Moments after taking off from a California airport, an American cargo plane needs to make an emergency landing. The pilots manage to bring their DC-8 to within sight of the runway, but 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. The media claims the storm is to blame, but the evidence soon points investigators in a different direction. Six months into the investigation, the airline is hit with a second accident. And that's when investigators uncover a systemic problem with fatal consequences.
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. It's one of the most challenging salvage operations Indonesian investigators have ever faced.
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. A series of over-speed and stall warnings flood the cockpit display, and it's clear something is terribly wrong. An experienced fighter pilot, the captain manages to safely land the plane. It's up to Australian investigators to uncover the mysterious and potentially deadly malfunction that's putting one of the world's most popular planes at risk.
On its final approach to Zurich, Alitalia Flight 404 plows into a forested hillside killing everyone on board. Checking the DC-9's radar track, Swiss investigators immediately notice the aircraft was flying too low. But closer analysis of the evidence only deepens the mystery. Did a hidden flaw in the navigation system lead two pilots down a deadly path?
Just minutes from touching down, China Airlines Flight 140 falls out of the sky at Japan's Nagoya Airport. By morning, investigators are already sifting through the charred debris on the runway, but what they find only deepens the mystery. At first it looks as though the pilots are entirely to blame for the disaster, but by the end of the exhaustive two-year investigation, it's clear the causes are far more complex.
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 the plane is finally cleared for take-off, the DC-9 barely lifts off the ground before its banks sharply and crashes. Investigators find nothing wrong with the aircraft itself, but what they eventually uncover changes commercial flight forever.
After a routine one-hour flight from Minneapolis, Northwest Airlink Flight 5719 crashes in northern Minnesota, killing everyone on board. Investigators face intense pressure to find the cause. The cockpit voice recorder raises disturbing questions about an inexperienced pilot. But as investigators dig deeper, they uncover a troubling pattern of abuse that led to a breakdown in human cooperation.
When a commuter flight to Detroit ends in a harrowing death spiral, it's up to investigators to determine the cause and prevent it from ever happening again. They sort through the shattered wreckage in search of clues, and a close analysis of the flight data eventually leads them to a stunning realization-What doomed Flight 3272 is a danger the industry has known about for years.
Headed for South Korea's Gimhae International Airport, a Boeing 767 crashes into a hillside several miles from the runway. As the nation mourns its worst-ever air disaster, investigators face puzzling evidence: The surviving captain of Air China Flight 129 claims that everything on board was normal, but air traffic controllers testify that the crew's radio communications were anything but.
Just minutes after taking off from New York's JFK Airport, TWA Flight 800 is ripped apart by a massive explosion. With a possible terror attack on their hands, the FBI joins investigators from the NTSB in an urgent search for answers but the investigation into TWA Flight 800 will eventually put them against one another, and will turn into one of the longest, most costly and challenging ever conducted.
Amid thick smoke from a forest fire, Garuda 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. Claiming the lives of all 234 people on board, it's the country's worst-ever aviation disaster. And investigators are baffled when they realize the plane was flying away from the airport when it crashed.
On its final approach to Charlotte, North Carolina, USAir Flight 1016 is suddenly engulfed in rain so intense it obstructs the view from the cockpit. The pilots abort the landing to execute a go-around, but as they do the plane falls out of the sky and crashes. Of the 52 passengers on board, 37 are dead. Somehow the pilots survive and insist severe weather is to blame. But for investigators, 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 banks steeply to the left, clips an elevated highway, and nosedives into Taipei's Keelung River. Investigators at Taiwan's Aviation Safety Council face a barrage of questions. But it seems that the more clues they uncover, the greater the mystery.
Twenty minutes after leaving the Egyptian resort of Sharm El Sheikh, a plane carrying Russian tourists falls out of the sky. Charred remains in the Sinai Desert are all that's left of Metrojet 9268, and an international team of investigators gathers near the crash zone. At first, a terrorist group affiliated with the Islamic State claims they shot down the plane as retaliation for Russian military attacks in Syria. But it will take clever detective work to figure out what really happened.
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. Hurtling forward at 160 knots, the plane careens past the airport perimeter, crosses a busy highway, and bursts into flames. The disaster leaves an entire nation stunned, but nothing prepares Argentinians for the staggering blunder that caused it.
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. The crash site is nowhere near the plane's original flight path, and there is no ATC radar to tell investigators where it might be. After a painstaking search, they discover the aircraft crashed in the mountains north of Kathmandu-a place of treacherous peaks where it never should have been. The crucial question is how did it end up there?
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, and as the plane continues its unplanned trajectory across the Midwest, it's obvious that something has gone terribly wrong. Air Force F-16 fighter planes scramble to intercept the Learjet, but the frosted windows and darkened cockpit and cabin add up to a shocking reality-the Learjet is now a ghost plane.
It is September 11th, 2001, and shortly after taking off from Washington DC, hijackers storm the cockpit of American Airlines Flight 77 and fly the plane into the Pentagon. The symbol of US military might is in flames. Meanwhile in New York City, jetliners have struck the two towers of the World Trade Center. The country is under attack, nearly 3,000 people are dead, and the FBI launches the largest investigation in American history.
A terrorist bombing in the Canary Islands reroutes dozens of flights to the Spanish island of Tenerife. The tiny airport is swamped, and with so many planes parked in the taxiways, controllers instruct departing flights to use the airport's only runway to get into position for takeoff. Amongst the planes leaving, obscured by the heavy fog-are two 747s. But Pan Am Flight 1736 is still on the runway when KLM Flight 4805 careens toward it. Killing 583 people, the high-speed collision remains the single deadliest aviation accident of all time. Blame soon falls on one pilot, but as investigators sift through the evidence the true story behind the Tenerife...
After a one-hour flight from Taiwan, China Airlines Flight 120 touches down in Okinawa, Japan. The pilots park the Boeing 737 and switch off the engines. But just as they complete the shutdown checklist, a fire erupts and the aircraft is engulfed in flames. Incredibly, everyone on board escapes the inferno without injury. But the disaster leaves an international team of investigators with troubling questions. The hunt for answers seems like an endless quest as the smallest components come under intense scrutiny. The analysis eventually leads to a stunning discovery-the tiny failure that doomed Flight 120 is endangering lives around the world.
