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Air Crash Investigations

SEASON 3

Season 2 (2005)

No.
overall
No. in
series
Title Incident Original air date
7 1 "Blow Out" British Airways Flight 5390 23 January 2005

On 10 June 1990, a cockpit window on British Airways Flight 5390 blows out, partially ejecting and injuring the captain through the hole. A member of the cabin crew clings to his legs as the co-pilot completes an emergency landing without any deaths. The captain is found to be still alive after being outside the cockpit for 21 minutes. The blowout was caused by a maintenance worker installing incorrectly sized bolts during maintenance work.

 

 


Type of aircraft: BAC 1-11 528FL
8 2 "A Wounded Bird" Atlantic Southeast Airlines Flight 529 30 January 2005

On 21 August 1995, a blade on the left-side propeller of Atlantic Southeast Airlines Flight 529 breaks off. The imbalance of the rotating propeller causes the engine to partly tear itself from its mounting, creating excessive drag. The aircraft rapidly loses altitude and crashes, killing nine people. Chlorine deposits in the blade led to the development of corrosion pits and fatigue cracks, causing it to weaken and break.


Type of aircraft: Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia
9 3 "The Killing Machine" Air France Flight 8969 6 February 2005

On 24 December 1994, Air France Flight 8969 is hijacked on the ground at Algiers Airport. The four terrorists demand the aircraft be allowed to depart for Paris so they can blow up the aircraft over the Eiffel Tower, but the Algerian Army blocks the aircraft with vehicles and refuse to allow it to take off. Unable to carry out their plans, the terrorists kill three passengers over the next two days. The aircraft is then cleared to take off, but the crew diverts to Marseille Provence Airport. The hostage rescue team of the French Gendarmerie storms the aircraft, and after a gun battle in the cabin, the hijackers are killed, while everyone else survives.


Type of aircraft: Airbus A300B2
10 4 "Deadly Crossroads" 2002 Überlingen mid-air collision 13 February 2005

On 1 July 2002, Bashkirian Airlines Flight 2937 collides with DHL Flight 611 in German airspace near Überlingen, killing all 71 people on board the two aircraft. The crew of Flight 611 followed the on-board traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS) instructions to initiate a descent. However, the crew of Flight 2937 followed the instructions of the air traffic controller instead of their TCAS and initiated a descent as well. Only one air traffic controller was on duty (covering two boards) for that block of airspace at the time of the collision—his co-worker was on his coffee break.


Type of aircraft: Flight 2937: Tupolev Tu-154M; Flight 611: Boeing 757-200PF
11 5 "Lost" American Airlines Flight 965 20 February 2005

On 20 December 1995, American Airlines Flight 965 is en route to Cali, Colombia. The crew are asked if they would like to perform a straight-in approach to Cali. The pilots accept the offer, but as they are making the necessary changes, they inadvertently delete the waypoints from the flight plan in their flight management system, causing them to lose certainty of their exact position. Their mistakes cause the aircraft to fly into a mountain near Buga. Only four passengers and a dog survive.


Type of aircraft: Boeing 757-200
12 6 "Missing over New York" Avianca Flight 052 27 February 2005

On 25 January 1990, Avianca Flight 052 is delayed numerous times by bad weather en route and is dangerously low on fuel as it attempts a landing at New York City. Wind shear forces the crew to abort the approach just one mile from the runway. They initiate a go-around, but are directed back into a holding pattern by air traffic controllers who are unaware of the low fuel situation. The Boeing 707 then runs out of fuel, causing it to crash on Long Island.


Type of aircraft: Boeing 707-320B

 

 

 

#######################################

SEASON 2

 

Season 2 (2005)

No.
overall
No. in
series
Title Incident Original air date
7 1 "Blow Out" British Airways Flight 5390 23 January 2005

On 10 June 1990, a cockpit window on British Airways Flight 5390 blows out, partially ejecting and injuring the captain through the hole. A member of the cabin crew clings to his legs as the co-pilot completes an emergency landing without any deaths. The captain is found to be still alive after being outside the cockpit for 21 minutes. The blowout was caused by a maintenance worker installing incorrectly sized bolts during maintenance work.

 

 


Type of aircraft: BAC 1-11 528FL
8 2 "A Wounded Bird" Atlantic Southeast Airlines Flight 529 30 January 2005

On 21 August 1995, a blade on the left-side propeller of Atlantic Southeast Airlines Flight 529 breaks off. The imbalance of the rotating propeller causes the engine to partly tear itself from its mounting, creating excessive drag. The aircraft rapidly loses altitude and crashes, killing nine people. Chlorine deposits in the blade led to the development of corrosion pits and fatigue cracks, causing it to weaken and break.

 

 


Type of aircraft: Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia
9 3 "The Killing Machine" Air France Flight 8969 6 February 2005

On 24 December 1994, Air France Flight 8969 is hijacked on the ground at Algiers Airport. The four terrorists demand the aircraft be allowed to depart for Paris so they can blow up the aircraft over the Eiffel Tower, but the Algerian Army blocks the aircraft with vehicles and refuse to allow it to take off. Unable to carry out their plans, the terrorists kill three passengers over the next two days. The aircraft is then cleared to take off, but the crew diverts to Marseille Provence Airport. The hostage rescue team of the French Gendarmerie storms the aircraft, and after a gun battle in the cabin, the hijackers are killed, while everyone else survives.

