Cert 16Cert 16A massive explosion tears a hole in a 747 over Hawaii, and the trail of clues ultimately leads investigators to a catastrophic short circuit.
While landing at a notoriously tricky Alaskan island airport, the pilots of a twin turboprop can’t stop their plane.
After a DC-8 cargo plane with only three working engines crashes on takeoff in Kansas City, investigators uncover a flaw in the pilots’ training.
Investigators must turn to 3D technology to determine why two float planes carrying tourists collided above a spectacular Alaskan waterfall.
Solving the crash of China Airlines Flight 676 hinges on 11 baffling seconds when neither pilot controls the airplane.
After Colgan Air 9446 crashes off Cape Cod, investigators must determine what brought down a widely-used commuter aircraft in under three minutes.
Three hundred people are killed in one of the deadliest aviation accidents of all time after a fire breaks out on board Saudia Flight 163.
With rising young football star Emiliano Sala on board, a chartered Piper Malibu suddenly disappears from radar over the English Channel.
When Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashes shortly after takeoff, the catastrophe leads to the grounding of the entire Boeing 737 MAX 8 fleet.
Corporate Airlines 5966 crashes mysteriously in Missouri, but investigators uncover a conversation in the cockpit that set the tone for disaster.
Careening into a mountaintop just minutes from the runway, an American charter flight becomes the worst aviation disaster in Portuguese history.
Slamming into a mountain, Japan Airlines 123 becomes the deadliest single aircraft accident in history, and threatens to ground 747s worldwide.
After losing both engines, a turboprop crashes in Papua New Guinea and investigators soon uncover a deadly flaw in an aircraft used around the world.
A Kazakh crew manage to land an uncontrollable aircraft and investigators must determine how a freshly-serviced plane was released with a fatal flaw.
When the cockpit window of Sichuan Airlines 8633 explodes, the crew somehow battles gale-force winds and oxygen deprivation to safely land the plane.
When a UK billionaire and his family die in an Australian seaplane crash, investigators uncover a minor maintenance issue with deadly consequences.
The plan to save a Bulgarian airliner hinges on convincing the violent hijackers that their demands have been met before the plane runs out of fuel.
An Amazon cargo plane nosedives into a swamp outside Houston, the evidence eventually leads investigators to a pilot with a long history of failures.
Evidence from the disappearance of EgyptAir Flight 804 leads investigators to theorize different causes for the plane’s spiral into the Mediterranean.
Flydubai Flight 981 nosedives into the runway at Russia’s Rostov airport. And investigators uncover one of the most lethal traps in aviation.
Holding Pattern: When Flydubai Flight 981 nosedives into Rostov Airport's runway, investigators uncover one of the most lethal traps in aviation. All ages. (S21, ep 1)
Holding Pattern: When Flydubai Flight 981 nosedives into Rostov Airport's runway, investigators uncover one of the most lethal traps in aviation. All ages. (S21, ep 1)
A Martinair flight crashes in Portugal amid thunderstorms and heavy rain, and when investigators piece together the evidence the mystery only deepens.
Peril Over Portugal: A Martinair flight crashes in Portugal amid thunderstorms, and when investigators gather the evidence the mystery only deepens. All ages. (S21, ep 2)
When a two-billion-dollar Stealth Bomber crashes in Guam, it’s up to the US Air Force to investigate the most expensive aviation accident of all time.
Rocked by an explosion that rips both right wing engines off the wing, the pilots of Transair 671 manage a miraculous landing at a French military airfield.
Double Trouble: Rocked by an explosion that rips both right wing engines off the wing, the pilots of Transair 671 manage a miraculous landing. All ages. (S21, ep 4)
When Alaska Airlines Flight 261 suddenly nosedives into the Pacific, investigators uncover a critical maintenance issue with deadly implications.
After a Boeing 727’s near-fatal nosedive over Michigan, investigators risk their own lives to determine why TWA Flight 841 fell out of the sky.
Facing a severe thunderstorm and a control tower shutdown, American Airlines 1572 suffers double-engine failure on final approach into Windsor Locks Airport in Connecticut.
An Illinois turboprop crashes in bad weather, and investigators eventually uncover a fatal assumption and deadly decision.
After a turboprop crashes in North Carolina, investigators resort to a risky test flight—and uncover an industry-wide safety problem.
When basketball legend Kobe Bryant is killed in a helicopter crash in Los Angeles, investigators look for clues amid a global outpouring of grief.
A turboprop narrowly averts disaster after a lightning strike over the North Sea. Investigators uncover an unusual feature in the plane that plays a key role in this calamity.
TPA private jet slams into an Ohio apartment building, and the NTSB eventually uncovers an erratic descent, a puzzling delay, and a tragic perfect storm.
TPAn early-morning flight from Lexington, Kentucky ends in disaster when a twin-engine jet careens off the tarmac.
TPIndonesian investigators must determine why a Boeing 737 Max8-one of the best-selling new airplanes on Earth-plunged into the Java Sea.
A mid-air explosion rocks Southwest Airlines 1380. While pilots struggle to regain control, flight attendants make a horrifying discovery.
TPTPLanding at one of the world's most challenging airports, a passenger plane comes in like a fighter jet, skids off the runway, and bursts into flames.
TPAfter losing two engines near enemy territory, US Air Force pilots abort their refuelling mission and attempt to land their damaged plane.
A commuter turboprop slams into the side of a hill in New Zealand, and the search for answers inevitably leads to the cockpit.
