AN AMERICAN Airlines pilot died just moments before his plane landed during a mid-air emergency.
The incident took place on a flight from Dallas to Albuquerque on Wednesday evening.
Upon landing, co-pilot William “Mike” Grubbs, 58, was met by paramedics but they could not save his life.
Passengers were unaware of the gravity of the incident at the time, during the flight’s final minutes.
However the captain told them after landing that they would not be able to exit the plane immediately because of a medical emergency.
The cause of death remains unknown.
Grubbs joined American in 2010 as a pilot of Boeing 737s after flying smaller planes for American Eagle.
American Airlines CEO Doug Parker expressed his sadness and gratitude to the crew of Flight 1353 in a letter to employees.
The pilots’ union said Grubbs lived in Lebanon, Tennessee, and said it was offering help to his family.
He was married and was the father of a son, who will graduate from college in May.
Pilot deaths during flights are rare. In most cases, the other pilot in the cockpit has been able to land the plane without further incident.
In 2015, the captain of an American Airlines jet became ill and died during a late-night flight from Phoenix.
The co-pilot of the Boston-bound plane made an emergency landing in Syracuse, New York.
Pilots must pass regular medical exams.
In 2009, the Federal Aviation Administration raised the mandatory retirement age for airline pilots from 60 to 65, and some have suggested raising it again to help deal with a shortage of pilots.