Airframe by Michael Crichton

The provided text details a crisis at Norton Aircraft following a severe in-flight incident on Transpacific Flight 545, an N-22 widebody jet, which resulted in fatalities and numerous injuries. Casey Singleton, a Quality Assurance representative on the Incident Review Team, investigates the cause while the company battles negative media coverage and union disputes related to an alleged outsourcing of manufacturing to China. The narrative highlights the conflict between corporate interests, journalistic sensationalism, and the pursuit of truth regarding aviation safety. Ultimately, the investigation reveals the incident was due to pilot error stemming from an unqualified individual being allowed to fly the aircraft, rather than a design flaw, a truth that faces resistance from the media due to its less sensational nature.