What happened
On July 23, 2007, a Finnair charter flight, operating as FIN1781, was en route from Helsinki to Karpathos, Greece, when a serious in-flight incident occurred. Approximately one hour after departure, the captain of the Boeing B7/757-200, registration OH-LBU, felt drowsy and handed control of the aircraft to the first officer to rest. Shortly thereafter, the captain lost consciousness and slumped from his seat, striking the cockpit pedestal.
The first officer observed the captain was unresponsive for approximately 30 to 60 seconds before the captain regained consciousness. Although the captain eventually sat up and was able to assist with radio communications and reviewing checklists, his physical condition remained unstable. The crew requested medical advice via the MedLink service, and a medically trained passenger assisted in providing care, including administering intravenous fluids. Due to the captain's medical state, the first officer decided to divert the flight back to Helsinki.
During the return leg, the aircraft's weight exceeded the maximum allowable landing mass due to high fuel levels. While the crew managed the flight effectively, they did not consult the specific non-normal procedures for overweight landings, nor did they notify air traffic control of the overweight status or the specific nature of the medical emergency beyond the need for a return to base.
The investigation
The investigation examined the sequence of events leading to the captain's loss of consciousness, the crew's management of the medical emergency, and the subsequent handling of flight data. Investigators reviewed the captain's medical history, noting he had experienced mild abdominal discomfort the previous day, though he felt fit for duty prior to the flight.
The investigation also looked into the technical and procedural aspects of the diversion, including the overweight landing and the communication with air traffic control. Furthermore, the investigators examined the airline's post-incident procedures, specifically regarding the preservation of cockpit voice recordings and the accuracy of flight logs.
Findings
- The primary cause of the serious incident was the captain losing consciousness due to a medical emergency.
- The flight crew, particularly the first officer and the purser, managed the medical situation professionally and followed company guidelines for crew incapacitation.
- The aircraft landed at an overweight mass, and the crew failed to notify air traffic control of the specific medical emergency or the overweight condition.
- There was a failure in the preservation of evidence; the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) was not removed for analysis because the verbal instruction to do so was not followed, resulting in the loss of critical audio data.
- The airline's notification procedures for serious incidents were not fully compliant with regulations, as the incident was not reported to the investigation authority immediately.