Tell us about your worst flying experience.

[Smoke]

Second worst: 1989 or so landing at Rhien Main AFB the plane was hit by lightning but able to land safely

Worst 1992 Flying from a National Guard training base in Idaho (don't remember the name but it was close to Boise) to Butts Army Airfield Ft. Carson on a CH47. A friend of mine suggested I take a Benydril to fight air sickness.

I took two and was out cold for almost the entire flight. Apparently at some point in the flight something went wrong with "a chip collector in the gear box " (?) Any way I woke up in an empty helicopter with a buddy of mine standing on the ramp telling me "Dude! the aircraft is on fire you have to get out now!" To this day I don't have any Idea what actually happened or (except in general somewhere in Montana) where we were.

 

[bigolddave]

The first time I flew overseas, I went to our plant in Turin. On the way home, I spent three days in London. The flight from Heathrow to Ohare was to leave at noon; I got to the airport early, about an hour and a half before departure. There was a strike of service people at the airport, and there was no food available, except in the gift shops. Bad enough, but there was also a one shift work stoppage of air traffic controllers over the North Atlantic. We were on and off the plane two or three times, finally leaving about twelve hours late. When we arrived at Ohare, it was about 4 am. They got some customs people to run us through, and then it was wait again until the bus left at seven. I finally arrived at home, and called in to the office, to tell them that in spite of it being the end of the month, I was going to go home to crash. No, no, you have to come in, my assistant had shot her husband, and was in jail.

I never dared to review the work I did that day!

Several years later, on the ground in Toronto, the plane I was on taxied into one of the ground trucks (the kind with the big brush on the front). The wing peeled the roof of the cab back about two feet. It was easy to tell we were in Canada, and not the US, there were no lawyers waiting for us on the ground.

 

[Comrad]

Worst and best in the same plane, a crusty old company owned DC3. Wasn't unusual for the passengers to break out in applause after landing. Like the old joke goes, in the event of an emergency your seat cushion can be used for floatation, the seats on this plane could have been used for toilets on some of the less than perfect 3 point landings. Good times, I miss those days. If I close my eyes I can still smell that old plane.

 

[the ringo kid]

Ill elaborate the full story later but, the worst was when I was on the last leg of the flight from Frankfurt, Germany to Dallas?Fort Worth. I simply could not believe what happened. Ill tell the rest later when I dont have a very cute Cat (Shasta) sleeping on my typing hand.

 

[SweetMK]

Pittsburgh to LA on a 707, year - 1971

We lost all hydraulics before we crossed the Rockies.

We were so low, I thought we could have jumped to the mountain top.

We landed with no flaps, using every inch of the runway.

 

[Lost Lake]

My worst flight happened when I was piloting the plane, so I'll tell a less worse tale...

A C130 was the plane, heading for our station in Germany and flying through some really bad turbulence. The pilot had cranked the heat up so high, nearly all of the troops were down to their underwear, including a few gals that were with us.

The bouncing was very violent, 'severe' is the terms pilots use, when items fly about the cabin if not secured. We had clothes and shoes flying all around us.

The men who chewed tobacco were spitting into glass jars, and when you combine the heat, bouncing, spit filled jars sloshing on you, and see all the sweating people, the puking wasn't unexpected.

That added a stench to the ride that was the icing on the cake.

I held it together, but it was close. I think nearly everyone puked on that ride, and all came crawling off looking like death warmed over....

.

 

[feralmerril]

I was the pilot on this one. I own a citaberia. In 1977 I had my license but probley not that many hours. Decided to fly home to wisconsin and see the folks from california. On the return trip I gassed up at delhart texas. Was headed for santa fe. Checked my tanks probley in a turn. I was going to just run to the bathroom, gas up and next stop was Gallop. Many planes were ahead of me waiting for gas. I guestimated my gas and decided not to wait. Thought I could make Gallop New Mexico. I got a ways out, it was getting dark. I raised myself up to check the tanks and I realised I was dead! I was well past the point of no return and had picked up a heck of a head wind. I was alternating praying and swearing at myself. It was night, over the mountains between santa fe and gallop. I had a radio that wasnt working. Found out later it was a ground wire antenia problem. But then again it wouldnt have helped me anyway except to tell the tower where to look for my body. Finaly I crossed the range and seen lights of gallop far ahead. At one point I almost landed in front of a emergency vehicle I seen on the dessert far below me going with flashing red lights in the middle of nowhere. I hung over a freeway going to gallop figureing when the engine quit I would try landing in front of traffic. The engine didnt quit but it seemed like I had been reading empty for the last 10 or 15 minuets! I really got scared when I left the freeway for several miles to cut into the airport. Thought I would land in someones bedroom. I landed okay. Called my dad. Dad said do me a favor? Next time you come home drive! I got a motel and fueled up the next morning. The tanks hold 35 gallons useable. I think I was charged for 34.6 gallons!! To this day I am convinced the lord assigned some angles to put a couple of gallons of gas in my tank! I have been scared a few other times but whatever caused those scares were just a few seconds, never like a hour of thinking you are dead for sure!

