Imagine being 36,000 feet above the ground, with 200 passengers onboard a speeding jet , and no one in the cockpit.
That chilling scenario unfolded aboard a Lufthansa Airbus A321 on February 17, 2024, during what was supposed to be a routine flight from Frankfurt, Germany, to Seville, Spain. According to a detailed report by Spain's Civil Aviation Accident and Incident Investigation Commission (CIAIAC), the aircraft flew unattended in the cockpit for 10 full minutes after the copilot fainted , alone on the flight deck.
A Sudden Medical Emergency at 36,000 Feet
There were 199 passengers and six crew members aboard the aircraft when the harrowing moment occurred. The pilot, having briefly left the cockpit for physiological reasons, had left the copilot at the controls — a common and standard practice in commercial aviation.
But what happened next was anything but ordinary.
While alone, the copilot suffered a sudden and severe medical incapacitation, slumping over and inadvertently touching flight controls and switches. Unbeknownst to those in the cabin, the jet continued to soar silently across the European sky , guided only by autopilot, with no human supervision in the cockpit.
According to the Associated Press, citing German news agency dpa, the plane continued its flight uninterrupted, holding altitude and course through the automation systems. However, it was essentially flying blind, absent any human oversight.
The Race to Re-Enter the Cockpit
The captain, now locked out due to the cockpit's secure access protocol, attempted to re-enter using a standard code , which activates a chime and requests access from the inside. There was no response.
The voice recorder later confirmed the chilling reality: the copilot was incapacitated and unresponsive. A flight attendant also tried to initiate contact via intercom , but again, silence.
It wasn’t until the captain used the emergency override code that he finally regained access to the cockpit. What he found was terrifying: his colleague unconscious, slumped in his seat, the plane still on autopilot but entirely unattended.
Emergency Diversion to Madrid
Realizing the severity of the situation, the captain made an unplanned diversion to Madrid, the closest major airport. The jet landed safely, and the copilot was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital.
Miraculously, despite the terrifying turn of events, no injuries occurred, and the landing was completed without incident.
The CIAIAC’s final report confirmed that the copilot's sudden incapacitation was the result of a previously undetected medical condition, one that had not been identified during regular aviation health checks.
A Wake-Up Call for Aviation Protocols
While the autopilot and thrust systems maintained stability during the crisis, the report highlighted a critical operational gap: no authorized person was present in the flight deck when the incident occurred.
“The event has highlighted the benefit of having another authorized person in the cockpit when one pilot steps out for operational or physiological reasons,” the CIAIAC stated. As a result, the agency has recommended a review of safety protocols to the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
Moments before the incident, both pilots had reportedly discussed the weather and flight operations, and the captain noted no visible signs of any health issues in the copilot.
Lufthansa Responds
A spokesperson for Lufthansa told the Associated Press that its Flight Safety Department had conducted its own investigation, but results have not been made public. The airline acknowledged receipt of the CIAIAC's findings but declined further comment when approached by PEOPLE.
The incident — though rare — is a stark reminder of the human vulnerabilities still present in our highly automated aviation world. It also brings renewed focus on cockpit protocol, pilot health screenings, and the critical importance of redundancy at every altitude.
A Close Call That Could Have Been Catastrophic
This was not just a medical emergency. It was a race against time. A battle between automation and human frailty. And a sobering demonstration of why aviation safety is a constantly evolving field.
For the 200 people on board, it was a flight they’ll never forget , not because of turbulence, not because of delays, but because, for 10 long minutes, their fate was entrusted to no one.