What happens when both a main and reserve parachute catastrophically fail during a routine jump? Join Alice and Zach as they explore an unprecedented skydiving disaster where experienced jumper Victoria Cilliers has a 4,000-foot freefall at terminal velocity. This remarkable case stands alone in British skydiving history—never before had dual parachute failures been recorded in over 2.3 million jumps. While most of our episodes examine accidents caused by mechanical failure or human error, this rare case reveals how a deliberate act of sabotage transformed a highly regulated safety system into a death trap. Discover the forensic investigation that revealed the shocking truth behind this aerial disaster and the aviation safety modifications implemented in its aftermath.

Happy Father's Day to all the amazing dads and dad figures out there—minus the human trash pile we talk about in this episode! Speaking of Father's Day, Alice got Zach a tandem skydive experience as his gift this year. Let's hope it goes better than Victoria's jump!

Sources:

• Love Murder Podcast - Victoria Cilliers case coverage

• Trial by Podcast - Two-part series on the Victoria Cilliers case

• Court records and trial transcripts

• Documentary footage from Channel 4

• Investigative reports from Wiltshire Police

• British Parachute Association incident reports

Find FINAL BOARDING CALL online:

• Website: finalboardingcallpodcast.com

• Instagram: @FinalBoardingCallPod

• Facebook: Final Boarding Call

Credits:

Final Boarding Call is hosted by Alice Stern and Zach Stemas, researched and written by Alice Stern, produced and edited by Alice Stern and Zach Stemas.

On April 7, 1994, what began as a routine FedEx cargo flight from Memphis to San Jose became the scene of an unbelievable battle at 19,000 feet. When flight engineer Auburn Calloway launched a brutal hammer attack on the three-man crew, severely injuring all of them, the pilots fought back in the most extraordinary way imaginable—by using their massive DC-10 cargo jet as a weapon. Discover how these gravely wounded men rolled their aircraft almost upside down at over 400 mph, pushed it beyond all design limits, and ultimately saved their own lives through sheer determination and incredible flying skills. This is one of aviation's most remarkable stories of survival against impossible odds.

SOURCES:

• Mayday: Air Disasters episode "Fight for Your Life"

• Official NTSB report on FedEx Flight 705

• Court records from Auburn Calloway's trial

• Interviews with survivors Dave Sanders, Jim Tucker, and Andy Peterson

• "Hijacked: The True Story of the Heroes of Flight 705" by Dave Hirschman

FIND FINAL BOARDING CALL ONLINE:

• Website: finalboardingcallpodcast.com

• Instagram: @FinalBoardingCallPod

• Facebook: Final Boarding Call

CREDITS:

Final Boarding Call is hosted by Alice Stern and Zach Stemas, researched and written by Alice Stern, produced and edited by Alice Stern and Zach Stemas.

On May 25, 1979, American Airlines Flight 191 lifted off from Chicago's O'Hare Airport only to have its left engine tear completely free from the wing seconds later. In just 31 terrifying seconds, the crippled McDonnell Douglas DC-10 rolled onto its side and plunged to earth, killing all 271 people onboard and 2 more on the ground. Discover how an airline's time-saving maintenance shortcut led to a catastrophic structural failure that changed aviation maintenance practices forever. This harrowing examination of America's deadliest air disaster reveals how a complex chain of design vulnerabilities, maintenance errors, and regulatory oversights culminated in tragedy and permanently altered the public's perception of what was once considered one of the most advanced passenger jets in the world.

Sources:

• "What Caused The Crash Of American Airlines Flight 191?" - Simple Flying, by Jake Hardiman & Luke Bodell, updated February 8, 2024
• "Aircraft Accident Report: American Airlines, Inc., DC-10-10, N110AA, Chicago-O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, Illinois, May 25, 1979" - National Transportation Safety Board, Report Number AAR-79-17
• "American Airlines Flight 191" - Wikipedia article documenting the accident, investigation findings, and aftermath
• "Seconds From Disaster: Chicago Plane Crash" - National Geographic documentary, Season 1, Episode 5
• "Air Disaster: Catastrophe at O'Hare" - Smithsonian Channel documentary examining the crash and investigation
• "Breaking Point" - MSNBC Why Planes Crash series, Season 1, Episode 2
• "Fatal Force: The Crash of American Airlines Flight 191" - FAA Lessons Learned document analyzing maintenance failures

Find FINAL BOARDING CALL online:

• Website: finalboardingcallpodcast.com
• Instagram: @FinalBoardingCallPod
• Facebook: Final Boarding Call

Credits:

Final Boarding Call is hosted by Alice Stern and Zach Stemas, researched and written by Alice Stern, produced and edited by Alice Stern and Zach Stemas.