June 8, 2000

frightening hour in the skies over the Salt Lake airport, as the pilots of a crippled jetliner prepare to land without a full hydraulic system.

With nearly 150 nervous passengers on board, the plane circled the airport several times before pilots managed to make a successful emergency landing.

"I THINK EVERYBODY SAID THEIR PRAYERS. THERE WAS A LARGE CHEER WHEN WE HIT THE GROUND."

"ONLY AFTER I HIT THE GROUND DID THE TEARS WELL UP."

News Specialist Stacey Butler has the story. A direct flight from Dallas to Seattle, flight 1573 was never supposed to land in Salt Lake City. But when pilots discovered a problem with one of the hydraulic systems they had no choice.

Pilots dumped fuel while flight attendants prepared 155 passengers aboard for a crash landing. Those sitting by the exits got a crash course in emergency landing procedure.

"SHE CAME OUT AND TOOK OUT THE CARD WITH ME, AND HOW TO OPEN THE DOORS AND PREPARED EVERYONE BEHIND ME AND PREPARED US FOR A CRASH LANDING."

"EVERYTHING WAS OKAY UNTIL THE STEWARDESS CAME OUT AND VERY QUIETLY SAID THERE COULD BE SOME FLAMES, SOME RUBBER, SO IT GOT A LITTLE TENSE."

Passengers circled the Great Salt Lake for close to an hour before they touched ground. The landing itself was smooth. Those on board credit the pilots and crew--and a lot of prayer.

"I'VE NEVER BEEN HERE BEFORE. I'VE NOW SEEN ENOUGH OF IT. I'M SURE IT'S A LOVELY CITY. BUT I'VE SEEN ENOUGH OF THAT LAKE."

Ambulances, fire trucks and emergency response teams were on hand when the plane landed, prepared for the worst.

Passengers of flight 1573 safely boarded another 727 to Seattle. They say the mishap gives whole new meaning to the safety instruction that flight attendants explain at the beginning of flights---you never know when you'll need them.