What do you think?
Rate this book
Final Approach
SABOTAGE....ACCIDENT....OR MURDER BY OMISSION?
The airline told passengers flying to Kansas City the skies were safe. They lied. On a rain-slashed night, Flight 255 crashes at Kansas City Airport -- triggering one of the most horrifying aviation disasters of the decade. Put simply, it never should have happened. Safety Board investigator Joe Wallingford races to find out why it did.
From the Paperback edition.
The airline told passengers flying to Kansas City the skies were safe. They lied. On a rain-slashed night, Flight 255 crashes at Kansas City Airport -- triggering one of the most horrifying aviation disasters of the decade. Put simply, it never should have happened. Safety Board investigator Joe Wallingford races to find out why it did.
From the Paperback edition.
Hardcover
First published August 22, 1990
1768 people are currently reading
1374 people want to read
About the author
John J. Nance
66 books226 followersJohn J. Nance is an American pilot, aviation safety expert, and author. He served in the USAF during the Vietnam War and also as a Lt. Colonel in Operation Desert Storm.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 246 reviews
April 14, 2016
Kansas City International Airport.... an aircraft collides with another plane on the runway. It's one of the worst aviation disasters in many years.
National Transportation Safety Board investigator Joe Wallingford arrives on the scene. There are many thoughts running through his head ... there were thunderstorms in the area ...is this a climate caused problem? Severe cuts to the program have been made recently ...was the airplane in perfect condition to fly? Is pilot error a possibility?
As Wallingford sifts through the wreckage, he comes to believe this was for more than he originally thought and he will have to risk his career .. or his life ... to expose a deadly cover-up.
This author has written several aviation-thriller books; this was his debut novel in 1990. As interesting as this reading was, it seemed a bit outdated. It did serve to show what happens behind the scenes .. who does what when. I enjoyed seeing what an investigator first looks at and how he goes about putting all the pieces together.
Many thanks to the author / Open Road Integrated Media / NetGalley who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
National Transportation Safety Board investigator Joe Wallingford arrives on the scene. There are many thoughts running through his head ... there were thunderstorms in the area ...is this a climate caused problem? Severe cuts to the program have been made recently ...was the airplane in perfect condition to fly? Is pilot error a possibility?
As Wallingford sifts through the wreckage, he comes to believe this was for more than he originally thought and he will have to risk his career .. or his life ... to expose a deadly cover-up.
This author has written several aviation-thriller books; this was his debut novel in 1990. As interesting as this reading was, it seemed a bit outdated. It did serve to show what happens behind the scenes .. who does what when. I enjoyed seeing what an investigator first looks at and how he goes about putting all the pieces together.
Many thanks to the author / Open Road Integrated Media / NetGalley who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
February 4, 2016
4.0 out of 5 stars -- How I love a "disaster" book -- especially one that involves a tragic airplane crash at "my" airport -- Kansas City International -- located in Kansas City, Missouri!
Despite the fact that this book was written and published in the early 1990s and is thus quite outdated, it was an enjoyable and fast-paced read that focused on the NTSB's investigation into the causes of the crash of Flight 255 into another plane waiting on the ground at the side of the runway.
Was it mechanical failure, human error, bad weather, or perhaps even secret activity that produced massive interference with the sophisticated Airbus plane's computer systems? Although the NTSB does not seek to establish blame for the crash, there are many possible explanations for the accident and North American Airlines, the FAA, the FBI, and other factions don't want to be held responsible. Secrets and lies are uncovered when a US Senator gets involved because of chief investigator Joe Wallingford's difficulties in getting the answers he needs to make a full report. Is there corruption and possible governmental cover-up or was something else going on that fateful night?
This would have been an even better book had the author and publisher updated it to reflect the changes brought about by the events of 9-11.
Thank you to Open Road Integrated Media and NetGalley for the e-book ARC to review.
Despite the fact that this book was written and published in the early 1990s and is thus quite outdated, it was an enjoyable and fast-paced read that focused on the NTSB's investigation into the causes of the crash of Flight 255 into another plane waiting on the ground at the side of the runway.
Was it mechanical failure, human error, bad weather, or perhaps even secret activity that produced massive interference with the sophisticated Airbus plane's computer systems? Although the NTSB does not seek to establish blame for the crash, there are many possible explanations for the accident and North American Airlines, the FAA, the FBI, and other factions don't want to be held responsible. Secrets and lies are uncovered when a US Senator gets involved because of chief investigator Joe Wallingford's difficulties in getting the answers he needs to make a full report. Is there corruption and possible governmental cover-up or was something else going on that fateful night?
