Courageous passenger lands plane safely as pilot suffers fatal heart attack

A flight from Las Vegas to Monterrey turned into a nightmare when the pilot fell ill. A brave passenger took control of the plane, guided by the control tower

It became an action scene out of real life when the pilot in charge of the twin-engine Beechcraft King Air 90 had a heart attack on what was otherwise supposed to be a routine flight. Displaying rare poise, the plane’s only passenger coolly took over the controls and landed the aircraft with the help of instructions from the control tower.

The incident occurred on the Las Vegas-Monterrey flight. The aircraft was diverted to Meadows Field Airport in Kern County, California after the pilot suddenly collapsed.

Smooth sailing amid turbulent time: passenger takes over

As the situation on board grew more critical, the brave passenger stepped forward to take control. She handled her nerves-never having flown before-and followed instructions given by the Meadows Field control tower.

Kern County Airport Director Ron Brewster cheered the prescience of both the passenger and the staff on the ground. “We were able to alert the firefighters, ambulance, and everyone involved, so when the plane came to a stop, medical assistance was available within seconds”, Brewster told NBC.

Directed to safety

Audio of the incident, released by the Kern County Airport Authority, speaks to how taut those moments really were. The passenger continued to speak in a steady voice as she repeated back instructions from the control tower to bring the plane down at about 132 mph.

An unlikely story of heroism

The miracle incident instantly reminded one of other similar incidents where the passengers, untrained, had successfully landed planes, featured in programs such as the Discovery Channel’s “Mythbusters”. In cases of such an emergency, coordination with air traffic controllers is a must for achieving a safe landing.

A tragic ending

Heroically as the passenger had tried to be of service to save his pilot’s life, unfortunately, he did not live. He succumbed shortly upon admission to the hospital after the landing.