Decades after Beatles fans began a rumor that “Paul Is Dead,” Paul McCartney is still alive and well.

That might not have been the case, but for the quick decision making of a 55-year-old British helicopter pilot. According to a report from the UK’s Daily Mail, Paul and his wife Nancy Shevell were passengers on a helicopter traveling home to their estate in East Sussex on May 3 when bad weather nearly caused the chopper to crash into some trees.

The pilot, an unidentified native of Hertfordshire, became disoriented when low clouds, poor visibility and rain forced the Sikorsky S-76C plunging downward according to The Daily Mail. The pilot reacted just in time, narrowly missing the tree line by two feet. The aircraft later landed safely at a nearby airport. The report states that Paul and Nancy had no idea they were in grave danger.

Andrew Celani — WZLX/Boston