This would have been an even better book had the author and publisher updated it to reflect the changes brought about by the events of 9-11.
Thank you to Open Road Integrated Media and NetGalley for the e-book ARC to review.
February 6, 2016
WARNING: This is NOT the book to read during a long airline flight - especially if you are a nervous flyer like I am! The book scared me, while I was reading it sitting on my couch, can't imagine how I'd have felt if I was on a plane while I was reading parts of it!
On a stormy night in Kansas City, an Airbus plane coming in for a landing, shears the top off of a Boeing 737 that is waiting to take off. There is a fire and most of the people in both planes are killed by either the crash or the fire. The NTSB is called in to investigate but as with all government agencies, there is the investigation and then there are the politics surrounding the investigation. While the NTSB is trying to figure out if the crash was caused by system failure, pilot error or some other reason, the media gets involved and starts talking about possible sabotage. The book is very relevant to today and is a very good political intrigue novel. I recommend it! (I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review)
On a stormy night in Kansas City, an Airbus plane coming in for a landing, shears the top off of a Boeing 737 that is waiting to take off. There is a fire and most of the people in both planes are killed by either the crash or the fire. The NTSB is called in to investigate but as with all government agencies, there is the investigation and then there are the politics surrounding the investigation. While the NTSB is trying to figure out if the crash was caused by system failure, pilot error or some other reason, the media gets involved and starts talking about possible sabotage. The book is very relevant to today and is a very good political intrigue novel. I recommend it! (I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review)
April 18, 2023
Okay. Lots to uncover here. I feel like old people would like this book. Kinda like Facebook i guess. The thing is, the author is SOOOO long winded and wordy with his sentences, it is hard to get into the book. And in terms of content, there is like alot of jargon and my theory is that alot of people who gave this 5 stars just enjoyed having feeling that encouragment of solidarity and feeling special that they understood all that yk getting their positive face all enhanced okok eng lang influence is showing.
The jargon was fine - very american - but tolerable, but it just gets to the point where there's so much random filler material about companies and abbreviations and political banter that there is like no action actually happening. But one really anoying thing that the author did was introduce like 15 different character and 4 subplots at once cause i did not keep up with any of that and half the time i didn't really know who was who and who was talking to who and it just got so messy!
AND HERE'S THE REALLY REALLY ANNOYING THING. The stereotypes around gender. So all the airline investigators or senators were all male obviously and the people who were in charge of like press/media were women. And not just women but 'hot' women. And the author is literally the type of guy who writes about women pulling out their hairtie and let their hair flow freely and now she's super sexy instead of workaholic hot if you know what i mean. Omg and this is a literal quote i pulled from the book 'he watched her now for a second, noting with masculine pleasure how feminine and yet in command and self-reassured she looked' Like what the quack man why you gotta be thinking that when you got a plane crash to solve! It's moment like these that make me wonder if the author has talked to a woman before.
Oh and in terms of romance its so unrealistic. Like this guy (yes that creepy one) basically gets with the attractive girl except its so weird because i dont event think they had a proper conversation before (or maybe i just FORGOT trying to keep up with the FIFTEEN different storylines going on at once) so like there's zero chemistry. It's like a zoo like as if there's some lack of options going around. So weird.
The jargon was fine - very american - but tolerable, but it just gets to the point where there's so much random filler material about companies and abbreviations and political banter that there is like no action actually happening. But one really anoying thing that the author did was introduce like 15 different character and 4 subplots at once cause i did not keep up with any of that and half the time i didn't really know who was who and who was talking to who and it just got so messy!
AND HERE'S THE REALLY REALLY ANNOYING THING. The stereotypes around gender. So all the airline investigators or senators were all male obviously and the people who were in charge of like press/media were women. And not just women but 'hot' women. And the author is literally the type of guy who writes about women pulling out their hairtie and let their hair flow freely and now she's super sexy instead of workaholic hot if you know what i mean. Omg and this is a literal quote i pulled from the book 'he watched her now for a second, noting with masculine pleasure how feminine and yet in command and self-reassured she looked' Like what the quack man why you gotta be thinking that when you got a plane crash to solve! It's moment like these that make me wonder if the author has talked to a woman before.
