Today the book Scapegoat: A Flight Crew’s Journey from Heroes to Villains to Redemption was successfully launched. It was nearly four years ago that I first started bouncing around the idea of writing a book about TWA 841. Whenever I get an idea for a potential book project, I ask friends and family for their opinion. The one thing I remember about the responses I got on this project was that everyone told me to focus on the crew. Tell their story is what I heard over and over. So that’s what I tried to do. At the same time, I am challenging the work of a major corporation (Boeing) and a highly regarded government institution (the NTSB). In order to present a compelling case that the original investigators got it wrong, it was also necessary that I provide a thorough review of the evidence along with a detailed explanation of the most likely sequence of events that led to the upset. I did my best to balance both of those needs.
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of the individuals who gave of their time, and in some instances also provided images and other material for the book. Any errors of fact found in the book are mine alone.
So what does an author do after the culmination of four years of hard work to celebrate the launch of a new book? Host a book launch party? Have a big book signing event at the local bookstore? Nope. Today I start three days of recurrent training. So why Scapegoat makes its first few spins around the globe, I’ll be dealing with engine fires, emergency evacuations, and whatever other calamities our instructor decides to throw at us.
Congrats, Emilio. I pray your four years of painstaking efforts researching the material for this much-needed book will finally help clear Hoot’s, Scott’s, and Gary’s names. I’ve read the entire book, and just as you’ve said, ‘Scapegoat’ presents “a compelling case that the original investigators got it wrong … [‘Scapegoat’ contains] a thorough review of the evidence along with a detailed explanation of the most likely sequence of events that led to the upset.” Emilio, you set forth a balanced and fair examination of the facts. This book is a MUST-READ for anyone and everyone who has ever held or currently holds a valid pilot’s license — and for every person who is related in any manner whatsoever to the aviation industry. The pretentious protagonists spewing forth their flawed and even spurious TWA 841 stories circulating around the general aviation industry these past 3+ decades owe Hoot’s family (may God rest his soul), and Scott and Gary a big time apology. Hoot, Scott and Gary are courageous, shining heros.