Winter travel can always be a challenge! And flying in a Michigan Winter is no exception!
One particular morning I was flying in a Convair 580 Turbo Prop- coming south from northern Michigan towards Detroit. We had one stop to make before reaching Detroit. The weather was snow with intermittent freezing rain. Not a great combination!
On approach to our intermediate stop we had low overcast skies. It was like flying in a cloud until shortly before touchdown.
Once we landed all hell broke loose! Jerking motions - snow flying past the windows, covering the windows- banging sounds- more jerking- and then we're stopped and all is suddenly quiet!
I told everyone "Stay Seated!" as I went toward the cockpit.
Suddenly the cockpit door flew open. The Captain, red in the face opened the canopy and lowered the stairs. What happened next was like something out of a movie!
I'm now at the front of the aircraft- in the cockpit. The First officer looked like he had seen a ghost- he was a bit shook. I asked what happened! He didn't answer- he was staring out the window. Not far from us was the Captain with his hands on the agent. He had him by his jacket- shaking him. I have to say the agent looked scared to death!
The First Officer explained. The agent had cleared them for landing, stating the runway had just a bit of snow on it. ( In truth, they couldn't get the snow plow to work, couldn't get the car down the runway for all the snow- but lied to the crew. ) The only explanation was that they had a lot of people in the terminal waiting for us and they thought we'd be able to land okay. I have no idea how much snow was on the runway- but enough to pack the windows with snow as we landed- so that tells a lot!
The First Officer started to put his coat on to go calm down the Captain, but didn't need to. The Captain came back onboard- so red faced I was worried for his blood pressure! He was- by rights- furious!
A bit later both pilots went out to inspect the aircraft. I'm not sure if something had happened to the props, but the landing gears were damaged. Now the passengers and crew were going nowhere!
I didn't see hide nor hair of the agent that initially talked to the Captain. I have no idea what happened to him. The Pilots were on the phone with the Company for quite a while. Meanwhile I served coffee and juice to the passengers. Several asked if that was a normal landing! All I could say was that there was more snow than expected!
When it rains- it pours!! Or- in this case- Here comes more snow!! Local passengers went home. Passengers from up north were put up in hotels. We, the crew stayed around for a while then got into a crew car and headed to a motel.
With more snow- it was two days before a flight could come and get the passengers. Because the flights were all full with passengers that had been delayed, it was decided that we- the crew- would drive back to Detroit! It was a quiet drive back.
I'll never forget the look in the Captains eyes as he burst out of the cockpit after that landing! Fury! Absolute Fury! As he said to me later- the agent's decision could have cost us our lives!
In 39 years- I never before or after had that kind of situation! We all make mistakes in judgement from time to time. I have a feeling that agent would never again second guess the runway conditions nor feel pressured to get passengers on an airplane at any cost!
Until Next Time, Dear Readers!
Life Is Indeed An Adventure! And Even In Bad Situations, All's Well That Ends Well!
2 comments:
WOW,Thank you Marcy for that great story. To me the Captain showed a lot of restraint to just shaking the agent around and not just breaking his legs, kick out his teeth, and more. Yes to me he held back. Jim
Dear Dirty Jim- Thank you! I was surprised at the Captain's anger- right up until I found out what happened! Then I totally understood!
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