At the height of summer in northwestern France, the pilots of Proteus Airlines Flight 706 deviate from their flight path to go on a sightseeing detour. Determined to give their passengers a bird's eye view of a legendary French ocean liner, they fly in a low loop around Quiberon Bay. But just as they're completing a 360 around the ship, Flight 706 suddenly explodes. From a nearby airplane, a local journalist captures the scene as the wreckage falls from the sky. And as the tragedy sinks in, so does the mystery-despite thousands of eyewitnesses, no one seems to know what happened.
Shuttling passengers from Denver to Durango in southern Colorado, Continental Express Flight 2286 is about to touch down when it crashes in the frozen wilderness just a few miles from the runway. After a dramatic rescue, it's up to investigators to figure out what went wrong. The exhaustive search for answers leads to a series of dead ends. That is, until an unlikely tip points to a shocking conclusion.
En route from Barcelona to Dusseldorf, Germanwings Flight 9525 is flying towards the French Alps when an air traffic controller spots something unusual-the flight is losing altitude at an alarming rate. The control centre is now in emergency mode. But there's no response from the cockpit and the Airbus A-320 soon disappears from radar. It takes several hours to locate the crash site, and any hope of finding survivors quickly fades. Only fragments and questions remain. And as the evidence piles up, investigators are faced with a sinister explanation so dark it's almost beyond belief.
Cruising high above the islands of Indonesia during the unpredictable rainy season, Garuda 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. And when both engines flame out, they narrowly manage one of the most remarkable emergency landings of all time. Of the 60 passengers and crew on board, all but one make it out alive. And as crews start removing the wreckage from the Solo River, Indonesian investigators begin their search for answers.
AirAsia Flight 8501 disappears from radar above the Java Sea, and two days later, searchers confirm the worst. All 162 people on board are dead, and an international team of investigators joins local experts in Jakarta to determine what went wrong. Neither of the black boxes tells the whole story, but it's clear that a mysterious action by the captain to solve a routine fault set off a deadly sequence of events.
Transporting military cargo in a converted Boeing 747, National Airlines Flight 102 takes off from Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan. But within seconds, the suddenly uncontrollable plane stalls and crashes to the ground. The accident is captured by a passing dashcam, and though the footage first leads investigators to an obvious conclusion, an overlooked piece of evidence eventually tells them they were dead wrong about the cause.
Flight: United Express Flight 5925 and King Air A90 November 19, 1996 A fiery collision between United Express 5925 and a small private plane leaves investigators stumped until they learn that a mysterious missing pilot may have played an unwitting role in the tragedy.
When Asiana Airlines Flight 214 crashes at San Francisco Airport, investigators discover an issue that could be putting passengers at risk.
Flight: El Al Flight 1862 Boeing 747-258F cargo jet October 4th, 1992 En route to Tel Aviv, El Al Flight 1862 takes off from Amsterdams Schiphol Airport with a heavy load of cargo. But minutes later, a sudden jolt rocks the plane and it begins rolling violently to the right. The catastrophe is The Netherlands worst ever aviation disaster.
Shortly 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.
Revealing the dark truth that aviation safety improves one crash at a time, 'Air Crash Investigation 14' investigates legendary aviation disasters to find out what went wrong and why.
Atlantic Airways Flight 670 is shuttling a group of oil company employees to work. On a routine stop on the tiny Norwegian island of Stord, the plane careens off the runway and down a steep embankment. With almost no wreckage left to examine, a mysterious substance found on the runway may hold the key to understanding the cause of the deadly crash.
When Spanair Flight 5022 slams into a creek and bursts into flames, killing 154 people, it is Spain's worst aviation disaster in decades.
Flight: Garuda Flight 200, Boeing 737; March 7th, 2007. After a short flight from the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, Garuda Flight 200 hits the ground in Yogyakarta so hard it bounces violently twice before careening off the end of the runway. Of the 140 people on board, 21 are killed. Investigators are under immediate pressure to find out what went wrong.
Flight: Atlantic Southeast Airlines Flight 2311; Embraer EMB-120; April 5th, 1991. When the crash of a commuter plane in Georgia kills a NASA astronaut, a former U.S. senator, and 21 others, the disaster makes headlines around the world. Investigators soon come up with a theory to explain the crash.
Flight: TAM Airlines Flight 402; Fokker 100; October 31st, 1996. Just seconds after lifting off from Congonhas airport in Sao Paulo, Brazil, TAM Airlines flight 402 slams into a residential neighborhood and bursts into flames killing all 95 people on board. Investigators from the Brazilian Air Force join forces with the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board to uncover a series of events that led to a failure so rare, it seemed impossible.
A loud vibration and the smell of smoke warn the pilots of British Midland Flight 92 that they have an engine fire on board. The crew shuts down the engine and tries to land at a nearby airport, but their second engine fails before they can get safely on the ground. Just meters from the runway, the 737-400 slams into an embankment beside Britain's busy M1 motorway. It seems like a rare case of dual engine failure, but investigators soon learn that a tragic misunderstanding may be the real cause of the crash.
Lauda Air Flight 004 / Boeing 767-300 series / May 26th, 1991 Airline owner and Formula One racer Niki Lauda joins forces with investigators to determine why Lauda Air Flight 004 fell into a steep dive and crashed during a flight from Bangkok to Vienna. And he soon discovers a shocking design flaw that could affect passenger planes around the globe.
Varig Flight 254 Boeing 737-200 series September 3rd, 1989 Investigators face a baffling mystery when Varig Flight 254 crash lands in a remote jungle nearly 700 miles off course. At first, investigators suspect the plane's navigation instruments may have malfunctioned. But they soon discover the crash may be the result of a shocking mistake.
Copa Airlines Flight 201 Boeing 737-200 June 6th, 1992 Copa Airlines Flight 201 takes off from Panama City for the one-hour flight to Cali, Colombia. But with a major storm on the horizon, the pilots revise their flight path to avoid the heavy weather. After 12 minutes in the air, the captain radios controllers to tell them they've reached their cruising altitude of 25,000 feet. But moments later, the plane disappears from radar over one of the remotest jungles on earth.
When FedEx Flight 80 bounces off the runway and bursts into flames at Tokyos Narita Airport, the catastrophe recalls an identical crash that happened 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?
