Escape from Deadly Fire Part I: Breath of Life

Diane Fadley boarded Air Canada Flight 797 at Dallas Fort Worth Airport on June 2, 1983. Enroute to a conference in Toronto, she sat in the rear of the plane and opened her Bible for her daily quiet time.

Before takeoff, a grey-haired gentleman approached Diane. She recognized him from the Juvenile Diabetes Association, which they both served. The man introduced himself as Harry Mosely. “There is an empty seat next to me nearer the front of the plane. Why don’t you come and join me?” Diane, looking forward to her Bible reading, politely declined.

Sometime later, Harry appeared and again invited Diane to move her seat. She found herself agreeing. Gathering her belongings, Diane followed him toward the front.

The pair were chatting when they sensed a commotion in the rear of the jet. Several flight attendants gathered, one holding a fire extinguisher. Diane noticed a light grey haze in the air around them. Just then, the co-pilot strode to the back of the plane, shouting “Don’t open that door!” Too late. A flight attendant had already opened the lavatory door and sprayed inside it.

Diane noticed passengers walking to the front of the plane and taking the available seats there. She turned and saw thick black smoke crawling insidiously forward along the overhead bins. This frightened her. The smoke extended through the aircraft, turning blacker by the moment.

A flight attendant approached and addressed Harry. “There’s an emergency door over the wing on this side. When we land, I need you to pull the latch to open it.” Those were the last instructions they received. Harry confirmed, “Absolutely.” He looked back to count the seats to the exit location, two rows behind them. Diane saw that she and Harry were now the closest passengers to the rear of the aircraft. All others sat in rows ahead of them.

Grabbing Harry’s hand, Diane prayed silently. Dear God, please save us. Please, land this plane safely.

Smoke now filled the entire cabin. No one talked. Every passenger seemed to focus on simply breathing. In the quiet, Diane heard the radio from the cockpit.

Out of the window, Diane saw only clouds. She thought, we are too high up to make it to the ground alive. Then she heard a quiet, small voice inside her mind. The Holy Spirit who lives within every believer. Diane, it’s okay. You will survive. She continued her prayer.

Suddenly, the aircraft broke through the clouds. Diane saw the ground and hope surged. But inside the plane, all visibility was gone. She could not see her own hands in front of her. No oxygen. Please, God, save us. I’m not going to make it, I can’t breathe!

Again, she heard, Diane, you will make it. Hang on.

Harry’s voice reached her. “The second we stop, get up and grab on to me.”

The aircraft landed on the runway with a large thud and eventually stopped. Immediately, they rose. Diane’s hands thrust out in the blackness toward her friend. She grabbed the back of his belt and clung for her life. Harry felt along the seats as they hurried. When he reached the emergency exit, he yanked open the door and the two crawled out on to the wing.

A rush of cool air flowed over them, which they drank in as they huddled together, in shock. Ground crew ran toward them, shouting, “Jump!”

Without hesitation, Diane and Harry jumped off the wing and ran like mad. Eventually, Diane turned to see their plane, now engulfed in flames.

Tragically, only one half of those aboard Air Canada 797 made it out alive. Twenty-three souls perished from smoke inhalation and burns, either before landing or because they could not locate an exit in the aircraft.

God answered Diane’s prayers for survival. And enacted one more miracle. Several days after the deadly landing, two Air Canada representatives came to her home to bring something found in the burned plane. Although fire consumed the aircraft, Diane’s paperback Bible survived. Singed, but intact.

Diane gives all the glory to God.