Mike Aubrey's split-second decision prevented human tragedy as the pilot crash-landed from 300ft in the air.
His wife Jo was working in Manchester when she found out that her husband was involved in a plane crash in East London on 4 April of last year.
She was told that the 58-year-old suffered 'potentially life threatening injuries' after the engine of his two-seater plane stopped mid-air.
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“I was in Manchester at the time for work, so I had to catch the next train back to London,” said Mrs Aubrey.
“It was the most awful train journey I have ever had. The crash was being reported on in the news, using words like ‘life-changing’ and ‘life-critical injuries’.”
The father-of-two was travelling at 300ft in the air when the plane engine stopped and would not come back on.
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While falling through the air, he made the quick decision to steer the plane away from areas that would cause more damage to others.
Mike managed to turn the plane away from electricity pylons, an industrial estate and a busy road by landing into woodland areas.
The crash took place near Damyns Hall Aerodrome in Aveley Road, in Upminster, as London’s Air Ambulance treated him on the scene.
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Paramedics from the Air Ambulance and London Ambulance Service provided Mike with general anaesthetic so they could perform a surgery on a collapsed lung and realign his broken ankle.
He was then taken by helicopter to the nearest major trauma centre.
After three weeks, Mike woke up from his coma and was able to return home after a month.
His wife said: “Mike came home on 7 May and I’ve looked after him ever since.
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“At the beginning, he would have a lot of flashbacks from the incident and you’d see blind fear in his face. It was horrible.
“He is a different Mike now. But he is still here, and I am so lucky.
“I can’t believe the service that saved him is a charity. It wouldn’t be here without support from the public. And Mike wouldn’t be here without it.
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“The air ambulance service doesn’t stop after they deliver the patient to hospital, in our experience they were a constant source of support. They would appear on the bleakest of days and help us find the positives.”
Mike - who suffers from a severe ankle injury, tiredness and a lack of concentration - said: “I have no idea what the future holds for me. There is still a long road for me to travel and I’m sure it will have lots of ups and downs.
“I do however have a future and for that I will forever be grateful.”
Anish Vij