When Death Comes Knocking

It was a cold, rainy day as U.S. Airways Flight #88 prepared to takeoff from Chicago’s O’Hare Airport. My son and I were heading to Phoenix, AZ to watch some Cubs spring training games. We both had aisle seats sitting across from one another in row 16.

The Airbus 320 turned onto the main runway and waited for permission to takeoff. I’ve flown on hundreds of flights, but this was the first time I’ve ever felt uneasy. As I looked down the aisle, the plane seemed to be tilting to the left. Perhaps it was an optical illusion, but it seemed real to me.

The plane roared down the runway, reached the required speed, and took off without incident. Less than a minute later, and less than 1,000 feet off the ground, I heard a loud bang and saw a flash of light out of the windows on the left side. I told myself, “We must have been hit by lightening.” But a moment later I heard a much louder B-A-N-G and saw a large flash of fire coming out of the left engine. Now I knew something was terribly wrong.

The plane pitched suddenly and sharply to the left as the pilots struggled for control. At that moment I was sure we were going to crash. I remember thinking, “So this is how I’m going to die.” The plane slowly leveled off again, but continued to wobble back and forth – sometimes violently. I learned later that both the left engine and the left-side hydraulics were inoperative. We were flying on one engine and with hydraulics for the right side only.

The bangs, flames and wobbles were scary enough, but throughout the ordeal there was a loud-pitched whine under the plane. It sounded like someone was using a power drill everywhere on the undercarriage. That made a scary situation even spookier.

At first I thought the plane was heading to Midway Airport, Chicago’s smaller air field. But as I looked out the window I could tell that we were heading towards Lake Michigan. I wondered if perhaps the pilot was trying to avoid a catastrophe on the ground by crashing the plane into the lake.

As it turned out the pilot was executing a very wide right-hand turn to head back to O’Hare Airport. It was impossible to make a normal, tighter turn given the hydraulic situation.

My son looked at me and said, “I love you Dad.” I replied, “I love you too, Jon.” All around us people were crying, holding loved ones close, and talking on their cell phones saying their last goodbyes.

I closed my eyes to pray. Of course I asked God to help us land safely; but I also told Him that I was ready to come home if this was my time to die. I told Him that I didn’t think my work on earth was through, and that my son’s work wasn’t over either. I reminded Him that four family members had died over a three year time span. I couldn’t imagine that He would lay such a heavy burden on them once again.

After 15 minutes the pilot came over the intercom and told us to prepare for landing. The plane was wobbling even as we approached the runway. When the wheels touched down, the plane lurched violently to the left side. The plane came within a couple of feet of having the left wingtip touch the concrete. If that had occurred, the plane would’ve cartwheeled down the runway in a huge fireball. Once again, the pilots were able to regain control and we continued our roll-out. Fire engines raced alongside us the whole way.

I don’t think I’ve ever heard applause as loud as when the passenger’s realized we were safely on the ground. And the applause was just as loud when the passengers disembarked and then gave a standing ovation to the pilots as they walked off the plane.

Death comes knocking for each one of us. We don’t know when, where or how, but we each intuitively know that someday we will die. Fortunately, although death came knocking on Flight #88, it wasn’t our day to die.

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