In the news of the PEOPLEMagazine, a passenger helped land a private plane safely in North Carolina on Sunday after the aircraft’s pilot experienced a fatal medical emergency.
According to a spokesperson for the airport and an incident report obtained, the passenger took control of the aircraft and landed it at the Raleigh-Durham International Airport shortly after the medical emergency was announced onboard.
The pilot was then taken to a local hospital shortly after the private plane landed but died afterwards. It is unclear what kind of medical condition happened on the plane, or when.
The late pilot was said to be professor Joseph Izatt who served as a professor of engineering at Duke University since 2001.
In a statement, Pratt School Dean, Jerome Lynch described Izatt as “an exceptionally thoughtful leader who weighed every decision with a care” and that he was “especially saddened to have lost a school leader who proudly led with his heart and who cared so deeply for the members of the BME and Pratt community”.
The brave passenger’s identity was anonymous due to obvious reasons.
