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s25e10 · 2026-03-25 · 20:00
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Air Crash Investigation
National Geographic Documentary
What it is
Flying is one of the safest forms of transport. But what happens when tragedy strikes? From human error and accidents to mechanical faults and design flaws, the success of aviation history is punctuated with disaster and catastrophe. It's rare, but it does happen. Follow experts as they determine what went wrong and work out how to prevent these horrific tragedies from happening again. Examine the wrecks and official records, and hear from eyewitnesses, passengers and aviation experts as we reconstruct some of the most tragic disasters in aviation history. Air Crash Investigation looks at what went wrong and how future disasters can be averted.
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Episode guide
13 this season · 261 totals03e01 Hanging by a Thread 2005-09-14 22:30
Hanging by a Thread
28 April 1988. A short island hop from Maui to Honolulu quickly turns into a nightmare for the crew and passengers aboard Flight 243. Shortly after take-off a loud bang is heard, removing a huge chunk of the plane's roof and walls.
s03e02 Attack over Baghdad 2005-09-21 22:30
Attack over Baghdad
It was supposed to be a routine mail drop for the DHL cargo plane, but, shortly after leaving Baghdad's Saddam Hussein Airport, an anti-aircraft missile hit the Airbus A300 and the crew were thrown into a fight for their lives
s03e03 Out of Control 2005-09-28 22:30
Out of Control
On a flight between Osaka and Tokyo, the alarm system blares out a warning: a stabilizer has blown off and the plane can no longer steer. 30 minutes later it hits Mount Osutaka in the worst single aircraft accident in history.
s03e04 Fight for Your Life 2005-10-05 22:30
Fight for Your Life
The three-man crew of FedEx 705 are just finishing their climb out from Memphis when they are attacked. In the struggle to control both the plane and the attacker, the pilots perform incredible feats in order to save their lives.
s03e05 Bomb on Board 2005-10-12 22:30
Bomb on Board
An explosion jolts the pilots of PA 434; a bomb has gone off and there's extensive damage to the plane. The blast kills one passenger and injures another ten, with a notorious terrorist being behind the bombing.
s03e06 Mistaken Identity 2005-10-19 22:30
Mistaken Identity
The USS Vincennes, stationed in the Persian Gulf, tracks an incoming aircraft. The plane is destroyed, but the crew's elation turns to dismay as it becomes clear they have shot down an innocent airliner with 290 people on board.
s03e07 Helicopter Down 2005-10-26 22:30
Helicopter Down
A helicopter is ferrying workers to an oil platform when it is struck by lightning. The pilots struggle to keep control but are forced to ditch. Investigators find a design flaw which made it a sitting target for lightning.
s03e08 Death and Denial 2005-11-02 23:30
Death and Denial
Egypt Air flight 990 is over the Atlantic when it suddenly plunges towards the water, killing all 217 people on board. Follow the investigation that became one of the most controversial in modern aviation history.
s03e09 Kid in the Cockpit 2005-11-09 23:30
Kid in the Cockpit
The new Airbus leaves Moscow and the captain invites his two children to the flight deck. The boy turns the steering column, which sets off a chain of events that leads to the deaths of all 70 people on board.
s03e10 Ocean Landing 2005-11-23 23:30
Ocean Landing
An Ethiopian Airlines aircraft is hijacked and told to fly to Australia. The pilot fails to convince the hijackers that the plane doesn't have enough fuel, so he decides to trick them. Events end in tragedy.
s03e11 Ocean Landing 2005-11-23 23:30
Ocean Landing
An Ethiopian Airlines aircraft is hijacked and told to fly to Australia. The pilot fails to convince the hijackers that the plane doesn't have enough fuel, so he decides to trick them. Events end in tragedy.
s03e12 Head-On Collision 2005-11-30 23:30
Head-On Collision
On 8 February 1986, a VIA Rail passenger train and a 118-car freight train collided, killing 23 people. The freight train crew did not stop at a red railway signal on a section of a passing loop because they were possibly asleep.
s03e13 Runaway Train 2005-12-07 23:30
Runaway Train
On 12 May 1989, a 69-car freight train went out of control while descending from California's Cajon Pass. It derailed into a residential neighborhood of San Bernardino after reaching speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour. Two residents and two train crew were killed in the initial crash. A clerical error had caused the train's weight to be greatly underestimated, and it had been assembled without enough locomotives to provide adequate braking. Additionally, several of the engines had completely inoperable brakes, but this information was not passed on to the crews. More than a week later, an underground gasoline pipeline, which was damaged by earth-moving equipment during crash cleanup, ruptured and sparked a fire that killed a further two people.