Facing a cascade of failures and an engine fire, a turboprop is just seconds from the tarmac in Montreal when it flips over and crashes to the ground.
When a cargo plane crashes in Alabama, investigators must take an unusual approach to determine what happened on board UPS Flight 1354.
A Pakistani airliner crashes in the Himalayas. And when their most vital piece of evidence fails to deliver, investigators scramble to find answers.
A cargo jet plummets to earth in the Swedish Arctic. And as investigators pore over the evidence, a terrifying picture of chaos and confusion emerges.
After a routine landing, a Taiwanese commuter plane is rocked by a massive explosion, but investigators find no evidence of a bomb on board.
Blanketed by confusion and heavy fog, a DC-9 ends up at the wrong end of an active runway in Detroit, and directly in the path of an oncoming 727.
Landing on a Caribbean island in a severe tropical storm, a Colombian airliner crashes short of the runway. Investigators need to find out why.
En route to Comodora, SOL Airlines Flight 5428 nosedives into a remote desert, instantly killing everyone on board. Argentinian investigators scour the scattered and scorched debris and find nothing out of the ordinary. That is, until a microscopic filament provides the first tangible clue.
A helicopter carrying offshore oil workers crashes into the ocean off the coast of Newfoundland and a far-reaching investigation reveals a fatal flaw.
A turboprop crashes into an Indonesian mountain, and while three systems could have prevented it, investigators must figure out why none of them did.
When an African airliner mysteriously crashes, Namibian investigators rule out a host of possible causes before reaching a chilling conclusion.
A brand-new 737 falls from the sky over West Africa during a major storm, but investigators eventually discover weather had nothing to do with it.
TPEn route from Indonesia to Hong Kong, Cathay Pacific Flight 780 is high over the South China Sea when both of the plane's engines fail, turning the Airbus A-330 into a 200-ton glider.
Flying just a few hundred feet above the desert, six single-engine WW2 fighter planes get into position for the highlight event of the Reno Air Races, with 30,000 spectators watching from below.
En route from Amsterdam to Cardiff the crew of KLM Cityhopper Flight 433 report an engine problem and head back to the airport. But just as they're about to touch down, the aircraft crashes.
An American cargo plane attempts a difficult landing at the US naval station at Guantanamo Bay. With the runway just a few meters from the armed border, the maneuver requires avoiding Cuban airspace.
En route to the Dominican Republic with more than 87,000 lbs of denim, Fine Air Cargo Flight 101 takes off from Miami. But moments later, the plane crashes to the ground and plows into a building.
Minutes after taking off from Bucharest, Tarom Flight 371 banks sharply to the left, veers off course, and nosedives into a farmer's field. It's the deadliest air disaster in the country's history.
Continental Airlines Flight 1404 is speeding down the runway at Denver International Airport when the aircraft suddenly careens off the runway, crashes, and bursts into flame.
En route from Moscow to Perm, Russia, Aeroflot Nord Flight 821 is on its final approach when the plane nosedives and crashes onto the trans-Siberian railway. All that's left is charred wreckage.
With Brazil's Chapecoense soccer team on board, LaMia Flight 2933 is on its final approach to Medellin, Columbia when the crew suddenly declares a fuel emergency.
En route from Washington, D.C. to Columbus, Ohio, United Express Flight 6291 is on its final approach when the high-performance twin turboprop crashes just a mile from the runway.
Moments after taking off from a California airport, an American cargo plane needs to make an emergency landing. The crippled plane crashes into an automobile salvage yard one mile east of the airport.
After circling above the Taiwan Strait to wait out a passing cyclone, TransAsia Flight 222 crashes on the Taiwanese resort island of Penghu.
En route to Salt Lake City, Delta Airlines Flight 1141 crashes just moments after lifting off from Dallas-Fort Worth airport and erupts into flames.
A commercial airliner goes down over a warzone in eastern Ukraine. The evidence indicates the plane was shot down by a surface-to-air missile.
On a high-stakes demonstration flight in Indonesia, a Russian-made Sukhoi Superjet slams into a mountain killing everyone on board.
In California's Mojave Desert, Virgin Galactic test pilots are at the controls of a revolutionary aircraft designed for sub-orbital flight.
En route from Singapore to Perth, Qantas Airways Flight 72 takes a sudden nosedive over the Indian Ocean. Sudden G-forces are so violent passengers are lifted out of their seats.
On its final approach to Zurich, Alitalia Flight 404 plows into a forested hillside killing everyone on board.
Just minutes from touching down, China Airlines Flight 140 falls out of the sky at Japan's Nagoya Airport.
En route to Boise, Idaho, Continental Airlines Flight 1713 is delayed on the tarmac in Denver where controllers struggle to keep departures on schedule amid heavy snow.
When Northwest Airlink Flight 5719 crashes, investigators uncover a troubling pattern of abuse that led to a breakdown in human cooperation.
TPWhen a commuter flight to Detroit ends in a harrowing death spiral, a close analysis eventually leads investigators to a stunning realisation.
TPThe surviving captain of Air China Flight 129 claims that everything on board was normal before the crash, but air traffic controllers testify that the crew's radio communications were anything but.
Minutes after taking off, TWA Flight 800 is ripped apart by a massive explosion, leading to one of the most challenging investigations conducted.
