Report Finds Lufthansa Flight Flew Pilotless For 10 Minutes After Copilot Fainted

A Lufthansa flight carrying 205 people flew without a pilot for 10 minutes after the copilot fainted while alone in the cockpit, according to Spain’s air accident investigation authority.

The incident happened on February 17, 2024, during a flight from Frankfurt, Germany, to Seville, Spain.

The Civil Aviation Accident and Incident Investigation Commission (CIAIAC) revealed that the captain had briefly left the cockpit to use the lavatory when the copilot suddenly lost consciousness.

The Airbus A321, with 199 passengers and six crew members aboard, remained on stable autopilot during the episode. However, the report noted the unconscious copilot unintentionally made control inputs. Cockpit voice recordings captured sounds reflecting his sudden and severe incapacitation.

Air traffic controllers tried contacting the cockpit three times but received no response.

When the captain returned, he initially tried to enter the cockpit using the standard access code, which triggers a chime alert inside. After five failed attempts and no intercom response, he used the emergency override code to gain entry and regain control of the plane.

The copilot was given first aid by the crew and a doctor onboard and later regained consciousness. He recalled being treated but had no memory of fainting.

The flight was diverted to Madrid’s Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport, landing safely about 20 minutes later. The copilot was hospitalized briefly and then discharged.

Investigations revealed the copilot suffered from an undiagnosed neurological condition missed during routine medical checks. His medical certification has since been suspended.

Lufthansa confirmed the incident and said its internal safety team conducted a review, though the findings were not publicly released.

The CIAIAC described the event as an extraordinary circumstance and stressed that pilots are trained to manage such emergencies. While rare, pilot incapacitations, including sudden deaths, do occur. Between 2019 and 2024, Europe recorded 287 in-flight pilot incapacitations.

Similarly, a 2004 U.S. Federal Aviation Administration report documented 39 cases of pilot incapacitation in American airlines from 1993 to 1998.