Product Description
Fascinating and factual accounts of the world's most recentand compelling crashes

Industry insiders James Walters and Robert Sumwalt, trained aviation accident investigators and commercial airline pilots, offer expert analyses of notable and recent aircraft accidents in this eye-opening, lesson-filled case file.Culled from final reports issued by military and foreign government investigations, as well as additional research and resources, Aircraft Accident Analysis tells the final and full tales of doomed flights that stopped the world cold in their wake.

Technical accuracy and details, presented in layman's language, help to clarify:

• Major accidents from commercial, military, and general aviation flights
• Pilot backgrounds and flight histories
• Chronology of events leading to each accident
• Description of aviation investigation process
• Insight into NTSB, military, and foreign government findings
• Resulting recommendations, requirements, and policy changes
• Preview summaries of accidents too recent for final reports are also highlighted.

Readable, authoritative, and complete, Aircraft Accident Analysis: Final Reports is at once an important reference tool and a riveting, what-went-wrong look at air safety for everyone who flies.

Featured final and preview reports include:

U.S. Air Force, U.S Commerce Secretary Ron Brown, Dubrovnik, Croatia
Jessica Dubroff, Cheyenne, Wyoming
Valujet Airlines 592, Everglades, Florida
American Airlines 955, Cali, Columbia
John Denver, Pacific Grove, California
Atlantic Southeast Airlines, Carrollton, Georgia
US Air 427, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
TWA 800, Long Island, New York
Delta Air Lines, LaGuardia Airport, New York
John F. Kennedy, Jr., Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Arrived in time!
Item arrived in a timely manner. Item arrived in the condition that was stated. Overall generally pleased with the transaction and because it arrived so quickly I was able to use the item to catch up with the rest of the class who started the course a week ahead of me. Thanks!

Fast and Easy
Books was received in great condition and I got it fast. Thanks!It was much apreciated.

Insightful Book

"Aircraft Accident Analysis: Final Reports" is an insightful book on aircraft accidents. I found the book fascinating and enlightening. The investigations into some past accidents were particularly illuminating in explaining why serious aircraft accidents and incidents happen and provide insights into how similar accidents can be prevented in future. The book provides accounts of some of the more well-known aircraft mishaps and dissects each one for causes and chains of events. It also provides the reader with some lessons on various human-factors, weather-related and other issues.

This is a well-researched book which is useful and insightful reading for those with an interest in preventing or reducing aircraft incidents and accidents such as pilots, aviation safety professionals, regulators and aeronautical engineering students.

Great reading
I really enjoyed reading this detailed account of aviation mishaps.As a former pilot, I am fascinated with the causes of aircraft accidents.It is amazing how even the most experienced pilots can make fatal mistakes.This book on aircraft mishaps gives a very detailed account of each accident and the investigation.The pictures and graphics let you see how the accident happened and how it sometimes could have been avoided.If you like CSI, you would love this book.

More descriptive than anything.
This is a great book, if you want to expand your knowledge on Air Accidents, being a novice or professional you will enjoy it.

Ane of my favorites book of this year. ... Read more

Product Description
Boeing's 737 is indisputably the most popular and arguably the safest commercial airliner in the world. But the plane had a lethal flaw, and only after several disastrous crashes and years of painstaking investigation was the mystery of its rudder failure solved. This book tells the story of how engineers and scientists finally uncovered the defect that had been engineered into the plane. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

CSI in an unusual venue
A riveting detailed, technical "murder mystery" but if you're not familiar with the intricacies of jet-age flight you will find yourself re-reading parts and wishing you had some drawings or other visual aids.Mr. Byrne spends just enough time on the politics of the investigation to remind you that most of those involved are not disinterested parties.Though he touches on the feelings and frustration of the survivors, that's not the focus here.This glimpse into the "longest crash investigation in commercial airline history" reveals the depth of knowledge and the persistence required to find useable answers in the wake of a shocking tragedy.

Excellent Account Of The 737 Rudder Accidents And Issues
"Flight 427" is a book that Gerry Byrne can be rightfully proud of. I have been interested in this subject for many years now both as an airline pilot (I flew the 737 for almost two years, and must in all candor say that it was my least favorite of the nine different airliner types that I have flown; In all fairness to Boeing, many of my colleagues seem to really enjoy flying the 737, but after my personal experience with the plane, I still can't understand why) and a student (I wrote my Master's thesis on a quantitative systems safety comparison of 737 and A-320 primary flight control systems.) Of the two books on the market which focus on USAir flight 427 (the other, by Bill Adair, is also excellent) I give this one the slight edge for the average reader or the person most interested in how the NTSB "Party System" functions at a major aviation accident.

