The copilot took over the flight, which landed safely at Syracuse’s Hancock worldwide Airport just after 7 a.m. Monday morning.
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It was unclear whether the pilot died in the air or after the craft had landed in Syracuse, where it was diverted because of the medical emergency.
United Airlines said they were working to get passengers to their final destinations.
Four hours into flight 550 from Phoenix to Boston, the plane’s co-pilot announced that Captain Michael Johnston “wasn’t feeling well”.
Johnston, 57, joined America West Airlines in January 1990, Chief Executive Officer Doug Parker told American employees in a message.
Medical emergencies are rare, but hardly unprecedented in commercial flights.
“That said, a pilot tasked with flying the plane alone will face additional challenges, but barring any serious malfunctions or additional emergencies, landing safely is nothing the average pilot couldn’t handle with relative ease”, Smith told USA TODAY.
His widow, Betty Jean Johnston, revealed that a coroner told her he is “99.9 per cent” positive that her husband suffered a heart attack during the flight.
Passenger Louise Anderson, who was heading from Reno, Nevada, to Boston via Phoenix, said she had dozed off on the flight.
“It has been something he has absolutely loved doing his whole life”, she said.
“This rainbow came out, and the skies opened up as if his spirit was leaving the plane and going to heaven”, Cacciola said.
The co-pilot asked for a runway to land and inquired about whether medical personnel could reach the plane in time to save the pilot, according to the AP’s Monday report.
The official added that the two pilots in the cockpit were equally trained.
“I think it would make no difference if it was the pilot or the co-pilot that was incapacitated”, said John Nance, aviation consultant for ABC News.
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Modern airliners are capable of largely flying themselves.
