“Don’t worry, Sir.” I spoke as calmly as I could, my training coming to the fore, “The pilots will be aware and able to take care of that.”
I drew the curtain across the window and walked quickly to the cockpit, totally aware that the passenger would have drawn it back again as soon as my back was turned.
As I suspected, the pilots were well aware of the situation and I entered just as the first officer, who had now returned to his seat on the right, pulled the fire lever at the command of Captain Anderson, and feathered the propeller. He looked out of his side window and back at the slowing propeller.
“Ah, Karen, could you go back and just check that the fire is extinguished, it looks like it is.”
Without another word I returned to the cabin and looked through the same large, panoramic window as before. There was a lot of smoke and the propeller had now stopped turning but I could no longer see any fire.
The passenger who had called me looked panic stricken.
“Don’t worry, the fire is out now. We are quite safe.” I reassured him. He smiled weakly and nodded.
I returned to the cockpit, not bothering to draw the curtain across again.
“I can’t see any flames.” I said to neither in particular, “nor can I see any damage to the nacelle or wing.”
The first officer turned to me.
“Thank you, Karen. We will have to divert to the nearest airfield and get his thing down asap.”
I nodded that I understood.
“I will tell the passengers.”
“Ladies and Gentlemen.” I announced, on returning to the cabin, “Your attention please. Due to a technical problem with the aircraft the Captain has decided to divert to the nearest airfield. There is no cause for alarm, and the diversion is purely in the interest of safety. Please fasten you safety belts now until we land. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask me.”
I returned the handset to its cradle on the wall and began to walk down the aisle, checking that each passenger had fastened his or her belt.
“No, Madam, we can fly normally on one engine”, and, “Yes sir, the DC-3 is a very stable and safe aeroplane.” the questions were incessant. “I am sorry for the delay sir, I am sure the airline will get you to your destination as soon as possible”, “No, sir, I am afraid I cannot give any further information at this stage.”
And so it went, almost every passenger had a question and quite understandably most were worried.
I finally reached the last row of seats at the rear of the cabin.
“Would you fasten your seat belt please sir.” I requested the man in seat twenty-four.
“No,” he replied, “It is uncomfortable and, quite frankly, unnecessary.”
I took a deep breath and asked again.
“It is for your safety, Sir, and that of the other passengers so please, if you would…?”
“Now look here…” he began to protest but was stopped in his tracks.
“Just do as you are damn well told for once can’t you?!” the voice came from behind me, from seat twenty-five.
“I beg your pardon?!” the businessman looked aghast, “Just who do you think…!”
“Shut up you arrogant little man. Do as you are told and fasten your belt. Her job is difficult enough without you making it more difficult!”
His jaw dropped but he did as he was told when his colleague put his hand on his arm and nodded for him to behave.
“Thank you, Sir.” I said as politely as I could then turned to Jemima. I was about to tell her I was quite capable of dealing with arrogant male passengers but when I saw the fear in her eyes I couldn’t be angry. She looked terrified.
I knelt beside her and took her hand.
“Hey, don’t worry.” I spoke calmly and gently. The floor tilted as we began to turn to the left, the pilots being careful not to let the drag from the stricken right engine snap the aeroplane around too tightly had they banked right. “You will be fine, we all will. They train constantly for just this sort of thing.”
Her beautiful brown eyes looked pleading at me and I could feel her hand trembling beneath mine.
“I will be just behind you and, remember, be strong.” I squeezed her hand and after checking her belt, smiled and returned to my own seat by the buffet and strapped myself in.
All remained quiet for a few minutes, I could see heads moving nervously then suddenly, someone shouted out:
“It’s on fire again” and, at the same moment The nose dipped and we began to dive steeply. Passengers were screaming and I could feel my belt pulling at my lap as, for a moment, I became weightless.
Jemima Rana was staring straight ahead, her hands gripping the back of the seat in front of her, knuckles pure white. I could not see her face but I knew she must be scared half to death as, indeed, was I even though I suspected that Captain Anderson was using the high wind speed generated by the dive to try to extinguish the flames.
It seemed an eternity that we fell, some of the passengers began to scream and I was convinced that my ears would burst such was the pain from the sudden change in pressure but then, almost as quickly as it began, the DC-3 pulled out of its screaming dive and my weight returned pressing me hard into my seat.
I unhooked the intercom from the bulkhead and pressed the call button. It buzzed briefly.
“Karen, I’m sorry. Is everyone Ok?” It was the Captain.
“Yes, I think so.” I answered breathlessly, my ears still throbbing. “What happened?”
