It all starts in New York City, with a weather alert mentioning heavy thunderstorms in the area. Yet, we see a Boeing 747 in what we presume to be JFK Airport, being towed to the gate. The plane later loads luggage, including a red Corvette. The last passengers on Royce Air International, flight 115 to London, are checking in. In the meantime, a TV crew is at the airport and interviewing many passengers, asking if they're worried about flying during a thunderstorm. Laurie Ann (Kate Jackson), the Chief Flight Attendant, boards the aircraft and is greeted by a rookie Flight Attendant.

The flight crew, directed by Capt. Davidson (Fred Henderson), is completing the checklist for departure. By the way, the actor playing the Captain also played another Captain in Falling from the Sky: Flight 174, however training in a simulator. Passengers all take their seats. Among them, two celebrities: a basketball player, recognized immediately by a teenage fan (Louva Meloche), and Ethan Walker, a movie star (Erik Estrada), just like in real life! (remember him playing Ponch in CHiPs)?. There's also a couple of newlyweds on their way to a honeymoon, an elderly couple, a pregnant woman flying alone, and many others. Also, on board, is what we later find out to be some kind of "criminal", Brett Young (Ed Marinaro), as an investigator approaches the check-in counter asking the attendant if she saw the man go on board. It's too late. Don't worry, this guy won't hijack the aircraft. I mean having the plane struck by lightning is already bad enough!

So, the plane pushbacks, taxies to the runway, and aligns. The Captain informs the passengers there could be some turbulence during take-off. Laurie takes a chance to chat with one of the flight attendants, Charlene, who came back after a year of absence. We later find out she survived a terrible plane crash on a B747 a year before, in Miami. Right after that, the plane rolls on the runway for what sounds like a smooth take-off. Naah.

The plane is immediately shaken by thunder and turbulence and ... you guessed it, the flight deck is struck by lightning, electrocuting the flight crew. The lights go off, the passengers panic, and Laurie tries to calm them down, after she switches to the emergency lanterns. Uh-oh... Is that a plane heading into us? Oh no!!!

Hopefully, it was nothing more than a near-miss. The New York ATC control (which happens to be extremely small and nothing compared to what we could see in, say Pushing Tin) monitors the aircraft and lost all radio contact with it. The plane hasn't changed heading and is flying to Philadelphia, and into heavy traffic. Not a good sign.   Kate Jackson headlines an all-star cast in this explosive drama that features Ed Marinaro, Robert Guillaume, Erik Estrada and Maureen McCormick.

When an airborne lightning strike kills the entire flight crew of a Europe-bound Boeing 747 during take-off, it is up to a brave senior flight attendant and a host of people on the ground to see the passengers to safety. The stewardess finds assistance from a passenger, and together they figure out that their best hope lies with the plane's sophisticated autopilot system. Unfortunately, it is working indiscriminately and guiding the crippled jet towards airports not large enough to safely land the giant craft. They are on the own when radio contact is lost. While the two them try to handle the jet and keep passengers calm, federal officials on the ground are faced with a horrendous decision. With no working autopilot and no experienced person to land the jet, the loss of life could be disastrous if the plane goes down in a heavily populated area. The officials are therefore faced with the prospect of shooting down the jet before that happens. But what about the passengers on board? ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide