McAllen, TX – Pilot of Plane with 210-Passenger Onboard Dies In-Flight

McAllen, TX – The pilot of a Continental Airlines flight became ill after takeoff and was later pronounced dead after the plane made an emergency landing Saturday, a spokeswoman for Continental said.

The 210 passengers on the flight, which departed from Houston, were never in danger and the co-pilot landed the plane safely, they said.
The airline said only that the pilot suffered a "serious medical problem." Continental believes the pilot died of natural causes. The pilot's name was not released. The flight continued to Mexico with a new crew.