Suddenly lost consciousness at an altitude of approximately 20,000 feet.
There have been two notable and remarkably similar incidents where a passenger had to land a after the pilot was incapacitated, with the most recent occurring in late 2024. Bakersfield, California (October 2024) PILOT DIES, Passenger Lands King Air
A female passenger with some aviation knowledge but no pilot’s license was forced to take the controls. Suddenly lost consciousness at an altitude of approximately
This famous "Easter miracle" incident served as the basis for the 2023 film On a Wing and a Prayer . This famous "Easter miracle" incident served as the
Guided by air traffic controllers and local pilots on the ground, she diverted the twin-engine turboprop to Meadows Field Airport in Bakersfield. After circling three times to line up, she successfully touched down. The plane overran the runway into a grassy area, but both the passenger and the aircraft were unharmed.
The pilot was transported to a hospital but was later pronounced dead. Fort Myers, Florida (April 2009)
On , a King Air C90 was flying from Henderson, Nevada, to Monterey, California, when the pilot suffered a fatal medical emergency.