Flight #116 Is Down!

Using her trademark lightning pace, Cooney depicts the drama and human interest inherent in disaster. A full 747 jetliner crashes late one Saturday night in the tiny upstate New York town of Nearing Falls. The rescue crew, including teen ambulance drivers and paramedics, must battle prejudice, resentment and fear to discover their own brand of bravery. Cooney ( Don't Blame the Music ) captures the lives of both rescuers and passengers with a facile but not unpleasant touch. Her cast includes several conventionally troubled youths, including two brothers en route to their father's second wedding, a spoiled and glamorous rich kid and a runaway on her way home. The author's fluid command of action and suspense, however, redeems these stylistic shortcomings. Like The Poseidon Adventure and Airport , this story will keep even the least bookish readers glued to their seats. Ages 12-up. (Mar.)