Doug White King Air Landing - Full Flight Radar Overlay N559DW HD

Watch it in HD where available. Video courtesy Doug White, FAA and NATCA. Miami Center Audio ZMA and Ft Myers Approach RSW courtesy of the FAA See the NATCA Press Release http://www.natca.org/rss/controllers-coach-passenger-041309.aspx HEROIC CONTROLLERS COACH PASSENGER TO SAFE LANDING AFTER PILOTS TRAGIC MID-AIR DEATH NATIONAL AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS ASSOCIATION (NATCA) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 13, 2009 CONTACTS: Miami Center Representative Steve Wallace, 954-401-1348; NATCA National Office, Alexandra Caldwell, 202-220-9813, acaldwell@natcadc.org MIAMI/FORT MYERS, Fla. In what can only be called an Easter miracle several air traffic controllers in Southern Florida were able to guide a plane to a successful landing after its pilot fell unconscious and a passenger had to fly the aircraft all during a heavy traffic push due to the holiday and good weather. Said NATCA President Patrick Forrey: If you were to ask any one of the controllers who worked this event about what happened over the skies of South Florida they would tell you that it was just a typical day at the office and that it was merely their job however, the actions they all took to save the passengers aboard the flight were beyond heroic. They all went above and beyond the call of duty and it is times like these that I hope the flying public can see the invaluable lifeline that controllers provide every day and particularly in emergency situations. These men and women are true heroes and Im proud to be in the same profession as them. At approximately 1:30 p.m. on Sunday a Super King Air two-engine turboprop aircraft, N559DW, carrying four passengers flying from Marco Island, Fla. to Jackson, Miss. entered into the jurisdiction of air traffic control at Miami Center the facility responsible for high-altitude air traffic in both Southern Florida and the Caribbean. A controller at the center tried twice to acknowledge the aircrafts presence and issue climb instructions, waiting for a read-back. The transmission that then came from N559DW was a passenger stating that the pilot was unconscious and that they needed help immediately. From that point forward every controller working in that jurisdiction area began to lighten the load of the two controllers who began to work the incident one of whom was called in because of her extensive pilot experience. The passenger who radioed in was a private pilot, but was only certified in single-engine aircraft and had never flown a King Air. He informed air traffic control that the autopilot was on and that it was continuing to climb the aircraft from 10,000 feet. He then informed air traffic control that he needed to know how to take the plane off autopilot and how to land, then informing them that it appeared that the pilot had passed away. A third controller at Miami Center stepped in to coordinate the rerouting of all aircraft in that area and transmitted emergency information to those at Ft. Myers International Airport. Th