LONDON (AP) — A British air accident report has recounted how a pilot lost control of a passenger plane after his artificial arm became detached during landing.
The report says the incident took place as the Flybe flight from Birmingham, carrying 47 passengers, was approaching Belfast City Airport in gusty conditions in February.
The 46-year-old pilot had shortly before checked that his prosthetic lower left arm was securely attached to the yoke clamp, but as he performed a maneuver just before touchdown the limb became detached.
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch said Thursday he then moved his right hand to the yoke to regain control. Winds caused the plane to land heavily with a bounce.
No one was hurt in the incident.
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Sounds like a an SNL skit.
Eeek! And yet, his prosthetic arm was one of a few thousand “prosthetics” flying that plane, mostly without his direct input.
I know the whole “planes fly themselves” meme isn’t really true, but in the big commercial airliners, there aren’t many things that rely on the instantaneous, perfect physical reaction by the pilot.
I hope the fallout is limited to making sure there’s a procedure in place for this specific arm to remain attached in the future.
Classroom version of the skit: “my dog ate the arm I use for homework”