USC Trojans shaken by terrifying landing in South Bend

[colleyvillesooner]

Man, that would have been tragic...


SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- USC's football team, coaches and staff endured several terrifying minutes as their chartered flight to South Bend plummeted amid a severe thunderstorm, forcing the pilot to abort his first landing attempt.

About 125 people, including 82 players, coach Pete Carroll and most of the coaching staff faced a harrowing end to their trip across the country for Saturday's game.

"There was a moment there when I was thinking, 'This is it,' " Dennis Slutak, USC's director of football operations, told The Los Angeles Times.

USC sports information director Tim Tessalone told The Associated Press on Friday that some passengers were thrown from their seats by turbulence as lightning cracked around the storm-tossed aircraft about 9 p.m. Thursday.

"It was a little bit of a roller coaster drop there for a minute," he said. "We had some people fly out of some seats. Everybody is fine, but it was a frightening little dip there."

The pilot aborted the approach and circled around the storm before landing without incident about 20 minutes later to the relief of the shaken team and the spouses of some staff members also on the flight, Tessalone said.

Safety Taylor Mays said he was screaming.

At their hotel, senior defensive end Lawrence Jackson said he was going to see the team trainer because a Popsicle stick had pierced the inside of his mouth during the drop.

"That was terrifying," fullback Stanley Havili said. "I thought I was going to die."

Quarterback John David Booty said, "It wasn't the worst flight I've ever been on, but it was definitely the biggest drop."

[JohnnyMack]

I was on a flight like that from Atlanta to Savannah one year during Thanksgiving. I almost spewed.

[SteelClip49]

At least they made it through ok. I still can't believe the Okie State plane crash in 2001 but they are in a better place.

[GoOwls]

By 'a better place', I assume you mean 'not-Stillwater'



(too soon?)

[colleyvillesooner]

It will always be "too soon" for something like that...

[badger]

By 'a better place', I assume you mean 'not-Stillwater'



(too soon?)
you said what we were all thinking... but to be fair, the "better place" they are in is even better than Norman on football Saturdays :)

[GrapevineSooner]

My wife swore off flying after a harrowing approach into Denver International on the way back from our honeymoon in 2001.

I wouldn't wish what happened to USC on anyone.

[badger]

Just me, or are plane having trouble lately? We had a few crash in Oklahoma lately because of weather - fatal crashes, mind you, not players screaming and getting popsicle sticks shoved down their throats.

[Leroy Lizard]

I feel for those players. That must have been scary.

[MojoRisen]

I bet Taylor Mays takes heat for the rest of his life for screaming the whole time...

I bet he looked like a Waynans brother - in a diaper!!!

[85sooners]

:eek:

[SoonerBOI]

During a trip from Hong Kong to LA amidst a typhoon, we had an aborted take off. Scariest moment of my life. I feel their fear.:D

[Flagstaffsooner]

Just shows that God does not like those people. Maybe this will make them confess their sins to the NCAA.;)

[AlabamaSooner]

you said what we were all thinking... but to be fair, the "better place" they are in is even better than Norman on football Saturdays :)

You said it my man.

I don't know the exact situation (and I'm not a pilot), but that seems like poor judgement by the pilot. If it's not safe to land or fly in those conditions, WAIT it out. Don't endanger the lives of others (even if it means being on time).

[Dio]

As sick as I am of hearing about USC, the only "disaster" I would wish on them is Petey getting promoted to the Chargers. Glad they're all ok.

[C&CDean]

Meh.

A little turbulence and they're all ****ting bricks.

I fly several times a month. I used to fly weekly/daily in the military. My dad and brother are both pilots and I've flown since I was 3 days old. I've been in lots and lots of weather/CAT/etc. I've seen plane shaken so hard the overhead bins start popping open and you can't keep from slamming into the person next to you or the seat in front of you. I've seen them shake so hard all the lights go out, warning buzzers start going off, and people are screaming/crying/praying like mofos. I've been in updrafts in a sailplane that put your mouth in your bunghole, and we dropped one time in a little Bellanca in Arizona so fast that it put your bunghole in your mouth.

I've been hit by lightning multiple times while flying. I've jumped out of airplanes in storms that human beings have no business jumping out into.

