A Lufthansa flight to Spain last year went without a pilot for 10 minutes after the First officer fainted while he was alone in the cockpit, German news agency dpa reported on Saturday.
During the flight from Frankfurt to Seville, Spain, on Feb. 17, 2024, the co-pilot of an Airbus A321 fainted while the captain was in the restroom, dpa reported, referring to a report by the Spanish accident investigation authority CIAIAC.
The aircraft, which was carrying 199 passengers and six crew members, flew for around 10 minutes without a pilot in command of the plane, according to the report.
Although the unconscious First officer apparently operated controls unintentionally, the aircraft was able to continue flying in a stable manner thanks to the active autopilot. During this time period, the voice recorder recorded strange noises in the cockpit that were consistent with an acute health emergency, dpa reported.
The captain initially tried entering the regular door opening code, which triggers a buzzer in the cockpit so that the First officer can open the door. He did so five times without being able to enter the cockpit. A Cabin attendant tried to contact the First officer using the onboard telephone.
Finally, the captain typed in an emergency code that would have allowed him to open the door on his own. However, shortly before the door would have opened automatically, the First officer opened it from the inside despite being ill, dpa reported.
He appeared extremely pale, was sweating, and making involuntary movements, according to the report.
The captain retook control of the aircraft and decided to divert to Madrid, Spain, where his colleague was taken to a hospital.
A doctor who was travelling on board provided medical assistance before the First officer was transferred to a hospital in Madrid.
Medical records showed no indication of pre-existing conditions during the First officer’s previous examinations or recent health checks.
Later, it was discovered that his "sudden and severe disability" was due to a seizure disorder caused by a hard-to-detect neurological disease, which could only have been perceived during a routine study if there was a record of the symptoms in the near past or, even if they occurred just at that moment..
The report has reignited discussion over cockpit protocol, particularly the long-standing debate on whether two authorised crew members should always be present in the cockpit.
Lufthansa told dpa that it was aware of the investigation report and that its own flight safety department had also conducted an investigation. The company didn't disclose its results, dpa said.
