Fear of flying?
 

Is there anyway you can imagine what these people though in the instant after the doors opened and they exited the plane?

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,86441,00.html

Friday, May 09, 2003
Associated Press

KINSHASA, Congo — More than half of the 200 passengers aboard a cargo plane flying across Congo were feared dead after the aircraft's rear door burst open in mid-flight and sucked them out of the airplane, airport officials said Friday.

Two officials at the international airport in Congo's capital, Kinshasa independently told The Associated Press that 129 people were believed to have been sucked out of the plane. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity. Their accounts could not be immediately confirmed.

The plane, a privately-owned, Russian-built Ilyushin 76 (search), had apparently been chartered to transport Congolese police force members and their families from the capital, Kinshasa, to the southeastern city of Lubumbashi.

After the accident occurred some 45 minutes into the flight, the pilots managed to turn back and land the plane in Kinshasa, Awan said.

i wouldn't travel anywhere in Asia anymore until i know its safe...

it is indeed scary. :-\

fear of flying.......no
fear of flying without an aircraft.........yes


"Defense Minister Irung Awan confirmed the accident occurred Thursday night, but said he was unaware of any deaths among the 200 people aboard. "

does this mean they lived? or haven't been found?

I am assuming they just haven't been found - if they were sucked out at that altitude I think it is safe to assume they are not among the living.

I not scared of flying now, but if i got sucked out of a plane like and lived. I prob wouldn't set foot on a plane again, atleast for a while.

ummm.. the congo isn't in Asia...>bzzzzzt!<

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/...aps/cg-map.gif

the continent of Africa...

now if you are talking about SARS.... that's a different thread.

I'm not afraid to fly, more or less I'm anxious about flying. Since 9/11 I've not felt comfortable flying at all. I'll do it because sometimes there is no other option.

It is a shame to hear that this happened. The door mechanism must have had some sort of catostrophic failure.

I travel by plane at least once a month and the only time I really get nervous is in very intense turbulence. I know I that I will be OK but I still get butterflies thinking about the wings shaking off.

The only other time I was a bit nervous was when I flew from Stockholm to London on Spetember 12, 2001. It was all very fresh and everyone in the plane seemed to be glancing about waiting for someone to jump up with box cutters...

This plane was a cargo plane with a rear ramp - the rear door apparently either came off or opened in flight.

I don't imagine there was many conscience people at that point. Stuff flying around, seats becoming unhooked, to easy to get banged in the head right away.

I suppose the last thought alot of them had was "what the hell am I doing on a Russian Cargo plane over Congo?"

My girlfriend has never flown, may never fly. Shes that afraid of it. The amazing thing is the long list of places she'd like to visit....

I like flying. It means I don't have to drive.

bleh--i wonder how long the pilot kept flying before he/she realized something was wrong.

Don't imagine it took him long to figure that all hell had broken loose. That would cause a hell of a drag.