London, Nov 8 : A lone pilot flying a four-seater Cessna aircraft went blind at 15,000ft when he suffered a stroke, and only made it safely to the ground after he was guided by an RAF wing commander.
Jim O''Neill, 65, a businessman with 18 years experience, was flying from Prestwick airport in Scotland to an airfield near Colchester, Essex on 31 October when the instruments on his aircraft became difficult to read.
O''Neill had at first assumed that it was only the glare of the sunlight as he flew over north England at 15,000ft, but when the dials blurred completely he realised the full horror of his predicament: he was a solo pilot who had suddenly gone blind.