Yesterday afternoon, I watched the movie "United 93", which is about the incident when United flight 93 took a nose dive into the ground here in PA. It was the first time that I could bring myself to watch that particular movie. The pilot that day was my friend and instructor on the Boeing 757/767 and who lived in Denver, Captain Jason Dahl. I stayed at Jason's home a few times when I was laid over in Denver. Jason and his beautiful wife Sandy were gracious enough to invite me to stay at their home, which was about 20 miles from Denver. It allowed Jason and I to talk shop. The man was a walking training manual on the planes that I flew and I used to really enjoy picking his brain.
Ironically, Jason had switched flights with another pilot that day, so he could have a day off the following week. He was planning to take his wife to Paris to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary. I had also flown that flight a few times previously. The flight left Newark and was flying non-stop to San Francisco, but was taken over by terrorists while in the air. They were turned around while over Cleveland and it is thought that they were heading for the Capitol. This flight is the only one of the four planes that did not reach its target. I am guessing that it would have had about 38,000 pounds or about 6000 or so gallons of jet fuel in its tanks at the time of the crash. No doubt about it that had it hit the Capitol, the building and everyone in it would have gone up in flames. I was very fortunate on that day because I was not scheduled to fly. If I remember correctly, all aircraft that was in the skies was ordered to land ASAP around noon on that day.
I hope that everyone joins with me in remembering all of the heroes on that day. So many wonderful people died on this day in 2001 and has now become a day that will be remembered for all to read about in history books. It is a day that everyone will remember what they were doing when they heard the news that the U.S. was under attack by terrorists.
BTW, one last note. Jason's wife, Sandy died about 10 years later due to toxic poisoning brought on by taking pain and anti-depressant pills combined with alcohol. It is believed that she sunk into a very depressive state after 9/11. I had spoken with her a few times post 9/11 and I never knew that she was on any medications. She never shared that with me.
Ironically, Jason had switched flights with another pilot that day, so he could have a day off the following week. He was planning to take his wife to Paris to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary. I had also flown that flight a few times previously. The flight left Newark and was flying non-stop to San Francisco, but was taken over by terrorists while in the air. They were turned around while over Cleveland and it is thought that they were heading for the Capitol. This flight is the only one of the four planes that did not reach its target. I am guessing that it would have had about 38,000 pounds or about 6000 or so gallons of jet fuel in its tanks at the time of the crash. No doubt about it that had it hit the Capitol, the building and everyone in it would have gone up in flames. I was very fortunate on that day because I was not scheduled to fly. If I remember correctly, all aircraft that was in the skies was ordered to land ASAP around noon on that day.
I hope that everyone joins with me in remembering all of the heroes on that day. So many wonderful people died on this day in 2001 and has now become a day that will be remembered for all to read about in history books. It is a day that everyone will remember what they were doing when they heard the news that the U.S. was under attack by terrorists.
BTW, one last note. Jason's wife, Sandy died about 10 years later due to toxic poisoning brought on by taking pain and anti-depressant pills combined with alcohol. It is believed that she sunk into a very depressive state after 9/11. I had spoken with her a few times post 9/11 and I never knew that she was on any medications. She never shared that with me.
