The Story of Darren Harrison – The Man Who Safely Landed a Pilotless Airplane with No Flying Experience

Brian Dodd on May 11, 2022 in Performance

It was a normal Tuesday afternoon for Darren Harrison. He was flying back from the Bahamas to Florida where he would see his pregnant wife, or so he thought. Suddenly, the pilot of the Cesna airplane he was traveling in had “gone incoherent.” With the airplane now pilotless, Harrison got on the radio desperately looking for some form of assistance in landing the aircraft.

As told in this CNN article, Air Traffic Controller Robert Morgan, who is also a certified flight instructor, engaged in the process. You may not face an issue as dire as potentially dying in an airplane crash, but the steps Morgan took provide a template any leader can follow when faced with crisis situations.

Crisis Situations Happen At Inopportune Times

You may not know when a crisis situation will happen, but you can prepare for it in advance. Morgan said, “I rush over there and I walk in and the room is really busy … and they’re like, ‘Hey, this pilot’s incapacitated. The passengers are flying the plane. They have no flying experience.” Notice the room was very busy. A lot was going on. The flight deck did not have the margin at the moment to handle of crisis situation of this magnitude. But challenging times never come at opportune moments. You must prepare in advance and then press into the situation when it comes.

Calmness Provides Clarity In Crisis Situations

Morgan said, “He was really calm. He said, ‘I don’t know how to fly. I don’t know how to stop this thing if I do get on the runway.'” The challenge for all leaders is not to act calm but to actually be calm.

By Harrison remaining calm, Morgan did not have to waste precious time and energy settling him down. He could immediately move towards instructing Harrison and coaching him towards a safe landing.

Calmness provides clarity. It removes confusion. Remaining calm accelerates solutions and positive outcomes. So stay calm.

Give Crisp, Clear Instructions During Crisis

When challenging times arise, simplicity is your friend. Leaders must utilize a brevity of language. Notice Morgan’s instructions to Harrison. He said, “Try to hold the wings level and see if you can start descending for me. Push forward on the controls and descend at a very slow rate. Try to follow the coast either north or southbound. We’re trying to locate you.”

Did you notice that only one word, “descending”, was more than two syllables. 30 words were one syllable, the other seven words were two syllables. This was by design, not default. During crisis situations, leaders should speak in a clear, concise, and compelling manner.

Remove Margins Of Error

Smart coaches know the first step in learning how to win is to first learn how not to lose. Similary, Morgan made the strategic decision to route the Cesna to the largest airport in the vicinity, Palm Beach International which was eight miles away. Morgan knew that the larger the airport, the higher the odds were for a desirable outcome.

Morgan’s objective was “he could just have a really big target to aim at.” The larger airport also provided longer runways for the plane to stop. During crisis situations, leaders can increase their team’s odds of success by lowering their odds of failure. Give your team really big targets to aim at!

Focus On The Main Thing

During times of crisis, things will not be ideal. It’s going to be a messy process. Leaders must stay focused on achieving the desired outcome while understanding the struggle will be real. Strip away the non-essentials. Keep the main thing the main thing.

After the plane safely landed, Morgan said, “I felt like I was going to cry then, because I had so much adrenaline built up. I was really happy that it worked out and that nobody got hurt.” That was the objective – for the plane to safely land and nobody get hurt. With Morgan instructing Harrison every step of the way, the plane did safely land with no injuries or loss of life in the process. Mission accomplished.

Give Credit Away During Times Of Crisis

The reason guides like Morgan exist, the reason leaders exist, is to guide and lead others through crisis situations. It is during crisis situations when leaders are most needed. So when you come out of the other side successfully, smart leaders should always give the credit to their teams.

Referring to Harrison, Morgan said, “In my eyes, he was the hero. I was just doing my job.” The guide always shines the light on the hero.

Conclusion

Sooner or later, crisis will visit us all. The rain eventually falls on the just and the unjust. When those times come, remain calm, speak in clear and concise terms, remove margins of error, stay focused, and give credit to others afterwards. By doing these things, you will better position yourself and your teams to successfully navigate crisis situations.

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