John Travolta Recalls Near-Death Experience While Piloting A Plane In 1992

At a recent screening of The Shepherd, John Travolta detailed how he also "experienced a total electrical failure" while flying a plane in 1992—just like Ben Radcliffe’s character experiences in the Disney+ short.

"I actually experienced a total electrical failure, not in a Vampire, but in a corporate jet over Washington D.C.,” Travolta said. “So when I read [Frederick Forsyth's book of the same name], it resonated even more because of this experience I had personally had.”

The Grease actor continued, “I 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 added, "And I had my family on board and I said ‘This is it, I can’t believe I’m gonna die in this plane' … And then as if by a miracle, we descended as per the rules to a lower altitude. 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 [pilot Freddie Hooke] does in the film.”