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20 Pilots Share Their Exciting, Weird, And Downright Terrifying In-Flight Experiences

Do not read this if you're about to board or are currently on a plane!

20 Pilots Share Their Exciting, Weird, And Downright Terrifying In-Flight Experiences

Some pilot stories sound like movie scenes, until you realize they happened at 30,000 feet. That is exactly what makes these in-flight experiences so gripping, because the people telling them are the ones trained to stay calm when everything gets weird.

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From smoke in the cockpit to near misses, bird strikes, and landings that went sideways fast, these Reddit posts show just how unpredictable aviation can be. The pilots, passengers, and witnesses involved all had front-row seats to moments they probably never expected to see.

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Read on for the strangest, scariest, and most unforgettable stories pilots shared.

The question that got the ball rolling:

The question that got the ball rolling:miercole_s
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1. It's like high-stakes Charlotte's Web

1. It's like high-stakes Charlotte's Webhelodriver87
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That is not the kind of thing you want to see in the sky.

2. Smoke in the cockpit, 2(!) almost mid-air collisions, and a meteor!

2. Smoke in the cockpit, 2(!) almost mid-air collisions, and a meteor!chrisbe2e9

3. Zero visibility while trying to land on a moving ship

3. Zero visibility while trying to land on a moving shipDisownedpenny

Some landings are stressful, and then there are landings like this.

Pilots view through a smoky cockpit, near-collision chaos during landingDisownedpenny Darkened cockpit window, zero visibility during approach to a moving shipDisownedpenny Skydiver descending near another diver, close call in open airDisownedpenny

4. Uncle saw God and didn't care to elaborate on his divine experience

4. Uncle saw God and didn't care to elaborate on his divine experienceMangOrion2

5. A skydiver who jumped too close for comfort

5. A skydiver who jumped too close for comfortTheskidiever

6. A missile that almost roasted a plane and everyone on board

6. A missile that almost roasted a plane and everyone on boardNAbbott_737

That escalated fast.

Airplane cartwheeling down the runway after a violent landing accidentNAbbott_737

7. A plane cartwheeling down the runway with serious injuries as a result

7. A plane cartwheeling down the runway with serious injuries as a resultmrbrad595 Unruly goose near a runway, highlighting common bird strike risksmrbrad595

8. That's one unruly goose

8. That's one unruly gooserobo-dragon

9. Bird strikes are common accidents in aviation, and they don't always end well

9. Bird strikes are common accidents in aviation, and they don't always end wellkirkl3s

10. 2 planes flying "butt-clenchingly" close to each other

10. 2 planes flying "butt-clenchingly" close to each otherfurry_anus_destroyer

That is way too close for comfort.

It’s like the same tough call as OP refusing to pet sit an aggressive parrot, safety first or friendship first?

Two aircraft flying dangerously close, tight formation maneuver over open skyfurry_anus_destroyer

11. Tricky maneuvers on a huge aircraft

11. Tricky maneuvers on a huge aircraftPolite_Heretic

12. Engine sputtering while flying

12. Engine sputtering while flyingTu-144D

13. Thunderstorms must be fascinating, beautiful, and scary all at once

13. Thunderstorms must be fascinating, beautiful, and scary all at onceJustAnotherAviatrix

Weather can turn a routine flight into a nightmare in seconds.

Large aircraft flying through storm clouds, lightning and turbulence surrounding pilotsJustAnotherAviatrix

14. That's a messy lesson to learn, and also, those poor birds

14. That's a messy lesson to learn, and also, those poor birdstitanic_trash Cabin interior with smoky haze, flight crew responding to an emergencytitanic_trash Passenger cabin with lingering smoke, airline offering a small flight credittitanic_trash

15. A clueless pilot who had no regard for other people

15. A clueless pilot who had no regard for other peopleAutumnAtronach

16. Mystery smoke in the cabin, but hey, here's a $15 flight credit

16. Mystery smoke in the cabin, but hey, here's a $15 flight creditdrd711

That compensation did not exactly match the panic.

Blimp floating beside an aircraft, contrasting calm air with flight tensiondrd711

17. That's just freedom trying to fly beside you

17. That's just freedom trying to fly beside youSaltyFiredawg

18. Finally, someone mentioned a blimp!

18. Finally, someone mentioned a blimp!JayBeeJB89

19. Choose your demise: plummet to death or get attacked by a wild boar?

19. Choose your demise: plummet to death or get attacked by a wild boar?lavenderglobe91

20. The obligatory UFO post (honestly surprised there weren't more UFO sightings)

20. The obligatory UFO post (honestly surprised there weren't more UFO sightings)cfu48

How cool is it that humans can fly so high that we can touch clouds? It must be amazing to be a pilot, but based on those stories, it's equally frightening as well.

At least with their job, there will never be a "just another day at the office" scenario. No two days will be the same, and thanks to that, we'll never have a shortage of interesting in-flight stories.

The next time you fly, don't forget to thank your crew for making sure you reach your destination safely. We only get a glimpse of their experiences during those delayed flights we love to complain about.

Flying is never boring when the sky keeps throwing surprises like this.

After the cockpit smoke and meteor scares, see how experts say your airplane attire matters in emergencies: essential emergency airplane clothing guidance.

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