Lufthansa flight flew for 10 minutes without conscious pilot, investigation reveals

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A Lufthansa flight flew for more than 10 minutes without a conscious pilot last year, according to a report conducted by the Spanish accident investigation authority CIAIAC. 

An Airbus A321 flight was traveling from Frankfurt, Germany, to Seville, Spain, on Feb. 17, 2024, when the co-pilot suffered a “sudden and severe incapacitation,” losing consciousness in the cockpit while the captain had stepped out of the cockpit for “physiological reasons,” the investigation reported.

Autopilot was engaged during that time, according to the report, allowing the flight, which carried 199 passengers and six crew members, to continue flying in a stable manner. 

“We are aware of the report issued by the Spanish authorities,” Lufthansa Airlines told Fox News Digital. 

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A Lufthansa Airbus A321 flight lands at Frankfurt Airport on Feb. 14, 2024. (Arne Dedert)

“Lufthansa has provided intensive and comprehensive support to the authorities in their work. In addition, Lufthansa’s flight safety department has conducted its own extensive investigation,” the airline said, noting that they could not provide any further comment on the report. 

The Spanish investigation revealed that at 10:31 UTC, the captain left the flight deck to use the restroom moments before the copilot collapsed alone. When the captain returned eight minutes later, repeated attempts to unlock the door failed with the standard entry procedure. A cabin-crew intercom call to the flight deck also went unanswered.

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A view into the cockpit of a Lufthansa passenger plane is seen on April 25, 2024 in Germany. (Leonhard Simon)

After an emergency access code was entered and moments before the automatic door was released, the copilot opened the deck door manually from the inside despite being ill, the report continued. The captain took control of the aircraft at 10:42 UTC.

The captain found the copilot “pale, sweating and moving strangely,” according to the investigation report. After a crew member and on board doctor administered first aid and suspected a possible heart condition, the captain then diverted the plane to the most suitable airport and landed in Madrid approximately 20 minutes later. The copilot was then taken to the hospital. 

A Lufthansa Airbus A321-100 parked on a tarmac. (aviation-images.com/Universal Images Group)

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The copilot was later diagnosed with a previously undetected neurological condition, the report said.

Bonny Chu is a Digital Production Assistant at Fox News Digital.