I know I just saw it splutter and stop. Keep that mayday call going Ben and tell ATC we will not make Kushing and will ditch somewhere in the surrounding forest. Fellars I am going to have to put my emergency training to use finally if I am to get this bus grounded safely. What do you say if I try to glide her to ground level then belly flop, no undercarriage as we will never stop. Everyone look for another field as the deep soil may just soften the landing and bring us to a stop sooner. Harry inform Jessica to tell the passengers to assume the brace position for an emergency landing.You blokes do what you have been trained to do and if you are religious, now is a good time to pray as divine intervention may just get us thru this. Grier, of Irish decent and of Catholic persuasion, genuflected himself and said, with little hope in his voice, that he wished he had rosery beads with him.
Co-Pilot Ben's sharp eyes were the first to see the farm fields below and 3 miles in front. " 11o'clock Captain" he shouts now with binoculars to his eyes. "Farm fields most likely, I'd say." Harry was relaying their situation to the Kushing air port, and then made the Captain's warning to the passengers to "Strap in with heads between knees please for a safe and soft controlled belly landing in "Old McDonalds farm". That gave some a chuckle, especially Corporal Taylor who still had an open can of cold Fosters beer, who started singing the Old McDonalds farm song. Soon others joined in. "..with a honk, honk here and a honk, honk there, everywhere a ....."
The last engine was dead so Grier swithced off all fuel to it and deployed that engines fire retardant. He also dumped the remaining jet fuel in the last tank. Hurrying Grier stuck his head into first class where a couple were trying to mollify their screaming children. "Buckle up and heads down Sir", said Grier without breaking stride to see all the cargo passengers buckled up, heads down and only Jessica, a hard faced Sergeant and the Army Captain Myers were standing. Without the noise of the engines all Grier could hear was some silly singing song? Strange he thoughti It was very distracting. "Where's your Lieutenant Jones and his team?" Grier yelled at Army Captain Myers above the singing bobbing head down throng. Captain Myers pointed to the Cargo hold hatch, "Down there still." "No, no, no, God no... BUCKLE UP!" Shouted Grier sprinting towards the open Cargo hatch, and strangely smelling tobacco smoke as he leapt towards the hatch ... he needed a cold beer and a cigarette.
While Grier was contemplating a beer (or something stronger) and a cigarette, Wentworth noted Ben's cry that there was a field ahead. Now is the time Richie old son, the captain said under his breath. Time to put those 25 years of flying experience to the ultimate test. As the 707 approached the open space between dense rain forest Wentworth reduced speed then whispered a quiet prayer to himself. "Hang on fellars I am going in. Good luck everyone". Just before the plane touched mother earth Wentworth spotted a small village. Then there was a massive thumping sound as the bottom of the 707 hit the ground.....
Moments before the crash landing Grier was hastening the soldiers and Lieutenant back to their seats. They had been trying to free some cargo that had got stuck in a half open exterior hatch. "Too late! Out, out, out" yelled Grier who was frantically working the levers of the hatch door. Seeing the ground coming up fast through the closing hatch doors Grier bolted for the exit and strapped himself in just before the impact.
Jessica felt like she'd whacked her head on the seat in front of her, her head was bleeding and it was throbbing. Have we landed, she thought, where are we.... There was an eerie silence, has everyone died, was she the only survivor. She looked around the aircraft, there didn't seem to be any signs of life.....
Somehow, by shear chance, Grier had taken no harm except for some bruising and looked about him. The angles of the plane looked different even from inside. Grier heard a lot of moaning, and wailing. He didn't smell any fire but grabbed a nearby fire extinguisher and First aid kit. Before heading forward, Grier looked back to the cargo hold hatch. It was twisted and bulging out earth, plants and tangled metal. Grier just stopped, looking at it in mild shock, speechless. "You ok? said Lieutenant Jones to Grier, and on seeing what Grier saw pulled out a silver flask of whisky, had a swig himself and handed it to Grier who had a big swig. "God, we were lucky" they both said at the same time. "Come on" said Lt Jones "Snap out of it Ironsmith, we have work to do!!" Grier followed the Lieutenant feeling queasy in his stomach. The Scotch helped. Lieutenant Jones was calm and organised first mustering up his 6 soldiers in the rear of the plane...one in pain from a broken arm it looked.....
The 707 had impacted firstly the field slowing its speed but not sufficiently to stop it plowing into part of the rain forest beyond it. By some miracle all cockpit crew had survived but had been knocked unconscious briefly. When he came round Wentworth looked around at the carnage inside the cockpit. Throbbing pain ran thru his wrist. A large tree branch stuck thru where the windscreen had been when it shattered on impact. All three had multiple glass gashes. Richard had fractured his wrist while Ben had a fractured ankle. Harry complained of sore ribs. At that moment a bloodied Jessica and Grier entered the cockpit. Wentworth said quietly with relief in his voice."you two survived too..thank God. The girls Jessica and the passengers?" The plane suffered extensive damage when it hit trees with one wing being partly sheered from the fuselage, yet luckily the half full fuel tanks had survived the impact.