Oh and in terms of romance its so unrealistic. Like this guy (yes that creepy one) basically gets with the attractive girl except its so weird because i dont event think they had a proper conversation before (or maybe i just FORGOT trying to keep up with the FIFTEEN different storylines going on at once) so like there's zero chemistry. It's like a zoo like as if there's some lack of options going around. So weird.
March 14, 2023
Exciting
Another John Nance winner!
I really enjoyed this book was fast, paced with lots of twists and turns and it kept you on your toes about following the plot
Another John Nance winner!
I really enjoyed this book was fast, paced with lots of twists and turns and it kept you on your toes about following the plot
March 2, 2025
I spent the first few hundred pages very confused about the 80s vibes kicked off by a rando who casually goes to say bye to his family in the plane that he doesn't have a ticket for, and then, equally casually, drops by the cockpit to have a chat with the pilot (whom he doesn't know). Turns out the book was published in 1990 which explains a lot.
It is a quite long book. I thought it would be fun to start reading it on a plane and to end it on a plane, but by the time I had returned home I still had about 40% to go. I did get a good 5-6 hours of reading in on planes, though.
If you don't know anything technical about planes beyond stuff like "they can fly", "they have landing gear", "they have wings and fuel" there's gonna be a some stuff in the first half that is slightly mysterious. Not to the point of being unable to follow the plot, just to the point of understanding that you don't understand the details.
There were too many characters by half, not helped in the least by Nance opting to use either first name, last name, both, or a nick name for any given character in any situation. I couldn't keep track.
The thing that really annoyed me about this book was the icky view of women that screams "this book is more than 30 years old" and/or "this book was written by an American conservative". The narrator is a man and thusly any woman must be described in terms of her fuckability.
A short selection of sentences that made me gag:
1: "He watched her now for a second, noting with masculine pleasure how feminine and yet in command and self-assured she looked sitting there"
2: "'Joe...,' she began, then hesistated, her tongue massaging her upper lip as her mind raced"
3: "the sparkle of unfocused interest in Beverly's eyes which went slightly beyond the professional made no more of an impression on him than her statuesque beauty."
Then of course there are the weird Americanisms of using the word "holocaust" in a way that shows the author didn't learn what that was in school, and writing that it is embarrassing for two men to hug.
I will, however, give Nance credit for the sentence "the Airbus is a dangerous flop, and the French are homicidal maniacs for building it". Not because I agree, but because it is probably the most well-crafted sentence in the book and I kinda like it.
It is a quite long book. I thought it would be fun to start reading it on a plane and to end it on a plane, but by the time I had returned home I still had about 40% to go. I did get a good 5-6 hours of reading in on planes, though.
If you don't know anything technical about planes beyond stuff like "they can fly", "they have landing gear", "they have wings and fuel" there's gonna be a some stuff in the first half that is slightly mysterious. Not to the point of being unable to follow the plot, just to the point of understanding that you don't understand the details.
There were too many characters by half, not helped in the least by Nance opting to use either first name, last name, both, or a nick name for any given character in any situation. I couldn't keep track.
The thing that really annoyed me about this book was the icky view of women that screams "this book is more than 30 years old" and/or "this book was written by an American conservative". The narrator is a man and thusly any woman must be described in terms of her fuckability.
A short selection of sentences that made me gag:
1: "He watched her now for a second, noting with masculine pleasure how feminine and yet in command and self-assured she looked sitting there"
2: "'Joe...,' she began, then hesistated, her tongue massaging her upper lip as her mind raced"
3: "the sparkle of unfocused interest in Beverly's eyes which went slightly beyond the professional made no more of an impression on him than her statuesque beauty."
Then of course there are the weird Americanisms of using the word "holocaust" in a way that shows the author didn't learn what that was in school, and writing that it is embarrassing for two men to hug.
I will, however, give Nance credit for the sentence "the Airbus is a dangerous flop, and the French are homicidal maniacs for building it". Not because I agree, but because it is probably the most well-crafted sentence in the book and I kinda like it.
