Jet pilot had an anxiety attack while landing in the UK — forcing him to leave the cockpit

A JET co-pilot had an anxiety attack while landing in the UK and had to leave the cockpit, a report has revealed.

Six crew and 148 passengers were on board when he became “overwhelmed by emotions”.

His commander, who reported the emergency to air traffic control, had to land the plane solo.

The anxiety was triggered by a difficult landing the day before,  the Air Accidents Investigation Branch found.

The pair had been flying into Palma, Majorca, from Glasgow “when at  30ft, a change in the wind displaced the aircraft towards the runway edge”.

The AAIB report, published yesterday, continued: “The commander took control  and executed a go-around.”

That night the co-pilot had just four hours sleep but said he was fine to fly.

He and the captain, both unnamed, then flew an Airbus A319 from Glasgow to London Stansted  and back again when the co-pilot, who had 686 hours’ flying experience, became unwell.

The report states: “He felt increasingly nervous during the flights  and  was ‘over-thinking’ the need to do a good approach.

“He felt it was critical to get his confidence back for a task that he knew he was capable of.

“Eventually his emotions and associated physical symptoms overwhelmed him.”

An ambulance was waiting for the flight last September. It was not known if the co-pilot  still flies.

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