Student Pilot Heroically Takes Over After Captain Declares Emergency; Nervous Passengers Opt for Parachutes Just in Case
Jason Traylor, a 24-year-old aviation student with roughly 30 hours of solo flight time (mostly in a two-seat Cessna), couldn’t have predicted that his flight home from Des Moines would include a quick shift from Seat 23A to the cockpit. "I thought they just wanted someone to keep the captain company or maybe run through some checklists," Traylor recounted. "I didn't realize they wanted me to fly the plane."
A Confident Start – and an Even Quieter Cabin
After reviewing the flight manuals, running through emergency checklists, and confirming that, yes, autopilot would handle most of the technical aspects, Jason expertly took off. But while autopilot managed to keep things stable at cruising altitude, his inexperience became apparent when an announcement went out over the PA: “Uh, we’ll be at 30,000 feet for...as long as possible. I’ll be consulting the manuals, so please remain calm.”
Parachute Pile-Up in the Aisle
While Traylor seemed calm, some passengers were not. Realizing that their fate rested in the hands of an aviation student, a small group started hunting through the plane’s overhead compartments, reportedly hoping to locate hidden parachutes. “I saw him pull out a checklist labeled ‘Things I’ve Never Actually Done Before,’ and that’s when I started asking the flight attendants about parachute options,” said Carrie Hampton, a passenger on board. “Turns out, commercial planes don’t carry them! But in that moment, I would’ve strapped on a backpack if it looked parachute-adjacent.”
One innovative passenger was found trying to fashion a makeshift parachute from two life vests and an in-flight blanket, reportedly explaining, “This plane’s flying on autopilot! I just need to glide gently back to Earth. It’s all physics, right?”
Landing...Eventually
With everyone strapped back in, Jason finally reached the phase he had been dreading most: the landing. "Look, taking off was easy—straight down the runway and up. But landing? That's a whole new world!" He announced that he would be attempting a landing "soonish," and encouraged passengers to “hold tight and keep fingers crossed” while he brought the plane in for an approach that was “90% simulation-based and 10% improvisation.”
After a few tense minutes and a bit of turbulence, Jason touched down in what witnesses described as a “very unconventional but functional landing.” He was met with applause, a few tearful hugs, and one passenger who kindly patted him on the shoulder and said, “Next time, maybe stick with Cessnas.”
FAA Response and Future Training
The FAA has since issued a statement advising passengers to “please wait for professional assistance before attempting mid-air parachute departures.” They also clarified that while pilots have wide discretion once they declare an emergency, actions outside normal FAA regulations should minimize risks to life and property. Meanwhile, Jason has become an overnight sensation and, ironically, has been offered an accelerated training program for commercial piloting, which he diplomatically declined, saying, “I think I’ll stick with learning to land the smaller planes first.”