Dramatic Audio: ATC Helps Woman Land Plane After Pilot Husband Passes Out

File this one under "worst nightmare." After a pilot passes out, his wife -- who has absolutely no flight experience at all -- is forced to take the helm for a horrific 40-minute stint. Denver's FOX31 has more:

A woman took over the controls of a small airplane when her pilot-husband started having trouble breathing and speaking on a flight from California to Colorado, authorities said. The specifics of the man's medical problem weren't available.

Documents released Thursday indicate the pilot may have had hypoxia, which is when the body is deprived of an adequate supply of oxygen.  The woman said her husband was slurring his speech and was unable to push the buttons...

At one point, the plane swerved away from its emergency landing route and began heading toward the high terrain of the San Juan mountains. As the plane began to drop, [an air traffic] controller attempted to reach the passenger so she could turn the plane away from the mountains. The controller eventually guided the plane toward lower terrain.

The man who was experiencing difficulty recovered in time as the plane descended and was able to land safely in Farmington, N.M.

The station has an in-depth video, including audio of the woman, with more intriguing details on this bizarre scenario: