Air Crash Investigation
Dramatized reconstruction of real-life air disasters, along with interviews with aviation experts and eyewitnesses.
Genre: Documentary, Crime, History
Cast:Jonathan Aris , Stephen Bogaert , John Cox , John Nance , Gregory Feith , Robert Benzon , Ron Schleede , Bob Macintosh , Tom Haueter , David Learmount , Malcolm Brenner , Barry Strauch , Richard Rodriguez , Von Flores , Todd Curtis , Dennis Grossi , Al Dickinson , Thom Marriott
S1.E1 ∙ Racing the Storm
American Airlines flight 1420 crashed upon landing in Little Rock, AR (USA) in the middle of a severe thunderstorm in 1999.
S1.E2 ∙ Unlocking Disaster
On United Airlines flight 811, the cargo door suddenly opens in-flight and tears a portion of the fuselage. The crew attempts landing back in Honolulu.
S1.E3 ∙ Flying Blind
AeroPeru flight 603 crashed on a routine flight from Lima to Santiago in 1996, due to a severe failure with the flight instruments.
S1.E4 ∙ Flying on Empty
Air Transat flight 236 ran out of fuel in-flight over the North Atlantic due to a mysterious leak, forcing the crew to glide to the nearest airfield.
S1.E5 ∙ Cutting Corners
In January 2000, Alaska Airlines flight 261 crashed off the Californian coastline with no survivors due to, as the title implies, improper maintenance.
S1.E6 ∙ Fire on Board
Swissair flight 111 suffered a fire in-flight and crashed while attempting an emergency landing in Halifax in 1998.
S2.E1 ∙ Blow Out
The pilot of a British airliner is partially sucked out of the cockpit after his windscreen blows out in flight.
S2.E2 ∙ A Wounded Bird
Can a damaged engine bring down a modern multi-engine aircraft? The story of Atlantic Southeast Airlines flight 529.
S2.E3 ∙ Hijacked
Air France Flight 8969 has been hijacked. How can the authorities deal with the hijackers and save all passengers on-board?
S2.E4 ∙ Deadly Crossroads
A DHL cargo plane collides with a Russian passenger jet over southern Germany in 2002.
S2.E5 ∙ Crash On The Mountain
Another proof that a series of small mishaps can amount to one deadly crash. Pilot errors, inoperative ground equipment and arrogance pile on one after another and end in a tragic disaster.
S2.E6 ∙ Deadly Delay
Can a plane fall out of the sky without a single technical problem on-board? Yet another story of communications break-down resulting in a tragic loss of life.
S3.E1 ∙ Kid in the Cockpit
Enter the cockpit of RIA Flight 593, where pilots battle an uncooperative plane, gravity, and a teen at the wheel.
S3.E2 ∙ Attack Over Baghdad
An Airbus A300 flying for DHL is struck by a ground-to-air missile on the left wing tip, shortly after take-off from Baghdad. With damage that included loss of all hydraulics, the aircraft crew struggles to land safely.
S3.E3 ∙ Out of Control
Japan Airlines flight 123 veers out of control and crashes in the mountains, becoming the worst air disaster involving a single aircraft in 1985.
S3.E4 ∙ Suicide Attack
Three Fedex crew members must fight off a cockpit attack from another employee in mid-flight.
S3.E5 ∙ Bomb on Board
A bomb exploded on Philippine Airlines flight 434, killing one passenger and disabling several vital systems on board in 1994.
S3.E6 ∙ Mistaken Identity
US Navy cruiser spots an airplane approaching them on a radar. Numerous attempts to contact the aircraft go unanswered. Is it a friend or a foe? The Navy commander must make a decision whether or not to shoot down the approaching airplane.
S3.E7 ∙ Hanging by a Thread
The roof tears off of Aloha Airlines 243, a Boeing 737, at 24,000 feet.
S3.E8 ∙ Death and Denial
Was it a mechanical failure or a suicidal pilot that doomed Egypt Air Flight 990? Years later, the dispute continues.
S3.E9 ∙ Ocean Landing
Ethiopian Airlines Flight 961: the pilot is forced to ditch his plane into the ocean after being hijacked and running out of fuel.
S4.E1 ∙ Miracle Escape
An Air France airliner overruns the runway while attempting to land at Toronto in bad weather. The plane ends up in a small ravine and starts burning, but all the passengers are quickly and safely evacuated.
S4.E2 ∙ Falling from the Sky
While en route from Malaysia to Australia, all four engines off a British Airways 747 fail. Now the crew must divert to Indonesia. Will they make it? And why did the engines fail and left British Airways Flight 9 "Falling from the Sky?"
S4.E3 ∙ Fire Fight
Fire breaks out on Air Canada flight 797 at 35,000 feet. Can the crew get the wheels on the ground before the fire consumes the plane?
S4.E4 ∙ Missed Approach
Korean Air Flight 801 crashed on a go-around after a missed approach in Guam in 1997. Pilot error and in-op ground equipment played the biggest role in this disaster.
S4.E5 ∙ Hidden Danger
The crashes of United Airlines flight 585 and USAir flight 427 confound investigators for 10 years until they catch a lucky break, which allows them to solve the long overdue puzzle.
