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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009
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Crew Asked for Doc But Kept Pilot's Death a Secret

Passengers had no clue

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(Newser) – They didn't explain why, but the crew of Continental Flight 61 asked passengers about halfway through their flight whether there was a doctor on board. It was only when the plane landed that passengers learned their 60-year-old captain had died somewhere between Brussels and New Jersey, the Star-Ledger reports. The pilot, an airline veteran of 32 years, died of natural causes, and co-pilots safely landed the plane in Newark.

"They asked for a doctor but that could be a lot of things, a broken arm, a pregnant person," said one of the 247 passengers. "A dead pilot wasn't what I expected."

This video image shows Continental Airlines flight 61 from Belgium taxing at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark.
This video image shows Continental Airlines flight 61 from Belgium taxing at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark.   (AP Photo/Westwood One/Metro Networks)
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They went about it the right way. I was watching TV. I didn't know what was going on. I didn't know the pilot died. - Michael Delcampo, a passenger

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3 comments
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dr.mike
Jun 18, 09 3:02 PM CDT
Poor man! We never know where it is we're going to die....... Reply
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riffran
Jun 18, 09 8:42 PM CDT
Thank god for competant co-pilots, and my condolences to the family. Very good thinking on the crew's part keeping the passengers calm, and avoiding any panic Reply
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riffran
Jun 18, 09 11:27 PM CDT
on a lighter note...Monty Python had a practical joke played by the pilots on a plane that was verry funny...on youtube Reply
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