Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Continental Pilot Passed Recent Physical, Had "Wonderful Death"
By
Jen Chung
Published Jun 19, 2009
Modified Jun 19, 2009
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published Jun 19, 2009
Modified Jun 19, 2009
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Yesterday, the pilot of a Continental Airlines flight from Brussels to Newark died mid-flight, and a cardiologist who tried to revive Captain Craig Lennell believes he died from a heart attack. (An autopsy will determine cause of death.) Dr. Julien Struyven, who was a passenger on the flight, said, "It's a wonderful death. You die on duty. You don't feel anything." Two co-pilots took over the flight and safely landed the plane, which carried 247 passengers.
Lennell's wife told a Houston TV station her 60-year-old husband had no know heart conditions, adding, "He was the kindest, gentlest man I've ever known. He would do anything for anyone. He called me yesterday from Brussels to tell me he was bringing home some chocolate." Lennell's colleagues thought he was sleeping at first, but when they couldn't wake him, they asked passengers if there were any doctors aboard. FAA records also show that Lennell passed an extensive physical in March. The former head of the Continental pilots' union who still flies for the airline, Tom Donaldson, told the Star-Ledger that while there's isn't specific training for the possibility of a crew member's incapacitation, the other pilots (and there were two others for the trans-Atlantic flight) are capable of flying the aircraft, "Clearly you want another set of eyes watching when you're going down a checklist, but you're capable of flying the airplane yourself. You can put the gears down, put the flaps down and carry out your other duties by yourself in an emergency."
Passengers were not told of the captain's passing and were amazed when they found out. One who inquired about the request for doctors said, "We asked the stewardesses and they said, ‘Someone fell ill.'" Gyes Reuter, 21, of the Netherlands, told the Daily News, "It's hard to believe we were flying in the air with the dead body of the pilot, and everything moved forward so flawlessly."
Tagged
airline safety
brussels
continental airlines
newark
pilot death
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Gatorade recall affects drinks sold in New York and New Jersey
More than 122,000 cases are being recalled over undeclared food dyes.
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Oct 5, 2026 at 4:36 p.m. ET
Gov. Hochul declares upstate NY measles outbreak a ‘disaster emergency’
The declaration is driven by rising case counts in rural areas and in neighboring Pennsylvania.
By
Caroline Lewis
News
Gov. Hochul declares upstate NY measles outbreak a ‘disaster emergency’
The declaration is driven by rising case counts in rural areas and in neighboring Pennsylvania.
By
Caroline Lewis
NYPD detective forced to retire after false statements in Brooklyn investigation
By
Charles Lane
Mamdani faces pressure to forge ahead with plan to fix polluting South Bronx market
By
Elizabeth Kim
Dominican man who shot border patrol officer in NYC sentenced to 15 years in prison
By
Samantha Max
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .