26 Seconds: Grief and Blame in the Aftermath of Losing My Brother in a Plane Crash

by Rossana D'Antonio

Much as Eric Schollsberg’s Fast Food Nation made people think about the way we eat, this provocative memoir and exposé challenges readers to question why, given its long history of cover-ups and systemic safety gaps, we continue to trust the aviation industry.  

On a stormy late May morning in 2008, TACA Airlines Flight 390 crashes at one of the most dangerous airports in the world, Honduras’s Toncontin International Airport. Five people die in the crash—among them Rossana D’Antonio’s brother, pilot Cesare D’Antonio. Suspecting Cesare will be made a scapegoat for the accident, as so often happens to pilots, Rossana decides to leverage her decades of experience as an engineer and set out in search of the truth.

Part memoir, part exposé, 26 Seconds interweaves Rossana’s research regarding other parallel accidents with her own story. Six months after the TACA crash, Captain Sully Sullenberger lands his plane on the Hudson River. Although authorities call his landing a miracle, they also blame him for its necessity. One year after the TACA 390 tragedy, Air France 447 falls from the sky. Again, pilot error.

As Rossana digs deeper, she exposes a culture that is too quick to conclude pilot error and an industry that experiences systemic weaknesses, chooses profits over safety, lies to its customers, and is willing to risk lives to get its planes back up in the sky. Ultimately, she uncovers the smoking gun she’s been looking for—revealing the truth about TACA 390, exposing aviation cover-ups, and challenging us all to question the very systems we’ve been told we can trust with our lives.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction

235 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 13, 2025

About the author

Rossana D'Antonio is the award-winning author of "26 Seconds: Grief and Blame in the Aftermath of Losing My Brother in a Plane Crash." D'Antonio is a licensed engineer with expertise in infrastructure design and emergency management and a strong advocate for infrastructure investments, including the Federal Aviation Authority Reauthorization. Shaped by her Italian and Salvadoran parents, Rossana is deeply committed to family which serves as the cornerstone for her lifelong dedication to creating environments where everyone feels safe and protected. She finds peace in Malibu, California, where she resides with her husband, Freddie, and puppy, Luna.

Reviews

[Heather~ Nature.books.and.coffee · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 2008, Rossana’s brother was killed as his plane crashed at Honduras’s Toncontin International Airport. Her grief led her to investigate and find out the truth behind what really caused the crash. She knew that her brother would be to blame, as most pilots are blamed for crashes. Through her research, she uncovers the truth behind the crash, and aviation cover ups.  26 Seconds was an emotional read but also so fascinating and I love that the author used her heartache to fuel her mission for the truth. I myself feel sceptical about aviation safety standards, and I feel that so much more should be done to make flying more safe for all of us. 

Thank you to the publisher, author, and Suzy approved book tours for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

[Stacy40pages · Rating 4 out of 5]

26 Seconds: Grief and Blame in the Aftermath of Losing My Brother in a Plane Crash by Rossana D’Antonio. Thanks to @mindbuckmedia for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rossana D’Angelo takes on the task of investigating the truth behind the TACA Flight 390 plane crash that killed the pilot, her brother, and four others.

I have always had a fascination with the tragedy of plane crashes and how very quickly everything can go wrong. This memoir shows that and everything after. It’s obviously emotional and powerful, as the author grieves but also takes action.

26 Seconds come out 5/13.

[Nursebookie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some books educate you. Others awaken you. 26 Seconds by Rossana D’Antonio does both, with stunning emotional depth and fearless honesty.

When TACA Airlines Flight 390 crashed in Honduras in 2008, five lives were lost, including Rossana’s beloved brother, Cesare, the pilot. In the midst of grief, she made a choice that few could make: to seek the truth when powerful systems demanded silence. What she discovered is nothing short of staggering.

