Pilot falls ill in the air forcing passenger to take control
Published: 2013 October 09 13:19:30 (4525 Views)
A passenger stepped in to safely land a plane after the pilot fell ill at the controls, police have said.
The passenger, who had never flown an aircraft before, made an emergency landing in the light aircraft at Humberside Airport, north Lincolnshire, yesterday evening.
Police confirmed the pilot later died after falling ill.
A Humberside police spokesman said: 'The pilot of the light aircraft who became incapacitated while flying back to Sandtoft airfield was sadly pronounced dead last night.
'Police are not treating the death as suspicious and as such a file will be prepared for the coroner in order to establish what led to the death of the pilot by way of an inquest.
'Formal ID of the pilot is likely to take place later today.'
The passenger landed the plane with the help of two instructors giving him directions from the ground.
Roy Murray, one of instructors who helped him land the plane, told the BBC the passenger did a 'remarkable job'.
'He made quite a good landing actually,' he said.
'He didn't know the layout of the aeroplane, he didn't have lights on so he was absolutely flying blind as well.
'I think he'd flown once before as a passenger but never flown an aeroplane before.'
He added: 'I think without any sort of talk down he would have just gone into the ground and that would have been the end of it.'
Police, fire and ambulance crews were dispatched to the airport following a distress call from the pilot.
It is thought the pair, who have yet to be named, left a small airfield near Doncaster yesterday morning on a flight training day.
'The emergency was declared at 6.20pm by the pilot of a two-seater aircraft. Shortly afterwards he was taken ill and became unable to fly it and that responsibility then fell to his passenger,' said an airport spokesman.
'Humberside International Airport put into operation their emergency plan. The passenger flew over the airport a couple of times and then was talked down by two flight instructors and the emergency services were waiting for them when he landed safely.'
- Metro
The passenger, who had never flown an aircraft before, made an emergency landing in the light aircraft at Humberside Airport, north Lincolnshire, yesterday evening.
Police confirmed the pilot later died after falling ill.
A Humberside police spokesman said: 'The pilot of the light aircraft who became incapacitated while flying back to Sandtoft airfield was sadly pronounced dead last night.
'Police are not treating the death as suspicious and as such a file will be prepared for the coroner in order to establish what led to the death of the pilot by way of an inquest.
'Formal ID of the pilot is likely to take place later today.'
The passenger landed the plane with the help of two instructors giving him directions from the ground.
Roy Murray, one of instructors who helped him land the plane, told the BBC the passenger did a 'remarkable job'.
'He made quite a good landing actually,' he said.
'He didn't know the layout of the aeroplane, he didn't have lights on so he was absolutely flying blind as well.
'I think he'd flown once before as a passenger but never flown an aeroplane before.'
He added: 'I think without any sort of talk down he would have just gone into the ground and that would have been the end of it.'
Police, fire and ambulance crews were dispatched to the airport following a distress call from the pilot.
It is thought the pair, who have yet to be named, left a small airfield near Doncaster yesterday morning on a flight training day.
'The emergency was declared at 6.20pm by the pilot of a two-seater aircraft. Shortly afterwards he was taken ill and became unable to fly it and that responsibility then fell to his passenger,' said an airport spokesman.
'Humberside International Airport put into operation their emergency plan. The passenger flew over the airport a couple of times and then was talked down by two flight instructors and the emergency services were waiting for them when he landed safely.'
- Metro
0
You May Like These Videos
WATCH: Victims Narrate Ordeal After Being Clobbered By Riot Cops
FLASHBACK: Morgan Tsvangirai Won't Resign Despite Illness 
Police Violently Beat Harare Protesters 
Zimbabwean Man Who Was Shot By Tswana Employer Appeals For HelpComments
There are no comments.
Get Zim Metro Updates Alerts
Big Reads
Schoolgirl drops out after continuous 'sexual abuse' by teacher
by Staff Reporter | 2019 August 13 07:42:33
Mugabe Knows Nothing About The Zimbabwe Constitution: MP
by Staff Reporter | 2016 October 01 08:12:02
Zim's Protesting Graduates Risk Losing Degrees For Expressing Anger Against Mugabe
by Staff Reporter | 2016 October 01 07:57:08
Troubled Harare Giants Dynamos Falls Into Another Deep Crisis
by Own Correspondent | 2016 October 01 07:49:17
Grace Mugabe Grovels At Mnangagwa, Says I Did Not Ask Ubaba To Fire You
by Staff Reporter | 2016 October 01 07:31:48
Mugabe Attacks Mawarire, Claims The Exiled Pastor Failed To Divide Zimbabwe
by Staff Reporter | 2016 October 01 07:19:13
Shock As Local Bank Denies 'Rich' Mugabe's Son Heifty Credit
by Own Correspondent | 2016 September 30 19:14:54Trouble For Police Officers Who Have Been Mercilessly Bludgeoning Protesters
by Staff Reporter | 2016 October 01 07:20:19
Mugabe "Home Coming" And "Thank You" Rally On Cards
by Own Correspondent | 2016 September 23 06:48:24
Prof Moyo Was Dumped By Western Embassies, Claims Mutsvangwa
by Staff Reporter | 2016 September 22 10:08:07Broke RBZ Tracks Down Zimbabweans Living Outside The Country Over Taxi
by Staff Reporter | 2016 September 22 09:16:20
You Are Too Old To Lead, Aging Zim President Mugabe Told
by Own Correspondent | 2016 September 22 07:19:25
Anti-Corruption Commission Loses Property In Failed Probe
by Own Correspondent | 2016 September 20 03:18:19
.jpg)
SHOCKING:14 Year Old HIV-Positive Boy Rapes 7 Pupils
by Own Correspondent | 2016 September 20 00:04:55
