Airport 1975 1974

Flight Departure

Columbia Airlines Flight 409, a Boeing 747-100, commences a red-eye flight from Washington Dulles International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport. Meanwhile, Scott Freeman is piloting his private Beechcraft Baron en route to a sales meeting in Boise, Idaho, unaware of the impending chaos.

Weather Conditions

An occluded front envelops the entire West Coast of the United States in thick fog, leading to both Columbia 409 and Freeman's Beechcraft diverting to Salt Lake City International Airport. This weather issue sets the stage for the disastrous sequence of events to follow.

Air Traffic Control

Upon arriving at Salt Lake City International Airport, Columbia 409 is directed to land before Freeman's aircraft. The urgency in scheduling becomes evident as both planes try to navigate the challenging weather conditions.

Unexpected Incident

As Columbia 409 begins its descent, First Officer Urias unbuckles himself, motivated by a strange vibration. In a devastating twist, Freeman suffers a heart attack, leading to his plane colliding with Columbia 409 just above the co-pilot seat.

Cockpit Catastrophe

The collision results in catastrophic damage, ejecting First Officer Urias from the aircraft, killing the flight engineer, and blinding Captain Stacy from debris. Despite the chaos, Stacy manages to engage the autopilot and altitude hold switch, maintaining some control.

Emergency Assessment

First Stewardess Nancy Pryor rushes to the flight deck amidst the chaos to assess the situation. She contacts the Salt Lake control tower, reporting that the cockpit crew is incapacitated and detailing the damage to the aircraft.

Concern in Operations

Joe Patroni, the Vice President of Operations for Columbia, gets wind of the emergency situation. Worried for his wife and son who are among the passengers, he consults with Captain Al Murdock, Columbia's chief flight instructor.

Heading to Salt Lake City

Patroni and Murdock board an executive jet heading to Salt Lake City. They maintain communication with Nancy, who informs them that the autopilot is engaged but cannot execute turns, raising the stakes.

Navigating the Mountains

As the aircraft approaches the Wasatch mountain range, Murdock coaches Nancy on how to manually execute a turn over the radio. This critical situation escalates as radio contact becomes unstable, further complicating their efforts.

Rescue Operation Initiated

Recognizing the danger of flying without guidance, an air-to-air rescue operation is launched using an HH-53 helicopter. Nancy realizes that the aircraft is dangerously low, invoking panic as they head for the mountains.

Critical Maneuver

With the situation worsening, Nancy seeks guidance from Captain Stacy. By following his advice to throttle the engines forward, they manage to gain the necessary power to rise above the mountains just as the rescue helicopter arrives.

Descent to Safety

The rescue helicopter arrives, but disaster strikes when the release cord of the replacement pilot's harness gets caught in the cockpit's jagged debris, preventing them from boarding. Murdock is then lowered from the helicopter as the only one capable of landing the aircraft.

Successful Intervention

Murdock successfully enters the aircraft through the breach and takes control, confronting the challenge of landing amidst decreasing brake pressure. His training and composure become pivotal in navigating the crisis.

Emergency Landing

Columbia 409 touches down at Salt Lake City International Airport, bringing a sigh of relief among the beleaguered crew and passengers. The gravity of the emergency situation is palpable as procedures for evacuation commence immediately.