  


Type of aircraft: Airbus A300B2
10 4 "Deadly Crossroads" 2002 Überlingen mid-air collision 13 February 2005

On 1 July 2002, Bashkirian Airlines Flight 2937 collides with DHL Flight 611 in German airspace near Überlingen, killing all 71 people on board the two aircraft. The crew of Flight 611 followed the on-board traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS) instructions to initiate a descent. However, the crew of Flight 2937 followed the instructions of the air traffic controller instead of their TCAS and initiated a descent as well. Only one air traffic controller was on duty (covering two boards) for that block of airspace at the time of the collision—his co-worker was on his coffee break.

 


Type of aircraft: Flight 2937: Tupolev Tu-154M; Flight 611: Boeing 757-200PF
11 5 "Lost" American Airlines Flight 965 20 February 2005

On 20 December 1995, American Airlines Flight 965 is en route to Cali, Colombia. The crew are asked if they would like to perform a straight-in approach to Cali. The pilots accept the offer, but as they are making the necessary changes, they inadvertently delete the waypoints from the flight plan in their flight management system, causing them to lose certainty of their exact position. Their mistakes cause the aircraft to fly into a mountain near Buga. Only four passengers and a dog survive.

 

 


Type of aircraft: Boeing 757-200
12 6 "Missing over New York" Avianca Flight 052 27 February 2005

On 25 January 1990, Avianca Flight 052 is delayed numerous times by bad weather en route and is dangerously low on fuel as it attempts a landing at New York City. Wind shear forces the crew to abort the approach just one mile from the runway. They initiate a go-around, but are directed back into a holding pattern by air traffic controllers who are unaware of the low fuel situation. The Boeing 707 then runs out of fuel, causing it to crash on Long Island.

 


Type of aircraft: Boeing 707-320B

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#######################################


Season 1

 

Season 1 (2003)

No.
overall
No. in
series
Title Incident Original air date
1 1 "Unlocking Disaster" United Airlines Flight 811 10 September 2003

On 24 February 1989, part of the right-side fuselage of United Airlines Flight 811 rips off, ejecting nine people from the aircraft and causing explosive decompression. The flight later lands safely at Honolulu without any more loss of life. It was later determined that an electrical short circuit caused the cargo door to open.

Note: This accident is covered again in the Season 24 episode 'Terror Over The Pacific'.


Type of aircraft: Boeing 747-100
2 2 "Racing the Storm" American Airlines Flight 1420 3 September 2003

On 1 June 1999, American Airlines Flight 1420 tries to land at the Little Rock National Airport during a storm, but overruns the runway, killing 11 people. The crash was caused by the crew not arming the spoilers during their pre-landing checks.

Note: Stephen Bogaert, the narrator for the Canadian version, also played First Officer Origel.


Type of aircraft: McDonnell Douglas MD-82
3 3 "Fire on Board" Swissair Flight 111 22 October 2003

On 2 September 1998, a fire breaks out on Swissair Flight 111 while in flight, damaging vital systems and causing the aircraft to crash into the Atlantic Ocean off Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia, with no survivors. The fire was caused by faulty wiring in the on-board first-class and business-class entertainment systems.


Type of aircraft: McDonnell Douglas MD-11
4 4 "Flying Blind" Aeroperú Flight 603 17 September 2003

On 2 October 1996, shortly after take off, the crew of Aeroperú Flight 603 are confused by false speed and altitude readings and contradictory warnings from the aircraft's air data system. In preparation for an emergency landing, the crew descend the aircraft, but unknowingly descend too far by relying on the false readings. The Boeing 757 crashes into the Pacific Ocean, killing everyone on board. The false readings and contradictory warnings were caused by duct tape over the static ports, which was used to protect the ports during maintenance, but was not removed afterwards.

 

 

 


Type of aircraft: Boeing 757-200
5 5 "Cutting Corners" Alaska Airlines Flight 261 15 October 2003

On 31 January 2000, Alaska Airlines Flight 261's trimmable horizontal stabilizer jams and breaks from its control system. The aircraft dives inverted into the Pacific Ocean, killing all 88 on board. The stabilizer failed due to an improperly maintained jackscrew assembly.

Note: This crash is covered again in the Season 22 episode 'Pacific Plunge'.

 

 

 

 


Type of aircraft: McDonnell Douglas MD-83
6 6 "Flying on Empty" Air Transat Flight 236 8 October 2003

On 24 August 2001, Air Transat Flight 236 runs out of fuel while flying over the Atlantic Ocean. The pilots glide the aircraft to a safe landing at a naval base in the Azores. Improper maintenance work allowed a hydraulic line and a fuel line to rub together, resulting in a subsequent fuel line fracture and a leak.

 

 


Type of aircraft: Airbus A330-200