Passenger Takes Controls After Pilot Incapacitation

Episode 2 of Air Traffic Control Stories

A regular flight took a dramatic turn when the plane suddenly nosedived, disorienting everyone on board. One passenger, Darren Harrison, saw what was happening. The pilot had become incapacitated. Without any flying experience, Harrison climbed into the front seat and took the controls.

At 10 a.m. on May 10, 2022, a Cessna 208 Caravan flying at 12,000 feet from Marsh Harbour Airport in the Bahamas to Florida’s Fort Pierce International Airport contacted Fort Pierce Tower, alerting them to the unfolding emergency. One pilot and two passengers were on board. To the tower’s surprise, it wasn’t the pilot on the radio, but a passenger who had been forced to take the controls. Harrison had struggled for 20 minutes just to get the radio working, and he just wanted to get home to his pregnant wife. This is the conversation between Darren Harrison and air traffic control.

Air traffic control audio licensed from LiveATC.net.
Unnecessary communications and pauses were trimmed for clarity.

The positions of the aircraft may not be 100% accurate. Only involved aircraft are shown. Animations are based on air traffic control communications and data from flight tracking services.

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