She looked like a normal kid, with messy braids, a cartoon shirt, and coloring books all over seat 12F. Nobody thought that an 11-year-old would be able to help when their plane started to fall. Then, over the radio, F-22 fighter jets called out, “Thunder.” Everyone on the bus looked at the little girl.
Alex “Thunder” Williams, 11, sat in seat 12F on United Airlines flight 1847. He looked exactly like what everyone thought they would see: a kid traveling alone. She had messy blonde hair in two braids, a faded purple T-shirt with a cartoon character on it, and a little pink backpack with sparkly stickers on it. She was reading a children’s book about dragons and quietly drinking apple juice. Her legs barely touched the floor.
Mrs.
Alex politely said, “I’m fine, thank you,” in the high, sweet voice that adults thought kids should have. “My grandma is coming to get me in Chicago.”
People on the plane smiled at the little girl who was traveling alone and was well-behaved. A businessman in 12E gave her his extra bag of peanuts. An older woman in 12D asked if she wanted to see pictures of her granddaughter. Everyone acted like Alex was what she looked like: a young girl flying alone for the first time.
None
Alex’s call sign, “Thunder,” came from the fact that she had passed a test flight that had killed three adult pilots before her. Her reflexes were faster than those of any adult, her fear responses were different, and military scientists were amazed at how her brain processed flight information. But Alex’s job was so secret that even her family didn’t know what she really did.
They thought she was just a smart kid who went to a special boarding school for gifted kids. Not many people in the military knew that a sixth grader who still lost teeth and loved cartoon movies was testing America’s most advanced fighter planes.
Captain Sarah Chin had been flying commercial planes for 12 years, but she had never seen anything like what happened at 1:30 p.m. over Iowa. When Captain Chin felt something that made her blood run cold, United Flight 1847 was flying peacefully at 38,000 feet with 156 passengers on board. The plane was going from Denver to Chicago.
“Mike,” she said to First Officer Mike Torres, “do you feel that vibration?””
First Officer Torres saw right away what Captain Chin was talking about. The plane was shaking in a way that wasn’t normal, and the shaking was getting worse by the minute.
Torres said, “That’s not good,” as he looked at the engine instruments. “Engine No. 2 is giving strange readings.”
But before they could figure out what was wrong with Engine No. 2, Engine No. 1 also started to have problems. Lights on the instrument panel started flashing, and alarms started going off in the cockpit.
Captain Chin said, “We have big problems with the engine.” “I’m calling an emergency.”
She sent this message to air traffic control: “Chicago Center, United 1847 declaring emergency.” “We’re having engine problems and need help right away.”
“United 1847, Chicago Center copies your emergency.” What do you want to do? »
“We need directions to the closest airport that is suitable.” We might not be able to stay at this height for much longer.”
The situation got a lot worse while Captain Chin and First Officer Torres were going through their emergency procedures. The airplane was getting harder and harder to control as both engines lost power.
Alex could feel the changes in the plane’s movement right away in seat 12F. She had learned how to tell when an airplane was in trouble by the sounds and feelings it made, and she knew that Flight 1847 was in big trouble. But Alex’s orders were clear: she should never tell anyone who she was or what she could do or break her cover no matter what. She had to let 156 people die because too many of her secret projects depended on people thinking she was just a normal kid.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) started keeping an eye on the situation right away when United Flight 1847 declared an emergency over Iowa airspace. When a commercial plane’s engines failed, it was automatically flagged for military attention, especially if it was flying near important military sites.
“Sir,” Major Lisa Rodriguez told Colonel James Parker at NORAD Command, “we have a commercial emergency aircraft that may need to land at Offutt Air Force Base.”
“What’s going on?” Colonel Parker asked.
“United 1847, with 156 people on board, had several engine problems. They are asking for permission to land in an emergency.
Colonel Parker said, “Get the F-22s up right away.” “I want that plane to have an escort and be watched.” We need to be ready if they have to land at a military base.
