Pilot Falls Sick, Brave Passenger Takes Over and Lands Plane

A brave passenger in an aircraft was left with no choice but to take over the controls of the plane and make an emergency landing on Tuesday night after the pilot fell ill. The passenger was helped by two people in the control tower who guided him fly the plane into Humberside Airport, in north Lincolnshire.

When the passenger eventually landed the aircraft, witnesses said the plane bumped on the runway and they saw sparks coming off the front of it.

Roy Murray, one of the flight instructors on the ground who helped the passenger land the plane, told BBC that the passenger had no flying experience but he did "a remarkable job".

Mr Murray said he was surprised just how calm the man he knew only as John was as he brought the aircraft down. Although the landing was described as "heavy", it was said to be "normal".

Asked how he felt after the landing, Mr Murray said: "Ecstatic"!