A Learjet 45 carrying Mexico's interior minister slams into Mexico City's financial district killing all nine people on board, as well as seven people on the ground. At first there's speculation that Mexico's powerful drug cartels brought down the plane. But the investigation takes a startling new turn after investigators listen to the cockpit voice recorder.
It's a foggy day at Ireland's Cork Airport and the pilots of Manx2 Flight 7100 are circling the airport waiting for the weather to clear. After controllers clear the turboprop commuter plane for landing, the pilots reduce their speed and descend, but the aircraft suddenly goes into a severe roll and crashes into the runway. It's the deadliest crash in Ireland in decades, and it's up to the Irish Air Accident Investigation Unit to figure out what went wrong. They soon discover the fog is only part of the story, and the investigation reveals a startling gap in aviation safety that has put passengers' lives at risk.
Hijack? Pilot error? Mechanical failure? Aviation experts determine what went wrong and work to stop such accidents happening again.
Leading aviation experts are confronted with a shocking theory as they investigate one of the greatest aviation mysteries of all time.
Investigators must rely on a reconstruction along with witness statements to determine what went wrong when a plane crashes after take-off.
Military investigators work with the NTSB to identify what happened when a Marine Corps F-4 Phantom collided with a Hughes Airwest DC-9.
When a flight from Zurich crash-lands, killing everyone on board, the discovery of drugs among the wreckage suggests an alarming explanation.
Just after taking off, Air Florida Flight 90 plunges into the frozen Potomac River. It takes an ingenious experiment to uncover why it happened.
When American Airlines Flight 587 crashed into Queens, New York after 9/11, it was considered an act of terror – until evidence proved otherwise.
Flight: NOAA 42 Lockheed P-3 Orion A team of hurricane hunters is in a desperate situation after an engine fire cripples their aircraft during a daring flight into Hurricane Hugo. They narrowly escape and their crippled plane manages to fly back through the storm. But then it's up to investigators to figure out why a crew of skilled hurricane hunters was nearly killed in the line of duty.
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.
In 1956, a mid-air collision sends two planes crashing into the Grand Canyon killing all 128 passengers and crew on board. Armed only with the rudimentary tools of the time, investigators from the Civil Aeronautics Board must determine what caused the crash. Their conclusions will uncover a frightening problem that threatens the safety of the entire 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.
One of Russias most popular hockey teams is on its way to Minsk, Belarus, for their first game of the 2011 season. Their Soviet built Yak-42D starts down the main runway at Yaroslavls Tunoshna Airport. But instead of lifting off, the plane runs off the end of the tarmac, strikes a tower and crashes into the Volga River. Only the planes mechanic survives the disaster. Around the globe, fans mourn one of the biggest tragedies in the history of the sport. Russian President Medvedev demands answers, and investigators are under tremendous pressure to find out what went wrong.
When Polish President Lech Kaczynski is killed in a plane crash, investigators discover that this was not simply a pilot error.
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.
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.
TAM Airlines Flight #3054 Airbus A320 July 17th, 2007 - TAM Airlines Flight #3054 is on its final approach to Sao Paulo's notorious Congonhas Airport. Runway 35-L at Congonhas is one of the most treacherous in the world. It's built on a hilltop, surrounded by tall buildings. The crew of Flight #3054 gets a report that the runway is wet and slippery. Captain Henrique Stephanini brings his Airbus A-320 down at the foot of the 1,945 meter long runway, activates the one working thrust reverser and applies the brakes, but his plane doesn't slow down. It hurtles down the runway at top speed, crosses a highway and slams into a building and adjacent gas...
West Caribbean Airways Flight #708 McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82 (MD-82) August 16th, 2005 - Hours behind schedule, West Caribbean Airways Flight #708 finally takes off from Panama City en route to Martinique. The aircraft flies toward weather so severe that the pilots must divert to avoid it. In addition to the turbulence, the pilots have another problem; their engines are not providing enough thrust. To solve this issue the pilots drop down to a lower altitude, but before they can reach it a Stall Warning fills the cockpit. The plane is flying too slowly to remain airborne. Before the pilots can figure out what has caused the problem, the aircraft...
Arrow Air Flight #1285 DC-8 December 12th, 1985 - After a six-month peace-keeping mission in the Middle East, 248 elite American soldiers are on their way home for the holidays. Destined for Fort Campbell, Kentucky, they are travelling on Arrow Air Flight #1285, a charter air carrier contracted by the military to transport troops. En route from Cairo, the DC-8 eventually touches down for a routine refueling stop in Gander, Newfoundland. But just seconds after taking off again for the last leg of its journey, the plane loses airspeed and altitude and crashes into a heavily wooded area just south of the runway. An unprecedented disaster, it is one...
Continental Express Flight #2574 Embraer 120 Brasilia On its second routine trip of the morning, Continental Express Flight #2574 is nearing the end of its one-hour flight from Laredo to Houston, Texas. A state-of-the-art Embraer 120 Brasilia, the commuter plane is scheduled to make several more short flights. But just as the pilots are preparing for descent, the plane falls out of the sky. Dropping thousands of feet in mere seconds, there is a massive explosion as the aircraft crashes into a farmer's field. All 14 people on board die in the disaster, and the impact is so violent that the wreckage is barely recognizable as an airplane. Investigators...
The world's most famous football team, Manchester United, is on its way back to the UK from the European Championships in Yugoslavia. And after a refueling stop in Munich, the pilots prepare for the final leg of their journey home. In light snow, the aircraft careers down the runway, but just as it approaches takeoff speed, the plane suddenly slows down and, without lifting off the ground, crashes into a nearby house and fuel shed. With 23 people dead, including seven Manchester United players, the high-profile air disaster effectively wipes out one of the best football teams in the world. With the international media clamoring for answers, the...
Northwest Airlines Flight #85 Boeing 747-400 Northwest Airlines Flight #85 is halfway between Detroit and Japan's Narita Airport. With more than 400 people on board, the Boeing 747 is cruising 35,000 feet above the Bering Sea when suddenly the aircraft lurches violently to the left and begins losing altitude. The pilots manage to level out the plane but have difficulty controlling the crippled and shaking aircraft. After declaring an emergency, they turn around in the hopes of reaching Anchorage, 1300 kilometers away. Nearly two hours later, the terrifying ordeal ends when the plane touches down safely. The skilled pilots have narrowly saved a...
