On January 30, 1974, the pilot of a Pan American World Airlines Boeing 707 jet carrying 101 passengers and crew flew his plane into the jungle instead of the airport at Pago Pago, Samoa. Although everyone on board survived the impact, 97 people perished in the ensuing fire. Four survived to tell of it.

What caused the crash? What prevented the 97 passengers from escaping the intact fuselage with their lives? Why was the wreck bulldozed and buried before it could be examined? Why was the co-pilot's deathbed statement never recorded? Why did the survivors and the families of the dead have to wait more than ten years for compensation, despite the fact that Pan American was found guilty of "willful misconduct" after the longest and most expensive trial in aviation history?

That is the story William Norris tells. It is a triumph of investigative journalism by a man whose outrage grew as he followed the trail of evidence, dug beneath the cover-ups, and came to know personally most of the people involved. The result is a gripping tale, full of fascinating characters, human tragedy, and courtroom drama to beggar Perry Mason.