The pilot dies at the controls and the passenger lands the airplane. It’s every passenger’s nightmare, the subject of countless movie, but almost never really happens. But it happened for real on Easter Sunday over the skies of Florida. You can hear the 20 minute ATC conversation with the passenger/pilot that led to a successful landing at Ft. Myers, Florida.
I learned of the event shortly after it happened via...
twitter, but data was scant. One report called the aircraft a King Air and a BE-55, which would be a Baron not a King Air. In separate reports the person who landed the plane was referred to as a passenger and a pilot. CNN now has a full report that tells us that the right seat passenger was indeed a pilot, though a low-time single engine pilot.
The successful outcome shows why the multi-engine rating is often a relatively short rating, sometimes 10 hours or less. While the pilot received some guidance from ATC, it’s clear from the audio tape that he already knew the fundamentals. For example, you can hear him talking about being a little slow at times and asking what speed he should fly the final approach.
Early in the conversation, we hear this exchange:
ATC: November Nine Delta Whisky are you using the autopilot or are you flying the airplane?
N559DW: Me and the good lord hand flying this Niner Delta Whisky
ATC: Nine Delta Whiskey are you a licensed pilot?
N559DW: Low time, single engine land, Niner Delta Whisky
ATC: OK, very good.
I can imagine that ATC was very happy to learn that person at the controls had some flying experience. Later we hear:
ATC: I just want to verify that you have the autopilot off.
Just as we discussed in an article earlier this week, it’s important to know whether the pilot or the autopilot is doing the flying. Having both trying to fly can be deadly.
In this case, the pilot/ATC partnership worked as it was supposed to. The passenger/pilot was not shy about asking for help. And ATC brought all of its resources to bear to provide him with the information he needed. I love it when a plan comes together.
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