Byrne carefully weaves the story of flight 427 in with the earlier United 585 accident (same cause) and the later Eastwind 517 incident (also the same cause) skillfully and with generally quite good technical accuracy (there are a couple of very minor technical errors, but they are inconsequential and would not be noticed by most people.) What I really appreciate about the book is Byrne's breadth of sources in reporting on not only well known and understood matters, but also on very obscure, but important background information like all the early Frontier 737 rudder malfunctions, which few are familiar with.

The real story here is of the frustrating experience of investigating such a complex and politically charged investigation. There is no question that Boeing comes off looking bad by the end of the book, and I have to admit, deservedly so.

The only weakness in the book is the total lack of illustrations. This is a topic that could really use illustrations, particularly when Byrne starts discussing things like the interior functions of the dual-concentric servo valve, which was ultimately the problem here.

This is a great book, and I highly recommend it.

Clear and concise account
The author Gerry Byrne ought to be proud of this book. The book starts off with the crash of United flight 585 in Colorado Springs, another Boeing 737 aircraft that mysteriously flipped over and crashed while trying to land. The investigation of the United accident opened the door to a possible design problem with the rudder on the 737 airplane. The book then covers the US Air flight 427 accident that crashed in a way very similar to United 585. I couldn't put this book down. Even though this book is non-fiction and at times very technical it is written in a way that is comfortable to read and you really understand the detail in context with what is very complex story. There is one point in the book where Gerry describes a rudder test conducted at Boeing on a rainy night where an engineer finally is able to reproduce a rudder reversal problem which was suspected by the NTSB for a long time. In context with the story this was a point where you really breath a sigh of releif... But even than the story the investigation takes more unsuspected turns. Great book.

Enjoyable but technical
I would have preferred to have had some pictures/diagrams to help explain the more detailed technical aspects of the book. However overall an enjoyable and interesting book.

Good, but lacking
I agree with the other reviews of this book in that the author does a great job of keeping you interested and making it entertaining.However, I feel that book would have been greatly enhanced with the addition of some technical drawings or illustrations.The descriptions get somewhat complicated at times, and a diagram or two would ensure clear understanding.If you aren't interested in the details, then as it is written should be fine, but if you want to understand completly, diagrams are required.I also think the text jumps around quite a bit in time, not following a strictly linear timeline.While this makes for easier reading in following specific tangents and topics, it clouds the overall understanding of what is going on...I have read many crash investigation books, and this one does a credible job of mixing storytelling with technical explanations. ... Read more

Product Description
This volume presents a method to investigate the human performance issues associated with an accident or incident, with a detailed discussion of the types of data to collect, and methods of collecting and analyzing data. The book should be of interest to accident/incident investigators, specialists in nuclear, chemical processing, aviation and other critical industries, safety experts, researchers and students in the field of human error, human factors, ergonomics and industrial engineering, and government agencies for regulation, health and safety. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

A Little Light Reading
This book was fine for what it was used for, an aviation class on safety.

trust
I received the book: "Investigating Human Error: Incidents, Accidents, and Complex Systems" a week ago.

Your service is great. I trust you.

Best regards,
David Xu
Shekou, Guangdong, P.R.China

Useful but there are better books
One gets the impression that Strauch sees people involved in accidents as 'patients' who symptoms must be probed or worse that his approach is more like a pathologist, seeking the cause of the error.Hence heavey emphasis on substance abuse testing for example.Much better is Dekker's book The Field Guide to Understanding Human Error.The latter is better preparation.

College Book
This book is required for my Masters class ... it arrived as described and in a very timely manner.

