Vintage jet takes off by mistake

BRUNTINGTHORPE, England, Sept. 8 (UPI) -- British aviation regulators say the investigation into the accidental takeoff of a vintage Cold War bomber is closed.

The Victor bomber became airborne at an air show in Leicestershire on May 5 when an engineer sitting in the co-pilot's seat gave it more throttle when he should have hit the brake, The Times of London reported. The plane was supposed to taxi down the runway and then stop.

Luckily, Bob Prothero, 70, a former RAF group captain, was at the controls. Prothero had hours of experience in Victors, although he had not flown one since the 1980s.

Prothero called the plane's brief time in the air "the most terrifying nine seconds of my life." He managed to steer the Victor, Teasin' Tina, back to the runway and away from a housing development and spectators at Cold War Jets open day at Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome.

"My only concern was getting the plane down as quickly and safely as possible," he said.

The Civil Aviation Authority investigated the incident because neither Prothero nor the "co-pilot" has an actual pilot's license. It decided against any action, finding that the engineer froze in a stressful situation.