Final Boarding Call

Final Boarding Call

Alice Stern

Episodes 64
Avg. Duration 52m
Activity Highly Active
Apple Rating 4.3 (8)
Since Mar 2025
Latest Episode Jun 2026

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Schedule
Weekly
Format
Episodic
Consistency
100%
Hosting
feeds.captivate.fm

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About This Podcast

Final Boarding Call dives into the true stories of aviation disasters, survival tales, and near misses that have shaped history. Hosted by Alice, a disaster-obsessed frequent flyer, and her reluctant, homebody husband Zach, each episode explores the history, mechanics, and human decisions behind these harrowing events. Through meticulous research and compelling storytelling, we examine how small oversights and miscommunications can cascade into catastrophe, revealing the fragility of complex systems and celebrating the heroism that emerges in crisis. From ghost planes circling on autopilot to pilots sucked out of windshields at 17,000 feet, we unpack these incidents with equal parts fascination and respect for the lessons they've taught us. So stow your tray tables, fasten your seatbelts, and prepare for turbulence—because not every trip reaches its final destination.

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Recent Episodes

Piedmont Flight 22

Jun 10, 2026 46m Transcript

On July 19, 1967, Piedmont Airlines Flight 22 collided in midair with a small Cessna over the mountains of North Carolina, killing everyone aboard both aircraft — directly above a children's summer…

Air Algérie Flight 6289

Jun 03, 2026 46m Transcript

On March 6, 2003, Air Algérie Flight 6289 crashed roughly thirty seconds after takeoff from Tamanrasset Airport in the Sahara Desert, killing 102 people. Discover how an engine failure—the kind of…

CSX 8888: The Crazy Eights Incident

May 27, 2026 57m Transcript

On May 15, 2001, an experienced freight engineer steps down from his locomotive in a rural Ohio rail yard to fix a misaligned switch. He's done this kind of work for thirty-five years, the train is…

Northwest Airlink Flight 5719

May 20, 2026 45m Transcript

On December 1, 1993, Northwest Airlink Flight 5719 crashed three miles short of its destination in northern Minnesota, killing all 18 people aboard. The weather wasn't extreme. The aircraft wasn't…

TACA Flight 110

May 13, 2026 51m Transcript

What happens when a brand-new Boeing 737 flies into a hailstorm so violent that both engines die in the same instant, 16,500 feet above the Gulf Coast? Join Alice and Zach as they explore the 1988…

Malaysia Airlines Flight MH134

May 06, 2026 45m Transcript

On the night of July 18, 2018, a Malaysia Airlines Airbus A330 pushed back from Brisbane Airport carrying 215 passengers bound for Kuala Lumpur. Within seconds of takeoff, every airspeed display in…

The Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster

Apr 29, 2026 57m Transcript

On a cold January morning in 1986, a launch that had been promoted as a celebration of science and education went catastrophically wrong in front of a watching nation. But the real story of this…

Trans-Colorado Airlines Flight 2286

Apr 22, 2026 59m Transcript

On January 19, 1988, a twin-engine commuter plane descended through an overcast Colorado night toward a mountain valley and struck a ridge twelve miles from the runway at Durango. The pilots were…

Air Astana Flight 1388

Apr 15, 2026 53m Transcript

What happens when maintenance technicians reverse a single set of cables, turning a routine ferry flight into a two-hour battle for survival? Join Alice and Zach as they explore the harrowing story…

China Eastern Airlines Flight 5735

Apr 08, 2026 50m Transcript

On March 21, 2022, a Boeing 737 carrying 132 people entered a near-vertical dive over southern China. Forty minutes into a routine one-hour flight, it was gone — no mayday call, no distress signal,…

Ram 2500 and 3500 Transmission Fires

Apr 01, 2026 43m Transcript

What happens when America's best-selling heavy-duty truck develops a flaw that can turn a routine highway drive into a fireball? Join Alice and Zach as they investigate a design defect that left Ram…

US Airways Flight 1549

Mar 25, 2026 59m Transcript

What happens when a flock of birds turns an ordinary winter flight into a 208-second race against physics? Join Alice and Zach as they explore the incredible story of US Airways Flight 1549, where…

Eastern Air Lines Flight 212

Mar 18, 2026 50m Transcript

On September 11, 1974, Eastern Air Lines Flight 212 crashed three miles short of the runway in Charlotte, North Carolina, killing 72 people. The cause wasn't mechanical failure or bad weather — it…

Amelia Earhart

Mar 11, 2026 1h Transcript

What happens when one of history's most celebrated aviators attempts to circumnavigate the globe and vanishes without a trace? Join Alice and Zach as they investigate the extraordinary life and…

United Airlines Flight 585 / USAir Flight 427

Mar 04, 2026 41m Transcript

In the early 1990s, two Boeing 737s fall out of clear skies moments before landing. One in Colorado Springs. One outside Pittsburgh. In both cases, the crews are experienced professionals flying…

JetBlue Flight 1954

Feb 25, 2026 51m Transcript

On February 15, 2019, a routine JetBlue flight from San Juan to Fort Lauderdale gained an unexpected passenger when a mother went into labor at 30,000 feet. With no hospital, no surgical team, and no…

The Überlingen Mid-Air Collision

Feb 18, 2026 54m Transcript

On July 1, 2002, two aircraft collided at 36,000 feet over southern Germany, claiming 71 lives—including 45 Russian schoolchildren on what should have been the trip of a lifetime. Discover how a…

The Olympic, Titanic and Brittanic

Feb 11, 2026 1h 5m Transcript

Three people survived the Olympic collision in 1911, the Titanic sinking in 1912, and the Britannic disaster in 1916. Six months later, two of them were on the same ship when a German torpedo struck.…

JetBlue Flight 1230

Feb 04, 2026 56m Transcript

On October 30, 2025, a JetBlue flight from Cancun suddenly dove without warning, slamming passengers into the cabin ceiling and hospitalizing 15 people. The pilots hadn't touched the controls. The…

Alaska Airlines Flight 261

Jan 28, 2026 52m Transcript

When a critical component fails at 31,000 feet, Alaska Airlines Flight 261 becomes a desperate battle against physics itself. Two veteran pilots attempt something never before tried in commercial…

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Final Boarding Call have?

Final Boarding Call has published 64 episodes since March 2025, covering topics in History, Science.

Is Final Boarding Call still active?

Final Boarding Call is currently highly active with new episodes weekly. Average episode length is 52m.

How do I contact Final Boarding Call for sponsorship or guest appearances?

Sign up on Grep.FM to access contact details for Final Boarding Call, including email and social media links.

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