S4.E6 ∙ Panic Over the Pacific
A China Airlines passenger jet goes out of control over the Pacific Ocean on a flight to Los Angeles. The extreme forces cause extensive damage to the aircraft, but the pilots regain control and safely land the 747 at San Francisco.
S4.E7 ∙ Out of Sight
A badly damaged Aeroméxico DC-9 crashes into a residential neighborhood of Cerritos, California, after being hit by a privately owned Piper light aircraft not seen by the air traffic controller.
S4.E8 ∙ Fog of War
In 1996, a USAF plane carrying US Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown crashes into a mountain while attempting an instrument approach to a war-torn Dubrovnik Airport in southern Croatia.
S4.E9 ∙ Vertigo
What brought Flash Flight 604 down? Was it turbulence, technical problem, lightning strike? Or simply the most dreaded factor of them all, the human factor?
S4.E10 ∙ Ghost Plane
Air traffic controllers lose contact to a Cypriot airliner flying towards Athens, Greece. Two F-16s are scrambled to investigate, but the plane soon crashes into a mountain.
S5.E1 ∙ Invisible Killer
It's called a microburst, but the havoc it wreaked on Delta Airlines Flight 191 was anything but minuscule.
S5.E2 ∙ Behind Closed Doors
It's one of the most alarming disasters in the history of aviation, not just because of the crash, but why it happened.
S5.E3 ∙ Gimli Glider
Relive the incredible story of a pilot forced to glide an engineless 767 to safety, from over 26,000 feet in the air.
S5.E4 ∙ Dead Weight
See how two unrelated failures combined to create a fatal catastrophe, and changed the history of small plane travel.
S5.E5 ∙ Fanning the Flames
To find the cause of the crash of Flight 295, they had to dig deep...3 miles deep to the floor of the Indian Ocean.
S5.E6 ∙ Southern Storm
Torrential rain. Baseball-sized hail. Why did Flight 242 enter this severe storm, and what caused its engines to fail?
S5.E7 ∙ Explosive Evidence
A terrorist's bomb blew up Air India Flight 182, but the biggest crime was that it all could have been prevented.
S5.E8 ∙ Mixed Signals
There are many factors affecting an aircraft in flight. Any one of them can bring the plane down. But as the investigation reveals yet again, the most common one is the human factor.
S5.E9 ∙ Fatal Distraction
The Eastern Airlines flight 401 crash: the deadliest disaster in U.S. civil aviation history.
S5.E10 ∙ Phantom Strike
A business jet on a delivery flight from Brazil to the US is shaken by a massive hit over the Amazon rainforest. The pilots manage to land the damaged aircraft, but they soon find out that they had a mid-air collision with a passenger jet.
S6.E1 ∙ Ripped Apart
This special looked at accidents and incidents where pressurization failure or explosive decompression played a part.
S6.E2 ∙ Fatal Flaw
This special looked at accidents caused by seemingly minor defects or errors.
S6.E3 ∙ Who's Flying the Plane?
Accidents and incidents where problems with the interface between crew members and onboard avionics were a factor, and the causes of those problems.
S6.E4 ∙ Fight for Your Life
A FedEx flight from Memphis makes an emergency return when the crew is attacked. The investigation reveals a troubled pilot and serious flaws in management.
S7.E1 ∙ Scratching the Surface
25 May 2002: China Airlines Flight 611, a Boeing 747, broke up in mid-air and crashed into the sea of Formosa Strait, just 20 minutes after taking off from Taipei.
S7.E2 ∙ Lockerbie Disaster
A depiction of the destruction of Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland and the intense investigation that followed.
S7.E3 ∙ Blown Apart
A long and arduous journey of the investigation from the crash backward in time to find the root cause of the crash of Partnair flight 394 to be nothing more than human greed.
S7.E4 ∙ Sight Unseen
One of the most horrifying mid-air collisions in history happened over India in 1996. Finding the chain of mishaps and unfortunate events is not easy for the investigators.
S7.E5 ∙ Operation Babylift
An American C-5 Galaxy is flying orphaned Vietnamese babies out of Saigon into safety when things go horribly wrong at 23,000 feet. The investigation uncovers some shady practices and also the heroism of the crew trying to save every life.
S7.E6 ∙ Falling Fast
The aircraft, TS-LBB, took off from Bari, Italy, as Flight 1153 at 2:32 p.m. local time, on its return leg to Djerba, Tunisia. At about 3:15 p.m., the pilot alerted the Palermo Punta Raisi airport to technical problems and requested permission for an emergency landing.
S7.E7 ∙ Flight 574: Lost
When a Boeing 737 flies into a storm and crashes into the sea, the investigators cannot believe what actually brought down this very sophisticated aircraft.
S7.E8 ∙ Frozen in Flight
Depicts the crash of American Eagle Flight 4184 near Roselawn, IN, an ATR-72 that got caught in icing conditions, and the subsequent investigation.
S8.E1 ∙ System Breakdown
Plane crashes caused by communication breakdowns expose the changes that need to be made to our overburdened air traffic control system.
S8.E2 ∙ Cruel Skies
Aviation disasters caused by storms are detailed along with the efforts of the FAA to ensure the safety of passengers and crew during inclement weather.
S9.E1 ∙ Panic on the Runway
When a survivable emergency on a grounded plane turns deadly, investigators examine what caused the disaster.