And these guys are freaking over a little turbulence that made a couple people rise up out of their seats (they should have been buckled in anyhow)??

Like I said, meh.

[SoonerBorn68]

I'm glad they are OK, but I'm kind of hoping that experience translates into ND kicking the crap out of them. :)

I can't believe I'm going to cheer for the domers. :eek:

[Flagstaffsooner]

I can't believe I'm going to cheer for the domers. :eek:Me too. Now where the hell did I put my Pope hat?:D

[badger]

You said it my girl.
fixed...:rolleyes:

[colleyvillesooner]

You said it my man
heh

[virginiasooner]

What they endured sounds like a flight I had years ago on Southwest into Midway Field in Chicago. I was at the back, raining and thundering, bumpy as h***, I was in seat A. the woman in seat F was losing her lunch, and the whole row was passing her our airsick bags. yeah, I was scared, but not freak out screaming scared. It was more "please Jesus, get this plane down to the ground in one piece and not slide off the end of the runway."

[Sooner02]

It's the curse of OJ.

[Choctaw]

I can't believe I'm going to cheer for the domers.

I feel your pain. GO IRISH!!!

I'm such a cheap football whore.

[Widescreen]

we dropped one time in a little Bellanca in Arizona so fast that it put your bunghole in your mouth.
http://www.adrianspeyer.com/homer68.gif

Mmmmmmm. Bunghole.

[Seamus]

I bet Taylor Mays takes heat for the rest of his life for screaming the whole time...

I bet he looked like a Waynans brother - in a diaper!!!


I admit I laughed at that part, but I wouldn't wish that on anyone. (Well, maybe Leinart and Bush.) No, seriously, life has to transcend football. I don't want our rivals/foes to die or be injured. Even something like this is too close for comfort. Yikes.

[MojoRisen]

I hear ya but since they are OK - I bet he is taking heat like a baby Wanans in a diaper and a shower cap!

[picasso]

this is why you never unlock your seatbelt when they turn the sign off. My bro in law informed of this (he flew Hueys for the Guard). He always says a sudden drop could result in a broken neck.

oh and polyester sweat pants, they are highly flammable.

[soonerhubs]

I'm with Dean on this one. They had to take a second approach? Meh? Big deal! Try 3 or 4 to make it newsworthy.

He/she who hasn't had a rough landing only flies once or twice in a lifetime.

[mdklatt]

this is why you never unlock your seatbelt when they turn the sign off. My bro in law informed of this (he flew Huey's for the Guard). He always says a sudden drop could result in a broken neck.


I was flying back to Norman from McAlester, and a line of storms was moving in from the northwest. On the approach frequency, I heard a guy saying he was taking over for the pilot (he was also a pilot) because they flew into some turbulence, and the pilot was unconscious after knocking his head on the cabin roof. Yikes. Seriously people, keep your seat belt on tight at all times.



oh and polyester sweat pants, they are highly flammable.

It's not so much that they're flammable, but that they melt to your skin when they burn. :texan:

[tommieharris91]

Umm yea... keep your seat belt on, especially if the pilot tells you your flying into a storm. I have a feeling that plane was struck by lightning.

My dad is an airplane mechanic. He says lightning can do all kinds of things to airplanes. Sometimes it can bring the plane down, other times it can do almost nothing to it.

[picasso]

It's not so much that they're flammable, but that they melt to your skin when they burn. :texan:
yeah, that's what he meant.:D
I gotta admit I used to always unbuckle mine when the light went off.

No more Jerry.

[Flagstaffsooner]

The question is, "Did the pilot turn on the FASTEN YOUR PANTS light on before the bad weather?'
http://gay4play.com/queer-sex-acts.jpg

[soonergirlNeugene]

Reminds me of the time I flied "Air Zimbabwe" and as the pilot was landing the plane, he kept rotating it 90 degrees horizontally so on one flip, if you looked out the windows on the left, you were seeing dirt, and then when he flipped it again, it was nothing but sky. There was screaming, everybody's stuff was slung all over the cabin, and I had to keep tipping my drink sideways to keep it from spilling. After all that, he missed the runway and we landed in a field near the airport. Then we had to carry our suitcases back to the airport ourselves.:rolleyes:

[Soonermagik]

I made a dumb mistake of going up with a friend on a small cesna plane and all the electronics went out. He had to land the plane manually which he had never done, needless to say I was praying like never before.