Korean Air Cargo Flight #8509 Boeing 747-Freighter Scheduled to return to Seoul via Milan, Italy, Korean Air Cargo Flight #8509 idles on the tarmac at England's Stansted Airport. With a new crew on board and nearly an hour behind schedule, the aircraft finally takes off and climbs to 2,500 feet. But just a few seconds later, the plane banks sharply to the left and slams into a field northeast of London. All four crewmembers die instantly in the huge explosion and a massive crater 30 feet deep marks the point of impact. It is Korean Airlines' fifth major accident in two-and-a-half years and as investigators unravel the case, their search for answers...
Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight #182 Boeing 727 On its early morning run down the California coast, PSA Flight #182 is arriving at San Diego's Lindbergh Airport. Warned that a Cessna is flying immediately ahead of them, the pilots of the 727 confirm they see the plane and are instructed to maintain visual separation. But just minutes later, Flight #182 collides with the Cessna and both planes crash into a quiet residential neighborhood below. With 144 people dead including 7 victims on the ground, it is the biggest airline disaster in American history and investigators must determine what happened and who is is at fault.
July 11th, 1991 Preparing to take a group of African-Muslim pilgrims home to Sokoto, Nigeria, Nigerian Airways Flight #2120 takes off from Jeddah's sprawling airport in Saudi Arabia in the blistering desert heat. But once in the air, the pilots get a warning that their plane is not properly pressurizing. With their aircraft losing hydraulics the pilots struggle to turn back towards Jeddah. In the meantime, the cabin fills with heavy smoke and fire. Just two miles from the airport, Flight #2120 erupts into a fireball and plummets to the ground, killing all 261 people on board. The deadliest DC-8 crash in history and the worst accident ever for...
En route to San Francisco from LAX, Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight #1771 is cruising high above the California countryside. Apart from some mild turbulence, the routine regional flight is uneventful. That is, until the pilots hear gunshots in the cabin. They report the gunfire to the tower and moments later, the aircraft falls into a steep dive and crashes into a remote field. With 43 people dead and a possible crime on board, investigators from both the NTSB and FBI must work together to determine what happened, who had a motive and access, and who the intended victim was.
TACA Airlines Flight #110 Boeing 737-300 series May 24th, 1988 Flying through a violent thunderstorm, TACA Flight #110 begins its final descent towards New Orleans when both engines quit and the plane begins dropping from the sky. The pilots restart both engines but almost immediately they overheat forcing the pilots to shut them down. Without power for the second time and falling fast, they consider ditching the plane in a canal but aim instead for a narrow grass levee. With 38 passengers bracing for a crash, the pilots manage one of the most remarkable landings in the history of commercial aviation. Then it's up to investigators to determine...
SAS Flight #686 Boeing MD-87 October 8th, 2001 A heavy fog blankets Milan's Linate Airport as SAS Flight #686 prepares for a routine flight to Copenhagen. Facing almost zero-visibility, the pilots rely entirely on ground controllers as they navigate into position for takeoff. The plane accelerates down the runway, but as it lifts off it collides with a Cessna in its path. The Cessna erupts in flames. The MD-87 slams to the ground and slides into an baggage hangar. The plane explodes on impact. It is the worst accident in Italian aviation history and the investigation uncovers a shocking series of errors. In the aftermath, an airport is transformed...
United Airlines Flight #232 DC-10 July 19th, 1989 United Airlines Flight #232 is 37,000 feet over Iowa when one of its three engines explodes. The pilots shut it down but soon discover they have a much more serious problem on their hands. The plane is in a steep right bank, and the pilots are unable to restore its flight path. The DC-10 has suffered a complete failure of all hydraulic systems, and the pilots have no way to maneuver the plane other than by alternating the power to the two remaining engines. The pilots manage to fly the crippled plane to the nearest airport but, unable to configure the wings for a normal landing, they have no choice...
Making a routine journey from Berlin, Crossair Flight #3597 is on its final approach to Zurich. It is one of the last planes scheduled to land. But just minutes before landing the pilots cannot find the runway. They decide to abort the maneuver and apply full power to all four engines in order to get their jet to climb. But they are too late. The aircraft clips the treetops below and crashes into a hillside. Investigators comb through the wreckage, and the data from the plane's black boxes. But they would only solve the riddle of Crossair Flight 3597 by digging into the past.
January 17th, 2008. Approaching the end of its ten-and a half hour journey from Beijing, British Airways Flight #38 is preparing to land in Heathrow. But just as the first officer takes over the controls, and only two minutes before it touches down, the aircraft is inexplicably crippled by double engine failure. Quickly falling out of the sky and with just seconds to react, the captain raises the plane's flaps to reduce drag. And while the plane narrowly misses the buildings and radio antennas in its path, it crashes just short of the runway, ripping off the engines and landing gear. Incredibly, all 152 people on board survive. But can investigators...
December 27th, 1991 -- Scandinavian Airlines Flight #751 is negotiating snow and slush on the tarmac at Stockholm-Arlanda Airport. The DC-9 has been de-iced twice to ensure it's safe for take-off. Despite the winter conditions, the aircraft takes off smoothly. But within seconds, the engines begin emitting a series of rapid-fire booming noises, smoke begins filtering through the cabin, and less than two minutes later, both engines fail. As the pilots try restarting them, the left engine erupts in flames. 3,200 feet above the ground, the plane has lost all power and is falling quickly and silently from the sky. The plane hits the ground, breaking...
February 12th, 2009 - Two hours behind schedule and nearing the end of its 53-minute trip from Newark, New Jersey, Continental Connections Flight #3407 is approaching Buffalo-Niagara International Airport. Flying through snow and strong winds, the pilots can see the lights of the city below, but as they extend the flaps to slow the plane, the control column suddenly starts to shake. It's a warning that the plane is about to stall. The captain struggles to keep the plane flying but the out-of-control aircraft suddenly plummets towards the ground and crashes into a suburban home. It is the worst US crash in more than 7 years, but with a raging fire...
January 15th, 2009 - Less than two minutes after taking off from New York's LaGuardia Airport, US Airways Flight #1549 collides with a flock of birds. Both engines suddenly lose all thrust, and the Airbus A-320 begins falling from the sky. The crew desperately tries to restart their engines, but can't. With New York on one side and New Jersey on the other, Captain Chesley Sullenberger is running out of options. Searching desperately for a place to land, Sullenberger warns passengers and crew to brace for impact and tells the control tower that he will be ditching the plane in the icy waters of the Hudson River. Amazingly, all 155 people on board...
