Passenger With No Flying Experience Safely Lands Plane After Pilot Suffers Medical Emergency

A passenger with no flying experience was praised for safely landing an aircraft after the pilot suffered medical emergency mid-air.

Air Traffic Control carefully guided the passenger, who took control of the small Cessna Caravan aircraft, in landing at Palm Beach International Airport in Florida on Tuesday afternoon, according to the New York Post.

The passenger was about 70 miles north of his final destination when he was heard speaking to air traffic controllers in Fort Pierce.

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

“Roger. What’s your position?” a voice responded.

“I have no idea,” said the unidentified passenger.

He noted that he could see the coast of Florida but couldn’t offer more details.

“Maintain wings level and just try to follow the coast, either north or southbound,” Air Traffic Control told him. “We’re trying to locate you.”

The passenger was heard saying four minutes later: “Have you guys located me yet? I can’t even get my nav screen to turn on. It has all the information on it. You guys have any ideas on that?”

Air traffic controllers eventually spotted the plane on their radar as it was flying off the coast of Boca Raton.

Air Traffic Control at Palm Beach International Airport then stepped in and gave instructions to the passenger until he safely landed the plane.

“You just witnessed a couple passengers land that plane,” a controller was heard saying over the radio while another voice asked: “Did you say the passengers landed the plane?”

“That’s correct,” the controller replied.

“Oh, my gosh. Great job,” the voice said.

The pilot, whose condition was not revealed, was taken to the hospital following the miraculous landing.

The controller involved in helping the passenger achieve the incredible feat is a certified flight instructor with experience working with Cessna aircrafts, a source said, according to ABC7.

Aviation expert John Nance said he has heard of passengers landing planes before but that this was the first time he heard of someone with no flying experience landing an aircraft as big and complicated as the Cessna Caravan.

Nance praised the passenger for a job well done.

“This is the first time I’ve ever heard of one of these being landed by somebody that has no aeronautical experience,” Nance said, according to WPBF-TV.

“The person on the airplane who had no aeronautical experience listened very carefully and obviously followed instructions with great calm,” Nance went on to say. “That’s what made the difference.”