''Mayday'' is a 1979 thriller novel by American author Thomas Block. The novel was updated in 1998 by authors Thomas Block and

Nelson DeMille Nelson Richard DeMille (born August 23, 1943) is an American author of action adventure and suspense novels. His novels include '' Plum Island'', '' The Charm School'', and '' The Gold Coast''. DeMille has also written under the pen names Jack ...

and re-released as a paperback.

Plot summary

A supersonic passenger jet flying over the Pacific Ocean is struck by an errant missile. Due to the effects of decompression and oxygen deprivation, all but a handful are incapacitated. Three survivors must attempt to land the airplane, despite attempts to cover up the disaster.

Film adaptation

''Mayday'' was adapted in a television film that premiered on

CBS-TV CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainmen ...

as a Sunday night movie on October 2, 2005. The movie stars Aidan Quinn, Gail O'Grady, Dean Cain, Charles Dutton, Michael Murphy, and Kelly Hu. The name of the airline in the original novel was Trans-United (a possible merger between TWA and United), but changed in the movie to Pacific Global (a fictional airline from another thriller novel, ''Shadow 81'' by Lucien Nahum). Other differences included navy pilot Peter Matos refusing to destroy the stricken airliner and diverting to an aircraft carrier (he was originally tricked into ditching his plane at sea), Harold Stein staying on board the flight (in the novel, he committed suicide by jumping from the airliner with his wife) and insurer Wayne Metz replaced by Anne Metz.

References

External links

Mayday on Nelson DeMille's Official Website

Mayday on Thomas Block's Official Website
1979 American novels Novels by Nelson DeMille Novels by Thomas Block Aviation novels American novels adapted into films American novels adapted into television shows {{1970s-crime-novel-stub