Delta Flight Loses Pressure; Frightened Passenger Sends "Final Message"
POSTED: 4:42 pm EST December 14, 2007
UPDATED: 9:21 am EST December 15, 2007
ATLANTA -- A Delta flight headed to Atlanta lost pressure Thursday and made an unscheduled landing.
A passenger aboard flight 599 from Newark to Atlanta said the plane developed problems about 20 minutes after takeoff and was diverted to Philadelphia.
Passengers noticed the cabin pressure dropping and their ears popping shortly after takeoff from Newark, according to Hector G. Calzada Jr. who was aboard the afternoon flight.
In an email to WSB-TV Channel 2 Calzada he then felt cold air rushing through the cabin.
After an announcement from a flight attendant the oxygen masks dropped down.
Calzada said that's when the captain came on the public address system and told the passengers "that the plane would need to descend to 10,000 feet immediately."
"Within 30 seconds, it felt as if the plane went into a freefall descent. For the passengers, this part of the experience was the worst period during the flight," wrote Calzada.
"Few of us will ever have to experience the sensation of thinking about your life about to end in a matter of seconds," Calzada added. "I know I spent a moment to cobble an email to my wife and children on my blackberry just in case we experienced the worst."
After leveling off, the flight made the unscheduled stop in Philadelphia.
In his email Calzada said that passengers were told that there "was some form of autopilot failure causing further failure with the cabin pressurization system."
A Delta official confirmed there was a problem aboard the flight and that it was diverted to Philadelphia.
POSTED: 4:42 pm EST December 14, 2007
UPDATED: 9:21 am EST December 15, 2007
ATLANTA -- A Delta flight headed to Atlanta lost pressure Thursday and made an unscheduled landing.
A passenger aboard flight 599 from Newark to Atlanta said the plane developed problems about 20 minutes after takeoff and was diverted to Philadelphia.
Passengers noticed the cabin pressure dropping and their ears popping shortly after takeoff from Newark, according to Hector G. Calzada Jr. who was aboard the afternoon flight.
In an email to WSB-TV Channel 2 Calzada he then felt cold air rushing through the cabin.
After an announcement from a flight attendant the oxygen masks dropped down.
Calzada said that's when the captain came on the public address system and told the passengers "that the plane would need to descend to 10,000 feet immediately."
"Within 30 seconds, it felt as if the plane went into a freefall descent. For the passengers, this part of the experience was the worst period during the flight," wrote Calzada.
"Few of us will ever have to experience the sensation of thinking about your life about to end in a matter of seconds," Calzada added. "I know I spent a moment to cobble an email to my wife and children on my blackberry just in case we experienced the worst."
After leveling off, the flight made the unscheduled stop in Philadelphia.
In his email Calzada said that passengers were told that there "was some form of autopilot failure causing further failure with the cabin pressurization system."
A Delta official confirmed there was a problem aboard the flight and that it was diverted to Philadelphia.
