Air Disasters - The Black Box Files

Episodes

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  A twelve‑second blind spot erased the warning and nearly killed 140 04.10.2026 23m

  An Air Canada A320 descends into San Francisco at night and a twelve‑second blind spot erases its warning - did they make it in time?A twelve‑second blind spot erased the warning and nearly killed 140In this episode, we follow the final minute of Air Canada Flight 759’s approach into San Francisco on July 7, 2017, when the crew aligned with taxiway lights instead of the intended runway. The episode covers the pilots’ fatigue, the closed runway’s darkened lights, and the seconds of unfolding confusion that put four queued jets directly below them - but what happened in those critical twelve seconds?Aircraft: Airbus A320-200 C-FKCKDate: July 7, 2017Location: San Francisco International AirportPassengers and crew: 135 passengers, 5 crewNearby aircraft: Four commercial jets on Taxiway Charlie with engines running- The crew believed they were lined up on Runway 28R during final approach under night visual conditions.- Runway 28L had been closed; its edge lights were extinguished and marked by a single flashing X at the eastern threshold.- The captain had been awake ~19 hours and was near his circadian low; the first officer had roughly 12 hours awake.- At 23:55:46 the captain asked “Clear to land 28R?” while the aircraft was approximately 0.7 miles from the threshold they were actually approaching.- For a twelve‑second window the safety system monitoring Flight 759 went blind while four fully fueled jets waited on Taxiway Charlie less than 500 feet south.To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].
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  The shoebox-sized component stalled the engines and cost twenty-three lives 03.10.2026 19m

  A shoebox-sized component stalls the engines of Atlantic Southeast Airlines Flight 2311 as it approaches Brunswick - did they make it in time?The shoebox-sized component stalled the engines and cost twenty-three livesIn this episode, we tell the story of Atlantic Southeast Airlines Flight 2311 and the mechanical failure that brought it down on April 5, 1991. The episode follows the flight, the passengers on board, and the investigative trail that traced the catastrophe to a single failed component - but what questions about those last seconds remain?Event: Atlantic Southeast Airlines Flight 2311Date: April 5, 1991Location: Approach to Brunswick, GeorgiaFatalities: Twenty-threeNotable passenger: John Goodwin Tower- The failure began with a component no larger than a shoebox that stalled the aircraft's engines during final approach.- Among the dead were a former United States senator, his thirty-five-year-old daughter, and an astronaut who had orbited the Earth.- Investigators documented the mechanical failure and eventually identified the exact part that failed.- John Tower had a long political career: elected to the Senate in 1961, chaired the Armed Services Committee from 1981-1984, and served as chief negotiator at START talks after leaving the Senate.- The episode traces Tower’s life from his 1925 birth in Houston through military service, academia, and decades in public office up to the flight that ended his story.To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].
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  The RV's only door jammed shut - did anyone reach him in time? 02.10.2026 17m

  A Vans RV lies inverted on a Homosassa road with its only door jammed; the studio manager is inside - did anyone reach him in time?The RV's only door jammed shut - did anyone reach him in time?In this episode, we follow the moments around December 6, 2024 when a Vans RV-12IS came to rest inverted on a road in Homosassa, Florida, with the president and general manager of Tyler Perry Studios inside. The story traces his role running a 330‑acre studio compound in Atlanta and the unanswered questions about why he was three hundred miles away in a Gulf Coast town. What was he doing there, and who found him first?Person: Steve MenschDate: December 6, 2024Location: Homosassa, FloridaEvent: Vans RV‑12IS inverted on roadPosition: President and general manager of Tyler Perry Studios- The vehicle was a Vans RV‑12IS found inverted with wheels pointed at the sky on a Homosassa road.- The person inside was Steve Mensch, who ran daily operations at Tyler Perry Studios in southwest Atlanta.- Tyler Perry Studios occupied 330 acres of the former Fort McPherson and included twelve soundstages and permanent sets.- Months earlier the studio paused an $800 million expansion, citing advances in artificial intelligence, while a Netflix first‑look deal was active.- Homosassa is a Gulf Coast town about ninety miles north of Tampa with no known connection to the Atlanta studio.To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].
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  The stick shaker jolted at fourteen feet - did they stop the fire? 01.10.2026 21m