Comercially I have never had a problem, but I am really careful about flying in smaller planes, especially at night.

[AlabamaSooner]

fixed...:rolleyes:

Sorry...lol.

[Ash]

Geez...ESPN will probably make this into a human interest mini-series this weekend. Non-stop talk about the heroics of USC in the face of near tragedy.

[AlabamaSooner]

heh

heh

[AlabamaSooner]

Meh.

A little turbulence and they're all ****ting bricks.

I fly several times a month. I used to fly weekly/daily in the military. My dad and brother are both pilots and I've flown since I was 3 days old. I've been in lots and lots of weather/CAT/etc. I've seen plane shaken so hard the overhead bins start popping open and you can't keep from slamming into the person next to you or the seat in front of you. I've seen them shake so hard all the lights go out, warning buzzers start going off, and people are screaming/crying/praying like mofos. I've been in updrafts in a sailplane that put your mouth in your bunghole, and we dropped one time in a little Bellanca in Arizona so fast that it put your bunghole in your mouth.

I've been hit by lightning multiple times while flying. I've jumped out of airplanes in storms that human beings have no business jumping out into.

And these guys are freaking over a little turbulence that made a couple people rise up out of their seats (they should have been buckled in anyhow)??

Like I said, meh.

You must be 40 then, cuz you're a MAN. Glad you're not scared by anything. Most people get freaked out by stuff like that.

[Widescreen]

The question is, "Did the pilot turn on the FASTEN YOUR PANTS light on before the bad weather?'
http://gay4play.com/queer-sex-acts.jpg
Do you frequently visit gay4play.com? :eek:

[mdklatt]

I made a dumb mistake of going up with a friend on a small cesna plane and all the electronics went out. He had to land the plane manually which he had never done, needless to say I was praying like never before.


:confused:

Manually is the only way to land a small plane....

[KRYPTON]

what, mdklatt, you don't have Cat-IIIb on your Cessna 152?!?!?!

[Blues1]

This is Bad MOJO if I ever heard it --- --- ND will Kick usc *** --- ND 33 usc 20 ---- :)

[MojoRisen]

It's like the the Brady Bunch episode when they went to Hawaii and Greg got in the surf boarding accident and Bobby got lost in the cave.

[C&CDean]

You must be 40 then, cuz you're a MAN. Glad you're not scared by anything. Most people get freaked out by stuff like that.

No, I'm 50, I've been a man for a while.

But I'm kinda wondering what being a man has to do with it. How about being a logical, sensible, thinking human being? Planes are built to withstand a LOT of turbulence. In fact, most can handle more than your body can. They'll still be together flying after you've been turned to scrambled eggs inside for not wearing your seat belt.

"Most people" are ****ing morons who get freaked out by stuff like this. And spiders. And snakes. And all kinds of other illogical freakout things.

They had a bumpy plane ride, and had to racetrack one time around. BFD. It was bumpy as hell yesterday between St. Louis and OKC. Bumpy as hell. I don't see American Airlines Flight 5559 on the news though.

If they want to **** their pants, they shoulda been on the flight I was on from OKC to Chicago a few years back. Right at the time the pilot was rotating into liftoff we hit a big ol' flock of ducks. If you really wanna crap have a pilot slam the front end back on the ground and lock up the brakes, and try to make the last taxi way before running off the end of the runway at about 130 mph. After they checked us out for a couple hours and we were rolling back down the runway I can promise you not a single person was sleeping or reading on that airplane.

[colleyvillesooner]

After they checked us out for a couple hours and we were rolling back down the runway I can promise you not a single person was sleeping or reading on that airplane.

puss :D

[Wishboned]

Since they're playing Notre Dame this weekend I'm guessing it's safe to assume that Jesus was not their co-pilot.

[C&CDean]

puss :D

Heh.

[birddog]

No, I'm 50, I've been a man for a while.

