Air Disasters (2011)

Season 18

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

Country: United States
Languages: English

Trakt

/71/

TMDb

/16/

Bernard Vaillot
Director

Stephen Bogaert
Narrator

S18E1 - Cockpit Failure

The pilots of Crossair Flight 3597 struggle on their approach to Zurich Airport, hampered by bad weather, an understaffed control tower, and a runway using antiquated equipment. By the time they decide to abort the landing, it's too late. The plane plunges into a hillside, killing 24 of the 33 on board. It's Switzerland's worst air disaster in over a decade and investigators are pressured to find answers fast. What they discover is a series of errors that will lead to sweeping changes to the airport and to the airline.

Sept. 25, 2022, midnight

S18E2 - The Heathrow Enigma

January 2008. British Airways Flight 38 is about to land at Heathrow Airport when calamity strikes. The Boeing 777, one of the safest planes in the airline industry, suffers double engine failure, and with only seconds until the aircraft hits the ground, Captain Peter Burkill must attempt a highly risky move to save the lives of the 152 people on board. Witness the remarkable emergency landing the follow investigators as they solve the mystery behind the crash, using unrelenting diligence and a little inspiration from Sherlock Holmes.

Oct. 2, 2022, midnight

S18E3 - Pilot Betrayed

A Scandinavian Airlines flight plummets from the winter sky moments after takeoff, and a seasoned pilot's career comes to an end after the culprits of the disaster are identified.

Oct. 9, 2022, midnight

S18E4 - Dead Tired

Follow the tragic crash of Continental Connection Flight 3407 from Newark, NJ, into a house in Buffalo, NY, a case that confounded both forensic anthropology students and investigators.

Oct. 16, 2022, midnight

S18E5 - Hudson River Runway

A comprehensive look at the famous “Miracle on the Hudson” emergency landing in January 2009, and the investigation that followed.

Oct. 23, 2022, midnight

S18E6 - Who's In Control?

When Turkish Airlines Flight 1951 drops out of the sky on its final approach to Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, investigators work to determine if the cause is due to plane or pilot error.

Oct. 30, 2022, midnight

S18E7 - Unlocking Disaster

When United Flight 811's cargo door blows off at a high altitude over the Pacific Ocean, the crew acts to bring the packed aircraft down safely, and one victim's family searches for answers.

Nov. 6, 2022, midnight

S18E8 - Racing The Storm

An MD-82 crash lands in Arkansas during a severe thunderstorm, but investigators believe weather was not the main reason for the accident.

Nov. 13, 2022, midnight

S18E9 - Fire on Board

A Swissair passenger jet catches fire midflight and crashes into the Atlantic, leading to one of the largest investigations in aviation history.

Nov. 20, 2022, midnight

S18E10 - Cutting Corners

Learn how Alaska Airlines Flight 261's fatal nosedive into the Pacific Ocean led to much-needed mechanical improvements and a libel suit.

Nov. 27, 2022, midnight

S18E11 - Flying on Empty

The pilots of Air Transat Flight 236 find themselves gliding without power high above the Atlantic, and investigators must figure out how a state-of-the-art airbus could run out of fuel.

Jan. 8, 2023, midnight

S18E12 - Blow Out

The crew of British Airways 5390 springs into action after explosive decompression pulls the pilot out the window, and investigators use a novel psychological tactic to determine the cause.

Jan. 15, 2023, midnight

S18E13 - A Wounded Bird

A blade on the left-side propeller of Atlantic Southeast Airlines Flight breaks off; the imbalance of the rotating propeller causes the engine to partly tear itself from its mounting.

Jan. 22, 2023, midnight

S18E14 - The Killing Machine

An Air France Flight is hijacked on the ground at Algiers Airport; terrorists demand the aircraft be allowed to depart for Paris.

Jan. 29, 2023, midnight

S18E15 - Flying Blind

A cleaning crew makes a careless error while cleaning a Boeing 757, affecting the plane's computer system and causing it to crash into the Pacific Ocean.

Feb. 5, 2023, midnight

S18E16 - Deadly Crossroads

A Bashkirian Airlines Flight collides with a DHL Flight in German airspace near Überlingen.

Feb. 12, 2023, midnight

S18E17 - Lost

An American Airlines Flight en route to Cali, Colombia loses their exact position and flies into a mountain.

Feb. 19, 2023, midnight

S18E18 - Missing Over New York

Avianca Flight 52 is delayed numerous times by bad weather en route and is dangerously low on fuel as it attempts a landing at New York City.

Feb. 26, 2023, midnight

S18E19 - Runaway Train

A freight train carrying an excess of cargo loses its brakes while descending a mountain causing it to gain speed and derail into a neighborhood killing several people.

March 5, 2023, midnight

S18E20 - Collision Course

A Greek ferry, the Express Samina, is pushed off course by strong waves and crashes into a rock formation, causing 80 passengers to lose their lives in the freezing water as they wait for rescue.

March 5, 2023, midnight