Pilot pulls 'risky' landing stunt in jet carrying 200 passengers
By Yaron Steinbuch
October 18, 2017 | 2:37pm	| Updated October 18, 2017 | 4:29pm
An Air Berlin pilot has landed in hot water after appearing to play barnstormer with 200 passengers aboard, according to reports.
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The pilot buzzed Dusseldorf's airport terminal in a maneuver that was meant to mark the carrier's last trans-Atlantic flight Monday, according to reports.
The Airbus A330 from Miami was on final approach when it banked sharply to the left over the runway, performed a go-around maneuver and landed safely.
"It's too high! It's too high!" one person can be heard saying in a video that captured the dramatic stunt.
"What is he doing?" a woman says.
An airport employee at first thought the jet would smash into the terminal.
"It was a strange feeling when the A330 came right at us, as we did not know before that it would do a honorary lap," she said, the UK's Mirror reported.
Air Berlin said the crew had gotten permission to perform a left turn in case of an aborted landing.
"We wanted to make a mark — a dignified and emotional goodbye," the unidentified pilot was quoted as saying by German broadcaster ZDF, Reuters reported.
Control tower personnel clapped as the plane taxied and the captain said in German that Air Berlin would "cease its long-distance flights tomorrow."
Aviation authorities are looking into the unusual incident, the airline said, according to the Local of Germany.
A pilot for a different airline told Reuters that a go-around should only be performed for operational or safety reasons.
"Electing to do one if it is known not to be required adds an unnecessary risk," he said.
Lufthansa has signed a deal to buy large parts of the operations of Air Berlin, which filed for bankruptcy on Aug. 15. The airline will fly its final short-haul flights at the end of this month.
Filed under germany , pilots , wtf , 10/18/17
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