Plane nearly lands on man

[what next]

In 1973 some Lufthansa 737-200 pretended to approach Heligoland as a prank during an empty training flight. Rumours claim the pilots got fired for it.

A little googling reveals that he was degraded to co-pilot (now called "first officer") for three years. After that he made the normal LH career, retiring as long-range captain some years ago. His son is flying with the company still, therefore they keep their name secret.

[First_Principal]

It's not whether you do it with 'purpose' that matters, it's whether you do it with 'feeling'.

Actually (in this case particularly) it's whether you do it with, er, flair

FP.

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

Actually (in this case particularly) it's whether you do it with, er, flair

"Flare", surely?

[ChickenHouse]

I agree that this approach was way too low, but part of the story is also that officials recently pushed the airfield to flatten a small dune right at that point due to obstacles clearance regulations ... If they hadn't done, the approach could not have been such low. So far to the reduction of risk by "officials brain".