TPGaruda Indonesia Flight 152 approaches the Medan airport on the island of Sumatra. But just minutes from the runway and fatally off course, the Airbus A-300 crashes in the jungle.
Approaching Charlotte, North Carolina, USAir Flight 1016 falls from the sky. The pilots blame severe weather, but that's only part of the story.
The dashcam of a passing car captures stunning footage of the final moments of TransAsia Flight 235 as it nosedives into Taipei's Keelung River.
Twenty minutes after leaving the Egyptian resort of Sharm El Sheikh, a plane carrying Russian tourists falls out of the sky. An international team of investigators gathers near the crash zone.
Just as LAPA Flight 3142 lifts off from a single runway airport in Buenos Aires, the 737 starts shaking violently, and moments later it crashes back to the ground.
Bound for Kathmandu, Thai Airways Flight 311 is flying just above the peaks of the Himalayas when it slams into a remote rock face at 11,000 feet.
En route to Dallas from Orlando, a private Learjet carrying pro golf legend Payne Stewart goes rogue. Air traffic controllers are unable to reach the crew.
11 September 2001 - shortly after taking off from Washington DC, hijackers storm the cockpit of American Airlines Flight 77 and fly the plane into the Pentagon.
Pan Am Flight 1736 is on the runway at Tenerife Airport, obscured by heavy fog, when KLM Flight 4805 careens towards it, killing 583 people.
As China Airlines Flight 120 touches down in Okinawa, Japan, it erupts in flames. There are no injuries, but troubling questions are raised.
Proteus Airlines Flight 706 deviates from the flight path to go on a sightseeing detour. But just as they're completing a 360 around the ship, the plane suddenly explodes.
Shuttling passengers from Denver to Durango, Continental Express Flight 2286 crashes in the frozen wilderness just a few miles from the runway.
German wings Flight to Dusseldorf is flying towards the French Alps and losing altitude at an alarming rate. Investigators are faced with a sinister explanation so dark it's almost beyond belief.
TPGaruda Indonesia Flight 421 flies straight into the eye of a massive storm. The Boeing 737 is rocked with turbulence so violent the pilots nearly lose control of their plane.
AirAsia Flight 8501 disappears from radar above the Java Sea, searchers confirm the worst. An international team of investigators joins local experts in Jakarta to determine what went wrong.
Boeing 747, National Airlines Flight 102 takes off from Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan with military cargo. But within seconds, the suddenly uncontrollable plane stalls and crashes to the ground.
19 November 1996 - a fiery collision between United Express 5925 and a small private plane leaves investigators stumped until they learn that a missing pilot may have played an unwitting role in the tragedy.
6 July 2013 - Asiana Airlines Flight 214 Boeing 777 slams into a seawall at San Francisco Airport and investigators suspect a startling mistake.
In 1992, Flight 1862 from Amsterdam to Tel Aviv suffered a catastrophic crash. Investigators discover a lethal problem threatening every 747.
TPShortly after taking off, a fire breaks out on UPS Flight 6. As smoke fills the cockpit, getting the plane safely back is a race against time.
A UN DC-6 transport plane is flying a top-secret mission over central Africa with UN Secretary General Dag Hammarskjöld on board - the plane mysteriously crashes less than ten miles from the runway.
10 October 2006 - Atlantic Airways Flight 670 is shuttling a group of oil company employees to work. On a routine stop on the Norwegian island of Stord, the plane careens off the runway.
20 August 2008 - just moments after taking off from Madrid Flight 5022 banks to the right, slams into a creek and bursts into flames. With 154 dead, it is Spain's worst aviation disaster in decades.
7 March 2007 - after a short flight from Jakarta, Flight 200 hits the ground in Yogyakarta, bounces twice before careening off the end of the runway killing 21 people.
5 April 1991 - Atlantic Southeast Airlines Flight 2311 crashed in Georgia and killing a NASA astronaut, a former U.S. senator, and 21 others.
31 October 1996 - just seconds after taking off from Congonhas airport in Sao Paulo, Brazil, flight 402 slams into a residential neighborhood and bursts into flames killing all 95 people on board.
When British Midland Flight 92 has an engine fire, the pilots try to make a landing, but the second engine fails before they can get to safety.
Airline owner Niki Lauda joins forces with investigators to determine why Lauda Air Flight 004 fell into a steep dive and crashed
Investigators face a baffling mystery when Varig Flight 254 crash-lands in a remote jungle nearly 700 miles off course.
Flight 201 takes off for a one-hour flight to Colombia and then disappears from radar while flying over one of the most remote jungles on Earth.
When FedEx Flight 80 bounces off the runway and bursts into flames, the catastrophe recalls an identical crash more than a decade earlier.
The celebrity son of JFK disappeared along with his plane in 1999. Invstigators soon found the wreckage, but what brought the aircraft down?
A Concorde crashes moments after take off and three mysterious items are found on the runway. How is this collection of clues connected?
TPA Learjet 45 carrying Mexico's interior minister slams into Mexico City's financial district, killing everyone on board and seven on the ground.
TPAfter controllers at Ireland's Cork Airport clear the Manx2 Flight 7100 for landing, it goes into a severe roll and crashes into the runway.
TPFirst Air Flight 6560 slammed into a hillside near Resolute Bay, one of the most remote airports in the world.
TPIn this special episode, Air Crash Investigation examines one of the greatest aviation mysteries of all time - the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.
Leading aviation experts are confronted with a shocking theory as they investigate one of the greatest aviation mysteries of all time.
