No, really!

Monty Coles was 900m in the air when he discovered a stowaway peeking out at him from the plane’s instrument panel — a 1,35m black snake.

“Nothing in any of the manuals ever described anything like this,” the 62-year-old Cross Lanes resident said. But the advice given 25 years earlier from his flight instructor immediately came to mind: “No matter what happens, fly the plane.”

…

While maintaining control of the single-engine plane with one hand, Coles grabbed the reptile behind its head with his other.

(P.S. If this reference means nothing to you, consider yourself charmed.)

(hat tip to XOverboard)