“The engine reignited. I have to get us down as soon as possible. I have declared an emergency, prepare your passengers for a hard landing. Good luck and God bless.”
“You too.” I said but the handset had already gone dead. I felt numb but there was no time to dwell as I pressed the PA button.
“Ladies and Gentlemen.” I began again, “The captain has declared an emergency and we will be landing at the first opportunity. Because of this we must prepare for a heavy landing. When you hear the words ‘Brace Brace’ bend as far forwards as you can, getting your head down on your knees and place your hands on the back of the seat in front of you. Do NOT release your seat belt until we are down safely.”
I calmly returned the handset to its cradle and waited. I could see out of the window to my right, Jemima’s window, and could tell we were very low now, only about a thousand feet. All I could see below were trees and they seemed to be getting nearer.
Jemima twisted in her seat and looked back at me, her face streaked with mascara as the tears ran down her face. I smiled to her and nodded slowly, trying as best I could to reassure her from the restraints of my position. She smiled back and turned away. I returned my attention to the window. The three blades of the propeller were still now, blades turned so that they would slice through the air and cause as little drag as possible. The engine cowling was blackened, the panels buckled and smoke and fluid were trailing back across the scorched wing. I knew we were in serious trouble and I too was afraid.
My heart was in my mouth but for now, we appeared to be flying steadily. I stopped looking out and sat with my hands clasped on my lap and my head bowed.
Throughout the cabin was a low murmur. Some of the passengers were praying, other were talking with their spouse but generally, they were calm.
I reached up and took down the handset but held it in front of me, looking at it.
Should I call? I knew they were busy but the suspense was killing me.
I jumped suddenly as the handset buzzed.
“Yes?” I said tentatively, “Are we Ok?”
“For now.” It was Bob Donnelly. “Eric is holding her steady but we are haemorrhaging hydraulic fluid. I don’t know how long we can stay up so we are searching for a suitable place to put down.”
I didn’t know what to say.
“Karen?” Bob’s voice sounded metallic an distant.
“Erm, yes, sorry, I was…” I didn’t know what I was and my voice trailed off.
“Be strong, Love, we need you, your passengers need you.” the distant, metallic voice urged.
“Yes, I know, I’m Ok.” I assured him, my strength already returning, “What is the outlook?”
“Good girl.” Bob said. “I have studied the maps and there is an old disused airfield that the Germans abandoned after the war. We are heading there. I just hope we can stay up long enough to reach it. About ten minutes.” Whilst he spoke I again felt the floor tilt as the aeroplane turned slowly.
“I am going to try to reassure the passengers. If we have to go down buzz the intercom so I can get back to my seat.”
“Ok, will do.” a short silence. “We will be Ok, Honey, you’ll see.” and before I could answer there was a click and the handset went dead.
I held it to my ear for a moment longer before letting my hand slowly sink own into my lap then I took a deep breath. Ten minutes. I wasn’t going let the possibilities into my head. I had to keep busy,
I placed the handset back in its cradle, released the buckle and let the two halves of the belt fall either side to the floor and stood up.
My first thought was for Jemima, she was still sitting rigid in her seat and as I appeared beside her she looked up. Her face was ashen and streaked with black.
“It seems I am not so strong after all, Karen.
I crouched beside her seat. She was visibly trembling.
“I want you to do something for me, Jemima, if you will.”
She nodded and I continued, whispering so not to be overheard by the other passengers around us.
“I will not pretend to you. We are in a bit of a predicament, that much is true.” I took her shaking hand. “The Captain is heading for a disused airfield so we can land safely but I will have to help everyone out of the aircraft and find them somewhere to rest until the rescue party arrives. Will you help me?”
She looked at me and squeezed my hand.
“Well, yes, of course, but why me?”
“Because I need someone whom I can trust and I know you are strong. Right now I need you.”
She smiled then and gripped my hand tighter.
“I know what you are doing.” she said. “Thank you.”
I smiled gently.
“This is for me too, Jemima. I am frightened as well.”
“Ok.” she said, “I will not fail you.”
“That’s the spirit.” I replied. “As soon as we are down just follow my lead.”
She smiled and nodded her agreement and I stood up again. I touched her shoulder once more then began to pass along the aisle.
Behind me, even before I was out of earshot I heard seat twenty-four.
“What’s happening? We’re going to crash aren’t we, all going to die!”
I smiled at the reply.
Yes, maybe.” Jemima, “If we do and you cause any problems for her you will have me to deal with, understand?”
I didn’t bother to look back.
