Hello everybody. This is Jennifer Matterese, and before we get started, I would just like to say a huge thank you to Jamie for the choice of today's subject.

It's actually one of my favorite episodes of Air Crash Investigations, so I was thrilled to be able to get to cover it for the Kickstarter.

I'd also like to issue a trigger warning for some graphic descriptions of the victims in

an air disaster.

And with that in mind, thank you very much for listening, and welcome to disaster area.

Episode 26.

Aeromexico Flight 498.

August 31st, 1986.

82 deceased, eight injured.

In so many disasters, the loss of life and property depends on many people being in one place at the wrong time.

But in the case of Aero-Mexico Flight 498, the tragedy which befell it came due to too many people being in too many wrong places at the same wrong time.

Now, because of that, it's a lot like setting up a play.

You need to know where everybody is and who's involved.

First of all, one person that you need to know, probably more than anybody else, is Walter White.

Now, when I say the name Walter White's, I'm sure that a lot of you

immediately think of Breaking Bad. This particular Walter White doesn't really have a lot in common

with that Walter White except for one common denominator. They both played a part in the same

sort of major tragedy.

Now, this particular Walter White was 35 years old and had been a federal air traffic controller for six years.

He held a bachelor's in professional aeronautics and a master's degree in business, so he's

very well educated.

He'd spent three years in the Army as an air traffic controller, and he held both a master's degree in business, so he's very well educated. He'd spent three years in the Army as

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