A man lived every traveler’s worst nightmare on a “random Monday” after his small plane experienced extreme turbulence flying from Denver to Aspen, Colo.—so bad he fainted. His experience makes others question the safety of smaller aircraft.
In a video with nearly 7,000 views, TikToker Nicodemus (@coyotenicodemus) says his friends invited him to fly out to Aspen with them for lunch. They planned to fly back to Denver later that evening on a small plane, as one of his friends is a pilot.
He says he agreed to join them but admitted that he “Sunday Funday-ed a little too hard” the day before. So, the TikToker arrived at the airport hungover.
However, he says he heard that the short, 45-minute flight was a notorious “bumpy ride.” And he was right.
“It was like being in the Tower of Terror. So I start getting a little queasy,” he explains. “I start vomiting into the barf bags.”
What Happened When They Tried To Land?
The turbulence only worsened as the small plane tried to land.
“I actually pass out. I drop the vomit bag, and it spills all over myself,” he continues. Nicodemus woke up, and the plane was just 100 feet from the ground, he recalls. He saw the other passengers panicking.
As the pilot tried to land, Nicodemus says the pilot suddenly steered the plane back up. Over the headset, he heard the pilot say that he has to divert due to the turbulence. As the plane gained altitude to clear the mountains surrounding the airport, he heard the pilot say, “I don’t think I’m going to make it.”
“Which is never what you want to hear from a pilot,” the TikToker remarks.
Then, the situation got even scarier. The plane’s lights and engine turned off, triggering loud alarms in the aircraft.
Luckily, the co-pilot pressed an emergency button and got the plane to restart. Ultimately, the group decided to head back to Denver instead of landing in Aspen.
In an email to BroBible, Nicodemus says he would try riding a small plane again despite his scary first experience.
“I mean, I’ll do anything twice,” he shared. “Though all turbulence kind of makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck.”
Why Does Denver Have Extreme Turbulence?
According to 9News, Denver travelers report some of the bumpiest flights out of all major United States cities.
The city is nestled right next to the Rocky Mountains, which can create choppy flying conditions for aircraft flying over the range. Due to the mountains’ shape, the wind generates a wave-like phenomenon in the air, resulting in extreme turbulence.
On the r/Denver subreddit, one frequent traveler said they even considered moving away from the city due to the extreme takeoff conditions from the nearby airport.
Others said they also fear flying to and from the city for the same reason.
“I’m flying into Denver tomorrow and just preparing myself for it. 70% of the flights I’ve done there have been pretty rough landings. But we’ve made it every time!” one commented.
Another remarked, “I HATE flying in & out of Denver. The turbulence is always so rough.”
Are Small Planes Safe?
While small planes are generally safe to ride, they may be more easily tossed by turbulence. According to Leopard Aviation, it’s important for pilots to be well-trained to maneuver the small aircraft even in less-than-ideal conditions.
Still, some travelers in the TikTok comments say they actively avoid small planes due to scary past experiences.
“This is why I dont fly prop planes! I have flown on one in Washington state going to Bellingham over mtns too and I vomited when I got off,” one said.
A second shared, “My dad flew small aircraft. I still have nightmares thinking about being on those planes. Never never ever again.”
“Jesus! What a story. I also vomited (in a bag) on a small plane over mountains in Hawaii. The turbulence was wicked. I can’t even ride a roller coaster. I couldn’t wait for it to be over. I can’t imagine flying another 50 minutes with vomit all over me,” another wrote.
“If I see a propeller on a plane I’m walking the other direction,” a fourth remarked.
@coyotenicodemus I thought this was it, guys ☠️☠️☠️ #planecrash
BroBible reached out to Nicodemus via email and Instagram direct message for further comment. We will update the story when he replies.