208 days ago
208 days ago
“Huh?” I responded.
“Yeah! I recently met a TWA flight hostess and asked her if she knew you.”
“Oh my God, Yes!” She replied. “He was the First Officer on my flight last week and he saved all our lives. We were so close to a mid air collision and he avoided it. Knocked me off my feet!”
I hadn’t really thought I was a hero. But well, I guess so. One hundred and thirty lives saved.
The Captain was splitting legs with me and it was my turn. I was flying the “Boeing 707 on manual (in layman’s terms- off autopilot) descending in CAVU [Ceiling And Visibility Unlimited] through about 12,000 feet for a landing at Chicago O’Hare. ATC informed us of unknown traffic at ten o’clock and eleven o’clock, so our crew of three was looking up and to the left but saw nothing. Some instinct suggested me to look to my right at three o’clock. And there in living color was an Air Force utility plane about to join us on the flight deck in less than another second or two or less.
I yanked back hard on the control yoke in a six G pull up and saw the AF plane in a wild maneuver disappear beneath our wing.
The Capt yelled at me “Take it easy! Passenger comfort you know!” From where he sat he never could have seen the other air craft. The flight engineer who just got a glimpse clasped me on the shoulder and said “Thanks.”
The hostess came up to the cockpit to find out what was going on? I don’t know what she told the passengers, but the captain said nothing.
We landed routinely at ORD. When we had shut down at the gate with passengers deplaning one passenger came up front. “Hey, thanks loads guys. I thought for sure we were goners. I was sitting over the wing enjoying the view when suddenly this plane appeared. For certain a mid air collision. Then I was pressed into my seat and saw it safely disappear below.”
So yea I guess I am something of an unsung hero. Hours later I could still feel the adrenalin jolt in my slightly wobbly knees. The captain said don’t report this to FAA or they will probably blame it on us and we will have a lot of explaining to do. (Though of course no way were we at fault).
So that 130 passengers and crew were almost scattered across the Indiana country side one perfect day in late July long ago went unnoted into history. I kind of shrugged it off since such events are rare. Surprisingly I have never had a nightmare about it though I have had many dreams related to my flying career. And to be honest, I can’t remember ever relating the incident to more than three or four people.
So please, next time, remember to sit back and enjoy the flight!
