Nine minutes, twenty seconds : the tragedy and triumph of ASA flight 529

This is not just a book about an airplane crash. It is a story about humanity in the face of adversity -- indeed, sheer terror.

On August 21, 1995, ASA flight 529, a commuter plane with a total of 29 people aboard, experienced catastrophic engine failure, due to a broken propeller blade, after

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takeoff from Atlanta. (Not only was the engine useless, its displacement and disfigurement destroyed the aerodynamic properties of the airplane's left wing, rendering the plane almost impossible to handle.) Nine minutes, twenty seconds later, ASA 529 crashed into a Georgia hayfield. This book is the story of those precious minutes, as well as the circumstances leading up to them and the aftermath of the crash. More importantly, it is the story of the people involved, and how their lives were changed in an instant.

I found this book difficult to put down, even in the midst of a very hectic week in my life. Author Pomerantz introduced me to the people on and connected to this plane, and made me actually care about these total strangers. (I was tearful as I read of the eventual deaths of passengers who initially survived the crash.)

Pomerantz also dscribed, clearly and understandably, the technical issues involved in the airplane's crash. He begins the book by introducing us to the technician who -- following to the letter the (flawed) company procedures he'd been taught, and using to the best of his ability the (inadequate) equipment provided by his employer --inspected and serviced the fatal propeller blade over a year prior to its ultimate failure.

The crash and the moments immediately preceding and following are described in vivid detail. Later, we watch the crash investigation process. We glimpse the terrible suffering of burn recovery; we witness survivor guilt as it drains the spirit of many who made it out alive. We are also introduced to the seamier side of air disasters -- shameless attempts by insurers to limit their liability, and shady tactics by lawyers to snare clients from among the crash survivors and the victims' families. (About a year after this crash, legislation was passed to limit unsolicited contact with aircrash vicitms/families by lawyers for either side.) We also see how, despite the pain, some people manage to take full advantage of a "second chance" at life.

I found this book to be a riveting look at the "big picture" of what's involved in a plane crash.

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