Good-natured Bill Sester and his wife had finished their shopping at Safeway. They wandered out to the parking lot. Bill climbed into the driver's seat, then suddenly he stared upward, craning his neck to see through the windshield better. A huge DC-8 aircraft roared over at an unusually low altitude. "Boy," exclaimed Bill, "That plane sure isn't staying in its usual course! " In a moment or two it was gone.
Only two hours earlier United Flight 173 had departed uneventfully from Denver bound for Portland, Oregon. The passengers, for the most part, had settled down to pass away the tedious hours in conversation or reading.
Dennis and Mary Deveny of Portland enjoyed the excitement of the takeoff, and then whiled their time away with little Dennis, their two-year-old son. The Devenys were returning home to Oregon after a happy week of holidays with Mary's family in Philadelphia. Between playful moments with his son, Dennis planned his work at the Gresham Child Enrichment Center which he and Mary managed together.
Captain Malbum McBroom was piloting the DC-8 on the Denver-Portland flight. McBroom, 52, had been flying for United for 27 years with an excellent record. With his usual skill he began the descent toward the Portland International Airport.
At perhaps 12 minutes from Portland, McBroom pushed the button to lower the landing gear of the huge aircraft. Something was wrong! There was a loud booming—it just didn't sound right! The passengers heard it, too. Dennis Deveny recalls, "It went boom, boom—a sharp sound, obviously something mechanical!"
Captain McBroom knew that something was wrong, but just what?...and how bad? After notifying the control tower, he tried to reassure the passengers. Over the intercom came his low, calm voice: "That noise that you just heard was the landing gear. Something seems to be abnormal. We are going to circle Portland and do some checks."
The captain began a series of tests to determine the condition of the landing gear. Soon the co-pilot came back into the passenger cabin. He looked through several windows trying to see the landing gear.
After trying to calm the passengers, the co-pilot returned to the cockpit. Deveny recalls, "It was a worrisome situation. People were trying to make light of things, yet you could feel a certain tension throughout the airplane."
Finally McBroom appeared in person to stare through the windows.
Sensing the tension he tried to calm the passengers. "I do not feel there will be a crash..." But he added, "However, I have directed the flight crew to take all the precautions just in case of an emergency."
The action was confusingly rapid for the passengers from that point. Seat positions were shifted to place able-bodied men by the exit doors. Fast exits must be guaranteed in case of fire.
Stewardesses drilled the passengers on which sitting position to take and what to do in the case of a crash.
"Keep your seat belt fastened tightly and low across your laps!"
"At impact time be sure to have your glasses off. Cross your arms on your knees and lay your head on them!"
"What is the safest way to hold our little boy?" asked Dennis Deveny.
The stewardess said, "This child should be in the first class section up front! "
"No," answered both Dennis and Mary, emphatically. The stewardess shrugged and said there really wasn't room anyway. Then she brought a pillow and blankets to pad the child.
Captain McBroom requested a five-minute extension from the control tower to continue working on the landing gear problem.
6:03 p.m.—"How much fuel is on board?" asked the controller?
"I have 4,000—correction, 3,000 pounds of fuel aboard," responded McBroom. (That should have allowed 15 minutes more flying time).
6:06 p.m.—One of the engines audibly quieted. "I think you just lost number four!" said the co-pilot.
The captain exclaimed, "Why?" "Why?" he repeated!
"Fuel!" said the co-pilot quietly. There were three engines left and 19 miles to go. The tension was oppressive!
6:08 p.m.—"We're going to lose number three in a minute!" the chief engineer reported. "It's showing zero!" "You've got a thousand pounds of fuel!" cried the captain. "You've got to!"
The cross-feed valves were open. The pressure pumps were on. Now they were doing everything they could to nurse the DC-8 across those final miles of sky.
6:10 p.m.—"Flight 173 requesting radar readings on runway 28 left," went to the controller.
6:11 p.m.—Again, "Flight 173 requesting radar readings to runway 28 left."
6:12 p.m.—For a third time McBroom requested and received radar readings to runway 28 left.
6:13 p.m.—The second engine failed... "They're going!" the captain despaired. "We can't make Troutdale, [a small airport just short of Portland International]."
"We can't make anything," said the co-pilot grimly.
The controller's radio crackled: "Portland tower, United... ah...173 heavy. Mayday! Mayday! The engines are flamin' out! We're goin' down! We are not going to be able to make the airport! "
"My wife and I both had the feeling we were going to die. It was that kind of a force."—Passenger Dennis Deveny, Gresham.
"When we left Denver, I seemed to have this intuitive feeling that something was going to happen."
—Passenger Peter Love, San Francisco
United Flight 173 to Portland contained 186 persons. Now it hovered only a few hundred feet above destruction—some people would not survive the crash! God says, " "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." Heb. 9:2727And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (Hebrews 9:27).
Those 186 persons suddenly faced the solemn facts of eternity and the sobering reality of the judgment of God. But every person in the world must face the same solemn facts of eternity and the judgment of God. That means both you and me " for there is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Rom. 3:22,2322Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:22‑23).
Everything was pitch black!
