Air Disasters — Season 17
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. Holding Pattern
Aired 27 February 2022 • 45 min
Discover the surprising reason why a Boeing 737 took a deadly nosedive after circling the runway for two hours.
2. Peril Over Portugal
Aired 6 March 2022 • 45 min
All signs point to bad weather causing the crash of Martinair Flight 495... until investigators make an intriguing discovery.
3. Stealth Bomber Down
Aired 13 March 2022 • 45 min
Discover the cause of history's most expensive aviation accident: the 2008 crash of the B-2 bomber Spirit of Kansas.
4. Double Trouble
Aired 20 March 2022 • 44 min
An emergency over the French Alps leads to a miraculous landing, followed by the discovery of a small but deadly flaw.
5. Pacific Plunge
Aired 27 March 2022 • 44 min
Heroic flying isn't enough to overcome neglectful maintenance in the tragic accident of Alaska Airlines Flight 261.
6. Terror Over Michigan
Aired 3 April 2022 • 44 min
Investigators must pull off a risky test flight to see if the pilots of a heroic emergency landing are hiding a secret.
7. Tree Strike Terror
Aired 10 April 2022 • 44 min
When a tree-strike takes out both engines of an MD-83, the crew must find a way to land a 60-ton plane with no power.
8. Pitch Black
Aired 17 April 2022 • 44 min
When an Illinois turboprop crashes after losing battery power, investigators uncover a series of errors made by the pilots.
9. Turboprop Terror
Aired 24 April 2022 • 44 min
When a turboprop stalls and crashes into a North Carolina forest, investigators resort to a risky test flight-and uncover an industry-wide safety problem.
10. Kobe Bryant
Aired 24 April 2022 • 44 min
When basketball legend Kobe Bryant is killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, investigators examine the data, the wreckage, and the pilot's actions for clues.