Airline Safety

Airline Safety

What Should the Regulations be Regarding Airline Safety?

Introduction

It was early in the morning, warm & sunny. We had the day off from school for some reason, but I can't remember why. I was riding my bike in the street with my friend, Mike, about 4 blocks from my home in the North Park area of San Diego when I heard a faint blast, looked up and saw a jetliner falling out of the sky on fire. I can't remember thinking anything except "It's going to hit my house". Then I realized there were probably a lot of people on the plane, and was immediately so scared I began to cry. Then I didn't hear anything until the plane hit the ground. Watching that plane on impact is a sensation I hope I never have to relive again. The aircraft was diving at a steep angle and one wing was on fire, with flames shooting everywhere. I remember the plane disappearing behind some tall trees and then feeling the ground shake like an earthquake, and the deafening roar of the impact and following explosion. It was an absolute nightmare. It seemed like the entire neighborhood was on fire. The TV stations & news reporters were converging on the scene in what seemed like only a matter of minutes, but must've been at least half an hour. I think I just stood there talking to people for the longest time, but I don't remember anything they said. There were only distant sirens. In a short period of time the police and several residents had blocked off the streets to traffic, and I remember hearing people screaming in the background, and others yelling to get help. I also remember the trees being on fire and this incredible column of black smoke rising into the clear air, and the smell of jet fuel burning. All these people - some Firefighters, some Police Officers, and some ordinary people - were carrying injured people and passengers into the private school across the street. I didn't know then, but some of them were dead. I remember how weird it was that the freeway traffic was completely stopped on I-805, which was only a block from the impact site, and it was eerily quiet except for the distant chaos. My friend Mike disappeared. I found out he was okay, but he had gotten scared.