Part memoir, part exposé, 26 Seconds takes readers inside an industry most of us trust implicitly, revealing a pattern of cover-ups, profit-driven decisions, and a culture far too eager to blame pilots for systemic failures. With the meticulous eye of an engineer and the heart of a sister, D’Antonio weaves her investigation with humanity and purpose.

As she draws connections to other major aviation disasters like the “Miracle on the Hudson” and Air France 447, D’Antonio exposes the uncomfortable truth: when lives are on the line, the system often protects itself before it protects its passengers.

Yet at its core, 26 Seconds is not just about tragedy, it’s about resilience, truth, and the power of one woman’s determination to honor her brother’s legacy by demanding accountability. D’Antonio’s prose is sharp yet tender, and every page pulses with moral courage.

This book doesn’t just make you think, it makes you feel. You’ll come away with admiration for the author’s strength and a renewed desire for transparency in the systems we depend on.

[Lucy Ellis-Hardy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't imagine how distressing it must have been for the author and her family to see Cesare's plane wreck on TV and then experience the resulting trauma.  This book is well written,  detailed, and emotional and brought me close to tears many times. Most of all, I feel the author, by exploring all the evidence, most definitely 'looked after her brother' by searching for and demanding the truth.   I was glad to read about Captain Sully and his heroics, and distinctly remember watching this on the TV and thinking how amazing it was.   The case studies of other plane disasters, as well as discussion of Boeing and other plane disasters, added a great deal to this book.  This book is a fitting tribute to Cesare; the author used this tragedy to advocate for aviation safety.  I recommend reading it.

I received an advanced reader copy from Netgallery, and this is my voluntary and honest review.

[Debbie Rozier · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this memoir Rosanna talks about how in protecting her younger brother’s name she learned a much greater lesson.

In 2008, it took 26 seconds for the plane that Cesare was piloting to land and then crash at Toncontin International Airport in Honduras.

Rosanna, who is an engineer, knew that there was a lot more than just pilot error to the crash that killed her brother.

Rosanna shares her memories of her brother as well as her investigation into the root cause of his plane crash.

I learned from this book that there is much more to the term “pilot error” which we seem to hear a lot after a plane crashes.

I also enjoyed the way Rosanna balances her shared family memories while at the same time telling about not just Cesare’s crash, but other air disasters and some more complex explanations of what transpired.

[Sarah Jensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review: 26 Seconds: Grief and Blame in the Aftermath of Losing My Brother in a Plane Crash by Rossana D’Antonio

Rossana D’Antonio’s 26 Seconds is a harrowing yet meticulously introspective memoir that dissects the seismic rupture of losing her brother in the 2008 TACA Airlines Flight 390 crash at Honduras’s Toncontín International Airport. Blending raw emotional testimony with forensic examination of blame—both institutional and personal—D’Antonio constructs a narrative that transcends personal tragedy to interrogate systemic failures, survivor’s guilt, and the elusive nature of closure.

The book’s power lies in its dual narrative architecture. D’Antonio juxtaposes the visceral immediacy of grief (the “26 seconds” that shattered her world) with a slow-burning inquiry into accountability, from airline safety protocols to familial fissures exposed by loss. Her prose oscillates between lyrical anguish (“Grief is a room where the walls keep moving”) and journalistic rigor, particularly in reconstructing the crash’s technical causes and legal aftermath. This duality mirrors the memoir’s central tension: how to mourn while demanding justice.

Structurally, the nonlinear timeline—flashing between childhood memories, the crash’s aftermath, and legal battles—effectively mirrors the disorientation of trauma. However, some readers may find the shifts abrupt, particularly when forensic details intrude on intimate scenes. The author’s vulnerability is staggering, especially in confessing her own complicity in “blame narratives” (e.g., fixating on her brother’s decision to board the flight) as a coping mechanism. These moments elevate the memoir beyond elegy into a universal meditation on how grief distorts logic.