An outstanding guide, one that has long been needed.
Just as our transportation system, like most complex systems, has grown ever more sophisticated, so have the means of investigating when those systems suffer failures.For years, a pronouncement of "human error" signaled the end of an accident investigation; now it often marks the beginning.It is no longer sufficient to conclude that an error occurred; investigators must now determine why it occurred and what can be done to prevent a recurrence.Yet surprisingly, there has been little in the training canon to prepare the accident investigator for this central function.That is, until now, because Dr. Barry Strauch has masterfully filled that gap."Investigating Human Error: Incidents, Accidents, and Complex Systems" is that rarity in the literature of any discipline: a text that is thorough, well-organized and also a pleasure to read.Strauch is clearly at home in both the academic world and the gritty, high-stress environment that surrounds the investigator in the field.Each page of his book is informed by his years of experience as an investigator, an educator and a human factors psychologist.With the systematic, insightful approach presented by Strauch, complex systems are no longer impenetrable to the investigator; human error ceases to be a conundrum.Furthermore, Strauch's audience extends well beyond the ranks of investigators alone.His book will be profoundly appreciated by the people who work in airlines and other complex systems, by those who manage them and by those who analyze and regulate them.In fact, Strauch's work will be a compelling read for anyone who is fascinated and perplexed by humans failing to perform as they should in critical missions. ... Read more

Product Description
This field guide assesses two views of human error - the old view, in which human error becomes the cause of an incident or accident, or the new view, in which human error is merely a symptom of deeper trouble within the system. The two parts of this guide concentrate on each view, leading towards an appreciation of the new view, in which human error is the starting point of an investigation, rather than its conclusion. The second part of this guide focuses on the circumstances which unfold around people, which causes their assessments and actions to change accordingly. It shows how to "reverse engineer" human error, which, like any other componant, needs to be put back together in a mishap investigation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

OK book - but was a good jumping off point for the author
Far better is the book that is effectively the second edition: Dekkers' The Field Guide to Understanding Human Error.This refines the authors work into a far more effective book.

Never look at human error the same way again!
Over the past several years I have been going through a revolution in thought on incidents, accidents, and human error, thanks to Nancy Leveson of MIT, David Woods of Ohio State, and Sidney Dekker of Lund University in Sweden and others.Sidney Dekker's book, "The Field Guide to Human Error Investigations" continues the revolution.

The book is divided into two parts:

Part 1 of the book discusses the old views of human error and why they are flawed.For example, knowledge of the outcome of an accident can lead investigators to what is known as hindsight bias: the belief that the outcome was more predictable and recognizable, and critical cues missed by the participants were more apparent.Dekker also discusses how undefined, scientific-sounding words and phrases make for investigation and reports with little content.These, and many other discussions in Part 1 are part of the "bad apple" theme which states that if we just got rid of the "bad apples" in our organizations then our systems and organizations will be safe (until the next incident or accident happens!).

Part 2 of the book examines investigating human error from the perspective that people at work generally make rational and safe decisions based on their understanding of their environment and generally do not consiously perform a known unsafe act.Often safety is one of a number of competing goals that people balance.Sometimes safety is reduced over time in a series of decisions that are reasonable at the time but in aggregate significantly increases coupling, complexity or safety margins.When an incident or accident occurs it is critical to understand the conditions and situation as the participants viewed it then, and to understand why the decisions and actions appeared correct and made sense to them, at that time.Only in this way will one get beyond the label of human error, gain insight on what led the people to take the action they did and what can be done.

For those who subscribe to a "identify-blame-punish" approach to investigations this book will be unsatisfying.For those who want to go beyond the paradigm this book is well worrth the read. ... Read more

Product Description
On 9th August 1941 one of the greatest icons of the Second World War, Douglas Bader, was shot down, captured and later incarcerated. But by whom, and how? Was it by one of his deadly German opponents, as Douglas Bader himself maintained, or was it by one of his own side?

Customer Reviews (2)

Amazing book for fans of Douglas Bader or Battle of Britain
Some background:I've been reading WWII aviation books for over 35 years.Douglas Bader was my childhood hero. (Ok, I was an aviation nerd when I was a kid...)I even wrote to him as a kid, asking him for an autograph, to which he kindly responded, and I got to meet him personally when I was a teenager -- a story in itself, he was incredibly gracious and went out of his way to drive across London to visit with us, essentially an anonymous fan family from the U.S.

The reason I mention all this is that recently I've read 2 of the most fascinating Battle of Britain books I've ever come across:"The Most Dangerous Enemy: The Definitive History of the Battle of Britain (by Stephen Bungay), and this, "Bader's Last Fight".Both of these books are somewhat controversial in peeling off the hype from the typical "Reach for the Sky" view of history.(Don't get me wrong, Reach for the Sky is the classic, exciting must-read that ignited my interest so many years ago, but it's not analytical or unbiased.)

Both are incredibly well-researched without being dry, as opposed to many such histories that are full of researched detail but are boring to trudge through.Both of these books leave you feeling you've really learned a much more realistic view of what that era was like.

