A Cessna 208 Caravan plane with only the pilot and a passenger on board, landed safely at Palm Beach International Airport on Tuesday, May 10, after the passenger took over the plane due to the pilot’s incapacity to fly it.
The passenger, who had no flight experience, asked for help from air traffic controllers at Fort Pierce tower after the pilot of the plane suffered an unknown “medical emergency.”
The passenger radioed controllers from the cockpit, “I’ve got a serious situation here. My pilot has gone incoherent. I have no idea how to fly the airplane.”
When asked about his position, the passenger said he had no idea, looked out the window, and said, “I have the coast of Florida in front of me.”
While controllers tried to locate the plane, the passenger frantically tried to get the navigation screen turned on. Speaking to air traffic controllers shortly after, they eventually notified him that they had located the plane near Boca Raton, and a controller, who happened to be a flying instructor, was able to guide him to land the plane safely.
John Nance, an aviation expert, told NBC affiliate WPTV-TV, “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, who deserves applause and recognition, has not been publicly identified. The condition of the pilot is unknown. The Federal Aviation Administration said it believes he suffered a medical emergency and is investigating the incident.
Kudos to the passenger, whoever he may be.