Pilot dies during flight, emergency landing in New York

This article was last updated on October 9, 2024

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Pilot dies during flight, emergency landing in New York

A Turkish Airlines plane made an emergency landing at a New York airport after the pilot died. The 59-year-old captain suddenly fell ill during the flight after the plane took off from Seattle and was en route to Istanbul.

The crew tried to resuscitate him, but that turned out to be in vain. The co-pilot and another pilot decided to make an emergency landing and managed to land the passenger plane safely. The passengers were able to continue their journey on another plane.

According to Turkish media, Ilcehin Pehlivan has worked at Turkish Airlines since 2007. Last March, the pilot received a routine check, but no health problems were revealed.

There has been ongoing discussion within aviation as to whether a flight can be handled with one pilot instead of two. Aircraft manufacturers think this will be possible in a few years. This would save airlines money.

But pilots strongly opposed that development and started a counteraction last February. They fear situations such as that with Turkish Airlines where a pilot is absent.

The chairman of the Association of Dutch Airline Pilots (VNV) Camiel Verhagen previously said about flying with one pilot: “Imagine that a colleague suddenly does not feel well, then you are happy that there are two pilots in the front.” Last February, the VNC action against deploying one pilot.