And both books have been criticized for daring to criticize the legend of Douglas Bader.Despite my being a dedicated fan of D.B. all these years, I was fascinated to learn the negative side of the story.His well-deserved knighthood and reputation for his tireless work on behalf of amputees are not diminished by learning that there are a lot of men who had plenty of good reason to despise D.B., as he risked (and lost) their lives due to arrogance and ego.He was apparently not always a pleasant person to be around (my experiences to the contrary).His treatment of some people (like his loyal batman in prison camp, Alex Ross) was shameful.His ambition and ego directly led to the political backstabbing of the real genius behind the Battle of Britain, Keith Park.His "Big Wing" theory was hyped to the max, but the truth is that it was a failure hidden by outrageous (if understandable) claims of victories.Discovering the reality doesn't make him any less a true national hero for Britain nor a symbol of national pride and courage; it makes the history that much more complex and interesting, and I feel like I finally have some focus on the reality, some closure if you will on the strategic questions of how the Battle of Britain was won, and how many lives were needlessly wasted in the ensuing offensive in the following years.

"Bader's Last Fight" starts off a little slow in explaining the basic scenarios and introducing all the players, but when it hits its stride while trying to piece together all the different viewpoints, this is a can't-put-it-down book.More than most such books, it is filled with interesting, unique, and relevant photos of the evidence and history it is combing through.It's amazing on several layers: both the examination of how Bader lived and led his forces, but also the way in which aviation archeologists like the author go about rediscovering history, from digging in wide open fields hoping to find a piece of bent metal, to the mountains of 60-year-old paperwork they have to sift through to find those needles-in-a-haystack that really answer the questions.

A brilliant book, definitely recommended for anyone who loves Battle of Britain history!(And don't forget Stephen Bungay's "The Most Dangerous Enemy" - read that one first!)

Absolutely Fascinating Investigation of a Famous Dogfight!
History records that Douglas Bader, leader of the RAF's Tangmere Wing, was downed on 9 August 1941 when his Spitfire collided with a Bf 109, Bader parachuting down to become a POW. Yet, for decades, that scenario has been questioned and now, in Andy Saunder's book, the truth is finally revealed. Part aviation history, part detective story, BADER'S LAST FIGHT is a meticulously-researched, exquisitely-written chronicle of one of the most famous air combats of all time.

Doubts about what really happened to Bader dated from the day he was lost. Was his loss due to a collision or was he actually downed by a JG 26 pilot? Bader, at least initially, wavered between the two before deciding it was a mid-air. Subsequent articles and books including REACH FOR THE SKY repeated this scenario. The Germans felt he was shot down simply because none of their pilots reported a mid-air. And, at some point in time, the possibility of friendly fire reared its ugly head.

Along with being the founder of the Tangmere Battle of Britain Museum, Saunders had written many books on WWII RAF air combat. Intrigued by the Bader combat, he decided to investigate. In BADER'S LAST FIGHT, he covers every aspect of the 9 August 1941 mission, describing and analyzing RAF and Luftwaffe reports, personal reminiscences by participants, postwar histories and films and recent developments including excavations of possible Spitfire crash sites in France and presents what he feels is the true account of the 9 August 1941 Circus 68 mission. In this, he presents the pilot he feels was responsible for Bader's loss.

I have enjoyed few books as much as I enjoyed BADER'S LAST FIGHT. I would give it six stars if possible. Saunders took one of aviation's most puzzling events and then painstakingly examined each and every aspect of that puzzle to arrive at the truth. BADER'S LAST FIGHT is a page-turner; the material Saunders presents is so interesting and interestingly presented that you can't put the book down. In your mind, you can envision him assembling his case like a great lawyer, presenting and analyzing each point in turn. It's a wonderful piece of writing.

Saunder's book is well illustrated with dozens of b&w and color vintage and contemporary photographs of Bader, Tangemere Wing and Luftwaffe pilots and aircraft, crash scenes, diagrams and maps.

In short, this is one impressive book. And it does provide the answer to how Douglas Bader was downed. Who did it? Sorry; you'll have to read the book to find out! Highly recommended.

... Read more

Product Description
The uncertain fates of Amelia Earhart, Amy Johnson and Glenn Miller have fascinated readers and aviation historians ever since they disappeared. Even today, more than half a century after their final flights, what happened to them is still the subject of speculation, conspiracy theory and controversy. This has prompted Roy Conyers Nesbit to reinvestigate their stories and to write this perceptive, level-headed and gripping study. Using testimony from new witnesses and hitherto undisclosed public records, he seeks to explain why they were reported 'missing: believed killed'. He describes why American aviatrix Amelia Earhart vanished in the Pacific on her round-the-world flight in 1937, what caused the death of Britain's aviation heroine Amy Johnson over the Thames estuary in 1941, and what really killed band-leader Glenn Miller on his doomed flight to Paris in 1944. And he applies the same expert forensic eye to other tragic aerial mysteries of the period including the flying-boat crash that claimed the life of the Duke of Kent in Scotland in 1942. This classic study, issued here for the first time in paperback, will be fascinating reading for students of aviation history and for anyone who is intrigued by tales of flights into the unknown. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

book
It was nice to finally get this book.Because there are 2 others with almost the same title, it took a wh ile to find it. ... Read more

Product Description
Great Britain has its own version of the Bermuda Triangle, the notorious South Southeast 1650 Line, where an unusual number of aviation accidents and disappearances have taken place, which receive their first in-depth investigation in this fascinating volume. ... Read more

Product Description
How the Justice Department Framed a Journalist & His Wife. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Convincing
As a former criminal investigator and commercial pilot the case presented here if only half true is convincing that that evidence was altered.With Wm. Jefferson Clinton (who always had a hard time with the truth) anything is possible.Interesting read and I still have some some questions...Florida Snookman

Paranoid, moi?
The sheer size of the alleged conspiracy is what makes the author's thesis absurd and untenable. No leaks from any of the thousands that had to have been involved? Cover-ups and lies not only from bogeyman feds and Clinton admin, but lowly sailors, airport workers and public employees? I don't think so. And neither should you.

This febrile, demented garbage is all of a piece with the most paranoid conspiracy theories of the age, chiefly out of the so-called libertarian right, from Waco, to Mena airport, to Vince Foster's suicide, right through to the protocols of the elders of Zion. There is not one single solitary piece of hard evidence to back it up. All the discrepancies and confusions in the TWA 800 story resulted from the FBI and the NTSB having to share an investigation and not being used to it. And guess what. Some discrepancies might be the result of honest errors.

One irony is that, like these authors with the aluminum foil covers on their heads, the investigators originally thought it was a bomb or a missile. Only the evidence led them to realise it was not, and that the center tank exploded because it was full of inflammable vapors. It happened before, and unless the NTSB's recommendations are carried through, it will happen again.

Neither a bomb, nor an errant missile, nor angry aliens. This was an aviation industry standard crash.

I'm shocked at the media.
I felt very saddened by the state of the media in the USA. It confirmed my suspicion I had based on other news issues, that the minds of the media are owned by corporations. Any reader of this book will soon appreciate his/herlocal free press.

Altered Evidence - well worth reading
Compared to his "The Downing of TWA Flight 800", this new book by James Sanders,"Altered Evidence" provides a lot more information about the tragedy and its aftermath. There is much moreinformation concerning the "friendly fire" thesis, a considerablequantity of information concerning the legal case and trial of James andElizabeth Sanders, and relevant analysis of the author's concerns about thecurrent state of America's news media.

A reader may approach"Altered Evidence" with the question as to whether James Sandershas retreated from the "friendly fire" scenario he was advocatingin print almost three years ago. The answer to that question is clearly aloud and definitive "No!". In examining how "AlteredEvidence" approaches the "friendly fire" missile scenario,it immediately becomes apparent that the topic displays two majordivisions: evidence suggestive of an exterior hit upon TWA Flight 800 byone or more U.S. missiles, and efforts of the government to conceal thatpossibility.

In analyzing the federal reaction to the destruction of TWAflight 800, author Sanders discusses some of the strategic milestones inwhat he considers the government's concealment of the true nature of thetragedy. According to this view, the knowledge that TWA Flight 800 had beenstruck by one or more missiles was known by officials almost immediately.Another key development was the formation and execution of a investigativestrategy to allow the FBI to control the flow of TWA Flight 800-relatedinformation and to permit it to maintain a tightly controlledinvestigation. Sanders calls this technique the "crime scenescheme", and it results in a condition he calls the "sanctity ofthe crime scene facade"."Altered Evidence" explains howthose strategies were constructed and carried out.

The book examines agreat many other topics in addition to those referred to above. Forexample, there is more on the mysterious "red residue"subject...more on the dubious "canine explosives exercise"story...more on the Navy and its exotic CEC program...much more on theradar data...more on eyewitnesses to the disaster....and lots more onofficial behind-the-scenes conduct.