In just a few minutes, two F-22 Raptor fighters from the 55th Wing at Offutt Air Force Base were quickly climbing toward the emergency plane. Major Kevin “Shark” Thompson and Captain Jennifer “Viper” Williams were both experienced pilots who had flown civilian planes before.
Major Thompson sent, “Chicago Center, Raptor 1 and Raptor 2 are in the air and climbing to meet United 1847.”
“Raptor flight, United 1847 is at flight level 380 and having engine problems.” Give an escort and an assessment.
The F-22s got ready for what they thought would be a normal escort mission as they got closer to their target. But things were about to get too crazy for routine.
When the F-22 Raptors got next to United Flight 1847, NORAD Command was going over the passenger list as part of normal security checks. Colonel Parker picked up his secure phone right away after what they found.
“Sir,” Technical Sergeant Maria Santos said, “you need to see this list of passengers.”
“What is it?”
“Alex Williams is the name of the person in seat 12F. I did a search for that name in our classified databases, but I found something that doesn’t make sense.
When Colonel Parker saw the computer screen, his heart skipped a beat. The secret files say that Alex Williams was a test pilot in the military with the highest level of security clearance. But the passenger list said that Alex Williams was 11 years old.
Parker said, “That can’t be right.” “Do it again.”
“I’ve run it five times, sir.” Alex Williams, 11 years old, is working on Project Hummingbird at Area 51 under the name “Thunder.” Top secret clearance for testing experimental planes.
Colonel Parker couldn’t believe what he was reading. Project Hummingbird was one of the military’s most secret programs. It involved test flights of planes that were so advanced that most generals didn’t even know they existed. These files also say that the test pilot was in sixth grade.
“Get me a secure line to Area 51,” Parker said. “I need to know this right away.”
The call to Area 51 confirmed Parker’s worst fears and biggest surprise. Alex Williams was really 11 years old, really a test pilot, and really on a commercial plane that was about to crash.
“Colonel,” the voice from Area 51 said, “if that plane goes down with Thunder on board, we lose our best pilot and put our most important programs at risk.”
Parker said, “Understood.” “We’ll do everything we can to help them land safely.”
Things were getting worse on United Flight 1847. Captain Chin was having a hard time keeping the plane in the air because both engines were almost out of power. They were losing height quickly, and Chicago was still too far away.
First Officer Torres said sadly, “We’re not going to make it to Chicago.” “We need another airport right now.”
Captain Chin said, “Offutt Air Force Base is only 20 miles away.” “But I don’t know if they’ll let a commercial plane land there.”
At that point, the airplane was able to pick up an unusual transmission on a military frequency. “Raptor 1, this is United 1847.” We know that Alex Williams is on your plane. We need to talk to Thunder right away.
Alex felt like she had been hit by lightning in seat 12F. Everyone on the plane had just heard her secret call sign on the radio. The businessman next to her was looking at her in a confused way.
“Did they really just call you ‘Thunder’?” “How could that be?” he asked in shock.
Captain Chin’s voice came over the intercom before Alex could answer. “Alex Williams, this is Captain Chin. Can you come to the cockpit? “Please help us.”
Everyone on the plane turned to look at the 11-year-old girl in the cartoon T-shirt. They didn’t see how a kid could help with an emergency on a plane, but the captain’s voice made them think this was serious. Alex unbuckled her seatbelt and walked to the front of the plane, knowing that her private life was about to become very public.
When Alex walked into the cockpit of United Flight 1847, Captain Chin and First Officer Torres couldn’t believe their eyes. They thought the pilot would be an adult, not a little girl who looked like she should be in school.
“Are you really Alex Williams?” Captain Chin asked.
“Yes, ma’am,” Alex said, and her voice still sounded like a normal kid.
“And you really are a pilot?””
“Yes, ma’am.” I work for the Air Force and test new planes.
First Officer Torres gave Alex a doubtful look. “How can a test pilot be 11 years old?”
