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Plane lands safely at Logan after pilot becomes incapacitated, Massport says
Plane lands safely at Logan after pilot becomes incapacitated, Massport says
LAND IN BOSTON BECAUSE OF THAT MIDAIR MEDICAL EMERGENCY. OUR PETER ELIOPOULOS IS LIVE AT LOGAN RIGHT NOW WITH THE LATEST PETER. MARIA ED. YES, WE’RE HEARING THAT PASSENGERS ON THAT PLANE ACTUALLY RESTRAINED THAT PILOT FOR ABOUT 40 MINUTES WHILE HE WAS HAVING A SEIZURE HERE. AND TONIGHT, A DOCTOR IS WEIGHING IN ON WHETHER OR NOT THAT WAS A GOOD IDEA. TONIGHT, A PAL AIRLINES PILOT IS RECOVERING IN A BOSTON HOSPITAL AFTER PASSENGERS SAY HE SUFFERED A MASSIVE SEIZURE MID-FLIGHT. SKY FIVE OVER THE AIR CANADA PLANE. AS THAT PILOT WAS BROUGHT DOWN THE STAIRS AND PUT ONTO A STRETCHER, THE PLANE SWERVED. I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG BECAUSE IT WAS NOT TURBULENCE. IT REALLY FELT LIKE SOMEONE HAD JOLTED THE CONTROLS. RODNEY MACDONALD WAS ON THAT PLANE WITH HIS FAMILY ON THEIR WAY FROM NEWARK TO HALIFAX. WHEN THE ATTENDANTS ENTERED THE COCKPIT, FRANTICALLY. A FEW MOMENTS LATER, HE WAS DRAGGING ONE OF THE OUT OF THE COCKPIT. MACDONALD SAYS THE PILOT WAS NOT PHYSICALLY IN CONTROL, SO HE AND FOUR OTHERS TRIED TO RESTRAIN HIM. IT WAS A FAIRLY STRENUOUS 40 MINUTES OF KEEPING HIM DOWN AND USING AS MANY AS WE COULD TO RESTRAIN HIS LEGS, ARMS AND CHEST. WHILE ALL THIS WAS HAPPENING, THE COPILOT WORKED TO SAFELY LAND THE DE HAVILLAND Q400. IF ONE OR THE OTHER IS INCAPACITATED, THE OTHER ONE IS FULLY TRAINED TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT, EITHER TO ITS DESTINATION OR TO GET IT ON THE GROUND IMMEDIATELY. ALL 61 PASSENGERS ON BOARD BROUGHT TO SAFETY. EVERY THOUGHT GOES THROUGH YOUR MIND. YOU START PRAYING. MY VOICE INSTANTLY STARTED PRAYING. WE’RE JUST GRATEFUL. GRATEFUL FOR HOW IT ALL ENDED. SO THAT PILOT WAS TAKEN TO A BOSTON HOSPITAL WHERE HE’S BEING TREATED. ALTHOUGH WE DO NOT KNOW HIS CONDITION TONIGHT. AS FOR THOSE PASSENGERS, THEY WERE ABLE TO DEPART TO NOVA SC
Updated: 10:07 PM EDT Jun 24, 2026
Veronica Haynes
Senior Digital Editor/Producer, WCVB.com
Sera CongiSera Congi Twitter ProfileSera Congi Email
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Plane lands safely at Logan after pilot becomes incapacitated, Massport says
Updated: 10:07 PM EDT Jun 24, 2026
Veronica Haynes
Senior Digital Editor/Producer, WCVB.com
Sera CongiSera Congi Twitter ProfileSera Congi Email
A plane landed safely at Boston Logan International Airport on Wednesday after its captain became incapacitated during the flight, according to airport officials.Massachusetts State Police said airport officials were notified at about 1:37 p.m. that a pilot aboard the Air Canada flight was incapacitated. Air Canada flight 7664, being operated by regional partner PAL Airlines, was traveling from Newark Liberty International Airport to Halifax Stanfield International Airport in Nova Scotia when the incident occurred. "During the flight, the captain experienced a medical issue and was removed from the flight deck as per safety protocols. The first officer took control of the aircraft and diverted the flight to Boston, where it landed safely," Air Canada said in a statement.There were 61 customers aboard the aircraft. The De Havilland twin-turboprop landed without incident, according to Massport."When the plane swerved, I knew something was wrong. It was not turbulence. It really felt like someone jolted the controls, and it happened over and over again," said passenger Rodney McDonald. "Within a few moments one of the flight attendants went into the cockpit frantically, and a few moments later he was dragging one of the pilots out of the cockpit." From Sky 5, Massport Fire Rescue and Boston EMS crews could be seen surrounding the aircraft on the runway. The captain was taken for medical treatment in Boston. No additional information about their condition was immediately available. Co-pilots are ready to step in when an incident like this takes place, said former Massport CEO Tom Kinton."I'm sure the passengers were alerted to this on board; I’m sure the co-pilot had to take command of the aircraft; he’s fully capable to do that," Kinton said. "They don’t typically have as many hours as the left seat, but that doesn’t mean they’re not qualified to fly the plane."The plane was moved to Terminal B gate. The flight was rescheduled to leave Boston for Halifax at 6:45 p.m."Every thought goes through your mind, you start praying, my boys started praying as well, but just grateful for how it all ended," McDonald said.
EAST BOSTON, Mass. —
A plane landed safely at Boston Logan International Airport on Wednesday after its captain became incapacitated during the flight, according to airport officials.
Massachusetts State Police said airport officials were notified at about 1:37 p.m. that a pilot aboard the Air Canada flight was incapacitated.
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Air Canada flight 7664, being operated by regional partner PAL Airlines, was traveling from Newark Liberty International Airport to Halifax Stanfield International Airport in Nova Scotia when the incident occurred.
"During the flight, the captain experienced a medical issue and was removed from the flight deck as per safety protocols. The first officer took control of the aircraft and diverted the flight to Boston, where it landed safely," Air Canada said in a statement.
There were 61 customers aboard the aircraft. The De Havilland twin-turboprop landed without incident, according to Massport.
"When the plane swerved, I knew something was wrong. It was not turbulence. It really felt like someone jolted the controls, and it happened over and over again," said passenger Rodney McDonald. "Within a few moments one of the flight attendants went into the cockpit frantically, and a few moments later he was dragging one of the pilots out of the cockpit."
From Sky 5, Massport Fire Rescue and Boston EMS crews could be seen surrounding the aircraft on the runway. The captain was taken for medical treatment in Boston. No additional information about their condition was immediately available.
Co-pilots are ready to step in when an incident like this takes place, said former Massport CEO Tom Kinton.
"I'm sure the passengers were alerted to this on board; I’m sure the co-pilot had to take command of the aircraft; he’s fully capable to do that," Kinton said. "They don’t typically have as many hours as the left seat, but that doesn’t mean they’re not qualified to fly the plane."
The plane was moved to Terminal B gate. The flight was rescheduled to leave Boston for Halifax at 6:45 p.m.
"Every thought goes through your mind, you start praying, my boys started praying as well, but just grateful for how it all ended," McDonald said.
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