A Life in Limbo - Series 2 - Episode 3

Peter Burkill is a former British Airways pilot who was flying a Boeing 777 from Beijing to Heathrow in January 2008. Both engines failed just as the plane was coming into land and the plane began to plummet to earth. With just 35 seconds to avert death and disaster over Heathrow, his instinctive adjustment to the flaps on the wings of the Boeing was a stroke of genius. He managed to guide the plane to safety on the ground, saving 152 lives, and was labelled a hero at the time. However, in the following months, rumours about the accident spread and Peter tells Clare English that his reputation was damaged, even though the air crash investigation cleared him of any blame. The crash was a defining moment in his life, but its aftermath led to the devastating end of his 20 year career.