What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Narrative: while on an ILS approach to runway 18R at the Charlotte/Douglas international airport, the pilot of a Piper PA-31 navajo, operating on a FAR part 135 passenger-carrying flight, declared a missed approach. After executing the initial missed approach instructions from Charlotte air traffic control, the pilot engaged the auto pilot. A pilot-rated passenger seated in the right front seat realized that the pilot was not responding to radio calls from ATC. The passenger then noticed that the pilot looked ashen and appeared to be convulsing. After requesting assistance from another passenger to hold the pilot out of the way of the yoke, the pilot-rated passenger assumed control of the aircraft. Although he was unable to turn off the auto pilot, the passenger manually overpowered it and continued to fly the aircraft back around for a landing. At approximately 400 feet AGL, the elbow of the passenger holding the incapacitated pilot apparently hit the mixture controls causing both engines to quit. The aircraft glided to a landing on runway 36L. The pilot-rated passenger then attempted to steer the aircraft on the ground using the rudders, but found them ineffective. The aircraft veered off the left side of the runway into the grass and came to a stop. There was no damage to the aircraft and none of the four passengers on board were injured. The pilot did not respond to attempts by EMS personnel to revive him at the scene.
As the FAA filed it
NARRATIVE: WHILE ON AN ILS APPROACH TO RUNWAY 18R AT THE CHARLOTTE/DOUGLAS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, THE PILOT OF A PIPER PA-31 NAVAJO, OPERATING ON A FAR PART 135 PASSENGER-CARRYING FLIGHT, DECLARED A MISSED APPROACH. AFTER EXECUTING THE INITIAL MISSED APPROACH INSTRUCTIONS FROM CHARLOTTE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL, THE PILOT ENGAGED THE AUTO PILOT. A PILOT-RATED PASSENGER SEATED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT REALIZED THAT THE PILOT WAS NOT RESPONDING TO RADIO CALLS FROM ATC. THE PASSENGER THEN NOTICED THAT THE PILOT LOOKED ASHEN AND APPEARED TO BE CONVULSING. AFTER REQUESTING ASSISTANCE FROM ANOTHER PASSENGER TO HOLD THE PILOT OUT OF THE WAY OF THE YOKE, THE PILOT-RATED PASSENGER ASSUMED CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. ALTHOUGH HE WAS UNABLE TO TURN OFF THE AUTO PILOT, THE PASSENGER MANUALLY OVERPOWERED IT AND CONTINUED TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT BACK AROUND FOR A LANDING. AT APPROXIMATELY 400 FEET AGL, THE ELBOW OF THE PASSENGER HOLDING THE INCAPACITATED PILOT APPARENTLY HIT THE MIXTURE CONTROLS CAUSING BOTH ENGINES TO QUIT. THE AIRCRAFT GLIDED TO A LANDING ON RUNWAY 36L. THE PILOT-RATED PASSENGER THEN ATTEMPTED TO STEER THE AIRCRAFT ON THE GROUND USING THE RUDDERS, BUT FOUND THEM INEFFECTIVE. THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY INTO THE GRASS AND CAME TO A STOP. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT AND NONE OF THE FOUR PASSENGERS ON BOARD WERE INJURED. THE PILOT DID NOT RESPOND TO ATTEMPTS BY EMS PERSONNEL TO REVIVE HIM AT THE SCENE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N7451L · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.