Half an Hour of Tadeusz Kosciuszko. Tragedy of LOT Flight 5055

By Aleksander Sowa

Goodnight, goodbye! Bye! We perish!

On 9 May 1987, passenger aircraft Il–62M Tadeusz Kosciuszko of LOT Polish Airlines crashed while on approach for the emergency landing near the Okecie airport. The crew lost a fight for life that lasted for 3o minutes. The last message given by the pilot was: – Goodnight, goodbye! Bye! We perish!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Aleksander Sowa
• Release date: May 29, 2016
• ISBN: 9781311342188

Aleksander Sowa

Aleksander Sowa – pisarz niezależny, weteran samodzielnego publikowania. Jeden z pierwszych polskich autorów, który wykorzystał do samopublikowania Amazon, Smashwords, CreateSpace czy Lulu. Wydaje również w sposób tradycyjny. Jego debiutancka powieść jest pierwszą polską powieścią wydaną na papierze, a następnie sprzedawaną w Amazon jako e-book. Autor powieści obyczajowych i kryminalnych, zbiorów opowiadań, książek tematycznych i poradników. Jego książki oraz e-booki trafiły do rąk blisko 50 tysięcy czytelników. Strona autorska: www.wydawca.net--Aleksander Sowa – freelance writer, self-publisher, Web 2.0. author from Poland (Europe). Published over a dozen books. His publications have been translated into English and German. Author’s website: www.wydawca.net

Book preview

HALF AN HOUR OF

TADEUSZ KOSCIUSZKO.

TRAGEDY OF LOT FLIGHT 5055

Aleksander Sowa

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Copyright by Aleksander Sowa 2013

Original title: Pół godziny Tadeusza Kościuszki. Katastrofa w Lesie Kabackim

Translation from Polish Sumeer Chakuu 2016

Copyright English Edition by Aleksander Sowa 2016

Cover photo: Aleksander Sowa

Cover: Aleksander Sowa

Smashwords Edition

ISBN 9781311342188

Aleksander Sowa|Self-Publishing

www.wydawca.net

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All rights reserved.

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Opole, May 2016.

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I.

9th of May, 1987, Time 10.07, Okecie. Weather is beautiful, and the preparations of Tadeusz Kosciuszko for take-off are taking place. Each flight of that plane is an event. The price of the ticket is so high, that the purchase is usually associated with decision of life: emigration. To USA, Canada somewhere beyond Atlantic. This or other way, behind the big puddle. Many passengers, who have flown with this plane never came back to Poland. Especially that morning Janina Szulc–Tomaszewska was furious.

– You'll see; you'll have trouble – mother told her prophetically in the morning.

The woman came late from Łomża, and she didn’t had time to decelerate fur. She stood in the queue for those who have nothing to declare. Meanwhile, custom officer has got problem. He would like to stop someone. He wants it very much. Friend wants to fly to the United States, but there is no free seat in the aircraft. He types the victim. The victim is Szulc–Tomaszewska. In bag, she has got fur from mink. Bingo!

– Mr. Captain – stewardess, who was hooked by Szulc–Tomaszewska, asks – can we wait for this passenger?

– We can wait for fifteen minutes – captain says, looking at Janina.

– You should fly; I have to stop this lady – customs officer says to the captain.

Zygmunt Pawlaczyk, aged 59, a former military pilot, working for 32 years in the Polish Airlines LOT. In a few months, he will retire. In total, he has flown almost 20 000 hours, including 5500 hours on the Il–62 aircraft during last 12 years. Around neck, he is always wearing gold chain with cross. He is not taking it on that flight.

– Okecie Ground – starts few minutes later. – Good morning, LOT 5055 at seventeen Hotel on the board, we request pushback and plunge of the engines.

– 5055, good morning, plunge – controller with dry voice reply – Zero–six–zero–seven, its time. Which direction for start, do you want?

– Three–three.

– Three–three. I Understand.

This is the longest runway at the Warsaw airport. Runway with length of more than three and a half kilometers with azimuth 015 ° on the north towards Warsaw and 330 ° in opposite side of the Kabacki Forest. Runways are numerated in accordance with the magnetic direction. Runway in the direction of 015 ° is called one–five, and runway on 330 ° – three–three. Each of them is allowing take-off and landing from one or other end of the line. Depending on the wind direction.

– Okecie Ground, LOT 5055. And taxiing please – after a try of engines, captain declares readiness for maneuvering in direction of the runway.

– 5055, start taxiing alpha three–three – the controller from the tower answers. – Before two–nine report yourself.

– OK, with alpha to three – three before two – nine we will report– crew commander confirms permission to taxi with the order to contact with tower before intersecting runway two–nine. – 55 – pilot ends, he reduces the marking of his flight by the first two digits.

The plane goes slowly over the asphalt concrete just like a giant dragonfly with half–folded wings, accompanied with the low murmur of four engines and flashes