Lucky escape for private jet

A PRIVATE jet veered wildly out of control as it came in to land at Edinburgh Airport at 220mph.

The eight-seater Cessna aircraft which set off from Palma, Majorca, developed electrical problems which escalated dramatically during the two-hour flight.

And the two pilots fought to control the jet as the autopilot made it veer and pitch as it was about to land in March 2008.

The drama was detailed in an Air Accident Investigation Branch report published today.

Seven miles from Edinburgh Airport, as the aircraft descended, the autopilot forced the rudder left, then right, and began pitching the aircraft up and down.

But as they approached the runway, the landing gear came down with seconds to spare and the plane screeched to a halt 50 metres from the edge of the runway.