Obviously the pilot kept his wits about him and done what all of us would hope to able to achieve if ever placed in a similar situation. Just to go back to the idea of needing to jettison an item in flight. I suppose altitude one has is certainly a critical factor when deciding to place the AC in a near stall configuration to allow something to be chucked. I have thought about this before in the past as to what I would do if I needed something thrown out. I suppose from flying C152s and PA28s not really above 5/6000 I've always considered I reduce from cruise speed and enter a slideslip, chucking the item out in the direction away from the AC. I'd always be worried about slicing off the tailplane!
Also, as a sidenote, where would one stand legally if one jettisoned an object, say smoking laptop for example, which absolutely put the aircraft and POBs in imminent danger, but on its return to earth struck some poor individual on the head possibly killing them? Far fetched I know but such is my luck sometimes!