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
Podcast Episodes
Qantas data hits the dark web [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:57
Just when Qantas thought the saga of its frequent flyer hack might be over, a fresh headache has hit the Flying Kangaroo as online miscreants published the stolen data on the dark web. The airline is warning customers to…
Making airports autism-friendly [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:42
While most of us can navigate airports without a second thought, those with disabilities can find it much more difficult – and people who have hidden disabilities like autism face their own unique challenges. As airports…
Qantas' fleet future takes flight [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:48
It's finally here – the biggest change to Qantas' domestic fleet in decades. The new A321XLR has joined the national carrier with its first commercial flight, and with 48 on order to replace the ageing 737-800s, it's the…
Cyber chaos at Europe's big airports [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:34
Spare a thought for anyone who's tried to get to or from Europe this week – not only is a "super typhoon" wreaking havoc in Hong Kong, but a massive ransomware attack over the weekend crippled several major airports in E…
E2, flown home [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:31
After almost 30 years in service, Virgin Australia Regional Airlines is finally allowing its old Fokkers to retire with the arrival of the Embraer E190-E2, the first of which touched down from Brazil this month. With an…
'Keep going until you can't' [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:39
From joy-rides in a Mirage III fighter jet at age seven, to selling her home to help pay for flight lessons, to flying for Rex and eventually becoming one of the faces of Virgin Australia, Captain Michelle Huntington has…
The most wonderful time of the (financial) year [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:48
The sound of investor presentations and ASX releases can only mean one thing: results season has come again, bringing joy and cheer to all the good shareholders of the land – especially those who've invested in airlines.…
Should Qantas trim back its beard ban? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:41
As it recovers from massive fines and reputational headaches, Qantas has a new hairy problem to deal with over its move to make QantasLink flight crews adopt the same grooming standards as mainline Qantas and Jetstar pil…
Has Qantas learned its lesson? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:49
It's the largest corporate fine for industrial relations breaches in Australian history: a mammoth $90 million, handed down to Qantas for the illegal outsourcing of around 1,800 ground workers during the pandemic – on to…