British Airways Near-Disaster Brings back Memories
15 and Alone, My Scare in the Air
When I was 15 years old, I flew from LAX, to St Louis, and back to LAX. The flight to St Louis was quiet and uneventful, but the flight back was a bit bumpy, and what happened when we made it back to LAX, is something I will never forget, and because of it, I have sworn off ever getting on a plane again!
It was a beautiful day when we left St Louis, the sun was shinning, and I was really eager to get back to California. I remember us running into a lot of air turbulence, and that made me a bit uncomfortable. However, that was nothing compared to what was about to happen upon arriving in LA.
I remember the pilot telling everyone that we were approaching LAX, and that everyone needed to be seated, all cigarettes out, and seat belts buckled. You know, the routine stuff you get on every flight. So I got my seat belt on, and put my head phones away, and started looking out the window of the plane. LA looked as it always did, a bit tiny from up in the air, but the same. I watched as we approached the airport, flew over it, and started to turn around. What was going on? That was all I could think. Others also started questioning what was going on, so the pilot got on the intercom, and reassured us all that everything was okay, there was just a small problem with one of the landing gears, and they were working on fixing the problem so we could land! I about lost it! At that point I started listening to the gear, going up and down, up and down. I finally figured out that what I was hearing was the pilot taking the landing gear up and down, over and over again, trying to get the wheels to lock into place so he could land the plane.
It was only about 10 minutes or so that we were circling LAX, but it seemed like hours to me. I prayed so hard that day, and I promised God that if he landed that plane, I would never again get on a plane. I was already afraid of flying, but this sealed it in stone for me, I never wanted on another plane as long as I live!
It's been 30 years, and that was the last time I was ever on a plane. With the way air travel is now with all the terrorist fear and all, I am glad I do not fly, I feel so much safer on the ground, than in the air.
As you probably already guessed, the plane did land safely. The landing gear finally came down and all wheels locked into place, and we landed safely, but it sure was a horrifying ordeal for me. The scariest part of it all was, I was alone on the flight!
Published by Carmella Mae Dunkin
Carmella Mae Dunkin is a photographer, writer, singer, artist, web designer, wife & mother of 8. Carmella loves singing, photographing everything she see s, writing, (including plays and skits), designin... View profile
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13 Comments
Post a CommentThank you all for all the comments. Yes it was very scary, an experience I will never forget, and one I never want to re-live! I know statisticly air travel is a lot safer than driving in a car, but my brain does not compute that, and refuses to accept it, LOL Just one of those phobias people get. The real bad part of the whole event, was that I was already afraid to fly, but wanted to be back in California so bad, I was willing to take the fastest way there I could!
Wow! How scary! Great job re-telling what must have been a horrifying experience.
That had to have been scary. Free fall from a plane doesn't seem scary to me (I'm not sure why) but crashing close to the ground seems rather ugly. You'd have absolutely no chance.
I agree with you 100%. A very interesting read!
I remember flying in to Boston when I was 15. Somewhere over western Massachusetts the weather turned really bad and it was just a dark gray color outside. I remember the pilot telling us we would be landing within 30 minutes and nothing else. Then about 20 minutes later I remember this large bump like the plane just dropped and hit the ground really, really hard and I literally almost lost it. All I could hear was this loud screeching and rocking like we were hitting large objects at a high rate of speed. Another lady behind me let out this loud gasp like she was thinking the same thing I was thinking and all you could see was gray fog everywhere. I couldn't get on a plane again for 6 years after that I was that freaked out about it.
I'm not a real big fan of flying but compare stats on air travel with driving, etc and it's statistically proven safer . . . of course, I've never personally looked up the stats!
That would be scary. I don't like to fly, but sometimes I have to. I pray a whole lot when I fly!
I totally understand your promise to "never get on a plane again." I have that same fear, and the last time I flew in early 2006 I held onto the side of my seat for the entire 2 hour flight. That's why I took Greyhound for 17 hours to go to North Carolina, and will be the reason why I will make sure I'm drugged up on sleeping pills the next time I HAVE to fly.
Wow, that is scarey. I am not a big fan of flying either. I hate the lack of control thing. I remember one time getting on a plane and the pilot was standing there. He looked at me and said, "Have a good flight." My response was "Well, you're the pilot, if you have a good flight, rest assured I'll have a good flight!" LOL. But I was totally serious. :-).
What a riveting story! I feel the same way you do about air travel.