A couple of weeks ago on my regular Thursday evening flight, the captain decided to put the wheels down, extend the flaps and make a reasonably tight (nothing out of the ordinary, though) banked turn all at exactly the same second - not something that's usual for that flight.

This disorientated me for the best part of 10-15 seconds, when as I was trying to make sense of the unexpected forces and noises, each fine on their own but causing somewhat of a sensory overload all at once, I hadn't entirely ruled out a problem with the aircraft until I got reorientated by looking out of the window once we had straightened up (it was dark but I could just about make out a town).

Slightly later in the descent (far lower down than you'd normally get a PA), the other pilot came on the PA and made some comment about us landing safely shortly. On the airline concerned I have never heard this at this sort of point in the flight, so I guess it must have unnerved a few people and one or more had mentioned it to the FA.

Neil

Putting the flaps in a turn will tighten the turn, it is done all the time. I learnt the trick from my second instructor. Hanging everything out at the same time sounds like they were fast and high and needed to get slowed in a hurry. Probably ATC slotting them into the arrival flow relatively late in the game.

Funny. I got a mid-priced one. Kendall Jackson Pinot Noir. I remember from my single days that for some reason, women love Kendall Jackson wine.

Some Air Traffic Controller needs remedial training.....

I've been through 6 go-arounds, some routine, some not. I suspect your wife has been through at least that many, so this must have been out of the ordinary.

While scary at the time, I look back at some of the roughest turbulence I've been through and I think it helped me realize how sturdy planes are. I've been through some rough patches since, but always know how much worse it can get without any problems (It also helps watching some of the videos of testing).


After a couple "I need to stop doing this" episodes, it takes 2-3 normal flights and I'm back at it. Hopefully your wife will be the same and putting this under her belt will help calm future episode and deal with other passengers going through it for the first time.

If she doesn't deal with it well, though, I would recommend a rethink. Panicking at the very moment that all the safety training is actually needed is not a good thing.

Nothing the OP wrote has led me to believe his wife panicked or freaked out during the actual incident. For all we know she could have been the picture of calm and control while onboard. To shed a few tears and vent some of the fear to your partner after the fact seems completely normal to me.

Yes, it's the "let-down" reaction from the adrenaline generated during the crisis. You stay cool at the time, do what has to be done, and then get the "shakes" and the urge to cry when the crisis is over.

As a nurse, I've experience it several times after attempting to resuscitate a patient who had collapsed unexpectedly.

Years ago I was on a flight with an aborted initial landing - it wasn't fun. If it's followed by a rough landing I could see why some passengers might freak out. We were all in shock, though the pilot had explained the situation. Tough to explain to those who haven't experienced it.

A friend told me he was seriously spooked by the pilot saying on approach in Pakistan, "Inshallah, we shall be landing safely in a few minutes." His reaction was: "What the hell's with the uncertainty here!"

If I was the pilot.. and the airplane didn't clear the runway..

I would have been screaming..

Glad the pilots took precaution.. how close.. only the plane staff would know..

Hopefully the FA is ok.. this is likely once in a lifetime thing..

Glad they landed safely ultimately and it sounds like you did all the right stuff when she got home.

Discovering other equipment on the runway certainly can be unnerving for pilots. Sounds like the flight deck crew did exactly as they should have.

There was likely a lot more fuel involved in Tenerife ... As the klm 747 had just refueled.

Yeah, she kept it under control during the incident, but had to vent to me when it was all over. She's a cool cucumber and knows she has to keep it together in front of the passengers.

Sadly, these aborted landings are not uncommon at all.
We have experienced a couple. The one most memorable was a number of years back flying into YYZ on a big BWIA L1011....We were just about to touchdown...having seen all the airport hotels up close and personal...just waiting for that initial thud of the wheels..and then all of a sudden the un mistakable sound of the engines at full thrust...and we start to ascend!
My spouse was able to see a 737 crossing over our runway!!
A very nearly tragic occurence. I was shocked that things didn't stall on our big bird but up we went again... we circled around.. A few moments later....the Pilot came on the intercom
" Oh Hi Folks...a little traffic on the runway.....We'll try this again Shall we?"
His voice was reassuringly calm ( Almost like a recording) Did the trick...and I believe helped others remain calm.

Wow..

A little traffic on the runway..

Glad pilots have their head on straight nowadays.. A lot of accidents are being prevented.

Once had a touch and go (and yes, wheels actually touched) while landing in STL in bad weather. Everyone was calm even before the pilot came on and said what was going on. We circled around and were at the gate 10 minutes later.

I always figured it was fairly routine, I'm surprised to hear about people being nervous about them.

Its the airplane in the runway part that is scaring those who are scared..