Air Disasters

As the passengers and crew of Flight 191 to Dallas-Fort Worth Airport prepared for landing, a deadly force took shape in their path. In a matter of 47 seconds, the plane was sent rocketing toward a busy highway less than a mile from reaching its destination. Critical decisions and missed information conspire against the pilots, and in a fiery culmination, 136 lives are lost. Relive the harrowing events of August 2, 1985, and see how investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board identified the mysterious cause of the crash, a discovery that helped stop the invisible killer from ever striking again.

It was a brand new, state-of-the-art 767, a 95-ton flying machine that suddenly lost its ability to fly. At an altitude of over 26,000 feet, fuel pressure was low, but for the pilots of Air Canada Flight 143, the pressure was at an all-time high. How could they land a jumbo plane with no working engines? Where could they land it? Journey back to 1983 and enter the cockpit, the cabin and the control towers as witness accounts, official records, and dramatic recreations combine to bring this doomsday flight to life.

An explosion rips a gaping hole in the cabin of a brand new DC-10, but not because of a bomb. A design flaw to the rear cargo door is the reason American Airlines Flight 96 from Detroit to Buffalo plummets to Earth just minutes after takeoff. Fortunately, the plane safely lands. Unfortunately, a similar blast rocks another DC-10 just two years later, this time with deadly consequences. The crash of Turkish Airlines Flight 981 in Paris in 1974 is the worst air disaster of its time, but why did it happen? And why was the faulty door never fixed?

When South African Airways Flight 295 caught fire and crashed at sea in 1987, rumors swirled that it was the target of a terrorist attack. Getting to the bottom of this catastrophic mystery meant going to the bottom of the Indian Ocean, an unprecedented recovery operation that took months and cost millions to complete. Relive this nightmare flight to Johannesburg and join the investigation, as pilot decisions, plane designs, emergency checklists, and even South Africa's tyrannical Apartheid government are all called into question.

Seconds after take-off, Air Midwest Flight 5481, a small commuter plane leaving Charlotte, NC, suddenly pitches up, stalls, and crashes to Earth. The investigation that follows reveals that the plane's elevator control cables were improperly installed. More disturbing though, it brings to light an antiquated practice that if not revised, could put the lives of millions of small plane passengers in jeopardy. Interviews with eyewitnesses, first responders, and the NTSB's lead investigator of the disaster bring this history-making tragedy to life.

The crew of a DC-9 find themselves in a violent storm. Rain and baseball-sized hail hammer the aircraft and shatter the windshield. When both engines fail, the pilots must land their plane on a rural Georgia highway, a maneuver that ultimately costs the lives of eighty people. Piece together the series of miscues and coincidences that caused the crash, detailed through official records, dramatic recreations, interviews with the survivors, plus one incredible account from a woman whose home became a triage center to those who survived the crash.

The jumbo jet was named Kanishka after an Indian emperor, and was considered a "palace in the sky," but in an instant it crashed to sea after exploding in midair. Was it a tragic accident or an act of terrorism, and what do Sanyo stereo tuners, an explosion thousands of miles away, and the name "M. Singh" have to do with it? Join the bizarre and frustrating investigation of Air India Flight 182, reexamined and reassembled through official reports, cockpit voice recordings, expert testimony, and a harrowing recreation of the air disaster.

Moments after takeoff, the pilots of Birgenair Flight 301 are baffled by confusing and conflicting signals and alarms. They're told the plane is flying too fast, and then warned that they're traveling too slowly and in danger of stalling. Bewildered, the pilots of the Boeing 757 struggle to keep the 100-ton machine in the air, but within five minutes of taking off, the plane plummets into the ocean, killing all on board. Investigators comb the wreckage for clues and soon discover tiny clues that ultimately brought down this massive jet.

It's December 1972 and 163 passengers are flying to Miami to ring in the New Year. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 is preparing to land when the nose gear indicator light fails to light up. The crew puts the plane on autopilot and investigates the bulb, unaware that they are slowly descending and heading straight for the Florida Everglades. Minutes later, aviation's first jumbo jet disaster occurs, and 99 lives are lost. Investigators determine that the plane was sound, and its autopilot was working, so why did it fall from the sky, and how did the crew miss it?