S9.E2 ∙ Alarming Silence
Exploring the crash of Northwest Airlines Flight 255, a McDonnell Douglas MD-82, immediately after takeoff at Detroit Metro Airport on August 16, 1987.
S9.E3 ∙ Pilot vs. Plane
First ever crash of the Airbus A320 on June 26, 1988 in Habsheim, France. Air France flight 296.
S9.E4 ∙ Cleared for Disaster
The 1991 collision of two planes mistakenly sharing one runway raises concerns about over-crowded airports and overburdened traffic controllers.
S9.E5 ∙ Target Is Destroyed
In 1983, Korean Air Lines Flight 007 accidentally enters the Soviet airspace on a flight from the United States to South Korea. The Soviet interceptors shoot down the passenger jet.
S9.E6 ∙ Cold Case
See how icy conditions, a communication breakdown, and an airline's focus on the bottom line led to disaster - twice.
S9.E7 ∙ The Final Blow
A 1992 crash in France's Vosges Mountains is examined, detailing the difficulties in finding the downed plane and then finding reasons for the accident.
S9.E8 ∙ Cracks in the System
A Grumman Mallard seaplane operated by Chalk's Ocean Arways (Flight 101) crashes into the sea shortly after takeoff, becoming the first fatal accident of the operator's 90 years in service.
S10.E1 ∙ Cockpit Failure
On the snowy night of November 24th, 2001, Crossair Flight LX 3597 - an Avro RJ100 regional airliner en route from Berlin - aborts its ILS landing at Zurich Airport and crashes into a wooded hillside, 4km short of the runway.
S10.E2 ∙ The Heathrow Enigma
In January 2008, British Airways Flight 38, en route from Beijing, loses power to both engines on approach to London's Heathrow Airport, and crash-lands several feet from the runway.
S10.E3 ∙ Pilot Betrayed
On December 27th 1991, Scandinavian Airlines Flight 751 loses power to both tail-mounted engines minutes after take-off from Stockholm Arlanda airport in Stockholm Sweden, and crashes in a snow-covered field 15 kilometers from the airport.
S10.E4 ∙ Dead Tired
On a snowy February 12th, 2009, Continental Connection Flight 3407 - a Bombardier DHC8 - abruptly dropped from the sky, crashing into a house in Buffalo, NY, five miles short of runway 23 at Buffalo Niagara International Airport.
S10.E5 ∙ Hudson River Runway
An Airbus A320, US Airways Flight 1549, loses thrust soon after takeoff. The pilot has no choice but take a one-in-a-thousand chance, and manages to land into the Hudson River without a single fatality.
S10.E6 ∙ Who's in Control?
Turkish Airlines flight 1951 stalled and crashed just short of the runway at Schiphol. The investigators discover a technical failure but it turns out that human factor was to blame afterall.
S11.E1 ∙ Deadly Reputation
TAM Airlines Flight 3054, an Airbus A320 touches down on the known deadly runway 35L of Congonhas-São Paulo Airport in Brazil. Flight 3054 is unable to stop, and slides into a warehouse and gas station, killing 199 people.
S11.E2 ∙ The Plane That Flew Too High
When a packed passenger jet, known for its safety, suddenly plummets to Earth from over 30,000 feet, a small Venezuelan investigative team searches for answers.
S11.E3 ∙ Split Decision
Arrow Flight 1285, carrying 256 people including U.S. service personnel, stalled and crashed minutes after take-off from Gander, Newfoundland on December 12th, 1985.
S11.E4 ∙ Breakup Over Texas
Investigate the 1991 crash of commuter plane Continental Express Flight 2574, and see how good intentions went terribly wrong.
S11.E5 ∙ Munich Air Disaster
Revisit the 1958 plane crash that destroyed Manchester United's soccer team and left a pilot's reputation in tatters.
S11.E6 ∙ Turning Point
On 9 October 2002, Northwest Airlines flight 85 is cruising at 35,000 feet (10,668 metres) above the Bering Sea on its way to Tokyo, when its lower rudder suddenly deflects to the left.
S11.E7 ∙ Bad Attitude
On 22 December 1999, Korean Air Cargo flight 8509 departs Stansted Airport, London bound for Milan, but less than a minute after it takes off, the plane crashes and kills all four crew members on board. Air accident investigators have to find out if the plane or crew error is to blame for the disaster.
S11.E8 ∙ Blind Spot
A Boeing 727, on approach to Lindbergh Field, collides with a Cessna 172 over a residential area in San Diego causing both planes to crash and scattering body parts across a neighborhood.
S11.E9 ∙ Under Pressure
Aviation investigators try to determine what caused a mid-air fire on Nigeria Airways flight 2120, chartered by Canadian airline Nationair, that on 11 July 1991 ultimately caused the death of all 247 passengers and 14 crew on board, the biggest loss of life for any Canadian airline and the worst disaster involving a DC-8.
S11.E10 ∙ I'm the Problem
See how one man's rage led to two minutes of terror for 42 passengers and crew aboard PSA Flight 1771.
S11.E11 ∙ Nowhere to Land
On 24 May 1988, the pilots of TACA Airlines flight 110 achieve one of the most remarkable deadstick landings in commercial aviation history. Investigators have to determine why the engines of a brand new Boeing 737-300 failed in mid-flight.
S11.E12 ∙ The Invisible Plane
Shocking discoveries come to light after two planes collide on the runway at one of Europe's busiest airports.
