News May 11, 2022
Passenger with ‘No Idea How to Fly’ Lands Plane After Pilot Loses Consciousness!

An individual in Florida with no flight experience successfully landed a plane after the pilot lost consciousness.
As reported by WPBF-TV, a passenger on the Cessna Caravan noticed that the pilot suffered a medical emergency and contacted air traffic control in Fort Pierce on Tuesday.
“I’ve got a serious situation here,” the person can be heard telling officials in audio obtained by the outlet. “My pilot has gone incoherent.”
However, the passenger revealed, “I have no idea how to fly the airplane.”
“Roger. What’s your position?” air traffic control responded.
“I have no idea,” the passenger said. “I can see the coast of Florida in front of me. And I have no idea.”
“Maintain wings level and just try to follow the coast, either north or southbound,” air traffic control said. “We’re trying to locate you.”
After around four minutes, air traffic control was able to locate the aircraft just off the coast of Boca Raton. Soon after, officials at Palm Beach International Airport took over and were able to talk the passenger through a safe landing.
“You just witnessed a couple of passengers land that plane,” air traffic control said over the radio.
While speaking to the outlet, aviation expert John Nance said, “This is the first time I’ve ever heard of one of these being landed by somebody that has no aeronautical experience.”
Though Nance has heard about similar situations, he has not heard of a case where a passenger had to land a plane as large and as complicated as the Cessna Caravan.
“The person on the airplane who had no aeronautical experience listened very carefully and obviously followed instructions with great calm,” Nance said. “That’s what made the difference.”
As of this writing, the names of the passenger and the pilot have not been released.
The Federal Aviation Administration believes the pilot suffered a medical emergency and it has launched an investigation.
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