LOS ANGELES, Nov 26, (Agencies): In the year 1992, John Travolta found himself in a harrowing situation while piloting a corporate jet with his family on Thanksgiving Day. The actor, then 38 years old, encountered "a total electrical failure" during the flight from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Rockland, Maine.

Reflecting on the incident at a special screening of his new Disney+ film, The Shepherd, in London, Travolta vividly described the fear of impending doom. "I knew what it felt like to absolutely think you're going to die," he shared. Despite having two functioning jet engines, he was left with no instruments, no electric power—nothing. In that critical moment, he believed it was the end.

However, just when Travolta thought he was on the verge of crashing the Gulfstream II turbojet, a remarkable turn of events unfolded. "And then as if by a miracle, we descended as per the rules to a lower altitude. I saw the Washington DC monument and identified that Washington National Airport was next to it, and I made a landing just like [Freddie] does in the film," he recounted.

This near-death experience at the age of 38 became the driving force behind Travolta's decision to adapt Frederick Forsyth's 1975 novel, "The Shepherd." The book narrates the tale of a young Royal Air Force pilot, Freddie Hooke (played by Ben Radcliffe), who faces a similar challenge of total electrical failure while flying home for Christmas. In a parallel to Travolta's own ordeal, the young pilot experiences a "miracle" when a mysterious pilot (portrayed by Travolta himself) appears out of nowhere and guides him to a safe landing.

"When I read [Forsyth's] book, it resonated even more because of this experience I had personally had," Travolta explained, highlighting the profound impact of his real-life brush with danger on his creative choices.