Lucky Ticket by Ed Lindsey (good book club books TXT) 📕

dipping to the right. It was now 10:00 a.m. and the plane is now well over the ocean as the co-pilot jettisoned the full tanks leaving only enough to land TWA 17.


Chapter 16

Back in the passenger sections of the plane, all faces are now pure white with fear. A couple times they all thought that this was the end, and they could hear the engines whine, and then the plane started shaking real badly. That was not the worst of it though, it was when the plane started to roll again to the right, that is when you heard prayers, and I love you, and wishes, sobs, and an occasional scream from one of the passengers, as they all made preparations for the worse. The pilot came on the intercom again, stating everything was under control, and that they would be feeling a slight turn to the left, as he banked the plane for the final approach to runway 7 at J.F.K airport, and that there was nothing to be alarmed about when they felt this. And please listen to the flight attendants for instructions on emergency landings. Thank You. And then a click, as the pilot turned the intercom off. The flight attendants came into the aisles of the plane, and started to gather the big fluffy white pillows , from each of the overhead compartments, and passed them out to each of the passengers. One stewardess had now gone forward and was on a small platform with a mike in her hand facing all the passengers. She explained that upon approach to the runway that everyone will be buckled in. The pillows are to be placed over your faces, with your bodies leaning forward and with your head down. This was just a safety measure because the pilot has to start braking as fast as possible when the tires hit the runway, to slow the planes speed as fast as he can. The pillows will protect you of any serious head injuries from glass or any loose objects that may be lying about in the plane. When the plane stops, and the all clear is given, please walk, do not run, to the nearest exits of the plane. And all the passengers could feel now the slight tugging on their bodies going to the left, as the pilot slowly made the turn. The plane began shaking violently again, as the pilot fought to bring the plane around. They had just lost 4,000 feet on the altimeter, and it looked as if the flaps might freeze, the plane was slowly responding, with its right wing still dipping, and the shaking continued until the pilot had the right heading to runway 7.


Chapter 17
Mary’s face was very white after the last bad shaking spell that the plane went through. She was frozen in her seat, like a fine porcelain doll, her bright red hair was brighter still against her pallid skin. With mouth slightly open, an she was just one step from, going into a state of shock. Mary is facing forward, and is not looking at anything, she has her eyes open but they are blank. In her mind she is silently wishing, wishing to see her brother Bobby, and to tell him how much she loves him, for always being there to lean on. Wishing somehow, that she would survive this. Wishing she had one more day, one more month, one more year! And also her mind had many questions. “How much pain am I going to feel?” “If I die what will Bobby do?” “If I survive how bad of a shape will I be in?” “Missing arm or arms, or leg or legs, and if I was to burn I think I would rather be dead. Mary slowly came out of her trance, and was starting to get color back in her face, she was feeling someone shaking her, and her eyes tried to focus to see who it was. The flight attendant was holding a glass of water, asking Mary to drink it, that it would make her feel better. Mary finally took the glass and gulped it down, in one swallow, it did not quench her thirst, and her mouth still felt cottony inside. She was not the only person to receive a glass of water; she had noticed that other attendants were around her handing out water to the other passengers. She turned in her seat to see how Betsy was. Betsy appeared to be as cheerful as ever, and still smiling at the passengers who stared at her. She mouthed words to them, every now and then, an encouraging word to this passenger, or that, as she sat there looking out the window most of the time. Mary wondered if Betsy now, was wishing to see her only son, wanting to kiss him, hug him, and tell him how much she loved him? A single tear suddenly appears on Mary’s face, as it slowly glides down her pallid face, and off her chin, and drops off into space.


