Travellers shaken as pilot falls ill on flight and passenger has to land plane

25 March 2023 , 10:51

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A Southwest Airlines flight was in peril when a pilot fell ill (Image: AFP/Getty Images)

Travellers were left shaken after their pilot fell ill on a flight - as a passenger had to step up and land the plane.

Passengers on flight 6013 were in for an experience they would never forget when they took off from Las Vegas to Columbus in Ohio, as the Daily Star reports.

The nature of the pilot's illness hasn't been shared, but Southwest Airlines confirmed that the plane had to be diverted back to Nevada two hours after taking off.

Thankfully one of the passengers aboard the flight was actually skilled enough to help land the plane with guidance provided over the radio.

Thankfully the plane made it back to Nevada safely (AFP via Getty Images)

What would you have done in that situation? Let us know in the comments...

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With the passenger's help, the troubled flight headed over southern Utah, just north of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, before eventually returning to Las Vegas to pick up the reserve crew.

The heroic pilot who stood in for the incapacitated flight crew member has not been named, nor has the airline that employs him.

The flight's captain who fell ill was also not named and his present condition is unknown.

In a statement, a spokesman for Southwest Airlines said: "The flight landed safely, and an alternate flight crew is operating the flight to CMH (Columbus).

"We commend the crew for their professionalism and appreciate our customers' patience and understanding regarding the situation."

The incident is likely to be reported to the National Transportation Safety Board for operational reasons but it won't be the first time as Southwest Airlines has reportedly already had a number of "near misses".

The agency called a safety summit last week following six runway incursions in the past three months.

One report stated that a Southwest Airlines jet taking off at a Baltimore airport in Maryland came within feet of running into an ambulance that was crossing the runway, allegedly without authorisation.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued renewed safety warnings to airlines on Wednesday following the incident.

Flight crew and ground staff stressed the importance of "continued vigilance and attention to mitigation of safety risks” following a series of close calls.

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The FAA said: "While the overall numbers do not reflect an increase in incidents and occurrences, the potential severity of these events is concerning."

John Bett