Free Fall

Seventy-Six

Garden City, Kansas

Captain Will Miller’s jaw muscles spasmed as he gripped the handles of the control wheel and battled his anger with engineering.

“We’ve run diagnostics three times now!” Miller said. “It’s been futile! You guys have to give us something that works. We’re running out of time!”

Seattle-bound NorthSun Airlines Flight 118 was high over Garden City, Kansas. Miller and First Officer Sam Zhang had worked in vain to recover control of the Startrail AV600. Engineers from the plane’s builder in São Paulo, Brazil, and US operations in Houston had provided a line of possible remedies over the radio. Each one had failed.

“NorthSun One Eighteen, this is Kansas City Center. We see no change in your course.”

“Kansas City Center, nothing’s working for us.”

“One Eighteen, we’re handing off to NORAD. You’ll find them on the emergency frequency. Good luck, One Eighteen.”

One minute later, an F-16 appeared on Zhang’s right side, while Miller saw one on his left side.

The two jet fighters were with the 140th Wing, Colorado Air National Guard out of Buckley Air Force in Aurora.

“One Twenty Tactical to NorthSun One Eighteen, this is Major Brennan. How do you read?”

“NorthSun One Eighteen, this is Captain Will Miller. Loud and clear, Major.”

Miller took a deep breath.

It was now twenty-three minutes to impact with the New York-bound flight.