  A stick shaker jolts at fourteen feet during takeoff from JFK, a sensor with nine prior faults triggers an emergency - did they stop the fire?The stick shaker jolted at fourteen feet - did they stop the fire?In this episode, we follow the moments on board TWA Flight 843 as a seasoned crew confronts a sudden instrument failure seconds after takeoff and the maintenance trail behind it. What decisions did the pilots and maintenance system make in those first frantic minutes, and could the hidden fault have been caught sooner?Person: Captain William Shelby KinkeadPerson: First Officer Dennis William HergertPerson: Flight Engineer Charles Edward LongEvent: Stick shaker activation at 14 feet after takeoffDate: July 30, 1992- Takeoff began from Runway 13R at John F. Kennedy International Airport with 280 people on board.- The aircraft, a Lockheed L-1011 first flown in 1972, had nearly 49,662 flight hours and 19,659 cycles.- A single small sensor, previously documented as faulty nine separate times, was in the parts pool and returned to service.- The stick shaker activated eight seconds after liftoff, warning of an impending aerodynamic stall while the jet was climbing.- Two prior L-1011 engine fires occurred within two years, including one at JFK three months earlier.To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].
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  The flight strip that never moved cost thirty‑five people their lives 30.09.2026 23m

  A missing flight progress strip leaves an LAX controller blind as a 737 nears a runway occupied by a commuter plane-did they make it in time?The flight strip that never moved cost thirty‑five people their livesIn this episode, we follow the sequence of decisions, equipment failures, and human oversights on the evening of February 1, 1991 that set two aircraft on a collision course at Los Angeles International Airport. The narrative traces the roles of controllers, the missing flight strip, and the degraded ground radar; could routine gaps have doomed everyone involved?Date: February 1, 1991Location: Los Angeles International AirportEvent: Runway collision between USAir Flight 1493 and SkyWest Flight 5569Person: Robin Lee WascherPerson: Captain Colin Franklin Shaw- A flight progress strip that should have moved from clearance delivery to local control never arrived, leaving the tower without its paper backup.- Local control at LAX required continuous attention; controller Robin Lee Wascher had prior performance records noting loss of situational awareness and aircraft misidentification.- Ground radar at LAX had been intermittent and unreliable, creating reliance on physical strips and visual observation at dusk with glare.- SkyWest Metroliner was cleared to hold on Runway 24L at a taxiway intersection and remained there awaiting release that never came.- USAir Flight 1493, on approach and touching down on Runway 24L, was flown by experienced pilots who were unaware the runway was occupied.To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].
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  The cabin lights burned for hours and kept twenty-two people alive 29.09.2026 22m

  A Twin Otter stalls in a mountain wave above the Park Range with a cracked fuselage - did rescuers find the 22 survivors in time?The cabin lights burned for hours and kept twenty-two people aliveIn this episode, we follow Rocky Mountain Airways Flight 217 from its delayed evening departure in a blizzard to the moment the aircraft stops climbing over the Park Range. The episode traces the crew’s decisions, the missing weather details in the briefing, and the search that began miles from the wreck - could those cabin lights be the difference between life and death?Person: Captain Scott Alan KlopfensteinPerson: First Officer Gary ColemanDate: December 4, 1982Aircraft: de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter (N25RM)Event: Mountain wave encounter, in-flight loss of climb and impact- The flight departed Steamboat Springs at 18:55 after a two-hour delay that followed earlier aborted and iced flights that day.- Pre-flight inspection found no mechanical defects; the Twin Otter had 15,145 hours and two reliable Pratt & Whitney engines.- The crew filed an IFR climb to 17,000 ft then visual to Gill VOR; the aircraft stalled at about 13,000 ft and could not climb further.- The NTSB identified a mountain wave producing downdrafts over 500 ft/min as the external force preventing climb.- The emergency locator signal placed the wreckage 12 miles from the actual site, sending search teams into a Rocky Mountain blizzard in the wrong area.To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].
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  The elevator cable turnbuckle limited pitch - could they lift in time? 28.09.2026 19m

