Lufthansa flight flew 10 minutes without pilot after co-pilot fainted, report reveals
BERLIN — A Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt to Seville flew for approximately 10 minutes without a pilot in command after the co-pilot fainted alone in the cockpit, according to a Spanish aviation report released this week.
The incident occurred on February 17, 2024, aboard an Airbus A321 carrying 199 passengers and six crew members, Germany's dpa news agency reported, citing findings by Spain's Civil Aviation Accident and Incident Investigation Commission (CIAIAC).
The captain had left the cockpit for a restroom break when the co-pilot suffered an apparent medical emergency and lost consciousness.
During that time, the aircraft continued flying steadily on autopilot, although cockpit voice recordings captured irregular noises consistent with a health incident.
Repeated attempts by the captain to re-enter the cockpit using standard and emergency door codes initially failed.
A flight attendant also attempted to make contact with the co-pilot via the intercom. Just before the emergency code would have automatically opened the cockpit door, the co-pilot managed to unlock it manually.The captain then diverted the flight and made an unscheduled landing in Madrid, where the co-pilot was taken to a hospital.Lufthansa confirmed awareness of the report and said its internal safety team had also investigated the event but did not release its findings.
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