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What happens if a pilot dies on a flight?

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Sushim Mukul
Sushim MukulAug 19, 2023 | 14:00

What happens if a pilot dies on a flight?

The cabin crew are adequately trained to tackle medical emergencies onboard. Photo: Unsplash

In the last couple of days, three pilots have died on duty including an IndiGo pilot collapsing right before boarding his aircraft at Nagpur airport. This comes just a day after a Qatar Airways pilot suffered a heart attack onboard the flight. Another LATAM pilot succumbed on a flight from Miami to Chile.

An obvious question arises here: what happens next? Who holds the reigns of the safety of hundreds of passengers after a pilot dies or passes out?

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Firstly, there are a good number of safeguards in place to handle such emergencies.

Pilot health examinations

  • Commercial airlines these days prioritise the health and fitness of their flight crews.
  • Rigorous medical examinations are conducted at regular intervals to ensure pilots are in good health.
  • These examinations include comprehensive physical assessments, EKG tests, breath analysis and other health checks.
  • Pilots over the age of 35 are required to undergo additional medical evaluations every five years to help identify any potential health issues that could affect a pilot's ability to fly safely.
  • After all the health checkups, while the chance of a pilot becoming incapacitated during a flight is rare, the enforcement agencies and industry have established comprehensive procedures and safeguards to address such situations.
  • In the event of a pilot falling seriously ill or dying, the aircraft is taken over by the First Officer who is equally capable of landing the aircraft safely.
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Now, moving on: What happens next?

Auto-pilot

  • Modern commercial aircraft are equipped with advanced autopilot systems that are capable of maintaining stable flight and navigation.
  • While all these things unfold, the crew is in constant touch with the air traffic control (ATC) and other aircraft around with a proclamation of "Mayday", which is an internationally recognised distress signal.
  • The cabin crew, then, is also responsible for a peaceful atmosphere in the cabin to prevent passengers from knowing much about the emergency and freaking out.

    Landing procedures

    • If the incapacitation occurs shortly after takeoff, the co-pilot may choose to return to the departure airport for a safe landing.
    • Factors such as aircraft weight, weather conditions, and runway length are considered before making landing decisions.
    • If the aircraft is far from any of its terminating airports, the aircraft is steered to the nearest airport, landing strip or even a plain stretch of land. Landing on land these days is not popular, given that modern aircraft are highly sophisticated, compared to the workhorses from yesteryears.
    • Meanwhile, the crew with some medical knowledge takes care of the pilot and helps her/him to stay stable if she/he hasn't died already.
    • If a medical professional like a doctor or a paramedic is on board, their help is sought like it is done when a passenger falls sick in the sky.
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    The ideal situation involves a co-pilot performing an automatic landing, supported by ground-based navigation systems. If an autoland option is unavailable, the pilot relies on their training to manually guide the aircraft to a safe landing.

    The priority remains the safety of all occupants and the aircraft.

    What if both the pilots are unresponsive?

    In case both the pilot and the first officer are unresponsive, the autopilot system can be engaged to maintain flight stability while the crew assesses the situation and makes informed decisions. Occurrence of such a situation might sound highly unlikely but has taken place in the past.

    Can passengers help?

    • In such cases, passengers who are certified pilots themselves could potentially offer assistance. But, such situations are highly improbable and are considered last-resort measures.

    While the concept of an incapacitated pilot might spark concerns, it's important to learn that the aviation industry is made to operate with the highest level of safety protocols.

      Last updated: August 19, 2023 | 14:00
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