Darren Harrison discusses how to keep calm and control a Cessna 208 pilot who has fallen unconscious.
The halls at Motor1.com have a lot of aviation enthusiasts, including the humble author. He has some experience flying light aircraft. Although the Cessna 208 doesn’t have a multi-engine jumbo plane, it can seat over a dozen people and is a common commuter plane far more than a 150 or 172. We were amazed when a passenger managed to land one after the pilot had passed out.
We were shocked to learn that the passenger had no flight experience.
Air traffic controllers received a message from Darren Harrison on May 10, at approximately noon in Florida. The pilot was returning from a fishing trip with two other passengers when he suffered a medical emergency. Harrison described the situation as a “serious emergency” and said that the pilot was unable to communicate and had no idea how the plane worked. Robert Morgan, an air traffic controller at Palm Beach International Airport that day, was also certified as a flight instructor. He was able to pilot the 208 to an amazing landing thanks to Morgan’s instructions and Harrison staying calm.
In the video above, Harrison spoke to Today about how to stay calm and not panic during the process.
You can either do what you need to control the situation or you’ll die. Harrison said that he did exactly what he had to do.
This sounds easy enough. Some might even believe it is simple to land a single-engine aircraft such as the 208 Caravan. The pilot must adjust fuel mixture, throttle settings and flap settings as well as radios. You also have to fly the 208, which has more complicated hardware and propeller settings.
It takes practice to master the flare, which is the moment just before touchdown when the pilot pulls his aircraft back to level the descent. Flare too soon and your plane will float above ground until it runs out of runway or stalls, then slamming to ground. You’ll end up slamming the ground if you try too early. Harrison landed just right in the video at the beginning of this article. It was a little difficult, but that’s normal for even experienced pros. Harrison’s attempt is extraordinary considering it is his first attempt.
This story also has an extra happy ending. According to reports, the pilot who sustained the medical emergency is in stable condition. We don’t know Harrison’s plans for Harrison’s flight lessons following the incident, but this is a rare instance of natural talent captured on film.