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Subscribe to RSSWhile up in the air with her husband slumped over the plane's controls, 80-year-old Helen Collins, managed to land the safely. NBC's Kevin Tibbles reports.
An audio recording released by Wisconsin aviation officials reveals the cool-headedness of an 80-year-old woman who took the controls of the airplane her husband had been flying until he suddenly lost consciousness.
Helen Collins was sitting in the passenger's seat of a Cessna when her husband, 81-year-old pilot John Collins, suffered a fatal heart attack.
Although Helen had taken some flying lessons decades ago, she never got her pilot license and was unfamiliar with how to fly the Cessna. The couple was six miles south of their destination, Cherryland Airport, near their hometown of Sturgeon Bay, Wis., when John slumped over.
Helen had only one choice: take the controls and radio in for a crash course in landing planes.
"I gotta land pretty quick. My back gauge shows nothing," the retired secretary says during the first of a couple of attempts to reach the runway.
On the 45-minute audio released by Door County sheriff's office (covering roughly 90 minutes of flight), Helen says little about her husband, instead answering questions about her location and speed, and learning as much as she can about the plane over the course of the recording. Her voice barely reveals any emotion, only conveying urgency about landing.
To help her out, another pilot, Robert Vuksanovic, scrambled in a small plane. His wife, also a pilot, joined other aviation officials from the dispatch center.
"OK, Helen? We're going to launch another aircraft. It will come up and it will fly right next to you and it will give you instructions and it will fly right next to you and fly with you to the airport," officials from the dispatch center tell her.
Meanwhile, down on the ground, firefighters and EMTs convened in Cherryland Airport, not knowing what condition she or her husband would be in when they arrived, Door County officials said.
The audio recording is full of static, beeping, and other noises, but the only thing that seems to break Collins' concentration is a telephone call. "My cell phone is ringing right now. Is that you guys?"
Back at the dispatch center, Vuksanovic's wife tells Helen: "Just disregard it. We're all here on the radio."
Once Vuksanovic nears Helen in the air, he reaches her on the radio and tells her she's doing well as he prepares her for the final approach.
"OK, very good," he says. "Looking good, Helen, just fly down the runway."
Listen to full 45-minute audio on wtmj.com
"I don't think I can circle again," she says. "I'm coming in too fast."
They try several times to land, but can't position the Cessna quite right. "Turn left. Turn left. Left turn, Helen, turn left. Bring the nose up. That's it, that's it," he says.
Then, she tells him her right engine is out. Her fuel has finally run out.
"Nose down. Nose down. Turn right a little bit. Turn right. Nose down, nose down. Come on, get down. Get down," he said. "Bring the power back. Power back. Power back. Reduce the power, over. Reduce the power. Nose down, over. Helen, do you read me?"
A second goes by and she responds in a calm voice, "I read you."
Original story: 80-year-old woman lands plane after husband passes out
The Cessna bounced off the runway and landed about 1,000 feet down the runway, The Associated Press reported.
"Great job, Helen, great job," someone says over the radio. "Outstanding, Helen."
Her son Richard Collins, who lives next door to his mom, told msnbc.com.com it's a "miracle."
"I can't even believe it. I can't even tell my mom how to run a computer!" the 55-year-old said.
Helen is recovering from a cracked rib and injuries to her spine, but is doing well, a family member said, according to The Associated Press.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Wow, I didn't even realize I was holding my breath, fantastic job Helen!
me too!! Wow what a great story.
What a trooper! She makes me proud to be an old lady in tennis shoes. Rock on, Helen!
I was holding my breath and my butt was puckered. Oh man what a ride Helen. Sorry for your loss.
"keeled over"? Wow....you couldn't must at least a LITTLE bit of respect??? The woman's husband died while piloting a plane and the woman mustered incredible courage to land safely when most of us probably would have panicked. Some credit is due. I hope this story gets edited to show more journalistic integrity and common courtesy to the woman and her family.
Did we read the same article? All the heroism and drama leading to an unbelievably happy ending and the best you can do is bellyache?
I have news for you, Tracey, death is inevitable. Keeled over is not a disrespect turn of phrase.
Credit is due? This story is nothing but credit to Helen, to the Vuksanovics, the tower crew, to the responders.