Chapters 17 through 41 tell the storyof the pursuit of James and Elizabeth Sanders by the FBI and theirprosecution by the Justice Department after it had become known that Jameshad acquired and tested residues which had been found by officialinvestigators in a small, well-defined, and crucial part of the TWA Flight800 reconstruction. The legal issues involved are important andinteresting, and from these pages it is not difficult to appreciate why theSanderses are appealing the convictions the government achieved againstthem. Persons who followed the trial in the media should read thesechapters carefully to survey the issues from the point of view of thedefendants before arriving at their own personal verdicts on the case.

Ithink one of the most interesting chapters in the entire book is Chapter42. It carries the title "Propaganda or Journalism?" In general,it is an energetic philippic against the American news media, which authorSanders believes has grown fat feeding at the trough of official sourcesand no longer has the ethics, heart or legs for energetic and independentinvestigative reporting. Dan Rather takes a hit as well...as does"Good Morning America"...."Dateline" (that's threenetworks already!)...the "New York Times"...and other journalistswho have echoed the official line on TWA Flight 800.

Each of theseinstances is interesting support for the Sanders view that the media is nota part of a vast and active government/communications conspiracy, but thatthe media has developed a world-view in which government spokespersons andtheir minions are given every benefit of the doubt while"outsiders" with contrary information and opinions are subjectedto mass media hostility, ridicule, or the cold shoulder.

I enjoyedreading "Altered Evidence" by James Sanders, and I think this isa very useful book. I recommend it to anyone who has any interest whateverin the TWA Flight 800 case, for the current status of the American legalsystem or of the American news media. There is disquieting information inthis book, and I am sure portions of it will spark debate among personshaving an interest in what happened on July 17, 1996.

Very important for history and free speech
I first picked up Sanders' Downing of TWAFlight 800 in 1997 in a grocery store and was astounded at the suggestion that a missile took down Flight 800 off Long Island in the summer of 1996. I then began to research theissue myself and discovered that there was classified military activity outthere, nitrates were found on debris, fist-sized holes were found in steelseat backs. The story that explosive residue found in the plane was from adog-training exercise was not true. Later, to my amazement I learned thatthe government had indicted Jim Sanders for conspiracy to remove evidencefrom a crash site. A TWA pilot, Terrell Stacey, who questioned theinvestigation and was a part of it, gave Sanders a worthless piece offabric from a seat back to have tested, since the FBI had refused to letthe investigators know the results of their test of the fabric.Sanders'testing showed chemicals which could have been from solid fuel missileexhaust, something certainly deserving of further inquiry by the NTSB. Instead the FBI indicted Sanders and his wife, who had trained most of theflight crew on the plane: they lost 18 friends.Sanders, a conservativeRepublican retired cop and accident investigator was demonized by the FBIand NTSB to the families of the victims and convicted last Spring. He wassentenced to 20 hours community service even though the Chairman of theNTSB, Jim Hall, had written a letter to Judge Seybert recommending she makean example of him. He was facing ten years in prison for essentiallyquestioning the government's version of the crash where the officialposition is that no missiles were involved. Sanders' new book, AlteredEvidence, is the story of this First Amendment case and presents muchevidence (including photos) to buttress the suggestion that a missile, andpossibly two, hit TWA Flight 800 during classified military maneuvers. Theevidence? New radar data showing a virtual flotilla of objects ten milessouth of the crash site heading into W105, a military restricted area,admission of classified activity by official documents and even former FBIhead Jim Kallstrom in a taped phone call, not to mention the 96eyewitnesses who the NTSB even admits saw something rise from the surfaceand go up toward the plane. These eyewitnesses were purposely left out,kept out, of the public NTSB hearings in Dec 1997. Many people thinkterrorists missiles were involved, but the overwhelming evidence pointstoward military activity beyond what a few terrorists in a speed boat couldpossibly do with small shoulder-fired missiles.This was a tragic accidentwhich we need to own up to and compensate the families accordingly ratherthan persecute the messengers and make a mockery of the Constitution.Everyone should read this book and decide for themselves. ... Read more

Product Description
Air Disaster 1 looks at the major aviation disasters of thejet age covering 1952 to 1977, from the early Comet, 707, Caravelle andTrident days through to the era of the widebody long range jetliner.

Each chapter on each accident is a highly involved detective story initself, one the reader lives through as if you were intimately involvedwith the outcome.

