dailynewsnblog
A regular 
Delta Air Lines scheduled flight from 
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to 
Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) was diverted to 
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) on Tuesday after a pilot onboard suffered a medical emergency. This led the plane to divert to the airline’s Michigan hub so the captain could seek medical attention.
The incident occurred on Delta flight 437 on Tuesday and resulted in the 147 passengers onboard getting an unexpected stop in Detroit. A report by aviation insider JonNYC suggests that the pilot was suffering from appendicitis, and they would be undergoing surgery.
Diverted To Detroit For The Captain To Be Taken To Hospital
According to CBS News, the captain reported midflight that he was in discomfort and would need to go to the hospital as soon as possible. This led the plane to contact air traffic control, request a change to the flight plan, and divert to Detroit. Upon arrival at Detroit, the captain deplaned, and a replacement crew then embarked.
The flight was able to continue to Boston; however, before the aircraft arrived in Detroit, the captain went on the loudspeaker to speak with the passengers onboard to explain the situation, with his statement below.
“This is the captain. I am the one who is ill. Um, I am going to taxi the jet to the gate and then I need to go to the hospital.”
First Officer Took Over Control Of The Aircraft
The captain’s intercom announcement suggests the first officer was flying the aircraft, as standard protocol dictates one pilot flies while the other communicates. Because the captain was feeling unwell and somewhat incapacitated, the other pilot took over the controls. Evidently, the captain felt so unwell that he needed to divert the aircraft.
Delta has apologized to customers for the delays and disruption to travel plans. The service eventually arrived in Boston around 90 minutes behind schedule.
Flight Number | DL437 |
|---|---|
From | Los Angeles |
Departure Time | 10:45 AM |
Diverted To | Detroit |
Arrival Time | 5:43 PM |
Departure Time | 7:17 PM |
To | Boston |
Arrival Time | 9:04 PM |
The flight initially had an expected departure time of 10:47 AM and an arrival time in Boston of 7:12 PM. Delta maintains multiple daily flights between the two airports, both of which are Delta hubs.
Aircraft Details: N707TW
According to ch-aviation, the aircraft involved was a 757-2QA bearing registration N707TW. The plane took its first test flight back on February 12, 1997, and has been flying for more than 29 years. The aircraft was first delivered to Trans World Airlines (TWA) on February 24, 1997, and operated for the carrier for around four years before being handed over to 
American Airlines on December 2, 2001.
The plane was returned to its lessor in August 2007, then acquired by Delta, which has operated the jet since August 15, 2007. Onboard, the aircraft is configured to carry 168 passengers across three classes: 16 Delta First, 44 Delta Comfort, and 108 Delta Main. The plane is powered by two Pratt & Whitney PW 2040 engines. Delta operates around 70 of the 757-200 and plans to gradually replace these with the Airbus A321neo.
Following the flight path of DL437, its decision to divert to Detroit was made out of an abundance of caution and to ensure medical care could be provided to the pilot and to maintain safety for the rest of those onboard. The seriousness of the illness led the crew to divert to the closest practicable airfield; while this caused a small delay for passengers, it ensured the unwell crew member could be seen quickly.
