Captain Richard de Crespigny is the Qantas pilot who safely landed Qantas Flight 32 on November 4, 2010, after one of its engines exploded shortly after takeoff, tearing through vital systems and leaving hundreds of lives in his hands.
A former Royal Australian Air Force pilot and senior captain on the Airbus A380, de Crespigny has since become one of the world’s leading voices on crisis leadership and aviation safety.
When a plane begins to break apart in midair, survival depends on split-second decisions, mechanical precision, and the steady hand of the captain. But what actually happens in the cockpit when things go catastrophically wrong — and how do pilots train for the unimaginable?
De Crespigny speaks with Business Insider about how he safely landed the plane and evacuated 440 passengers and 29 crew after an engine failure. He also explains how safe manufacturers like Boeing and Airbus are.
Now retired from commercial flying, de Crespigny continues to advocate for safety and resilience in aviation. He hosts the podcast “Fly,” in which he shares insights from decades in the sky.
For more:
De Crespigny’s podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/33NHiXAqZxw8Lg9OChadgQ?si=c5cf70ce058a467d&nd=1&dlsi=17ff32bb686e4d54
De Crespigny’s books:
https://www.penguin.com.au/books/fly-9780670078738