  A commuter turboprop lifts overweight and with limited elevator travel-can the crew gain pitch control and climb before thirty-five seconds run out?The elevator cable turnbuckle limited pitch - could they lift in time?In this episode, we follow Air Midwest Flight 5481’s ordinary morning flight that lasted only thirty-five seconds and the chain of small errors that left two pilots fighting for control. Listen to how weight calculations from 1936 and a misadjusted elevator turnbuckle set up a race against time and altitude. What choices and checks mattered in those seconds?Flight: Air Midwest Flight 5481Date: January 8, 2003Aircraft: Beechcraft 1900D, N233YVPeople: Captain Catherine “Katie” Leslie; First Officer Jonathan GibbsWeight: 580 pounds over maximum takeoff weight- Two nights before the flight, a Vertex Aerospace technician adjusted the elevator control cables on N233YV and had never worked on a Beechcraft 1900D before.- The turnbuckles were set incorrectly, restricting elevator range of motion and limiting the aircraft’s pitch authority.- Air Midwest used weight-estimation tables last updated in 1936; crew calculations used those dated inputs and were arithmetically correct.- Nineteen passengers and two crew boarded; twenty-three bags were loaded, with two bags later described as unusually heavy.- The aircraft had accumulated 15,003 flight hours and had flown earlier that morning; during the thirty-five-second climb the pilots pushed controls fully but the airplane did not respond.To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].
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  The jammed DC‑9 exit refused to open - two passengers lost five seconds 27.09.2026 21m

  A jammed DC‑9 exit won’t open as fog blankets Detroit Metro and a 727 accelerates for takeoff - did they make it in time?The jammed DC‑9 exit refused to open - two passengers lost five secondsIn this episode, we follow the moments before and after a high‑speed collision on December 3, 1990, focusing on the failed emergency exit, crew actions in low visibility, and the chain of system failures that followed. How did a mechanical fault on a revenue flight survive inspection and contribute to lives lost?Event: Collision between Northwest Airlines Flight 1482 (DC‑9) and Northwest Flight 299 (Boeing 727)Date: December 3, 1990Location: Detroit Metro Wayne County AirportAircraft: McDonnell Douglas DC‑9 N3313L; Boeing 727 N278USCrew: Captain William Lovelace (DC‑9), First Officer James Schifferns; Captain Robert Ouellette, First Officer William Hagedorn, Flight Engineer Darren Owen (727)- Dense fog reduced visibility to a quarter mile or less and forced taxiing by instruments and radio at Detroit Metro.- The DC‑9 (N3313L), built in 1966 and acquired by Northwest in 1986, had accumulated 62,253 flight hours across multiple carriers.- Investigators found airport signage, markings, and lighting at Detroit Metro did not meet standards and hindered safe ground navigation.- The DC‑9 flight crew exhibited a "virtual reversal of crew roles," with command assertiveness and cross‑checking degraded during taxi.- In the burning DC‑9, two people reached an emergency exit that failed to open due to a preexisting mechanical fault on an aircraft already owned by the airline.To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].
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  The crew reported Agartala early - did they make it in time? 26.09.2026 18m