After being assured by Jessica that her crew were also alive but injured the three opened the cockpit door to find a horrifying site of rows of seats torn from their foundations and bodies scattered on the floor or on top of other seats. Some were not moving while others had regained consciousness and were either helping the helpless or just wandering around aimlessly.One of Jessicas crew caused some concern as she was still unconscious but alive but with a slow pulse and heart beat. Wentworth addressed the passengers. "I am so sorry that your journey has been cruelly spoiled. I give you my word that myself and my crew did everything humanely possible to avoid this. First we have to attend to the injured. Is there a doctor among you, or any nurses".
Doctor Kildare on board with the help of 3 nurses were already attending to the wounded. The Army Officers, their soldiers and other volunteers were helping as best they could to assist. It was a mess. There were many injured and some about the worst of the wreckage who weren't moving and Kildare was amongst them checking for signs of life. Make shift stretchers were made to move the injured to safety. A Sergeant soldier had a walkie talkie radio he was trying to get a signal on.
Jessica felt battered and bruised but she had to help the injured passengers, so she went to the passengers that were still unconscious, she flicked water onto their faces to help bring them around, she then cut away some seatbelts to use as tourniquets to stop bleeding limbs. Her own head was throbbing, she knew it was bleeding as she felt warm trickles of blood down her cheeks. I must report to the captain, thought Jessica after checking on the other air hostesses, they were also battered and bruised but thank God still alive. Grier had a bottle of scotch, Jessica wasn't a drinker but she needed something so took a swig from Griers bottle, it made her feel warm inside and gave her hope that they would all survive this disaster.
Richard looked at the smashed windscreen and was amazed that the large branch had not killed any of the cockpit crew. Only Harry had suffered an injury from it, cracked ribs which were now bandaged. Richard's wrist still throbbed as his long time friend and cabin crew chief Jessica entered the cockpit, blood seeping from a head wound. Thank god you are ok Jessica, get one of the nurses to take a look at that cut. What of Mary? Jessica assured him that her second in charge was now conscious and that her heart beat and pulse has risen due to quick attention by Dr Kildare . She told the captain that the doctor assured here that Mary's condition was no longer life threatening but she was still suffering a possible internal injury and without hospitalization that diagnosis may change.
Marys condition was stable now but she needed treatment as soon as possible but we didn't know where to start.Jessica had her head wound looked at and bandaged up, another swig of Griers scotch dulled the pain slightly. Jessica went looking for something that could be used as a splint for Richards arm. Jessica had always been close to Richard, she had met him and his family many times and knew he would take control of this situation as soon as the injured had been tendered to. Jessica suddenly realised that Grier wasn't anywhere to be seen, the last time she saw him he handed her the scotch, but where was he now.....
Grier was with the Sergeant with the radio who had climbed up a tall tree nearby to get a better signal. It worked, soon the Sergeant was talking to the Airport Officials making them aware of the situation. "They're sending help" called the Sergeant.
Jessica felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Grier grinning with Sergeant Bilko behind who had a walkie-talkie in his hand. "Sergeant Bilkco here has made contact with Kaching Airport by climbing a big tree, and aid is on its way. Yes, they are coming to our aid. Bilko was able to patch into the plane's radio/navigator Harry who gave our position and enabled Captain Wentworth to talk to the Kaching Airport's Duty manager. A Mr Singh:::::::::: "So chin-up Jess, all will be fine. Thanks especially to our Captain Wentworth. Best crash landing I've ever seen. True, my third. We all owe him. A Jug of beer at least. The Army men look very helpful, but I guess it's a walk in the park for them after Vietnam. Poor buggers, another useless war. I was in Korea. How's Dr Kildare and his three nurses going with the injured? Some of the worst looked goners like , .... well I don't know. I'm no Doctor or Nurse, just basic first aid. We'll see I guess... God Bless Them! I see he's got many volunteers under his direction. A noble soul, thank God. It's great so many of the passengers are also helping as best they can Jessica. They are a top group of passengers for sure. Those rugby players with a few basic tools, are making splints, stretchers and even shelters for the wounded I see. Who's the bossy little Asian gent?" asked Grier. The little Asian gentleman called 'Wong' is showing what to do with the basics available, working in as best as those who could doing their best. Anyway, take care Jess and I must go report to our Captain. Great to see you and your Stewards helping so well. It was still chaos. Speaking at last to his Captain, Grier asked "Did I just see some of those other Asian blokes headed up back along the path of the plane's crash landing path, carved through the forest into this semi clearing our Captain landed us?" asked Grier. What a beautifully timed landing Richard. I saw what you did trimming through the forest's canopy tops to shed speed and then land us in this semi clearing.