TPBritain's Worst Air Crash: The series homes in on the controversial findings of the investigation into the crash of British European Airways 548, which killed 118 people in 1972. All Ages.
18 June 1972 - British European Airways (BEA) Flight 548 Hawker Siddeley Trident I: investigators are challenegd when the plane crashes just moments after taking off from London's Heathrow Airport.
6 June 1971 - military investigators join forces with the NTSB to uncover the truth when a Marine Corps F-4 Phantom collides with a Hughes Airwest DC-9.
Lost In Translation: Experts investigate the fatal crash of Crossair Flight 498. First they suspected phone interference, then they found drugs in the captain's flight bag. All Ages.
10 July 2000 - shortly after taking off from Zurich Airport, Crossair Flight 498 banks sharply to the right and spirals to the ground, killing everyone on board.
13 January 1982 - moments after taking off from Washington National Airport, Air Florida Flight 90 plunges into the frozen Potomac River and sinks below the ice.
Queens Catastrophe: Experts investigate American Airlines Flight 587 crash, which killed 265 people in NYC just months after the 9/11 attacks. What was behind the disaster? All Ages.
When American Airlines Flight 587 crashed into Queens, New York after 9/11, it was considered an act of terror - until evidence proved otherwise.
TPInvestigators must figure out why a crew of skilled hurricane hunters were nearly killed after an engine fire crippled their aircraft mid-flight.
27 June 1980 - when a flight from Italy explodes over the Mediterranean Sea, it takes 30 years to determine whether it was shot down or blown up by terrorists.
Above France, a highly trained crew puts a commercial airliner to the test. But as they prepare to land, the captain suddenly loses control.
When a flight to Tahiti crashes and kills everyone on board, investigators uncover an unexpected explanation for the crash.
It's up to investigators to figure out why the engine of of Qantas Flight 32 exploded and whether every other A380 is at risk.
Disaster seemed certain when an internal US flight lost a propeller 19 000 feet over the Pacific Ocean. Could the pilots safely land the plane?
Revealing how 110 people lost their lives when a fire on board an aging DC-9 caused it to plummet into the Florida Everglades in 1996.
Following a fatal crash in treacherous conditions at Taipei's Chiang Kai-shek airport, investigators make a shocking discovery on the runway.
Following a fatal crash 35,000 feet above the jungles of Indonesia, investigators make a disturbing discovery.
In 2005, TANS Peru Flight 204 crashed into the Amazonian jungle, leaving a trail of bodies and wreckage scattered across the rainforest.
When a collision sends two planes crashing into the Grand Canyon, investigators find a problem that threatens the safety of the aviation system.
Revealing how 273 people were killed when American Airlines Flight 191 lost its left engine in the deadliest aviation accident in US history.
After United Airlines Flight 173 crashed and killed ten people, investigators discover how a landing gear problem could have caused the accident.
In 2011, a Soviet-built Yak-42D plane carrying one of Russia's biggest hockey teams crashed into the River Volga – leaving only one survivor.
When Polish President Lech Kaczynski is killed in a plane crash, investigators discover that this was not simply a pilot error.
Death Of The President: When Polish President Lech Kaczynski was killed in a plane crash in 2010, investigators discovered there was more to the incident than simple pilot error. RATING: AA
When tower controllers ask Flight 409 to head to a new heading, the pilots acknowledge the change. Moments later, the plane crashes into the sea.
Heading To Disaster: A look at the devastating crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 409 in 2010. After ruling out terrorists, investigators came to a controversial conclusion. RATING: AA
When an alarm warns the pilots of Flight 518 that they are dangerously close to the ground, the aircraft suddenly smashes into a mountain.
Exploring how aviation safety improves one crash at a time, Air Crash Investigation looks into legendary aviation disasters.
Find out how fears over Congonhas Airport’s infamous hilltop landing strip led to the fatal crash of TAM Airlines Flight 3054 in July 2007.
Fatal Climb: A look at the crash of West Caribbean Airways Flight 708 in 2005. Faulty engines and bad weather caused the plane to stall, plummeting 160 people to their deaths. RATING: AA
160 people lost their lives when West Caribbean Airways Flight 708 came down in 2005, leading to the eventual bankruptcy of the troubled airline.
The Arrow Air Flight 1285 tragedy was Canada's deadliest plane crash. Investigators blamed ice on the wings - but a minority report disagreed.
Continental Express Flight 2574 came down in 1991, following a massive mid-air explosion. Could a piece of faulty paperwork explain the crash?
The 1958 Munich crash was the darkest day in Manchester United's history. Pilot James Thain was initially blamed - and never flew again.
Only the quick-thinking of Captain Frank Geib saved Northwest Airlines Flight 85 from disaster in 2002. What exactly went wrong?
The crash of a Korean cargo plane outside London baffled investigators. Was the first officer more concerned with saving face than the plane?
144 people lost their lives when two planes collided near San Diego in what was the biggest airline disaster in US history. How did it happen?
Following take-off from Jeddah's desert airport, Nigeria Airways Flight 2120 burst into flames and crashed to the ground – killing all on board.
TPWith 43 people dead, investigators try to determine what happened to PSA Flight 1771 after the pilots reported hearing gunshots from the cabin.
Tragedy seemed inevitable when a brand-new Boeing 737 lost power near New Orleans in 1988. Find out how the pilots succesfully averted disaster.