“Because I fit in planes that adults can’t fly,” Alex said in a matter-of-fact way. “And because my reflexes are faster than those of adults.”
Alex looked at the instrument panel and quickly started handling the emergency with skills that amazed the commercial pilots. Even though she was young and small, she looked at the engine failures and flight conditions like someone who had dealt with aircraft emergencies many times before.
“What is our height?” “Alex asked.
“22,000 feet and going down,” Captain Chin said.
“How much gas is left?”
“About 30 minutes at the current rate of use.”
“How far is it to Offutt Air Force Base?”
“18 miles.”
Alex quickly did the math in her head, using what she had learned from flying experimental planes that often had complete system failures. “We can get to Offutt,” she said with confidence. “But we’ll need to use gliding techniques that aren’t taught in commercial training.”
Alex used her call sign for the first time in front of civilian pilots when she said, “Raptor 1, this is Thunder,” on the military frequency.
“Thunder, Raptor 1.” We are honored to be working with you, ma’am. What do you want from us? »
Even though Alex was only a teenager, her voice sounded like someone who had been in charge of test flights of the world’s most advanced planes. “Raptor Flight, please work with Offutt Tower to get permission for an emergency landing. I also need up-to-the-minute weather and wind information for our approach.
“Roger, Thunder.” We have you covered.
What happened next had never happened before in the history of aviation. An 11-year-old girl was in charge of the emergency landing of a commercial plane while two of the most advanced fighter jets ever built flew alongside it.
“Captain Chin,” Alex said to the commercial pilot, “I’m going to show you some tricks we use when engines fail completely and we have to land.”
“But you’re just a kid,” First Officer Torres said in response.
Alex said calmly, “I’m a kid who has landed planes without engines, hydraulics, or electrical power.” “Believe me, I know what I’m doing.”
Captain Chin saw that Alex was serious and made a choice that would save 156 lives. “Okay, Alex. What do you want us to do? »
While Alex worked with the United crew to get ready for an emergency landing, the F-22 pilots were learning more about the amazing child who was saving Flight 1847. At NORAD Command, they were looking over secret files that told an amazing story.
“Raptor 1, NORAD Command,” came the secure message. “We’re sending you secret information about Thunder.” You need to know who you’re working with.
Major Thompson and Captain Williams got information that made them realize they were seeing something very special. Alex “Thunder” Williams wasn’t just any test pilot; she was the head pilot for Project Hummingbird, which tested planes that were decades ahead of what the public knew existed.
The briefing said, “Thunder has more flight experience than most adult pilots.” “She has been flying since she was 9 years old and has passed test flights that adult pilots couldn’t survive.”
“This is amazing,” Captain Williams said to her wingman in a low voice. “Shark, we’re being led by an 11-year-old who flies planes that aren’t real.”
Major Thompson said, “I know.” “This kid has skills that most adult pilots only wish they had.”
The F-22 pilots were amazed when the commercial plane started flying in ways that showed how talented Alex was.
What Alex did next showed why she had been chosen for the most dangerous military test flights. She started teaching Captain Chin how to fly a powerless Boeing 737 like a glider using methods that were made for experimental planes that often lost all power.
“Captain Chin,” Alex said, “forget everything you learned about what to do when an engine goes out. We are going to fly this plane using only the forces of gravity and air.
She taught Captain Chin how to fly “dead” planes, which are techniques that commercial pilots never learned. These techniques were developed over years of test flights with experimental planes that lost all power.
Alex said, “Use the plane’s natural gliding ability to slow down our descent.” “We don’t need engines if we use our energy wisely.”
“But that’s not how we were taught to deal with emergencies,” said First Officer Torres.
Alex said, “Commercial training assumes you have some engine power.” “When everything else fails, you need methods that don’t rely on anything else working.”
The F-22 pilots were amazed when the powerless commercial plane started to glide toward Offutt Air Force Base with the help of an 11-year-old girl who flew like she had been born in the cockpit.