Air Disaster 1 begins with the incredible story of the Comet mysterieswhere aeronautical engineers learnt that metal structures andpressurisation were indeed a new art, and follows on to investigate theTriStar which descended into the Everglades at night while its crewfumbled about on the cockpit floor, the early problems with the DC-10'scargo door, and the horrific 747 collision at Tenerife.

Some others may come as a surprise - the fate that awaited the Caravellewhose crew used its engines to clear fog from the runway for takeoff, andthe DC-9 caught in the wake turbulence of a DC-10.

Each of the 18 accidents has been carefully selected to present adifferent facet of the problems facing the jet age, together with theanswers that were found to them - different, rarely straightforward anduncovered only as a result of lengthy, dedicated, and painstakinginvestigation.

Of 186 pages, Air Disaster Vol 1 makes compelling reading and is backed upwith the excellent descriptive artwork, diagrams and maps of MatthewTesch. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

Nice illustrations
There are many ways to test a new invention or a modification but sometimes things are missed or not even thought of until something fails. In the case of airplanes, a failure often times results in loss of life. Air Disaster Volume 1 follows the lessons learned from various jet airplane crashes. The stories aren't overly technical but their presentation in the form of an oversized book and three column layout with a tiny font makes for difficult reading. I also found the presentation of the stories rather dry and in the process noticed a number of typographical errors.

The best and most informative part of Air Disaster is how it is illustrated. Each chapter has many charts, diagrams and photographs from the crash being discussed. There are at least three volumes in this this series but I'm not inspired enough to read further.

The bestand most riveting aircraft accident analysis series on the market!
The entire series of aircraft analysis books by Macarthur Job is the most complete and riveting account of aircraft accidents you will find anywhere. He takes you inside the cockpit and inside the minds of the pilots during some of the most harrowing circumstances imaginable. Once you start reading the books in this series, there is simply no way to put them down. If you're planning on purchasing volume 1, then go right ahead and purchase the remaining 3 volumes. They are that good. Really! Through detailed analysis of what is taking place in the cockpit, the reader feels as though he or she is actually on the flight deck, immersed in a real life or death situation. Unfortunately, the majority of incidences end in disaster, with no lives saved. This series is perfect for the professional pilot, those casually interested in aviation, or those who enjoy a good detective story. When all is said and done, Macarthur Job writes and illustrates each disaster in such incredible detail, that even the best fiction or non-fiction detective crime writers are left well behind. These are real stories about real people and real events. Nothing could surpass the suspense the reader will feel while reading these amazing books. While several of the real life stories involve mechanical problems with the aircraft, a good number involve errors made by the flight crew. Many of the flight crew errors start out as minor, insignificant incidents that snowball into terrifying scenarios that soon spiral out of control. Even pilots with tens of thousands of hours of flying time, including flight training instructors are not immune to the domino effect that can take place when a seemingly simple situation quickly turns into a Mayday doomsday scenario. These books are of great educational value to pilots, as they display in real time how important the communication is between all members of the flight crew. If all members don't work together as one complete unit, and something should go wrong, it is imperative that all members of the flight crew quickly get on the same wavelength, otherwise disaster is a real possibility. Of course, the flight crew should be working as a team at the get-go, not when disaster looms. The series includes a story of an aircraft flight crew, fatigued by being held on the ground for an extended period of time, failing to go through their pre-flight checklist. The unlucky flight-crew, failed to lower the flaps and adjust the slats for takeoff, the warning system failed, the flight attained only 37 feet of altitude, crashed and killed all those on board. This accident was due to a miscommunication between the pilot and copilot, both highly experienced, but both making a fatal mistake that should never have occurred.The added consequence of a malfunctioning warning system, sealed the fate of the crew and passengers. My only regret about the series is that it seems as though Mr. Job has retired from writing any more books in this series, but if by chance he does, I'll be the first to purchase a copy on Amazon.com.

Excellent Book, Excellent Series
It's hard to imagine that training manuals for crew members or crash investigators could be much more thorough.This book is must-reading for any serious student of airline safety.The illustrations are numerous and extremely detailed.The photographs give the reader an appropriate sense of the scale of each disaster.As someone else mentioned here, a few photos may be distressing to the unprepared, but are never distasteful.

The final chapter, covering the Tenerife 747 collision in 1977, is by far the most detailed coverage I've seen of history's worst air diaster.Job covers all the bases, ultimately attributing the disaster to a combination of independent incidents (terrorist bomb, fog, communications, etc.) and not soley to KLM captain Van Zanten's impatience to get underway.Very intelligent, even-handed coverage of each incident.

