Passenger-Turned-Pilot Tells Story On 'Today' Show

Darren Harrison says he did not hesitate to take the controls when pilot of the Cessna Caravan he was in became ill.

Monday, May 16, 2022 at 04:40 PM ET

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Darren Harrison talks with "Today" anchor Savannah Guthrie in an interview that aired Monday on the program. [Courtesy: NBC]

Key Takeaways:

A passenger with no prior flight experience, Darren Harrison, safely landed a Cessna Caravan after the pilot lost consciousness due to an aortic aneurysm during a flight from the Bahamas.
Harrison took control of the rapidly diving aircraft, relying on "common sense" and guidance from air traffic controllers to level the plane and perform a smooth landing at Palm Beach International Airport.
Despite having no flight training, Harrison's decisive actions and ability to follow instructions saved the lives on board, fulfilling a "nightmare" scenario he had often considered.

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“I can’t die today. Today’s not my day,” was the thought Darren Harrison said was going through his mind as he rushed to the cockpit of the Cessna Caravan he was riding in on his way back to Florida after a fishing trip in the Bahamas.

In an interview with the Today show’s Savannah Guthrie that aired Monday, the interior designer who landed the turboprop safely at Palm Beach International Airport (KBPI) last week after the pilot lost consciousness–which was as a result of an aortic aneurysm–said he was thinking about his wife, Brittany, who is seven months pregnant with a baby girl.