Bernard Vaillot
Director
Air Disasters (2011)
Season 1
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.
Released May 15, 2011
Episode 45 min
None+
Genres: Documentary
Watch Providers: The Roku Channel, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel, Paramount Plus Apple TV Channel , Paramount Plus Premium + 3 more, Philo, YouTube TV, Paramount Plus Essential
Network: Smithsonian Channel
S1E1 - Invisible Killer
A landing goes wrong when Delta Airlines Flight 191 is hit by an invisible force.
May 15, 2011, midnight
S1E2 - Gimli Glider
A pilot heads for a decommissioned air force base when the 767 he is flying runs out of fuel.
May 22, 2011, midnight
S1E3 - Behind Closed Doors
A flaw on the infamous DC-10 airline causing two midair crashes in the early 70's.
May 29, 2011, midnight
S1E4 - Fanning the Flames
A recovery operation is launched to find out if a 747 was carrying illegal weapons.
June 5, 2011, midnight
S1E5 - Dead Weight
Just after take-off, Air Midwest Flight 5481 plummets to the ground, killing all on board.
June 12, 2011, midnight
S1E6 - Southern Storm
In 1977, Southern Airways Flight 242 finds itself in a violent storm. When both engines fail, the pilots must land their plane on a rural Georgia highway.
June 26, 2011, midnight
S1E7 - Explosive Evidence
Air India Flight 182 crashes into the sea after an explosion. Was it a tragic accident or an act of terrorism?
July 10, 2011, midnight
S1E8 - Mixed Signals
Conflicting alarms confuse pilots of Birgenair Flight 301 before it crashes into the ocean.
July 17, 2011, midnight
S1E9 - Fatal Distraction
Pilots try to determine why both landing-gear lights do not function on an L-1011.
July 24, 2011, midnight
S1E10 - Phantom Strike
A Legacy business jet collides with a Boeing 737 in mid-air over the Amazon Rain Forest.
July 31, 2011, midnight
Smithsonian Channel
45 min/ep
11970 min
May 15, 2011
Jan. 11, 2026, midnight
Returning Series
12
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