Air Disasters

Aired 2011-05-15

On Aug 2, 1985 — Delta Air Lines Flight 191 (L-1011): On approach to Dallas/Fort Worth in stormy weather, the jet suddenly plunges short of the runway. Investigators race to uncover what brought it down.

Aired 2011-05-22

On Jul 23, 1983 — Air Canada Flight 143 (Boeing 767): Halfway from Montreal to Edmonton, a brand-new airliner runs completely out of fuel at 41,000 feet, leaving the crew to attempt the impossible.

Aired 2011-05-29

On Jun 12, 1972 & Mar 3, 1974 — American Airlines Flight 96 & Turkish Airlines Flight 981 (DC-10s): Two DC-10s suffer sudden decompressions in flight, two years apart. Investigators probe whether the incidents are connected.

Aired 2011-06-05

On Nov 28, 1987 — South African Airways Flight 295 (Boeing 747 Combi): En route from Taipei to Johannesburg, the cabin fills with smoke over the Indian Ocean, launching one of the deepest wreckage recoveries ever attempted.

Aired 2011-06-12

On Jan 8, 2003 — Air Midwest Flight 5481 (Beechcraft 1900D): Seconds after takeoff from Charlotte, a commuter flight pitches out of control. Investigators search for answers in the smallest details.

Aired 2011-06-26

On Apr 4, 1977 — Southern Airways Flight 242 (DC-9): A flight through severe Georgia thunderstorms leaves the crew battling to keep their crippled jet aloft with nowhere to land.

Aired 2011-07-10

On Jun 23, 1985 — Air India Flight 182 (Boeing 747): A jumbo jet vanishes from radar over the Atlantic near Ireland, triggering an investigation that spans continents.

Aired 2011-07-17

On Feb 6, 1996 — Birgenair Flight 301 (Boeing 757): Moments after a night takeoff from the Dominican Republic, the crew is confronted by baffling and contradictory instrument readings.

Aired 2011-07-24

On Dec 29, 1972 — Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 (L-1011): On a clear night approach to Miami, a state-of-the-art jet descends unnoticed into the Everglades. Investigators must explain how.

Aired 2011-07-31

On Sep 29, 2006 — Gol Flight 1907 (Boeing 737) & Embraer Legacy: Two aircraft cross paths high above the Amazon, and investigators must piece together how modern technology failed to keep them apart.