We wish you a scary Halloween!

You are here: Real Ghost Stories :: Apparitions / Voices / Touches :: Dead Pilot?

Real Ghost Stories

Dead Pilot?

 

I was a long haul trucker for many years. In December of 2004, I had a delivery in Winchester, Virginia and a second stop in Washington, D.C. At my first stop I was delayed and didn't get unloaded until after 2:00 AM. I left Winchester heading east on Highway 7. Around 2:30 I came to the intersection of Highway & and Route 601 near Bluemont. At a gas station, I pulled in to check my map of Washington in anticipation of my delivery. The station was closed at that hour. There was virtually no traffic going by and it was a cold, moonless night. While I was sitting there, someone knocked on my door, startling me. I jumped and turned off my interior light so I could see outside and rolled down my window.

A man was standing there in an airline flight crew uniform. He had four stripes on his shoulder epaulets indicating a Captain. He was without a jacket on a very cold morning. He climbed up on the step of my cab. He smelled like he had bathed in kerosene. When he got close to my face, I could see that his cap had the TWA insignia on it.

"Could you give me a lift?" he asked in a voice that seemed raspy. I assumed it was from the cold. I was really taken off guard. It was odd. I was in a dark, rural area on a freezing night being asked by an airline pilot wearing short sleeves for a ride. I asked him where he was headed.

"I work for TWA. I gotta get to Dulles to work a flight, please give me a ride, I'll pay you," he responded.

"Well, how about I give you a ride to the next open store where you can call a cab?" I offered.

"Okay, thank you, thank you," he mumbled. "He said that we could descend..."

I didn't know what he was talking about but I didn't want the guy to freeze out there. "Go around and get in," I instructed.

He climbed down and shuffled around the front of the truck. When he passed the first light, I was struck by the fact that he seemed to have long sideburns, a la Elvis. When he continued on to the right, he totally vanished. I don't mean faded away; he just ceased to exist.

I jumped down out of the truck and looked all around with a flashlight, even under the truck. He was just disappeared. As I continued on toward Washington, I remembered something odd. TWA had gone out of business over two years ago. What was going on, I wondered, totally perplexed and shaken by the experience.

When I got home, I did some online research. What I found has totally turned my beliefs upside down. I've always thought that ghost stories were hokum, but with what I learned, I'm no longer sure.

It turns out that on December 1, 1974 a TWA Boeing 727, Flight 514, descended prematurely through a low cloud deck and slammed into a rocky outcropping on Mount Weather,VA. The aircraft disintegrated with all 92 people on board killed. The flight had originated in Columbus, Ohio and was supposed to land at Washington National Airport. It was diverted to Washington's other airport, Dulles International, because high winds had closed National. According to cockpit voice and flight data recordings, the crew mistakenly believed that air traffic controllers had cleared them to descend to 1800 feet from their previous altitude fix of 7000 feet. This error, combined with strong downdrafts, caused the aircraft to hit the mountain at 1670 feet above sea level. At the last second they broke out of the overcast only to see the rocky and snow covered mountain looming in their windscreen. The captain's last words to his co-pilot were, "Get some power on!" just moments before the recording abruptly ceased.

The place of impact was less than a mile south of where I encountered whoever, or whatever, it was that I saw almost exactly thirty years later. I don't want to definitely say it was an ghost but the fact remains that there was someone who appeared to be an airline pilot with a very dated hairstyle wearing a uniform of a defunct business.

I no longer am a trucker, but this has troubled me for over two years. If anyone would have any insight into this, I'd appreciate your help. Thank you.

Hauntings with similar titles

Find ghost hunters and paranormal investigators from Virginia

Comments about this paranormal experience

The following comments are submitted by users of this site and are not official positions by yourghoststories.com. Please read our guidelines and the previous posts before posting. The author, MooseGuy, has the following expectation about your feedback: I will participate in the discussion and I need help with what I have experienced.

