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TV14Air Disasters45mSmithsonian Channel

From pilot error to meltdowns within air traffic control, investigators dig deep into three mid-air collisions that seem to defy logic.

From pilot error to meltdowns within air traffic control, investigators dig deep into three mid-air collisions that seem to defy logic.

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Air Disasters

S5, EP10 "Terror in Paradise"

On 9 August 2007, Air Moorea Flight 1121 crashed shortly after taking off from Moorea Airport in French Polynesia, killing all 19 passengers and the pilot.

Air Disasters

S6, EP5 "Attack Over Baghdad"

A surface-to-air missile cripples a cargo plane after it takes off from Baghdad International Airport.

Air Disasters

S18, EP1 "Cockpit Failure"

Bad weather and a series of errors lead to the 2001 crash of a plane on its approach to Zurich Airport.

Air Disasters

S20, EP4 "Engines Out"

When an aircraft loses total engine power, a pilot's training can make all the difference in the world, but it's still up to investigators to determine what went wrong.

Air Disasters

S21, EP6 "Falling Fast"

Investigators discover a shocking mistake when pilots must ditch their plane in the Mediterranean, killing 14 of the 34 passengers.

Air Disasters

S21, EP5 "Operation Babylift"

A United States Air Force transport aircraft conducting the inaugural flight of Operation Babylift suffers an explosive decompression when the rear cargo door fails and crashes into a paddy field while attempting an emergency landing.

Air Disasters

S21, EP4 "Sight Unseen"

Saudi Airways and Kazakhstan Airlines jets hit each other at 14,000 feet sending both planes spiraling to the ground.

Statistically, traveling by airplane is safer than driving and other forms of transportation, but when something goes wrong during a flight, it can be catastrophic with potentially hundreds of lives at stake. This series examines some of the world's worst air disasters, using official reports, transcripts and interviews with people involved to tell the stories of midair mishaps and discover what went wrong in each case. Episodes include a discussion of how the weather affects flights -- including stories of aviation disasters and near-misses -- and a New Year's Eve flight that fell from the sky into the Florida Everglades.
Starring: Bill Lake, Craig Eldridge, Damir Andrei, Darryl Flatman, Godfrey Giocada, Jim Annan, Jimi Shlag, Jonathan Aris, Michael Goldlist, Richard Tse, Samy Osman, Shauna Bradley, Stephen Sparks, Thom Marriott, Tyler McMaster
Original Air Date: May 15, 2011
Genres: DocuseriesTV Series
Rating: TV14
Playback: HD
17 seasons available on demand
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Air Disasters

Statistically, traveling by airplane is safer than driving and other forms of transportation, but when something goes wrong during a flight, it can be catastrophic with potentially hundreds of lives at stake. This series examines some of the world's worst air disasters, using official reports, transcripts and interviews with people involved to tell the stories of midair mishaps and discover what went wrong in each case. Episodes include a discussion of how the weather affects flights -- including stories of aviation disasters and near-misses -- and a New Year's Eve flight that fell from the sky into the Florida Everglades.

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