Revealed: The hero Virgin Atlantic pilot who landed faulty passenger jet at Gatwick as he insists: 'I was just doing my job'

Pictured: Senior Virgin Atlantic pilot hailed a hero for landing undercarriage failure jumbo jet as he says: 'I was just doing my job'

The 'hero' pilot who safely landed a stricken Virgin Atlantic jumbo jet after its landing gear dramatically failed while carrying more than 400 passengers has spoken out about the terrifying ordeal, saying: 'I was just doing my job'.

Senior pilot David Williams, 47, was praised for carrying out a 'textbook' landing of the Boeing 747 after it developed a technical fault shortly after take-off yesterday afternoon. 

The aircraft was bound for Las Vegas but was forced to return to London where Mr Williams, who lives near Horsham, Sussex, carried out an impressive emergency touch-down on broken landing gear, saving the lives of 447 passengers.