Passenger Lands Plane Wearing Flip-Flops

[carolinarider09]

Well the heading is a bit weird but the story is pretty cool.

Darren Harrison, 39, was flying from the Bahamas to Florida when the pilot of the single-engine Cessna 208 passed out, leaving Harrison to land the plane despite him having no flying experience, Today reported. The pilot suffered an unspecified medical emergency and became “incoherent,” so Harrison went to the front of the plane as the aircraft fell into a nosedive, according to the outlet.

“Just common sense, I guess, being on airplanes, because I knew if I went up and yanked that the airplane would stall,” he told Savannah Guthrie in the interview, “And I also knew at the rate we were going, we were probably going way too fast and it would rip the wings off the airplane.

Read the whole story at the link below.  I saw the interview with the gentlemen who landed the plane this morning.   He was very cool, very calm and very collective.  That is probably why it all worked for him.

https://dailycaller.com/2022/05/16/darren-harrison-today-interview-landing-plane/

[Patrick]

He did a good job and he kept calm. Thats what it takes, and, a nice long runway. He has been around planes enough to know just what a 'stall' is.

[robin]

Actually i heard an interview this morning and he was barefoot.

[carolinarider09]

I saw him being interviewed on Newsmax this morning.   Don't really remember the flip-flop vs bare feet but I was impressed by his demeanor and well, he was not flummoxed.  Saw the task, made the decision, did just what was needed.   

[old2soon]

   Kudos also out to the Air Traffic Controller who made it possible for that SAFE Landing. While the controller was Not familiar with the layout of the controls I'd heard he googled it and printed out the control panel to help with the landing!  Any way you slice it Thanks To ALL involved with what otherwise may have turned into a tragedy!  RIDE SAFE.

[six2go #152]

WTH difference does it make what he had on his feet? Flip flops or hiking boots, he got the job done.

[Jess from VA]

I've been thinking about this.

The hell with the disabled pilot, I would have gotten that plane low and slow (near stall) just off a populated beach, and bailed out the door into water.   

I'm a way better swimmer than a pilot.   

[Oss]

are you the kind of hunter who shoots his friend in the leg when being chased by a grizzly?

you know the difference between grizzly scat and black bear scat

One smells like pepper spray and has bells and whistles in it

The dude did a terrific job   nerves of steel or just really into the moment

[The emperor has no clothes]

I’ve not flown in a 208. But I imagine they are pretty close to the 206. It would be EXTREMELY hard to jump clear of that plane without hitting a strut or the tail, which would likely result in a bad injury or death. (Not to mention what a Richard move it would be leaving the pilot and other passenger)


Some people are good under pressure. Some not so much. I’ve always known if something catastrophic happens to me, my wife will be of little help. All I can hope for is she can dial 911. This guy was superb. That landing looked frigging great to me.

[Pappy!]

I've been thinking about this.

The hell with the disabled pilot, I would have gotten that plane low and slow (near stall) just off a populated beach, and bailed out the door into water.  

I'm a way better swimmer than a pilot.  

I have hit the water at well over 100mph twice so far. Still here to talk about it. Once I woke up I could swim as well. Injured but alive and capable both times.  Safety gear is what makes the difference. Also a pilot......Bailing out at 70 would be a disaster with no heads up flotation and no way to keep your neck stable when you hit.

[The emperor has no clothes]

As Paul Harvey would say, “And now you know the rest of the story”

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/pilot-miraculous-recovery-health-emergency-164215258.html

Pretty amazing !