Crash Landing: The Rescue of Flight 232 (1992 TV Movie)

Tom O'Brien: Chris Porter

Quotes 

• Chris Porter : Where is he going? He can't make the turn to 31.

  Mack Zubinski : Hey! He's coming in on 22.

  Chris Porter : Uh, Sir? that, uh, runway is closed. That's 22, Sir. But if you have to, you can line up on it.

  Al Haynes : Well, we're pretty well lined up now. How long is that runway?

  Chris Porter : Uh, United 232 Heavy. Okay, Sir. T-t-that will work. It's 6,600 feet, and the equipment's coming off.

• [ATC Chris Porter is visiting Capt. Haynes in the hospital] 

  Chris Porter : Well sir, you look real good.

  Al Haynes : I tell you, it sure beats rigor mortis.

  Chris Porter : I read in the paper that United put your flight track up on their Denver simulator. A lot of senior pilots tried to land the planes. So far nobody has gotten within ten miles of the airport.

  Al Haynes : Well they didn't have you talking them down.

  Chris Porter : I had a lot of help.

  Al Haynes : But you have no idea what your calm voice meant to us up there.

  Chris Porter : [choking up]  Well Captain, I-I really think I might've done a better job.

  Al Haynes : Join the club! Listen, Chris, of all the places in America we could've landed, I thank God it was here. I intend to tell that to every man, woman, and child in this city, if I have to come back here a hundred times.

• Al Haynes : Okay, Sioux. We dumped fuel down to 37. And with four in the cockpit, that's 296 souls on board.

  [pause] 

  Chris Porter : Uh... 232 Heavy, copy, 292 souls on board plus four in the cockpit, and 37 thousands pounds of fuel. Roger sir, continue approach.

  Mack Zubinski : This is Sioux Tower, to all rescue units, we have an Alert Three. I say again, we are declaring an Alert Three. A DC-10 in emergency approach. 296 souls on board. 35 miles Northeast.

  Gary Brown : Sioux Tower, Rescue One, Roger your Alert Three. We're calling every unit in the tri-state area.

  Chris Porter : Rescue One, Roger. You've got about 15 minutes to get them here.

  Gary Brown : Attention all units: this is Tri-State Rescue Net, Sioux Gateway is now in Alert Three. I repeat, Sioux Gateway is now on Alert Three. It's a DC-10, 35 miles North. May not be able to make the runway. Roll all units, this is not a drill! I repeat: this is not a drill!

• [picking up the telephone] 

  Mack Zubinski : Sioux City Tower? Say again? 232 Heavy? Confirm me heavy. Understand, a DC-10 squawking 7700. Roger, standing by.

  [to Porter] 

  Mack Zubinski : Minneapolis Center. Get set for an emergency hand-off.

  Chris Porter : A DC-10?

  Mack Zubinski : Yeah. Tail engine blown out, no hydraulics. Only control he's got is right and left throttle. Poor bastard's circling high and looking for a place to land.

  Chris Porter : You wanna take approach control?

  Mack Zubinski : No, you'll do fine. I'm right behind you.

• Chris Porter : United 232, the airport's currently at your one o'clock position, ten miles. Sir, if you can't make it to the airport, there's a Interstate that runs North to south, to the East side of the airport. That's a four-lane interstate.

  Al Haynes : Roger, Sioux, we're just passing it now. We're going to try for the airport.

  Al Haynes : United 232 Heavy, Roger, and advise when you do get runway 31 in sight.

  Al Haynes : Where's...

  Bill Records : I got the runway!

  Al Haynes : I don't.

  Dennis Fitch : There! Back on number one, back on one.

  Bill Records : Okay, I see it! Let's try to keep the descent at 500 feet per minute.

  Al Haynes : I see the tower! We have the airport in sight. We'll be with you very shortly, thanks a lot for your help.

  Chris Porter : United 232 Heavy, Roger, Sir. Wind 010 at 11. You are cleared to land on any runway.

  Al Haynes : [chuckles]  You want to be particular in making a runway?

  [staff at the control tower laugh nervously] 

  Chris Porter : He's gonna make it!

• Al Haynes : [over the P.A]  Okay, folks. Brace! Brace! Brace!

  Chris Porter : 232, looking good, Sir! And be advised that there is nothing but open field at the end of the runway, so roll-out will *not* be a problem!

  Al Haynes : 232, Roger. Ease the power back now. Left turns. Left turns. Easy... Too fast!

  GPWS : Whoop! Whoop! Pull up! Glideslope!

  Bill Records : Left... left... left...

  Al Haynes : Your nose...

  GPWS : Whoop! Whoop! Pull up! Glideslope!

  Bill Records : Left! Left! Left!

  Al Haynes : Too fast!

  GPWS : Whoop! Whoop! Pull up! Glideslope!

  Bill Records : Left! Left!

  Dudley Dvorak : God!

  GPWS : Whoop! Whoop! Pull up! Glideslope!

  [impact] 

• Heidi : Better pick up. It's Marg at the Comm Center!

  Gary Brown : Yeah, Marg?

  Marg : I... I just got a call from Sioux Tower. Get on the loop.

  Gary Brown : I'm on.

  Chris Porter : Understand Sioux City is option one after Des Moines. Is pilot aware Sioux Gateway's longest runway is 9,000 feet?

  Minneapolis Center : Sioux City, at this time pilot is just, uh, looking for a home.

  Chris Porter : Roger, standing by.

  [pause] 

  Gary Brown : My God. Rich! Rich! Get the comm trailer out to Gateway, I think we got something going on. Heidi? This one's real!

• Mack Zubinski : There he is.

  Chris Porter : Mmmm-hmmm.

  Al Haynes : Sioux City, United 2-3-2 Heavy.

  Chris Porter : United 232 Heavy Sioux City Approach.

  Al Haynes : Ah, Roger... we are in a bit of a rough patch here, you got us squawk.

  Chris Porter : Roger 232, radar contact five-niner miles. Your present track will put you about eight miles north of the airport, sir. Ah... can you make a slight left turn sir?

  Al Haynes : Ah... hope to make some slight left turns on final, but right now we gotta make right turns only, to whatever heading you want.

  Chris Porter : Roger 232 Heavy, ah... right turn heading two-five-five

  Mack Zubinski : All units this is Sioux City Tower, we have an alert two, I say again alert two, get two more guys up here now please.