Teenager takes control after pilot loses consciousness
Print Edition
A TEENAGER took the controls of a light plane for more than half an hour after the pilot passed out during a flight over rural Australia.
Troy Jenkins, 19, said the single-engine Cessna 150 was 10 minutes into the flight from the New South Wales state farming town of Forbes on Saturday afternoon when pilot Derek Neville, 61, lost consciousness.
Jenkins said yesterday he had taken the controls before while flying with Neville, a family friend. He flew circles around Forbes airport at a steady altitude of 610 meters for around 45 minutes before the pilot came to.
ÒKeeping it up wasnÕt a problem, it was the landing part I wasnÕt sure of,Ó Jenkins said. ÒI was pretty scared. I thought I had to save myself and him. It was quite an experience.Ó
Jenkins said he had landed a plane only once before and that was with NevilleÕs supervision.
Jenkins was relieved the pilot regained consciousness.
ÒHe sort of poked me in the right direction and we both brought it down,Ó Jenkins said. They landed safely.
Jenkins was also grateful for the help of pilot Paul Reynolds, who heard JenkinsÕ radio calls for help and came to the rescue. Reynolds flew alongside the Cessna and provided advice over the radio.
ÒI just heard on the radio someone calling: ÔHelp, help,ÕÓ Reynolds told Nine Network television.
ÒWhat I got him to do was essentially just maintain that altitude and fly around the airfield,Ó he added.
After the landing, Neville was flown to hospital where he had heart and brain scans, but doctors had yet to diagnose the problem, his wife, Merle Neville said.
Police Detective Sergeant Steve Howard said the air emergency could have resulted in tragedy if the pilot had not regained consciousness when he did.
ÒI do believe the passenger had some prior experience in the plane and had landed the plane with some assistance in the past, but we were just very fortunate that the pilot did come to,Ó Howard said.
Air safety investigators plan to interview both pilot and passenger today.
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