Judy (1 posts)
+1
8 years ago (2017-01-03)
I believe your story and the fact that people challenge you about NO gas station, makes your story even more believed.
For a moment in time, you were not in the present time nor were you in the past time. Death is neutral time as we humans identify it.
I live in the house where the pilot lived when he died. About 20 years ago I saw a bright, white, translucent male putting a robe on as he got up from the bed. There is only one way to put a bed in my bedroom so he had to sleep the same way I do... I only saw the back of him.
We love the pool and barbecue that he put in our home even tho sadly, he never got to enjoy it as much as we have. A neighbor stated to us that he would throw a good party.
monkeystuffer (2 posts)
 
13 years ago (2012-02-17)
At my first stop I was delayed and didn't get unloaded until after 2:00 AM. I left Winchester heading east on Highway 7. Around 2:30 I came to the intersection of Highway 7 and Route 601 near Bluemont. At a gas station, I pulled in to check my map of Washington in anticipation of my delivery

OK, WHY WOULD ONE LEAVE THE LIGHTED POPULATED AREA OF WINCHESTER, COMMIT TO ROUTE 7, A ROAD THAT IS DARK UNLIT, UNUSED AT NIGHT AND TREACHEROUS, CONTINUE DOWN IT, CLIMB THE MOUNTAIN, STOP AT THE TOP, THEN DECIDE ITS A GOOD TIME TO REFER TO A MAP TO SEE HOW TO GET TO DC, OH, MOST TRUCKERS ALSO LIMIT IS 65 now 70, THERE ARE NO SMALL TOWN RADAR TRAPS, STOP LIGHTS, RISKS OF SNOWY MOUNTAINS ETC

Then again, you are an experienced long haul trucker lmfao LEAVE WINCHESTER AND GO I81 to I66 TO GET TO DC, SPEED
monkeystuffer (2 posts)
 
13 years ago (2012-02-17)
Well, this story is totally false, lots of holes in this, the gas station being the first one. I been here since 1967, was at crash site night of crash. Very well acquainted with it and the area. So let's review this "story".

I left Winchester heading east on Highway 7. Around 2:30 I came to the intersection of Highway & (7 he meant typo) and Route 601 near Bluemont.

OK LET ME POINT OUT WHERE THIS INTERSECTION IS, THIS IS THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN RANGE DUE NORTH 1 MILE FROM THE CRASH, NEVER BEEN A GAS STATION HERE, NEVER WILL. THE ONLY THING HERE IS A GRAVEL LOT FOR VDOT AND A SUPPLY OF SALT AND SAND, IT IS ALSO NOW TODAY A COMMUTER LOT. Had this liar said "i then pulled to the right at the top of the mountain into a gravel area, might believe him, but he says gas station and its closed, NOPE, IMPOSSIBLE.

More...

The place of impact was less than a mile south of where I encountered whoever, or whatever, it was that I saw almost exactly thirty years later.

Well this also confirms that you are talking about 601 and 7 the top of the mountain where if you had turned RIGHT and gone a little over mile you would have made it to the crash site, again, there is no gas station ANYWHERE in this area, route 7 was rerouted MANY YEARS AGO into a bypass and so the ONLY gas stations still ON IT are over 20 miles EAST of this location. You have to leave route 7 and pull into a town.

Good attempt but this is obviously a fabrication on every level and anyone can use google maps satellite view and prove it to themselves.

Http://maps.google.com/maps?q=map+bluemont+va&hl=en&ll=39.115515,-77.84668&spn=0.003072,0.00618&safe=off&hnear=Bluemont,+Blue+Ridge,+Loudoun,+Virginia&gl=us&t=h&z=18

There is where this liar is saying there is a gas station, never has been, never will be, it was a salt tower for vdot snow trucks for 30 years, and in more recent times they graded it and allow dc commuters to park there. Only thing there is gravel
jpebbets (1 posts)
+1
14 years ago (2011-02-17)
great story but I have no idea what gas station you are talking about. There isn't one for miles either direction. That crash has haunted me for years. I remember I was 9 years old on that cold foggy day and I was walking into the hardware store in warrenton when a bunch of fire and rescue trucks flew by sirens screaming. They were heading out rt. 17 northbound. The old man in the store told my father about a jet that just crashed into what we called paris mountain. I've driven up there a lot over the last 28 years but never realized until recently that the reason I go there is some sort of "pull"
anniewilder (10 posts)
+1
14 years ago (2010-11-28)
Hi MooseGuy,

I really enjoyed this ghost story and would like to include it in an upcoming book. Can you contact me at: truckerghoststories [at] yahoo.com?

