Passenger jet pilot dies minutes before landing

An American Airlines pilot died after having a medical episode just before landing in Albuquerque.

The Americans Airline plane was able to taxi to its gate safely where it was met by paramedics (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

The Albuquerque Journal reported that the captain declared a medical emergency on flight 1353 a couple of minutes before landing at Albuquerque International Sunport on Wednesday evening.

A spokesman for the airline told the newspaper that the captain landed the flight from Dallas-Fort Worth without incident.

The plane taxied normally to a gate and was met by paramedics.

American Airlines first officer William “Mike” Grubbs was pronounced dead.

There was no immediate word on a cause of death.

In 2015, an American Airlines pilot died on a flight from Phoenix to Boston.