Turkish Airlines Airbus A350 Captain Dies Mid-Flight

In an incident that is bound to elicit a response to calls for enabling single-pilot operations, a Turkish Airlines captain died in mid-air after becoming ill on a flight from Seattle, Washington, to Istanbul, Turkey. The second in command and a relief pilot took over and Flight TK204 diverted to John F. Kennedy International Airport where it landed safely.

Captain Ilcehin Pehlivan, 59, collapsed over the Canadian territory of Nanuvut according to Turkish Airlines spokesman Yayah Ustun, who said, “When first aid to our captain on the plane was unsuccessful, the cockpit crew decided to make an emergency landing, but he died before landing.” The Airbus A350 landed at JFK eight hours after departing from Seattle.

Having joined Turkish Airlines in 2007, Pehlivan’s medical exams were up to date and no health problems were reported at his last exam, according to the airline. The cause of death has not yet been determined.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has been exploring technology to enable single-pilot operation of large passenger aircraft, at least initially with an eye toward allowing crewmembers to rest and eliminating the need for relief pilots on long flights. EASA has cited the need for further measures when it comes to responding to an incapacitated pilot.

But perhaps in anticipation of a “slippery slope,” European and U.S. pilot groups have challenged the initiative. The U.S. Airline Pilots Association (ALPA), the European Cockpit Association (ECA), the Oneworld Cockpit Crew Coalition (OCCC), and the Skyteam Pilots Association have joined to oppose reduced-crew operations, saying, “We are engaging in a worldwide campaign to ensure the current standards that have helped make aviation the safest form of transportation won’t be eroded.”