Hero Controller Accepts ‘Above And Beyond’ Honors At NBAA-BACE

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When non-pilot passenger Darren Harrison took the controls of a Cessna 208 Caravan from its disabled pilot last May and landed safely, the air traffic controller who helped talk him down was praised as a hero. Earlier his month at the National Business Aviation Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) in Orlando, Florida, the trade group honored that controller, Robert Morgan, with its Above and Beyond Award for Heroic Achievement.

The NBAA honor “recognizes individuals whose actions avoided injury, loss of life, or catastrophic aircraft damage.” The NBAA Safety Committee established the award in 2020. NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen said at the award ceremony, “Robert Morgan’s quick thinking, professionalism, situational awareness, and calm demeanor were instrumental in successfully managing a critical emergency situation, saving all three people on board from injury and allowing the incapacitated pilot to receive timely medical care.” After emergency surgery (which some have described as a miracle on par with the safe landing) the pilot later recovered.

Morgan is a 1,200-hour licensed pilot and flight instructor, but had no experience in the Caravan. He downloaded a photograph of the flight deck to help guide Harrison to a safe no-damage landing at Florida’s Palm Beach International Airport (PBI).

Mark Phelps
Mark Phelps is a senior editor at AVweb. He is an instrument rated private pilot and former owner of a Grumman American AA1B and a V-tail Bonanza.

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7 COMMENTS

  1. The NBAA honor “recognizes individuals whose actions avoided injury, loss of life, or catastrophic aircraft damage.”

    Congratulations Robert Morgan. Big save!

  2. “He (Morgan, the ATC controller) downloaded a photograph of the flight deck to help guide Harrison to a safe no-damage landing at Florida’s Palm Beach International Airport (PBI).”

    That is brilliant and very quick thinking – well done Morgan!
    “You can be my wing-man anytime!”

    • George: We’ve been having some technical difficulty with our postings. The link to AVWeb’s previous story is actually there in the first sentence (copy and paste: https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/passenger-lands-caravan/) but for some reason not highlighted as normal. If you were cyber-psychic and hovered over the words “took the controls” you would have seen it. Sorry for the inconvenience.

  3. How about another story on non-pilot passenger Darren Harrison who learned quickly and landed the plane? There has been little to nothing written about him and his life since the incident. Maybe he will begin taking regular flying lessons!

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