“Raptor 2, do you see this?” Captain Williams asked.
Major Thompson said, “I can’t believe what I’m seeing.” “She flies that 737 better than most pilots do with full power.”
As United Flight 1847 got closer to Offutt Air Force Base, Alex coordinated the landing with the same care as a test flight. The F-22 escorts were giving her weather updates, air traffic control was clearing emergency equipment, and the commercial crew was following procedures they had never thought of before.
“Offutt Tower, United 1847 Heavy Emergency Inbound with No Engine Power,” Alex said. “Please be aware that we are using experimental gliding methods.”
“United 1847, Offutt Tower. We have equipment ready for crashes and rescues. Runway 14 is clear for your approach.”
But Alex knew that the plan would need more than just runways that were clear. The plane that couldn’t move would need perfect weather and perfect execution to land safely.
“Raptor Flight,” Alex said, “I need you to keep an eye on our glide path and let me know if anything changes. We won’t get a second chance without power.
“Roger, Thunder.” We’re with you all the way down.
As they got closer to the ground, Alex started to put the last part of her emergency plan into action. These were techniques that had been made for landing experimental planes when they lost all power.
“Captain Chin,” she said, “what I’m about to show you isn’t in any book, but it works.” We are going to land this plane using only the laws of physics.
The last approach to Offutt’s runway 14 was unlike anything that had ever happened in commercial aviation. Alex showed Captain Chin how to land using a method that was made for experimental planes that often lost all of their power systems.
“Keep our airspeed at exactly 140 knots,” Alex said as they went through 1,000 feet. “Too fast, and we’ll miss the runway.” If we go too slowly, we’ll stall and crash.
It was such an advanced technique that no one had ever tried it on a commercial plane before. But Alex had learned how to land planes that normal procedures couldn’t handle because she had flown experimental planes that often lost all power.
“Thunder, Raptor 1,” Major Thompson said. “You look great as you get closer. The rate of descent is perfect.
“Thanks, Raptor 1. You’re doing a great job, Captain Chin.” Have faith in the plane and the physics.”
A crosswind tried to push the plane off the centerline of the runway at 200 feet. Captain Chin started to panic, but Alex’s calm advice kept him on track.
“Small correction with the rudder.” Don’t fix things too much. Let the plane come to a stop on its own.
The Boeing 737 landed harder than usual, but Captain Chin was able to keep the plane straight and under control. As they rolled out, emergency vehicles surrounded them, ready to help anyone who was hurt.
“Great job, United 1847,” Offutt Tower said. “Emergency equipment is ready.”
In the passenger cabin, 156 people clapped for the landing. Most of them still couldn’t believe that an 11-year-old girl had saved them.
When United Flight 1847 landed at Offutt Air Force Base, the F-22 Raptors did something that had never been done before in military aviation. Both pilots stood up straight in their cockpits, a sign of respect usually only shown to high-ranking officers, not kids.
“Thunder, Raptor 1,” Major Thompson said. “That was the best display of flying we’ve ever seen. You just saved 156 lives using skills that most adults can’t master.
“Thanks, Raptor Flight,” Alex said, and her voice still sounded like a normal kid. “Just doing my job.”
But it wasn’t just a job for her. Any way you look at it, what Alex did was amazing. She had taken charge of an emergency on a civilian plane and used secret methods to save 156 lives. All the while, she kept the calm professionalism that had made her famous in military test programs.
A lot of the people who got off the plane stopped to thank Alex in person. The businessman from 12E was one of the first. He said, “I can’t believe you’re really 11 years old.” “How did you learn to fly like that?”
Alex smiled with the innocent look that had helped her stay hidden for so long. “I go to a very good school.”
Alex’s secret identity was completely revealed just hours after the emergency landing. The story of the 11-year-old pilot who saved a commercial flight spread around the world, and her secret work made headlines around the world. “KID PILOT SAVES COMMERCIAL FLIGHT,” the news stories said. “11-year-old test pilot emerges from secret program,” wrote reporters who were trying to figure out how a child could be so good at flying.
