American Airlines pilot died of 'natural diseases' en route to Boston

Captain Michael Johnston’s autopsy results were released, as pilot’s wife told local news outlet that her husband probably died of a heart attack while flying plane

The American Airlines pilot who died mid-flight en route from Phoenix to Boston on Monday morning, forcing his first officer to land the plane, has been identified as Captain Michael Johnston.

The airline issued a statement naming the pilot on Monday. He was 57 years old.

According to an autopsy and preliminary toxicology tests, Johnston’s death “was the result of natural diseases”, a spokesperson for the medical examiner’s office in Onondaga County, New York, told CNN. Betty Jean Johnston, Michael’s wife, told KUTV that her husband probably died of a heart attack. She said that her husband had had double bypass surgery in 2006.

Johnston was a graduate of Brigham Young University. He began his career with America West Airlines in January 1990 as a first officer and later was promoted to captain.

“We are incredibly saddened by this event, and we are focused on caring for our pilot’s family and colleagues,” an American Airlines spokeswoman told the Guardian.

American flight 550, which had 147 passengers and five crew members on board, left Phoenix at 11.55pm local time on Sunday and was diverted mid-flight to Syracuse, landing shortly after 7am EDT on Monday, spokeswoman Andrea Huguely said. A replacement crew was sent to Syracuse, and the plane, an Airbus A320, landed in Boston at 12.30pm.

Before the flight landed at Syracuse the first officer called the airport tower and said in a calm voice: “American 550. Medical emergency. Captain is incapacitated.” He requested a runway to land.

In a recording of his exchange with the tower, the officer expressed concern about whether ambulance medics could get on the plane quickly. He was assured they could and was told to go into a gate where the medics would meet the plane.

Passengers on the flight were told the pilot was sick and that the plane was making an emergency landing in Syracuse. They later learned of his death.

Passenger Louise Anderson, heading from Reno, Nevada, to Boston via Phoenix, said she had dozed off on the flight.

“What I woke up to was the flight attendant telling us we were making an emergency landing because the pilot was ill,” she told the Associated Press.

Anderson said rumors of the pilot’s death circulated in the Syracuse airport but were confirmed only by an announcement on their flight from Syracuse to Boston. Anderson said the mood on board then was somber, but she commended the crew’s handling of a tragic situation.

Parker said the crew “took extraordinary care of Mike, each other and our customers” during the flight.

“We couldn’t be more proud of the teamwork this crew showed during an extremely difficult time,” he said in a statement. “Our airport teams in Syracuse and Boston were also instrumental in assisting our customers, and their handling is also greatly appreciated.”

Seven pilots for US airlines and one charter pilot have died during flights since 1994, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. But aviation experts said there was never any danger to passengers because pilots and co-pilots are equally capable of flying.

Ex-airline pilot John Cox, an aviation safety consultant, said when one pilot becomes unable to fly the other will rely on help from the plane’s automated systems and get priority treatment from air traffic controllers.

“The passengers were not in danger, absolutely not,” he said.

Airline pilots must pass physical exams every 12 months, and every six months for captains 40 or older. Captains and co-pilots usually take turns flying and doing takeoffs and landings, said former airline pilot James Record, who teaches aviation at Dowling College in Oakdale.

“The advantage to that is the co-pilot gets an equal amount of experience and the captain gets to see how the other guy flies,” he said.

Record noted the co-pilot remained calm while describing the emergency and requesting permission from air traffic controllers to land.

“He was doing what he’s trained to do: fly the plane,” Record said. “He was probably more concerned with the health of his buddy, his crew member”, than his ability to fly.

Modern airliners are capable of largely flying themselves. There’s debate in aviation circles about whether overreliance on automation is eroding pilots’ flying skills. Incidents like Monday’s help ensure regulators will not allow unmanned cockpits or unaccompanied pilots anytime soon.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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