On March 10, 2019, at 05:38 UTC, Ethiopian Airlines flight 302, Boeing 737-8 (MAX), ET-AVJ, took off as a scheduled international flight, from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport bound to Nairobi, Kenya. It departed Addis Ababa with 157 persons on board: 2 flight crew (a Captain and a First Officer), 5 cabin crew and one IFSO, 149 regular passengers. The take-off roll and lift-off was normal, including normal values of left and right angle-of-attack (AOA). Shortly after liftoff, the left Angle of Attack sensor recorded value became erroneous and the left stick shaker activated and remained active until near the end of the recording. In addition, the airspeed and altitude values from the left air data system began deviating from the corresponding right side values. The left and right recorded AOA values began deviating. At 5:40:22, the second automatic nose-down trim activated. Following nose-down trim activation GPWS DON'T SINK sounded for 3 seconds and "PULL UP" also displayed on PFD for 3 seconds. The Captain was unable to maintain the flight path and requested to return back to the departure airport. At 05:43:21, an automatic nose-down trim activated for about 5 s. The stabilizer moved from 2.3 to 1 unit. The rate of climb decreased followed by a descent in 3 s after the automatic trim activation. The descent rate and the airspeed continued increasing. Computed airspeed values reached 500kt, pitch and descent rate values were greater than 33,000 ft/min. Finally; both recorders stopped recording at around 05: 44 the Aircraft impacted terrain 28 NM South East of Addis Ababa near Ejere. All 157 persons on board: 2 flight crew, 5 cabin crew and one IFSO, and 149 regular passengers were fatally injured. The crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 was, after the crash of Lion Air Flight 610 on October 29, 2018, the second crash of a Boeing 737 MAX 8 within a period of 4 months.

Recent foreign air disasters involving Boeing 737 Max airplanes have raised international concern about the safety of that aircraft and passenger airline safety in general. On October 29, 2018, Lion Air flight 610 crashed shortly after departure from Jakarta, Indonesia, killing all 189 on board. On March 10, 2019, Ethiopian Airlines flight 302 crashed shortly after departure from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, reportedly resulting in 157 fatalities. 346 people died on two MAX aircraft within a 5-month period. The book looks at the overall safety, design and development of the Boeing 737 Max.

On 25 January 2010, at 00:41:30 UTC, Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 409, a Boeing 737-800, on its way from Beirut to Addis Abeba, crashed just after take-off from Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut, Lebanon, into the Mediterranean Sea about 5 NM South West of Beirut International Airport. All 90 persons on board were killed in the accident. The investigation concluded that the probable causes of the accident were pilot errors due to loss of situational awareness. Ethiopian Airlines refutes this conclusion. Other factors that could have lead to probable causes are the increased workload and stress levels that have most likely led to the captain reaching a situation of loss of situational awareness similar to a subtle incapacitation and the F/O failure to recognize it or to intervene accordingly. Ethiopian Airlines refutes the investigation. According to the airline the final report was biased, lacking evidence, incomplete and did not present the full account of the accident.

On 29 October 2018, at about 0632 Local Time (23:32 UTC 28 October 2018), a PT Lion Mentari Airlines (Lion Air) Boeing 737-8 (MAX) aircraft registered PK-LQP, was being operated as a scheduled passenger flight from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (WIII), Jakarta with intended destination of Depati Amir Airport (WIPK), Pangkal Pinang, when the aircraft disappeared from radar after informing Air Traffic Controller (ATCo) that they had flight control, altitude and airspeed issues. The aircraft impacted the water in Tanjung Karawang, West Java, all person on board perished and the aircraft destroyed. On 26 October 2018, the SPD (speed) and ALT (altimeter) flags on the Captain's primary flight display first occurred on the flight from Tianjin, China to Manado, Indonesia. Following reoccurrence of these problems, the left angle of attack (AOA) sensor was replaced in Denpasar on 28 October 2018. The installed left AOA sensor had a 21° bias which was undetected during the installation test in Denpasar. The erroneous AOA resulted in different indications during the flight from Denpasar to Jakarta, including IAS (indicated airspeed) DISAGREE, ALT (altitude) DISAGREE, FEEL DIFF PRESS (feel differential pressure) light, activations of Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) and left control column stick shaker which were active throughout the flight. The flight crew was able to stop the repetitive MCAS activation by switched the stabilizer trim to cut out. After landed in Jakarta, the flight crew reported some malfunctions, but did not include the activation of stick shaker and STAB TRIM to CUT OUT. The AOA DISAGREE alert was not available on the aircraft therefore, the flight crew did not report it. The reported problem would only be able to rectify by performing tasks of AOA Disagree. The following morning on 29 October 2019, the aircraft was operated from Jakarta with intended destination of Depati Amir Airport, Pangkal Pinang. According to the DFDR and the CVR, the flight had same problems as previous flight from Denpasar to Jakarta. The flight crew started the IAS DISAGREE Non-Normal Checklist (NNC), but did not identify the runaway stabilizer. The multiple alerts, repetitive MCAS activations, and distractions related to numerous ATC communications contributed to the flight crew difficulties to control the aircraft. The MCAS was a new feature introduced on the Boeing 737-8 (MAX) to enhance pitch characteristics.

Though we routinely take to the air, for many of us flying remains a mystery. Few of us understand the how and why of jetting from New York to London in six hours. How does a plane stay in the air? Can turbulence bring it down? What is windshear? How good are the security checks? Patrick Smith, an airline pilot and author of Salon.com's popular column, "Ask the Pilot," unravels the secrets and tells you all there is to know about the strange and fascinating world of commercial flight. He offers: A nuts and bolts explanation of how planes fly Insights into safety and security Straight talk about turbulence, air traffic control, windshear, and crashes The history, color, and controversy of the world's airlines The awe and oddity of being a pilot The poetry and drama of airplanes, airports, and traveling abroad In a series of frank, often funny explanations and essays, Smith speaks eloquently to our fears and curiosities, incorporating anecdotes, memoir, and a life's passion for flight. He tackles our toughest concerns, debunks conspiracy theories and myths, and in a rarely heard voice dares to return a dash of romance and glamour to air travel.

Chapters 1 and 2 explore the Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 accidents, the resulting international grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, and actions needed to ensure the safety of the aircraft before returning them to revenue service. Because of apparent similarities in factors that may have contributed to the Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 accidents, the FAA Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety established a Joint Authorities Technical Review (JATR) to review the type certification of the flight control system on the B737 MAX. Chapter 3 discusses the recommendations pertaining to that review.