Air Disasters — Season 13
The disaster is only the beginning of the story.
About this season
Catastrophic incidents in aviation history are meticulously reenacted, providing insight into what went wrong and if the crashes and near-disasters could have been prevented. Accounts from survivors combine with cockpit recordings and computer images to weave the gripping tales, and expert testimony reveals the hows and whys behind the events, some of which have resulted in important changes to aviation safety and regulations.
Episodes (10)
1. Deadly Descent
Aired 8 September 2019 • 45 min
See what happens when an airbus A330 loses power to both its engines over the South China Sea.
2. Death Race
Aired 15 September 2019 • 45 min
When a modified WWII fighter plane crashes into the crowd at a Nevada air show, investigators struggle to find the cause.
3. Fatal Approach
Aired 22 September 2019 • 45 min
A false warning in the cockpit triggers a series of pilot errors, sending a commuter plane crashing by the runway of an Amsterdam airport.
4. Borderline Tactics
Aired 29 September 2019 • 45 min
When a DC-8 cargo jet crashes on approach to a U.S. naval base in Guantanamo, investigators wonder if Cuba played a role.
5. Deadly Pitch
Aired 6 October 2019 • 45 min
Discover why a cargo plane, operating as Fine Fir Flight 101, lost control after takeoff and plowed through a Miami highway in August 1997.
6. Fatal Climb
Aired 13 October 2019 • 45 min
A commercial airliner crashes minutes after taking off from an airport in Bucharest causing suspicions to rise.
7. Runway Runoff
Aired 20 October 2019 • 45 min
A Boeing 737, seconds before liftoff from Denver to Houston, races off the runway, hits a steep ridge, and briefly goes airborne before slamming to Earth and bursting into flames. Revisit the 2008 crash of Continental Airlines Flight 1404 and follow investigators as they look into a mechanical problem previously found on other Boeing 737s, only to find the true culprit in the Rocky Mountains.
8. Lethal Limits
Aired 27 October 2019 • 45 min
Two Russian pilots with limited experience flying Boeing 737s attempt to land one in the middle of the night with both of the aircraft's engines operating at different power levels. The pairing of a new captain with an unproven first officer was enough to put passengers at risk, but there was one more factor at play that sealed the fate of Aeroflot Nord Flight 821. Witness the fatal crash that occurred minutes before landing, and follow the investigation that led to a call to completely overhaul Russia's aviation system.
9. Soccer Tragedy
Aired 3 November 2019 • 45 min
LaMia Flight 2933, carrying Brazil's Chapecoense soccer team, is approaching Medellin, Colombia to play for the prestigious Copa Sudamericana championship when its crew suddenly declares a fuel emergency. Before air traffic control can clear a path, the plane loses power and crashes to the ground, killing all but seven passengers. Investigators discover no leaks and are mystified over how the experienced pilots could fly a plane with an insufficient amount of fuel. As they pore over the evidence, they ultimately uncover a deadly gamble.
10. Slam Dunk
Aired 10 November 2019 • 45 min
At the end of a quick trip from Washington, D.C. to Columbus, Ohio, the captain of United Express Flight 6291 grows concerned over reports of icy rain ahead. He opts for a risky "slam dunk" landing, a maneuver where a plane descends rapidly to the runway to avoid bad weather, but something goes wrong. The plane crashes into a warehouse just a mile from the airport. The badly burned wreckage leaves little for investigators to work with, but when they examine the cockpit recording they make a stunning discovery.