A passenger with no flight experience managed to land a Cessna 208 aircraft at Palm Beach, Florida on Tuesday, after the pilot was unable to fly the plane.
Audio released by the website Live Air Traffic and obtained by the American TV network CNN shows the passenger, whose identity was not revealed, warning the control tower of what had happened and that he did not know how to fly the single-engine aircraft. “My pilot got confused, and I have no idea how to steer the plane.”
Also according to the audio, an air traffic controller started to provide instructions on how to land the aircraft, directing the passenger to keep the wings level and to “push the controls forward, descending at a very slow speed”. “We’re trying to locate him.”
The US Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the case, according to CNN, adding that the pilot’s condition, who reportedly had a “possible medical condition”, was not disclosed.
In another part of the audio, another air traffic operator tells an American Airlines pilot about to take off in North Carolina that the passenger managed to make the landing. “Did you say the passengers landed the aircraft?” he replies. “My god. Great job.”
CNN published a video that shows the moment the plane lands at Palm Beach airport.
