81 Year Old Man Takes Controls of Small Plane

Robert Kupferschmid, an 81-year old man with no flying experience was flying with a 52 year old pilot friend in a Cessna 172 when the pilot suddenly slumped over and died at the controls. The single-engine plane began to nose-dive and Kupferschmid grabbed the controls and somehow he got on the radio and pleaded for help. Nearby were two pilots who heard the call and gave Kupferschmid a steady stream of instructions of climbing, steering, and the scariest part: landing at a nearby airport. Emergency vehicles were called out and ready for what seemed like an approaching disaster. Witnesses said the plane’s nose nudged the center line and bounced a few times before the tail hit the ground. The Cessna ended up in a patch of soggy grass next to the runway. Amazingly, Kupferschmid was not injured. He listened and followed those instructions as if his life depended on it–and it did. (From a sermon by Michael Luke, Faith Can Fix Anything, 10/1/2010)