‘I’m dying’: Austin woman talks about horrifying flight to Germany
Austin, Texas – The Austin resident was one of seven people reportedly sent to the hospital after a flight to Europe experienced “major disturbance”.
Lufthansa Flight 469 departed Austin on March 1 for Frankfurt, Germany.
Dr. Rolanda Schmidt, whose daughter is a professional volleyball player, flew to Europe to watch her play. She said it all started about an hour later. They had just served dinner and the seatbelt indicator was off.
“Literally [dropped] like the plane didn’t stop, I’m worried, just thinking about this moment, it accelerated down to the point or descended to the point where you just thought: “I’m going to die,” I literally came to this decision, he told Dr. Schmidt. “And then, just as fast as it fell, it got up again at the same speed.”
At the first fall, she hit her head on the trunk.
“The gentleman next to me grabbed me under my left arm and pinned me to the ground … so that I would not rise or fall again,” she said. “We don’t even know each other and we’re kind of connected and I’m literally praying to myself, ‘God, please, if that’s the case, let my family know that I love them.’ “
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Schmidt described the chaotic scene, screaming passengers, food everywhere, and his phone thrown across the plane. In his estimation, the whole ordeal, consisting of many ups and downs, lasted several minutes or more.
In the end, she managed to reach for the phone and write to her husband: “I think we will die. My God, I love you.” She also recorded a video message for her children.
The plane eventually crash-landed at Dulles International Airport in Virginia, where rescuers were waiting for it. Schmidt ended up in the hospital when the loud ringing in her ears persisted after being hit on the head. She also had difficulty moving her arm.
She eventually made it to Greece and was able to watch her daughter’s volleyball match. However, while she longed to fly again, she decided to cut her trip short after she began experiencing hip pain and realized she needed to see a doctor at home.
“I would just say don’t be afraid to fly all the way. I mean, we have to travel, we have to do something, and when tragedy and fear happen, if you have trepidation, that’s okay… I think faith can really make a difference.” Dr. Schmidt said. “And yes, it’s important to buckle up, so I’m not going to deny it, but I also think it’s important to be mindful of the physical, psychological, mental, and emotional health of every person who’s been through something like this, it’s going to change them, and for some people it may not be, but for those who do, meet them where they are and be close to them.”
The FAA said in a statement that the flight encountered “severe turbulence at 37,000 feet over Tennessee.”
While the investigation is ongoing, it may have been “clear air turbulence”, a form of severe turbulence that is not caused by a storm and cannot be detected on radar. This is most common near jet streams, according to the FAA.
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