April 3, 2016
It's been years since I last read a thriller by John J Nance. Specialising on aviation thrillers, this former pilot has written quite a few cockpit-based novels that could serve as wish fulfilment literature for plane spotters and aviation enthusiasts. So, of course, as teenager I devoured them. His biggest success is Pandora's Clock, which even got turned into a TV movie. (The main difference between adaptation and book was that they gender swapped the FBI agents: in the book, the naive rookie was male and the experienced, highly competent agent female)
Final Approach, however, takes us into a slightly different world. This time, it's not about a pilot hijacking his plane or brave pilots with a deadly load in their airliner, nor about landing a passenger jet on an aircraft carrier in a hurricane, nor about a teenaged flight sim fan taking control of a jet when the pilots get incapacitated (told you they are wish fulfilment books for aero-geeks). This time, we're following the investigation into a crash, and our heroes are the Go-Team of the NTSB. Not since Michael Crighton's Airframe have I a read a novel set in this most exciting and unique of professions.
Fortunately, John J Nance doesn't disappoint on this occasion. After taking the action antics and machismo way too far in some of his novels (cough, Blackout, cough), it's a relief to find this one on credible and authentic form. Final Approach was one of his first novels, and as such, turns out to be much more well-grounded than his later efforts. The techy side of things is entirely realistic. OK, so the story throws quite a few red herrings our way, but actually, that isn't unrealistic: every crash is such a rare and unlikely event these days that there is almost always a huge mystery about its cause.
Now, this is a thriller written primarily for boys. As such, the writing is a little by-the-numbers, and every single character gets described in physical detail as soon as they appear on stage. Every heroic male is athletic. Every female is sensual and attractive and lusted over. Characters don't grow or change or any of that mamby-pamby stuff: they walk on, they establish their role in the plot, and they stick to it. Don't expect the human elements of the story to surprise or enchant you: this is a technological thriller for people who are interested in aviation. Human characters exist mainly to be "human factors", not to be people.
That said, if you like techy thrillers and aeroplanes, this book is ace.
Final Approach, however, takes us into a slightly different world. This time, it's not about a pilot hijacking his plane or brave pilots with a deadly load in their airliner, nor about landing a passenger jet on an aircraft carrier in a hurricane, nor about a teenaged flight sim fan taking control of a jet when the pilots get incapacitated (told you they are wish fulfilment books for aero-geeks). This time, we're following the investigation into a crash, and our heroes are the Go-Team of the NTSB. Not since Michael Crighton's Airframe have I a read a novel set in this most exciting and unique of professions.
Fortunately, John J Nance doesn't disappoint on this occasion. After taking the action antics and machismo way too far in some of his novels (cough, Blackout, cough), it's a relief to find this one on credible and authentic form. Final Approach was one of his first novels, and as such, turns out to be much more well-grounded than his later efforts. The techy side of things is entirely realistic. OK, so the story throws quite a few red herrings our way, but actually, that isn't unrealistic: every crash is such a rare and unlikely event these days that there is almost always a huge mystery about its cause.
Now, this is a thriller written primarily for boys. As such, the writing is a little by-the-numbers, and every single character gets described in physical detail as soon as they appear on stage. Every heroic male is athletic. Every female is sensual and attractive and lusted over. Characters don't grow or change or any of that mamby-pamby stuff: they walk on, they establish their role in the plot, and they stick to it. Don't expect the human elements of the story to surprise or enchant you: this is a technological thriller for people who are interested in aviation. Human characters exist mainly to be "human factors", not to be people.
That said, if you like techy thrillers and aeroplanes, this book is ace.
November 19, 2023
This was the 3rd Nance I’ve read this year. It got a bit bogged down in the middle but picked up well towards the denouement..
March 7, 2016
In the after Reagan aviation world, a tragic and inexplicable accident involves two aircraft, one of which, in a night of witches Sabbath, literally falls over the other. In addition to the many lost lives, around one of the two planes gathers mysteries that have too much to do with politics and the lobbying that goes with it, in addition to a large amount of human misery.
I am not, generally speaking, crazy for legal thrillers, but this one I really liked, although it may be in effect classified under this type. The situations and characters are vibrant and lifelike, the plot tight, full of twists and turns that keep the reader literally glued to the page, and the undoubted technical expertise of the author has so far dispensed by a clear language reminiscent of the top science writers.
Only the final, a bit sugary and predictable, has prevented me from giving this novel the best score.
