A Dutch KLM aeroplane carrying 41 passengers and crew was forced to declare an emergency three minutes after taking off from Dublin Airport when its co-pilot collapsed.
The 35-year-old co-pilot had been flying the plane when the incident occurred.
The “serious incident” which took place on October 19, 2022, was the subject of an Air Accident Investigation Unit (AAIU) report released today.
The report also revealed the KLM flight, to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, sustained a bird strike during its emergency landing in Dublin.
The AAIU found that the first officer indicated to the commander he was feeling unwell shortly after take-off at 8.22am, before collapsing in his seat and becoming rapidly incapacitated.
The commander of the flight tried unsuccessfully to revive his colleague by speaking loudly and shaking him by the shoulder.
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The incident took place as the aeroplane reached an altitude of 10,000 feet. AAIU investigators confirmed that the autopilot was engaged at the time.
The aircraft commander took over all flying duties and issued a Mayday alert to air traffic controllers requesting clearance to return to Dublin Airport. He also notified the airport authorities that medical assistance would be required.
In addition, the commander immediately requested assistance from cabin crew staff through the emergency call button and knocking on the cockpit door.
Although the flight officer regained consciousness and appeared stable, the commander determined that he was unable to be part of an active cockpit crew.
Cabin crew helped secure the flight officer to his seat which was moved away from the cockpit’s controls and to put an oxygen mask on him.
Passengers were notified by the aircraft’s public address system the aircraft had to return to Dublin and they would be briefed further by the commander on landing.
AAIU investigators reported that the aircraft encountered a flock of birds at approximately 100 feet on its approach and sustained a bird strike to the left side of its nose section.
The report concluded the bird strike caused no problems, although it had had the potential to add significantly to the workload of the remaining pilot.
A normal landing was performed at 8.40am although the pilot reported weather conditions had deteriorated by that time.
A medical assessment of the unwell pilot discovered he had low blood pressure. His condition was attributes to a possible lack of water and food, in combination with a rising cabin altitude after departure.
KLM informed Irish investigators initial and recurrent training it carries out in a simulator includes the actions to be taken if a pilot becomes incapacitated.
The AAIU observed that the incident occurred with minimal warning shortly after take-off which is a phase of the flight that involves a high workload for flight crews.