  A seasoned captain reports passing Agartala while the cockpit voice recorder shows they were still minutes away-did they make it in time?The crew reported Agartala early - did they make it in time?In this episode, we follow the final minutes of Indian Airlines Flight 557 as investigators piece together conflicting position reports, cockpit audio, and flight tracking to understand what happened during the descent toward Imphal. What decisions and assumptions in the cockpit and on the ground set the stage for the crisis?Event: Indian Airlines Flight 557Date: 14 October 1988Location: Imphal approach, Manipur, IndiaAircraft: Airbus A300B2People aboard: 69- Captain Bhupinder Singh Sodhi had flown the Calcutta-Imphal route at least thirty-six times and spoke confidently about the terrain during descent.- The crew reported passing Agartala to air traffic control while the Agartala VOR showed no crossing.- Cockpit voice recorder timestamps differ from the captain’s claim by twenty-five seconds during the critical final minutes.- Flight track shifted to heading 053, a direct shortcut that bypassed the filed Agartala waypoint and was not cleared or reported.- The first officer was largely silent on the CVR during the approach, providing little challenge to the captain’s position calls.To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].
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  One Wrong Prop: How a -8° Blade Sent Mainliner Idaho Plummeting 25.09.2026 19m

  A DC‑6 taking off from Long Island rolls and dives after one prop blade reads -8°-did the pilots have any warning before the wing went down?One Wrong Prop: How a -8° Blade Sent Mainliner Idaho PlummetingIn this episode we follow the final half‑minute of United Air Lines Mainliner Idaho’s April 4, 1955 takeoff, and the technical trail investigators uncovered. What sequence of mechanical settings and safety logic left an experienced crew unaware of the danger they faced?Date: April 4, 1955Aircraft: Douglas DC‑6 (N37512) Mainliner IdahoLocation: Long Island MacArthur Airport, RonkonkomaFlight type: Recurrent instrument training flightEngines/Propellers: Four Pratt & Whitney R‑2800 engines with Hamilton Standard propellers- Three experienced pilots aboard: check captain Stanley C. Hoyt plus Henry M. Dozier and Vernis H. Webb on a routine recurrent training flight.- Takeoff sequence lasted less than thirty seconds from lift‑off at 150 feet to impact on a clear, gusty afternoon.- Wreckage propeller measurements: three blades at +34° pitch, the outboard right engine blade at -8° pitch.- DC‑6 thrust reversal safety used a landing‑gear‑activated switch and a cockpit red flag to allow reverse only when weight was on wheels.- The reversal‑prevention device that might have stopped the event arrived at the hangar one week too late.To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].
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  The autopilot switched to control-wheel steering - did they disable it in time? 24.09.2026 23m

  A captain fights controls over the Red Sea as autopilot shifts into control-wheel steering - did they disable it in time?The autopilot switched to control-wheel steering - did they disable it in time?In this episode, we follow the first three minutes after Flash Airlines Flight 604 departed Sharm El Sheikh and the rapid cockpit actions that followed. The episode covers the crew makeup, the autopilot's unexpected mode change, and the sequence of manual inputs that preceded the aircraft's sharp right roll - what happened in those compressed seconds?Date: January 3, 2004Aircraft: Boeing 737-300 (737 Classic, -300 series, -3Q8)Location: Red Sea, after departure from Sharm El Sheikh (Charles de Gaulle-bound charter)Passengers: 148 people aboardCrew: Captain Khedr Abdullah (53, ~7,500 hours), First Officer Amr al-Shaafei (25,To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].
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  The landing gear dropped and locked-did they reach the runway in time? 23.09.2026 21m

  A DC‑6 with gear down vanishes into San Francisco fog near King's Mountain-did the crew reach the runway in time?The landing gear dropped and locked-did they reach the runway in time?In this episode, we present the final minutes and physical evidence surrounding British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines Flight 304 as it descended toward San Francisco. We lay out the crew’s experience, the flight’s routing, and the artifacts found on King's Mountain to ask the central question listeners must confront.Date: October 29, 1953Aircraft: Douglas DC‑6 (VH‑BPE, named Resolution)Location: King's Mountain slope, El Corte de Madera Creek Open Space Preserve, southwest of San FranciscoPeople: Captain Bruce N. Dickson; First Officer Frank A. Campbell; 11 passengers and 8 crew (including pianist William Kapell and Purser Knight)Status: Aircraft found intact with landing gear down and locked; 19 fatalities- The landing gear was found hanging in an oak tree in dense marine fog, configured "down and locked" as for a normal landing approach.- The flight had crossed the Pacific with stops at Sydney, Fiji, Canton Island, and Honolulu and began descent toward San Francisco after nine hours and twenty‑five minutes over ocean.- Captain Dickson (34) and First Officer Campbell (28) each logged more than 100 instrument approaches into San Francisco and had flown this approach repeatedly.- Witness George Bordi heard a single violent impact in the fog; no aircraft wreckage was visible from his vantage point until later searchers found the gear.- The Civil Aeronautics Board found the aircraft was fully functioning with no mechanical failure noted, leaving investigators to piece together the flight path and cockpit decisions in the final three minutes.To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].
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  The cargo door indicator that went dark cost them the runway in twenty minutes 22.09.2026 21m

