DC8 Paranational Zulu Delta is on the last leg of a routine flight into Wellington. Captain Harry Standard has already started the procedure for descent.
Frank Newton, a New Zealand vet in a private Cessna, has taken off and is climbing steadily. In cloud, he is flying on instruments under the guidance of Wellington Ground Control. At 4:46 they will collide.
Airscream is a compelling and all-too-plausible novel whose action is sparked off by the worst aviation disaster in New Zealand's history: a horrifying mid-air collision over Wellington between a giant, government-owned passenger jet and a small private plane. Behind it the twisted, burning fuselage leaves a trail of carnage--and no survivors.
The investigation into the cause of the crash is of national importance, not only because New Zealand has never before been faced with such a major air accident, but also, and more crucially, because the government has its own reasons for wanting any suggestion of blame shifted onto Frank Newton, the deceased pilot of the private plane.
In a courageous attempt to clear her husband's name and see justice done, Newton's wife is thrust into battle against the airline, the government and the overwhelming complexities of big business, all of which aim to protect their own vested interests with every ounce of power they can wield. The legal tangles and courtroom statesmanship, the political intrigue and startling revelations concerning air crew and ground staff all build to a shattering climax that makes the aftermath of the disaster as powerful and shocking as the event itself.
