'A Sudden, Terrible Stillness'

to flysafe, you should be taken out and shot for posting stupid, igorant comments like that. You are a first grade jackass!!

whoaa there flysafe, sounds like you were there. I will admitt I never thought about what he did till you mantioned it.. I'm still glad he made it along with all the other passengers cause that was a wonderful account of survival....merry xmas

AH a critic, mister or misses "flysafe"!! HOW FREAKIN RUDE!!!!

I fly an average of 130 flights a year traveling ocean to ocean. How is it that you know that by him grabbing his bag put people in jeopardy??? Was the bag maybe at his feet, very accessible??????

Have you been on a plane that was in an "accident"???? Have you tried to rationilize YOUR actions we faced with a LIFE OR DEATH event????

One other thought to the description: I don't ever recall seeing any aircraft in a "screw configuration." That's the way it would have to be to "Auger" into the ground. An auger is a threaded device. An aircraft isn't such a device. I know....picking at straws, right? It's just the vision of a Boeing 737 "screwing" itself into the ground that intrigues me.

It is completely inappropriate to grab your bag in this accident-getting yourself and others off the plane is asolutley the most important thing. It may have only taken a second, but that second could've cost someone else behind them their life. My mother always said never take anything on vacation that you can' afford to lose. Where are our priorities!?

Flysafe, you little bastard! How dare you talk down to someone who at the time, thought their life was over! Everyone made it out ok, so what's the deal? I'm sure if you were in the same situation, you wouldn've done the same thing. You little brat!

Flysafe clearly has no heart and possibly no soul either. As someone who has travelled by air week in and week out for 20 years, I often think about what I would do in an emergency. Having made an emergency landing after an engine was set on fire by a tire that flew into it on take off, I had time to think about what I'd do. I would protect the people I love who were with me, get out as quickly as I can stopping to help kids if they needed my help and then (hopefulkly) call the people I love on the ground like my own children. Flysafe - I never wish anyone bad things and I only hope your heartless comments don't bring had things to you in life especially when you fly. It would be a tragedy if your words not only brought you tragedy but what about those unfortunate souls who happen to be travelling with you. Would their blood be etched on your very sorry soul.

Flysafe, you're an idiot. Mr. Tilly didn't say he grabbed his bag from the overhead compartment. For all we know, his bag was under the seat in front of him, and bounced free during the tumultuous ride they were subjected to. Mr. Tilly may actually have prevented other people from tripping and hurting themselves, by grabbing his bag and moving it out of their way. Don't judge a situation that you weren't there to experience. These people lived through a horrible ordeal, and we are all just grateful that they are able to share their stories. Judgmental fools like yourself are too quick to throw stones at other people.

Until you have been in the situation like they were, yuo cannot understand what it is like, I don't care how well the story is told. As a survivor, myself, of a helicopter crash where the man sitting in front of me was killed, I feel qualified to comment. Jeb did the right thing and has already qualified his decision in this thread. Taking something that was within reach was absolutely the right thing to do. In our case, there were only 8 of us onboard, one dead on impact and three with critical, life-threatening injuries, two with non life-threatening injuires and two of us with bumps and bruises. By taking the time to grab the stuff we had, the two of us who had minor injuries, were able to care for the rest while rescue teams assembled and came to our aid. This is truly a miraculous story with, thankfully, a happy outcome for what could have been 110 fatalities.

A very thoughtful and caring account of what happened. As for the bags, they may have been right under his feet. I'm sure they wasted no time getting off the plane!

Until you have been in the situation like they were, yuo cannot understand what it is like, I don't care how well the story is told. As a survivor, myself, of a helicopter crash where the man sitting in front of me was killed, I feel qualified to comment. Jeb did the right thing and has already qualified his decision in this thread. Taking something that was within reach was absolutely the right thing to do. In our case, there were only 8 of us onboard, one dead on impact and three with critical, life-threatening injuries, two with non life-threatening injuires and two of us with bumps and bruises. By taking the time to grab the stuff we had, the two of us who had minor injuries, were able to care for the rest while rescue teams assembled and came to our aid. This is truly a miraculous story with, thankfully, a happy outcome for what could have been 110 fatalities.

I too am glad everyone was able to evacuate and move to safety. However....this person's account of the accident sounds like it has already been modified with cliche and hyperbole and packaged for television or for a book. I hope that isn't the case but it sure seems like it at this point. This article also shows how important it is to listen to the predeparture safety briefing. No matter how many time you have or will fly, take the 20 seconds out of your busy day to put everything down and listen to the briefing. It could save your life. You only THINK you know how you would act in an emergency. Pay very close attention each and every time. You don't want to be that one person who panics or creates a bottleneck when every second counts. LEAVE YOUR BAGS!!! LEAVE YOUR BAGS!!! LEAVE YOUR BAGS. You don't have anything in your bag that is worth risking the safety and lives of anyone on that plane. Nothing!!

Wow, flysafe, there always seems to be people like you on these posts, pointing at and blaming innocent people who are just telling their story. I'm sure you would remember and follow every single rule if you found yourself in this situation. Take a chill pill.

You shouldn't judge someone when you weren't there. You have no idea if his bag was actually one under the seat and he was able to grab it before anything started to go down. He never said he was at the emergency exit either, just close to it. Read the story before you start suggesting that someone should be shot for their behavior. No one died so get off your high horse about the rules and such. Things happen in a situation like that and no one necessarily thinks what they are doing.

I think a very thoughtful and caring account of what happened. As for grabbing the bags, they may have been right at his feet. I'm sure he wasted no time getting off that plane!

I see that some fools think that we who are critical are jaded and "miserable." Nope, we just are sick of people who look to turn every disaster into a money-making (publishable) experience. Is there anyone in this money-loving country who won't see a buck in everything that they experience? A play by play recollection would never have gotten a single nasty comment, but the obvious attempt to write a short story is reason enough to evoke a sneer.

I am not suprised at all by this accident. These planes are not being taken care of. Two weeks ago on a flight from RDU to Min, The right engine of our plane was vibrating the entire flight. I was waiting for it to come apart. On the same day, the flight from MIN to SMF had problems too. When the landing lights were turned on to land, the cabin lights went out and the started blinking. I was sitting by the wing so I could see the landing lights. What landing lights? After a few seconds they went out, but the cabin lights kept going on and off. Finally the captain turned the landing lights off until he was over the runway. Within four or five seconds the landing lights had dimmed like a dead car battery. A few days later, on a flight from SMF to DEN, The jet had to be rolled back to the tarmac because the generator failed. I'm thinking, This does not need to happen while in flight.. Of course, noone said anything. These were supposed to be normal flights.

The most important thing here is that everyone survied, despite individuals actions!