Pilot Down — Rookie Passenger Lands Plane

Now, here's a true 'hero' moment. John is riding as the only passenger on a private plane when, suddenly, the pilot passes out; John calls the airport and is talked through 'how to land an airplane' in one big rushed lesson.

On Tuesday night, a guy who's just been identified as John was the only passenger on a small Cessna plane that was taking a quick flight in England.

Just after the pilot and John took off from an airfield in Belton, England, the pilot got SICK and PASSED OUT.  John's only choice was to take over the controls and try to land the plane . . . and save their lives.  But he had ZERO flight training.

Fortunately, John STEPPED UP in his hero moment.  Two flying instructors coached him from the ground, and he managed to safely land the plane at a small airport about 25 miles away from where they'd taken off.

The landing was bumpy, like you'd expect, but both John and the pilot survived.  The pilot was taken to the hospital . . . and the details on his condition haven't been released.