But Alex’s exposure caused big problems for the safety of the country. Her work on secret programs was so important that the highest levels of government had to keep her identity secret. Now that the cover was blown, ongoing projects were at risk, and military advantages could be lost.
General Patricia Martinez said during an emergency meeting at Offutt, “Alex, your actions saved 156 lives, but they also put some of our most important programs at risk.”
“I’m sorry, General,” Alex said in a small voice. “But I couldn’t let all those people die just to keep my secret.”
General Martinez told her, “We’re not judging you.” “But we need to find out what happens next.” It’s clear that your cover as a normal kid is over.
The military was in a situation that had never happened before. Their best test pilot had been publicly humiliated, but her actions had saved the lives of more than 150 civilians.
Two weeks after the United Flight 1847 crash, Alex had to make a choice that would change her life forever. She could keep doing her secret test work under a new name, or she could take a different job that would use her skills in a public way.
“We’re giving you something that has never been offered to someone your age,” General Martinez said to Alex during a meeting at the Pentagon. You could be the youngest official aviation safety spokesperson, teaching other pilots how to save Flight 1847 using the methods you used.
It was the first time this kind of work had been done. An 11-year-old girl would be working openly with both military and civilian aviation authorities for the first time. She would use her experience to make safety training for pilots around the world better.
General Martinez said, “Your actions showed that advanced flying techniques can save civilian lives.” “We want you to help make training programs that will teach these skills to commercial pilots.”
Alex quickly agreed to the task. Her secret life was over, but she could now serve her country in a new way that honored both her military training and her desire to help others.
“Can I still fly experimental planes?” “Alex asked.
“Even more than before,” General Martinez said with a smile. “But now you’ll also be passing on what you’ve learned to others.”
Six months after the event, Alex was teaching special classes at the Federal Aviation Administration’s Training Center. She stood on a small platform so she could reach the podium while speaking to rooms full of experienced commercial pilots. Her students were experienced pilots with decades of experience who were learning advanced emergency procedures from an 11-year-old who had saved 156 lives.
Alex spoke into a microphone that was set to her height and told her first class of adult pilots, “The techniques you’ll learn today were made for planes that often lose all power or have systems that break completely.” When everything goes wrong at once and normal methods don’t work, these steps can save lives.
She used the United Flight 1847 incident as a detailed teaching example, walking the adult pilots through every decision she had made and explaining the reasoning behind techniques that had never been used in commercial aviation.
“When I walked into that cockpit,” she said, pointing to parts of aircraft diagrams on a big screen, “I had never flown a Boeing 737 before in my life.” But I knew the basics of how to fly a plane when everything goes wrong, and I could teach that to pilots who knew how the 737 systems worked but had never had a total power failure.
The adult pilots were very impressed with how much Alex knew and how well he taught. Even though she was young and needed a stepstool to reach the whiteboard, she showed them flying skills and emergency procedures that were better than anything they had learned in decades of flying.
“Alex,” asked American Airlines Captain Robert Kim, a veteran pilot with over 20,000 flight hours, “how did you learn to stay so calm during emergencies? In those kinds of situations, most adults would freak out.
Alex said, “Because I’ve been flying planes that break all the time,” with the kind of straightforward honesty that only kids have. She shrugged her shoulders as if she were explaining why she liked a certain flavor of ice cream. “When you think things will always go wrong, you are always ready when they do.” Also, if you panic while test flying, you die, so you learn not to panic pretty quickly.
Her simple, direct answers and practical approach to complex problems made the adult pilots realize that Alex’s age was actually an advantage in some ways: she could explain complicated procedures in simple terms that everyone could understand and remember under pressure.
The training program that Alex developed became a model for aviation safety around the world. Airlines started sending their best pilots to learn the advanced emergency skills that had saved Flight 1847.
Susan Chin, Director of the International Air Transport Association, said, “Alex Williams has changed the way we train for aviation safety.” «She’s teaching knowledge that could save thousands of lives.»
