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Passenger takes over after death of pilot
Source: Agencies |
April 15, 2009, Wednesday
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DOUG White and his family had just enjoyed a smooth takeoff and were ascending through the clouds on Monday when the pilot guiding their twin-engine plane tilted his head back and made a guttural sound.
The pilot, Joe Cabuk, was dead. White had his pilot's license, but he had never flown a plane as large as the one carrying his family.
"I need help. I need a King Air pilot to talk to. We're in trouble," he radioed. Then he turned to his wife and two daughters: "You all start praying hard." Behind him, his wife trembled. Sixteen-year-old Bailey cried. Eighteen-year-old Maggie threw up.
Thirty minutes later, White, 56, had brought the plane safely down, coaxed through the harrowing ordeal by Florida air traffic controllers.
When a controller asked whether he was on autopilot, White replied: "I'm in the good Lord's hands flying this Niner Delta Whiskey," giving the code for the aircraft.
White had logged about 150 hours recently flying a single-engine Cessna 172 but had no experience flying King Airs. Fortunately, he knew how to work the radio and managed to contact the air traffic controllers.
The pilot, Joe Cabuk, was dead. White had his pilot's license, but he had never flown a plane as large as the one carrying his family.
"I need help. I need a King Air pilot to talk to. We're in trouble," he radioed. Then he turned to his wife and two daughters: "You all start praying hard." Behind him, his wife trembled. Sixteen-year-old Bailey cried. Eighteen-year-old Maggie threw up.
Thirty minutes later, White, 56, had brought the plane safely down, coaxed through the harrowing ordeal by Florida air traffic controllers.
When a controller asked whether he was on autopilot, White replied: "I'm in the good Lord's hands flying this Niner Delta Whiskey," giving the code for the aircraft.
White had logged about 150 hours recently flying a single-engine Cessna 172 but had no experience flying King Airs. Fortunately, he knew how to work the radio and managed to contact the air traffic controllers.
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