Health History Spotty, but Explainable, Until Weekend; Student Saves the Flight

Melanie Oswalt, 24, a 50-hour (TT) student pilot, climbed into the right seat of the C-401, and then climbed the steepest learning curve of her life on Friday night.

Oswalt was one of four passengers on a Martha's Vineyard -- Hyannis (MA) flight. She was returning home from her job as a trainer for the airline, Cape Air, when the pilot, identified as Ronald N. Crews, 50, became incapacitated from an as-yet unknown cause. As he was in the process of going unconscious, reports tell us, he tried to retain control of the airplane, until the other passengers were able to pull him off the controls, literally as he conked out. The normally-15-minute flight turned into a Survivor miniseries, condensed, and without commercials -- only this time, either they'd all make it, or none. Oswalt was in the hot seat, for nearly 50 minutes.

She took over as the plane had gone 'way off course, and as the altimeter read 300 feet, and climbed to 1000. Since her training had been at Provincetown, that's where she headed.

Late last Spring, one report said, Crews voluntarily excused himself from the cockpit just before takeoff, and went on medical leave. He got his medical back some six weeks ago, after a series of tests. The nature of that medical problem has not been disclosed; therefore, we don't know if it is related to Friday's trouble. A Cape Air spokeswoman said, "I can't imagine that this gentleman would be flying with us again. This was too serious. I know I'm saying this without knowing what happened to him, but we tend to err on the side of caution." [This time, it doesn't look like anyone's going to 'err,' at all.] Crews, for his part, was given some test and treated at the Cape Cod hospital, and released. He has worked fro Cape Air for four years.

Back in the right seat, Oswalt talked on her cell phone with an instructor on the ground, who had her level the wings. He asked if she were ready to land the plane, and she said she was. Then the phone went dead. Various articles have not completely addressed the radio situation -- so we don't know what might have been right, or wrong, with them.

Oswalt flew a pattern for Provincetown, and didn't have time to learn how to drop the gear, so she brought the twin Cessna down on its belly. Nobody was hurt, as she hit the runway, and stayed on it. The airplane, according to early reports, will fly again.

Oswalt, who lives in West Yarmouth (MA), will be getting free flying lessons now, courtesy Cape Air. The other passengers are being awarded free flight certificates by the airline, for their help and their calm.

** Report created 02/11/2002 Record 7 **

IDENTIFICATION

Regis#: 524CA Make/Model: C402 Description: 401, 402, Utililiner, Business

Date: 02/09/2002 Time: 0109 

Event Type: Incident Highest Injury: Minor Mid Air: N Missing: N

Damage: Minor

LOCATION

City: PROVINCETOWN State: MA Country: US

DESCRIPTION

HYANNIS AIR SERVICE (CAPE AIR) AIR TAXI ACFT WAS EN ROUTE WHEN THE PILOT APPARENTLY BECAME INCAPACITATTED AND BEGAN FLYING ERATICALLY, ANOTHER CAPE AIR EMPLOYEE ON BOARD TOOK CONTROL OF THE ACFT, AND THE ACFT LANDED GEAR-UP, THREE PAX ON BOARD SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, THE ACFT HAS MINOR DAMAGE, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN, PROVINCETOWN, MA. 

INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 0

# Crew: 1 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk: Y

# Pass: 4 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 3 Unk: Y

# Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:

WEATHER: UNKN

OTHER DATA

Activity: Business Phase: Unknown Operation: Air Taxi (On Demand)

Departed: MARTHA'S VINEYARD, M Dep Date: 02/09/2002 Dep. Time: 0042

Destination: HYANNIS, MA Flt Plan: VFR Wx Briefing: U

Last Radio Cont: LFV VOR

Last Clearance: NONE

FAA FSDO: BEDFORD, MA (NE01) Entry date: 02/11/2002