I had been visiting with my family over the week-end to
celebrate my mother’s 90th birthday. I was headed home and detoured
to Oklahoma City Memphis
Our flight was a 50 seat jet that was full. As we took off
we all heard a loud bang and the whole plane shuddered. We became distressed to
say the least. After a bit the pilot announced that something had happened on
takeoff and that we were returning to Oklahoma
City
We did a low fly over of the airport so the Delta ground
crew could check the belly of the plane. It was decided that a tire had blown
and the under carriage needed to be inspected. We would have to land. We had a
full tank of fuel and a missing tire. Not
a good combination. So we flew in circles around Oklahoma
City staying in the air past the time we would have landed in Memphis
As we cam in for a landing there were fire trucks lining the
side of the runway and they followed us in. We were instructed in crash landing
positions for that aircraft. As we touched down and began to roll to the gate a
cheer went up that we were safe.
Delta had a lot of staff working to get us new flights. Most
of the planes leaving that evening were full already. I was given boarding
passes to Atlanta and then Louisville
It was an interesting feeling to realize that there was the
possibility of the plane crashing when we touched down. Accidental death is
always possible but to be that close to the reality of it had a lot of us praying
while our heads were bowed in the crash position.
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