Thank Open Road Integrated Media and Netgalley for giving me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Nel mondo dell'aeronautica statunitense del dopo Reagan, un tragico e inspiegabile incidente coinvolge due aerei, uno dei quali, in una notte di tregenda, precipita letteralmente sopra l'altro. Oltre alle numerose vite perse, intorno a uno dei due aerei si addensano misteri che troppo hanno a che fare con la politica e il lobbysmo che ne consegue, oltre a una grossa dose di umana miseria.
Non sono, generalmente parlando, una patita dei legal thriller, ma questo, anche se può essere a tutti gli effetti classificato sotto questo genere, mi è veramente piaciuto. Le situazioni e i personaggi sono vibranti e verosimili, la trama serrata, piena di colpi di scena che tengono il lettore letteralmente incollato alla pagina, e l'indubbia competenza tecnica dell'autore è così ben dosata per mezzo di un chiaro linguaggio che ricorda quello dei migliori divulgatori scientifici.
Solo il finale, un po' mieloso e scontato, impedisce di dare a questo romanzo il massimo del punteggio.
Ringrazio Open Road Integrated Media e Netgalley per avermi fornito una copia gratuita in cambio di una recensione onesta.
I am not, generally speaking, crazy for legal thrillers, but this one I really liked, although it may be in effect classified under this type. The situations and characters are vibrant and lifelike, the plot tight, full of twists and turns that keep the reader literally glued to the page, and the undoubted technical expertise of the author has so far dispensed by a clear language reminiscent of the top science writers.
Only the final, a bit sugary and predictable, has prevented me from giving this novel the best score.
Thank Open Road Integrated Media and Netgalley for giving me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Nel mondo dell'aeronautica statunitense del dopo Reagan, un tragico e inspiegabile incidente coinvolge due aerei, uno dei quali, in una notte di tregenda, precipita letteralmente sopra l'altro. Oltre alle numerose vite perse, intorno a uno dei due aerei si addensano misteri che troppo hanno a che fare con la politica e il lobbysmo che ne consegue, oltre a una grossa dose di umana miseria.
Non sono, generalmente parlando, una patita dei legal thriller, ma questo, anche se può essere a tutti gli effetti classificato sotto questo genere, mi è veramente piaciuto. Le situazioni e i personaggi sono vibranti e verosimili, la trama serrata, piena di colpi di scena che tengono il lettore letteralmente incollato alla pagina, e l'indubbia competenza tecnica dell'autore è così ben dosata per mezzo di un chiaro linguaggio che ricorda quello dei migliori divulgatori scientifici.
Solo il finale, un po' mieloso e scontato, impedisce di dare a questo romanzo il massimo del punteggio.
Ringrazio Open Road Integrated Media e Netgalley per avermi fornito una copia gratuita in cambio di una recensione onesta.
June 13, 2017
During severe thunderstorms over the Kansas City Airport, a North America Airlines passenger plane is attempting a landing when a disaster strikes. The descending aircraft hits another plane waiting on the runway and the death and destruction is catastrophic. NTSB investigator Joe Wallingford is assigned to the crash site in order to determine the cause. Several scenarios are plausible: pilot error, unsafe and aging planes, terrorism, an assassination of a white supremacist Congressman onboard, and a mysterious machine loaded onto an Air Force C-5 that the government refuses to talk about. Wallingford has his hands full with the investigation but the politics and cover-ups are as detrimental to the case as are the possible reasons for the accident.
I had high hopes for this book since I have enjoyed others by Nance in the past. There was way too much of politics and board meetings that the story got lost in the midst of all that talking. The ending finally came up with the cause of the crash but I honestly doubted we would ever get there. I would recommend "Pandora's Clock" or "Orbit" rather than this one.
I had high hopes for this book since I have enjoyed others by Nance in the past. There was way too much of politics and board meetings that the story got lost in the midst of all that talking. The ending finally came up with the cause of the crash but I honestly doubted we would ever get there. I would recommend "Pandora's Clock" or "Orbit" rather than this one.
January 9, 2017
I wasn't really sure what to expect from this book as airplanes have never really been my thing. What drew me to this book was the premise being heavy on the conspiracy and mystery aspects. Thankfully it delivered on those aspects and Nance did a great job making technical details easy to understand for normies like myself.
The plot revolves around a plane crash in Kansas City that may not be an accident. Over the course of the book we are presented with several possible causes of the crash and while we are led more in certain directions it never seems 100% clear until the end.
