Bumpy landing as pilot loses arm

Passengers aboard the Flybe flight to Belfast from Birmingham were in for a bit of a rough landing in windy conditions. Whilst coming into land the pilot’s prosthetic arm fell off after the strap detached.

The 47 passengers were not injured and the plane has not suffered any damage.  The incident occurred on February 12 but the details have just been released. The pilot had made sure the strap was secure before beginning to land and is described by Flybe as one of their “most experienced and trusted” pilots.

During the attempted landing his arm detached but instead of asking his co-pilot to aid him, the pilot removed his right hand from the power and onto the steering to allow him to guide the aircraft to the runway. This did mean that the landing came in at a higher speed than normal bringing a shudder to the craft and alarming the passengers.

Precautions will now be taken following a report from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch with the co-pilot being explained the procedure in case of such an event whilst any pilot with such a problem will need to be more certain that any prosthetic limb is secured.

Flybe’s Captain Ian Baston, director of flight operations and safety, has stated “that in common with most airlines, means we do employ staff with reduced physical abilities” due to Flybe being an equal opportunities employer.