Human Error

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY 2 DEC 1996

A seasoned pilot faces dramatic upheavals in his personal and professional life in the wake of a major airline crash in this timely debut by American Airlines pilot Casey. A trans-Atlantic airliner crashes during an emergency landing at New York's Kennedy Airport, killing 45 passengers. The questions that come up in the official inquiry are the same questions the pilot, 43-year-old Hugo Price, harbors in his heart: Did his personal problems affect his ability to fly? Price's marriage has been crumbling. His wife, Lydia, a self-abusive, alcoholic ex-cellist who has suffered a nervous breakdown, moves into a lesbian involvement with a friend in California. In the meantime, Price begins a serious relationship with his co-pilot, Sarah McClure, with whom he was already in love when he pulled her from the wreckage of the ill-fated plane. Divorce proceedings contribute to Price's psychological trauma, but a six-month suspension based on a judgment of mechanical failure and weather contribution leads to the vivid reconstruction of the accident in a flight simulator, restoring Price's confidence. Casey's charged description of the crash investigation illuminates the workings of commercial airlines and their inquiry boards. While the examination of Price's marriage, sometimes slows the velocity, in general, this is an event-filled ride.