February 25th, 2009 - Arriving from Istanbul, Turkish Airlines Flight #1951 is on its final approach to Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport. The crew is following instructions from the control tower that will line up their Boeing 737 with the runway. In the final moments of the flight, however, the plane suddenly falls from the sky and crashes into a muddy field just north of the airport. Of the 135 people on board, nine die, and investigators begin pouring through the wreckage to determine what brought down one of the world's most popular passenger jets. Can they figure out what went wrong in time to prevent another similar catastrophe?
August 22nd, 1985 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. Can investigators determine how a minor emergency turned into one of the worst disasters in British aviation history?
August 16th, 1987 Northwest Airlines Flight #255 is on the tarmac at Detroit Metropolitan Airport. The pilots are bound for Phoenix, Arizona, but first they have to find their runway. Controllers have given them a last minute change and the pilots are having a hard time locating the entrance to their runway. Finally, 45 minutes behind schedule, the pilots taxi the DC-9 into position. The airplane is soon roaring down the runway at 95 miles an hour (150 kilometers and hour). 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...
Air France Flight #296 (Airbus A320) June 26th, 1988 The Airbus A-320 the worlds most sophisticated passenger jet takes off for its maiden passenger flight and first-ever public demonstration. The plane is headed for the Habsheim Air Show 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. With such a huge investment on the line, there is enormous pressure on investigators to determine whether the pilot or the plane...
US Air Flight #1493 (Boeing 737-300) & Skywest Flight #5569 (Fairchild Metroliner) February 1st, 1991 Its a busy night at Los Angeles International Airport, and 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... Can investigators determine what...
September 1, 1983 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. With Cold War tensions at an all-time high, its up to international investigators to keep two superpowers at bay. But can they prevent an all-out armed conflict,...
March 10th, 1989 Bound for Winnipeg, Air Ontario Flight #1363 prepares for takeoff after a brief layover at a remote Northern airport. Already an hour behind schedule, the pilots fear the heavy snowfall will further delay their departure, and after refueling, they taxi into position and accelerate. 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.
January 20th, 1992 High over Frances mountainous Alsace region, Air Inter Flight #148 starts its descent towards Strasbourg airport. An Airbus A320, the aircraft is the worlds first to rely mainly on computerized commands to control it, and while its autopilot had been programmed to land on a specific runway, 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. Can rescuers...
Chalks Ocean Airways Flight #101 Grumman Turbo Mallard (sea plane) December 19th, 2005 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. Lifeguards immediately race to the crash site but there are no survivors. Eyewitness reports...
Twenty minutes after taking off from Taipei, Taiwan a China Airlines 747 suddenly disappears from radar. A massive rescue mission is launched, ut 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.
December 21, 1988. Shortly after taking off from London's 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. Who brought down Flight 103?
September 8, 1989 - On 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? And why is it a potential problem for every passenger plane in the world?
November 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. The two wreckage fields are five miles apart. As investigators comb through the charred debris for evidence, they try and answer troubling questions: Why did the two planes collide? Who's responsible? And can they stop it before it happens again?
April 4, 1975. In the final, chaotic days of the Vietnam War, US President Gerald 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. What caused the tragic accident? And can investigators find out before they have to flee the country?
It's August 6th, 2005. Tuninter Flight 1153 is flying to the Tunisian resort island of Djerba. It's 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. Twenty people survive - but fourteen of the 34 passengers are killed. Investigators discover a shocking mistake - that could effect one of the most popular turb-prop passenger planes in the world.
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. Air traffic controllers get in touch with the lost plane - and try guiding it back on course. But the jet's navigational systems aren't working. And the bad weather is closing in. The crew struggle to find their way - when suddenly, flight...
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.
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.
Its a calm summer evening, when an inexplicable failure strikes, causing the loss of two engines on a brand new passenger jet midway between Montreal and Edmonton. Powerless at 26-thousand feet, the pilot needs all his skill, and a little bit of luck, to get his plane to the airport. But his saga doesnt end there because the runway he thought was abandoned is anything but.
An 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 wasnt it?
Az izgalmas sorozat az utóbbi évtizedek néhány nagy légibalesetének okait igyekszik felkutatni a fekete dobozok adatai, valamint pilóták és szakértők segítségével. 1987. november 27-én egy Tajvanról Johannesburgba tartó Boeing 747-es belezuhant az Indiai-óceánba. A baleseti kivizsgálók szerint a tragédiát a raktér lángba borulása okozta. Az elméletet alátámasztani látszik egy pletyka, mely szerint a gép fegyvereket csempészett a háború sújtotta Dél-Afrikai Köztársaságba…
A small commuter plane begins a short flight when disaster strikes. Moments after takeoff, the nose of the aircraft pitches up dramatically. The flight crew struggles for control. 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.
A DC-9 is caught in a storm so severe that hailstones crack the cockpit windshield, causing the plane to plummet to the ground. Miraculously 20 people survive.
In 1985, an Air India flight vanishes off the coast of Ireland. The rescue mission discovers that the crew had no warning before the jet was ripped apart. Investigators are alerted to a bag checked in without the passenger boarding. Another explosion on the same day at Tokyos Airport is soon linked to this incident. The bomb builder is traced and sent to jail but the person who checked the bag onto the plane has never been caught.
In 1996, on departure of a Birgenair Flight, the pilot ignores vital information given by a junior crew member before smashing into the ocean. The data recorder reveals the confusing sound of multiple alarms. The plane was giving conflicting information as tubes that measured airspeed had been blocked by insect nests. But disaster could have been averted if the crew had heeded warning signs even before the plane lifted off.
December 29, 1972. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 is coming in for a landing in Miami. On the crews instrument panel, one of the three green lights confirming the planes landing gear is down and locked remains unlit. Captain Robert Loft decides to have the auto pilot fly the plane in a holding pattern while he and his crew work to fix the problem. Flying at 2,000 feet all four men in the cockpit focus their attention on the troublesome bulb. None of them notice that the plane is slowly descending to the ground, until its too late. The brand new L-1011 slams into the remote swampland of the Florida Everglades. Miraculously 77 people survive the initial...
