A passenger jet pilot who safely got his plane from England to Ireland is in trouble nonetheless, as he landed at the wrong airport.

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Ryanair Flight FR9884 left Liverpool's John Lennon Airport Wednesday afternoon bound for the Derry airport in good weather.

The unidentified pilot was over the Irish Sea when air traffic control cleared him for landing at Derry on a visual approach.

But somehow, after circling for a few minutes, he touched down five miles short at the Ballykelly military air base to the astonishment of soldiers, the Liverpool Post reported.

After an awkward silence, the pilot announced to his 39 passengers: "Ladies and gentlemen, we have landed at the wrong airport."

Buses were hastily summoned to transport the passengers to the Derry airport, but civil aviation officials kept the pilot and the Airbus A320 behind for investigation.

The flight was operated on behalf of the discount airline by Eirjet, which is based in Shannon.