Revealing the crucial changes made to Milan's Linate Airport following a tragic collision in extreme weather conditions in October 2001.
When engines failed, pilots of United Airlines Flight 232 tried to land at Sioux City, but the aircraft exploded, killing half of those on board.
Cockpit Failure: Minutes before landing, the pilots of Berlin to Zurich Crossair Flight #359 couldn't find the runway or get their jet to climb and crashed. (S9, ep 1) RATING: AA
A Crossair flight is on approach to Zurich, where snow has reduced visibility. The plane clips the treetops and plunges down, killing 24 people.
Only the quick-witted actions of the pilot averted disaster when a plane flopped into Heathrow. Why did the engines fail in the first place?
After bursting into flames on take-off, Scandinavian Airlines Flight 751 fell from the sky in 1991. Miraculously, everyone on board survived.
In the worst US crash in over seven years, a Buffalo-bound flight stalled and plummeted into a suburban home in 2009. What went wrong?
The remarkable story of the New York flight which crash landed in the middle of the city, having struck a flock of birds on take-off.
Investigators pour through the wreckage to determine what brought down Turkish Airlines Flight #1951.
British Airtours Flight #28 is taking off from Manchester Airport for the Greek Island of Corfu. As the aircraft is accelerating, a loud thud emanates from the fuselage, and the pilots abandon takeoff. They believe a tire has blown, but passengers on the left side of the plane see the real problem one of the engines is on fire. Soon, thick black smoke fills the cabin, panicked passengers struggle to escape, and just minutes later, the aircraft is completely ravaged by fire. 55 people die.
Captain John Maus pulls back on his control column, but the plane barely manages to get off the ground before it hits a light pole, slams into a building, and disintegrates on a highway. This is the second-deadliest airplane disaster in US history...But can investigators determine what went wrong?
The Airbus A-320, the world's most sophisticated passenger jet takes off for its maiden passenger flight and first-ever public demonstration. The plane is headed for the Habsheim Airshow where the pilots are planning a breathtaking, low-altitude fly-over. But after getting into position over the tiny airfield the exhibition turns to disaster. The plane plows into a forest and is consumed by flames. It is a horrible tragedy, and a public relations nightmare for Airbus.
US Air Flight #1493 is on its final approach. The pilots configure the 737 for landing and although they repeatedly radio the tower for instructions, their calls go unanswered. They finally get clearance just moments before landing, but within seconds of touching down, the aircraft erupts in flames and crashes into an abandoned building. Rescue workers rush to the scene, and as survivors emerge from the inferno, firefighters make a horrifying discovery...
Korean Air Lines Flight #007 is high above the Sea of Japan with 269 people on board. Hoping to save fuel during the last leg of its marathon flight from New York to Seoul, it requests permission to fly at a higher altitude. When the aircraft reaches its new altitude, however, it is rocked by rapid decompression, spirals out of control and crashes into the sea. An international controversy erupts, and within days, Soviet officials admit to shooting down the passenger plane.
Air Ontario Flight #1363 prepares for takeoff; already behind schedule, the pilots fear the heavy snowfall will further delay their departure. The jet reaches takeoff speed but struggles to get airborne, and although it clears the trees at the end of the runway, starts shaking violently and less than a minute later crashes into the woods. It takes months for investigators to determine what went wrong. And tragically, their findings come too late to prevent an icy killer from striking again.
An Airbus A320, the aircraft is the worlds first to rely mainly on computerized commands to control it, high winds and poor winter weather mean the pilots must take over the controls to land on another runway. Slightly off course, a controller guides the pilots as they prepare to make a visual landing. But as they descend through the clouds, the aircraft suddenly rips through the treetops below and slams into the side of a mountain.
Destined for the Bahamas, Chalks Ocean Airways Flight #101 is preparing for takeoff in the waters off Miami Beach, Florida. Part plane, part speedboat, the twin turbo-prop taxis through one of the worlds busiest ports, and after a smooth takeoff, climbs towards the clouds. A minute later, however, just as the plane is climbing through 500 feet, it is suddenly rocked by an explosion and, from the beach, a tourist films the aircrafts catastrophic plunge into the ocean.
Twenty minutes after taking off from Taipei, Taiwan a China Airlines 747 suddenly disappears from radar. A massive rescue mission is launched, but all 225 passengers and crew are dead. After ruling out both a bomb and a gas tank explosion, investigators are stumped. They examine hundreds of pieces of wreckage until they discover a single piece of the hull that solves the riddle. Tragically, the crash of Flight 611 began with a problem that began twenty-two years earlier.
TPShortly after taking off from Heathrow Airport, Pan Am Flight 103 suddenly explodes in the skies above Lockerbie, Scotland. As the wreckage rains down on the small town below, homes are vaporized and fires break out across the countryside. All 259 people on board are killed. Eleven more in the tiny town also die. The wreckage is scattered over 2,000 square kilometers, and when investigators find proof the aircraft was the victim of a bomb, the area becomes the largest crime scene in the world.
TPOn a charter trip from Oslo to Hamburg, Partnair Flight 94 is cruising at 22,000 feet -- when it suddenly begins diving toward the sea. The aging propeller plane crashes into the water. All 55 people on board are killed. It is the biggest airline disaster in Norwegian history. As investigators piece together what happened, they uncover a problem so serious, it sends shock waves through the industry. How had a single bolt caused the plane to fall out of the sky?