In September 2006, 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 from Air Traffic Control to lower its altitude over Brasilia 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. Find out how this disaster resulted in the improvement of on board collision avoidance systems.
August 2, 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. More than 300 passengers and crew have only seconds to escape. With some of the emergency exits blocked by fire, frantic passengers fight through flames and thickening smoke. In less than three minutes, the plane is completely engulfed by fire. Barefoot, without luggage, survivors emerge by the side of Torontos busiest highway, and catch rides back to the airport from bewildered rush hour commuters. When all are accounted for, miraculously, all on board escape the crash. The investigation...
June 24, 1982 - On a clear summer night, during a seemingly calm trip to Australia, the impossible happens to British Airways Flight 009. Smoke starts filling the cabin. The engines catch fire then stop working. The flight crew witness a bizarre shower of brilliant sparks striking the windshield of the aircraft. The entire plane is surrounded by a shimmering white glow. Without power, the plane begins falling from the sky. Passengers are terrified. The crew have no idea why their engines have quit or how to get them working again. As they fall through the night the captain faces a difficult choice return to the nearest airport and risk crashing...
In June of 1983, a small mechanical problem in the back of an Air Canada DC-9 quickly turned into an all-out emergency 10 kilometers in the air. The aircraft was travelling to Toronto from Dallas when passengers noticed smoke coming from the rear washroom. As the smoke grows thicker, the crew has no choice but attempt to land the plane. For fifteen hellish minutes, passengers and crew struggle to deal with the thick toxic smoke. When the plane finally hits the runway in Cincinnati, all on board struggle to exit the burning plane as quickly as possible. Ninety seconds after touching the ground, the plane is engulfed in a ball of fire. Twenty-three...
August 6, 1997. Korean Air Flight 801 is flying to Guam International Airport from Seoul, when it runs into bad weather. Turbulence bounces passengers and crew but much worse is to come. Fighting rain and inoperative navigational equipment, the crew struggle to find the airport. But just as they see the lights of Guam, the rain closes in again. As the plane flies closer and closer to the ground, warning sirens fill the cockpit. But still the crew, hampered by clouds and pelting rain, is flying blind. Flight 801 crashes five kilometres short of Agana airport, scattered down Nimitz Hill. While many passengers survive the crash, they cant escape...
Around the globe, the Boeing 737 is the backbone of the aviation industry. But in 1991, something happened onboard a 737 that sent shudders through the world of aviation. Moments from landing, United Airlines 585 starts spinning out of control and falls out of the sky at 350 kilometers per hour. Everyone on board is killed. In ten violent seconds, the crash has become one of the most mysterious air disasters in aviation history. Almost two years after the crash, the NTSB had studied the crew, the weather, the rudder, and thousands of other pieces of evidence but they cant solve the mystery. For only the fourth time in its history, the NTSB release...
February 19, 1985. China Airlines Flight 006 is nearing the California coastline when disaster strikes. A series of small problems beginning with the failure of the jets fourth engine snowballs into an all-out emergency. The plane stalls, and begins tumbling toward the Pacific Ocean. As it twists and turns, the strong G-forces make the ride hellish for the crew and passengers who are pinned to their seats. The wings buckle, the doors to the landing gear are ripped off, and parts of the tail break away. Precious hydraulic fuel essential for landing is lost. Spinning wildly in thick clouds, the crew cant tell up from down. In just two minutes the...
August 31, 1986. A calm Labor Day weekend is shattered by a horrifying tragedy. A Los Angeles neighborhood is devastated and more than 80 lives are lost when two planes fall from the sky. An Aeromexico DC-9 is preparing to land at Los Angeles International Airport one of the busiest in the world when it collides with a much smaller private plane, a Piper Cherokee. The Cherokee slices off the tail of the DC-9, causing it to spiral out of control and crash. The smaller plane also crashes into the quiet suburb. The devastation is horrific: all onboard perish and at least fifteen houses are destroyed. The entire area is ablaze. Investigators must...
April, 1996. American government officials and high-powered U.S. business executives are on a trade mission to Bosnia and Croatia. The first day of their demanding three-day trip takes them from Zagreb to Tuzla to Dubrovnik. Among those aboard the flight is US Commerce Secretary Ron Brown, a close friend and political ally of President Clinton. Their aircraft is a specially outfitted 737 military jet and the crew are all experienced military personnel. As they near the airport in Dubrovnik, rain and clouds make the journey increasingly difficult. A plane that had landed an hour before them gets in touch, warning the crew that conditions are at...
On 3 January, 2004 in the darkness before dawn, Flash Airlines flight 604 takes off from Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, heading to Paris. Sharm is a popular resort destination for many Europeans, and the flight is filled with families returning home. Just minutes after take off, the Boeing 737 crashes into the Red Sea, shatters upon impact and sinks. All 148 passengers on board are killed. With the wreckage lying in deep, uncharted water, there are tremendous obstacles for accident investigators. After weeks of work, the planes two black boxes are recovered, telling a terrifying tale. The experienced pilot seems to be totally unaware when the plane turns...
Sunday, August 14, 2005. Larnaca Airport, in Cyprus. It's 9:00am and low cost airline Helios Airways Flight 522 is scheduled to fly to the Greek capital, Athens, before continuing its route to Prague, in the Czech Republic. Captain Hans Mertens, the 58-year-old German pilot and his Greek co-pilot, 40-year-old Bambos Charalambous, begin the take-off. At 09.11am, as the plane climbs through 12,000 feet, a warning buzzer sounds in the cockpit. Mertens radios Air Traffic Control to report he has a minor air-conditioning problem. Five minutes later, he requests permission to climb to 34,000 feet. Thirty minutes later, the plane enters Greek airspace....
Aloha Flight 243 - April, 1988 A short island hop from Maui to Honolulu quickly turns into a nightmare for the crew and passengers aboard Flight 243. Shortly after take off, a loud bang is heard. A huge chunk of the plane's roof and walls is missing, right down to the passengers' feet. They are flying in a convertible! Against all the odds, the plane gets down safely. But why did this happen?
