1978 flight to New York narrowly escapes tragedy, thanks to pilot's courage

Flying still makes many travelers feel anxious, but advances in technology and the skill of highly trained pilots make aviation one of the safest forms of transportation.

One such remarkable pilot made the headlines for his intelligent maneuver that saved hundreds of lives during an engine shutdown, per the Greek Reporter. During his life-saving act, the pilot broke several aviation rules but managed to make a successful emergency landing.

The incident occurred in August 1978 in a New York-bound Olympic Airways flight 411 that took off from Ellinikon International Airport in Athens, Greece. The Boeing 747, piloted by Captain Sifis Migadis and First Officer Constantinos Fikardos, had 418 people onboard. After takeoff, as the pilot gradually tried to gain altitude, people in the plane were jolted by a loud bang. One of their engines had blown up. Parts of the engine dropped down on the runway as the plane struggled to keep up its speed at a lower altitude.

As the aircraft ascended to an altitude of 200 feet, it became apparent that it was struggling to climb further due to a significant loss of engine power. Captain Migadis, an experienced pilot with a background in military aviation, faced an urgent dilemma. The aircraft was dangerously close to colliding with buildings in Athens, prompting swift and decisive action from the captain. In a critical moment that required deviation from standard operating procedures, Captain Migadis chose to retract the landing gear, a move aimed at increasing airspeed and enhancing lift. This decision, rooted in his extensive combat flying experience, proved effective as the aircraft subsequently gained the necessary altitude to avoid an immediate hazard.

However, Migadis faced another critical challenge as now the plane was headed towards Mount Egaleo. He pulled up the plane's nose using all the airspeed he had managed to build up, and along with the lift offered by a headwind, the aircraft missed crashing on the hills by just feet. Having made this daring move, Migadis now had to drop the speed and start flying at a lower altitude to land.

To lower the aircraft's weight, he dumped fuel over the ocean. Eventually, the skillful pilot flew the plane back to the Ellinikon airport and landed it safely. Thanks to his quick thinking, all the passengers and crew members on the plane were unharmed.