Medical emergency sends Boston-bound plane to NY

SYRACUSE, N.Y. >> An American Airlines flight from Phoenix to Boston was diverted to Syracuse, New York, Monday morning after the captain became ill and later died, according to an airline spokeswoman.

Andrea Huguely said Flight 550 left Phoenix at 11:55 p.m. local time and was diverted midflight, landing shortly after 7 a.m. EDT. She said that after the flight’s captain was stricken, the first officer safely landed the plane with 147 passengers and five crew members onboard.

“We are incredibly saddened by this event, and we are focused on caring for our pilot’s family and colleagues,” the airline statement said.

Details of the medical emergency and the identity of the deceased pilot weren’t immediately released. It also wasn’t clear when the pilot died.

Huguely said a replacement crew was sent to Syracuse and the plane, an Airbus A320, landed at Boston at 12:30 p.m.

Before the flight landed at Syracuse, the first officer called the airport tower and said in a calm voice, “American 550. Medical emergency. Captain is incapacitated.” He requested a runway to land.

In a recording of his exchange with the tower, the officer expresses concern whether ambulance medics can get on the plane quickly. He’s assured that they can, and is told to go into a gate where the medics would meet the plane.

Passenger Louise Anderson, who was heading from Reno, Nevada, to Boston via Phoenix, said she had dozed off on the flight.

“What I woke up to was the flight attendant telling us we were making an emergency landing because the pilot was ill,” she said.

She said rumors were circulating of the pilot’s death in the Syracuse airport, but they were only confirmed by an announcement on their makeup flight to Boston.