Character wise there is room for improvement as none of the characters really seem all that memorable. That's not to say they're bad characters but it never seems like they have much in the way of actual personalities.
Overall it was a rather good read for anyone that's into mysteries that involve conspiracies and I'm happy I discovered it in my "recommended" list.
The plot revolves around a plane crash in Kansas City that may not be an accident. Over the course of the book we are presented with several possible causes of the crash and while we are led more in certain directions it never seems 100% clear until the end.
Character wise there is room for improvement as none of the characters really seem all that memorable. That's not to say they're bad characters but it never seems like they have much in the way of actual personalities.
Overall it was a rather good read for anyone that's into mysteries that involve conspiracies and I'm happy I discovered it in my "recommended" list.
December 21, 2023
I wanted to like this. I really did. The concept was great. I struggled to get over the writing. Not only is it hard to follow all the character switches (it is done in the middle of a page, not even at the beginning of a chapter), but the writing style was hard to follow. It was written very dryly and CLEARLY written by a man. For example, in the immediate aftermath of the most horrific plane crash you've ever seen, you stop to ogle a [victim's] body? All because her shirt is torn. It doesn't seem to matter that she is missing body parts, all the man notices is her "feminine form" and "bountiful breasts"?
This book had so much potential and was lost on bad writing.
This book had so much potential and was lost on bad writing.
August 14, 2016
Pretty solid techno mystery involving the NTSB. I've seen some reviews dinging the book because it's supposedly dated but if that was a criterion, we wouldn't be reading anything written more than a few years ago.
The author weaves several threads into a coherent mystery and keeps us guessing about the final answer. Very likable characters, too.
The author weaves several threads into a coherent mystery and keeps us guessing about the final answer. Very likable characters, too.
November 23, 2017
Wow! I’m sure I enjoyed this book even more because I am a private pilot and understood the pilot talk. It was packed with technical information and carried a tense plot through to a somewhat surprising ending. I loved it!
September 16, 2017
Well written, great action. The only problem I had was the too-often-shifting POV.
February 21, 2018
The first thing that I got to say is this book is for readers who does have interest in aviation thrillers.
My first aviation thriller. Difficult to get into but was a smooth ride thereafter.
My first aviation thriller. Difficult to get into but was a smooth ride thereafter.
August 19, 2018
There are many causes for aircraft accidents. Aircraft maintenance problems, crew error, aircraft design flaws and weather-related factors quickly come to mind. Which one caused the accident in this story? The author tries to keep all four of those causes, as well as high intensity EMI (Electro Magnetic Interference) radiation, all as possible causes for the crash. Essentially, the book is a technical who-done-it mystery. And it’s up to the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) inspectors to determine the cause.
The book’s “tone” sounds real. I’ve read one book (“Fly-By-Wire”) where an NTSB investigator acted like a combination of John Wayne and James Bond. Here, NTSB investigators act as I imagine NTSB investigators would act. There is also human drama as the airline, pilot union and aircraft manufacturer all try to defend their own interests while the investigation progresses. And, of course, there are politicians to muck everything up.
The one problem with the book is that it felt dated (copyright 1990). People had to find a phone booth to contact each other. Fly-by-wire (Airbus’ relatively new design back in 1990) is now common system architecture for other aircraft manufacturers as well. And as each female was initially introduced within the story, it was from a “how good looking she was” perspective – a bit jarring given our current MeToo culture.
The book’s “tone” sounds real. I’ve read one book (“Fly-By-Wire”) where an NTSB investigator acted like a combination of John Wayne and James Bond. Here, NTSB investigators act as I imagine NTSB investigators would act. There is also human drama as the airline, pilot union and aircraft manufacturer all try to defend their own interests while the investigation progresses. And, of course, there are politicians to muck everything up.
The one problem with the book is that it felt dated (copyright 1990). People had to find a phone booth to contact each other. Fly-by-wire (Airbus’ relatively new design back in 1990) is now common system architecture for other aircraft manufacturers as well. And as each female was initially introduced within the story, it was from a “how good looking she was” perspective – a bit jarring given our current MeToo culture.
