Attendant Helps Land Plane After Pilot Is Sedated, Restrained During Breakdown

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Attendant Helps Land Plane After Pilot Is Sedated, Restrained During Breakdown

Posted: 11/20/2008 10:35:14 AM EDT

Attendant Helps Land Plane After Pilot Is Sedated, Restrained During Breakdown
Thursday, November 20, 2008

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AP

File: Air Canada jet.
DUBLIN, Ireland — An Air Canada co-pilot having a mental breakdown had to be forcibly removed from the cockpit, restrained and sedated, and a flight attendant with flying experience helped the pilot safely make an emergency landing, an Irish investigation concluded Wednesday.

The report by the Irish Air Accident Investigation Unit into an incident in January applauded the decision-making of the pilot and the cockpit skills of the flight attendant, who stepped into the co-pilot's seat for the emergency diversion to Shannon Airport in western Ireland.

None of the 146 passengers or other nine crew members on board the Boeing 767 bound from Toronto to London was injured after the 58-year-old co-pilot had to be removed by attendants and sedated by two doctors on board.

The report did not identify any of the Air Canada crew by name. Nor did it specify the psychiatric diagnosis for the co-pilot, who was hospitalized for 11 days in Irish mental wards before being flown by air ambulance back to Canada.

Click here to read the official report.

It said the co-pilot was a licensed veteran with more than 6,500 hours' flying time, about half on board Boeing 767s, and had recently passed a medical examination.

But it said the pilot noticed immediately that his co-pilot was not in good professional shape on the day of the flight, arriving late to the cockpit after all the safety checks and paperwork had been completed. He reported that the co-pilot's behavior worsened once they were airborne, and the co-pilot advised him to take a lengthy break for naps and a meal.

As the aircraft reached the middle of the Atlantic, the report said, the co-pilot began talking in a "rambling and disjointed" manner, took another nap, and then refused to buckle his seat belt or observe other safety procedures when he returned to the cockpit.

The pilot concluded that his colleague was now so "belligerent and uncooperative" that he couldn't do his job.

The report said the pilot summoned several flight attendants to remove the co-pilot from the cockpit, and one flight attendant suffered an injured wrist in the struggle. Doctors from Britain and Canada on board determined that the co-pilot was confused and disoriented.

The report did not mention how the co-pilot was restrained. Departing passengers at the time said his arms and legs had been tied up to keep him under control.

The pilot then asked flight attendants to find out if any passenger was a qualified pilot. When none was found, one flight attendant admitted she held a current commercial pilot's license but said her license for reading cockpit instruments had expired.

"The flight attendant provided useful assistance to the commander, who remarked in a statement to the investigation that she was `not out of place' while occupying the right-hand seat," the report said.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,455064,00.html

What do they carry on airplanes to sedate someone?

Posted: 11/20/2008 10:37:15 AM EDT

[#1]

Posted: 11/20/2008 10:41:11 AM EDT

[#2]

What do they carry on airplanes to sedate someone?

A heavy 3D flashlight....

Posted: 11/20/2008 10:50:21 AM EDT

[#3]

if I was on a plane and they asked this if any passenger was a qualified pilot.

they had better have a suitcase full of money waiting for me on the ground

but really though they make it sound like the Attendant actually landed the plane alone.

Posted: 11/20/2008 10:52:24 AM EDT

[#4]

Did any of you guys see the Mythbusters episode on this?

They had a pilot walk both of them through landing the plane over the radio (simulator).

Dont ALL of these planes have the ability to land themselves?

Posted: 11/20/2008 10:53:30 AM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
What do they carry on airplanes to sedate someone?

A heavy 3D flashlight....

Probably a big whack of Valium or Ativan..

Posted: 11/20/2008 11:00:33 AM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
Did any of you guys see the Mythbusters episode on this?

They had a pilot walk both of them through landing the plane over the radio (simulator).

Dont ALL of these planes have the ability to land themselves?

Not only can't all planes land themselves, the airport must also have the specialized instrument landing system that supports the 'autoland' feature. Additionally, its not even close to totally automated and someone must be able to operate the computers at least.
Since their was still actually a pilot in control, I doubt that anyone was in serious danger. The pilot might have been a bit overworked though.

Posted: 11/20/2008 11:07:48 AM EDT

[#7]

license for reading instruments?

uh...perhaps the journalist meant instrument license?

Posted: 11/20/2008 11:08:17 AM EDT

[#8]

I can see it now....

Copilot wigs out.

Hot Attendant comes in to help.

Pilot starts freaking out on landing.....OMG, OMG...We have problems..We're going in...We're going Tits Up!! ....Pull your Boobies out now!!!..............

Posted: 11/20/2008 11:09:05 AM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
Did any of you guys see the Mythbusters episode on this?

They had a pilot walk both of them through landing the plane over the radio (simulator).

Dont ALL of these planes have the ability to land themselves?

Not all. Furthermore, it depends on the runway you are landing on for the autoland feature.

Posted: 11/20/2008 12:06:57 PM EDT

[#10]

I'm not a rated pilot, but I'm still working on my private pilot's license. (Supposedly...when I have the time to commit to it.) But I can guarantee you that a 767 is not a tough aircraft to fly and I think half the arfcommers reading this topic would be able to sit in the copilot's seat, take directions from the pilot, and see a successful landing. Better yet, I'd say that
nearly 100 percent of us could do that, and more than half of us could actually land it under
clear skies and good visibility conditions, given a little guidance.