All over Portland people stopped and listened. The news was terrible...shocking. Live broadcasts showed firemen and police searching through the smashed-up houses and wreckage for bodies.
Then the newsmen interviewed a survivor of the accident who had escaped unharmed. The man told his story excitedly: "The captain ordered everyone aboard to pray because the plane was crash landing! All heads were down, apparently praying! I thank the Lord for sparing my life and the lives of so many! The plane finally stopped suddenly after crushing two houses.... Everything was pitch black! I thought I was in eternity! I could hardly believe I was alive!"
The people on Flight 173 had to go through that terrible crash and they had only one resource—to pray to God! We, too, have only one resource—"Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Rom. 10:1313For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13). "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear." Isa. 59:11Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: (Isaiah 59:1) "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16).
And God did answer the prayers of those on Flight 173! Of the 186 persons in the plane, only 10 lost their lives. Those were the ones in the front of the plane where the Deveny couple refused to send their little boy. God spared the life of that little child. His father said, "God was holding our hand throughout the whole thing."
The tail of the plane caught on the high tension lines which acted as a spring to slow it down quickly. After its first impact, it actually stopped in only two times its length.
The Burnside Street Miracle
On December 28, 1978, United Flight 173 from Denver, Colorado to Portland, Oregon, crashed with 178 passengers and 8 crew members—only 10 lost their lives in the crash.
The plane crashed in a residential area, but no one on the ground was killed or even injured. Two houses were crushed by the plane, but both were vacant—the only vacant houses in the immediate area.
The plane passed over the raised roadbed of Burnside Street which was between the two houses, and it passed under two high tension electric power lines. The two houses acted as a cushion before striking the firm ground, and the first one deflected the plane from the raised roadbed. The tail of the plane caught on the high tension lines which acted as a spring to slow it down quickly. After its first impact, it actually stopped in only two times its length.
One of the two 57,000 volt power lines did not have power going in it, reducing electrical hazard. Only minutes before the accident a false signal had tripped the overload relay switch and cut power from the Boring feeder line.
The plane crash is well called: "The Burnside Street Miracle." The hand of God had brought a wonderful set of circumstances about to deliver so many from a fiery death. But remember, the eternal end of all who die in their sins is called "the lake of Fire." Rev. 20:1515And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15). God says, "Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me." Psa. 50:1515And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. (Psalm 50:15).
Just as the passengers prayed to God and were delivered, we can call upon Him and be saved from our sins. But that is only because the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross, taking the punishment we deserved. "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him [Jesus] the iniquity of us all." Isa. 53:66All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6).
One of the wonderful things about God is that, even though He hates the sins that we do, He loves us. He gave His only Son to die for those very sins He hates. That is what God is like!
Peter Love of San Francisco was a survivor of the accident. Love was on the way home from Tehran, Iran, where he had spent four months teaching. "Everyday I was in Iran we dealt with constant fear of being killed," said Love. Perhaps he was just paranoid, but he added, "When we left Denver, I seemed to have this intuitive feeling that something was going to happen."
Love described the final moments before the accident. He thought they were making their final approach into the air field. "Then we all felt a huge jolt in the wing," he said. This was probably six blocks away from the crash site where the plane trimmed off fir trees at 60 feet height.
Gazing out the window he suddenly realized the plane was descending rapidly with no airport in sight. He said, "I knew by instinct we were going to hit the ground, so I automatically put my head down. When I put my head up again, I heard one of the flight attendants tell us to climb out on the wing. But I was in a complete daze. I climbed out, but I can't remember much of what happened afterward."
Love told reporters that his final destination was San Francisco; but he added quickly, "I'm taking the train the rest of the way." He couldn't stand the thought of another plane trip.
Each of us is like Peter Love—we have a final destination. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior and your destination will be heaven. What a contrast with the sorrows of a lost eternity in hell!
Love had decided that he would not continue his trip in the way he had previously gone. If you are not saved yet, why not follow his example and change your way. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." John 14:66Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6). Why not trust in Jesus, the true and only way to heaven?
Kim Campbell, 27 years old, was among the passengers. Kim aided a few injured passengers after the accident, and then nonchalantly he strolled away from the scene. It may seem a strange thing to do; but you see, Kim was a convict. He was an escaped prisoner from the Oregon State Penitentiary where he had been serving time for armed robbery.
Kim had walked away from the penitentiary forest camp several months before, but he had been recaptured by the Colorado State Police. They were returning him to the Oregon State Penitentiary on Flight 173. Now Kim had escaped again, slipping away quietly in the excitement. He is described as five feet ten inches, 120 pounds, with shoulder-length blond hair.
"If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." Rom. 10:99That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (Romans 10:9). God raised the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead as a living proof to us that He is the Son of God. One day in the near future He will come again and reign over the world in righteousness. But today God commands each one of us to repent of our sins—to take God's side in abhorring and turning from our sinful way of life.
But that's not all, now believe on the Lord Jesus Christ—trust Him completely to remove every stain of sin. Remember, "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." 1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7).
Do not delay! God offers salvation for only a limited time, so He says "He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy."
