"Captain" said Engineer Grier, "Engines are breathing a bit heavy with the Volcanoes smoke and they're starting heat up a bit. It'd help with the engines heating if we slowed a bit, but not so slow as not to outrun the Volcanic ash cloud. It's worse than we anticipated.'
Wentworth took in what his engineer had said while at same time looking outside at the all enveloping cloud of volcanic ash and fumes when suddenly the left inside engine burst into flames then the same with the outside right one. "Holy shit gasped the captain.. guys we are in trouble. Harry get ATC and ask about a place to land. I figure we are somewhere between Indonesia and PNG as the eruption this morning was on the island of Java...
Engineer Grier was working furiously stopping fuel to the 2 blown engines and turning on the fire retardant systems. "This is much worse than expected Captain, our information about the position of the ash cloud was wrong and we're in the middle of it. I don't know how much longer the last two engines will last. We need to land quickly, anywhere!" Harry Brown the navigator and radio operator was yelling into his radio but was just getting static. "It's no good Captain, the ash cloud is blocking radio signals." Likewise, many of the cockpit instruments were going haywire.
Jessica got into survival mode and shouted instructions to the passengers... Get into your brace positions, she shouted as loud as she could. She could hear a few passengers gasp in shock but everyone got into their brace position. Jessica sat down and awaited for instructions from the cockpit, she could see the smoke and it was starting to fill the air, the oxygen masks had been deployed and now the passengers fumbled for them while still braced for the emergency landing.
Wentworth put the cockpit microphone to his mouth too a deep breath and said, "ladies and gentlemen this is Captain Wentworth. I have to tell you that due to the volcanic eruption destroying two engines and the very likelihood of further damage to the remaining two I am going to have to try an emergency landing at Kuching airport in Sarawak, Borneo. I like our chances of a safe landing but no guarantees so listen to your chief stewardess Miss Morgan and her team as we prepare to land. Good luck to us all".
Those words swirled around Jessicas head, Emergency Landing, those words were dreaded by all airline crew. She took her seat and resumed her brace position, all the time shouting Brace Positions. It felt like the plane was being knocked about, passengers were gasping and screaming, Jessica felt like screaming herself but had to stay composed. Then we heard the captains voice over the crackling tannoy Brace Yourselves.........
As every passenger and cabin crew were strapped in with heads down, Jessica saw one of the soldiers stand up and step into the aisle with a strange look in his eyes. Ironsmith said "Captain, I'm only just running the two last engines at 60%, a controlled descent is the best I can do otherwise we'll blow them. They're in amber already." Brown yelled "Captain, radar and comms are gone but I think we're on line to Kuching airport in Sarawak, Borneo. Look out for these land marks, if you can through this dust. At least the glimpes of green far below is better than blue. The radio should pick up as we get closer, I hope. My best dead reckoning guess is to stay on this bearing and I roughly estimate we're 230 miles away." Then engine number three started growling as did Ironsmith twiddling switches and dials furiously."
Please sit down and brace yourself, shouted Jessica to the soldier who was now reaching for his bag in the overhead storage, he grabbed his bag and threw it on the floor, Jessica watched as he pulled out a CB radio, she knew it was to make contact from the ground if we crash landed. The whole plane shook and rocked violently, bottles were falling onto the floor of the plane, then windows started popping out, Jessica did all she could, it was now time to think of herself....
Wentworth was having troubling holding the controls due to decompression from the air coming in thru the shattered windows. I am going to have to take her down now. Harry relay a message to the passengers use the provided oxygen masks and to brace for a possible crash landing. Not sure I will be able to control her all the way to Kushing. Grier contact Kushing ATC of our present situation and to have emergency vehicles ready for an emergency landing...
