A plane full of passengers had to make an emergency landing after the pilot suffered a violent seizure in the cockpit.
According to a report by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch the co-pilot had to be physically restrained after suffering a medical episode on board the Flybe flight.
One member of the crew also fell over as the jet rolled suddenly in midair when the pilot involuntarily pressed a rudder pedal.
A passenger was also called on to help out as the aircraft made an emergency landing at Manchester Airport on August 5, 2017, en route from Inverness to Jersey.
Pictures published by the Manchester Evening News at the time showed the pilot being led away on a stretcher and taken to hospital.
None of the 43 passengers or four crew members were injured in the incident.
In the AAIB report, published by the Manchester Evening News , it was revealed how the drama on board started when the commander of the flight noticed his co-pilot 'shaking'.
He noted 'his hands and arms were tensed and that he was leaning back in his seat with his head and eyes looking up towards the ceiling'.
The commander called the co-pilot's name three times without response and then tried to make an announcement on the public address system about the co-pilot being 'incapacitated'.
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But he used the intercom in error and told the senior cabin crew member, who was at the rear of the plane and she made her way to the flight deck.
While making her way to the cockpit the aircraft 'slewed' and she had to grab hold of the seats to remain on her feet, says the report.
However the sudden movement of the plane forced another member of the cabin crew to fall over and she had to be helped back to her feet by a passenger.
The report said the commander took over the controls of the aircraft, by which point his co-pilot had gone "grey in the face, had blue lips and a rigid body but was still breathing".
The report read: "At that point, the co-pilot had a second, more violent seizure. It was physically demanding trying to restrain him as his limbs were flailing and going stiff."
The rudder pedal was pressed several times and the auto-pilot disconnected during the episode.
The commander tried to 'counteract' by pressing the opposite rudder and requested air traffic control for an immediate diversion to Manchester Airport.
He was said to have found it difficult to enter the required data into the plane's flight management system due to the 'distractions' on the flight deck, according to the report.
During their final approach, the commander discussed with the senior cabin crew member whether they should attempt to remove the co-pilot from the flight deck amid concern he may have a third seizure.
The pair decided it was 'physically impractical' so left him in situ although they recruited an 'able bodied passenger' who stood at the flight deck door to help if required, according to the AAIB report.
As the aircraft approached the runway, the stricken co-pilot 'improved slightly' and recognised they were coming into Manchester Airport.
But he was 'clearly still unwell' and the senior cabin crew member 'continued to restrain him'.
The final approach and landing were 'without any further incident'.
The jet was escorted to a 'remote stand' where paramedics boarded and took the co-pilot to hospital.
He was released from hospital after three hours.
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The report heard how the co-pilot had not previously shown any symptoms which might have alerted him or his colleagues in advance to the seizure which occurred on the flight.
Information from the flight data recorder - known as the black box - confirmed it was the involuntary 'rudder pedal inputs' which prompted the auto-pilot to disconnect.
The AAIB reporte noted that the airline had provided "detailed guidance" on what to do in the event of "pilot incapacitation".
The commander took control of the aircraft, with his senior cabin crew member and the pair 'delivered a safe and successful outcome to what was, potentially, a hazardous incident'.
The report stated: "The sharing of the response allowed the commander to concentrate on flying the jet and meant "a serious incident was professionally managed".
