw landed safely in Prague Ruzyne Airport shortly after midday on Wednesday after the flight?s captain fell ill as the plane was landing and was declared dead soon afterwards.

The plane was on approach to the Prague airport when an emergency was reported and the first officer took control of the turbo propeller plane, an ATR-42-500, after the captain ?who was 55 years old, was incapacitated due to health problems,? according to Peter Zmolnik, the president of the Czech Association of CSA Transport pilots.

?The captain had almost two decades of service with CSA and was based in Prague,? he added.

Czech CSA spokeswoman Hana Hejskova added, ?The safety of the passengers on board of the plane was not threatened because the airline?s pilots are trained to deal with such incidents.?

The flight, OK-777, touched down at 12:02 p.m., a bit later than scheduled.

Doctors in Prague could not help the captain after the plane landed and he was declared dead half an hour later, Hejskova said, adding that the pilot?s family had been notified.

She declined to give the cause of the pilot?s illness or the cause of his death.

source

[Muhammad Farrukh]

On one side I am sad that he' dead.

On the other hand, the timing was quite spot on. What if he died while the plane was in the middle of nowhere

:(

[Bertch]

That's new ... luckily we have co-pilots.

[Hollow.Droid]

On one side I am sad that he' dead.

On the other hand, the timing was quite spot on. What if he died while the plane was in the middle of nowhere

:(

He didn't land it, the first officer did.

[+E.Worm Jimmy Subscriber¹]

OK-777 - That is one seriously awesome flight number.

[Hum]

Would have been a bit scary, if they announced to passengers 'We're sorry, the pilot has died'.

[Mystic Mungis]

OK-777 - That is one seriously awesome flight number.

I was just thinking the same thing!

Shame about the pilots death, at least the co-pilot was trained for the situation

[Travelar]

Would have been a bit scary, if they announced to passengers 'We're sorry, the pilot has died'.

You know you are in trouble when they start asking over the PA if anyone has had any flight training.. ;)

[Hum]

^ I always raise my hand and say, "I've seen all the Airport movies!" :D

[FMH]

Would have been a bit scary, if they announced to passengers 'We're sorry, the pilot has died'.

"The pilot is ill." *loud commotion*

A few moments later...

"He's dead now." *wild panic*

[Jason S. Global Moderator]

should change the thread title. the pilot died 30 mins after the plane safely landed.