Brian emerges from the plane wreckage on two occasions in the book Hatchet, once immediately after the crash and again when he goes in search of the survival pack. The question of what Brian pulls from the plane can refer to either the items Brian initially escapes from the plane with or the details of what is in the survival pack.

In chapter five, Brian takes inventory of the items he is able to escape from the plane with when he first left the wreckage. These items include his wallet with twenty dollars inside, nail clippers, some change, a digital watch, his hatchet attached to his belt, tennis shoes on his feet and a torn jacket.

In the final chapter of the book, Brian finally manages to obtain the survival pack and get it to his shelter. When he takes inventory of the items in it, he realizes that it is full of many useful items including cooking tools, a sleeping bag, freeze dried food, fire starting implements, fishing gear and a shot gun. There is one electronic item he does not recognize, but he flips a switch back and forth and it ends up being an emergency transmitter. Without his knowledge, he left the transmitter on when examining it. This alerts a nearby pilot and leads to Brian’s rescue.