Pilot who died mid-flight without passengers knowing had heart attack

A commercial pilot who died last month on a trans-Atlantic flight from Brussels to Newark without most passengers being aware of it suffered a heart attack, an autopsy has determined.

Jerry DeMarco

07/29/2009 8:32 p.m.

The Associated Press obtained the report of the autopsy conducted by the New Jersey Regional Medical Examiner’s Office in Newark, which determined that Continental Airlines Capt. Craig Lenell Sr. had cardiovascular disease and suffered a heart attack.

Flight 61, with 247 passengers, was nearly halfway through its 7-hour flight from Germany when the 60-year-old Lennell, of Houston, died, Continental officials said.

Two co-pilots took the controls and brought the Boeing 777 in to Newark Liberty International Airport without incident.

Most of the passengers apparently had no idea what happened, although a flight attendant reportedly asked whether a doctor was on board. (See: Passengers didn’t know pilot was dead.)

The AP reports that Lenell’s family said they were unaware of any heart condition and that he underwent twice-a-year physicals.

PHOTO BY CLIFFVIEWPILOT.COM. NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION.

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