A PASSENGER accidentally activated the ejector seat of a plane while reaching for something to steady himself during a mid-air manoeuvre.The man instantly shot through the air force display jet’s perspex canopy and was blasted 100m into the sky by the rocket-powered emergency chair, reports the UK’s Telegraph.The incident happened shortly after the man took off for a joyride with an experienced pilot from South Africa’s Silver Falcons air display team, north of Cape Town.
It is thought he activated the ejector seat after lurching forward during an aerobatic manoeuvre and accidentally pulling on the black and yellow emergency handle between his legs.
The lever is fitted as standard in the Pilatus PC-7 Mk II jets to allow pilots and their passengers to eject from the aircraft in the event of an emergency.
As soon as it was activated, the ejection sequence activated two rockets attached to the back of his chair.The man, who has not been named, later floated back down to Earth on a parachute which opened automatically.South African Airforce bosses scrambled a helicopter to pick up the passenger after the blunder near Langebaanweg airfield.
Experts said the man was lucky to escape unharmed following the bizarre incident.
