On June 12, 1972, a powerful explosion rocked American Airlines Flight 96 a mere five minutes after its takeoff from Detroit. The explosion ripped a gaping hole in the bottom of the aircraft and jammed the hydraulic controls. Miraculously, despite the damage and ensuing chaos, the pilots were able to land the plane safely. Less than two years later, on March 3, 1974, a sudden, forceful blowout tore through Turk Hava Yollari (THY) Flight 981 from Paris to London. THY Flight 981 was not as lucky as Flight 96: it crashed in a forest in France, and none of the 346 people onboard survived. What caused the mysterious explosions? Were they linked? Could they have been prevented? This book addresses those questions and more, offering a fascinating look at the two dramatic aviation disasters.
"Not only has Chittum created a page-turner with suspenseful, harrowing stories of an air disaster, she also educates readers about the detective work necessary in every air crash investigation. In a book with clear heroes and villains, she emphasizes the high stakes of the struggle between the two by describing the plight of victims and their families. Among the characters who emerge as heroes ar
Linda Shiner, editor, Air & Space/Smithsonian magazine
"Journalist Chittum debuts with a new work in the Smithsonian Air Disasters series, a companion to the titular show on the Smithsonian Channel. The narrative focuses on two aviation disasters...Chittum has done her research, presenting a good amount of information in a relatively brief work...Fans of the series and readers interested in aviation disasters will enjoy the book."
Library Journal
"This is a stunning narrative of an airline disaster narrowly averted and an aircraft maker's attempt to cover up a fatal flaw."
Ashley Halsey III, transportation writer, Washington Post
