Atlanta- A Delta Flight 1107 bound for Atlanta had more excitement than most passengers had bargained for today as a passenger landed the plane in Memphis, TN. About 30 minutes into the hour and 20 minute flight, the pilot, Cpt. B.F. Pierce became incapacitated while attempting to rescue the Co-pilot 1st. Officer S.H. Potter from a locked lavatory. According to a Delta flight attendant, the 1st. Officer had damaged the door rendering it inoperable. The pilot, while attempting to pry the man out, fell backward and suffered a debilitating head injury rendering him unconscious.
Making every attempt to follow protocol, the lead flight attendant entered the cockpit and radioed Atlanta Air Traffic Control immediately. Atlanta ATC directed to “seek a pilot casually.” As Sharon Farrell began making her rounds asking if anyone could fly, she happened upon Brian Schwelling of Warner Robins, GA sitting in First Class. She’s asked him if he’d had any experience flying a plane. “I was like…seriously?!?!,” Schwelling responded. She’d said, “yeah…seriously”. Schwelling responded that though he’d had some experience, Farrell ought to seek someone with more experience than he.
Within 10 minutes, Farrell had returned to Schwelling and alerted him that it was he who would need to help fly the plane until the pilot recovered.
“I figured I’d just sit there until the pilot woke up or the co-pilot was able to escape the restroom.” “I had no idea I’d actually have to land the the thing!”
Schwelling credited the Atlanta ATC, Lexington ATC and the flight crew for helping land the Airbus 319. More details and film at 11:00.