S11.E13 ∙ Impossible Landing
Meet the survivors of 1989's United Airlines Flight 232 and learn the remarkable story of their emergency crash landing.
S12.E1 ∙ Fight for Control
When a propeller departs the engine and causes major damage on Reeve Aleutian Airways flight 8, the experienced crew races to save the airplane and its passengers.
S12.E2 ∙ Fire in the Hold
When mysterious cargo boxes ignite on ValuJet flight 592, they bring the whole plane down within a short time. The investigator struggle to find out what kind of cargo could possibly cause such fierce fire to bring a whole plane down.
S12.E3 ∙ Typhoon Takeoff
The investigators wonder how an airliner in our modern world full of fail-safe features can crash on takeoff with nobody realizing that the pilots have made a horrible mistake.
S12.E4 ∙ Pushed to the Limit
When SilkAir flight 185 plunges 35,000 feet into the Musi River in Indonesia, the NTSB has a theory that the Indonesian authorities are not eager to accept.
S12.E5 ∙ Blind Landing
Pilot arrogance and macho attitude were the official blame of the crash of TANS Perú flight 204 in severe weather.
S12.E6 ∙ Grand Canyon Disaster
A mid-air collision of two passenger planes over the Grand Canyon shocks 1956 America. Conclusions reached by investigators of this accident will change aviation forever.
S12.E7 ∙ Catastrophe at O'Hare
When American Airlines flight 191 loses its engine and subsequently crashes into a hangar at Chicago O'Hare airport, the investigators shift the blame from a broken bolt to the airlines' unsafe cost-cutting measures.
S12.E8 ∙ Focused on Failure
When everybody thinks that human error bringing down a modern airliner is no longer possible, the captain of UA173 proves them all wrong.
S12.E9 ∙ Locomotiv Hockey Team Disaster
Contrary to popular belief, the famous Russian hockey team was not killed by a drunken crew. But could just one of the officers on deck with a medical deficiency have caused this disaster? Investigators dig deep.
S12.E10 ∙ Death of the President
The Polish political delegation, including the president, headed to Russia crashes during an approach to landing in Smolensk. Conspiracy theories fly rampant. But could it have been the politicians' self-importance that killed them all?
S12.E11 ∙ Heading to Disaster
Ethiopian flight 409's crash could not be attributed to any common reason, mechanical, weather-related or even terrorism. However, the most common and most overlooked reason is lurking in the shadows, quiet and deadly as always.
S12.E12 ∙ 28 Seconds to Survive
The ATR twin-turboprop aircraft flying 43 passengers on Santa Bárbara Airlines flight 518, a perfectly good aircraft crashed in the Venezuelan mountains. Series of pilot errors and arrogance are to blame for this preventable tragedy.
S12.E13 ∙ Air France 447: Vanished
Air France flight 447 plunged into the Atlantic Ocean for no good reason. Could it be that the automation systems developed to save lives are the blinding cause of destroying lives in the wrong hands of inexperienced pilots?
S13.E1 ∙ Fight to the Death
British Airways flight 548 crashes shortly after take off from London Heathrow airport in 1972. Piecing the clues together one by one, the investigation reveals shocking truth.
S13.E2 ∙ Speed Trap
An unfortunate mid-air collision in 1971 brings sweeping changes to the ATC system in the USA.
S13.E3 ∙ Lost in Translation
Crossair flight 498 crashes shortly after take-off from Zurich. The airplane was in good condition and the pilots had adequate training. Or did they? The investigation takes a dramatic turn when the cockpit voice recorder is retrieved.
S13.E4 ∙ Disaster on the Potomac
After Air Florida flight 90 crashes on take-off from Washington D.C., it is not easy to find the cause of the accident. It turns out eventually that this was no accident but simple and deadly oversight.
S13.E5 ∙ Queens Catastrophe
A plane crash (American Airlines flight 587) in New York just two months after 9/11.
S13.E6 ∙ Into the Eye of the Storm
Hugo, a category 5 hurricane, threatens to rip a plane apart.
S13.E7 ∙ Massacre Over the Mediterranean
When Itavia flight 870 goes missing over the Mediterranean sea, a conspiracy theory of a missile strike surfaces. Was the plane shot down by a Libyan fighter jet?
S13.E8 ∙ Deadly Test
During an in-flight test for XL Airways Germany Airbus A320, the aircraft suddenly pitches up, loses lift, then crashes into the sea.
S13.E9 ∙ Terror in Paradise
A popular Twin Otter aircraft crashes shortly after take-off in Tahiti. A bad maintenance decision and a series of other factors combined together create just the right recipe for disaster.
S13.E10 ∙ Titanic in the Sky
An emergency landing is forced by pilots after an engine explodes. [ Airbus A380 Airliner ]
S13.E11 ∙ Getting Out Alive
A special showing how people survived certain air crashes and how airline crews are trained to facilitate survival of the passengers.
S14.E1 ∙ Sideswiped
Copa Airlines Flight 201 disappears over Panama. Investigators are trying to piece the puzzle together to determine whether it was a mid-air collision, missile strike, bombing attempt or simply an unlucky chain of mistakes.
S14.E2 ∙ Niki Lauda - Testing the Limits
Lauda air 004 was a767 which broke up in mid air after taking off from Thailand to Vienna Austria .
