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

A Lufthansa formation flew for much than 10 minutes without a conscious aviator past year, according to a study conducted by the Spanish mishap probe authorization CIAIAC. 

An Airbus A321 formation was traveling from Frankfurt, Germany, to Seville, Spain, connected Feb. 17, 2024, erstwhile the co-pilot suffered a "sudden and terrible incapacitation," losing consciousness successful the cockpit portion the skipper had stepped retired of the cockpit for "physiological reasons," the probe reported.

Autopilot was engaged during that time, according to the report, allowing the flight, which carried 199 passengers and six unit members, to proceed flying successful a unchangeable manner. 

"We are alert of the study issued by the Spanish authorities," Lufthansa Airlines told Fox News Digital. 

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A Lufthansa Airbus A321 formation lands astatine Frankfurt Airport connected Feb. 14, 2024. (Arne Dedert)

"Lufthansa has provided intensive and broad enactment to the authorities successful their work. In addition, Lufthansa's formation safety section has conducted its ain extended investigation," the hose said, noting that they could not supply immoderate further remark connected the report. 

The Spanish investigation revealed that astatine 10:31 UTC, the skipper near the formation platform to usage the restroom moments earlier the copilot collapsed alone. When the skipper returned 8 minutes later, repeated attempts to unlock the doorway failed with the standard introduction procedure. A cabin-crew intercom telephone to the formation platform besides went unanswered.

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A presumption into the cockpit of a Lufthansa rider level is seen connected April 25, 2024 successful Germany. (Leonhard Simon)

After an exigency entree codification was entered and moments earlier the automatic doorway was released, the copilot opened the platform doorway manually from the wrong contempt being ill, the study continued. The skipper took power of the craft astatine 10:42 UTC.

The skipper recovered the copilot "pale, sweating and moving strangely," according to the probe report. After a unit subordinate and connected committee doc administered archetypal assistance and suspected a imaginable heart condition, the skipper past diverted the level to the astir suitable airdrome and landed successful Madrid astir 20 minutes later. The copilot was past taken to the hospital. 

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

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The copilot was aboriginal diagnosed with a antecedently undetected neurological condition, the study said.