August 31, 2020
I think this was just too complex for my little brain. I got the characters confusdeat times which affected how much I enjoyed the book. I admit i have had a busy couple of weeks and only been able to read briefly each day, this again my have had an impact. I think it was a good storyline and the author had a definite depth in his detail and some great characterisation just hard to keep it all straight
March 9, 2018
All right, it was a bit formulaic, but I did really enjoy it. First, it is a solidly written thriller, with a mystery that is unraveled piece by piece, with the appropriate number of red herrings. There are a zillion characters (each introduced with "Jack Poloozi was driving down I47 at a high speed while cursing the traffic..."), most of which are unmemorable, but the small circle of main characters are well fleshed-out and appealing. I like all the aviation-speak, which allows me to feel that I know something about the subject even when I don't. I was bothered when the author's political preferences became obvious, but he didn't let them drive the story.
Last word - this was my first book by Nance and I'm now looking for another.
Peter
Last word - this was my first book by Nance and I'm now looking for another.
Peter
April 20, 2023
Way longer than it needed to be (529 pages could, easily, have been 350-400) and so I did a bit of skimming...but the story was good. I found this for my Kindle Fire on the Libby app, which I just started using again. I had no idea it was published 30 years ago until I read a few sentences that definitely aged it. We have him cranking the handle to roll down a window, using a beeper and finding a phone booth alongside the road because he doesn't have a cell phone.
I wouldn't mind reading another book by this author (he has written many), but I'm going to look for one with a smaller page count.
I wouldn't mind reading another book by this author (he has written many), but I'm going to look for one with a smaller page count.
January 10, 2020
3.5 for me. The first 25% I really liked . It was describing the airline crash and the victims/survivor's.
Quite descriptive. But then it went into all the conspiracy theories.I just found it very repetitive and a little boring.
Quite descriptive. But then it went into all the conspiracy theories.I just found it very repetitive and a little boring.
July 26, 2023
Too many characters and organizations to keep straight. Unless you are a pilot, it’s very hard to understand what is going on. I was waiting for a huge twist at the end, and it ended up being mediocre and not that exciting.
March 5, 2018
An excellent story about a plane crash and the investigation that followed. A very detailed and believeable story that holds the reader's interest and makes one wonder about the wisdom of ever boarding an aeroplane again, given what goes on behind the scenes and the problems we never hear about.
February 9, 2016
Wow, does this book take you for a ride! I used to be a very frequent flyer and always loved it. But I have to say that what this book reveals is pretty scary.
An Airbus A320 crashes into a 737 one night in Kansas City MO. An NTSB team, led by Joe Wallingford, is dispatched to investigate. Then the circus begins. Numerous government bodies come out of the woodworks trying to interfere with the investigation. They all seem to have some shady dealings they do not want exposed. There could be so many causes for the accident – equipment failure, air traffic control error, pilot error. There is even suspicion of sabotage. Just when it seems they have a grasp on what the cause was, something else creeps into the picture. This book kept me guessing all the way to the end. It is suspenseful yet realistic.
Many thanks to Paola Crespo at Open Road Media for sending me an advance copy to review.
An Airbus A320 crashes into a 737 one night in Kansas City MO. An NTSB team, led by Joe Wallingford, is dispatched to investigate. Then the circus begins. Numerous government bodies come out of the woodworks trying to interfere with the investigation. They all seem to have some shady dealings they do not want exposed. There could be so many causes for the accident – equipment failure, air traffic control error, pilot error. There is even suspicion of sabotage. Just when it seems they have a grasp on what the cause was, something else creeps into the picture. This book kept me guessing all the way to the end. It is suspenseful yet realistic.
Many thanks to Paola Crespo at Open Road Media for sending me an advance copy to review.
July 30, 2017
..and a tumultuous ending that's begs the question, why?
A story about an aircraft disaster that pits agency against agency (FAA, NTSB, ALPA, affected Airlines and affected Aircraft Manufacturer) in an attempt to find who or what was responsible for one (landing) aircraft crashing into another (about-to-takeoff) aircraft ... and, as there were many lives lost, the stakes are high not to be the one found to be responsible for the tragedy.
Author John Nance has given us a story with well-developed characters, an interesting and believable plot, and enough action (both, in and out of the cockpit) to make this a must-read for aviation-thriller enthusiasts, everywhere.
This was the first book by John J. Nance that I've read, but now that I've discovered this author (and see the other books of this genre that he's written), it, surely, won't be my last.
