Continental flight whose pilot died in mid-flight lands safely in Newark, NJ

Plane with dead pilot lands safely in Newark, NJ

NEWARK, N.J. — The Federal Aviation Administration says a plane carrying a pilot who died in mid-flight has landed safely at the airport in Newark, N.J.

Spokeswoman Arlene Salac says Continental Airlines Flight 61 landed at 11:49 a.m.

Airline spokeswoman Kelly Cripe says the pilot died of natural causes Thursday on the flight from Brussels, Belgium, to Newark.

Cripe says he was a 61-year-old man with more than 20 years of service to the airline.

She says the flight continued safely with two other pilots at the controls.

Cripe says the Boeing 777 carried 247 passengers.