The possibility of a "layman" landing a modern plane in an emergency is a popular trope that is theoretically possible but statistically unlikely without external guidance. For a small, "stick-and-rudder" aircraft like a Cessna 172, a person with no training but a cool head and some flight simulator experience might manage a "survivable" (if messy) landing by following basic physics. However, for a commercial airliner, the complexity is overwhelming. A layman would likely be unable to even find the correct radio frequency to call for help, let alone configure the flaps, slats, and landing gear while managing a specific "approach speed" (Vref). In documented real-life cases where non-pilots have landed planes, they were almost always guided step-by-step over the radio by an instructor or another pilot. In 2026, the rise of Autoland systems (CAT III) means that a passenger's best chance would be to have a ground controller talk them through "programming" the autopilot to land the plane itself, rather than attempting to hand-fly a 150,000-pound machine onto a narrow strip of tarmac.