Originally Posted by
TheMadBrewer
I think the phrase "natural causes" was used to re-assure folks that there was no (apparent) foul play involved.
Unfortunately that is also something even CO cannot guarantee until an autopsy is performed as is the case with all sudden unexpected deaths - reassurances should come after the autopsy. I agree he has most likely died of a natural cause but that needs to be established formally.
I suspect when the autopsy findings are released CO will have a lot of answering to do...it should be extremely unusual for someone to have sudden totally unexpected death while under regular medical surveillance and with presumed tight guidelines on flying with symptoms of illness. For someone with a clean bill of health, determined by very intense medical screening pilots are presumably subject to, to be totally healthy and free of symptoms and then suddenly drop dead at work would be very very rare.
It would surprise me if it does not become revealed that either there has been a lapse in the rigor of medical screening, lapse in his medical care or there were health symptoms that were not evaluated. If none of these is the case then unnatural causes need to be excluded.