Where 26 Seconds falters slightly is in its uneven pacing; deep dives into aviation policy, while ethically necessary, occasionally dilute the emotional momentum. Yet this is also the book’s radical strength: D’Antonio refuses to let personal tragedy eclipse systemic critique, challenging readers to hold both truths simultaneously.

Rating: 4.3/5

Section Scoring Breakdown:
-Emotional Resonance: 5/5 – A masterclass in articulating ineffable loss.
-Narrative Structure: 4/5 – Innovative but occasionally disjointed chronology.
-Thematic Depth: 4.5/5 – Blends personal and systemic analysis with rare nuance.
-Prose Style: 4/5 – Lyrical yet precise; technical passages may alienate some.
-Originality: 4/5 – Redefines trauma memoir by centering accountability.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author, Rossana D’Antonio, for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Deb Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

26 Seconds: Grief and Blame in the Aftermath of Losing My Brother in a Plane Crash by Rossana D’Antonio is a deeply moving memoir about loss, resilience, and the search for truth.

When Rossana's beloved brother is tragically killed in a devastating plane crash, her world shatters in an instant—just 26 seconds of chaos altering the course of her life forever.

This important story illustrates how unimaginable pain can lead to purpose - and the power to make a difference.

Somewhere up there Cesare is smiling🦋

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This eye-opening look at the aviation industry is told against the facts surrounding the tragic death of the author's airline-pilot brother. An impressive piece of investigative reporting and a moving story of love and loss.

[Tytasia Kiara · Rating 5 out of 5]

26 Seconds by Rossana D’Antonio is an unforgettable memoir that left me both shocked and empowered. D’Antonio shares a deeply personal journey that demonstrates the strength of the human spirit in the face of trauma, injustice, and healing. Her writing is
vulnerable and powerful. Each page was filled with raw emotion and the determination to reclaim her voice.

This book is not just a personal story. It is a message of hope for anyone who has faced indescribable pain. D’Antonio’s courage in telling her story is inspiring beyond words. She reminds us that silence can be broken, and that healing is absolutely possible.

26 Seconds is more than a book. It’s a testament to resilience and gives a voice to the voiceless. This is a must read for anyone navigating a new journey and is seeking truth, justice, and healing. I couldn’t put it down and I won’t ever forget it.

Thank you Net Galley!!!

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC from NetGalley and I thought this was a very well-written, emotional book. Roseann definitely did her research when it came to finding out what happened to her brother’s plane crash, especially when everyone else would just see the news and be struck by it for a couple of days and then move on. This was such an emotional book and really gave insight into air travel which makes us question if we truly are safe on airplanes. If you are interested in air travel I highly recommend this book.

[Marty Ross-Dolen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rosanna D'Antonio has written a gorgeous tribute to her hero, to her brother, in this heart-stopping memoir. 26 Seconds is the work of a determined mind. We as D'Antonio's readers are gifted with the opportunity to follow along and see what happens when a brilliant woman with the brain of a successful civil engineer and the heart of a fiercely protective sister are combined and set in motion. Charged as a child to take care of her beloved, adventurous younger brother, D'Antonio is forced to follow through with this expectation at the worst of times—when he is killed in an airplane accident as the pilot of a commercial jet. When she becomes suspicious of the airlines and its subpar investigation as well as the aviation industry in general, she uses her high-level skills to uncover the truth of what happened to her brother and in doing so clear his name. D'Antonio's readers are fully in the know and along with her on this suspenseful, devastating, and deeply loving journey. I highly recommend this stunning memoir as its own gift to humanity.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

26 Seconds by Rossana D’Antonio is a deeply personal account of the author’s search for answers in the wake of her brother’s death in the crash of an airliner that he was piloting. Her commitment to finding answers is admirable. The writing is precise and interesting enough. Thank you to #netgalley and #shewritespress for the opportunity to preview this book.