November 22, 2003 - It was supposed to be a routine "mail drop" for the DHL cargo plane in Baghdad, Iraq. With a war raging below, the three civilian pilots aboard the DHL Airbus 300 are simply trying to complete a routine delivery of soldiers letters. Meanwhile, on the ground, a French journalist is horrified to realize that the Iraqi terrorist she is interviewing just ordered ground-to-air missiles aimed at an aircraft. She watches in shock as the DHL plane becomes the first civilian plane to be struck with a surface-to-air missile since the war in Iraq began. The planes left wing is engulfed in flames and its steering system is completely destroyed...
Twelve minutes after takeoff on August 12, 1985, a thunderous bang echoes through JAL flight 123. The pilots are stunned to realize that the steering system is completely unresponsive. Crippled by the low oxygen levels, they struggle to control a plane that lunges wildly through the sky, headed directly into the mountains around Mt. Fuji (Japans largest mountain). After 30 minutes of wrestling with the wind, the pilots remain helpless as the plane crashes into the side of Mt. Osutaka. An American spots the smoking wreckage and initiates a rescue operation. Tragically, it is called off by Japanese authorities who believe that no one survived the...
On April 7, 1994, FedEx flight 705 is just finishing its climb out of Memphis, U.S. when an off-duty FedEx flight engineer suddenly storms the cockpit. Bashing in the crew members skulls with a hammer and armed with a spear gun, the crazed attacker seems intent on killing the crew and taking over the plane. The stunned co-pilot, with his skull fractured and right arm paralyzed, must fight the attacker using his only remaining weaponthe plane itself. To throw the hijacker off balance, the pilot hurls the heavy cargo plane into risky but cunning aerobatic maneuvers, traveling at speeds so high they dont even register on the planes gauge! Yet so...
On December 11, 1994, an international terrorist sneaks bomb ingredients past airport security and assembles them inside the bathroom of PAL flight 434. He calculates to make sure that his seat lies directly over the planes fuel tank, and plants the bomb under his seat before disembarking at a stopover in the Philippines. The plane takes off a second time and is headed toward Tokyo when an explosion jolts the plane, creating panicked chaos as the blast kills one, injures ten, and leaves a gaping hole in the planes floor. Not knowing the extent of the damage, 292 terrified passengers pin their hopes of survival on their captain, who expertly manipulates...
During a sea battle, a military radar operator stationed on a war ship equipped with a highly sophisticated weapons system, mistakenly identifies an approaching civilian aircraft as a hostile F-14. The plane is shot down and all 290 people on board are killed. The ensuing investigation shows how fear led to a chain of errors, and a catastrophic blunder. LONG or PAGE DESCRIPTION ALSO APPROVED July 3, 1988 - Captain Will Rogers III of the USS Vincennes is stationed in the Persian Gulf. His ship carries one of the smartest weapons system ever designed: the billion dollar Aegis system, which can track every aircraft and missile within 200 miles up...
To tap the precious oil reserves in the North Sea, workers must travel hundreds of kilometres by helicopter over treacherous waters to reach their remote drilling platforms. The region is notorious for its turbulent weather, so the pilots of Super Puma helicopter are not surprised when a storm develops during a routine worker transport on January 19, 1995. Already pelted with icy rain, the pilots are struggling to navigate their way through the blinding storm when the unthinkable happens: their helicopter is struck by lightning. The controls shudder and fail, and the pilots are finally forced to ditch into the icy water . They hit the stormy sea...
October 31, 1999- The night sky is calm when the captain leaves his copilot in command of the Boeing 767 during a bathroom break on the long flight from New York to Cairo. The copilot is alone in the cockpit as the plane suddenly begins to dive , so fast that it creates weightlessness within the passengers cabin. The floating captain claws his way back to his seat in the cockpit, and grapples with the steering system to force the plane back up from 4,800 metres to 7,300 metres. But the aircraft soon plunges into yet another dive, this one irreversible. At 1:52 a.m., Egypt Air flight 990 disappears from radar, vanishing into the Atlantic around...
Newly equipped with a fleet of Airbus jets, the Russian company Aeroflot inaugurates a new nonstop route from Moscow to Hong Kong. A little over a year later on March 22, 1994 the elite reserve captain of the now routine flight is also a proud father, inviting his son and daughter to visit the cockpit and even allowing the children a few minutes in the captains seat. " May I turn this?" asks the boy. Moments later, the plane is tilting at a deadly 45 degree angle, and being thrown into a corkscrew dive. The plane is flying so fast that the force of gravity inside the plane first doubles, then quadruples, making it impossible for the captain to...
Outside the small Greek island of Paros, a landmark rock formation called the Gates of Paros towers above the sea, topped with a navigation light. Ships normally travel at least 740 metres left of the rocks, but on the night of September 26, 2000, the Samina Express speeds directly toward the treacherous rocks. The boat grinds against the jagged rocks, gouging open the side of the ship. As the ferry sinks in the midst of a raging storm, frantic passengers scramble to find life jackets and emergency rafts on the under-equipped boat. Many of the 533 who were on board are left thrashing in the two-metre waves, fighting to be rescued by local fishing...
February 8, 1986 Four kilometers before the double track narrows to a single railway outside the town of Hinton, Alberta, Canada, a 12 million-kilogram, 2 kilometer-long freight train on the upper track approaches a yellow caution light alerting it to slow down. Meanwhile, a Super Continental passenger train on the single railway speeds toward the same intersection from the opposite direction with permission to continue onto the lower track. Ignoring warnings, the freight train races by the yellow lights and picks up speed to 96 kph as it flies past red lights telling it to stop before it reaches the shared railway. The freight train slams through...
Before a Southern Pacific Railroad freight train leaves the station on May 12, 1989, workers load the cars with some 2700 tonnes more weight that the conductor expects. The conductor is never informed of the increase, and becomes aware of the uncontrollable weight of his train only while speeding down a mountain outside San Bernadino, U.S. Overloaded and with half his brakes inoperable, the conductor is unable to stop the train from derailing at the base of the mountain and roaring into the small town. The train ploughs through a quaint residential street, demolishing seven homes, and killing both residents and drivers. The town struggles to come...
On November 23, 1996, three men storm the cockpit of Ethiopian Airlines flight 961. The men shout that they are hijacking the plane and have a bomb. Armed with an axe and a fire extinguisher, they beat the copilot, and then demand that the pilot chart a course for Australia. The pilot tries to explain that the plane doesnt have enough fuel to travel that far, but when he cant convince them of the truth, he decides to trick them instead. Rather than flying east across the Indian Ocean, he flies south along the African coast, hoping to stay close to land and any airport along the way. But soon, the fuel supply dwindles, both engines lose power,...
