In '' Airframe '' , as in most of his novels , Crichton uses the false document literary device , presenting numerous technical documents to create a sense of authenticity . He also takes great pains to be as accurate as possible in the novel 's technical details . When the characters discuss how unfavorable media coverage can be the undoing of a perfectly good aircraft , his account of the American Airlines Flight 191 crash and its causes are consistent with the known facts at the time the novel was written . In an interview with the '' Los Angeles Times '' , Crichton said that he drew upon the National Transportation Safety Board 's aircraft accident report archives during his writing process , calling them " an unbelievable trove . " As a result , the N-22 accident described in the novel resembles two real-life cases : '' Airframe '' received generally positive reviews . In her '' San Francisco Chronicle '' review , Patricia Holt called it " classic Crichton , " adding that readers will be " surprised , satisfied and even a bit better informed at the end . " '' The New York Times ' '' Christopher Lehmann-Haupt said of the novel , " By playing hide and seek with his plot , Mr. Crichton writes as if he were an engineer and his readers were all outsiders . Yet at the same time , he has taken on a complex subject in '' Airframe '' and made its subtleties dramatically vivid . " Tom De Haven of '' Entertainment Weekly '' praised Crichton 's research , saying , " I bet Michael Crichton was a kid who did his homework every night — and not only did it , but triple-checked it , made sure there were no smudges on the paper , then presented it to the teacher between card-stock covers secured with shiny brass fasteners . " '' The Boston Globe 's Nancy Harris '' commended Crichton on his ability to simplify the technical intricacies of aviation , calling '' Airframe '' a " very readable book . " Reviews tempered their praise with criticism of Crichton 's writing style . De Haven took issue with the novel 's use of genre clichés and " the clunkiest of plot gimmicks . " Holt called it " formulaic but hard to put down " and described its characters as " cardboard . " Lehmann-Haupt went even further , saying , " When you finish the novel and ask yourself why you end up feeling both entertained and frustrated , you are forced to reflect that a writer clever enough to bring such material to life ought to have been able to tell his story without playing manipulative games with the reader . " Though the central accident in '' Airframe '' primarily resembles China Eastern Airlines Flight 583 and Aeroflot Flight 593 , Mark Lawson of '' The Guardian '' accused Crichton and his publishers of trying to capitalize on a different airplane disaster . Lawson notes that the novel was " loaded into airport bookstores shortly after the TWA 800 flight went down in the Atlantic , " adding , " Crichton 's profile as a writer depends on ... extreme topicality . "
TWA 800 flight
TWA Flight 800
Airframe (novel)