Airline Crashes meticulously examines major U.S. airline disasters and their profound influence on aviation safety. By dissecting events like the Tenerife airport disaster and the United Airlines Flight 232 "Sioux City crash," the book reveals how accident investigation reports and subsequent regulatory changes have reshaped air travel. It highlights the critical role of the NTSB in identifying root causes, ranging from mechanical failures to pilot error, and how these findings spurred advancements in aviation regulations and technology.

The book uniquely integrates technical analysis with historical and regulatory perspectives, demonstrating how tragedies have served as catalysts for progress. It explores the evolution of aviation safety across the 20th and 21st centuries, emphasizing the interplay between technological advancement and regulatory oversight.

The analysis progresses chronologically, beginning with the early days of commercial aviation and then presenting in-depth case studies, each followed by an examination of the resulting regulatory and technological shifts, ultimately addressing contemporary challenges and future directions in aviation safety.