"Harry's onto that Captain and is starting to get better radio reception." said Engineer Grier. "Got it!" yelled Harry. Grier sighed at his blinking lights and said "Thank God we're out of the worst of the ash cloud. Three dead engines and one on the port side at 50%. I've had to shut down engine two Captain so we're down to one sluggish port engine running at 50%. Damage is done but we still have good altitude. Your smooth Crabbing as you're doing Captain is the best we can do with half of one engine on one wing only, a wobbly semi controlled decent, unless you let us move all the Passengers to the port side. What do you think Richard? A more balanced load and easy to move unlike our tightly packed and heavy cargo, like those heavy weapon boxes. It wouldn't be too hard to ditch them. The physics is sound and it'd take some strain off the port engine. Before landing we could move the passengers back to strap in? But first, the main passenger cabin has suffered structural damage with some windows popping and others cracked. I best get onto that critical issue asap with any volunteers available. To balance your load, passengers can move quickly from one side to another, and with all their carry-on-luggage. Just like the crew of a yacht. You got the feel! Good luck Captain.
Good thinking Grier. Will Kushing have those vehicles I asked them for? We have a chance to make civilization if we are able to repair those windows. Ben you help Grier and see if there are any willing passengers too. Best not ditch all the military weapons only the larger ones. Our soldier boys may need the smaller calibre ones if we have to ditch somewhere other than at Kuching. Ask Jessica to come here please someone.
Harry called " I've got through to Kushing Air Control Captain, they're getting ready with their 2 firetrucks and 1 ambulance. They want us to dump excess fuel too. Want me to patch you through to their Chief Controller Jacob Hemsworth?" Grier and Ben quickly sealed the broken windows with metal sheets designed for the windows. They were screwed on quickly and the cabins positive air pressure help seal them. Grier told Jessica about moving the passengers over to the port side, and to get the Officers to muster a dozen volunteers. Jessica talked to the two Army officers and soon the Army lads were helping people move to the port side which helped level the plane. It also gave a bit more thrust to the last battered engine. Leaving them to it Grier soon joined the other Officer and 6 strong men looking down into the cargo hold. Grier showed them how to open the hatch doors to dump cargo, including the heavy metal boxes of the Army weapons. Grier got on the blower to Captain Wentworth informing him and waiting for his order to start ditching cargo. The Army Officer looked pained at the thought of dumping the weapons, especially on foreign soil.
Did someone shout for me, shouted Jessica. She was starting to panic and didn't know if she'd be able to keep her composure. How she wished she'd been off work instead of joining this flight.This flight was doomed, the passengers must be our priority though she thought. Grier and Captain Wentworth seemed very calm when Jessica reported to them, did some shout for me, said Jessica, she hoped it wasn't bad news.....
Permission granted to jettison all heavy cargo Grier. Have the soldiers use the small arms for their personal use and ditch the rest such as bazookas. It was I Jessica, your friendly captain. Wentworth was trying to bring some levity to a dire situation., but doubt if his chief stewardess was buying it. How are you and your girls coping with the stress. I am so sorry to put you thru this. I am doing my best to get the bus to Kushing. If not I will try to find an open space in the nearby jungle to put her down. It will be a bumpy landing. Just do what you can for the passengers and give them hope that their cockpit crew are doing everything possible to land us safely. Good girl go back now and keep calm as we dont want a panic. Good work Grier and Ben with the windows.It is making an enormous difference to the control and handling. No time to talk to Kushing ATC you or Harry take it. As compressed air was no longer escaping and causing the plane to shudder and lose altitude, plus it was lighter due to the ditched cargo, Wentworth had better control and felt encouraged that he may now be able to reach Kushing airport after all. But his hopes were dashed when...
"Heave, heave, ok let go" called Grier to the men helping him ditch another heavy weapon case through the cargo bay hatch. It fell fast and was soon swallowed up by the thick jungle below. "What was that noise? Sounds like the last engine shuddering. I have to go back to my control station. Lieutenant take charge here, shut the hatch and get back to your seats, quick..., " Running through the central aisle at break-neck speed Grier brushed past Jessica with a very worried look on his face. "...get passengers back to their seats Jess and strapped in, ...no time..." Bursting into the cockpit Grier took one look at his control panel and groaned "Oh dear, oh no..., the last engine, it's stuffed Captain!" Ben yelled "I can see some farming fields ahead." Harry was yelling "Mayday, mayday, .." into his radio.