Almost 150 passengers of American Airlines were spared from harm and landed safely after the pilot succumbed to death on Monday while leading the plane on its way from Phoenix to Boston.

According to CBS News, American Airlines has recently released a statement and said that the pilot of Flight 550 was identified to be a 57-year-old Phoenix-based man named Captain Michael Johnston and is most likely to have died after suffering a heart attack.

Wife of the perished pilot, BJ Johnston, told CBS News that his husband "had problems with his heart" and has undergone a bypass surgery in 2006. She also said that her husband has been in good health prior to flying since he was required to get a physical exam every six months in order to make sure he is healthy enough to lead a flight.

Amid the voyage, Johnston reportedly suddenly fell ill and the crew's first officer took the maneuver in landing the plane safe and sound. Luckily, the officer was able to reach the ground without anyone being harmed, despite the alarming situation of Johnston.

Medical conditions during a flight is rare among passengers, however, it's much rarer to have a pilot undergo medical assistance while leading the flight.

As Johnston suddenly fell ill, the first officer radioed emergency ground control, asking for a permission to land while a flight stewardess, a former nurse, tended to the sick pilot, a Daily Mail report says.

"Medical emergency, captain is incapacitated," the radioed audio said as a crew in the cockpit told the air traffic controller, CNN reports. "Request handling for runway."

The plane with a crew of five landed safely in Logan International Airport at Syracuse, New York at about 7:13 a.m.

Passengers told CBS News that they "felt sharp drop and turbulence then smoothly landed" and the emergency responders waited for the passengers to be off-board as it is illegal to announce that somebody has died on the plane while on flight.

However, CNN reports that the passengers were told about the situation and some of them knew there was something wrong after a woman with "quivering voice" took over the intercom and said they have to make an emergency landing as the pilot suddenly fell ill.

"I've got to commend the co-pilot, whoever he is. He deserves a medal of honor. None of us knows what went down in that cockpit," a passenger named Frank Cacciola told Boston Herald. "Our lives were in (the crews') hands and they were calm, cool and collected. I think they handled it very well."