" The plane had lost power in all three engines,
		dropped from thirty-four thousand
                        to twelve thousand feet.
		Something like four miles.  
		When the steep glide began, people rose, fell,
			collided, swam in their seats.  Then the serious screaming
			and moaning began.  Almost immediately a voice 
			from the flight deck was heard
					on the intercom:
			'We're falling from the sky! We're going down!
				We're a silver gleaming death machine!' 
			This outburst struck the passengers 
		as an all but total breakdown of authority, competence 
			and command presence 
				and it brought on 
					a round of fresh
				   and desperate
				     	wailing. "