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Pilot thought instructor who died inflight was ‘just pretending’

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/pilo ... index.html

A flying instructor died inflight after suffering a cardiac arrest, but his co-pilot thought he was fooling around and only realized after landing on the runway with the man slumped on his shoulder.

According to a newly published safety report on the incident, the pilot thought the instructor was pretending to be asleep as the pair flew a circuit above near Blackpool Airport in Lancashire, England, on June 29, 2022.

The qualified pilot had asked the instructor to accompany him aboard the four-person Piper PA-28 for safety reasons during windy conditions, according to the UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch report.

Prior to takeoff, the pair chatted normally while the pilot taxied the craft out to the runway, the pilot told the AAIB. He said that the instructor’s last words were, “Looks good, there is nothing behind you.”

Shortly after takeoff, the instructor’s head rolled back. As the two pilots knew each other well, the co-pilot thought his companion was “just pretending to take a nap” while he completed the circuit, the report said. When the plane turned around, the instructor slumped over so that his head rested on the co-pilot’s shoulder, but again the pilot still thought a joke was being played on him.

After landing safely with the instructor still resting on his shoulder and not responding, the pilot realized something was wrong and alerted airport emergency services who were unable to revive the instructor.

The instructor, who had close to 9,000 hours of flying experience, was said to be in good spirits before his final flight.

“People who had spoken to him on the morning of the incident said he was his normal cheerful self and there were no indications that he was feeling unwell,” the AAIB report said. “The three people who had flown with him for the trial lesson just prior to the incident flight said he seemed well and nothing abnormal had occurred.”

The medical department of the UK Civil Aviation Authority reviewed the incident and the instructor’s medical history and concluded that, “From the evidence provided, it is likely the individual suffered a cardiac arrest as the aircraft took off.” He was known to suffer from high blood pressure, but it was within regulatory limits.

The AAIB’s report concludes that, while on this occasion the instructor’s co-pilot was qualified and was able to land the plane safely, the outcome could have been very different.

“No tests or assessment can give a 100% reliable detection of cardiac issues” and “a balance needs to be struck between minimizing the risk to flight safety and providing fair and reasonable medical assessment of individuals,” says the AAIB. “The rarity of accidents cause by cardiac events in flight suggests this balance is currently about right.”

PP

Both Pilots were employed by Westair , who’ve operated from Blackpool for 80 years and were PaWoodys original employers in the early 60’s.

The old CFI, a sage hand and respected twice Schneider trophy race category winner at the place where I now abide in the realm of the spam can was undertaking my equivalent of the biennial check when I looked across and noted that he was very quiet and was sitting eyes shut, either dead, unconscious or asleep. "Oh my gosh, I hope he hasn't gone and pegged it", I irreverently pondered. I nudged the old fellah, to which he awoke suddenly and said, "you are fine, I never tend to fall asleep unless with those who seem to know what they are doing", and thus I was directed back to base and tea and a signature in his office. He is retired now, and is still an all round good bloke.

To fly, to sleep no more...

To die, to sleep—
No more—and by a sleep to say we end
The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to. ’tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish’d. To die, to sleep—
To sleep—perchance to dream. Ay, there’s the rub!
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come,
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause—there’s the respect
That makes calamity of so long life.
For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
The oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely,
The pangs of disprized love, the law’s delay,
The insolence of office, and the spurns
That patient merit of the unworthy takes,
When he himself might his quietus make
With a bare bodkin? Who would fardels bear,
To grunt and sweat under a weary life,
But that the dread of something after death
The undiscover’d country, from whose bourn
No traveller returns, puzzles the will,
And makes us rather bear those ills we have
Than fly to others that we know not of?

I guess if you're expecting to go up for the afterlife rather than down, it cuts a bit off the journey.

Colleague of mine, as co-pilot PF a 707, landed at New York and wondered why there was no comment from the Captain as they slowed down after landing, then realised that he had died ! Apparently he had died after the completion of the final landing checks.

BA 747 G-CIVD was known as Victor Death, after the unfortunate demise of a skipper on a flight

Pilot incapacitation in the sim was always fun.

Ex-Ascot wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 22, 2023 7:14 am

Pilot incapacitation in the sim was always fun.

With the famous quote "help me get the dead b@st@rd out of my seat"?

Ex-Ascot wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 22, 2023 7:14 am

Pilot incapacitation in the sim was always fun.

Only got to simulate the departed one.
Wasn't allowed to do a dramatic "death scene".

PP