SKY CAPER

Sometimes a woman has to laugh in the face of danger. On one of those occasions, I may have caused the peril. This story, which is true, is about a plane ride from hell.

In 1991 my husband and I were waiting at an airline terminal for a flight to Honduras. Its capital, Tegucigalpa, rests in a valley in the mountains.

Back then, Tegu’s airport ranked second on lists of the most dangerous airports in the world. The main problem was the mountains. Planes nearing the city soared higher and higher until they went over a peak. Immediately afterward, they began to descend. If they flew below the treetops, they would crash into a pine forest. Yet if they remained above the firs, they might overshoot the short runway and fall into a ravine.

A winding, narrow road down the mountain provided a risky solution to the dilemma. Jets would fly low following the street. For part of the descent, the belly of the aircraft was beneath the treetops but high enough to avoid obstacles below. Planes hugged the ground.

I knew the approach to Tegu was treacherous. I first heard of the place from a gory news flash regarding an airline accident - one of about fifteen in that area. Furthermore, the 1991 flight would be my fourth into Tegu. Because I rather enjoy exciting plane landings, I was looking forward to this one. The three prior trips had been thrilling. They had ended with the passengers clapping, to thank the pilot for a safe arrival under hazardous conditions.

We prepared to board. Many of the men, including my spouse, wore suits. I had on a pretty pink dress.

One of the travelers stood out. He resembled the character who portrayed evil in the famous movie “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.” He had a cowboy hat, boots, a leather vest, a mustache, and a menacing persona. The “Bad Hombre” stayed aloof and glowered.

As we walked to the jet, I turned to my mate. “Rick, I hope we have an exciting landing!” I said. Someone I had not noticed laughed. It was the pilot.

After hours in the sky, our plane began its approach to Tegu. When we flew over the mountain peak, the pilot did something that had never occurred on the previous flights. He gunned the motors! The roar of the engines signaled that the landing would be spectacular.

The jet raced down the mountainside above the snaking street. However, there was a key difference this time. There appeared to be a playful maniac in the cockpit.

The plane rocked merrily from side to side, and the wings danced up and down. Unlike on past flights, the ailerons were nowhere near level with the road. I thought we would clip a wing on the asphalt or the trees beside it. Even the speed was insane.

It was the most terrifying and most electrifying plane landing of my life. Despite my fear, I laughed aloud. I refused to act like a coward. In addition, I figured I might as well enjoy the experience. Besides, if we were going to die, the period to panic would be short.

During one of our tilts, I saw a car under us. Its roof was just feet away from me. A young couple stared up through the windshield in horror.

Many of the travelers on the aircraft were petrified from fright. Other people moaned. My beloved husband sat bravely stoic. One woman made the Sign of the Cross - nonstop and at high speed.

The Bad Hombre was also visibly scared. He kept his face impassive, but his fingers, curled into claws, dug into the armrests of his seat.

When the jet finally rolled to a stop, nobody applauded, and nobody got up. The passengers lingered, drained, before rising slowly to their feet. They shuffled wordlessly down the aisles as if they had aged fifty years.

While we stood in line to exit, the Bad Hombre and I gazed at each other. He raised his right arm in a “heil Hitler” gesture - and saluted me.

The pilot was waiting for me on the tarmac. “What a GREAT landing!” I said, and he laughed.

Renée Henning: I am an attorney and an international author. My written work has appeared in Adelaide Literary Magazine, in my nonfiction book Mystery and the Adopted Child, and in other publications in North America (e.g., Washington Post), South America (Salto Al Día), Europe (e.g., Oslo Times), Asia (e.g., ActiveMuse), Africa (e.g., Modern Ghana), and Oceania (e.g., Freelance).