But I'm kinda wondering what being a man has to do with it. How about being a logical, sensible, thinking human being? Planes are built to withstand a LOT of turbulence. In fact, most can handle more than your body can. They'll still be together flying after you've been turned to scrambled eggs inside for not wearing your seat belt.

"Most people" are ****ing morons who get freaked out by stuff like this. And spiders. And snakes. And all kinds of other illogical freakout things.

They had a bumpy plane ride, and had to racetrack one time around. BFD. It was bumpy as hell yesterday between St. Louis and OKC. Bumpy as hell. I don't see American Airlines Flight 5559 on the news though.

If they want to **** their pants, they shoulda been on the flight I was on from OKC to Chicago a few years back. Right at the time the pilot was rotating into liftoff we hit a big ol' flock of ducks. If you really wanna crap have a pilot slam the front end back on the ground and lock up the brakes, and try to make the last taxi way before running off the end of the runway at about 130 mph. After they checked us out for a couple hours and we were rolling back down the runway I can promise you not a single person was sleeping or reading on that airplane.

relax, tough guy. spiders are mean!

[josh09]

Wow, this could have been bad.

Ive been on a flight on my way to California like that, where i swore we were in a dead drop for about 30 seconds.

Just glad it turned out ok.

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

Just shows that God does not like those people. Maybe this will make them confess their sins to the NCAA.;)THAT'S more like it!

[RUSH LIMBAUGH is my clone!]

I can't believe I'm going to cheer for the domers. :eek:I think I will too, but only because the suc NEEDS another loss, and Charlie Weiss needs to keep his job!

[goingoneight]

I thought they all had private jets and limousines at SUC.

Seriously, though... good to know nothing tragic came of it. All of my flights have been smoothe thus far.

[goingoneight]

I have to ask... who all here stays sober on a plane? :D

I flew from Tulsa to DFW and the Drunkytown flight was rather short.

[MojoRisen]

I try not too- Vodka anyone ???? Especially on the plane with some MRS T mix!

If you go down - don't even scream - it ain't in our power unless we are rolling some thugs!

Mojo

[Kels]

I was flying into LAX a few years ago, and a woman behind me tried to commit suicide before we landed. I've never seen a plane make an approach and get to a gate so fast!

[Williesan]

I can attest to the fact that flying east of the Mississippi wasn't a walk in the park last night.

I was coming back from Raleigh via Cincy last night. We took off from Cincy just after 9:00 and once we got above the low-level clouds, all I could see off the right side of the plane were a chain of flashes from left to right.

As we flew south, we were flying about 50 miles east of the line most of the way, but by the time we reached western TN, it was closer to 20 miles. About the time you could almost reach out and touch the thunderheads, the captain came on the intercom and made something close to this announcement:

"Folks, it's time for the inevitible right turn towards the west. For all who are not on the right side of the plane and have been watching the show since we leveled off, there's a big line of thunderstorms there. Please fasten your seat belts. Flight attendant - stow and secure your service cart and buckle up... we're going in."

For about 5 minutes, we watched the lightning display closely - wish I could have had a video camera to record it. Then everything outside turned a whiteish grey color - clouds and rai... <plane goes up> <plane dives down> <plane shakes violently> then a loud "WHOOSH" (I presume an updraft or a severe headwind). The movements I described then proceed on in random order for the next ten minutes before it calms downand the plane levels off.

40 plus trips over the last 6 years and this was by far the worst short-term (less than 15 min) turbulence that I've experienced. A twin-turboprop from Scottsbluff to Denver as a blizzard was rolling in nearly had me going for the bag.

Doing it again on Tuesday & Friday next week. Hopefully the weather between DFW and Orlando/Tampa will be much smoother.

Williesan

[KABOOKIE]

:confused:

Manually is the only way to land a small plane....


Yeah! But, the 3 gauges on his instrument panel were out!!!! :D

[KABOOKIE]

Here's the video of USC plane landing on the runway.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6838776830077767976

[Jimminy Crimson]

This isn't even newsworthy.

And put your damn seatbelt back on.

[Earickson]

Those ladies should have buckled their belts like the good man says.

What's the problem?

