John Travolta Recalls Near-Death Experience While Flying

John Travolta has opened up about a near-death experience he had while flying a plane back in 1992, and how it prompted him to take on his role in the new Disney+ short film "The Shepherd."

The movie, adapted from Frederick Forsyth’s 1975 novella, narrates the story of Freddie Hooke (Ben Radcliffe), a Royal Air Force pilot on a Christmas journey across the North Sea. 

Encountering an electrical failure in his de Havilland Vampire jet, Freddie faces almost certain death, until a mysterious pilot (Travolta) emerges, offering hope for his safe return.

On Thursday, during a Q&A alongside writer and director Iain Softley, Travolta recounted his own harrowing experience.

"I actually experienced a total electrical failure, not in a Vampire but in a corporate jet over Washington D.C.," Travolta said, according to Variety. "So when I read [Forsyth’s] book, it resonated even more because of this experience I had personally had."

Travolta, who was piloting a Gulfstream II from Florida to Maine for Thanksgiving when the incident occurred, explained that he knew "what it felt like to absolutely think you’re going to die."

"I had two good jet engines but I had no instruments, no electric, nothing. And I thought it was over," he said. 

"And then as if by a miracle, we descended as per the rules to a lower altitude," he continued. "I saw that Washington D.C. monument and identified that Washington National Airport was right next to it and I made a landing just like [Freddie] does in the film."

Travolta praised Radcliffe, chosen from 150 actors, for his portrayal of Freddie's intense fear as he grapples with the gravity of his situation.

"He captured that despair when you think you’re actually going to die. And I had my family on board and I said ‘This is it, I can’t believe I’m gonna die in this plane,'" Travolta said. 

According to a Washington Post contemporary account cited by Variety, Travolta's emergency incident occurred on Nov. 24, 1992, nearly 31 years before “The Shepherd” screening. 

Despite successfully landing the plane and causing damage only to its tires, a subsequent safety inquiry revealed that the electrical failure had nearly led to a mid-air collision between Travolta’s aircraft and a Boeing 747, prompting a temporary halt in flights across four airports.

However, his near-death encounter didn’t deter Travolta from flying. Following the incident, the two-time Oscar nominee acquired his own de Havilland Vampire aircraft.

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