 

[jrm53]

I got my moneys worth

Several years ago we were at a flying display get together in Springdale Ar, they had a L-4 Taylorcraft tandem and a beautiful D-18 beechcraft, all polished aluminum with british roundels on it and you could get a ride for 20 dollars and the what I thought was the pilot looked sharp and proficient, just the type I wanted to fly with anyway we loaded up and I was the last in and this kind of scruffy looking kid got in walked up the aisle and got in the left seat in the cockpit and the real spiffy guy shut the door. It was a hard crosswind from the west and we took off to the north, he pulled it off and the stall horn was honking and it crabbed into the wind and we climbed out, the lady setting by me asked what that noise was I said it was just a horn that honked sometimes, not to worry we made a about a 15 mile flight and we come in from the south, low and straight in and I thought a little slow, I thought he's going to do a wheel landing n this crosswind, no we did a full stall landing in a hard crosswind, the instruments are mounted in a rubber insulated panel and they were shaking the stall horn was going crazy and as soon as we touched it began to turn into the wind and we ran off the wide tarmac and in between 2 landing lights and never hit any thing and we taxied up to where we started the spiffy guy opened the door and I got out and my wife asked me did he lose control of it, Yes, but we came out all right, I dont think any one else realized that you go down to the turn off to leave the strip. My adrenalin was pumping pretty good after that. Jeff

 

[williamlayton]

I wouldn't call it a bad flight---everybody lived---but it was interesting.
1966---a flight from Canton/Akron to a connecting flight in chicago and then to Houston.
American from Canton to O'Hare as I recall. I was about a 40 minute fligh as I recall AND a dinner flight.
We taxied out and locked down to rev up the engines----then all of a sudden the jets start to go into idle and we taxi back to the building----little old 80 year old lady forgot to get off.
By this time we are susposed to be in O'hare. The flight attendants see her off and the pilot starts to taxi back out--stewardess' are still standing when he turns to take off. He doesn't lock up and rev up---He makes the turn and it is power on----I swear he has the wheels up and locked in 500 feet---must have been a 45 degree climb and the stewardess' were serving dinner before the wheel lock up. They were hanging on to the backs of seat with one hand and holding the carts from rolling with the other.
Then we get to O'Hare---in a snow storm---get in the que and circle Chicago til it is our turn---start decent and wheels go down---------then wheels go up and power goes back on. Captain says the plane ahead of us is a C-47 and we were reaching stall speed---get in the que again--finally land.
Catch a Braniff flight back to Houston. Big ol plane---it is 11Pm and we have 13 passengers. I was drunk---and sitting in first class---I look down the isle and here comes a sweet young stewardess out of the front of the plane----taking off her skirt----parties on----I forgot they had on hot pants.
Anyway the booze was free and I partook-------Heavily.
Blessings

 

[WNC Seabee]

About a week after they started flying again following 9/11. Landing in DTW, a couple tires blew right when we landed. Made a Big Bang and the plane came to a sudden and complete stop. People were losing their minds.

 

[cloud]

For me it is getting called into fly on my day off.lol

 

[WI357SIG]

I can't top Ron White so here goes

I flew all the way from Flagstaff, Arizona to Phoenix, Arizona because my manager doesn't own a globe. We flew on a plane that big, like a pack of gum with eight people in it, just (imitates sound of a tiny airplane).

We took off from the Flagstaff Airport, Hair Care and Tire Center there. We were going half the speed of smell. We got passed by a kite. There was a goose behind us, the pilot was screaming, "Go around! Go around!"

On the way there, we lost some oil pressure in one of the engines, so we had to turn around. It's a 9-minute flight...can't pull it off with this equipment. And they told us about it over the speaker system of the plane, which was stupid because they coulda just went [looks backward] "Hey, we lost some oil pressure." [gives a thumbs-up] Heard ya! Sure did.

Everybody else was panicking, but I'd been drinking since lunch, so I was like, "Take it down, I don't care." Ever have one of those days? "Hit somethin' hard, I don't wanna limp away from this piece of sh!!."

The guy sitting next to me is losing his mind; apparently, he had a lot to live for. He turns to me, he says "Hey man! [gasps for air] Hey, man! Hey, man! [gasps for air] If one of these engines fails, [gasps for air] how far will the other one take us?" [As himself]"All the way to the scene of the crash! Which is pretty handy, 'cause that's where we're headed. I bet we beat the paramedics there by a half-hour! We're haulin' ***!"

 

[feralmerril]

Many years ago Gus and Lena were flying on a connie from Poland to new york. After a couple hours into it the pilot got on the speaker and said, "Folks, we lost a engine but dont worry about it, we just will be a couple hours late." After a couple more hours the second engine went. The pilot got on the horn again and tried to reassure everyone they could still make it but will be a couple more hours later yet. Gustov turned to Lena and said, "By Gott Lena, if anuder engine go`s vee vont make new york in a veek!

 

[billwill]

Back in the late '80s I was calling on Unisys in Blue Bell, PA. Took a Wings flight from Philly to Blue Bell. Cannot remember exactly but had to be a Piper Cub. The pilot, me,and guy behind me, all in a nice "little" row. Hand on the good book....I swear we followed the geese onto the runway.

