Details have emerged of a pilot’s lucky landing last year after he fell asleep for at least 40 minutes during a flight from Cairns to Redcliffe. 

Air traffic control attempted to make contact with the pilot when the plane was 53 kilometres west of the Sunshine Coast Airport, but received no response. 

An investigation into the events by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau reported yesterday the pilot had fallen asleep likely due to a combination of fatigue and mild hypoxia.

“They did raise the level of alert to ‘distress’ … that means it is a grave threat to people,” aviation writer for The Australian Robyn Ironside told Neil Breen.

Press PLAY below to hear how the extraordinary event unfolded. 

Image: Getty