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Air Disasters

Air Disasters

"The disaster is only the beginning of the story."

Harrowing stories of tragedy and triumph are brought to life through official reports, transcripts and interviews with the pilots, air traffic controllers and lucky survivors of history's most terrifying crashes. Widely considered to be the safest form of travel, air transportation is still in its infancy and when midair calamity strikes, the results are often catastrophic. From the cockpit to the cabin, from the control room to the crash scene, we uncover just what went wrong.

Created By
StatusReturning Series
Original NameAir Disasters
First Air DateMay 15, 2011
Last Air DateMarch 16, 2025
Seasons23
Episodes259
Episode Runtime 45min
LanguageEnglish
Original LanguageEnglish
Production Countries
Production Companies
NetworksSmithsonian Channel
S23E04

Landing Hazards

Martinair 495 crashes on a rain-soaked runway in Portugal, showing how weather can doom a landing. American 1572 hits a storm and loses both engines amid a tower shutdown. And crosswinds challenge an Air France crew already halfway down the runway.

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