A Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt to Seville flew for almost 10 minutes without anyone flying the plane. This happened on February 17, 2024, while the captain was in the bathroom and the sole copilot lost consciousness. There were 199 passengers and 6 crew on board the flight.
The plane was on autopilot so it remained stable in flight, even though air traffic control did not immediately notice the incident. They called the cockpit three times, but there was no answer.
When the captain returned from the bathroom, he tried to open the cockpit door using the normal code, but it wouldn't open. He had to use the emergency code to get back in.
The copilot was immediately assisted by the cabin crew and a doctor who was also a passenger on the flight. When he regained consciousness, he reportedly remembered the help he had received.
The plane landed in Madrid within 20 minutes, and the copilot was immediately taken to the hospital. Investigation revealed that he had a neurological condition that had not been detected in previous medical exams. As a result, his medical certificate was temporarily suspended.
