Heroic Passenger Lands Plane After Pilot Passes Out

A passenger successfully landed a small twin-engine Beechcraft King Air 90 after the pilot experienced a medical emergency mid-flight on Friday, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The plane was en route from Henderson Executive Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada, to Monterey Regional Airport in California.

The emergency occurred when the pilot became incapacitated, forcing the passenger to take control of the aircraft. The passenger managed to make a safe emergency landing at Meadows Field Airport in Bakersfield, California.

Firefighters from the Kern Fire Department were alerted to the situation and prepared for the plane’s arrival. They reported seeing the aircraft land safely and then followed it down the runway in emergency vehicles to assist. The pilot was transported to a local hospital, but the FAA did not provide further details on their condition. The passenger was unharmed.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are currently investigating the incident. The names of the pilot and passenger have not been released.