I walked slowly down the aisle, a word of reassurance here and there, trying my damnedest not to let my own fear show. I needed them to be calm.
When I reached the front of the cabin I looked at the cockpit door.
“No.” I thought, I would leave them to their work. They had enough to contend with.
“God be with you.” I whispered under my breath. Then turned back for the final slow walk back to my seat.
I had closed all the curtains and requested the passengers to keep them closed for safety, they would help protect them against flying glass and, at the panoramic window, I paused to look at the wing. There was no smoke now but still fluid was streaming back from the damaged engine and spraying along the side of the fuselage. The rearmost windows were streaked with pink oil.
I stayed for a moment, just looking and I realised that the flow was beginning to decrease. I was pleased. It meant the pilots had got the damage under control and I immediately felt much more hopeful. When it stopped altogether I actually smiled inwardly and pulled the curtain back across.
What I didn’t know, having no technical knowledge, was that the flow had stopped because there was no longer any oil in the hydraulic system to leak out.
When I reached the last row I looked at twenty-four. The poor man was sweating profusely but he didn’t say a word as he looked up at me. He reminded me of a puppy dog who didn’t dare bark for fear of being whacked.
Then I turned to Jemima and I could not suppress a smile. She had wiped all the mascara from her face and, with the aid of a small ornate compact mirror, was carefully reapplying her make-up.
She saw me and, without pausing simply said:
“If I am to die, I don’t want the whole world saying, ‘Look at the state of her’!”
“We are not going to die.” I said, already believing my own words, “We have the most experienced pilots at the helm. Captain Anderson was an RAF pilot during the war and flew these into all sorts of trouble… and out again, I might add.”
I leaned across and took a final look out of the window beside her. We were no longer turning but we did appear to be slowly descending. All I could see now were mountains and trees.
I could do no more so I let the fabric fall back, obscuring the view for the last time, squeezed Jemima’s shoulder and, with a final glance at seat twenty-four. Returned to my seat.
The last few minutes seemed to take an eternity and I tried to run through all the things I would have to do once we were down. My mind was totally befuddled but I knew that once I had to act, everything would fall into place.
I reached down and so, so slowly pushed the flat chrome plate into its slot in the buckle, the click as it latched in place seemed deafening. I pulled the excess webbing tight and waited.
My heart almost stopped when the handset buzzed. I put it tentatively to my ear, ready to shout if it was dead.
“Hello?”
“Karen, it’s Bob.” I didn’t reply. “We have made it to the airfield but the hydraulics are gone. The undercarriage is down but we are truly in the hands of God now. Good luck.”
“Good luck.” I repeated.
I took one last breath, pressed the PA button and summoning every last ounce of strength shouted into the mic.
“Brace! Brace! Brace!”
There was not a sound and everyone that I could see, without exception, snapped forwards immediately and unquestioningly..
Once I was satisfied that they were all prepared I let my arms fall to my sides and lowered my own head to my knees and wondered… was this to be my last flight?
The airframe was buffeting now, jolting and swaying. I could only imagine how far we were from the runway and the roar from the engine seemed unnatural as it only came from one side. The floor tilted first one way and then the other as the wings rose and fell and in my minds eye I envisaged Eric and Bob fighting with the controls to keep the airplane straight and level as we approached.
Suddenly, I was slammed hard into my seat as we hit the ground hard with a severe jolt then bounced back up. Again the cabin tilted, to the left this time and another hard bump. People were screaming now, but no, it wasn’t people, it was the screeching and crashing of tearing metal. The undercarriage had collapsed!
I remained bent forwards, thankful for he restraint of the seat belt as I was being tossed like a rag doll, unable to do anything but trust that it held. I covered my ears, putting all my efforts into suppressing the urge to scream, nostrils filled with the acrid smell of burning metal and then, added to the screeching and rending, the additional crashing sound of timber being torn apart.
I could feel the bile rising in my throat, my teeth clamped tightly together as my lungs pushed against them, trying to push the scream out and at that moment I felt sure I was going to die!
And then, almost as suddenly as it had begun, it was over. Silence fell and all became still.
I was afraid to move, was I dead? For a moment I thought I was but then rational thoughts returned, I couldn’t be dead, I was in too much pain.
Slowly, I opened my eyes and tried to sit up. He pain was excruciating! The easiest thing was to release my belt and let myself fall to the floor. The pain stopped as I fell forwards onto my hands and knees. It was the pressure of the belt on my pelvis which hurt so much.
I raised myself up to a kneeling position and surveyed the scene ahead of me.
“Oh my word!” I thought, “How could anyone have survived that?”
To be continued…