Good point on the sensitive language. We've revised. Thanks for reading and for pointing this out. - Elizabeth, msnbc.com
Considering the traumatized emotional state she must have been in, being that her husband had JUST passed and was seated SO closely to her, it is nothing short of a miracle that she was able to remain so composed. I would've been a hot mess. Kudos to you Helen! :-)
BRAVO!!!!!
So sorry for the loss of her husband, but WOW to be able to stay level headed and land in such a stressful situation. Amazing job, Helen!!
yea, that was a pretty poor choice of words.....glad she made it though. not sure I could have done it and I'm almost half her age.
Keeled over, really? You couldn't just simply say died? Honestly. I'm all for not always using the same word, but I feel like saying he keeled over turns this into a joke and is insensitive.
That is remarkable. I didn't do as well the first time I used Microsoft Flight Simulator!
As for the landing, any landing you walk away from is a good landing.
Unfortunate circumstance, but incredible focus.
Her husband will rest in peace, guaranteed.
Losing an engine on short final is every twin-engine pilot's nightmare. It's a miracle she was able to maintain control. It takes a whole lot of rudder pressure to keep a Beechcraft like this pointed straight, when only one engine is working. Looks like she landed with the flaps up, which might explain why the landing was so "hot" and she bounced and collapsed the nose gear - but she LANDED it.
Is that really a Cessna? I could be wrong.
Any landing you can walk away from is a good landing--uh she didn't walk away from this one, she was carried away. Is this a good landing? Must be, she is still alive, painful of injuries and the emotional loss of her husband qualifies this as good landing.
I love this lady! Hollywood, in stead of churning out the recycled crap you try to get us to watch, sign the lady a contract!
This is an incredible story for a 80 yr. old lady to land a cessna with only one engine and her unresponsive husband beside her. She is full of blessings. Glad that she is ok. As strong as I think I am I don't know if I could have a clear vision to land. My eyes would be soaked with tears. Go Helen, Go!
Power back to 1700 rpms, gear down & locked, flaps at 40 degrees, pull power completely & flare about 5 foot off the deck. Think about doing all of that while your spouse is almost certainly dead beside you. One Hell of a woman. My wife would probably have just opened the door, dumped my ass out & flew to Jamica.
Well, Sherm, if you were dead would it matter? Just think what she would save on funeral expenses. (:>)
Wow. Great job by all involved.
What an amazing woman. Kudos to her for remaining calm in what can only be described as devastating circumstances.
I would call that more like crashing than landing but good job for doing it and living to tell about it.
That's not a crash landing. It's a dipped nose landing, no real harm done. A crash involves a KaBOOM KerBANG.
WOW! Way to go, Helen! And terribly sorry for your loss.
Now, that is one tough and cool cookie! I'm glad she landed safely. I'm sure her husband would have been extremely proud of her.
This story had me tearing up by the end! So sorry for your loss Helen. I can't even imagine the courage it took for you to fly and land that plane!
don't know why that someone is still allowed to fly at age 81. looks odd to me. it is not only killing himself but killing alot other innocent people. that is stupid.
NUOC: great point! Is it responsible public policy to allow 70 and 80 year-olds to fly planes?
I don't think people should have things taken away from them based on their age but flying a plane at that age is what were they thinking to do that. I'm afraid to go on amusement rides now that I'm older. I go just to watch the kids have fun, I wave to them *LOL* As far as health goes anybody can have something happen to them at any age. Every time we get behind a wheel of a car we put ourselves and others in danger just being on the road in a car. In this case it is a plane and anybody young or old can have a health issue suddently happen. Health issues have no age preference. So if age is a reason to discriminate due to health issues than everyone should be discriminated. How many people are out there with heart disease and other ailments and they don't know it? Health exams for everyone to operate any motor vehicle and must be proven with proof of insurance. And your insurance will cost more if you have health issues due to the risk. Truck drivers have to have an health exam so why not everyone since people are worried about elderly people operating a moving vehicle in case they have a heart attack or something. Another issue how many people operate a moving vehicle on drugs!! So why should I worry about elderly people driving anything. People complain and new laws become of it because they see dollars signs behind the idea. I'm sure this will happen someday so keep complaining on.