The Black Box, Cockpit Voice Recorder Accounts of 19 Inflight Accidents

HORROR AND HEROISM AT 37,000 FEET

When a plane gets into trouble there is incalculable, helpless horror. The results are often fatal, but sometimes disaster can be averted through the skills of the pilot or extraordinary good fortune. Every incident is recorded by the Cockpit Voice Recorder – the "Black Box" – that records the conversations of the captain and the crew.

In 'The Black Box' drama-filled case studies – disasters and near-misses – are transcribed blow by blow, from both the cockpit and passenger cabin perspectives. Some of the incidents are famous, like the 1996 Valujet crash in the Everglades and the ill-fated launch of the space shuttle Challenger; others range from commuter aircraft to jumbo airliner incidents. Few have ever been revealed in their entirety. All are absolutely gripping.

Second hand copy