I'll stick my neck way out and say that I could land any modern airliner myself, if I just have
a few minutes to familiarize myself with the fundamentals of landing that plane. Range of
approach speeds, flap and spoiler settings, location and operation of flaps, spoilers, and
thrust reversers, optimal touchdown speed, etc. Ten minutes with the checklists would
be sufficient.

I think anyone here who has any pilot experience could do the same thing.

CJ

Posted: 11/20/2008 12:25:14 PM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
I'm not a rated pilot, but I'm still working on my private pilot's license. (Supposedly...when I have the time to commit to it.) But I can guarantee you that a 767 is not a tough aircraft to fly and I think half the arfcommers reading this topic would be able to sit in the copilot's seat, take directions from the pilot, and see a successful landing. Better yet, I'd say that
nearly 100 percent of us could do that, and more than half of us could actually land it under
clear skies and good visibility conditions, given a little guidance.

I'll stick my neck way out and say that I could land any modern airliner myself, if I just have
a few minutes to familiarize myself with the fundamentals of landing that plane. Range of
approach speeds, flap and spoiler settings, location and operation of flaps, spoilers, and
thrust reversers, optimal touchdown speed, etc. Ten minutes with the checklists would
be sufficient.

I think anyone here who has any pilot experience could do the same thing.

CJ

I think CMJ is generally right.

I have my private ticket, and I'm confident I could get a big jet on the ground in mostly one piece. Might need a little touch up here and there, and I would probably
need new shorts afterwards, but I bet it could be done.

Shit, I'd worry more about landing a P-51 than I would a 747.

<sits back and listens to the commercial pilots laugh>

Posted: 11/20/2008 3:13:21 PM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:

Quoted:
I'm not a rated pilot, but I'm still working on my private pilot's license. (Supposedly...when I have the time to commit to it.) But I can guarantee you that a 767 is not a tough aircraft to fly and I think half the arfcommers reading this topic would be able to sit in the copilot's seat, take directions from the pilot, and see a successful landing. Better yet, I'd say that
nearly 100 percent of us could do that, and more than half of us could actually land it under
clear skies and good visibility conditions, given a little guidance.

I'll stick my neck way out and say that I could land any modern airliner myself, if I just have
a few minutes to familiarize myself with the fundamentals of landing that plane. Range of
approach speeds, flap and spoiler settings, location and operation of flaps, spoilers, and
thrust reversers, optimal touchdown speed, etc. Ten minutes with the checklists would
be sufficient.

I think anyone here who has any pilot experience could do the same thing.

CJ

I think CMJ is generally right.

I have my private ticket, and I'm confident I could get a big jet on the ground in mostly one piece. Might need a little touch up here and there, and I would probably
need new shorts afterwards, but I bet it could be done.

Shit, I'd worry more about landing a P-51 than I would a 747.

<sits back and listens to the commercial pilots laugh>

I "landed" a Delta 727 simulator(yes,the real thing)when I was 11,wasn't hard at all. Landing a date with a faithful flight attendant,much harder.(damned lying skank!)

Posted: 11/20/2008 3:20:34 PM EDT

[#13]

The front end is for terrorists, the back end is for unruly co-pilots' heads.

Quoted:
I think anyone here who has any pilot experience could do the same thing.

Yeah. Biggest issue is "where is everything and what switch does what."

Get past that and usually, a plane is a plane.

Granted, in a 767 you can't do a few hard S-curves on the way in to bleed off some speed and time.

Posted: 11/20/2008 3:24:42 PM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
http://quanticotactical.com/graphics/40/410504ODL.jpg

The front end is for terrorists, the back end is for unruly co-pilots' heads.

Quoted:
I think anyone here who has any pilot experience could do the same thing.

Yeah. Biggest issue is "where is everything and what switch does what."

Get past that and usually, a plane is a plane.

Granted, in a 767 you can't do a few hard S-curves on the way in to bleed off some speed and time.

I'd tend to agree. Put me in the right seat of a KC-135 and I can be helpful. Put me sitting second in a 767 and I'll sure answer the radio and given a few minutes to look around lower the flaps on command.

Posted: 11/20/2008 3:24:46 PM EDT

[#15]

In the movie THE HIGH AND THE MIGHTY, there is one scene were the pilot (played by Robert Stack) can't take the stress anymore, and wigs out. The co-pilot (played by John Wayne) reaches over and slaps him in the face a couple times - and these here ain't no love taps, either.

Stack manages to pull himself together, then says "Thanks for knocking some sense into me!"

Sounds like the back side of Duke's hand would have come in handy here as well.

Posted: 11/20/2008 3:28:02 PM EDT

[#16]

[Airplane!]"Excuse me ladies and gentlemen...does anybody know how to fly this plane?"[/Airplane!]

Posted: 11/20/2008 3:34:52 PM EDT

[#17]

Wonder if he could have had a diabetic emergency i.e. hypoglycemia ?

Posted: 11/20/2008 3:39:04 PM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:
In the movie THE HIGH AND THE MIGHTY, there is one scene were the pilot (played by Robert Stack) can't take the stress anymore, and wigs out. The co-pilot (played by John Wayne) reaches over and slaps him in the face a couple times - and these here ain't no love taps, either.

Stack manages to pull himself together, then says "Thanks for knocking some sense into me!"

Sounds like the back side of Duke's hand would have come in handy here as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnrTq9Y-uJY

CRM at its finest!