However, an occluded front has the entire West Coast of the United States socked in, with Columbia 409 and Freeman's Beechcraft both diverted to Salt Lake City International Airport.

Nancy informs the Salt Lake control tower on the status of the cockpit crew, and that there is no one to fly the plane, while also giving an assessment of the damage.

He seeks the advice of Captain Al Murdock, Columbia's chief flight instructor, who also happens to be Nancy's boyfriend, though their relationship was "on the rocks" at that time.

The jet is heading into the mountains of the Wasatch Range, so Murdock starts to guide Nancy by radio on how to perform the turn manually.

She asks for Captain Stacy's help, who says that she must accelerate the engines by moving the thrust levers forward in order to have the power needed to climb over the mountains.

Just as Nancy is helping him in, the release cord from his harness becomes caught in the jagged metal around the hole, which unhooks him from the tether, and he falls from the aircraft.

[6] The airport interior scenes were shot extensively at Washington Dulles International, which features heavily in the opening credits and the early portion of the film.

As Sister Ruth, Helen Reddy performs a solo acoustic version of her song "Best Friend" (originally on her 1971 debut album I Don't Know How to Love Him) to an ailing Linda Blair.

Kael also thought the audio problems gave Karen Black's voice a metallic sound that was grating and that the main character, a stewardess, was constantly being patronized by men.

"[13] Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times wrote "Whatever its flaws, 'Airport' generated plenty of suspense and was lots of fun; 'Airport 1975' is too much a rehash to seem anything but mechanical and finally silly in its predictability.

"[15] David McGillivray of The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote that "despite a sterling performance from Karen Black, convincingly petrified as the stewardess expected to negotiate the plane through the mountains, the tension never coalesces.

Its plot devices and characterizations, including a singing nun (Helen Reddy), a former glamorous star (Gloria Swanson as herself), an alcoholic (Myrna Loy), a child in need of an organ transplant (Linda Blair) and a chatterbox (Sid Caesar) were parodied in 1980's Airplane!