The One Eyed Pilot's Grass Levee Landing
Jul 30, 2026 ยท 26m
Topics discussed
Immersive scenario: The terrifying moment of engine failure
Introduction to TACA Flight 110 and the aviation mystery
Setting the stage: The new plane and passenger Lee Burmeister
Captain Dardano's backstory: Civil war hero and one-eyed pilot
Why the radar missed the storm: X-band physics and hail
Entering the storm: Dual engine failure and APU restart
The hot start: Understanding engine anatomy and self-destruction
The final approach: Rejecting the highway and choosing the canal
The legendary sideslip: Landing on the grass levee
The bizarre epilogue: Flying the plane off NASA's lawn
Investigation begins: Testing engines at GE and finding no damage
The breakthrough: Black box data reveals low engine power
The physics of failure: Centrifugal force and low-speed ingestion
The fix: Engine modifications and industry-wide retrofit
Legacy and reflection: Heroes, lessons, and hidden dangers
Listen ad-free on Castria