Ryanair Flight Approaches Crash with Helicopter over Stansted

A Ryanair flight carrying 178 passengers came perilously close to colliding with a helicopter above Stansted Airport due to a miscommunication between the co-pilot and captain. The incident occurred as the aircraft, descending from 3,000 feet, dropped about 550 feet after the co-pilot failed to inform the captain that he had switched off the autopilot. At the time, the plane was only 300 feet above the helicopter flying at 2,000 feet, a situation that posed a serious risk. The captain regained control in time to ascend back to 3,000 feet and landed safely. An investigation revealed that the co-pilot was inexperienced in handing over control during manual flight and did not follow standard procedures for communication. This incident highlights critical safety concerns in aviation operations and has drawn comparisons to previous aviation disasters.