  A DC‑8 on final to Toledo, a cargo door indicator that had gone dark weeks earlier, two failed approaches and twenty minutes to get it right.The cargo door indicator that went dark cost them the runway in twenty minutesIn this episode, we follow the last twenty‑four minutes of a routine cargo flight that ended with wreckage in a backyard and four men dead. We trace the crew actions, two go‑arounds, and a single destroyed instrument that investigators hoped would explain those final minutes - but did it survive long enough to tell the story?Person: Captain Harry BakerPerson: First Officer Tim HuppPerson: Flight Engineer Jose MontalboAircraft: Douglas DC‑8, registration N794ALEvent: Cargo door opening on 13 November 1991 prior to crash on 15 February 1992- Flight originated Seattle 21:45 the night before, destined for Toledo Express as a routine cargo run.- Aircraft had 72,084 flight hours and 22,804 cycles, in service since 1968 and converted to a freighter.- Seventy‑two days earlier at Toledo, the same DC‑8 had an in‑flight cargo door opening due to incorrectly installed locking pins and an extinguished indicator light.- Approach began just after 03:00; first approach at ~03:13 failed and crew executed an unremarkable go‑around on heading 100°.- Second approach cleared ~03:21 with multiple GPWS warnings for glideslope deviation and excessive descent rate before impact.To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].
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  The Graduation She Flew to See-Fifty-One Minutes to Reach Houston 21.09.2026 22m

  A mother boards a flight from Laredo to Houston to watch her daughter graduate-what happened?The Graduation She Flew to See-Fifty-One Minutes to Reach HoustonIn this episode, we trace the life and work of Guillermina Valdes Villalva and the fifty-one-minute flight that ended her journey to a graduation. We outline how she built support for maquiladora workers and the unanswered questions that followed the plane’s disappearance.Person: Guillermina Valdes VillalvaEvent: Continental Express Flight 2574 explosion over south TexasDate: September 11, 1991Topic: Centro de Orientación para la Mujer Obrera (COMO) and maquiladora labor advocacy- Guillermina, born December 15, 1939 in El Paso, became an advocate for maquiladora women after earning a BA from UTEP and a doctorate from the University of Michigan.- She founded COMO in Ciudad Juárez, securing a public building from President Luis Echeverría to house classes and services for factory workers.- COMO’s model required participants to volunteer and teach others, serving roughly 300 women per year in its early years.- The center offered practical classes-English, nutrition, sewing-while resisting employer limits on training about contracts, safety, and labor rights.- On September 11, 1991 Guillermina boarded Continental Express Flight 2574 from Laredo to Houston to see her daughter graduate; the plane exploded and no public cause has been confirmed.To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].
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  The single flight plan that left five seats and no explanation 20.09.2026 20m

