WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A pilot who passed out while flying a small plane to South Florida earlier this month forced a passenger to take over and land the plane safely, thanking first responders, doctors, air traffic controllers and Air traffic controller.The passenger who saved his life.
Laker Kenneth Allen, 64, spoke at a news conference Thursday for the first time since the May 10 incident became national news.
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Passenger Darren Harrison, 39, suffered a medical error as he was on a flight back from the Bahamas.Ellen’s friend Russ Frank also joined the trip.
“So I remember telling Russ and Darren that I wasn’t feeling well. My head was pounding and I saw some little blue lights coming in from here and it was sparkling,” Allen said.”They asked me ‘what does that mean?’ and I said ‘I don’t know I have a terrible headache’ and then I remember them poking my arm and saying ‘Stay with me, stay with me. Well, that’s it. I don’t really remember anything until someone on my side pulled me off the plane.”
Allen had a torn aorta, a major valve in the heart.Doctors at Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center said about half of the patients had died before reaching the hospital.
Harrison took over the plane and landed safely at Palm Beach International Airport with the help of air traffic controllers.
Palm Beach Fire and Rescue took Allen to St. Mary’s Medical Center first, where doctors ruled out the cause of the stroke.He was then transferred to Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center, where he underwent aortic repair surgery.
“When I talked to Darren, the first thing I said to Darren was, ‘I’m sorry for putting you, your life in danger,’ and I said the same to Darren. I feel so sorry for that. Some guilt,” Allen said.
Allen said God had a plan because every step in the story, from getting passengers on the plane that day to deciding to go to Palm Beach instead of Fort Pierce or Boca Raton, worked in Allen’s favor.
Even one of the air traffic controllers who helped Harrison land the plane was not supposed to work that day and was the only flight instructor in the tower, guiding Harrison to safety.
“I’m just doing my job,” controller Robert Morgan said.”You know, I’m going to do whatever I can to be successful and it feels good to help people and it’s great for me. I never thought it would happen, I just think we’re going to come back On a day-to-day basis, it’s really a good story.”
“If you don’t think God is with us that day, just listen to these things and you’ll understand,” Allen said.
Allen, who has been flying commercially since 2016, said he has not yet been cleared to fly.He must be cured and approved by the FAA.
“Tomorrow (Friday) I should take Darren to the Bahamas, to Nassau, for his honeymoon with his wife,” Allen said.”He has to find another car.”
A passenger landed a private jet at Palm Beach International Airport on Tuesday after an accident with a pilot.
Surgeons tending to a pilot who forced his passengers to land in a single-engine plane with no flying experience after he suffered a medical error while flying said it was a “miracle” that he survived.
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