Have you ever been on a plane you thought was about to crash?

[teedubya]

I was in Chicago for a speaking event at the University of Chicago's School of Business yesterday... and my flight kept getting delayed from 5pm to 7:30pm... to finally 10:15pm. And the flight from Chicago to KC felt like it was going to crash.

That was the most intense, turbulent flight, out of easily over 100 flights that, I've ever experienced... I was lifted up off my seat several times and it shook open overhead bins. The pilot fought to keep the wings balanced through approximately 45 minutes of thinking this may be my last day on Earth.

I'm still nauseous, although grateful to be alive and on the ground... count your blessings today and hug your loved ones. You never know when it's your time to leave this rock. ♥

Now tomorrow morning, I fly to New Orleans. UGH. Don't feel like flying right now, actually. I need more than a day to get my balls to descend.

Has anything similar happened to you?

[scho63]

Three times

First-In 1987 I was on an Ansett Airlines flight internally in Australia. There was a violent thunderstorm and we circled for over an hour trying to avoid landing in it. Unfortunately we were low on fuel and had to land. We dropped like a rock during a rapid decent for landing with lighting striking all around us. First time I was scared on a plane.

Second-Around 1994 I was traveling from Newark NJ to Hong Kong via Tokyo on United. We were around 2 hours outside of Tokyo finishing dinner service when our 747 started going up and down like a yo-yo. A food cart left the floor and was toppled, several people including flight attendants hit the sealing, food was spilled all over the cabin and I think I actually lightly pissed my pants. I remember my heart beating 100x's a minute. the turbulence lasted around 45 minutes and when we landed an ambulance greeted our flight. This become a common problem flying into Tokyo over the 20 flights I took. Always some turbulence in the same area over the Pacific.

Third-1994 My first flight into Hong Kong and Kai Tak airport on a 747 at night. I was alone and no one warned me about this. As you approach the airport, the plane needs to maneuver between all the mountains and the pilot cocks the plane on a 35% angle with sharp turns. I was against the window and as we kept turning and going lower, I began to see people in their apartments as the building were closer and higher than us. It seemed like forever and just before we landed, the plane straightened out. My hands had dug so hard into the arm rest. I was shit scared.

[Nzoner]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

On a different topic, I'm really getting annoyed at the constant and increasing loudspeaker gabbing on airlines. I want an update from the pilot if something is going on, but I need the airlines to stop gabbing at me over that thing. It's annoying.

Good as place as any to share this.My dad had all the Redd Foxx comedy albums when I was a kid and I recall one bit when Redd said he was flying and suddenly the plane dipped up and down then turned on a dime and did a few more tricks before leveling out and back to smooth when the pilot came on and said,"This is your captain,heh heh see what I just did there?" To which Redd said he yelled out,"Well this your $#%^&%$%^^% passenger come back here and see what i just did!!"

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by scho63

Three times

First-In 1987 I was on an Ansett Airlines flight internally in Australia. There was a violent thunderstorm and we circled for over an hour trying to avoid landing in it. Unfortunately we were low on fuel and had to land. We dropped like a rock during a rapid decent for landing with lighting striking all around us. First time I was scared on a plane.

QANTAS. QANTAS never crashed.

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by scho63

Three times

First-In 1987 I was on an Ansett Airlines flight internally in Australia. There was a violent thunderstorm and we circled for over an hour trying to avoid landing in it. Unfortunately we were low on fuel and had to land. We dropped like a rock during a rapid decent for landing with lighting striking all around us. First time I was scared on a plane.

Second-Around 1994 I was traveling from Newark NJ to Hong Kong via Tokyo on United. We were around 2 hours outside of Tokyo finishing dinner service when our 747 started going up and down like a yo-yo. A food cart left the floor and was toppled, several people including flight attendants hit the sealing, food was spilled all over the cabin and I think I actually lightly pissed my pants. I remember my heart beating 100x's a minute. the turbulence lasted around 45 minutes and when we landed an ambulance greeted our flight. This become a common problem flying into Tokyo over the 20 flights I took. Always some turbulence in the same area over the Pacific.

Third-1994 My first flight into Hong Kong and Kai Tak airport on a 747 at night. I was alone and no one warned me about this. As you approach the airport, the plane needs to maneuver between all the mountains and the pilot cocks the plane on a 35% angle with sharp turns. I was against the window and as we kept turning and going lower, I began to see people in their apartments as the building were closer and higher than us. It seemed like forever and just before we landed, the plane straightened out. My hands had dug so hard into the arm rest. I was shit scared.

This x2

Flying over the Pacific is always fun

Flying into Hong Kong was cool, especially at night, looking into the apartments of people looking back at you.

[scho63]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

QANTAS. QANTAS never crashed.

Qantas didn't provide internal flights at the time. I also bought a "Kangaroo" airpass on Ansett for $599 that gave me 30 days of travel, 3 stops minimum 7 max, which I used, and 20% off all bus trips on Ansett travel.

I went to Melbourne, Adelaide, Alice Springs/Ayers Rock, Perth, Cairns, Brisbane, and Sydney.

Best trip of my life. I spent 32 days there and actually cancelled a week in Hawaii to add to my 3 weeks in Aussie.

[teedubya]

I've been asked to speak at an event in Melbourne, Australia... and after that flight last night and reading other people's stories... especially flying over the Pacific, I'm not so sure that I want to do this.

I'm feeling like a big pussy today. lol

[siberian khatru]

Originally Posted by teedubya

I've been asked to speak at an event in Melbourne, Australia... and after that flight last night and reading other people's stories... especially flying over the Pacific, I'm not so sure that I want to do this.

I'm feeling like a big pussy today. lol

You never know when the plane's roof might blow off (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aloha_Airlines_Flight_243) or the cabin floor collapse (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Airlines_Flight_811).

[Carlota69]

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

You never know when the plane's roof might blow off (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aloha_Airlines_Flight_243) or the cabin floor collapse (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Airlines_Flight_811).

Thats ****ed up

[teedubya]

That sure helps. :-P

[Molitoth]

I flew into Chicago Midway one night when it was really foggy.
We busted through the fog and immediately were right above rooftops, at this point we hit the runway so hard my ass hurt and it scared the shit out of everyone on the plane.

That's been my only scare so far.

[Easy 6]

Yep, coming home for leave from Alaska, surprised i didnt come away with a big white streak in my hair.

We had to switch planes in minneapolis for the run to chicago, and that was the worst experience of our lives... repeated lightning strikes to the plane, huge variations in altitude being forced onto it by winds, people were praying, the kids were with us, we were praying and holding each other tight.

When we finally landed even the stewardesses were visibly shaking like leaves, their voices quavering, and the captain etc didnt even bother to come up to say bye.

It SUCKED, and is the primary reason it will take an act of God to get me back into a plane again... i HATE that feeling of having O control over my own fate and the thought of having minutes to contemplate my own/family demise on the way down.

[HemiEd]

Ok, the obligatory "Mid Air!" /frankie

[GloryDayz]

Got picked up by a prolly-still-drunk, and angry, Huey pilot. Once I got past thinking I was going to die, it was just kind of exciting...

[WilliamTheIrish]

I was on a flight from Dallas to Fresno that had me praying. The plane bounced around on the air like a pinball and had several of those "zero gravity" moments. Some of them lasting like 5-6 seconds where the plane just "drops". I've never had an experience worse than that. Seems to be very turbulent on that Dallas/Fresno path through the Sierra range.

[Al Bundy]

I was on one several years ago from Houston back to KC. We had to land in Oklahoma City because of severe storms. We did the 500 feet drop.