  A cultural patron boards a light aircraft in Alaska on July 30, 1992 - one unexplained flight plan. Did they make it in time?The single flight plan that left five seats and no explanationIn this episode, we trace the life and last known journey of Kenneth Baillieu Myer and the five-person flight that ended in wreckage in Alaska. The episode covers his wartime service, decades of cultural leadership in Australia, and the unanswered questions surrounding the trip that preceded the crash.Person: Kenneth Baillieu MyerDate: July 30, 1992Location: AlaskaEvent: Light aircraft crash with five occupantsPeriod: 1921-1992- Born March 1, 1921 in San Francisco as a legal measure to secure his status under Australian law.- Awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for action near Port Moresby on August 15, 1944 while serving in the Royal Australian Navy.- Joined Myer Emporium as a director in 1948 and later served as Chairman and a director through the Coles Myer merger until 1989.- Decades-long cultural roles: Honorary Secretary of the National Gallery Society of Victoria (from 1948), co-founder of the Myer Foundation (1959), chairman of the Victorian Arts Centre Trust (until 1989), and chairman of the National Library council (1974-1982).- Married Yasuko Hiraoka in 1979; both died on the same day in the same aircraft that crashed in Alaska, a trip whose purpose was never publicly documented.To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].
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  The Convair that ran out of fuel - did they make it? 19.09.2026 22m

  A Convair runs out of fuel over Mississippi while Lynyrd Skynyrd's frontman nears his self‑predicted thirtieth birthday - did they make it in time?The Convair that ran out of fuel - did they make it?In this episode, we follow the days and decisions leading up to a Convair CV-240 losing power over Mississippi and the life of Ronnie Van Zant as it approached his vowed thirtieth year. We trace his upbringing, the band's rise, and the eerie repetitions - the nickname, the number, the location - that framed the night everyone remembers. What do these details mean for the moments before the crash?Person: Ronald Wayne Van ZantDate: October 20, 1977Event: Convair CV-240 ran out of fuel over MississippiAlbum cover: Street Survivors (release October 20, 1977)Nickname: "The Mississippi Kid"- Ronnie Van Zant repeatedly told friends and family he would never reach thirty, saying the number aloud to his father, bandmates, and on the road.- Four months before his thirtieth birthday, Lynyrd Skynyrd completed Street Survivors and posed Van Zant on the cover wearing a Neil Young T-shirt.- The band formed in Jacksonville in 1964 from classmates and long-time collaborators, evolving from backyard gigs to headlining stages by 1977.- On the night of October 20, 1977, the group's charter plane, a Convair CV-240 twin-engine aircraft, ran out of fuel over Mississippi.- Band members and associates had begun hearing Ronnie call himself "The Mississippi Kid" with no explained connection to the state.To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].
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  The Controller's Ten-Second Radio Order Overrode the TCAS Seconds Left 18.09.2026 21m

  A traffic-collision warning orders climb while a controller over southern Germany radios descent - did the pilots follow TCAS or the controller?The Controller's Ten-Second Radio Order Overrode the TCAS Seconds LeftIn this episode, we follow two commercial flights converging over southern Germany with less than seventy seconds separating them. The episode covers the chain of human decisions, degraded systems, and the critical radio instruction that arrived just after a TCAS advisory - who acted and what mattered most in those final seconds?Date: July 1, 2002Location: Brachenreute, southern GermanyEvent: Midair conflict between Bashkirian Tupolev and DHL BoeingPerson: Peter NielsenAircraft: Bashkirian Tupolev Tupolev 154 (RA-85816) and DHL Boeing 757 (Flight 611)- Two aircraft occupied the same altitude at 34,890 feet and were closing at a combined speed near 1,800 km/h with about 68 seconds to impact.- The Bashkirian flight carried a UNESCO-sponsored group of children from Ufa bound for Barcelona; many passengers were twelve and thirteen years old.- Skyguide controller Peter Nielsen was working alone on two workstations while primary radar, telephone links, and a visual collision warning were under maintenance.- With 60 seconds remaining Nielsen diverted attention to a delayed Aero Lloyd flight, turning away from his radar as the two aircraft converged.- At 23:34:49 TCAS issued a climb to the Tupolev and a descend to the Boeing; eleven seconds later Nielsen instructed the Tupolev to descend to FL350.To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].
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  The loose ski boot jammed the gear and stole their last minutes 17.09.2026 16m

