In this episode, I talk with Mike Nelson, the author of a book titled “We Are Going In” A book about the June 30, 1956, midair collision between a United DC 7 and a TWA Constellation over the Grand Canyon.
Mike’s uncle was one of the victims of the Grand Canyon plane crash. A devastating crash that helped change the way we fly today.
Last year I came across Mike’s book while on tour to the Grand Canyon. The following day he was going to do a presentation. I was unable to make it back up for that so I sent him an email asking questions and getting some nice replies. I ordered the book and almost immediately devoured it.
Mike’s book Wee Are Going In” walks us through the entire flight from start to finish and then on to the rescue and recovery. He puts us in the aircraft(s) and we meet the some of the people on the doomed flights.
Then he takes us for a look at how air travel was like back then. The grandeur of it as well as the danger, open skies and how the planes communicated and were tracked or not tracked. As compared to today’s world of aviation where every moment of the flight is tracked.
He talks about the different theories that have been created about what might have happened and why. Looking at them from an outsider’s point of view.
I call it the “Twilight Zone” method of description. Stopping in a moment of time and examining the surroundings and explaining the theories as we also look at the location and what was all going on or should be going on.
As if we stopped time for a moment and looked into the windows of the planes to see what everyone was doing.
I found that to be a fascinating way to look at this tragedy. I hope you do too!
- To order the book or get more information: We Are Going In
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