Air traffic controllers assisted in the amazing flying feat, which took place at Palm Beach International Airport, as reported by WPBF-TV.
About 70 miles north of his intended destination, the passenger in the Cessna Caravan was heard informing air traffic control, "I've got a serious situation here." "My pilot has gone incoherent. I have no idea how to fly the airplane.”
“Roger. What’s your position?” a dispatcher responded, according to the outlet.
“I have no idea. I can see the coast of Florida in front of me. And I have no idea,” the passenger reportedly said.
Reports state that the passenger was helped by flying instructor and air traffic controller Robert Morgan in safely landing the aircraft.
“Maintain wings level and just try to follow the coast, either north or southbound. We’re trying to locate you,” he calmly guided the passenger.
After assisting the aircraft in its descent, controllers eventually discovered it at Boca Raton, roughly 25 miles north of Palm Beach. The man was then coached by air traffic control to land safely and steadily.
“You just witnessed a couple of passengers land that plane,” a controller reportedly said over the radio when the nail-biting saga came to an end.
“Did you say the passengers landed the plane?” another person was heard asking.
“That’s correct,” the controller replied.
“Oh, my gosh. Great job,” said the other person.
“This is the first time I’ve ever heard of one of these [Cessna Caravans] being landed by somebody who has no aeronautical experience,” said aviation expert John Nance.
The Florida flooring salesman, who is soon to become a father, said that the thought of his seven-month pregnant wife, Britney, and their upcoming arrival, a baby daughter, inspired him to act bravely.
Darren Harrison, 39, used common sense to level a nose-diving Cessna while reaching across a sick pilot's body during an interview on "Today."
“I was climbing to the front and that plane was in a dive I was just looking going, ‘I can’t die today. Britney’s pregnant, I’ve got a baby on the way — not today. Today’s not my day,” he said.
“I knew if I didn’t react, then we would die,” the expectant dad recalled nonchalantly.
“I was pretty calm and collected the whole time because I knew it was a life-or-death situation. Either you do what you have to do to control the situation or you’re gonna die,” he expressed.
At the end of the show, Harrison dedicated the final moments of his prayer to the sick pilot, who despite initially being “was not expected to live,” is expected to be left from the hospital on Monday.
According to Cessna, the 38-foot-long aircraft has a 52-foot wingspan, can accommodate up to 14 passengers, and achieves speeds of 215 miles per hour.
“The person on the airplane who had no aeronautical experience listened very carefully and obviously followed instructions with great calm. That’s what made the difference,” Nance reportedly said.
Reports stated that the Federal Aviation Administration was still looking into the incident and that it thought the pilot suffered a medical emergency.