  A loose ski boot jammed the landing gear of a small plane on a frozen Alaskan airstrip, delaying a naturalist's birthday flight. Did they make it in time?The loose ski boot jammed the gear and stole their last minutesIn this episode, we follow the final hours before a small plane’s fatal takeoff from Unalakleet, Alaska, tracing the decisions, technical failures and personal moments that led up to the crash. What tiny choices and mechanical details turned a routine departure into a catastrophe?Person: Félix Samuel Rodríguez de la FuenteDate: March 14, 1980Location: Unalakleet airstrip, near Shaktoolik, AlaskaEvent: Aircraft took off with a loose ski boot on the landing gearTopic: Final minutes, mechanical failure and pre-flight decisions- Félix celebrated his fifty-second birthday the morning he boarded the flight after arriving to cover the Iditarod.- He had a documented fear of flying but traveled because his documentary plans demanded it.- The plane climbed only a few dozen meters and then suddenly stopped climbing during takeoff.- A loose ski boot on the landing gear and a tiny latch or pin failure are cited as critical mechanical factors.- Ten days earlier Félix presented a Global Strategy for the Protection of Biodiversity before the Spanish king and queen, then departed for Alaska with a full filming schedule.To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].
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  The notebook that counted down metres - and ran out of altitude 16.09.2026 23m

  A passenger's notebook tracks a Douglas DC-2's frantic descent through cloud and ice over the Alps - did the crew reach safety before the pen stopped?The notebook that counted down metres - and ran out of altitudeIn this episode, we follow the thirty-four-minute Milan-Frankfurt flight of KLM's DC-2 PH-AKG, piecing together radio transmissions and five notebook pages to see what unfolded inside the cabin. The episode lays out the flight, the crew, and the escalating conditions, and asks what the altitude entries really meant for the people aboard.Date: 20 July 1935Aircraft: Douglas DC-2 PH-AKGFlight time: 34 minutesPassengers aboard: 13Notebook last entry: 2100 metres- Departure from Milan at 11:56 local for a routine Alpine crossing via the San Bernardino pass.- Captain Johannes van der Feijst with 3,200 flight hours, plus flight engineer Vocke and radio operator Aafjes in the cockpit.- Passenger Jos van Langen, a 25-year-old foreign editor, kept a running notebook and began recording altitudes fifteen minutes after takeoff.- The Gaai climbed through 4,000, 4,500 and then into 5,000 metres before entering dense cloud and heavy-sounding precipitation.- Radio transmissions reached the ground while five notebook pages grew progressively harder to read, ending with “2100” metres and the pen falling silent.To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].
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  210 metres from the runway - and 64 people did not survive 15.09.2026 18m

  An Aeroflot Il-18 descends toward Alma-Ata while a senior check captain with a lapsed medical certificate holds authority - did they make it in time?210 metres from the runway - and 64 people did not surviveIn this episode, we follow the flight from Moscow through Omsk to Alma-Ata and the sequence of decisions, broken procedures, and missing weather reports that shaped the final approach. What combinations of errors and choices put the aircraft two hundred and ten metres short of the runway?Date: 4 January 1965Aircraft: Ilyushin Il-18B, registration CCCP-75685Route: Domodedovo - Omsk - Alma-AtaCrew: Captain Konstantin Artamonov; co-pilot Nikolai Slamikhin; flight engineer Anatoliy Shakirov; navigator Vladimir Pristavka; radio operator Nikolay SafonovPassengers: 103 on board- Departure from Domodedovo was delayed by nearly three hours after an engine repair, compressing the day’s schedule.- Rishat Azakov, head of the Kazakh Civil Aviation Directorate, boarded as check captain with supervisory authority despite lacking a current medical certificate and having already worked about fifteen hours.- The meteorological service stopped issuing weather updates during the critical period; scheduled reports at 20:00, 20:15 and 20:30 were not sent.- Another Il-18 had returned after two attempts and informed operations that no Il-18 could safely land in the conditions, yet Flight 20 was cleared to descend five minutes later.- The aircraft struck frozen ground 210 metres right of runway 23, flying ten metres below the altitude where the crew should have seen the runway.To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].