How QF32 beat the 'black swan'

How QF32 beat the 'black swan'

Author: Momentum Media December 23, 2025 Duration: 51:21

It could have been Australia's worst-ever airline disaster – but it wasn't. When an engine exploded aboard Qantas flight 32 in 2010, its crew were faced with a "black swan" event, one so unthinkable they could not possibly prepare for it.

With critical systems in chaos and hundreds of lives at stake, the A380's crew, led by Captain Richard de Crespigny, had to figure out how to get the plane safely back on the ground … and over the course of several harrowing hours, they succeeded.

Not only did the team save the aircraft with the odds stacked against them, but they got every single soul off the aircraft without even one injury, cementing QF32's place in the aviation history books for all the right reasons.

In this week's Australian Aviation Podcast, Captain de Crespigny tells Jake Nelson the story of QF32, 15 years on – and what it taught him about the value of resilience.


You'll find the Australian Aviation Podcast Network right at the intersection of runway tarmac and boardroom strategy. Produced by Momentum Media, this collection of shows digs into the stories that define flight in this part of the world, moving well beyond the headlines. Each episode feels like a hangar chat with the people who know the industry best-pilots, engineers, executives, and analysts-offering a grounded perspective on everything from the engineering marvels of new aircraft to the complex logistics of running an airline. We explore the sheer joy and freedom of recreational flying just as deeply as the tough commercial decisions that keep the sector aloft. Whether it's a discussion on sustainable fuel technologies, the revival of regional routes, or the history behind a beloved aircraft type, the conversation is always driven by genuine curiosity. Tune in for clear, informed talk that connects the dots between the business of aviation and the passion that fuels it, all delivered with a distinct Aussie lens. This podcast network is for anyone who feels that lift of anticipation when an aircraft throttles down the runway, or who simply wants to understand the forces that shape how we connect across this vast continent and beyond.
Author: Language: en-au Episodes: 100

Australian Aviation Podcast Network