Trainee pilot makes emergency landing at Jandakot Airport after instructor blacks out

[Downunder]

A student pilot has made a dramatic emergency landing at Perth's Jandakot Airport during his first lesson in a two-seater aircraft after his instructor collapsed mid-flight.

 

The student, a man in his 30s, called air traffic control just over an hour into his lesson on Saturday afternoon after realising he was alone at the controls of the small Cessna.

 

"He's leaning over my shoulder, I'm trying to keep him up but he keeps falling down," the student can be heard telling the controller.

 

It was the man's first lesson in a two-seater as his wife and three children watched him from the ground.

 

The air traffic operator kept the trainee calm as he talked him through an emergency landing.

 

"Do you know how to operate the airplane?" the operator asks.

 

"This is my first lesson," the student tells him.

 

 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09-01/trainee-pilot-makes-emergency-landing-jandakot/11468580

 

 

[facthunter]

Well he can log most of it as solo in the real sense of it. and it will be memorable. If he can fly radio models he can probably fly a Cessna. I reckon the models are harder to fly than the real thing. Not suggesting he can fly models so just a comment. Hope the instructor is OK.

 

 

[onetrack]

He must have had some practice somewhere, to be able to land a Cessna 152 on his first training flight. Kind of makes you wonder what went wrong in the last medical checkup of the instructor.

 

 

[SSCBD]

Casa should give him his license now. Passed the test with gold stars.   

 

 

[Thruster88]

This is the complete pilot, controller audio.

 

 

 

 

[planedriver]

Tower did a great job, as did the student.

 

No injuries and the aircraft can be used again, which is also a good thing.

 

Hope the instructor is OK, and I can't help wondering whether his wife might put the mockers on his flying after such a scare, which having three kids would be a natural reaction.

 

I feel he must have had a bit of instruction in the past, which would have given him a few clues, thankfully.

 

Well done all round.

 

 

[poteroo]

Student had, (reportedly), been flying C172 dual prior to this flight - his 'first in a 2 seater'.    I think this explains a lot.

 

However, given the shock of having a collapsed instructor on his shoulder, it was a seriously good effort. Hope his CFI signs this flight off as 1st solo.

 

happy ending.

 

 

[facthunter]

Despite all the hoo haa about medicals there's no tests that will "guarantee" the candidate will not have an event such as this ,. As regards the effort by the pilot and controller . Getting the plane down, if he hasn't any other experience is a BIG DEAL. indeed.. On an all over field it's much easier which is  generally what was available when I started, although everything was Tailwheel which didn't exactly steer itself.  Good result fella's 

 

  Re the log book entry it can't be anything other than solo for the time the instructor wasn't a part of it. The Log book is supposed to be a true and accurate record of your flying experience.. Nev

 

 

[kaz3g]

Student had, (reportedly), been flying C172 dual prior to this flight - his 'first in a 2 seater'.    I think this explains a lot.

 

However, given the shock of having a collapsed instructor on his shoulder, it was a seriously good effort. Hope his CFI signs this flight off as 1st solo.

 

happy ending.

 

An incredible ending.

 

He had previously been in a 172 but apparently had never conducted a landing. He was uncertain about most of the basics and his radio usage gives a good idea of his novice status.

 

hope it’s a happy ending for all including the instructor who fell ill.

 

 

[Jabiru7252]

His first lesson? I understand it was his third. Regardless, he did a good job. Let's hope the instructor is okay.

 

 

[pmccarthy]

Strange there was no report on the instructor. In just about any incident the condition of the person is reported.

 

 

[cooperplace]

Without taking anything away from the student, it's a darn good thing it was a C152. Lots of planes are harder to land.

 

I hope the instructor makes a full recovery.

 

 

[old man emu]

Despite all the hoo haa about medicals there's no tests that will "guarantee" the candidate will not have an event such as this ,. Nev

 

So true. There is nothing to indicate to a medico that a person is going to have a medical incident in the future on the basis of results of examinations done today, if those results are positive.

 

 

[Thruster88]

Without taking anything away from the student, it's a darn good thing it was a C152. Lots of planes are harder to land.

 

I hope the instructor makes a full recovery.

 

Agree, it is good that these well made and totally sorted aircraft  may soon be part of the RAA fleet. 

 

 

[ClintonB]

Did a great job under pressure and calmly. Glad the the outcome was good. Hope the instructor is ok.

 

 

[Marty_d]

ABC report says the instructor is in a stable condition in hospital.

 

 

[Bruce Tuncks]

I wonder if the kid had flown radio control models.  My son was good at model flying and would have easily been able to fly the aircraft from the ground if you put radio gear into the full-size.

 

None of his instructors realized this.

 

 

[facthunter]

 My post #2 , I mention this and I've had practical experience of it's effect. I consider models can be much harder than the real plane to fly.. A friend of mine with a lot of model flying experience had no difficulty flying a DH 82 (except he was sick in it requiring Me to clean it up).. Probably one hour extra training would have got him solo.  My own first flight was in a very early 172 at Albion Park and the instructor let me do the flying . I went into a fair weather Cu and he said "we are not allowed to fly in cloud in these planes" so I turned and flew out of it. By then I'd been  designing, building and flying planes from 10 years of age. ALL experience forms part of the mix. but would I be proficient at flying in IMC ? No of course not . Nev

 

 

[Love to fly]

His first lesson? I understand it was his third. Regardless, he did a good job. Let's hope the instructor is okay.

 

Listening to the audio between the aircraft and the tower he clearly states its his first lesson.  

 

 

[johnm]

it was his first landing solo ................ that;s what really matters

 

 

[Yenn]

That shows how good the controllers are. We know they are there to keep us safe, but that chap did a really great job. I would assume he was a pilot or at least had a few hours in the air in the right seat. Great outcome and for the pilot, something to be proud of. It shows up the truth of the old saying, Aviate, Navigate, Communicate.

 

Of the three, the communicate is possibly the hardest.

 

 

[poteroo]

That shows how good the controllers are. We know they are there to keep us safe, but that chap did a really great job. I would assume he was a pilot or at least had a few hours in the air in the right seat

 

 

 

My understanding is that a qualified flying instructor actually did the 'guidance' - not the ATC

 

 

[old man emu]

I saw him on TV on Monday night. Could have had his 15 minutes of fame, but gracefully declined to be part of a media show. Good on him!

 

I wish him well for his future flights.

 

 

[Jabiru7252]

Listening to the audio between the aircraft and the tower he clearly states its his first lesson.  

 

Yes, the audio says first lesson but the text overlay said third. Typical crap reporting I guess. I wonder if he had spent a lot of time playing flight simulator on the PC.

 

 

[kgwilson]

This is just another example of how much folly there is in the insistence of medicals for GA pilots. A GA instructor needs a class 1. A hangover from WW2 that should have been thrown out with some sensible process replacing it. It is only good for the time the person has undertaken the medical. As soon as they walk out the door anything can happen and in this case it did. You can bet that CASA will have no comment on this. The fact that there is no demonstrable benefit other than so called public perception won't faze them at all. As with previous similar events they will ignore it and espouse how they and their political masters are keeping us all safe. Makes me want to puke.