Air Crash Investigation Special Report

Season 5

In this special season of Air Crash Investigation, every episode examines multiple aviation disasters that prove to have similarities including; engines that separated from their aircrafts mid-flight, mismatched pilot pairings that led to deadly crashes, and improvised landings with tragic consequences.

Where to Watch Season 5

10 Episodes

War Zone
E1
War ZoneMistaken identity and hostile fire over enemy territory are among the many risks that pilots face in war zones around the world. Operation Baby Lift, Iran Air 655, and DHL Flight OO-DLL are examined in detail.
Time Critical
E2
Time CriticalHaste in the Airline Industry is never good, and three flights are examined where crews skipped procedures, missed warnings, and made incorrect decisions. Turkish Flight 1951, Continental Flight 1713 and Ansett Flight 703.
Ticking Time Bomb
E3
Ticking Time BombFrom metal fatigue to faulty repairs, three doomed airlines are eventually brought down by gradually deteriorating parts. Air Moorea Flight 1121, Japan Airlines Flight 123 and Chalk's Flight 101.
Accidents in the Air
E4
Accidents in the AirAlthough rare, mid air collisions do occur, and are usually preceded by inattention, poor judgment and circumstance. United Flight 718 + TWA Flight 2, Proteus Airlines Flight 706 and Embraer Legacy Jet + Gol Flight 1907.
Impossible Landings
E5
Impossible LandingsWith zero margin for error, three catastrophes are narrowly averted by pilots who somehow manage to land their damaged planes. Southwest Airlines Flight 1380, Aloha Airlines Flight 243 and Air Canada Flight 797.
Trained to Fail
E6
Trained to FailPilots are prepared to cope with a range of emergency scenarios, but failures in training can lead to catastrophe in the cockpit.
Deadly Data
E7
Deadly DataWith hidden flaws buried in their navigation systems, three planes suffer catastrophic computer errors that force investigators to dig deep for clues
Poor Piloting
E8
Poor PilotingCritical errors in the cockpit cause three planes to fall out of the sky. It’s the computer versus the pilots on board China Airlines Flight 140. Foul weather and a deadly chain of mistakes, causes a turboprop to flip over and crash while landing in Ireland. And on a doomed flight over Siberia, a terrifying lapse in judgment puts a child in the pilot’s seat.
Dangerous Winds
E9
Dangerous WindsThree planes fall prey to fearsome winds, and it’s up to investigators to find out why. On final approach to Charlotte, US Air Flight 1016 is thrown to the ground by a deadly microburst. Flying blind over Peru, a 737 drops like a stone and cuts a mile-long swath through the jungle. And, a scientific expedition into the eye of Hurricane Hugo goes horribly wrong.
Sabotage
E10
SabotageThree flights are hijacked by acts of sabotage. When the cockpit of an Ethiopian airliner is stormed by hijackers, the captain manages an heroic yet deadly ocean landing. Investigators are torn between competing theories after an Italian passenger plane is blown out of the sky. And, Namibian investigators reach a chilling conclusion after piecing through the wreckage of LAM Mozambique Flight 470.