An 80-year-old Wisconsin woman was forced to land a plane immediately after her pilot husband collapsed in front of her.
The woman had no flying experience whatsoever and called on the radio for help. The Northeast Wisconsin airport center sent the second plane up to help coach the woman down.
The plane then began to run out of fuel but with the help of the second pilot the woman was able to successfully land the plane
Her husband died shortly after.
Door County Sheriff, Terry Vogel, understands the gravity of the terrifying situation and commends the woman for her ability to pull through: “I am very proud of her for doing what she did. It was a very difficult situation with her husband unconscious next to her. It took a lot for her to collect her thoughts and get that thing landed.”
The woman suffered minor injuries and is mourning the loss of her husband.
This is not the first time nor the last that a passenger has had to land a plane.
One man was forced to save his family while flying over South Florida after the pilot died mid-flight. Mr. White asked his family to pray while he manned the controls and stated on the radio that, “It ain’t over til it’s over.”
Fortunately air traffic controllers were able to help the White family land the twin-engine plane safely. White said that throughout the entire incident his fear helped him to focus and that is why he was able to land the plane like a pro.