Within minutes of take off, the crew and passengers aboard British Airways Flight 111, know something is terribly wrong. A loud bang is heard from the cockpit. The windshield has popped off and the captain has been sucked out through the opening. His body is plastered to the side of the plane and the plane is diving quickly. The co-pilot is in a desperate situation, he's never flown the plane before, the sound of the wind is deafening and he can't hear the replies from air traffic controllers who are trying to help him gain control of the plane. Against all odds, the co-pilot successfully lands the plane and miraculously the captain survives....
On August 21, 1995, Flight ASA 529 took off from Atlanta, Georgia, headed for Gulfport, Mississippi. Shortly after take-off there was a loud thud, followed by a continual thumping noise. The 26 Passengers on board could see that one of the four propeller blades was now just a stub and the mangled mass of the engine was glued to the left wing. The plane was now effectively flying on one wing! The flight crew desperately tried to keep the plane airborne, but was forced to make a crash landing. Miraculously, all the passengers and crew survived the crash. But within seconds, a raging fire broke out, forcing the passengers to run through searing flames....
In Algiers on Christmas Eve in 1994, an Air France Airbus carrying 239 people was hijacked by four Algerian terrorists just before take off. They demanded the release from prison of Muslim leaders held by the Algerian authorities. 63 passengers were released, but the Algerian politicians refused to meet the hijackers' demands. In retaliation, the hijackers killed a passenger and dumped the body. The Algerians leadership was unmoved. A second passenger was killed and then a third. As a result of pressure exerted by the French government, the plane took off for Marseilles. 39 hours have passed. Once in Marseilles, the French authorities conducted...
A party of Russian school children is on board a Tupolev 154 on its way to a holiday in Spain. A DHL courier plane is flying from Italy to Belgium. Their paths cross on the German/Swiss border. Back at the traffic control room, a lone controller is left to supervise two screens a meter apart. The planes head toward each other and pilots radio the controller. Unfortunately, he is at the other screen and doesn't hear them until it's too late. The two planes descend into each other and 71 people die, most of them children. The TCAS (Traffic Collision Avoidance System) could have saved them - what went wrong?
American Airlines Flight 965 from Miami, USA to Cali, Colombia is one of the many delayed flights during the peak holiday season. In an effort to recover lost time, the pilots push the Boeing 757 full speed to the last. Flown by two experienced pilots, the passenger jet is equipped with every computerized navigation aid. The system goes awry just as the pilots intend to land. Rushing a landing, they find themselves disoriented and headed into a mountainside. As they struggle to pull the plane back into a climb, it stalls. Four survivors, the air traffic control in Cali and one flight recorder serve as guides for investigators to reconstruct the...
A layer of fog blankets New York City causing flight delays up to three hours long. As air traffic controllers at JFK manage numerous planes in the face of a coming storm, Avianca Flight 052 with 158 crew and passengers has been circling the sky for over 77 minutes running down to the last few dregs of fuel. Despite urgent messages from the crew, the air traffic control tower has not given the plane permission to land. At last, clearance is given, but it's too late. The plane crashes into a Long Island hillside killing 73 people. What the ensuing investigation uncovers leaves many wondering if the crash could have even been avoided.
Unlocking Disaster Just out of Honolulu the cargo door of United Airlines Flight 811 opens , ripping a huge hole in the 747 taking out five rows of seats -and nine passengers - with it. Mayday investigates how delays in fixing known design faults can have tragic consequences.
Flight 1420, an American Airlines MD-82, leaves Dallas-Fort Worth for Little Rock two hours late due to thunderstorms. To keep the airline schedules on track, the American Airlines dispatcher tells the crew to "expedite their arrival" to beat the storms to the Little Rock airfield. It's a short hop and radar weather data shows a clear corridor, or a "bowling alley," as the dispatcher calls it, through which Flight 1420 should be able to fly to its destination. Captain Richard Buschmann and co-pilot Michael Origel prepare to beat the storm. One hundred miles from Little Rock, as 1420 begins its descent, severe thunderstorms close in on the airfield,...
It takes years of training to become an airline captain, but it's when a crisis strikes that a pilot really earns his stripes. 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. A catastrophic failure strikes high above the Canadian Prairies turning a Boeing 767 into a very large and very heavy glider. And, when the engines of TACA Flight 110 flame out in a violent storm, its captain pulls off one of the most remarkable landings in the history of commercial aviation.
Sometimes the trust between pilots and their planes breaks down, and the cockpit inadvertently becomes a struggle that pits man against machine. Eager crowds gather at an air show to watch the new pride of French aviation, but witness a fiery disaster instead. During a routine test flight, one of the world's most advanced planes nosedives into the Mediterranean. And, when a packed Airbus disappears over the Atlantic, investigators face a two-year deep-sea search for answers.
In 1985, an Air India flight vanishes off the coast of Ireland. The rescue mission discovers that the crew had no warning before the jet was ripped apart. Investigators are alerted to a bag checked in without the passenger boarding. Another explosion on the same day at Tokyos Airport is soon linked to this incident. The bomb builder is traced and sent to jail but the person who checked the bag onto the plane has never been caught.
Compared to the number of suicides in the general population, suicidal pilots are almost statistically non-existent. But when they do emerge from obscurity to unleash their horrific plans on innocent passengers, the destruction they inflict is epic. 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.
Safety in the sky depends on the outcome of air crash investigations. But sometimes investigators disagree, and the pressure intensifies when the victims are famous. A crash carrying the Manchester United football team sparks an international argument. A storm of controversy ignites when a planeload of US military personnel goes down in a fiery blaze. And, conspiracy theories erupt on both sides when the president of Poland is killed in a crash en route to Russia.
In 1981, the Federal Aviation Administration established the sterile cockpit rule requiring pilots to refrain from non-essential activities during critical phases of flight. When this rule is broken, the resulting distraction can be deadly. Passengers fight for their lives inside a burning plane at Dallas Fort Worth Airport. A brand new L-1011 crashes in a remote swamp in the Florida Everglades. And, during a demonstration flight, a brand new Russian Superjet slams into a mountain south of Jakarta.
