A passenger took over the controls of a twin-engine plane after the pilot died in flight, landing it safely at Southwest Florida International Airport.
His quick action saved the lives of five people.
The AP quotes Federal Aviation Administration officials as saying the plane, which had left Marco Island Executive Airport on Sunday, was at 10,000 feet and climbing on autopilot when the pilot died.
The AP says the passenger who took the controls was licensed for single-engine planes, but was not certified for the King Air they were flying.
During the ordeal, an air traffic controller called a friend in Connecticut who was familiar with that model aircraft and guided the passenger as he brought the plane in safely, the AP says.
