Swissair Down

Gordon C. Shaw is professor emeritus in the Faculty of Administrative
Studies at York University.

This book is one person’s analysis of the well-publicized crash of
SWISSAIR flight 111 near Peggys Cove, Nova Scotia, in September 1988.
While the book in no way purports to be the official report on the
crash, the author writes with authority, being a private pilot, small
aircraft owner, and former Zone Commander for the Halifax District’s
Civil Air Search and Rescue Association.

Using available public information, Ledger speculates about what
happened in the cockpit of the stricken airliner during the 16 minutes
between the first distress call and the crash. He then describes the
post-crash events, including the search for survivors, the distress
visited on the several small communities, the search for clues, and the
analysis of the publicly available findings from the subsequent
investigation. One of his conclusions is that airline managements often
place profits ahead of passenger safety.

This well-written, timely, and fascinating book is recommended for
anyone interested in airplanes and commercial aviation.