How volcanic ash can bring down an airplane

When Indonesia’s Mount Sinabung erupted on Monday morning, the volcano spewed a roiling cloud of ash and gases more than 23,000 feet into the air. The eruption prompted a “red notice” for the aviation industry, alerting pilots to the ash cloud so they could steer clear of it. But could tiny particles of volcanic ash really bring down an airplane?Absolutely. In fact, the mixture of crushed rocks, gases, and tiny shards of glass in a volcanic ash cloud can sandblast the plane&rs