The heroic passenger, who miraculously landed a plane alone, has been identified as a 39-year-old man from Florida, armed with nothing but a pair of flip-flops and experience in interior design.
The man, identified by the family as Darren Harrison, was heading home to Lakeland after fishing in the Bahamas on Tuesday afternoon when the Cessna Grand Caravan pilot was suddenly “incapacitated” and “disconnected.”
The married future father, who is currently vice president of Sunshine Interiors, got activated and called the radio for help.
“I have a serious situation here regarding my pilot,” said the pilot, who became a pilot on board the flight, according to an audio published by LiveATC.net.
“He is inconsistent, he has no idea how to fly the plane, but I support 9100.”
Harrison declined to be interviewed by local media, but his cousin Matthew Harrison told The Post he was shocked to learn that his relative was behind the heroic landing.
“I was thinking, ‘Wait, this is my cousin?'” Matthew, 37, said on the phone.
Robert Morgan (left) was the part-time flight instructor and flight instructor who trained Darren Harrison (right) in flight and landing, Robert Morgan
“It was crazy. And I’m impressed, he was so calm, I’ve never known him to be so calm. ”
Matthew said he was “super proud” and “super impressed” after learning what his cousin had done and said his pregnant wife could not believe her husband had succeeded.
“I sent a message to his wife and said, ‘You’re going to contact him and tell him I’m super impressed and proud of him, that’s amazing,'” Matthew said.
“I have a serious situation with my pilot,” Darren Harrison was heard saying during the flight. WPBF’s Robert Morgan did his best to keep Darren Harrison calm as he explained how to slow down the plane and begin preparations for landing. WPBF
“She said, ‘I know it’s not like the phone call you expect to get…’ when he [told her what happened] she said, “You did what?” Matthew recalled, laughing.
“He is definitely sociable, loves the outdoors, has always been a hunter and is a good man. He loves everything. ”
Robert Morgan, a part-time air traffic controller and flight instructor who trained Harrison in flight and landing, told Today that the unlikely pilot was his “best student ever.”
Darren Harrison called Robert Morgan on the radio and told him he was on the ground at Palm Beach International Airport. WPTV via AP
“The pilot landed on the controls and then pushed him back, pulled him out of his seat and then had to get on the controls and pull the plane back so he could get off the dive that he was,” he said. Morgan at the exit.
He did his best to keep Harrison calm as he explained how to slow down the plane and begin preparations for landing.
“You look great, you’re a little fast, what I want you to do is catch the gas, just pull it back a little bit, because you have to be slow,” Morgan recalls.
Darren Harrison’s cousin said he was “super proud” and “super impressed.”
The plane briefly disappeared from radar, but within 10 seconds Harrison called Morgan’s radio and told him he was on the ground at Palm Beach International Airport.
“My heart just kind of shrank and I thought, ‘Thank God,'” Morgan said.
Glenda Watson, whose husband Christopher Watson works for Harrison, said her husband told her all about it when he returned from work on Wednesday.
Robert Morgan said Darren Harrison was his “best student ever.” WPBF
“He said the boss had to land a plane, he had never flown a plane in his life,” Watson told The Post.
“I think he surprised everyone, but he saved his life and everyone else on board – nothing but God guiding him on this plane.”
She said Harrison even entered the office on Wednesday after the ordeal, but left early in the day.
“I don’t blame him, and I’d go early to get my wife,” Watson said.
“I bet he won’t go fishing for a while.”
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