Pilot Incapacitation on Lufthansa Flight Causes Temporary Pilotless Flight
A Lufthansa flight carrying 205 people faced a rare and alarming event last year when the copilot fainted alone in the cockpit. This happened during a flight from Frankfurt to Seville, Spain, on February 17, 2024, according to Spain’s aviation accident investigation authority, CIAIAC.
At the time, the captain had briefly left the cockpit to use the lavatory, leaving the copilot alone. Shortly after, the copilot lost consciousness. The Airbus A321, carrying 199 passengers and six crew members, continued flying safely on autopilot for about ten minutes. During this time, the copilot unintentionally moved the controls. Audio recordings captured sounds showing his sudden and severe condition.
Efforts to Regain Control and Emergency Response
Air traffic controllers tried to contact the copilot multiple times but got no response. When the captain returned, he tried several times to open the cockpit door using the standard security code. This code normally triggers a chime inside the cockpit. After five failed attempts and an intercom call from another crew member, the captain used an emergency override code to enter and took control of the plane.
After regaining consciousness, the copilot received first aid from the crew and a doctor traveling as a passenger. The captain decided to divert the flight to Madrid’s Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport. The plane landed safely about 20 minutes later. The copilot went to a hospital and stayed under observation for several hours.
Investigation Reveals Underlying Medical Condition
Investigators found that the copilot fainted because of an undiagnosed neurological disorder. The condition had not shown up during his routine medical checks. As a result, authorities suspended the copilot’s medical certificate. The Spanish authority called this an “extraordinary circumstance” but pointed out that pilots train for sudden incapacitation of a colleague.
While rare, in-flight pilot incapacitations do happen. Between 2019 and 2024, the European Commission’s database recorded 287 such cases. The US Federal Aviation Administration reported 39 cases of pilot incapacitation on American airlines between 1993 and 1998. These incidents highlight the need for strict health monitoring and pilot preparedness.
