Video: Dramatic moment passenger landed plane at Humberside Airport

DRAMATIC video footage was released today of the landing by a passenger of a light aircraft at Humberside Airport after the pilot fell ill.
The cockpit of the aircraft. Picture: Ross Parry AgencyThe cockpit of the aircraft. Picture: Ross Parry Agency
The cockpit of the aircraft. Picture: Ross Parry Agency

John Wildey was described as “nothing short of a hero” after pulling off the miraculous feat earlier this month.

He had never flown a plane before and landed in the dark with no lights at the fourth attempt, having been talked down by air traffic control operators, two flying instructors, and with the aid of an RAF Sea King rescue helicopter sent in to help him find the runway.

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The pilot, who had fallen unconscious in the cockpit, was later pronounced dead.

The cockpit of the aircraft. Picture: Ross Parry AgencyThe cockpit of the aircraft. Picture: Ross Parry Agency
The cockpit of the aircraft. Picture: Ross Parry Agency

Mr Wildey, 77, said he touched down with “a right bump”, and it was more like a “controlled crash, really”, while witnesses described seeing sparks as the aircraft landed at 7.30pm on Tuesday.

Today’s footage shows the Cessna 172 heading back to its base at Sandtoft airfield, near Doncaster, as the mayday call comes through.

Flight instructor Roy Murray, who guided Mr Wildey through the manoeuvre, described it as a “beautiful landing”.

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Mr Murray, chief instructor at the Frank Morgan School of Flying said he had never heard of an incident like it in the UK.

“I took him round three times, which were reasonable but not good enough to land,” the instructor said. “Then, on the fourth, he made a nice landing.”

The mid-air drama began when the pilot became ill during the flight back from Skegness. The pilot put the plane on the right path but then collapsed, leaving Mr Wildey with little option but try to land the plane himself, despite, he admitted, having no “clue what to do to get down”.

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