AN EasyJet pilot was suspended after his packed holiday jet flew too close to a mountain and was just seconds away from disaster.
Captain Paul Elsworth was grounded following the cockpit drama as the plane descended towards the Red Sea resort of Hurghada in Egypt.
The Ground Proximity Warning System in the cockpit was triggered and dramatically sounded an impending crash warning.
The alert rang out ‘pull up, terrain, terrain, pull up, pull up, terrain ahead, pull up’ and a dramatic last-gasp manoeuvre – pulling on the joystick to level off the plane – saved up to 190 passengers and crew on-board.
The GPWS alert is recognised as a last resort to prevent a controlled flight into terrain.
The Airbus A320 flew over the mountain range at an altitude of just 3,100ft.
The peak of the mountain near the plane was just 771ft away from the twin-jet aircraft at an altitude of 2,329ft.
Pilots normally clear the mountain range at around 6,000ft, showing just how low the plane had flown.
Sources revealed that the jet had been descending at 4,928ft per minute, which has been dubbed “ridiculously unsafe,” before the GPWS sounded and it levelled out.
The aircraft, which had taken off from Manchester, should have been travelling slower and with a shallower rate of descent, experts said.
An official investigation into the February 2 drama of Flight EZY2251 will include details of how Capt Elsworth reported the safety scare.
The Sun understands the 61-year-old pilot registered the incident the following day – February 3 – before he was due to leave the crew hotel and head to Hurghada airport, ready to pilot the plane back to Manchester.
But EasyJet officials escalated the incident within minutes – recognising the severity of the cockpit drama.
No blame has yet been apportioned for the harrowing incident.
However, in line with protocol, bosses immediately banned Capt Elsworth, who lives in Cheshire, from flying the plane back to the UK.
A source said: “Within moments of the flight drama being raised, officials stepped in and Paul Elsworth was forbidden from piloting the plane. Another flight crew brought the jet home.
“The pilot will be asked detailed questions. The GPWS only sounds when a plane is heading into terrain – in this instance a mountain.
“Passengers on-board are understood to have been oblivious to the scare, and unaware of just how close they came to the mountain range as the plane descended into Egypt.”
After being stood down, Capt Elsworth was flown back to Manchester as a passenger, seated in the cabin.
Once back in the UK, the experienced flyer was officially suspended while investigations continue.
Despite the senior pilot being banned, the same plane—registered G-UZHA—flew back to the UK, and the cockpit voice recorder was overridden, The Sun understands.
Capt Elsworth’s account, and responses from the First Officer who was sat alongside him, will help investigators.
Capt Elsworth made headlines in 2016 when his son Luke became the youngest professional pilot at just 19 after following in his father’s footsteps at EasyJet.
The proud dad said at the time: “Luke has worked really hard. I have as much confidence in Luke flying as I have in myself—and I’ve been doing this for 32 years.” Luke now flies for British Airways.
Last night the suspended pilot advised it would be inappropriate for him to comment while there is an ongoing investigation.
The Civil Aviation Authority is waiting to review how the incident is investigated by EasyJet bosses – including how the airline ‘manages their risk’.
EasyJet told The Sun yesterday: “Safety is the number one priority for all our pilots, they are trained to the highest industry standards, subject to rigorous testing and monitored closely.
“The flight landed normally and as we have an ongoing investigation, the pilot remains stood down from duty in line with procedures.”
