False arm – not the one that fell off during landing (Picture: Flickr/ Divine Harvester)

A pilot lost control of his plane when his false arm fell off – but kept his nerve to land safely.

The Flybe captain, who has not been named, was preparing to ground his plane – carrying 47 passengers – when the emergency occurred.

He had clamped his prosthetic arm to the controls but it became detached, investigators revealed.

But rather than ask his co-pilot to take the joystick he decided to land the plane using just one hand.


Flybe plane (Picture: Flickr/ Declan Keegan)

‘He did this but with power still applied. A normal touchdown was followed by a bounce, from which the aircraft landed heavily,’ the Air Accident Investigations Branch said in a report published today. No-one was hurt and the plane, flying from Birmingham to Belfast in February, was not damaged.



The 46-year-old pilot told investigators he will check his false arm is properly connected to the controls in future. He will also brief his co-pilots to be ready to take control at any time.

Flybe’s director of operations and safety, Capt Ian Baston, said it was proud to be an equal opportunities employer. ‘The captain is one of Flybe’s most experienced and trusted pilots. At no time was the safety of passengers compromised,’ he said.

Richard Taylor, of the Civil Aviation Authority, said: ‘If the medical examiner thinks that pilot is able to fly as well as an able-bodied pilot, then there’s no reason he shouldn’t be given a licence.’