S14.E3 ∙ Vanishing Act
Varig Flight 254 was a 737 on its way to Belem, Brazil from Sao Paulo, Brazil. Due to pilot error, it ran out of fuel and crashed into the Amazon jungle.
S14.E4 ∙ Choosing Sides
Drama recreation of the Kegworth air disaster on 8 January 1989 when British Midland Flight 92, a Boeing 737-400, crashed onto the embankment of the M1 motorway near Kegworth, UK. Of the 126 people aboard, 47 died and 74, sustained serious injuries.
S14.E5 ∙ The Final Push
While the cargo jet was attempting a landing at Narita Airport in Japan, in gusty winds, it bounced and landed inverted and burning.
S14.E6 ∙ The Death of JFK Jr.
A VIP case involving the disappearance of an airplane piloted by JFK Jr. The investigators work under tremendous public pressure looking for answers, just to discover the most obvious and most common explanation for the unfortunate crash.
S14.E7 ∙ Concorde - Up in Flames
The 2000 crash of an Air France Concorde into a Paris hotel is investigated.
S14.E8 ∙ Accident or Assassination
When a government Lear 45 crashes in the heart of Mexico City, the NTSB investigators are rushed by the Mexican president to determine whether the cause of the crash was a cartel bomb, mechanical failure or simply a rookie pilot mistake.
S14.E9 ∙ No Clear Options
In February 2011, Manx Flight 7100 from Belfast crashes at Cork Airport, Ireland during a third attempt at landing in dense fog.
S14.E10 ∙ Death in the Arctic
Revisit the remarkable story of First Air Flight 6560, involving a mysterious crash and an unbelievable rescue effort.
S14.E11 ∙ What Happened to Malaysian Flight 370?
Catalogues all the possible credible theories for the disappearance of this flight. As of now (February 2016), no-one still knows exactly what happened, the plane is still yet to be found 23 months after it disappeared.
S15.E1 ∙ Fatal Transmission
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.
S15.E2 ∙ Terror in San Francisco
Asiana flight no.214 crashes on approach to San Francisco.
S15.E3 ∙ High Rise Catastrophe
Follow the investigation of the controversial crash of an El Al 747 into a high-rise Amsterdam apartment complex.
S15.E4 ∙ Fatal Delivery
Fire breaks out on a 747 operated by UPS shortly after take-off from Dubai International.
S15.E5 ∙ Deadly Mission
On 18 September 1961, a United Nations DC-6 crashes en route to Ndola Airport in Zambia. Then UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld is killed in the crash.
S15.E6 ∙ Edge of Disaster
Flight 670 overruns the runway on landing at Stord Airport and careers down a steep embankment killing 4 passengers.
S15.E7 ∙ Deadly Delay
Revisit the 2008 crash of a MD-82 aircraft as it happened, and the chain of events that led to the disaster.
S15.E8 ∙ Fatal Focus
Investigate the crash of Garuda Flight 200, which hit the runway 100 mph too fast, claiming the lives of 21 people.
S15.E9 ∙ Steep Impact
On 5 April 1991, Atlantic Southeast Flight 2311 crashes on approach to Glynco Jetport. All 23 people on board perish in the accident.
S15.E10 ∙ Carnage in Sao Paulo
On October 31, 1996, TAM Airlines Flight 402 crashed into a suburb in São Paulo, killing all 95 people on board and 4 on the ground. The cause of the crash was due to a failure with the Fokker 100's thrust reverser on its right engine.
S16.E1 ∙ Deadly Silence
When a private Learjet crashes in South Dakota, USA, with star golfer Payne Stewart, investigators are under pressure to figure out how the plane strayed so far off course before crashing.
S16.E2 ∙ 9/11: The Pentagon Attack
See how the Pentagon attack on 9/11 was carried out and how it permanently altered air travel today.
S16.E3 ∙ Disaster at Tenerife
Join us as we examine the 1977 crash at Los Rodeos Airport that killed 583 people and the shocking reasons behind it.
S16.E4 ∙ Deadly Detail
China Airlines Flight 120 catches fire after the plane has landed, parked and had its engines switched off. An evacuation follows. The pilots must escape from a cockpit window. The blaze all but destroys the aircraft.
S16.E5 ∙ Deadly Detour
Enroute Flight 706 from Lyon to Lorient is knocked out of the sky over Baie de Quiberon France.
S16.E6 ∙ Dangerous Approach
Disaster strikes on way to Durango - La Plata Colorado for commuters.
S16.E7 ∙ Murder in the Skies
On an ordinary day Germanwings flight 9525 has an outcome beyond belief in March 2015 on the French Alps.
S16.E8 ∙ River Runway
After losing both engines and all electrical power in a violent storm, the pilots of Garuda Indonesia Flight 421 manage a remarkable emergency landing.
S16.E9 ∙ Deadly Solution
The captain of Air Asia Flight 8501 overrides the computers instructions and his impromptu fix leads to a deadly stall over the Java Sea.
S16.E10 ∙ Afghan Nightmare
A 747 cargo plane crashes seconds after taking off from a U.S. airfield in Afghanistan, and an overlooked piece of evidence eventually tells investigators they were wrong about the cause.
S17.E1 ∙ Killer Attitude
Investigators are surprised to hear what went on in a frosty cockpit between a green first officer and a cocky captain, when Northwest Airlink 5719 flew into Minnesota on a cold winter's night.
