On July 21, 2022, Citilink Flight QG 307 had to complete its climb at an altitude of 14.000 feet shortly after takeoff. The first officer reported an emergency and informed air traffic control that the captain had become incapacitated. As a result, the pilot died in a hospital.

The Citilink-operated Airbus A320, registration PK-GLW, was manned by 171 people and was scheduled to fly from Surabaya to Makassar. Shortly after takeoff, the first officer reported a medical emergency. According to the radio message, the captain suddenly fell ill and was unable to act as a result. The copilot decided to land back immediately.

About 40 minutes after take-off, PK-GLW touched down safely on runway 10 at Surabaya Airport. Emergency medical care was already available from the airport and was used immediately. The sick captain was taken to a local hospital. He died there some time later. What exactly triggered the medical emergency with fatalities is still unclear. The authorities have initiated an investigation.