TAMPA, Florida: Doug White and his family had just enjoyed a smooth takeoff and were ascending through the clouds when the pilot guiding their twin-engine plane tilted his head back and made a guttural sound.

The pilot, Joe Cabuk, was unconscious. And though White had his pilot's license, he had never flown a plane as large as this.

"I need help. I need a King Air pilot to talk to. We're in trouble," he radioed.