On Monday, WestJet 1590 took off from Calgary International Airport for its scheduled flight to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Shortly after takeoff, the flight turned around due to a medical emergency with one of the pilots.
Another pilot onboard took control of the aircraft and made a safe landing.
Medical volunteers, who were passengers on the flight, treated the pilot suffering from a medical emergency.
Calgary Herald notes:
A plane flying from Calgary to Atlanta Monday afternoon was forced to turn around due to a medical emergency involving the pilot.
WestJet flight 1590 landed safely at Calgary International Airport at 1:12 p.m. Monday, just less than about an hour after taking off, according to public flight logs. The Boeing 737 MAX 8 plane was flying over southeastern Alberta when it turned back toward Calgary.
In an email statement, WestJet spokesperson Madison Kruger said EMS met the flight upon arrival and the pilot was removed from duty. Another pilot onboard took control of the plane.
“All WestJet flights have two pilots, to ensure that should any illness occur in the flight deck, there is an additional pilot onboard to ensure the continued safe operation of the aircraft and the safety of our guests and our crew,” Kruger said.
EMS said they responded to the airport terminal around 1:25 p.m. but that paramedics had no patient contact and left the scene without request for EMS assistance.
According to public flight logs, WS1590 left at 11:35 a.m. M.S.T. from Calgary International Airport and landed in Calgary at 1:12 p.m. M.S.T.
Calgary Sun described this passenger account:
Edmontonian John White was a passenger on the flight, sitting four rows from the front of the plane. He first realized something was awry on the flight after noticing concern among flight attendants, one of whom brought a first-aid kit and a defibrillator into the cockpit.
“Then they made the call for if there is a doctor, nurse or EMT on the plane and as luck would have it, one doctor came forward and two nurses,” White said. He said a pilot on board in the passenger area also made his way to the cockpit.
White said the pilot was brought out of the cockpit and set down as medical volunteers treated him. The pilot appeared to collapse shortly afterwards.
“They were able to get him talking again after they got him on the floor, but they were working on him pretty feverishly,” White said.
Based on the witness account, it’s appears the pilot suffered a cardiac event shortly after take-off.
You mean like a co-pilot? All commercial passenger flights have co-pilots.
Both are pilots, one is the Captain in charge of the entire aircraft. The first officer is the other pilot. Watch for the frequency of this occurring imo.