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Wales Online
Wales Online
National
Ryan Merrifield & Richard Blackledge

Passenger with 'no idea' how to fly a plane lands aircraft after pilot falls ill

A passenger took the controls of a plane when a pilot fell ill and managed to successfully land it - despite having 'no idea' how to fly an aircraft. The man radioed air traffic controllers for help before assuming the task of steering the 14-seater Cessna Caravan 70 miles to the runway.

“I’ve got a serious situation here,” the passenger was heard saying over the radio. “My pilot has gone incoherent. I have no idea how to fly the airplane.”

It is believed to be the first time the feat has been successfully accomplished, The Mirror reports. The man was told to keep the wings level and follow the coast as he was guided to land at Palm Beach International Airport in Florida, US, on Tuesday.

Aviation expert John Nance told WPBF-TV: “This is the first time I’ve ever heard of one of these [Cessna Caravans] being landed by somebody that has no aeronautical experience. The person on the airplane who had no aeronautical experience listened very carefully and obviously followed instructions with great calm, that's what made the difference."

The passenger was told by controllers to follow the coast while they tried to find the plane, which was eventually sighted around 25 miles from Palm Beach. A controller reportedly said following the landing: "You just witnessed a couple passengers land that plane."

“Oh, my gosh. Great job,” said another person. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating what happened to the pilot.

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