Chapter 18
In the cockpit, the pilot is pulling back on the controls trying to gain altitude to no avail. He had lost 5,000 ft when he maneuvered the plane around to head straight to runway 7. He was now on the radio talking to the tower about this new developing problem, and told them his present altitude, and heading. The tower informed him that all aircraft are on a holding pattern at this time, and all of them are out of present danger. The emergency crews are out by runway 7 waiting upon your arrival. All runway lights are killed except for runway 7’s and you are free and cleared to land. Drop down to 7,000 ft and stay on your heading we will be waiting for you Captain. The pilot gave a Roger, and asked the co-pilot to start lowering the landing gear. The co-pilot hit a couple switches, and they both could hear a slight humming noise as the wheels deployed. A red light immediately flashed on telling the pilot that the right side landing gear did not deploy. The co-pilot was flipping the switch back and forth trying to get it to deploy and the pilot and co-pilot did not know if the landing gear was already down or not, and what they were now seeing was just a faulty switch. They had only one chance at the runway there was no time, or no fuel left, for a fly by, or a look see. The pilot informed the tower of the new problem and told them he was coming in hot. This landing was going to be real tricky, with the wing sagging and dipping to the right, and now no landing gear on the right side. He called the flight stewards in to the cabin, and informed them to get everyone ready. It was going to be a rough landing and they had only 3 minutes left till touch down. The pilot looked at his watch, it is 10:07 a.m. and he crossed himself, and said silently “I leave it in your hands my Lord.” As he looked at a picture of his wife, which he had always hung there on the visor before take off. A single tear could be seen glistening, and running down his tanned shaved face, running down off his chin and dropping into space.


Chapter 19

The Flight Attendant’s came from the cabin ,and quickly had everyone ready for the inevitable. They made sure everyone was in their seats, and fastened in. They had already taken all the names down, that had to switch seats, when the pilot ordered all available seats on the left side of the plane to be filled. This way if anyone was missing in a crash, they had a record of where that person was seated at least. That is if anyone survived! After the passengers were all set, the attendants then took their seats, and buckled up, and had their pillows ready, waiting for the Captain to give the word on the intercom,those words that no ships crew ever wanted to hear, in a emergency landing. Two words, that sent shivers up any Flight attendants spine. “Final Approach.” They did not have to wait long to hear those words, as everyone got ready for a rough landing. Heads are down, inside the pillows and many of the passengers are braced. Mary was holding the pillow tightly with her head inside the pillow, her knuckles white from the strain,that she was putting on the pillow. Head between her legs, just like the attendants had shown her. She is still wishing, and still hoping for a miracle, trying to get the thought of the big plane, as a big steel coffin out of her mind. She could feel the plane as it shuddered, and the feeling of falling was very present as the plane descended. Mary heard the whine of the engines, as the pilot throttled back and hit the brakes on the big jet at precise moment the wheel touched the pavement. The next few minutes seemed like a eternity to Mary, and probably to most of the passengers. The right side landing wheels did not deploy after all, and the pilot tried to compensate, by pulling hard to the left, and braking, trying to keep the right wing off the ground, as much as possible. But the wing was a lot heavier, than what he thought,and when the left landing wheels hit, he came on the brakes hard, and the monster right wing slammed the pavement, and tore off, hanging now by cables ,and electrical wires, and trailing the plane. It left a shower of sparks high in the cold frigid air, trailing after the plane until finally it tore loose. It left a gaping hole in the right side of the plane, and seats number 26, 27, 28, First class were now missing being ripped out when the wing tore off. Inside the plane the wind that came rushing in from the gape, tore at anything loose and threw it in all directions. Compartments flew open and personal belongings, dinner trays, glass objects, and pieces of steel, all became missiles, as the plane skidded down the runway on its right side. Passengers now did not have their heads in the pillow; they were now hanging on tight to their seats, and trying not to be sucked out the gaping hole. The plane was still going too fast down the runway, sparks issuing up from the metal being scraped off by the asphalt. The objects flying around in the plane found their targets, as they picked at them one at a time. Mary was no exception, she felt something hard slam into the back of her head, and felt pain, just for a second, as she drifted unconscious. The big man beside her held Mary’s head down, as he ducked also, from the flying debris. The left side landing gear tore loose, and now the