Miracle Landing

Miracle Landing

Year: 1990

Runtime: 85 mins

Language: English

Director: Dick Lowry

Drama

Based on a real, in-flight incident in 1988, a passenger jet loses a portion of its fuselage in flight over Hawaii and is forced to make an emergency landing.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Miracle Landing (1990)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Miracle Landing (1990). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

February–April 1988

The story begins with a February 1988 flight-simulator drill, foreshadowing the real crisis. About two months later, in April 1988, Paradise Airlines Flight 243 faces a crippling in-flight disaster and a perilous landing. The time span anchors the events in late winter to early spring, highlighting the gap between training and real danger.

Location

Honolulu, Hilo, Kahului

The action unfolds across Hawaii on an inter-island flight route from Honolulu to Hilo, with a coordination point at Kahului Airport on Maui. The setting situates the crisis above the Pacific and among iconic Hawaiian landscapes. The Hawaii locale frames the emergency response from both air and ground crews.

🏝️ Island setting ✈️ Aviation backdrop

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:54

Main Characters – Miracle Landing (1990)

Meet the key characters of Miracle Landing (1990), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Mimi Tompkins (Connie Sellecca)

A determined First Officer trainee who remains calm under pressure as the crisis unfolds. Her training and resolve are pivotal in guiding the crew and passengers through the emergency. She embodies focused leadership and quick, clear decision-making.

🧭 Calm under pressure 🧑‍✈️ Pilot 🌟 Leader

Bob Schornstheimer (Wayne Rogers)

Captain and experienced pilot who shares command with Mimi. His military-aligned approach and composure help coordinate the landing under extreme conditions. He represents seasoned leadership and teamwork in a high-stakes scenario.

🛡️ Experienced 🧭 Team player 🗺️ Decisive

Michelle Honda (Ana Alicia)

Flight attendant who helps instruct passengers and manage in-cabin safety measures during the decompression and crisis. She acts with composure and care for those around her, guiding passengers through danger.

💬 Communicator 🕊️ Calm under pressure 🧭 Safety advocate

C.B. Lansing (Nancy Kwan)

Lead flight attendant who oversees passenger safety and information flow amid the disaster. She endures the chaos and is ultimately lost from the aircraft, underscoring the human cost of the crisis.

🧭 Protector 🗨️ Communicator 💔 Victim

Gail Kornberg (Jane Daly)

Passenger mother who fights to secure a life jacket for her son and experiences heightened anxiety before finding reassurance through the crew. Her reaction highlights vulnerable passenger perspectives in emergencies.

👨‍👦 Family-first 😟 Anxious 🛟 Passenger advocate

David Kornberg (Will Estes)

Young boy traveling with his mother, whose curiosity and vulnerability add emotional urgency to the in-flight crisis. His presence personalizes the stakes for the crew and passengers alike.

🧒 Innocence 🧭 Curious 🛟 Passenger

Dorothy Hendricks (Herta Ware)

Passenger shown in shock as the crisis unfolds, reflecting the immediate human impact of the disaster. Her husband George intervenes to keep her safe in the chaos.

😶 Shocked 👫 Family aboard 🛑 Safety concern

George Hendricks (Jack Murdock)

Dorothy's husband, who acts to protect and guide his spouse through the unfolding danger. His presence illustrates the personal stakes of the emergency.

🛡️ Protector 👥 Family bond 💪 Resilience

Roy Wesler (Glenn Cannon)

Passenger who panics upon seeing hydraulic leaks and system failures, providing a human counterpoint to the crew's composed response. His reaction emphasizes the fear experienced by those on board.

😨 Fear 🗺️ Passenger perspective 🛟 Evacuation

Jane Sato-Tomita (Patty Toy)

Flight attendant who sustains injuries but continues to assist others when possible, demonstrating resilience amid chaos. Her condition underscores the dangers faced by cabin crew.

💪 Resilience ⚕️ Injury 🗣️ In-service support

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:54

Major Themes – Miracle Landing (1990)

Explore the central themes of Miracle Landing (1990), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🧭 Crisis management

The narrative centers on steering a crippled jet through extreme emergencies: decompression, engine fire, and hydraulics failure. Mimi and Bob must rapidly assess options, prioritize passenger safety, and coordinate with ground teams. The film emphasizes clear communication, decisive leadership, and time-constrained decision making under pressure.

🚒 Disaster response

Emergency crews on the ground and the cockpit crew in the air must execute coordinated rescue and rescue-like procedures. The tower, fire and rescue teams, and flight staff test real-world protocols under trying conditions. The sequence showcases resourcefulness, teamwork, and the urgency of rapid, organized response.

👩‍✈️ Leadership

Mimi Tompkins, a trainee and one of Paradise's early female pilots, stands at the helm of crisis management. Her collaboration with Captain Bob highlights partnership, trust, and the evolution of women in aviation roles. The film frames leadership as calm, practiced, and capable even in the most frightening moments.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:54

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Movies with contained disasters like Miracle Landing

Stories of ordinary people surviving extraordinary crises in isolated, dangerous settings.If you liked the tense, real-time survival of Miracle Landing, explore these movies featuring high-stakes crises in confined settings. These films capture the anxiety and courage of ordinary people facing extraordinary danger, focusing on teamwork and endurance against overwhelming odds.

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Narrative Summary

These narratives typically begin with a sudden, catastrophic failure that occurs early in the film, immediately establishing life-or-death stakes. The plot follows a linear, real-time progression as characters must use their expertise and teamwork to manage the crisis from within the confines of the dangerous setting, with minimal external intervention.

Why These Movies?

They are grouped by their intense, claustrophobic atmosphere, fast-paced, event-driven plots, and a shared focus on procedural accuracy and human resilience in the face of a contained, immediate physical threat.

Movies with bittersweet survival endings like Miracle Landing

Stories where survival is achieved, but at a significant and lasting emotional cost.For viewers who appreciated the heavy emotional impact of Miracle Landing, this collection features stories where survival comes with a price. These movies explore the complex aftermath of trauma, blending relief with grief, and often leaving a lasting, somber impression.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative follows a harrowing ordeal that tests the characters' physical and emotional limits. While they overcome the immediate threat, the resolution acknowledges the casualties, injuries, or profound psychological trauma suffered, resulting in an ending that is more about sober reflection than pure celebration.

Why These Movies?

They share a common emotional arc: a high-intensity crisis leads to a conclusion that is fundamentally bittersweet. The films balance the triumph of survival with the sobering reality of loss, creating a heavy, impactful viewing experience.

Unlock the Full Story of Miracle Landing

Don't stop at just watching — explore Miracle Landing in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Miracle Landing is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Miracle Landing Summary

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Miracle Landing Summary

Miracle Landing Timeline

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Miracle Landing Timeline

Miracle Landing Spoiler-Free Summary

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Miracle Landing Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Miracle Landing

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