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The Black Box Aviation Podcast
The Black Box Aviation Podcast
Aviation related topics brought to you by airline pilots, military pilots and professional aviation experts. In Aviation Podcast discussions including personal experience involving life as a professional aviator, the airline industry and everything else that comes with the curiosity of flying.
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Nov. 13, 2025

❄️ Tragedy on the Potomac: Air Florida Flight 90 and the Deadly Dangers of Winter Ops

❄️ Tragedy on the Potomac: Air Florida Flight 90 and the Deadly Dangers of Winter Ops

In this chilling episode of The Black Box Aviation Podcast, Tom and Mike take listeners back to one of the most haunting winter aviation disasters in U.S. history — Air Florida Flight 90, the Boeing 737 that crashed into the icy Potomac River moments after takeoff from Washington National Airport in 1982.

This episode explores how improper de-icing, pilot error, and misjudged procedures led to tragedy — and how brave civilians and first responders turned a day of horror into a story of heroism and sacrifice.

Tom, an active airline pilot, also revisits key winter operations procedures from last week’s episode — including de-icing fluids, taxi operations in snow, and engine anti-ice techniques — breaking down what went wrong that fateful day and what modern crews do differently now.

🧊 Inside This Episode:

  • The deadly chain of errors behind Flight 90’s failed takeoff

  • Why winter ops training is critical for every airline pilot

  • Heroic rescues from the frozen Potomac that inspired the nation

  • How Air Florida’s mistakes reshaped cold-weather flight protocols

✈️ Hosted by Tom & Mike, your go-to aviation duo for real talk about flight, safety, and the stories that changed the skies.

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