Virginia Webb lived with her family next door to the airplane accident site on Burnside Street. The following account by Mrs. Webb shows how wonderfully God takes care of those who trust in Him: "My sons Danny, 11, and Andy, 7, had just come in the door from collecting for their paper mute. Moments before, they had walked past the spot where the plane crashed.
"There was a sudden flash followed by numerous other flashes and crashing sounds, and the whole house shook. My six children were terrified and screaming. I got them calmed down and told them to sit together in the middle of the living mom. I could see there were hot wires down all over the place and possibly on the house.
"Then I went outside expecting to find a bad car wreck. Instead, people were streaming over our fence, screaming for help. There sat a DC-8 where our neighbor's house had been. It was unbelievable!
"The survivors finally quieted down and were wandering around in a state of shock. One man told me the seats in front of him were a mangled mess and people were screaming for help. The passengers from the rear of the plane got out all right.
"Rescuers said the pilot told them he knew he could not make the airport and looked for a dark place to go down. He did a beautiful job and because of this I feel many lives were spared.
"When my husband got home from work, we gathered our children together and knelt in prayer, thanking God for his protecting hand on our family. We feel our family was spared by the grace of God."
Several "near disasters" have focused the attention of the flight authorities on the accuracy of the airplane fuel gauges. In January, 1976, a United flight ran out of fuel between the run way and the arrival gate. The fuel gauge showed 500 pounds, but the tank was empty. Safety engineers took steps to educate the pilots and to perfect the equipment. The objective was—No more Flameouts!
On the light side—a friend of mine once asked, "How is an airplane ride similar to Maxwell House Coffee?" In answer to my helpless shrug he laughed, "They're both good to the last drop! "
So then—How is the human life similar to an airplane flight? They are both great if you make a smooth landing at the end, but a flameout is certainly disaster.
We are fueled in our youth with a gusto for life, and we take off on our long flight. "Fasten your seat belts, please," our parents warn us. The other safety devices are discussed at length—oxygen masks, flotation seats, emergency exits, inflatable slides—even the "chuck-up" bags.
But what counts most of all is whether we have the right Captain to pilot our plane. Can I depend on my Captain to insure a safe flight to my destination.
Perhaps we could paraphrase a Scripture verse, "Truly, 1 say to you, he that does not enter by the door into the cockpit, but climbs up some other way the same is a hijacker. But if he enters by the door he is the true Captain for the passengers. The Steward he brings in his own passengers, he goes before them, and they follow him for they know his voice." (Paraphrase John 10:1-41Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. 4And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. (John 10:1‑4))
There are two points that God Himself makes in this portion of scripture.
First—There was a way they could know who was the true Captain, the right one. If he entered in by the door, he was the right one, otherwise he was really a hijacker. Now Jesus is certainly the true Captain to safely pilot anyone's life. But how can I know that for sure? Jesus came in by the door, by the correct way. The Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled numerous prophecies in coming into this world. The Messiah was to be born of a virgin, in Bethlehem, of the descendants of David the King. Isaiah said that He would cause the blind to see and the deaf to hear, and he even prophesied that the Messiah would die for our sins. And Daniel foretold the exact year that Jesus would die, hundreds of years before. Yes, we can know for sure that Jesus is the true Captain for He fulfilled every prophecy about the coming Messiah perfectly.
Second—The true Captain knew his own passengers and called them by name. Jesus is called, "the Captain of our salvation" in Heb. 2:1010For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. (Hebrews 2:10). Jesus knows each one that has believed in Him. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31). It is through believing in the Lord Jesus Christ that we become His passengers. Then He knows us and calls each by name. And the proof that we know Him is that we follow Him.
We know the Captain of our salvation and He knows us. "And this is life eternal that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent." John 17:33And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. (John 17:3).
Thus, we present to you the Lord Jesus Christ: He was born of a virgin, humbly in a manger, descended from King David.
His birth was heralded by angelic hosts, miraculous prophesies, and exhibitions in the stars.
He was reared in a poor Jewish home, and given the trade of a carpenter which He followed until He was 30 years old.
The last three years of His life were God's love message to us. They were years of labor—healing and preaching, prayer and miracles, walking on water, feeding multitudes, raising the dead, healing the blind, the lame, the deaf, the lepers.
His message was one of repentance, and then as well as now, it was not a popular message. He also preached faith—faith in Himself, God's way of salvation. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16).
His death was accompanied by miracles—Three hours of darkness, an earthquake and even the great curtain or veil in the temple was miraculously torn in half.
The greatest miracle ever witnessed was His resurrection. He miraculously rose again from the dead after 3 days. He was seen of numerous of His disciples; at one time He was seen by a crowd of over 500 people. And, they were willing to lay down their lives for His name!
The Lord Jesus Christ has not changed: "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever." Heb. 13:88Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. (Hebrews 13:8). He still offers salvation from sins freely to all who believe on Him. Won't you accept Him as your Savior today. "As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name." John 1:1212But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (John 1:12).
EDITOR'S NOTE: If you need additional help concerning your soul's salvation or concerning your pathway in following "the Captain of our Salvation" after you are saved, you may call the editor in the evening at: (216) 322-6002 or write to:
The Editor
P.O. Box 2028
Elyria, Ohio 44036