A story about an aircraft disaster that pits agency against agency (FAA, NTSB, ALPA, affected Airlines and affected Aircraft Manufacturer) in an attempt to find who or what was responsible for one (landing) aircraft crashing into another (about-to-takeoff) aircraft ... and, as there were many lives lost, the stakes are high not to be the one found to be responsible for the tragedy.
Author John Nance has given us a story with well-developed characters, an interesting and believable plot, and enough action (both, in and out of the cockpit) to make this a must-read for aviation-thriller enthusiasts, everywhere.
This was the first book by John J. Nance that I've read, but now that I've discovered this author (and see the other books of this genre that he's written), it, surely, won't be my last.
September 5, 2017
Most people read and enjoy police procedurals. This is a procedural of a NTSB investigation into an air crash. To keep the reader interested through all of the 'dry' material involved in searching for the cause of the crash there is the political infighting between the NTSB and the FAA.
Written by John Nance, a former airline pilot, the novel is pretty accurate as to procedures and reactions by the airline (protecting their ass), the NTSB who just want to find the cause, and the FAA which wants to protect it's turf (Air Traffic Controllers).
As this was written back in the late 80's, early 90's, the reader will get a chuckle out of the technology and terms being used. Always fun with older novels.
If can get dry and long winded in spots, but overall it's worth the read.
Written by John Nance, a former airline pilot, the novel is pretty accurate as to procedures and reactions by the airline (protecting their ass), the NTSB who just want to find the cause, and the FAA which wants to protect it's turf (Air Traffic Controllers).
As this was written back in the late 80's, early 90's, the reader will get a chuckle out of the technology and terms being used. Always fun with older novels.
If can get dry and long winded in spots, but overall it's worth the read.
December 3, 2017
I liked this book a lot. A terrible airplane crash. Told from the view point of the government investigators. A mix of procedural and politics - corporate and government and military. A fascinating mystery of what caused the crash and how to get to the answer despite the many roadblocks set up by competing interests. There's a little bit of romance/personal relationship stuff which is superfluous, but I did not find it distracting. Just seems like a really well researched book providing a lot of interesting insight into a industry we don't hear much about. Well written, good characters, really good story.
July 30, 2019
Pretty good as a mystery. A lot of intersecting plot lines and possible solutions. The final resolution was unexpected. Some conflicts/sub plot lines just ended or did not become as complicating as it seemed they could be.
Good insight into problems of airlines and safety issues in the 1990s. Scary to think they may be worse now due to competition from cheap airlines and need to cut costs (and cut safety?).
Written in 1990s - attitude toward and characterization of women in the book is as out of date as the technology. Example- a woman who lets down her hair and takes off her glasses and becomes attractive to the main male character.
Good insight into problems of airlines and safety issues in the 1990s. Scary to think they may be worse now due to competition from cheap airlines and need to cut costs (and cut safety?).
Written in 1990s - attitude toward and characterization of women in the book is as out of date as the technology. Example- a woman who lets down her hair and takes off her glasses and becomes attractive to the main male character.
October 3, 2017
Whirlwind situation
This is a challenging story. Well written and told, with great characters. Maybe too many. I never lost track of who was who, but I am impatient to know where they were going. So, I read every word, which took time, and stuck with it. It is a timely story, but dated because the Airbus has proven itself. Those who are not up to date on current airline fleets might overlook this and just follow the story, which is well told. I'm not sure why, but my favorite character was the pilot of the 737. He had the right stuff.
This is a challenging story. Well written and told, with great characters. Maybe too many. I never lost track of who was who, but I am impatient to know where they were going. So, I read every word, which took time, and stuck with it. It is a timely story, but dated because the Airbus has proven itself. Those who are not up to date on current airline fleets might overlook this and just follow the story, which is well told. I'm not sure why, but my favorite character was the pilot of the 737. He had the right stuff.
November 27, 2017
Really enjoy Nance's books
I was riveted horrified and often confused with such a cast of characters & I am not sure I completely trust accident investigators now, but I've already admitted to confusion! But the salient facts were made clear and the mystery solved, so I am good on the "who done it" factor. Still a bit worried about the FRIENDLY SKIES , but they haven't been friendly for years!
I was riveted horrified and often confused with such a cast of characters & I am not sure I completely trust accident investigators now, but I've already admitted to confusion! But the salient facts were made clear and the mystery solved, so I am good on the "who done it" factor. Still a bit worried about the FRIENDLY SKIES , but they haven't been friendly for years!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 246 reviews