In 2006, my dad was Captain on a FedEx MD-11 inbound to SLC from Memphis. Somewhere above Utah Lake, they lost hydraulics on engines #1 and #2, left with only emergency hydraulics on #3 — just enough for flight controls but pretty much nothing else to land the 650,000 pound jet.

Both Dad and his FO were very experienced, but this type of double hydraulic failure was extremely rare. In decades of MD-11 flight history, it had only happen a few times. They started their emergency procedures, which included *lowering the landing gear with a hand crank*

Dad recalls saying a silent prayer to his Heavenly Father as they lined up their approach. The airport rolled out the emergency response vehicles, and it must have been a slow news day because the local tv cut to Breaking News of an emergency landing in progress at SLC.

My mom was at home working around the house with the TV on in the background. The news came on and reported an emergency landing in progress. Sure enough, she recognized dad’s plane. I can hardly imagine what she was feeling in that moment. All she could do was watch and pray.

Dad says he felt an immense feeling of calm & confidence on approach. Training and experience kicked in, and they successfully landed without incident. Dad was back home a few hours later, and I heard about what happened reading an email a week later in an internet cafe in Mexico

To this day, any time I see an airliner on approach over Utah Lake, I think of this story. To me it’s a lesson of the importance of preparation, training, and experience that provides confidence in your abilities. And it’s also a lesson to me of the power of prayer and faith.