The real-life Aloha Airlines Flight 243 accident that this film is based on happened on April 28, 1988.
Ana Alicia, the actress who plays flight attendant Michelle Honda, received a lung infection and two broken ribs during the filming of Miracle Landing.
The real aircraft that was involved in the accident (N73711) was removed from service as it was a total write-off due to extensive damage. It was dismantled at it's final landing airport, (Maui) and some usable parts were checked, re-certified and reused in other similar aircraft, which is a little known but common practice for undamaged usable parts.
The aircraft used for the movie (bearing the colors of fictitious Paradise Airlines) is a Boeing 737-297 Advanced, registered as N70723. At the time, it was owned by Aloha Airlines (which is the airline involved in the incident of flight 243). That aircraft has been re-registered C-GCWJ and is flying currently (2005) for WestJet Airlines in Canada.
The gentleman with a piece of plastic stuck on his face is Lawrence "Red" Carland, retired Marketing Director at Delta Air Lines. He had retired on the Big Island and was on his way back to Dallas to visit family.