Mary, quite true, but actually Miles Messenger G-AJEY in France in 1947. Boulton Paul CTP Lindsay Neale was the pilot whose skill and quick thinking (and willing pax!) saved the day.
This is also true! There was a test pilot doing a flight test on a Canard design aircraft.
The aircraft got into a flat spin and being their only test machine the pilot got out and attempted to put his weight on the canard to break the spin.
He failed and was now too low to parachute out.
The aircraft spun onto a beach the test pilot walked away uninjured and the aircraft suffered so little damage that it was recovered and rebuilt.
Pace