Thanks!

Annie
troyarn (5 stories) (479 posts)
 
15 years ago (2009-10-26)
Very good, creepy story! I wonder how many of us have had conversations with ghosts without even realizing it. Thanks for sharing this.
jbruce1983 (2 posts)
 
16 years ago (2008-12-23)
Thank for Sharing this story Mooseguy but there are a couple of things that don't add up to me. I am from this area and drive Rt. 7 every day to and from work. I also frequently use route 601. There is no gas station for miles in either direction of route 601 on route 7. The intersection of 601 and 7 is right at he top of a mountain. I am just curious what gas station you would have stopped at. I am not trying to discredit your story. I myself have had personal experiences at the site itself.
ScorpioGirl (1 stories) (7 posts)
 
16 years ago (2008-10-01)
Hi MooseGuy, A pleasure to read. That was a very clear and concise account of your unexpected meeting with a Ghost. Most people when they have an unexpected meeting like that, do not take much detail into consideration like shape of sideburns etc... I was really awed and impressed. Amazing stuff.

ScorpioGirl 😊
darklink13 (11 posts)
 
16 years ago (2008-06-26)
just so you know midiums only get verey few times to see and hear ghosts like you did so be proud cause your not a midium 😲
KimSouthO (27 stories) (1960 posts)
 
17 years ago (2007-10-24)
Thank you for sharing your story.

You may have run into the pilot of that fated flight. It sounds as if he has some unfinished business, probably a lot considering what happened.

I will certianly say a prayer for him and all the others lost in the tragedy.

God Bless!
fizzylizzie (2 stories) (67 posts)
 
17 years ago (2007-07-02)
wow! That is a very well backed up story!
its so creepy I'm sure it still gives you chills
Abby (710 posts)
 
17 years ago (2007-05-22)
Dear John,
First, I would like to say thank you very much for holding down a job as a long haul trucker. If it wasn't for truckers I would not have the goods I have and use daily. Truckers help make our country (USA) what it is today. I also thank pilots, and all those who work in the goods and service industry. My greatest appreciation to the unsung, hardworking heros who are the backbone and foundation of not only the USA, but of every country. My thanks!

John, your story is tremendous and has all the true elements of a ghost story, though I "know" it is the truth.

The late TWA captain suffered a traumatic death which not only included his death, but the passengers and his co-workers as well. I sense that he is in denial, as the event was beyond his willingness to comprehend what happened, as he felt responsible for the loss of all those people. He keeps re-living the event and does not want to know that he is dead and that the others have died. He thinks he can still save them all. He is avoiding the feeling of letting others down, as well as himself. His job carried much responsibility. If he "wakes up" from his denial, he will be in shock and blame himself. This will only weight him further down to this in-between state of limbo. He will continue to haunt that area until he works through his denial or hopefully someone from the other side will come to pick him up. It is my hope that others on this side will soon help send him home. I will send him my prayers and ask that he is picked up. I ask that others here, if you believe, please do the same. Home is but a prayer away. Thank you John, others and my prayers to you all, to all those who died on this flight. May all who have passed, go home and rest in the kingdom of peace forever.
Shane (13 stories) (1258 posts)
 
17 years ago (2007-05-21)
All I can say is WOW! To not only see a full form apparition but to actually communicate with it is very rare indeed. I have only know mediums who had the ablity to do both. It could be the pilot feels responsible for the deaths of all those people and won't be at rest until someone helps him to cross over.

Peace, Love, and Luck be with you.

To publish a comment or vote, you need to be logged in (use the login form at the top of the page). If you don't have an account, sign up, it's free!

Search this site: