Blind Pilot landed on a wing and a prayer.
A pilot lost the ability to see after he suffered a stroke while flying his two-seat Cessna over Britain last Friday, local news organizations report. That may sound familiar to loyal On Deadline readers. It was just last month that we told you about an incident involving a Philippine Airline pilot who suffered a mild stroke while flying a passenger jet.
In this case, BBC News says the Royal Air Force sent a trainer to "shepherd" Jim O'Neill, 65, and his plane to safety at a military base.
Commander Paul Gerrard "used his voice to guide him down by telling him to turn left and right, to lower the plane and to do his pre-landing checks," according to Wing Commander Andy Hynd. "At very short range he still couldn't see the runway and it was only at the last minute that he could. He landed about halfway down and came to a halt just at the end."The Guardian says O'Neill is still hospitalized. His condition is described as serious.
"It was terrifying. Suddenly I couldn’t see the dials in front of me," the hobbyist tells the Daily Mirror. “All there was in front of me was a blur. I was helpless at the controls.”
In this case, BBC News says the Royal Air Force sent a trainer to "shepherd" Jim O'Neill, 65, and his plane to safety at a military base.
Commander Paul Gerrard "used his voice to guide him down by telling him to turn left and right, to lower the plane and to do his pre-landing checks," according to Wing Commander Andy Hynd. "At very short range he still couldn't see the runway and it was only at the last minute that he could. He landed about halfway down and came to a halt just at the end."The Guardian says O'Neill is still hospitalized. His condition is described as serious.
"It was terrifying. Suddenly I couldn’t see the dials in front of me," the hobbyist tells the Daily Mirror. “All there was in front of me was a blur. I was helpless at the controls.”