S17.E2 ∙ Deadly Myth
When Comair Flight 3272 spirals into the ground investigators from the NTSB are forced to confront a longstanding belief amongst pilots that may have lead to this fatal crash.
S17.E3 ∙ Turning Point
Air China Flight 129 was approaching Busan airport on the South Korean Coast. What happened in those last few minutes that caused a Boeing 767 to crash into a mountainside killing all but the pilot and 37 passengers?
S17.E4 ∙ Explosive Proof
Just minutes after taking off from NYC 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
S17.E5 ∙ Lethal Turn
Amid thick smoke from a forest fire, Garuda Indonesia Flight 152 approached the airport on the island of Sumatra. But just minutes from the runway the Airbus A300 crashed, claiming the lives of all 234 people on board.
S17.E6 ∙ Storming Out
When USAir Flight 1016 fell out of the sky above North Carolina during a storm most passengers on board perished. The weather was to blame. But for investigators that was only part of the story.
S17.E7 ∙ Caught on Tape
Revisit the infamous crash of TransAsia Flight 235 in Taiwan, captured on video, and follow the race to find the cause.
S17.E8 ∙ Terror Over Egypt
On 31 October 2015, Metrojet Flight 9268 disintegrates in mid-air and crashes into the Sinai Peninsula during a routine chartered flight from Sharm El Sheikh International Airport to Pulkovo Airport, killing all 224 people on board.
S17.E9 ∙ Deadly Discussions
LAPA Flight 3142 encounters a serious problem while taking off from Buenos Aires, Argentina. The resulting investigation reveals a shocking cause.
S17.E10 ∙ The Lost Plane
Thai Airways International Flight 311 is on final approach to Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal, in poor weather conditions when things go horribly wrong.
S18.E1 ∙ Nuts and Bolts
Emery Worldwide cargo flight 17 crashes soon after takeoff in Sacramento, California.
S18.E2 ∙ Blown Away
Trans Asia 222 crashes into buildings during approach to land in bad weather at Magong Airport, Penghu Island, Taiwan, on 23 July 2014.
S18.E3 ∙ Deadly Distraction
A Boeing 727, crashes while taking off from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport on August 31 1988.
S18.E4 ∙ Deadly Airspace
A commercial airliner goes down in eastern Ukraine, and the evidence indicates that it was shot down.
S18.E5 ∙ Deadly Display
A Russian-made Superjet slams into an infamous mountain, while on a demonstration flight in Indonesia.
S18.E6 ∙ Deadly Mission
In the Mojave Desert, Virgin Galactic test pilots are at the controls of a revolutionary aircraft. But as the spaceship accelerates toward the outer reaches of Earth's atmosphere, it breaks apart and falls from the sky.
S18.E7 ∙ Free Fall
Qantas Airways flight 72 nearly falls out of the sky, resulting in investigators searching for the threatening flaw
S18.E8 ∙ Deadly Inclination
Swiss investigators must determine how a seasoned Alitalia crew flew their DC-9 into the ground just a few miles short of a Zurich runway.
S18.E9 ∙ Deadly Go Round
China Airlines Flight 140 falls out of the sky at Japan's Nagoya Airport and what investigators discover only deepens the mystery.
S18.E10 ∙ Dead of Winter (Continental Airlines Flight 1713)
After being delayed on the Denver tarmac due to heavy snow, Continental Airlines 1713 was eventually cleared for take-off. Barely lifting off the ground, the DC-9 abruptly banked and crashed, killing 28 people and leaving a lasting legacy.
S18.E11 ∙ Communication Breakdown
This special looked at how failures in communication lead to disasters. United Express Flight 5925, Garuda Indonesia Flight 152, and the Tenerife airport disaster are the incidents that are focused on.
S18.E12 ∙ Bad Attitude
This special looked at how pilots' aggressive or unprofessional behavior can cause deadly accidents.
S18.E13 ∙ Hero Pilots
This is a special looking at how pilots safely land their aircraft in emergency situations. We look at the incidents that occurred on US Airways Flight 1549, TACA Flight 110, and a Gimli Glider.
S18.E14 ∙ Plane vs. Pilot
A special looking at how automation in the cockpit causes deadly misunderstandings. We focus on Air France Flight 296, XL Airways Germany Flight 888T, and Air France Flight 447.
S18.E15 ∙ Explosive Evidence
This special looks at terrorist acts, including bombings and shoot-downs on flights Metrojet Flight 9268, Korean Air Lines Flight 007, and Malaysia Airlines Flight 17.
S18.E16 ∙ Killer in the Cockpit?
A special looking at pilots' carefully planned strategies in deliberately crashing aircraft. These incidents happened on SilkAir Flight 185, Germanwings Flight 9525, and Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.
S18.E17 ∙ Missing Pieces
Three horrifying accidents capture the world's attention; a commercial jet plunges into the Florida's Everglades; a Boeing 777 crash lands at Heathrow Airport; a crash shatters a Scottish villages becoming the largest crime scene in the world.
S18.E18 ∙ Controversial Crashes
This special looked at disasters where multiple investigations don't agree on the cause of these accidents.