The techniques showed how useful they were over and over again. Within a year, commercial pilots using Alex’s methods had successfully landed planes that had problems that would have been impossible to survive before.
Michael Wright, the head of the FAA, said, “We’ve had five cases where commercial pilots used Alex’s methods to save planes that would have been lost.” “Her program is literally saving lives every month.”
Alex also kept working with experimental planes, but now she could share new techniques with civilian pilots right away when it was appropriate.
Colonel Jennifer Hayes, a test pilot, said, “The line between military and civilian emergency procedures has been permanently changed.” “Alex showed that knowledge gained in secret programs can be used for good.”
Two years after the United Flight 1847 incident, 13-year-old Alex became the youngest person ever to hold an advisory position in the Air Force. Her job was to keep working on emergency procedures that both military and civilian pilots could use.
At a ceremony at the Air Force Academy, General Robert Taylor, the Air Force Chief of Staff, said, “Alex is a new model for military service.” “She shows that our most advanced skills should be used for both public safety and national security.”
Many of the people whose lives had been affected by Alex’s actions were at the ceremony. Captain Chin and First Officer Torres talked about how United Airlines had added Alex’s methods to their training programs.
Captain Chin told the crowd, “Alex didn’t just save our plane.” “She changed the way everyone in our field thinks about emergency procedures.”
Major Thompson and Captain Williams, the F-22 pilots who had flown with Flight 1847, were also there. They were now teachers in Alex’s joint training program.
Major Thompson said, “Working with Thunder during that emergency was a career highlight.” “She taught us that anyone who needs them to save lives should have access to the best techniques.”
Five years after the event that changed her life, 16-year-old Alex became the youngest person ever to win the Congressional Gold Medal for her work to make flying safer. Her methods were now standard training for pilots all over the world, and her manual on what to do in an emergency was required reading in many countries.
“Alex Williams has fundamentally changed aviation safety,” said NASA Administrator Dr. Patricia Lee at the medal ceremony. “Her work has saved thousands of lives and will keep saving lives for generations to come.”
The people on United Flight 1847 never forgot the little girl who had saved them. A lot of people came to Alex’s medal ceremony, including the businessman who had been sitting next to her.
He said at the ceremony, “Alex taught me that heroes come in all ages.” “She looked like a normal kid, but she was one of the best pilots in the world.”
Alex “Thunder” Williams is still in the Air Force and is finishing her engineering degree at the Air Force Academy. She is already one of the most important voices in both military and civilian aviation safety at 19. Flight schools all over the world teach her methods, and her story encourages young people to join the military or work in aviation.
Alex tells students who come to see her at the Academy that the most important thing she learned is that age doesn’t matter when people need help. What matters is knowing how to use it and having the guts to do it.
In her office, there is a picture from United Flight 1847, not of the emergency landing, but of her sitting in seat 12F with her children’s book, looking like a normal kid traveling alone. It reminds her that people who look normal can have amazing talents.
The F-22 Raptors that flew with Flight 1847 are still flying missions all over the world. But the pilots who fly them know that one of their most important missions was the day they stood at attention for an 11-year-old who showed that heroes can be any size.
Passengers still get on planes at airports all over the world without knowing that their safety depends in part on techniques developed by someone who used to sit in seat 12F, looking like just another kid going to see grandma. She was a kid at 30,000 feet, reading a book about dragons and wearing a cartoon T-shirt. But when 156 people needed help, Alex “Thunder” Williams became exactly what she had always been: a pilot with a legendary call sign that F-22 fighters respected and skills that could save anyone who was brave enough to get into an aircraft.
The secret world of experimental aviation had lost its youngest and best pilot. But the world of aviation safety had gained something much more valuable: a teacher whose knowledge could keep travelers safe for years to come. This story looks at how people who seem ordinary can have amazing skills and how being a true hero means using your skills to help others, no matter what it costs you.
