( CNN ) -- A flight attendant with a pilot 's license ditched her normal duties and stepped in for a sick copilot of an American Airlines flight before the plane landed in Chicago , Illinois , airline officials said . The first officer had become sick with `` flulike '' symptoms Monday , according to Tim Wagner , a spokesman for American Airlines . `` He went back into the passenger cabin , '' he said . `` That 's when the captain began to solicit help from any passengers with a pilot 's license . '' One of the five flight attendants on board flight 1612 from San Francisco , California , told the captain that she is a commercial pilot , and she immediately took over the first officer 's responsibilities , Wagner said . The Chicago Tribune has identified the flight attendant as Patti DeLuna , 61 . `` I was the best available [ backup pilot ] they had on the plane , '' DeLuna told the Chicago Tribune . `` I spent a lot of time in the cockpit looking at the flight deck and asking questions . My first question to the captain was , 'Where are the brakes ? ' '' The plane , carrying 225 passengers and seven crew members , landed safely at O'Hare International Airport at 4:24 p.m. Monday . The first officer , who is based in Chicago , was immediately taken to the hospital by paramedics waiting on the ground . He was treated and released and was resting Tuesday , Wagner said . `` The entire incident was handled very well on all accounts , '' Wagner said . He was not able to elaborate on the flight attendant 's background Tuesday afternoon or provide any details of her piloting experience . The flight attendant is based in San Francisco , the captain in St. Louis , Missouri .
First officer of flight with three passengers aboard had ` ` flulike '' symptoms . Flight attendant with commercial pilot 's license assumed command . Plane landed safely at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago , Illinois . American Airlines flight 's first officer has been treated and is recovering .