S18.E19 ∙ Deadly Distractions
This special looked at how pilots' deviation from cockpit duties lead to crashes and involved Delta Air Lines Flight 1141,Eastern Air Lines Flight 401, and 2012 Mount Salak Sukhoi Superjet crash.
S18.E20 ∙ Fire on Board
A special looking at disasters caused by fires, either on the ground or in the air, and involving British Airtours Flight 28M, Nigeria Airways Flight 2120, and UPS Airlines Flight 6.
S19.E1 ∙ Deadly Descent
A skilled captain manages to save his crippled aircraft and everyone on board, and then it's up to investigators to track down the microscopic culprit.
S19.E2 ∙ Death Race
At a Nevada air show, a modified WW2 fighter plane nosedives into the crowd. It's one of the worst air race crashes of all time, and investigators call on the pilot's close friend to help determine what went wrong.
S19.E3 ∙ Fatal Approach
When a commuter plane crashes at Amsterdam airport, investigators determine that a minor circuitry problem sparked a cascading series of fatal errors.
S19.E4 ∙ Borderline Tactics
Experts uncover something startling that threatens cargo pilots worldwide when they investigate the crash of a US plane at Guantanamo Bay
S19.E5 ∙ Deadly Pitch
A cargo plane crashes just moments after taking off from Miami, and it will take an anonymous tip to determine what went wrong.
S19.E6 ∙ Fatal Climb
A Romanian airliner crashes just minutes after taking off from Bucharest, and it's up to the FBI to determine if it was an accident or an act of murder.
S19.E7 ∙ Runway Runoff
Investigators are determined to find out why a Boeing 737 veered off the runway in Denver.
S19.E8 ∙ Lethal Limits
A Russian commercial flight ends in a fatal nosedive, and what investigators eventually uncover leads to a call to overhaul the country's aviation system.
S19.E9 ∙ Football Tragedy
The underdog heroes of Brazilian soccer are heading to play the game of a lifetime, but with the runway in sight, their dream turns into a nightmare.
S19.E10 ∙ Slam Dunk
The charred wreckage of a turboprop leaves little for investigators to work with. That is, until the cockpit voice recorder reveals the smoking gun.
S20.E1 ∙ Kathmandu Descent
A Pakistani airliner crashes in the Himalayas. And when their most vital piece of evidence fails to deliver, investigators scramble to find answers.
S20.E2 ∙ Impossible Pitch
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.
S20.E3 ∙ Explosive Touchdown
After a routine landing, a Taiwanese commuter plane is rocked by a massive explosion, but investigators find no evidence of a bomb on board.
S20.E4 ∙ Taxiway Turmoil
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.
S20.E5 ∙ Runway Breakup
Landing on a Caribbean island in a severe thunder storm, a Colombian airliner crashes short of the runway. Investigators need to find out why.
S20.E6 ∙ Icy Descent
Investigators are stumped when a turboprop slams into an Argentine desert, and it's a microscopic filament that provides the first tangible clue.
S20.E7 ∙ Atlantic Ditching
A helicopter carrying offshore oil workers crashes into the ocean off the coast of Newfoundland and a far-reaching investigation reveals a fatal flaw.
S20.E8 ∙ No Warning
Investigators are stumped when a turboprop crashes into an Indonesian mountaintop.
S20.E9 ∙ Cockpit Killer
When an African airliner mysteriously crashes, Namibian investigators rule out a host of possible causes before reaching a chilling conclusion.
S20.E10 ∙ Stormy Cockpit
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.
S21.E1 ∙ North Sea Nightmare
On 15 December 2014, Loganair Flight 6780 starts an uncontrolled descent while on approach to Sumburgh Airport in Scotland. The pilots regain control and make an emergency landing at Aberdeen, with no fatalities. After a lightning strike, the pilots wrongly assumed that the autopilot had disengaged and tried to climb, while the autopilot was pushing the nose down. This conflict caused the autopilot to set the aircraft into a dive.
S21.E2 ∙ Playing Catch Up
On 10 November 2015, Execuflight Flight 1526 enters an aerodynamic stall and crashes into an apartment building and an embankment during final approach to Akron Fulton International Airport in Akron, Ohio. Both crew members and all seven passengers on board are killed in the crash.
S21.E3 ∙ Tragic Takeoff
On 27 August 2006, Comair Flight 5191, operating for Delta Connection, crashes into a wooded area while taking off from Blue Grass Airport in Kentucky, killing 49 of the 50 people on board. The pilots lost their awareness and inadvertently taxied onto the wrong runway.
S21.E4 ∙ Grounded: Boeing MAX 8
On 29 October 2018, Lion Air Flight 610 enters a nosedive and crashes into the Java Sea shortly after taking off from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta, Indonesia, on a flight to Pangkal Pinang. All 181 passengers and 8 crew members on board are killed in the crash.
S21.E5 ∙ Cabin Catastrophe
On 17 April 2018, Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 makes an emergency landing at Philadelphia International Airport after its left engine explodes. A passenger dies after being partially ejected from the aircraft. The engine failure was caused by a fatigue crack in a fan blade.
S21.E6 ∙ Meltdown over Kathmandu
On 12 March 2018, US-Bangla Airlines Flight 211 skids off the runway, travels through the airport perimeter fence, and crashes into a football field during landing at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal. 51 of the 71 people on board are killed in the accident.
