Pilot Artificial Arm Detaches: Shocking Incident As Pilot’s Arm Detaches During Landing

A pilot’s artificial arm detaches during an airplane landing and no one gets hurt. The shocking headlines could have been tragic instead of triumphant if not for the quick thinking of one brave commercial airline pilot. The pilot lost his artificial limb while attempting to land an airplane earlier this year. Fortunately, his fast reflexes saved the lives of everyone on board.

After temporarily losing control of the airplane, the 46-year-old British pilot avoided disaster when he used his other arm to reach the controls. He safely landed on the tarmac at Belfast City Airport despite losing his prosthetic arm. There were 47 passengers aboard the 2005 DHC-8-402 Dash 8 aircraft when the incident took place. Four crew members were also on board.

The bizarre landing happened in February, but the British air accident report wasn’t published until August 14, 2014. According to The Christian Science Monitor, the pilot verified that his artificial arm was firmly attached to the yoke clamp of the airplane before preparing to land. However, the pilot’s arm detached just prior to touchdown.

According to a report by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch, “During the landing flare, in gusty conditions, the commander’s prosthetic arm became detached, control was lost, and a heavy landing resulted.”

When a pilot artificial arm detaches, people can’t help but worry about whether it is safe to fly. In this case, the unnamed pilot rejected the option of asking his co-pilot to take over, deciding that using his other arm was a better choice.

The pilot plans to take measures to ensure something like this does not happen again. According to the accident report:

The commander commented that he would in future be more cautious about checking the attachment on his prosthesis, as his check may have dislodged the latching mechanism; that he would brief his co-pilots about the possibility of a similar event; and that they should be ready to take control at any time.

The name of the pilot whose artificial arm detached during landing has not been revealed.

As previously reported by The Inquisitr, another tragedy was narrowly averted recently when a toddler fell onto train tracks. A strong gust of wind blew a baby carriage onto the tracks at Goodge Street station in London, England, leaving the helpless child seconds from death until his panicked mother rescued him. Thankfully, the tale of the toddler on the tracks has a happy ending just like the story of the pilot whose artificial arm detached at Belfast City Airport.

What do you think? If you were on a flight when the pilot’s artificial arm detached, would you be afraid to get back on an airplane?

[Image via Wikimedia Commons]