How TurbineWire verifies an event
What we cover
Accidents, serious incidents, and safety-significant events involving widebody and narrowbody transport jets and comparable business jets. Not general aviation, not rumor-only threads. If it wouldn't make Steve pause mid-coffee, it's probably out of scope.
Confidence labels
| Label | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Developing | Early; facts may change; thin sourcing. |
| Reported | Credible secondary sources agree; no official word yet. |
| Confirmed | Primary or official corroboration (investigator, operator, authority notice). |
We never mark an event Confirmed from social media alone — Steve's rule, carved on the desk.
Source ladder
- Tier A — primary/official: investigation authorities, civil aviation authorities, operator newsrooms, airport notices.
- Tier B — strong secondary: reputable aviation and general press, flight-tracking data.
- Tier C — leads only: posts on X and other social platforms. Used to find stories, not to state facts.
Before we publish
- Aircraft type and operator checked against at least one solid source.
- Known vs unknown separated; no speculation on cause.
- No victim names unless officially released; no humiliating passenger media.
- Every source linked and tiered.
- Steve reads it once more — then the stamp.
Corrections
Updates and corrections are timestamped on the entry. Status labels can move up or down. Mistakes happen; burying them doesn't.