In this chilling episode of The Black Box Aviation Podcast, Tom and Mike take listeners back to one of the most haunting winter aviation disasters in U.S. history — Air Florida Flight 90, the Boeing 737 that crashed into the icy Potomac River moments after takeoff from Washington National Airport in 1982.

This episode explores how improper de-icing, pilot error, and misjudged procedures led to tragedy — and how brave civilians and first responders turned a day of horror into a story of heroism and sacrifice.

Tom, an active airline pilot, also revisits key winter operations procedures from last week’s episode — including de-icing fluids, taxi operations in snow, and engine anti-ice techniques — breaking down what went wrong that fateful day and what modern crews do differently now.

🧊 Inside This Episode:

• The deadly chain of errors behind Flight 90’s failed takeoff

• Why winter ops training is critical for every airline pilot

• Heroic rescues from the frozen Potomac that inspired the nation

• How Air Florida’s mistakes reshaped cold-weather flight protocols

✈️ Hosted by Tom & Mike, your go-to aviation duo for real talk about flight, safety, and the stories that changed the skies.

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