[Cassie’s Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

✈️ BOOK REVIEW | 26 Seconds: Grief and Blame in the Aftermath of Losing My Brother in a Plane Crash
by Rossana D’Antonio
Raw. Courageous. Eye-opening. 💔
When Rossana D’Antonio lost her brother, pilot Cesare D’Antonio, in the 2008 TACA Airlines Flight 390 crash, her world shattered in 26 seconds. But her grief transformed into a relentless pursuit of truth. Combining her background as an engineer with the determination of a sister who refuses to accept easy answers, Rossana exposes the hidden realities of aviation safety, systemic negligence, and corporate cover-ups.
This is more than a memoir—it’s a call to accountability. Like Fast Food Nation did for the food industry, 26 Seconds forces readers to confront uncomfortable truths about the systems we trust most. Rossana’s investigation peels back layers of bureaucracy and blame, revealing a culture that too often sacrifices integrity for profit.
It’s part exposé, part emotional journey—and entirely unforgettable. A powerful reminder that grief can ignite change and that seeking justice is its own form of love.
⭐️ My Take:
A haunting, courageous memoir that blends investigative grit with personal heartbreak. For readers who admire Erin Brockovich’s tenacity or Into Thin Air’s investigative depth, this one will stay with you long after the final page.
#BookReview #Memoir #26Seconds #RossanaDAntonio #TrueStory #Aviation #NonfictionReads #InvestigativeMemoir #Bookstagram #ReadersOfInstagram #GriefAndHealing #JusticeForCesare #PlaneCrashTruth #CourageToSpeak

[Leslie Nack · Rating 5 out of 5]

26 seconds starts as a tale by a big sister who lost her pilot-brother in an airline accident, but ends with inspiration and heartfelt passion about aviation safety, truth-telling, safety checks, and why the public should not accept the conclusion of any crash as merely “pilot error” without asking questions that reveal all of the underlying conditions that put that flight in danger. Learning that Boeing and Airbus prioritize money over safety wasn’t a huge surprise. After all, we live in a capitalist society. But that doesn’t mean we have to accept the answers given to the public after a crash that blame “pilot error” as the truth when, in fact, a variety of other reasons planes crash aren’t even listed. Thanks for writing your tragic story of losing your brother, so the rest of us can learn the whole truth. My father died in a small plane he was piloting when the tail came lose and the plane broke up in the air over the jungles of Mexico. I was only 19 years old when it happened, and incapable of wrangling the aviation industries of Mexico and the United States at the time to help find answers to what happened. 26 Seconds makes me realize how much family advocacy is needed to keep the airline industry safer and more honest.

[Babs Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

When TACA Airlines Flight 390 crashes into the second-most dangerous runway in the world, D’Antonio’s deep, personal connection to the story and “26 Seconds” begin. The pilot, her brother Cesare, is being blamed for his overconfidence. As though anyone would want to fly with an underconfident pilot?

Two forces propel D’Antonio into a decade-long investigation of this specific crash, and the airline industry in general. She repeatedly hears her father’s words to watch out and protect her younger, little brother. In addition, D’Antonio is an engineer, experienced on infrastructure with attention to safety and accountability.

Weaving together the systemic coverups in the airline industry together with her loving relationship with Cesare, this memoir is both an expose and a tribute. Readers will be shocked at D’Antonio’s findings. Yet fulfilled as she honors her brother’s life and the contribution his death made to air travel safety.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I consider myself genre-fluid – loving fiction and non-, fairies and friends, melodrama and murder, and everything in between.

As a librarian, this is super helpful, because I can recommend books to just about anyone.

26 Seconds is a fantastic addition to my non-fiction recs as so many of my patrons – mostly older men, but I’m working on it – love technical, but still narrative, non-fiction.

Same, gents. Same.

I loved knowing this was a real story.
I loved(?) seeing how politics, capitalism, and personality coalesced into tragedy.
I loved how the author used her grief – and her expertise – to fight for truth, her brother, and airlines passengers in the face of said tragedy.
I did NOT love how this book did nothing to allay my already heightened flight anxiety.

