It never fails, I get out all the things I need to sit comfortably in my window seat on the plane, usually in seat 22 if I get to choose, and once my seat-belt is fastened and my seat neighbors are comfy, then I remember that I wanted to have my camera. But by then it is too late, my camera is packed safely in my bag that is over our heads and far to inconvenient to get… so I try to remember, to remember that next time I fly, I want to have my camera.

Because I love looking at the world from a plane and think it would be fun start my own plane photo collection.

So this time, on my way back to SFO from my connecting flight in ATL… I remembered… and I got my Rolleiflex out ahead of time with an extra roll of film. I was very proud of myself… and ready to take off and snap away.

As we were just about to take off, the piolot came on and welcomed us, and said that it was a beautiful day for a plane ride.

I perched high in my seat with my big clunky camera perched in the window, ready…

We started rolling, then we lifted, then there was a very loud bang, although bang doesn’t describe it well, but there was a very very loud bad noise, and then we wobbled and went back down to the runway, then wobbled on the runway with flames and smoke coming off my wing on the left side.

Then we stopped and were surrounded by lots of firetrucks.

“An engine blew up,” we were told first, then it was, “Mechanical failure.”

And after the firetrucks gave us the ok, we hobbled back to the gate and got off to wait for our next plane.

I was surprised how quickly they had us back on another plane, but somehow, I wasn’t quite as excited this time… I have to say, the experience definitely stirred my nerves and it served as a good reminder that life is short and not to be taken for granted.