Dozens were hurt Sunday when a plane hit bumpy skies with turbulence sending luggage flying and passengers from their seats.
A Grand Canyon University student was onboard heading home for the holidays.
The visuals of what happened, for Isabel Rose Castillo, are almost nothing compared to what she experienced firsthand.
"I thought it was the end. But, I started praying. I was really scared though. I started crying. I was trying to keep my composure and stay calm the whole time,” said Castillo.
She was on a Hawaiian Airlines flight bound from Phoenix to Honolulu. About 30 minutes out, from landing Castillo felt sudden shaking which turned into severe turbulence.
"I saw everyone else, like, (fly) off their seats. It was really crazy. I was super-scared. I thought we were not going to stop falling,” added Castillo.
Even fastened in her seatbelt, Castillo found it challenging to stay calm during what she thinks lasted maybe a minute.
"When we started falling, it was really blurry and pretty dark inside the plane, too. I couldn't really see. My life flashed through my eyes,” added Castillo.
Hawaiian Airlines says 36 people, including three flight attendants complained of injuries.
ABC News Aviation Analyst John Nance spent more than 50 years flying in military, commercial and private aircrafts.
"Severe turbulence will not only knock you around the cabin, it will scare the heck out of you even as a pilot,” added Nance.
As dozens recover, the Federal Aviation Administration will work to inspect the Airbus A330 inside and out.
The administration has not yet released its preliminary report, which is usually made public within 10 business days of an incident.
“They don't care about blame. They shouldn't. They are there to find out everything that contributed to a particular problem, whether it was a fatal problem or not,” added Nance.
And, for those concerned whether adult passengers should hold a baby or buckle them in while flying, Nance says landing on a mandate has been controversial for years.
"The idea is if you have the airlines provide a seat, they're going to lose money. If you have them sell a seat, people aren't going to be able to afford it, so the argument goes,” added Nance.
