A Turkish Airlines pilot died onboard a flight that was forced to make an emergency landing at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City, airline officials confirmed via the New York Post.
Ilcehin Pehlivan, 59, "fainted" during the Airbus A350-900's flight from Seattle to Istanbul, according to Turkish Airlines spokesman Yahya Ustun. Pehlivan had worked for Turkish Airlines since 2007 and was reported to have undergone a successful medical examination in March, as pilots are mandated to undergo exams every 12 months.
"The Captain Pilot of our Airbus 350 type aircraft with the tail registration TC-LGR, operating the flight number TK204 from Seattle to Istanbul, İlçehin PEHLİVAN, fainted during the flight," Ustun wrote in a translated X post. "When the first medical intervention to our captain on the plane was ineffective, the cockpit crew consisting of 1 captain and 1 co-pilot decided to make an emergency landing, but our captain lost his life before landing. Having worked at Turkish Airlines since 2007, İlçehin PEHLİVAN was 59 years old. A periodic health examination was carried out on 08.03.2024 at the Aviation Medical Center authorized by the General Directorate of Civil Aviation, and no health problem was detected that would prevent him from working. Our plane has decided to land in New York, and our passengers' return home is planned via New York station. As the Turkish Airlines family, we wish God's mercy upon our captain and patience to his grieving family, all his colleagues and loved ones.
The diverted flight was reported to have landed successfully at JFK International Airport at 6:00 a.m. local time. Pehlivan's cause of death has not yet been publicly determined.
A similar incident took place in 2015 when a 57-year-old American Airlines pilot died during an overnight flight from Phoenix to Boston, which resulted in the first officer taking over and making an emergency landing in Syracuse.