TPNovember 12th, 1996 - Shortly after take off from New Delhi, Saudi Airways Flight 763 levels off at 14,000 feet. As the crew waits for clearance to climb to their cruising altitude, the plane is hit by a Kazakhstan Airlines jet. The collision cripples both planes. They spiral violently to the ground, killing all 349 people on board. It's the worst mid-air collision in the history of aviation.
TPIn the final days of the Vietnam War, US President Ford orders an urgent mission of mercy called 'Operation Babylift'. Its goal: to rescue Vietnamese orphans from the chaos of the war and take them back to the safety of the US. Nearly 250 Vietnamese babies and children are loaded onto an Air Force C5A Galaxy, one of the world's largest planes. But after a steep and rapid ascent to get out of missile range, the aircraft's cargo door is violently blown off and the plane crashes to the ground.
Tuninter Flight 1153 is high above the Mediterranean when suddenly, its right engine fails. As the pilots begin an emergency descent, their situation gets much worse. Their second engine also stops working -- the plane begins falling towards the sea. Despite numerous attempts, the crew can't restart their engines. They make a desperate choice - to attempt a landing at sea. Fourteen of the 34 passengers are killed. Investigators discover a shocking mistake.
January 1st, 2007 - After taking off from Indonesia's Suribaya airport, Adam Air Flight 574 settles in for the two-hour trip to Manado. The Boeing 737 is loaded with New Year's travelers taking advantage of the country's recent discount travel boom. But somewhere over the Java Sea, the plane hits turbulence, and air traffic controllers notice the jet is hundreds of miles off course and headed for a major storm.
October 31, 1994 - It's a frigid Halloween night in the skies above Chicago. Bad weather is delaying dozens of flights, including American Eagle 41-84. Suddenly - the plane spins wildly out of control. The pilots fight desperately to right their plane - but can't. It smashes into a cornfield. All 68 people on board are killed instantly. Investigators eventually discover the cause is a rare weather phenomena - and a fatal design flaw.
Accidents caused by pitch problems are so destructive that survival is nearly impossible and few clues are left behind for investigators to examine.
Pushed to the limit, three flight crews in jeopardy overcome impossible odds to land their aircraft.
Whether caused by insects, violent storms, or human error, bad data can be deadly for the sophisticated flight computers that keep planes in the sky.
From heavy rain to strong wind, three harrowing aviation disasters reveal what a serious threat poor weather can be to a safe landing.
Investigators hunt for answers when the pilots of three aircraft skip protocols, ignore their training, and crash.
A crew argues—with no runway in sight. A captain ignores a critical signal. And, an exhausted pilot picks a catastrophic time to try a new approach.
By the time the crew of Delta Airlines Flight 191 reached the threshold of Dallas Fort Worth Airport, they'd already diverted around 2 separate storms. They see rain and lightning up ahead, but fly on. Inside the storm, their plane is hit by powerful winds that slam the plane to the ground. 136 people die. The crash helps scientists overcome a notorious danger to airplanes, the microburst.
Mistaken identity and hostile fire over enemy territory are among the many risks that pilots face in war zones around the world.
In a rush to complete their flights, three different flight crews skip key procedures, ignore signs of danger, and make deadly decisions.
It's a calm summer evening, when an inexplicable failure strikes, causing the loss of two engines.
TPAn explosion rips a gaping hole in the cabin of a brand-new DC-10. Investigators discover a serious problem with the design of the planes rear cargo door, and recommend ways to fix it. Two years later, another DC-10 takes off on a routine flight only to suffer the exact same problem, with deadly consequences. The accident could have and should have been prevented. But why wasn't it?
From corrosion and metal fatigue to faulty repairs, three doomed airlines are brought down by gradually deteriorating parts.
From pilot error to meltdowns within air traffic control, investigators dig deep into three mid-air collisions that seem to defy logic.
November 27, 1987. A 747 Combi is on a routine flight toward South Africa when the cabin begins filling with smoke. Passengers struggle to breathe as crew members attempt to fight a fire in the cargo hold. After the plane disappears in the Indian Ocean, an unprecedented recovery operation is launched to locate and raise the wreckage from the ocean floor. Rumours swirl. Did illegal weapons bring down Flight 295?
With zero margin for error, three catastrophes are narrowly averted by pilots who manage to land their damaged planes—against all odds.
A small commuter plane begins a short flight when disaster strikes. Moments after takeoff, the nose of the aircraft pitches up dramatically. The plane is just 350 meters in the air when it stalls, rolls to the left, and plummets to the ground. It slams into a packed hangar, killing everyone on board. Combing through the wreckage, investigators find a single clue that leads them to uncover a string of errors and faulty assumptions that have been putting millions of passengers at risk for years.
Ten minutes into Flight 242 the flight the crew notices a menacing storm in their path. The hail is so severe that it cracks the cockpit windshield, and visibility is nonexistent. They're now trying to glide to a safe landing. They decide to put the DC-9 down on a nearby highway. It clips a tree with its left wing, breaks up and bursts into flames. An inferno erupts. The flight crew, 62 passengers, and 8 people on the ground are killed. Astoundingly, 21 people on board survive.
Pilots are prepared to cope with a range of emergency scenarios, but failures in training can lead to catastrophe in the cockpit.
With hidden flaws buried in their navigation systems, three planes suffer catastrophic computer errors that force investigators to dig deep for clues.
