Report: Passenger lands plane at Florida airport after pilot becomes ‘incoherent’

Air traffic controller helped passenger land

An aerial view of a runway at Palm Beach International Airport. (Palm Beach County)

PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. – A passenger landed a private plane at Palm Beach International Airport Tuesday after an incident with the pilot.

According to a report from WPBF in West Palm Beach, the passenger of the single-engine Cessna 208 plane contacted air traffic control after the pilot had “gone incoherent.”

Recommended Videos



[TRENDING: Orlando couple out nearly $5K after ATM takeover scheme | Video: Parkgoer removes alligator from Wekiva Springs swimming area | Become a News 6 Insider (it’s free!)]

The passenger told the traffic controller that they had no idea how to fly a plane, or even where they were, other than off the coast of Florida, the report continues.

A WPBF report said the air traffic controller at the Fort Pierce tower helped the passenger descend the plane to 5,000 feet so that they could locate the plane on radar, according to audio of the incident, and then told the passenger how to work the plane and land it safely.

After the plane landed, one person was taken to a nearby hospital, but their condition was unknown. There were only two people on board.

The FAA is investigating.


About the Author:

Christie joined the ClickOrlando team in November 2021.