Resilience under pressure

Published Sept. 7, 2012
By Capt. Michael DiPrisco
305th Air Mobility Wing Executive Staff

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- The 305th Air Mobility Wing hosted Retired United Airlines Pilot Capt. Al Haynes as part of its Wingman Day activities Aug. 28 at Tommy B's Community Activities Center.

He shared a personal tale of resiliency with more than a thousand 305th operators and maintainers.

"I want to tell you a story," said the 81-year old former airline captain, the wing's keynote speaker. "There is no such thing as a worst-case scenario."

Haynes departed Denver July 19, 1989 at the helm of United Airlines Flight 232, a routine DC-10 flight bound for Chicago. The DC-10 carries a particular significance for those stationed here, since the 305th AMW's KC-10 Extenders are a militarized derivative of that very same model of airplane Haynes on that fateful day.

Haynes' aircraft suffered what is known as a 'catastrophic engine failure,' shortly after takeoff. The failure simultaneously disabled all three of the jet's hydraulic systems. It was an event described by the aircraft's designers as having only "a billion-to-one chance" of happening.

The initial explosion and loss of control nearly rolled the airliner onto its back 37,000 feet in the air. Haynes and his crew wrestled the aircraft under control and soon discovered the aircraft no longer responded to their inputs. The control surfaces, drained of hydraulic fluid, fluttered uselessly in the slipstream. The aircraft now only responded to the throttles.

"We had 103 years of combined flying experience in the cockpit that day," Haynes said, "and none of that time mattered one bit." Haynes' crew - along with the help of a highly-experienced United Airlines DC-10 instructor pilot riding as a passenger - pioneered a rudimentary method through trial and error to control the airplane during its roller-coaster descent.

Haynes and his fellow crewmembers crash-landed the aircraft on a closed runway at the airport in Sioux City, Iowa, crediting the steadfast professionalism and skill of his crew, the air traffic controllers and the emergency responders. The DC-10 broke into several pieces after touching down at more than 215 miles per hour - almost twice as fast as its designed touchdown speed. The aircraft's wingtip gouged an 18-inch slash in the 12-inch thick steel-reinforced concrete runway surface as it struck the runway. Tall stalks of corn, planted in the infield, shielded fleeing passengers from the ensuing blaze and heat. The crew of United 232 saved 184 of the 296 passengers and crew on board.

Haynes relayed his story with a level of humility. He praised the good weather and flying conditions, which allowed their stiff and unresponsive aircraft to remain stable. He praised the unfailing calm and professionalism of the air traffic controllers. He praised the skill and training of the emergency responders, the hospitals, the Air National Guardsmen, the police, even the residents of Sioux City who graciously opened their homes to the survivors. Haynes at no point levied any praise upon himself, preferring instead to credit others.

His discussion fundamentally centered around the idea of resilience, dovetailing his message into the theme of comprehensive airmen fitness. Airmen today face myriad challenges, ranging from combat-related stress to demanding work hours, from family separation to traumatic brain injury. His crew remained resilient in the face of a systems failure completely without precedent, then or now. The passengers remained resilient after being told to prepare for an emergency landing, even volunteering to shepherd unaccompanied children out of the aircraft after the crash. The Sioux City air traffic controller, confessing to Haynes after the crash that he "honestly thought (they) weren't going to make it," remained resilient in the face of the impending disaster.

The key to their success - indeed, to anyone's success in such a situation - lay in the preparation.

"We succeeded that day not because we were so good, but because that's how we were trained," Haynes explained.

The crew of United Airlines Flight 232 had built within themselves - both as a crew and as individuals - the skills necessary to take action and ultimately survive such a catastrophe by endlessly drilling and planning for these types of emergencies such as this one.

An attendant asked Haynes why he thought he survived the accident, Haynes responded, "I don't know. Maybe it was to spread the word."

The "word" Haynes spoke of referred not necessarily to how a person can land an uncontrollable airplane, but rather how to respond when faced with a seemingly-insurmountable challenge and ultimately come out stronger than before. recovery included a short stint under psychiatric care for Haynes to confront his feelings of guilt for living through the crash. He remains unapologetic about the treatment he received, even displaying pride that he sought help.

Transport aviation carries not only people and cargo but a history of heroes - perhaps Christian Marty, the Air France pilot who steered his airplane away from a small French village while he was consumed with fire - or Chesley Sullenberger, who ditched his airliner in the Hudson River, saving all aboard. Captain Haynes certainly fits that mold. All Airmen can learn and grow from the example he set that day. Preparation and acknowledgement of the need for help are what makes one truly capable of being a hero - and these are the same qualities that can help keep us all resilient.

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