I like lookin at a goose lined up in my gunsites but not looking at his butt landing on a runway!!!!

 

[BobC357]

Twice flying Hughes AirWest (Air Worst), yellow banana I landed on foam. Never flew them again.

But, any landing you walk away from is a good one.

 

[cloud]

Back in the late '80s I was calling on Unisys in Blue Bell, PA. Took a Wings flight from Philly to Blue Bell. Cannot remember exactly but had to be a Piper Cub. The pilot, me,and guy behind me, all in a nice "little" row. Hand on the good book....I swear we followed the geese onto the runway.

I like lookin at a goose lined up in my gunsites but not looking at his butt landing on a runway!!!!

Small world .I use to fly for wings. Twin otter ,islander,tri islander.

 

[rwsmith]

I never flew much

I had good luck on most of the flights (I haven't been on a plane in 14 years) but one time I got bumped and had to take a circuitous route on various prop puddle jumper planes. Hours later we pulled into Dulles (I think it was Dulles) which wasn't even halfway home. The plane landed in dark crappy weather at this auxiliary terminal that was out in the middle of nowhere. The front of the terminal was something like a subway car which we had to load into and after about an hour this big fork truck came and trundled us a couple of miles to the main terminal. After a long wait, it was back into the puddle jumpers. I got home after midnight (well over 8 hours late) and I was red eyed and in a total daze from hours of all of the prop noise and vibration.

 

[shouldazagged]

No flying horror stories, but Jack's reconsidered letter in the OP reminded me of a story from the 1920's or '30's. A man and his wife were on a train trip and the guy felt his wife had been disrespectfully treated. He wrote a very strong, angry letter to the railroad, and got one back saying that the line was sincerely sorry, that this was not the sort of experience they wanted their passengers to have, and that they would take firm action to see that it never happened again.

Unfortunately the reply was clipped to the passenger's original missive, on which someone had written in red ink, "Shirley, send this guy the nut letter."

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

 

[LVSteve]

"No crew available" and "aircraft problems" are often airline code for "there are too few folk on this flight to make money." America West were notorious for it.

Flying stories:

1) When I came to the US in 1997 I was in what must have been the oldest 747 in the British Airways fleet. Everything behind the engines was filthy black like the thing ran on coal. It was only flying to DC but it lumbered down the runway with acceleration equivalent to a sloth on tranquilisers. The take off run was so long and the rate of climb so pathetic I would not have been surprised if we took some perimeter fence with us. Actually, go to Google Earth and look up "Membury Services" on the M4 West of London. We probably hit V2 about there. I nicknamed this crate "The Banana boat" because every time it hit turbulence the center mounted overhead bins sort of snaked to and fro. More than one passenger looked grumpy at me when I pointed it out to the kids running around at the back.

2) I had to fly in a small twin here in Nevada. On the way back to Vegas we had Mt Charleston to the West of us on a day with a strong wind from the West. Of yes, the mountain had created a big invisible swirl in the sky and we hit it, going straight down in no time flat with the dash going red from the pilot's side to mine.

3) On a 737 in a stack waiting to get into Vegas when there were storms about. Some joker in ATC thought it would be funny to put one side of the stack in big CuNim. I woke with a start to find my arms floating up off my lap in negative G.

4) In the back of a big and heavily laden transport taking off at night I noticed that although I thought we had left the ground, we seemed to be descending. After a couple of seconds we seemed to be climbing again so I figured the runway had a sizeable "up and over" we had crossed just before lift off. I had never flown from that location before so I had no real clue. Find out three years later that the kite "had a problem" shortly after take off and had enough rate of descent that folks in the ATC tower were reaching for phones. Apparently the crew sorted it out and we flew on.

5) One from my buddy. He was going back to the UK and for some reason he took a red-eye from Vegas to O'Hare to catch the flight over the pond in the mid morning. Did I mention it was winter? The 747 was almost empty when they closed the doors because so many connecting flights did not make it in. After deicing (he thinks) the plane taxis out and takes off in a snow storm. He said O'Hare must have good ground markers because when he looked out of the window he could not see any clear ground or asphalt anywhere. Apparently the plane came off the runway like a scaled cat because of the lack of passengers (13 in economy, he reckoned) and was likely the last flight out that day.

6) Somebody with a sense of humour routed me from Las Vegas to London via LAX. An hour into the flight out of LAX (another British Airways banana boat) an attendant asked my why I was looking so annoyed stood looking out of the window of a rear door. I pointed to a spot in the city below and said, "I've been traveling for six hours, and I can still see my bloody house".

 

[RobertJ.]

I've flown a lot but can't top most of these! My worst was a couple years ago when we were coming back from Vegas, and our landing in Portland was so rough, when the plane finally got all its wheels on the ground everyone on the plane cheered!

My Mom's worst story would be when we flew to Alaska when I was 9, and my sister was 7. We were stuck in the SeaTac Airport for 4 hours, and she was hand carrying 2 dozen nitecrawlers for my Dad who was waiting for us. Happily, the crawlers survived, and Dad knocked the trout dead with them.