Flight instructor dies during flight, pilot thought he was taking a nap
Talk about experiencing your worst fear...
We're sure there are many things that people list as their worst fears, but this has got to be one of the scariest.
It isn't abnormal for a co-pilot to fall asleep whilst the pilot is in control. Well, at least that's what we assume when it comes to driving vehicles.
Although there may not be as many aircrafts in the sky as there are cars on the road, it comes with its own set of safety protocols. Which are quite strict.
In other words, falling asleep inflight is not acceptable, even if you do have a fellow pilot.
For this flight instructor, it wasn't by choice.
"A flight instructor accompanying a pilot on a private flight in England last year suffered cardiac arrest and died shortly after takeoff — but the pilot thought his fellow flier was "just pretending to take a nap" and didn't realise the truth until after landing on the runway." (Business Insider)
The pilot had planned to fly from Blackpool Airport to another airfield, but due to crosswinds, he was not comfortable to fly alone.
Therefore, he asked a flight instructor to accompany him.
According to the report, the pilot said that the last thing he remembered the instructor say was, "Looks good, there is nothing behind you."
For more information from East Coast Radio
"Shortly after takeoff, however, the pilot said the instructor's head rolled back. The pilot knew the instructor well and thought he was simply "pretending to take a nap," not realising what had occurred, the report said." (Business Insider)
The pilot still believed that the instructor was kidding when he rested his head on the pilot's shoulder.
After trying to get a response from the instructor, and not getting one, the pilot knew something was wrong.
"A UK Civil Aviation Authority medical department review found the pilot, who had logged more than 8,800 flying hours, had a medical history of hypertensive disease and likely suffered cardiac arrest as the aircraft took off." (Business Insider)
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