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Heroic Controllers Talk Passenger Through Landing Troubled Plane |
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In what some are calling an Easter miracle, several members of the Air Traffic Controllers (NATCA) in Southern Florida guided a plane to a successful landing after its pilot fell unconscious and a passenger had to fly the aircraft in heavy traffic.
Around 1:30 p.m. yesterday, passengers aboard a Super King Air two-engine turboprop aircraft carrying four passengers from Marco Island, Fla., to Jackson, Miss., radioed controllers at the Miami traffic control center that the pilot was unconscious and they needed help immediately.
Two controllers, one with extensive experience as a pilot, helped one of the passengers bring the plane in. The passenger is a private pilot but is certified only in single-engine aircraft and had never flown a King Air.
While the two controllers talked the passenger through flying the plane, a third controller stepped in to coordinate the rerouting of all aircraft in that area and transmitted emergency information to the nearest airport in Fort Myers, Fla.
The controllers quickly developed a system that enabled them to share the same frequency. They would tap one another’s shoulders to transfer and relinquish control on the radio channel. One advised the passenger and another issued control instructions to other aircraft.
When the plane entered the Fort Myers air space, another group of controllers took over. One called a friend who was certified in the King Air for advice. The friend issued instructions over the phone to the controller who gave them to another controller who relayed that information to the passenger flying the plane.
Because of this quick thinking, the plane landed safely on the first try.
NATCA President Patrick Forrey says:
If you were to ask any one of the controllers who worked this event about what happened over the skies of South Florida, they would tell you that it was just a typical day at the office and that it was merely their job.
However, the actions they all took to save the passengers aboard the flight were beyond heroic. They all went above and beyond the call of duty, and it is times like these that I hope the flying public can see the invaluable lifeline that controllers provide every day—and particularly in emergency situations. These men and women are true heroes, and I’m proud to be in the same profession as them.
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As an Airline Pilot for 15 years in some of the busiest airspace in the world, I can attest to the professionalism of our Air Traffic Controllers. At times, they have the most intense job one can imagine yet the continue to keep us and our families safe. They deserve much more than they get and they can use our support.
Congratulations to these fine professionals.