Pinkaroo,
Having had a few 'nasties' in my time, I can tell you that the worst situation by far is when you are airborne and know you have a problem but don't know what in Hell it is. Engine failures, fires etc are not at all nice, but at least you know what you are dealing with.
When I was in my single-crew air taxi days I heard the most Godalmighty banging noise coming from somewhere, but no idea where. Then it stopped. Silence for 20 minutes. Then it happened again. Eventually looked around behind my shoulder to see how the pax were faring.......to see one of them bashing his pipe out against the side of the aircraft. Funny now, but I've never been so s..t scared in my life.
What were you doing at Heathrow at midnight?
FWIW I support Exeung & Notso - what was said to you in private by flight crew following an 'event' should be kept private, not published anonymously on a very public forum.