Veteran pilot goes into ‘Dad Mode’ to help young pilot land her plane during an emergency

This story about a veteran pilot dad who helped a young pilot land her plane safely is the kind of story that makes you ponder the power of the universe, truly.

Taylor Hash, a 21-year-old pilot who was only making her third solo trip, realized she was experiencing an emergency and that she’d have to land her plane without a front tire after the gear fell from the plane mid-air.

Chris Yates, the pilot dad in question and former director of aviation at SpaceX, saw the landing gear fall from Hash’s plane while he was on the ground, according to Today.

“It was definitely the scariest moment I’ve had, probably in my life,” Hash said of the moment she realized she’d have to land without her front tire. She radioed the control tower and asked how she could best make an emergency landing at a small airport in Michigan. Hash said she felt “frantic” until a stranger picked up over the radio and helped her calm down.

“He called on the radio and said, “Hey tower, the Diamond Star that just took off, their wheel and assembly fell off and is on the runway,” Hash said.

Related: Mom gives birth mid-air on 11-hour flight over the Atlantic

Yates said he couldn’t believe what he saw, and immediately kicked into “dad mode” as the father to two daughters who are also in their twenties.

“I just said, ‘Let’s go out, take some time, take some space, go fly north of the airport, go fly for a bit and get your bearings, get your heading. We got lots of time,’” Yates recalled.

He said it was important to him to help ease her mind, when he realized he didn’t know her first name. When she told him it was “Taylor,” the impact was great.

“He took probably 10-15 seconds and didn’t answer. So I was like, ‘Did he hear me say that? Is someone else queued up on the mic? Did my radio go out’? Finally, he comes back, and you can tell in his voice he’s a little choked up. He goes, ‘My daughter’s name’s Taylor. You know, I taught her how to fly as a girl. You’re going to be ok,’” Hash said about Yates.

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“It seized my body, and it still gives me a choking feeling in my chest,” Yates agreed.

Yates then stayed on the radio to provide words of encouragement as she safely made her way to the ground.

“Atta girl, I’m proud of you!” he said.

“As soon as he said that, he goes, ‘I’m proud of you,’ the waterworks came,” she told Today. Yates said the moment made him very emotional as well.

Hash says she still hopes to become a professional pilot someday—which Yates had asked her about during their exchange mid-air.

“This is a good start,” he said at the time. “This is a good story to your legacy, kid.”

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