I recommend purchasing the entire series.I am not a pilot, engineer or mechanic, but I've learned an great deal about the design and operation of commercial airliners from these books.

Fascinating study of the dark side of flying
Being a flight simulator enthusiast I bought this book to improve my knowledge of jet airliners, after establishing from internet reviews that Mr Job's books on the subject of air disasters are considered to be brilliant. I was not disappointed, and have already ordered Volume 2.

I have always loved acquiring knowledge through case histories - in other words, not just reading the sometimes dry textbooks which provide general principles, but also studying specific cases that illustrate those principles graphically and dramatically, and in the wider context of real, fallible people experiencing those principles in a practical way.

Volume 1 covers the period from 1952 to 1977, the last case being the greatest air disaster in history (not counting the 9/11 tragedy) when two jumbo jets collided at Tenerife airport in the Canary Islands, killing 583 people.

Both the author and the illustrator are commercial pilots themselves, adding to the firm grasp they have on the subject and the insights they bring. However the text is never dull like some of the official disaster investigation reports on which Mr Job has drawn as sources. Being an excellent writer he is aware of the inherent drama and uses it to full effect without ever becoming sensationalist or disrespectful toward those who have lost their lives.

Nor is he vindictive or judgmental toward pilots who have shown errors in judgment. The author's approach is summarised in the introduction: "In identifying the pilots and other crew members unfortunate enough to be caught up in the outworking of these unhappy but immensely valuable learning experiences, the book seeks only to be authentic in `telling it as it was'. Indeed, in preparing the material for publication, the author and the illustrator were continually reminded that `there but for the grace of God go I'."

It is also good to see that Mr Job does not merely echo the findings of the boards of investigation, but critically evaluates those findings, as in the case of the disastrous landing of a Boeing 727 at the small Caribbean island airport of St Thomas in 1976.

The selection of accidents has been chosen carefully to highlight particular aspects of modern jet flying and its potential hazards. These are not just stupid accidents - in many cases one can understand why the crew acted the way they did and sympathise with them even though, with the easy wisdom of hindsight, they acted incorrectly. Consider, for instance, the case of the captain of the BEA Hawker Siddeley Trident who may have suffered a heart attack while ascending from London's Heathrow airport in 1972. The plane crashed soon after takeoff, killing the crew and its 112 passengers. The captain's illness probably set off a series of events resulting in the crew failing to control the plane. Like so many accidents this one, too, resulted from a combination of unfortunate factors rather than a single event.

Any criticisms? Not really. On occasion the technical detail is slightly overwhelming. Initially I was disappointed to find that the numerous and excellent illustrations and photographs are black and white, obviously to keep the price down, but I soon got used to it and the lack of colour does not really impact on one's understanding.

Would I recommend it to someone suffering from fear of flying? I'm not so sure. The 18 case histories described in the book make it clear that the airline industry in general has succeeded in achieving passenger transport safety standards unequalled in transport history. On the other hand, the subject is by its very nature rather grim. This is the dark side of flying, and I had to remind myself continually that the risk of air accidents, though always present and ready to confront the unwary pilot, is only a minute part of the immensely varied world of flying and should not be allowed to become a morbid obsessional fear.

Well-researched and well-presented; some graphic images
This volume of Air Disasters covers 18 significant jet airliner accidents that took place between 1954 and 1977. Each accident has been researched thoroughly, both by the author and the artist. Macarthur Job's descriptions of the accidents, the inquiries, and the findings are clear, while Matthew Tesch's illustrations are both technically accurate and easy to follow. I highly recommend this volume to any aviation enthusiast interested in learning more about aviation safety.

It should be noted that some of the chapters contain photographs of accident scenes. At least two photographs of the Turkish Airways accident outside of Paris are of the remains of those killed in the crash. Although these images are not at all sensational and in my opinion are totally appropriate given the horrific death toll (and the total avoidability) of this tragedy, they may not be appropriate for every reader. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Aviation Safety, published by Thomson Gale on July 1, 2007. The length of the article is 1422 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Multi-tasking: stumbling around on a hot day in a single-engine twin that should be able to fly just fine on one.(ACCIDENT PROBE)
Author: Joseph E. Burnside
Publication: Aviation Safety (Magazine/Journal)
Date: July 1, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 27Issue: 7Page: 24(3)

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more