Innocent lives are lost when civilian planes inadvertently become targets, but each incident teaches us vital lessons about how to better protect commercial airliners from the heat of war. Charred wreckage in the Sinai Desert is all that's left of a Russian passenger plane. A Korean 747 plunges into the sea and Soviet officials soon admit to shooting it down. And, when a commercial airliner is blown out of Ukrainian airspace, investigators face geo-political roadblocks at every turn.
A pilot ignores vital information given by a junior crew member before smashing into the ocean.
Facing fatigue, fog, and inadequate training, the crews of three doomed aircraft make catastrophic blunders that lead to full-scale disaster.
Eastern Airlines Flight 401 slams into the remote swampland of the Florida Everglades. Miraculously 77 people survive the initial crash. Investigators determine that the plane was mechanically sound, and that its auto pilot was working. So why had the state of the art jetliner fallen from the sky? The clues would lead investigators to a very troubling cause.
TPThree planes fall prey to deadly winds, and it’s up to investigators to find out why.
From delusional hijackers to suicidal pilots, three flights fall victim to astonishing acts of sabotage.
A newly built business jet takes off from Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil with seven people on board. Meanwhile, a passenger jet carrying 154 people takes off from Manaus in northern Brazil. The business jet never receives confirmation to lower its altitude according to the flight plan. From this point on the two planes are on a collision course. Both jets are clipped at the wing. The smaller jet miraculously lands with no injuries but the passenger jet nosedives into the Amazon rainforest.
2 August 2005 - in a raging thunderstorm after a difficult landing, Air France 358 skids off the runway in Toronto. As it crashes, the left engine catches fire.
Confused, flying blind and lost in the dark, three crews lose site of the horizon and fall into the same deadly trap.
Miracle Escape: On 2 August 2005, Air France Flight 358 skidded off the runway in Toronto. An engine caught fire, trapping 300 passengers on the plane. How did they escape? Rating: All ages
Three crews experience the same devastating event, but with radically different outcomes when an engine falls off their commercial airplane.
24 June 1982 - on a summer night the engines of BA flight 009 catch fire. Without power the plane begins falling from the sky. The captain faces a difficult choice.
In June, 1983, a small mechanical problem in the back of a Canadian aircraft quickly led to an all-out emergency. Thick, toxic smoke filled the plane before it burst into flames, killing 23 people.
Faced with a mid-air crisis, pilots must make life-and-death decisions, but the wrong approach can trigger a far more serious problem.
6 August 1997 - Korean Air flight 801 departed from Seoul, Korea. It had been cleared to land at AB Won Guam Airport when it crashed about three miles south-west of the airport
In Sao Paolo, the Himalayas, and on the Norwegian coast, three flight crews are pushed to the limit by the toughest landings on earth.
A Boeing 737 jet spins out of control on its descent, and ten seconds later all 20 passengers are dead.
Relying on instinct rather than the rule book, three flights end in tragedy when crews improvise on their final approach.
Flying at 41 000 feet, a China Airlines flight encounters turbulence and the autopilot turns on. A series of mistakes and the pilot's poor understanding of autopilot almost ends in disaster.
Three planes are brought down by ice, and it's up to investigators to determine how modern aircraft could possibly end up with frozen wings.
The collision of an Aeromexico DC-9 and a private Piper Cherokee near LA's busy airport, results in the loss of over 80 lives - authorities must change the way planes are tracked.
Three catastrophic runway collisions raise the same pressing question: How could two planes end up on the same runway at the same time?
April, 1996 - a military jet carrying a high-level US trade delegation crashes in the hills near Croatia's Dubrovnik airport killing all on board.
Illustrating the deadly consequences of a mismatched crew, three flights end in tragedy, leaving investigators to unravel what went wrong.
3 January 2004 - moments after taking off from Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh Airport, a Boeing 737 crashes into the Red Sea. The plane's black boxes reveal the horrifying final moments.
Three last-resort water landings-all handled differently-yet each one crucial to improving the outcomes of ditching on open water.
When Athens air traffic control fails to make contact with Helios Airways Flight 522 from Cyprus, two F-16 fighters are despatched - they watch helplessly as the jet crashes into a mountain.
Faced with the extreme conditions of the far North, three flights fall out of the sky leaving investigators to uncover the cause.
Hanging By A Thread: After a loud bang was heard on Aloha Flight 243, the plane's roof and walls peeled away, leaving the passengers flying in a convertible. How did they survive? (1 of 10)
Failsafes are built into every aspect of aviation, but in the heat of the moment pilots can make fateful decisions that lead to tragedy.
Safe flying requires precision, and when critical instruments in the cockpit can't be trusted, the consequences can be fatal.
Attack Over Baghdad: A plane carrying soldiers' letters was hit by a missile over the Iraqi capital. The flight crew's performance under fire is unequalled in aviation history. (2 of 10)
Out Of Control: A faulty repair caused a 747 to go out of control in Japan. US investigators were refused access by Japanese authorities in the worst accident in aviation history. (3 of 10)
Airplane crashes involving high-profile passengers make international headlines, placing investigators under tremendous pressure to come up with answers.
Suicide Attack: A FedEx flight out of Memphis fell into chaos when a surprise attack by a disgruntled employee threatened the lives of all onboard. How did the crew foil his plot? (4 of 10)
Traced to a breakdown of vital safety measures, three horrific disasters provoke fundamental changes to airport security procedures around the world.
