Gee, guess I am unlucky...
1. Eastern airlines 727 from MCO to ORD struck by lightning near Chicago. Loud noise, bright flash, bumps and drops but no damage. Landed safely and quickly (pilot had just advised we were holding for landing at O'Hare, then after the strike he advised we were cleared for immediate landing)
2. United DC-10 ORD to DEN lost hydralic (sp) pressure near Denver. Pilot advised us of situation (and made air traffic available) and told us we were not in danger since winds were light and flaps were not needed (?) for landing. Pilot told air traffic control he wanted a straight in approach and "no surprises" on the descent. The controller asked if he wanted to declare an emergency, and the pilot replied "not yet". We landed normally, and frankly it was one of the smoothest landing I have ever had!
3. United 747 ORD-SFO had an aborted landing. Plane shuddered and shook while pilot applied what seemed to be full power. I was at the bulkhead of business, looking right at the flight attendant, and he looked "concerned". Circled around and landed normally 20 minutes later.
4. Frequent severe turbulance into and out of LAS. By this point, I expect it, but occasionally things fall out from overhead bins and once the drink cart left the holding area, hit the other side of the galley, slammed the drink trays into the door of the cart which promptly opened and glass shattered all over the place. Sounded terrible, and caused one of the F/A to cry out as glass hit her leg.
5. United 767 ORD-LAS. Plane climbed a few thousand feet, with a vibration the whole time. Loud noise heard over and over. Finally I realized that the landing gear was being cycled up and down. Pilot came on PA and advised one of the landing gear bogeys would not retract. We went back to ORD, landed normally, and waited for repairs. The funny part of this story was the method of fixing the gear. Watching from the terminal, some of us saw a mechanic walk to the plane with a large tool (looked like a wrench), climb partially into the wheel well and seemed to hit something over and over. We all made jokes and thought it was funny until the captain (who was watching from the outside ramp of the jetway) RAN down the stairs and starting YELLING at the mechanic. A few minutes later, the flight was cancelled for "mechanical reasons". Hmmmm..