Pilot landing at Dulles: ‘Pretty much everyone on the plane threw up'

WASHINGTON - A pilot who landed at Washington Dulles International Airport on Friday reported the turbulence caused widespread nausea to everyone on board.

"Very bumpy descent. Pretty much everyone on the plane threw up," the pilot's report read on the National Weather Service's website. "Pilots were on the verge of throwing up."

Although many flights in and out of D.C. area airports were canceled, there were still some planes that took off and landed from the airport. Video shot by FOX 5 at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport showed planes teetering as they approached the runway to land. Some airliners were seen coming in for a landing, but pulled back up.

On another flight headed to Reagan National Airport, passengers on Southwest Airlines Flight 2088 said the captain warned them of wind sheer and said if they couldn't land at the D.C. airport, they would be forced to go to Pittsburgh.

"I was holding on to my seat in front of me. People were throwing up all over the place," said passenger John Kirk. "It was pretty crazy actually. The worst flight I have ever been on."

"It's fair to say people were emotional," said John Fritts. "Even after we landed, I have never heard flight attendants come on and be super emotional and tell people to love each other and not to sweat the small stuff."

A powerful nor'easter ripped through the region as wind gusts topped 60 mph Friday morning.

The windstorm toppled trees and power lines, closing schools and knocking out power to some residents.