Bomb On Board: On 11 December 1994, a terrorist bomb exploded on Philippine Airlines Flight 434. Miraculously, only one passenger died. How did so many survive the mid-air blast?
Following three horrifying crashes, investigators uncover fatal flaws in the very operations designed to prevent aircraft from flying into mountains.
From the wreckage of three airplane crashes, survivors emerge to tell harrowing tales and provide critical data about what to do in an emergency.
Mistaken Identity: A high-tech American gunship stationed in the Persian Gulf shot down an Airbus carrying 290 people when its systems confused it with an Iranian fighter. What went wrong?
Mid-air tragedies are particularly horrifying when they occur over a community, and rain terror on the people below.
Helicopter Down: In 1995, a chopper carrying 18 people to a North Sea oil platform crashed. Miraculously, everyone onboard survived in a life raft. What exactly brought the aircraft down?
Egypt Air 990: One of the most controversial crashes in history, the cause of the disaster that killed 217 people remains a mystery. Could the pilot have deliberately flown into the ocean?
Devastating failures in the air put pilots to the test, and shine a light on three astonishing feats of flying.
Kid In The Cockpit: A Russian pilot allowed his teenage son to briefly take control of his brand new Airbus plane, setting in motion a chain of events that caused the deaths of 70 people.
A trio of crashes reveal that when the nuts and bolts of maintenance go unchecked, it can spell catastrophe.
African Hijack: When three hijackers ordered an Ethiopian plane to fly to Australia, the pilot tricked them by flying south along the African coast, with deadly consequences.
Three flights ending in tragedy, prove that minor missteps during takeoff can have disastrous consequences.
Three devastating crashes make front page news around the globe, and the media frenzy puts intense pressure on investigators to uncover the true cause of these deadly disasters.
Blow Out: Minutes after a BA flight takes off, the cockpit window breaks and the pilot is sucked out. A near-miraculous chain of events save the plane and all onboard.
The simplest mistakes are at the heart of some of the worst airline accidents, and while commercial pilots undergo hours of training and testing, even experienced pilots can make deadly rookie errors.
Verbal warning at head of prog
When an aircraft loses total engine power, a pilot's training can make all the difference in the world, but it's still up to investigators to determine what went wrong.
Three mysterious accidents send investigators hunting for clues. In the end, all three trails lead back to the same source-the fuel tank.
Deadly Delay: When fog caused delays at JFK airport, circling airplanes ran dangerously low on fuel. For one craft it was too much: Avianca Flight 052 crashed, killing 73 people. (6 of 6)
Three planes fatally out of balance force investigators to question every calculation. It's a flight risk preventable, and yet repeated disasters reconfirm the need for critical backup systems.
If pilots aren't prepared when the runway is in sight, a landing can quickly become a tragedy. On its final approach, an Indonesian passenger jet smashes down at a catastrophically high speed.
Spatial disorientation is one of the leading causes of all air accidents. Even the most experienced pilots are susceptible to its subtle yet deadly effects.
Radio silence between pilots and air traffic controllers can mean many different things, but only the physical evidence can reveal the true story. Three cases send investigators hunting for answers.
Drawing the attention of the entire world, three fatal design flaws put air crash investigators in a storm of controversy.
Some of the deadliest air crashes in history have been caused by simple misunderstandings, and it's a tiny error in the cockpit that brought tragedy to Quincy Airport in Illinois.
Unlocking Disaster: Just after takeoff, the cargo door of United Airlines Flight 811 tore open and five rows of seats flew out, taking nine passengers with them. What went wrong?
When BEA Flight 548 crashes just moments after takeoff, investigators unravel a tragic combination of human factors centered around the captain.
Racing The Storm: Intent on keeping to their strict schedule, pilots make the fatal decision to attempt to outrun fierce thunderstorms. What happened on Flight 1420?
An airliner is crippled after takeoff from New York's LaGuardia Airport, and the courageous captain pulls off an amphibious landing in the Hudson River.
Fire On Board: When a pilot smells smoke he frantically races to dump fuel and land, but the plane crashes in the Atlantic killing all on board. Why did the fire spread so quickly?
During a routine test flight, one of the world's most advanced planes nosedives into the Mediterranean.
Cutting Corners: Air Alaska Flight 261 dives into the ocean shortly after takeoff killing the 88 passengers and crew on board. Did maintenance errors cause the tragic crash?
Innocent lives are lost when civilian planes inadvertently become targets, but each incident teaches us vital lessons about how to better protect commercial airliners from the heat of war.
Flying Blind: Airspeed and altitude indicators malfunction spelling disaster for Aeroperu Flight 603. The plane crashes in the Pacific killing all 70 on board. What went wrong?
A 737 cruising above an Indonesian jungle suddenly plummets from the sky. An Airbus A-320 crashes into the French Alps. And, Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 vanishes over the South China Sea, and remains one of the greatest aviation mysteries of all time.
Flying On Empty: An Air Transat Airbus begins to leak fuel over the Atlantic and must glide to safety. Can the pilots' expert skills save all 300 passengers onboard?
Three horrifying accidents capture the world's attention, and in order to solve these deadly mysteries, hero investigators are pushed to the limit to uncover the hidden clues.
In 1981, the Federal Aviation Administration established the sterile cockpit rule requiring pilots to refrain from non-essential activities during critical phases of flight.
One of aviation's worst nightmares, a fire on board can have disastrous consequences. And though these epic tragedies have exacted a terrible human cost, they've also lead the way towards safer skies.
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