Eat the Rich & Read this book.

[Lisa Albright · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't read a lot of memoirs, but I'm so glad I had the opportunity to be on the book tour for this one. I loved the juxtaposition of an emotional tribute on a fact finding mission as a way to express grief and hopefully find answers. I found it to be beautifully written, immediately engaging, and impossible to put down. My brain seems to operate in a similar fashion to the author's and I could feel her indescribable pain and also her quest for logical conclusions to explain the tragic event despite the possibility of never knowing exactly what went wrong. The mind needs answers, but the heart just hurts, and a sister desperately misses her little brother.

I received a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Booksandcoffeemx · Rating 4 out of 5]

I once landed at Toncontín International Airport in Honduras, only to find out later that it’s considered one of the most dangerous airports in the world. So I was especially intrigued by this book.

This book is part memoir and part exposé, unflinching, raw, and thought-provoking. With emotion and meticulous detail, we follow Rossana’s journey as she uncovers uncomfortable truths about her brother’s accident and the aviation industry. 26 Seconds is heart-wrenching, moving, and utterly fascinating.

[Christy Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I traveled by plane approximately 50 weeks of each year for work for 20 plus years and for that entire time I didn’t allow myself to pay much attention to plane crashes. I devoured this book without any hesitation since my weekly air travel days are behind me. Rossana did an incredible job of sharing her family’s story. I am equally heartbroken and furious that her beloved brother was put in the position to land under those conditions. I applaud her for shedding light on the situation and for taking so many steps to make lifesaving changes.

[Jude Berman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned a lot from 26 Seconds. While I appreciated it as a tender and engaging memoir about siblings, it is also an investigative powerhouse. So many of us get on and off planes without giving much thought to the deeper workings and culture of the aviation industry--which is crazy when you think about it, especially at a time when FAA-related issues are in the news on a daily basis. A timely read. Highly recommend.

[Sarah W · Rating 4 out of 5]

Non-fiction is not a genre I reach for very often but this one caught my eye and I am so glad I read it. It was really eye-opening when it comes to safety and regulations of the aviation field. I enjoy flying and even had some of the same thoughts Rossana did before her tragedy. She was able to channel her grief into investigating the crash and made huge changes because of it. Some of the facts she uncovered, especially when it comes to investigations, were shocking. It was full of grief and healing while also bringing a spotlight on the safety of airlines.

Thank you @rossanagdantonio @suzyapprovedbooktours for the gifted copy.

[Caroline Connell · Rating 5 out of 5]

26 SECONDS is a heartfelt story of loss and grief and the author's struggle to learn the true cause of her pilot brother's news-breaking airplane crash. I travel and lot and was fascinated by the descriptions of what goes into flying a plane and the coverage of other flight disasters. In the end, 26 SECONDS exposes major flaws in the airline industry.

P.S. Glad Rossana d'Antonio included a Table of Contents: a good addition that laid out the timeline and topics.

[Danielle B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, 26 SECONDS was something completely different for me. This story was eye opening and gut wrenching all at the same time. I am already a nervous flyer but this brought it to a new level for me.

Many thanks to Rossana D’Antonio for my gifted copy.

This review will be shared to my Instagram account (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the future.

[Laura Rockett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a brave and beautiful way to honor the memory of the author’s brother, Captain Cesare D’Antonio. I appreciated the author’s vulnerability and revered her tenacity pursuing the truth even when in the depths of grief.

This is a story that will stay with me, especially when I fly. It’s an important reminder that we must *insist* that those in power and with decision making capabilities take responsibility and be accountable to those they serve. Accidents will continue to happen, but how many could have been avoided?

[Lottie C · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75⭐️

[a copy of this book was provided to me by the published from netgalley. thank you!]

just didn’t pull me in like good memoirs tend to do.