Passenger Who Landed Plane In Flip Flops
Describes Fighting Nose Dive
Daily Caller,
by
Kay Smythe
Original Article
Posted By: Beardo,
5/16/2022 12:49:00 PM
The passenger who landed a plane in flip flops after the pilot fell unconscious in early May described fighting a nose dive as “the scariest part” of the ordeal during an interview Sunday.
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.
Reply 1 - Posted by:
JoElla Bee 5/16/2022 1:15:35 PM (No. 1157071)
Makes one think about the prayers that were being prayed for the folks on this flight from the very beginning, and throughout.
God is a good and awesome God.
14 people like this.
Reply 2 - Posted by:
NorthernDog 5/16/2022 1:21:14 PM (No. 1157075)
An incredible accomplishment. He's a good example of a 'quick study'.
12 people like this.
Reply 3 - Posted by:
jimincalif 5/16/2022 1:34:59 PM (No. 1157088)
Toxic masculinity for the win!
23 people like this.
Reply 4 - Posted by:
davew 5/16/2022 1:50:51 PM (No. 1157106)
One of his biggest problems was that ATC wanted to direct him from Ft. Meyers to West Palm Beach which had a 10,000 ft runway and would be able to track him on radar. He didn't know how to switch radio frequencies or communicate using the one-way protocol or the transponder squawk codes used by pilots. The Ft. Meyers tower called West Palm approach and they found someone familiar with flying the Cessna Caravan he was in. They then called him on his cell phone which has normal two-way communication and that let him follow the instructions in a more natural way. He was able to learn how to manage the power, pitch, flaps, and landing gear needed to slow the plane and bring it down safely. An amazing story.
23 people like this.
Reply 5 - Posted by:
TLCary 5/16/2022 2:00:31 PM (No. 1157114)
"fighting a nose dive"... Apparently they didn't have time to cover "trim". Without that he[; would have to manhandle... person-handle... ze-handle... whatever. That's the only thing I can think of that would make it a fight. Good thing he had a cell-phone with charge.
7 people like this.
Reply 6 - Posted by:
DVC 5/16/2022 2:04:24 PM (No. 1157120)
"A plane in flip flops"??
What is this foolish description supposed to mean?
10 people like this.
Reply 7 - Posted by:
JHHolliday 5/16/2022 2:15:13 PM (No. 1157142)
Specially fitted flip-flops needed to cover the Cessna landing gear, #6.
5 people like this.
Reply 8 - Posted by:
Gordon Mills 5/16/2022 2:42:18 PM (No. 1157175)
Landed a plane in flip flops? I would say landed the plane while wearing flip flops.
5 people like this.
Reply 9 - Posted by:
DVC 5/16/2022 3:50:39 PM (No. 1157238)
Old pilot saying, "pull back to make the houses get smaller, push forward to make the houses get bigger, pull ALL the way back to make the houses get REALLY big." The all the way back will cause the wing to 'stall' and stop flying, and the airplane comes down out of control. Don't pull all the way back. That's the bit of pilot humor in the saying.
Right and left are just like a car, to a workable first approximation. Push and pull are new. And "stall" has nothing to do with the engine, it has to do with flying too slowly (again to a first approximation). So, keeping the nose roughly pointed at the horizon, and the wings level.....and you are going to be basically OK, for a while.
The landing part involves slowing down, but not too much, and descending, which requires less engine throttle. These are going to require some help, for sure for a total newbie. The biggest factor in the guy surviving was keeping his composure, and asking for help, but then doing what they told him, and pretty darned well, clearly. The basic "uh-oh, pointed at the water is bad, I better pull back but not too much" response was great, and meant he had at least a rough idea what was going on, and saved his life at the start. Getting someone to explain "trim" and finding the trim wheel is going to be the next big help.
When I first read the "plane in flip flops" I was thinking this was some lame brained description of the flight path of the aircraft. Perhaps he was WEARING flip-flops....not mentioned in the article, and pretty irrelevant, actually. Maybe it is a lame brained flight path description.
If you ever have to do this.....the brakes are applied by pushing BOTH pedals at the top so they tilt forward.
Push one pedal in the middle/bottom and it steers on the ground, so pushing them evenly keeps you straight. When taxiing you steer with your feet, push right, go right, push left, go left. But mostly, braking is pushing on the top portion of the pedals, both evenly to stay straight. It would be bad to get it down in one piece and then run into something trying to find the brakes. Or push only ONE and swerve into something.
Like that he said a prayer. God was definitely his copilot that day. But God helps those most who help themselves, too.
7 people like this.
Reply 10 - Posted by:
varkdriver 5/16/2022 5:56:14 PM (No. 1157337)
Pull up flightaware.com and type in N333LD. You can see the first half of the flight from Bahamas to Fort Pierce proceeding normally at 12000 and 183 kts. Then suddenly the altitude indicates a steep descent to around 7000, and the speed gets as high as approximately 250 knots! Not sure what the Vne (Never-Exceed Velocity) is on the old Cessna 208, but that's gotta be close. The aircraft then settles out to a more normal altitude and speed.
The gentleman who took over the controls exercised outstanding calm and good judgement. This story could have easily had a tragic ending at any number of points prior to that great landing. God was truly his co-pilot that day.
5 people like this.
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