This is another "once upon a time" true story that the feeling of Autumn seems to bring to mind!
It was a beautiful Autumn day! Not a cloud in the sky! The colors below as we flew over Wisconsin were wonderful! Everyone was looking out the window!
I had a half full airplane - a whole 24 passengers. I had just finished serving and was walking back to the galley when we felt a lurch. All at once Fog was filling the cabin and coming out of the air vents. One man asked- "Is that smoke?! Are we on fire?" It wasn't smoke. I't was like a cloud was suddenly inside our airplane!
I knew what had happened, we had lost our pressurization! I was going to head towards the cockpit to find out what was going on!
Just then the cockpit to cabin phone rang. The first office informed me that we'd be doing an emergency landing. We had "lost" our right engine. (Meaning, it wasn't running)
The right engine controlled our pressurization. So when the engine stopped, a mist appeared - meaning we needed to get to a lower altitude.
The Captain and First Officer had their hands full with contacting the nearest tower/ airport and letting them know we needed to lower our altitude and come in for an emergency landing! I could hear the Captain talking to the control tower while the First Office was telling me what had happened.
Just as I hung up the phone, a woman seated on the right side let out a "Oh My God!" shriek! There was streaks of blood on her window!
The Captain came on the P.A. and informed the passengers we'd be making an "unscheduled stop" -
I had a half full airplane - a whole 24 passengers. I had just finished serving and was walking back to the galley when we felt a lurch. All at once Fog was filling the cabin and coming out of the air vents. One man asked- "Is that smoke?! Are we on fire?" It wasn't smoke. I't was like a cloud was suddenly inside our airplane!
I knew what had happened, we had lost our pressurization! I was going to head towards the cockpit to find out what was going on!
Just then the cockpit to cabin phone rang. The first office informed me that we'd be doing an emergency landing. We had "lost" our right engine. (Meaning, it wasn't running)
The right engine controlled our pressurization. So when the engine stopped, a mist appeared - meaning we needed to get to a lower altitude.
The Captain and First Officer had their hands full with contacting the nearest tower/ airport and letting them know we needed to lower our altitude and come in for an emergency landing! I could hear the Captain talking to the control tower while the First Office was telling me what had happened.
Just as I hung up the phone, a woman seated on the right side let out a "Oh My God!" shriek! There was streaks of blood on her window!
The Captain came on the P.A. and informed the passengers we'd be making an "unscheduled stop" -
We had encountered geese!
I strolled the cabin, talking to people and reassuring them that we were fine. I promised them that the airplane landed smoother on one engine than two!
The woman who had let out the scream about the blood was upset. I stood by her, reassuring her that everything was going to be alright.
...And then it happened. She grabbed ahold of my arm! Instead of calming down she was in a high state of panic! As calmly as I could, I told her this had happened before- it was ok- WE were ok. She stopped screaming, but would not let go! There was no one seated next to her to give me assistance! Everyone was looking out their windows, oblivious to my plight!
We were coming closer and closer to the airport! I needed to get back to my jump seat, make the landing announcement, and strap in! I knelt beside her, all the while trying to loosen her grip! Now- I've always been a very strong woman- -but nothing short of cutting off my arm was going to get me away from this woman!
I leaned closer to her and told her she was hurting me! I whispered "PLEASE LET GO!" She continued to hold on with one hand, but now grabbed my uniform with the other! (OH NO!) I felt like she was choking me!
In we came to the nearest airport. ( I'm afraid my memory doesn't give me which town we landed at, only that it was a small airport.) I'm in this woman's death grasp, totally trapped! I relaxed. I was going to be there, kneeling on the floor when we landed.! And there was NOTHING I could do about it!
We were coming in low. It felt like we were just above tree top level. And it looked like we were going to land sideways! I knew that in certain winds we would "crab" in the air- then straighten out just before touching down! I mentally wondered if the passengers were concerned about this as well! We could see the runway out the side window! Then suddenly the runway disappeared from view, there was a "dip" feeling, and we landed- smooth as silk!
As I had foretold, the landing was perfect! You could hardly tell we touched the ground!
I told the woman that we were on the ground and to PLEASE let go! She slowly let go and began to cry. I got to my feet and made my way to the boarding door, just as the Captain came out of the cockpit.
"What happened to you?!" he asked, pointing to my blouse. My blouse was ripped from the neckline down the front, exposing my slip! That woman had practically undressed me- tearing away at me in her panic! (Oh God! What a day!) I covered up the best I could! At least, enough to cover my front! I ran to put my jacket on as soon as possible!
Needless to say, we had to deplane the passengers. One man stopped by the Captain and myself to ask why the airplane landed so smoothly on one engine, as I had predicted. The Captain laughed and said "Concentration!"
The woman who had held me prisoner during the landing was almost too shaky to get down the stairs! That was my first true encounter with a passenger's absolute "fear of flying" panic! I had heard that panic can make someone's strength increase- and this made me a believer!
The underside as well as the right side of the aircraft had streaks of blood on it- while the right propeller was "messy" with remittance of "Goose". It looked like some geese hit the engine, and some hit the undercarriage.
A few hours later another airplane came and took our passengers to Detroit. We spent the night at a local hotel, while a mechanic worked on the engine.
