Join Alice and Zach as they explore the terrifying power of invisible turbulence. On March 5, 1966, BOAC Flight 911, a Boeing 707, disintegrated in mid-air while flying past Mount Fuji in Japan, killing all 124 people on board. Discover how an attempt to give passengers a scenic view of Japan's iconic mountain led the aircraft directly into catastrophic clear-air turbulence—powerful enough to tear the plane apart despite the seemingly calm, blue skies. Learn about the science behind this invisible danger, how the phenomenon of mountain wave turbulence forms, and why this rare but devastating case challenges the common reassurance that "turbulence alone has never caused a plane crash."

Sources:

Articles and Reports

• "What Caused The Crash Of BOAC Flight 911?" - Jake Hardiman, Simple Flying (February 24, 2025)
• "BOAC Flight 911" - Wikipedia
• "Gravity Waves" - EUMeTrain Meteorological Training Team
• [PDF] BOAC, Boeing 707, G-APFE, accident at the foot of Mount Fuji - Official accident report (BAAA-ACRO)
• "BOAC Flight 911" - Take to the Sky: The Air Disaster Podcast - Stephanie Hubka and Shelley Price

Videos

• "The Mysterious Crash of BOAC Flight 911" - Víctor Vic (YouTube, June 13, 2025)
• "BOAC Flight 911 Crash & Aftermath Footage | 5 March 1966 Mount Fuji" - Plane Crash Investigations (YouTube, March 5, 2025)
• "Plane Disintegrates Mid-air Over Japan - BOAC Flight 911" - Dark Skies (YouTube, May 28, 2024)
• "BOAC Flight 911: The story behind the strangest accident" - History of Aviation (YouTube, June 8, 2025)
• "Turbulence So Bad It Broke The Plane (BOAC Flight 911)" - The Flight Channel (YouTube, October 8, 2022)
• "BOAC 911 Crash Animation: A Detailed Retelling" - saltot_44 (TikTok, May 15, 2025)

Other Sources

• "9568 BOAC Flight 911 Disaster" - PeriscopeFilm Archive Footage
• "BOAC Flight 911 Page 1" - Honolulu Star-Bulletin reproduction via Newspapers.com (May 25, 2023)

Find FINAL BOARDING CALL online:

• Website: finalboardingcallpodcast.com
• Instagram: @FinalBoardingCallPod
• Facebook: Final Boarding Call

Credits:

Final Boarding Call is hosted by Alice Stern and Zach Stemas, researched and written by Alice Stern, produced and edited by Alice Stern and Zach Stemas.