Passenger Lands A Plane After Pilot Passes Out
A small, twin-engine plane was flying from Las Vegas to Monterey, California on Friday when the pilot passed out from what turned out to be cardiac arrest. So the only passenger on board had no choice but to land the plane herself. Sources say the passenger was familiar with planes, but did not have a pilot’s license. Air traffic control was able to talk her down to a safe landing in Bakersfield, but the aircraft did end up off the runway in a grassy area.
Pilot incapacitation: A passenger brought a California-bound King Air C90A aircraft to a safe landing after the pilot succumbed to a medical emergency, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
A pilot flying the aircraft (N6077X) over Central California Friday passed… pic.twitter.com/h5mZSTW7La
— FL360aero (@fl360aero) October 6, 2024
The pilot was taken to a hospital and unfortunately passed away from cardiac arrest, and the woman who landed the plane wasn’t hurt.