In the morning we three crew members, plus one mechanic flew an empty airplane back to Detroit for further work. (And probably a good washing!) I had a torn blouse and five deep purple bruises on my right arm as souvenirs! From that point on- I kept panicking passengers at arms length! Well, for a while, anyway! (At least until the bruises healed!)
So, when flocks of geese fly overhead, I do remember that flight-- and for some reason my right arm starts to ache! Ha! And yet- it's one of those memories that I cherish! It was all part of my wonderful adventure, my wonderful career!
Until next time, Dear Readers! Remember! Life indeed is an adventure, even when it's a bumpy ride!
I strolled the cabin, talking to people and reassuring them that we were fine. I promised them that the airplane landed smoother on one engine than two!
The woman who had let out the scream about the blood was upset. I stood by her, reassuring her that everything was going to be alright.
...And then it happened. She grabbed ahold of my arm! Instead of calming down she was in a high state of panic! As calmly as I could, I told her this had happened before- it was ok- WE were ok. She stopped screaming, but would not let go! There was no one seated next to her to give me assistance! Everyone was looking out their windows, oblivious to my plight!
We were coming closer and closer to the airport! I needed to get back to my jump seat, make the landing announcement, and strap in! I knelt beside her, all the while trying to loosen her grip! Now- I've always been a very strong woman- -but nothing short of cutting off my arm was going to get me away from this woman!
I leaned closer to her and told her she was hurting me! I whispered "PLEASE LET GO!" She continued to hold on with one hand, but now grabbed my uniform with the other! (OH NO!) I felt like she was choking me!
In we came to the nearest airport. ( I'm afraid my memory doesn't give me which town we landed at, only that it was a small airport.) I'm in this woman's death grasp, totally trapped! I relaxed. I was going to be there, kneeling on the floor when we landed.! And there was NOTHING I could do about it!
We were coming in low. It felt like we were just above tree top level. And it looked like we were going to land sideways! I knew that in certain winds we would "crab" in the air- then straighten out just before touching down! I mentally wondered if the passengers were concerned about this as well! We could see the runway out the side window! Then suddenly the runway disappeared from view, there was a "dip" feeling, and we landed- smooth as silk!
As I had foretold, the landing was perfect! You could hardly tell we touched the ground!
I told the woman that we were on the ground and to PLEASE let go! She slowly let go and began to cry. I got to my feet and made my way to the boarding door, just as the Captain came out of the cockpit.
"What happened to you?!" he asked, pointing to my blouse. My blouse was ripped from the neckline down the front, exposing my slip! That woman had practically undressed me- tearing away at me in her panic! (Oh God! What a day!) I covered up the best I could! At least, enough to cover my front! I ran to put my jacket on as soon as possible!
Needless to say, we had to deplane the passengers. One man stopped by the Captain and myself to ask why the airplane landed so smoothly on one engine, as I had predicted. The Captain laughed and said "Concentration!"
The woman who had held me prisoner during the landing was almost too shaky to get down the stairs! That was my first true encounter with a passenger's absolute "fear of flying" panic! I had heard that panic can make someone's strength increase- and this made me a believer!
The underside as well as the right side of the aircraft had streaks of blood on it- while the right propeller was "messy" with remittance of "Goose". It looked like some geese hit the engine, and some hit the undercarriage.
A few hours later another airplane came and took our passengers to Detroit. We spent the night at a local hotel, while a mechanic worked on the engine.
In the morning we three crew members, plus one mechanic flew an empty airplane back to Detroit for further work. (And probably a good washing!) I had a torn blouse and five deep purple bruises on my right arm as souvenirs! From that point on- I kept panicking passengers at arms length! Well, for a while, anyway! (At least until the bruises healed!)
So, when flocks of geese fly overhead, I do remember that flight-- and for some reason my right arm starts to ache! Ha! And yet- it's one of those memories that I cherish! It was all part of my wonderful adventure, my wonderful career!
Until next time, Dear Readers! Remember! Life indeed is an adventure, even when it's a bumpy ride!
7 comments:
Thanks for posting. I was a Stewardess on the DC 3 and CV 580 and would like to hear more of your experiences!
Dear YNG-
Thank you for your comment! Like all of us, there are a multitude of stories to share! I had a 39 year flying career, so my "memory box" is full of all sorts of experiences! I'll post stories as long as people like yourself enjoy reading them! Than you for following along! Stay safe!
Marcy Padrta
aka The Flight Nun
Yikes! I don’t know all the terminology, but I was on an Eastern AL flight years ago that had a less than perfect approach into MSP. I believe the term is pitching and yawing—nose up and down, swaying side to side, zigzagging its way to the runway. Once we touched down we bounced back up into the air, then finally were rolling out. Oh man, I wanted to kiss the ground. 😊
Dear Shar Berge-
Been there several times! It always takes one by surprise, doesn't it? The airline story is- "Any landing you can walk away from is a good landing!" There's been a few wind sheers and ice or snow filled runways that caused me to pause! Thank you for your comment! And for following along!
Marcy Padrta
aka The Flight Nun
😊
Yikes! After all the years I flew places for work, I never experienced a bird strike. But we had some exciting drops, turbulence, and landings!
Lynda- Thanks for your comment! Bird strikes, as they call them, are more common during certain times of the year, but they do happen. In my 39 years of flying it happened to me twice. This situation, and one where we hardly noticed until we landed and saw feathers and yuck in one of the jet engines!
Marcy
aka The Flight Nun
Post a Comment