I Learned About Flying From That: Day of the Daffodils

Kirk Lacewell

Saturday, March 20, 2010 at 01:11 AM ET

Verified

Illustrated by Barry Ross

Key Takeaways:

The author vividly recounts "The Day of the Daffodils," an Easter Sunday flight where he encountered severe in-flight icing with his fiancée on board, leading to a critical situation where the aircraft's controls froze.
Despite initially downplaying the risk due to his limited experience with actual icing, the flight became a harrowing struggle, culminating in a forceful clearing of frozen controls and a chaotic, ice-shedding descent into Chattanooga.
This terrifying experience, the first time the author felt "true, deep, all-consuming fear," profoundly impacted his flying philosophy, leading to a lifelong commitment to meticulous flight planning and an acute awareness of freezing levels.

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As I think back over my life, I can come up with only one day I remember. Really remember. Oh, I remember graduating from high school, but I don’t remember anything else about the day. I remember watching the birth of my daughter, but I have no idea what I had for breakfast on that day. My wedding was at noon, but all I can conjure up for that day is the ceremony itself. (Why do women cry at weddings?)

I remember the “Day of the Daffodils” clearly, from start to finish, even though I lived it more than 30 years ago.