An experienced pilot and the 80-year-old woman he helped land a
plane without a pilot's license were hailed as heroes Tuesday by Door
County Sheriff Terry Vogel.Rob Vuksanovic, 53, of Sturgeon Bay
joined Helen Collins in the sky and helped guide her to the ground
after her husband suffered an apparent heart attack while piloting the
plane Monday afternoon.
John Collins, 81, was pronounced dead at
Ministry Door County Medical Center shortly after the plane landed at
Cherryland Airport. He was the president and founder of C&S
Manufacturing, which builds parts for the HVAC and plumbing industries
at the Sturgeon Bay Industrial Park.
At a news conference Tuesday, Vogel recounted how Austin Straubel
International Airport in Green Bay notified Door County dispatch of a
distress call received at 5:05 p.m., when Helen Collins reported the
medical emergency. She was spotted on radar about five or six miles
south of Sturgeon Bay at 2,300 feet.
Cherryland Airport manager
Keith Kasbohm contacted Vuksanovic and his wife, Catherine, both
licensed pilots, who came to the airport and began speaking to Mrs.
Collins via radio.
"My wife is a senior instructor and knows how
to put a student at ease," Rob Vuksanovic said. "The first thing to do
is eliminate anxiety, and then they can receive instruction."
Catherine
stayed in contact from the ground while her husband talked with the
Collinses' children and coordinated going up in the family's other
plane to fly beside her. Vuksanovic piloted a Beechcraft Bonanza to
keep up with the twin engine Cessna 414 that was flying at about 170
mph when first intercepted, he said.
"There are very few single
engines that can do that speed," he said. "I did a quick preflight and
was up in about 10-15 minutes."
The Collins children urged him, "Go up and save Mom," he said.
"That was a huge load on my shoulders," Rob Vuksanovic said.
But with more than 28,000 hours of flight time and years of training, he said he "felt fairly comfortable doing it."
Hard landing
Catherine Vuksanovic said Helen Collins didn't sound fearful but challenged them to bring her in.
"Her
son was there, Rob and I … and she was just an amazing person,"
Catherine said. "She wanted to make sure we were on board doing this."
The
Cessna was getting low on fuel and she had been more than three hours
in flight after first leaving Marco Island, Fla., then refueling in
Rome, Ga., and heading for Sturgeon Bay. Neither engine lost power, but
the plane landed with less than a quarter tank of gas.
"As soon as she saw the Bonanza — their other plane — there was a sense of calmness," Rob Vuksanovic said.
With
Vuksanovic leading the way, the two aircraft did several fly-by
maneuvers together as practice runs before attempting a landing at 6:09
p.m.
Helen Collins was able to fly the dual-stick plane from the
right side of the aircraft but at one point, had to maneuver around her
husband, who was slumped over the controls, he said. The plane touched
down roughly, bounced once and then hit the ground nose first, skidding
across a grassy area and coming to rest.
"She did a great job,"
he said. "There was no fire. She knew you have to keep the nose up.
That was enough to keep her alive. This was more than a successful
landing."
An aviator lost
Rob Vuksanovic knew John Collins well, as both have planes based at
Cherryland Airport, but had only met Helen Collins once briefly. He
said the Collinses did a lot of flying together and although Helen
didn't have a license, her previous experience in the cockpit helped.
"John was a close fellow aviator," he said. "I hate to see him go."
Apparently overcome by emotion, he then asked for a moment of silence in respect for the loss of his friend.
Kasbohm,
who also knew John Collins from the airport, said he was very energetic
and active in his business and used his planes for both business and
pleasure.
"He loved to fly," he said.
Monday's events were stunning, Kasbohm said.
"You
see movies like this when pilots are in trouble and someone on the
ground talks you down," he said. "This movie just came true in Door
County."
Southern Door Fire Department and Door County EMS crews
responded and transported the Collinses to the hospital. Helen Collins
complained of back pain. John Collins never regained consciousness and
was pronounced dead at 6:38 p.m.
The U.S. Coast Guard and
Sturgeon Bay Fire Department also responded because initially it was
unknown whether the plane would land in the bay. County C was also
blocked from traffic in case the plane landed on the road near the
airport, Vogel said.
Rob Vuksanovic said this was the sixth incident he has had where he has helped coach an airplane down to safety.
Vuksanovic
was raised in an airline family, he said, and was only 3 months old
when he took his first plane ride. He became a pilot for Midwest
Express and also has experience with corporate, military and collegiate
aircraft.
"He is a true leader and outstanding citizen," Vogel
said. "Our thoughts and prayers also go out to the John Collins family.
He will be sadly missed."