It's like my old strength and conditioning coach said before morning workouts, "Gentlemen, if you're skeered, go to church."

Me? No, thanks. There is no god.

[MojoRisen]

announcement:

"Folks, it's time for the inevitible right turn towards the west. For all who are not on the right side of the plane and have been watching the show since we leveled off, there's a big line of thunderstorms there. Please fasten your seat belts. Flight attendant - stow and secure your service cart and buckle up... we're going in."

That would be the leadership I would be listening for in that situation- not the great all american Mays Diaper wearing Waynans!

I like Booty's qoute - but the rest can stick too the train if thier feet can't leave the ground....

[TUSooner]

This is when you realize that, even though you "hate" a team, you really don't.
I wouldn't even want LSU to crash in a BUS, much less a plane.
It IS just a game when it comes to that.

[birddog]

This is when you realize that, even though you "hate" a team, you really don't.
I wouldn't even want LSU to crash in a BUS, much less a plane.
It IS just a game when it comes to that.

agreed. afterall, it's the fans that are buttholes, not the players.

[handcrafted]

Those ladies should have buckled their belts like the good man says.

What's the problem?

It's like my old strength and conditioning coach said before morning workouts, "Gentlemen, if you're skeered, go to church."

Me? No, thanks. There is no god.

SO, dude. That comment goes on the SO.

[GottaHavePride]

Man worst flight I was ever on was on my way to Cancun. On the first leg (ICT to DFW) we flew straight through the mother of all thunderstorms. It was the most expensive roller coaster I've ever been on. ;) Right after we landed DFW shut down for about 3 hours while the storm rolled over.

#2 was a puddle-jumper flight from Cincinnati to Roanoke, VA. Cloudy/foggy as hell through mountains with some wild wind. I kept picturing a mountain coming out of the fog in front of the plane.

[GottaHavePride]

#3 was a routine flight into ATL - had to abort the landing due to cross-winds. Like the youtube videos of crosswind landings in a 747. ;)

[Dan Thompson]

This will USC's second excuse for not winning at ND.

The first excuse was in the paper today concerning the players being injurded and how, all of a sudden, they are short on depth.

[handcrafted]

I don't like flying at all, really. Not because ahm skeered, my dad's a pilot and I know enough about planes to know what they can take and what they can't. If the weather is truly bad enough that the plane may be damaged, the flight's gonna get cancelled. Sane pilots won't take such chances.

It's the insane ones from Air Zimbabwe that ya gotta watch out for. :D

Me, I'd rather drive places if I have the time. I just like driving. Just gimme a car with decent gas mileage and a great stereo system and I'm good. Flying is uncomfortable, it's a pain in the *** due to all the hurry-up-and-wait, and I have this inner ear thing that makes me susceptible to motion sickness. Scared of crashing? No. Don't like hurling? You got it!

If I do have to fly, I consume alcohol prior to and during. That way, I don't mind being squished into the seat so much, and I can more easily ignore the bumps and get some sleep. I generally avoid Drunkytown but when it comes to flying, let's just say that I visit the outskirts. :)

Besides, a person is more likely to die in a car crash than a plane crash, so if I keep driving it's statistically probable that you people will be rid of me at an earlier date. :D

[oumommafan]

Just reading this post after watching "We are Marshall." Talk about freaky?!!

[Eielson]

"Safety Taylor Mays said he was screaming."

:D

[A Sooner in Texas]

I was flying into LAX a few years ago, and a woman behind me tried to commit suicide before we landed. I've never seen a plane make an approach and get to a gate so fast!


Why? Did you take the bean in-flight dinner over the frozen chicken???

[Crucifax Autumn]

I'm glad everything turned out ok...they may be "the enemy" and I may love to rip on 'em, but death isn't in my wishlist.

And, on the more crass and cynical side, we'd have NEVER heard the end of that story!

[Jimminy Crimson]

"Safety Taylor Mays said he was screaming."

:D

Odds on a ESPN Gameday sign?: TAYLOR MAYS IS A SCREAMER! :D

[BetterSoonerThanLater]

Since they're playing Notre Dame this weekend I'm guessing it's safe to assume that Jesus was not their co-pilot.


spek!