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Pilot's emergency landing relief | Pilot's emergency landing relief |
(about 21 hours later) | |
The pilot has spoken of his terror at having to make an emergency landing at City of Derry Airport after reporting technical difficulties. | |
Steven Johnston, from Ballyclare, left the Ulster Gliding Club in Bellerena in a plane on Sunday afternoon. | Steven Johnston, from Ballyclare, left the Ulster Gliding Club in Bellerena in a plane on Sunday afternoon. |
Mr Johnston reported that the aircraft, a Robin DR30, was experiencing problems at about 1600 BST. | Mr Johnston reported that the aircraft, a Robin DR30, was experiencing problems at about 1600 BST. |
Emergency services were on standby as Mr Johnston landed the plane at about 1600 BST. He left unscathed. | Emergency services were on standby as Mr Johnston landed the plane at about 1600 BST. He left unscathed. |
Mr Johnston said that waiting to land was the scariest part. | Mr Johnston said that waiting to land was the scariest part. |
"When I landed it was just sheer relief. | "When I landed it was just sheer relief. |
"When I was loitering in the air waiting to come down it was almost worse than the landing itself," he added. | "When I was loitering in the air waiting to come down it was almost worse than the landing itself," he added. |
Paul Walsh, a member of the Eglinton Flying Club, watched the plane come down to land. | Paul Walsh, a member of the Eglinton Flying Club, watched the plane come down to land. |
"We all fly here ourselves and I must say he did very well," he said. | "We all fly here ourselves and I must say he did very well," he said. |
"It was a job well done, the way he managed to get it down." | "It was a job well done, the way he managed to get it down." |
The aircraft will remain at the airport until the Air Accident Investigation Branch have concluded their report. | The aircraft will remain at the airport until the Air Accident Investigation Branch have concluded their report. |
It was the second light aircraft to get into difficulties in Northern Ireland over the weekend. | It was the second light aircraft to get into difficulties in Northern Ireland over the weekend. |
A pilot and his passenger escaped uninjured after their plane made an emergency landing near Dungannon, County Tyrone, at about 1200 BST on Sunday. | A pilot and his passenger escaped uninjured after their plane made an emergency landing near Dungannon, County Tyrone, at about 1200 BST on Sunday. |