After the recent failure of the checklist developed at Geneva, Gawande decides to learn more about the airline industry’s checklists. He visits Dan Boorman, a veteran pilot and the man in charge of developing aerospace manufacturer Boeing’s flight manuals. Gawande discovers that in the 200-page manual, only a few pages are dedicated to routine procedures. The remaining pages involve scenarios that have happened, and what one should do in the event of the unexpected. As a case study, Gawande examines a 1989 flight from Hawaii to New Zealand in which the cargo door was not latched properly. He explains the catastrophe that followed, including the nine people who were sucked out of the plane. In the end, the pilots were able to land the plane fast enough to save the other passengers. Boorman has made a profession of studying such disasters, the mistakes that cause them, and the ways in which pilots and attendants can respond if they ever find themselves in similar situations.

Boorman articulates the differences between good and bad checklists. Good checklists are clear and precise, without colors and other distractions. They are practical, guiding pilots through a crisis rather than replacing their own instincts.