Today flying is one of the safest forms of transit that exists. Out of the millions of flights every year, only about 30 of those result in an accident in the US, and very few result in any serious injury. However, this hasn’t always been the case. In recent history, regulations on air travel were much laxer and allowed for a far greater rate of failure. On Christmas Eve 1971, Juliane Koepcke witnessed how dangerous air travel can be when her plane broke apart in mid-air and plummeted 10,000 feet into the Amazon rain forest. Defying all odds, Koepcke survived the fall. Unfortunately for Juliane, it was an out-of-the-frying pan into the fryer sort of a situation. She awoke after the crash to find herself stranded in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. Her story has inspired for decades.
The Plane Crash
LANSA Flight 508 was struck by lightning at almost 10,000 ft. Typically such an event would be dangerous but not nearly as catastrophic. However, this specific plane had been built entirely out of spare parts. The poor construction could not withstand the strength of the lightning strike and broke apart in mid-air. Koepcke was ejected from the plane while still buckled to her seat.
During her descent, the chair caught the wind and began to rotate. She quickly plummeted toward the earth spinning like helicopter blades. Due to the stress of the event, Juliane passed out, and her body tilted forward, flipping the chair. The thick canopy of the Amazon broke her fall, and the chair she was strapped to broke her fall. Somehow she survived. But the fight had only just begun.
Escape from the Amazon
Juliane Koepcke’s nightmare had only just begun. She survived the fall, but she had suffered significant injuries, including a broken collar bone, torn ACL, a broken vertebra, concussion, and a handful of severe lacerations. As if her physical situation was not bad enough, she was lost in the center of the Amazon, unsure if any other passengers had survived or where she should go for help. To make matters worse, the rainforest canopy above her was so thick that the rescue planes she kept hearing fly overhead had no chance of seeing her.
Juliane began the long journey out of the Amazon. She faced alligators, poisonous plants, and venomous animals at every turn. As if her situation wasn’t difficult enough, a cut in her arm became infested with maggots. Koepcke took extreme measures to do away with the pests.
Conclusion
Juliane Koepcke has arguably the most incredible story of anyone alive. Not only did she survive a plane crash, but she survived a 10k ft fall, she navigated her way out of the Amazon, and she did it with numerous serious injuries. It’s an inspiring story of what we can accomplish if we focus and put our minds to it. To learn more of the intricate details, check out this episode of TILLN.
Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about random topics and have fun all along the way. If you like learning and laughing a lot while you do, you’ll love TILLN. Watch or listen to this episode right now!
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