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• Craig Lenell was a Continental Airlines pilot who died during a flight from Brussels, Belgium, to Newark, New Jersey, on June 18, 2009. He was believed to be in perfect health and had passed physicals twice a year before his death.

  After Lennel died of an apparent heart attack, two co-pilots took over the controls and the plane landed without incident.

• Fast Facts

  1. Age at death: 60 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnew...
  2. Died: June 18, 2009 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnew...
  3. Wife: Lynda Lenell http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnew...
  4. Former U.S. Air Force pilot who served in the Vietnam War http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnew...
  5. No known heart condition http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnew...
  6. Flying a Continental Airlines Boeing 777 at the time of his death http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnew...
  7. Continental Airlines Flight 61 flew from Brussels, Belgium, to Newark, New Jersey http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnew...
  8. Resided on a farm in Flynn, Texas http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnew...
  9. Survived by six children and several grandchildren http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnew...
  10. Worked for Continental Airlines for 32 years http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnew...

• Continental Airlines Flight 61

  Continental Airlines Flight 61 took off from Brussels, Belgium, on June 18, 2009, with 247 passengers on board. Roughly three-and-a-half hours into the eight-hour flight, co-pilots believed that Lennel had fallen asleep and tried to wake him. After they were unable, flight attendants asked the passengers if a doctor was on the plane. Dr. Julien Struyven, a cardiologist, came forward and attempted to revive Lennel, but it was too late.http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1193977/Pilot-Continental-Airlines-passenger-jet-dies-mid-flight.html

  The two co-pilots took over controls of the plane and it landed safely at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey hours later. The passengers on board were not notified of the incident, but knew of the tragedy after rescue crews greeted the plane upon landing. Many stated that the flight crew "did an incredible job" handling the situation.http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1193977/Pilot-Continental-Airlines-passenger-jet-dies-mid-flight.html

• Quotes

  "He was the kindest, gentlest man I've ever known. He would do anything for anyone"—Lynda Lenellhttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1193977/Pilot-Continental-Airlines-passenger-jet-dies-mid-flight.html

  "Flying was his life. He died doing what made him happiest"—Lynda Lenellhttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1193977/Pilot-Continental-Airlines-passenger-jet-dies-mid-flight.html

• Related Mahalo Pages

  Continental Airlines | Chesley B Sullenberger | Flight 1549 Hudson Crash | U.S. Air Force | Vietnam War

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