80 Year Old Lands Plane After Pilot Dies At Controls

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An 80-year-old woman was able to successfully land a twin-engine airplane in northeastern Wisconsin after her husband became unconscious at the controls and died.

 

Door County Sheriff Terry Vogel says the dispatch center was told just after 5 pm on Monday that a Cessna about 10 km south of Sturgeon Bay had declared an emergency.

 

The pilot, an 81-year-old man from the Sturgeon Bay area, had suffered a medical emergency and was unconscious.

 

His wife, who was the passenger, was flying the plane.

 

A certified pilot was able to fly alongside the plane and coach the wife. Just after 6 p.m., her right engine ran out of fuel and lost power.

 

She was able to land at Door County Cherryland Airport. The wife suffered minor injuries. Her husband was pronounced dead.

 

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[Guest Michael Coates]

Brave lady!

 

 

[Guest aviatrix27]

Just reinforces, yet again, my belief that anyone who spends significant time in a control seat should at least learn how to land! I nag the partners of all the pilots I know - usually women, occasionally a man.

 

 

[djpacro]

Good Kaye. Some flying schools were promoting pinch-hitters courses some time ago but I'm not aware of many taking advantage of it and I have heard nought in recent years.

 

 

[Spin]

Scary situation - well done that lady for keeping it together.

 

 

[dazza 38]

Top Job by the lady when the pressure was on.It becomes the classic fight or flight scenerio .Big effort to fly a plane with not much idea and deal with the loss of a love one at the same time.

 

 

[Guest Darren Masters]

Exactly why I've told anyone who flew on more than one occasion with me on what they should do in the event of something like this happening. People think it's silly but I don't think it is, especially in this above case...

 

 

[Spin]

Found a little more info here; http://www.kathrynsreport.com/2012/04/cessna-chancellor-414a-n53wt-at-door.html