RAF rescue blinded pilot

Published: Friday, 7 November 2008, 10:01PM

A pilot who lost his sight flying a light aircraft has been guided to safety by an RAF jet.

Solo pilot Jim O'Neill was taking the two-seat Cessna back from a family holiday in Scotland to Essex, when he was suddenly blinded over North Yorkshire.

Mr O'Neill had a stroke mid-flight and blood at the back of his head put pressure on his optic nerves, immediately blinding him, according to reports.

The 65-year-old put in a mayday alert and attempted to land his plane at Full Sutton Airfield near York, but was unable to complete the manoeuvre even with the help of air traffic controllers.

A RAF team from nearby Linton-on-Ouse was scrambled and a Tucano T1 jet took off to find the aircraft and guided the stricken pilot to the ground.

Mr O'Neill, who has 18 years' flying experience, was taken to York Hospital before being transferred to Queen's Hospital in Romford, Essex.

He is thought to be seriously ill in a brain unit at the hospital.

Mr O'Neill said on his hospital bed: "I should not be alive. I owe my life - and those of dozens of people I could have crash landed on - to the RAF. It was terrifying. Suddenly I couldn't see the dials in front of me".

Wing Commander Paul Gerrard, 42, told how he was taking part in an RAF training sortie when he came to the stricken pilot's help.

He said: "For me I was just glad to help a fellow aviator in distress. I was just part of a team. Landing an aircraft literally blind needs someone to be right there to say 'left a bit, right a bit, stop, down'.

"On the crucial final approach, even with radar assistance you need to take over visually. That's when having a fellow pilot there was so important."

© Independent Television News Limited 2008. All rights reserved.