N599DW Pilot dies, incredible story

[gsganzer]

This is an old story, so many of you are probably familiar with it. I stumbled upon this miraculous story of a pilot dying shortly after take-off, and the passenger Doug White, landing it.

N559DW Incident

Edit: This is another version where someone is giving some commentary and forensics.
N559DW with commentary

There's another YouTube clip by the same FSMania channel that has an interview with Doug White that's pretty entertaining. It's funny to hear the laid-back southern account of what would have been a terrifying encounter.


Anyway, thought I'd share for anyone that's never heard the story.

 

[ultrarunner]

43 minutes and one you start you’re not going anywhere…

 

[gsganzer]

43 minutes and one you start you’re not going anywhere…

When I stumbled across this story, it was the second link with the commentary. It sucked me straight in. I immediately searched for more info and found the second video with the interview with Doug.

I think my heart rate even increased, and my palms started sweating. Pretty incredible.

 

[dodge man]

I watched that several years ago. I’m not big on YouTube videos that are that long but I watched all of that one.

 

[Runner]

Thankfully he had some experience. That would have been incredibly hard to handle otherwise. You could tell from the questions he was asking, he knew exactly what issues he was up against (auto pilot settings, airspeed targets, flaps, gear, etc.).

Sad the pilot didn't make it, but Doug did a fantastic job.

 

[ultrarunner]

A few times I was able to sit right seat in a single engine Cessna.

The 3 dimensional nature of piloting was a new experience…

The pilot said take the controls and I was all over the place starting out… up, down, tilting etc… the easiest part was the heading but keeping a level flight was challenging… Cessna P210 is what my friend owned…

He was twin and seaplane rated and used his military benefits for flight school with the idea of commercial pilot.

 

[airbiscuit]

Not to hijack the tread, but I just heard the story "The long way home". It's the story of how a Pan American Airways B-314 flying boat, caught in the South Pacific, made an unplanned flight around the world following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Flying in total secrecy and radio blackout, Captain Ford and his 10 man crew flew over 31,500 miles in six weeks, avoiding enemy action in their effort to return safely to the United States. An astounding feat in 1941!

Here is an excerpt.

Long Way Home (Chapt)

 

[ultrarunner]

Not to hijack the tread, but I just heard the story "The long way home". It's the story of how a Pan American Airways B-314 flying boat, caught in the South Pacific, made an unplanned flight around the world following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Flying in total secrecy and radio blackout, Captain Ford and his 10 man crew flew over 31,500 miles in six weeks, avoiding enemy action in their effort to return safely to the United States. An astounding feat in 1941!

Here is an excerpt.

Long Way Home (Chapt)

PanAm has the most interesting history.

The father of my high school friend started his career on the China Clipper and retired flying 747… all PanAm and he was based in San Francisco.

Friend was one of 10 siblings and sometimes he would grab a flight to some-far corner of the world just to go there and back on the weekend and all free as a teen and tell us about his adventure Monday morning in homeroom.

Never got stuck as the pilots would put him in the cockpit if no other space available for Captain Bud’s son.

 

[ultrarunner]

Not to hijack the tread, but I just heard the story "The long way home". It's the story of how a Pan American Airways B-314 flying boat, caught in the South Pacific, made an unplanned flight around the world following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Flying in total secrecy and radio blackout, Captain Ford and his 10 man crew flew over 31,500 miles in six weeks, avoiding enemy action in their effort to return safely to the United States. An astounding feat in 1941!

Here is an excerpt.

Long Way Home (Chapt)

Clippers to the Rescue

How giant flying boats helped win the Pacific theater’s war of supply. Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox characterized World War II as “a war of supply.”

www.historynet.com