If you’ve ever sped down the runway and wondered how it would feel to bail from the plane if something ever went wrong, just ask Cliff Killeen.

Cliff is an Australian pilot who was conducting a high-speed taxi test when something went horribly wrong. Not with the plane. The plane was in perfect condition. But it did, however, have an unwelcome stowaway.

As he was clipping along the runway, he saw a brown snake taking aim at his throttle hand. Now, if you’re a Nat Geo fan, then you’ll know why Cliff’s adrenaline was pumping. The brown snake is said to be the second most deadly snake in the world. Just one bite and you’re done.

So, not liking the option for certain death, Cliff did the only thing he could. He peeled back the canopy, unhooked his harness as fast as he could, and bailed out onto the runway.

Miraculously, despite a few scrapes and some dust from tumbling down the runway, Cliff came out of it no worse for wear. His plane, on the other hand, didn’t stick the landing quite as well. It wound up being a total write-off. As for the snake, its fate is still unknown.