S21.E7 ∙ Mission Disaster
On 22 February 1991, a military aerial refueling aircraft loses both engines from under the left wing while on a combat mission in Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War, causing serious flight control problems and forcing the pilots to make an emergency landing. The incident was attributed to severe turbulence.
S21.E8 ∙ Caught in a Jam
On 9 June 1995, Ansett New Zealand Flight 703 suffers a landing gear malfunction during final approach to Palmerston North Airport in New Zealand. The aircraft descends until it crashes into hilly terrain as the pilots try to resolve the problem. 4 of the 21 people on board are killed.
S21.E9 ∙ Seconds From Touchdown
On 18 June 1998, Propair Flight 420 crashes while attempting to conduct an emergency landing at Montréal-Mirabel International Airport after an in-flight fire causes its left wing to fail, killing all 11 people on board. It was later determined that the aircraft's left brakes overheated during takeoff.
S21.E10 ∙ Deadly Delivery
On 14 August 2013, UPS Airlines Flight 1354 clips the tops of trees and crashes into a hillside about one nautical mile short of the runway during final approach to Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport in Alabama. Both crew members on board are killed in the crash.
S22.E1 ∙ Holding Pattern
Flydubai Flight 981 nosedives into the runway at Russia's Rostov airport. And investigators uncover one of the most lethal traps in aviation.
S22.E2 ∙ Peril over Portugal
A Martinair flight crashes in Portugal amid thunderstorms and heavy rain, and when investigators piece together the evidence the mystery only deepens.
S22.E3 ∙ Stealth Bomber Down
The most expensive aviation accident of all time occurs on 23 February 2008, when a B2 Stealth bomber crashes on takeoff from Guam Airforce Base. The Air Force investigates the 2 billion dollar crash for the cause.
S22.E4 ∙ Double Trouble
On March 31, 1992, over France, a Transair Boeing 707, Flight 671, experienced a two engine separation on the right wing. Despite the damage, the five crew managed a safe landing, but the aircraft was a write off.
S22.E5 ∙ Pacific Plunge
Flight 261 was a McDonnell Douglas MD-83 that crashed into the Pacific Ocean on January 31, 2000. Investigators discover a sad trail of poor maintenance, shortcuts and lack of attention to detail.
S22.E6 ∙ Terror over Michigan
A Boeing 727 begins an uncommanded roll to the right, along with loss of hydraulic fluid, which almost resulted in the loss of the aircraft. Investigators recreate all the steps of the flight, to solve the mystery.
S22.E7 ∙ Tree Strike Terror
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.
S22.E8 ∙ Pitch Black
An Illinois turboprop crashes in bad weather, and investigators eventually uncover a fatal assumption and deadly decision.
S22.E9 ∙ Turboprop Terror
After a turboprop crashes in North Carolina, investigators resort to a risky test flight-and uncover an industry-wide safety problem.
S22.E10 ∙ Loss of a Legend
In 2020 a helicopter crash near Calabasas, on route to Camarillo, in Los Angeles, killed basketball legend Kobe Bryant, and family members and others. It shocked the Nation and the NTSB investigate.
S23.E1 ∙ Deadly Exchange
On 19 October 2004, Corporate Airlines Flight 5966, operating for AmericanConnection, crashes short of the runway while on approach to Kirksville Regional Airport in Missouri, killing 13 of the 15 people on board.
S23.E2 ∙ Mixed Signals
On 8 February 1989, Independent Air Flight 1851 crashes into the Pico Alto mountain while on approach to Santa Maria Airport in the Azores, killing all 144 occupants.
S23.E3 ∙ Pressure Point
Slamming into a mountain, Japan Airlines 123 becomes the deadliest single aircraft accident in history, and threatens to ground 747s worldwide.
S23.E4 ∙ Power Play
On 13 October 2011, Airlines PNG Flight 1600 loses engine power and crash-lands in a densely forested area near the Gogol River in Madang Province, Papua New Guinea. Only 4 of the 32 passengers and crew members survive the crash.
S23.E5 ∙ Control Catastrophe
Air Astana Flight 1388 was a repositioning flight from Lisbon to Almaty, On 11 November 2018, shortly after takeoff it suffered severe control issues. After 90 minutes it landed safely at Beja Airbase with the help of PAF F-16s
S23.E6 ∙ Cockpit Catastrophe
On 14 May 2018, Sichuan Airlines Flight 8633 makes an emergency landing at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport after suffering an explosion decompression. The co-pilot was partially sucked out, but all 128 people on board survive.
S23.E7 ∙ Dream Flight Disaster
On 31 December 2017, a light aircraft configured as a float-plane veers off course and crashes near Sydney, Australia, shortly after take-off. All 6 people on board, including the UK billionaire Richard Cousins, are killed.
S23.E8 ∙ Deadly Deception
Bulgarian Airlines Flight 013 is hijacked. The crew and authorities devise a daring scheme to get the violent hijackers to believe that their demands have been met, before the aircraft runs out of fuel.
S23.E9 ∙ Delivery to Disaster
An Amazon cargo plane dives into a swamp outside of Houston, USA. The collected evidence eventually leads investigators to a pilot with a long history of failures and errors.
S23.E10 ∙ Mystery Over the Mediterranean
Evidence from the disappearance of EgyptAir Flight 804 leads investigators to theorize different causes for the plane's spiral into the Mediterranean.
