Watch S2, EP2: Small Planes, Big Problems with Fubo for $0 Today

TVPGHDWhy Planes Crash1hThe Weather Channel

There is little room for mistakes in the cockpit of a small plane, where bad weather, poor visibility or distraction can be deadly.

There is little room for mistakes in the cockpit of a small plane, where bad weather, poor visibility or distraction can be deadly.

More episodes

No live or upcoming content available at this time

Why Planes Crash

S2, EP3 "Severe Weather"

A terrifying truth about weather is that thunderstorms, wind-shear and microbursts can bring down planes.

Why Planes Crash

S2, EP2 "Small Planes, Big Problems"

There is little room for mistakes in the cockpit of a small plane, where bad weather, poor visibility or distraction can be deadly.

Taking to the sky in an airplane can be dangerous when the weather doesn't cooperate. This documentary series investigates aviation accidents and how the elements contributed to them. Interviews with witnesses and survivors, testimony by experts, and data from the plane's black box aid in exploring each incident. The FAA's case files are used to create animations to diagram what happened before each crash. Fog, haze and hail are some of the weather conditions responsible for the disasters.
Original Air Date: Jul 12, 2009
Genres: News/TalkTV Series
Rating: TVPG
Playback: HD
1 seasons available on demand
Available on

More documentary shows

See all

Forensic Files

Eagle-eyed technical experts prove there is no such thing as a perfect crime as they assemble the pieces every criminal leaves behind. Dramatic crime re-creations and, sometimes, part of the investigations are a staple of the series. Some of the re-creations include alternate versions of the crimes, which are disproved by science. The show's episodes follow each case from the initial investigation until it reaches its legal resolution.

30 for 30

As part of its 30th anniversary celebration, ESPN looks back at notable sports happenings that occurred from 1979 to 2009 with this documentary series featuring 30 films from some of Hollywood's finest directors and producers. Peter Berg, Barry Levinson, John Singleton, Spike Jonze, Dan Klores, Barbara Kopple, Ron Shelton and Albert Maysles are among the filmmakers involved, and the stories told include the shocking trade of Wayne Gretzky in 1988, the Baltimore Colts' nighttime move in 1984, Reggie Miller's rivalry with the New York Knicks, the death of Len Bias in 1986, a profile of George Steinbrenner and his family business, and a look at Michael Jordan's attempt at a baseball career. A new series of 30 films premiered in October 2012 with "Broke," about the challenges athletes face in managing their money.

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.

Life Below Zero

When bears, wolves and foxes are your only neighbors, life can be pretty lonely. Add minus-60-degree days and a constant battle for the most basic necessities, and you have the daily challenges of people who live in remote corners of Alaska. This series takes viewers deep into an Alaskan winter to meet tough, resilient residents as they try to stay one step ahead of storms and man-eating beasts to survive the season. When the closest neighbor is more than 300 miles away, these Alaskans subsist solely on what is hunted and foraged. They catch fish for currency in bartering for supplies, or use their packs of sled dogs for transportation. Also highlighted is a time of year not always part of what viewers see in Alaska: spring! Ice is breaking, animals are waking, and residents face new tests before deep cold returns.

Explore {{ type }} on Fubo

Action

Comedy

Documentary

Drama

Family

Home/Cooking

Horror

Music

Nature

News/Talk

Reality

Romance

Science Fiction

Sports