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Every Single Plane Crash - Air Disasters Seasons 15 & 16

Smithsonian Channel Aviation Nation・67 minutes read

Flight incidents, ranging from navigation challenges to mechanical failures, crash outcomes, and investigation findings, highlight various factors contributing to aviation accidents, including pilot error, equipment failure, and adverse weather conditions. These incidents underscore the importance of thorough investigations, crew coordination, and adherence to safety protocols to prevent future tragedies.

Insights

Crew misreading the approach chart led to a fatal mistake during descent for Pakistan International Airlines Flight 268, highlighting the critical importance of accurate navigation and cockpit communication.
Investigations of various crashes reveal crucial factors like faulty information from the Inertial Reference Unit, engine failures due to maintenance oversights, and landing gear malfunctions, emphasizing the intricate web of technical issues that can lead to tragic accidents.
The presence of human error, such as pilot miscommunication, mismanagement of alternate systems, and failure to follow correct procedures, emerges as a recurring theme in multiple air disasters, underscoring the significance of robust training, adherence to protocols, and effective teamwork in preventing catastrophic events.

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Recent questions

What caused the crash of Sol Flight 5428?
Ice buildup on propellers led to the crash.
What led to the emergency landing of Cougar Flight 91?
Main gearbox oil pressure problem caused the landing.
How did US-Bangla Flight 211 crash in Kathmandu?
Miscommunication during landing attempt led to the crash.
What caused the crash of Lion Air Flight 610 into the Java Sea?
Faulty angle-of-attack sensor and MCAS system led to the crash.
What led to the crash of Comair Flight 5191 in Lexington?
Taking off from the wrong runway caused the crash.

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Summary

00:00

Flight 268: Fatal Descent and Crash

Pakistan International Airlines Flight 268 is en route to Kathmandu, with Captain Iftikhar Janjua and First Officer Hassan Akhtar on the flight deck.
The flight crew must navigate a stepped approach due to the lack of radar tracking at Kathmandu Airport in 1992.
Flight 268 begins its descent towards Kathmandu, following specific altitudes at set distances from the airport.
The crew faces challenges with the approach chart's visibility and placement in the cockpit.
Investigators discover that the crew misread the approach chart, leading to a fatal mistake during descent.
West Air Sweden Flight 294 experiences a sudden loss of control, resulting in a high-speed crash.
Investigators find discrepancies in the flight data, leading to the discovery of faulty information from the Inertial Reference Unit.
The faulty information from the IRU misleads the captain into a fatal dive, resulting in the crash.
UNI Air Flight 873 lands at Hualien Airport in Taiwan but experiences a fire upon touchdown.
The captain and crew successfully evacuate passengers amidst the chaos, with no fatalities despite a massive fire.

19:13

Aircraft disasters prompt intense investigations and analysis.

Flight 873 experiences a gaseous explosion, leading investigators to focus on an overhead bin and a bottle fragment smelling like gasoline.
The bottle fragment is identified as gasoline, suggesting foul play in swapping bleach for gasoline on the flight.
Northwest Airlines Flight 299 faces a near collision due to heavy fog, resulting in a fatal incident on the runway.
Investigators analyze the cockpit voice recording and flight data to understand the confusion leading to the collision.
Aires Flight 8250 crashes due to severe weather conditions, with the crew struggling to land in heavy rain and wind shear.
The air traffic controller updates the crew on changing weather conditions, including heavy rain and reduced visibility.
Investigators explore the possibility of lightning near the aircraft and wind shear affecting the landing attempt.
Sol Flight 5428 encounters icing issues at 19,000 feet, leading to a crash caused by ice buildup on the propellers.
The crew struggles to control the turboprop as it pitches down and crashes in a remote region, resulting in no survivors.
Investigators focus on the crew's awareness of icing conditions and the actions taken to protect the aircraft, involving crucial information from the airline's flight dispatcher.

39:08

Aircraft crashes: ice, oil, pilot errors discussed

The flight dispatcher provided a weather report that was over five hours old, leading to inaccurate information about icing conditions.
Pilots use anti-ice protection in icing conditions, such as pneumatic boots on the Saab 340A, to break up ice on the wing's leading edge.
Investigators of Sol Flight 5428 suspect a failure in the ice protection system as the cause of the crash.
The primary function of the valves in the ice protection system is to control pressurized air flow to inflate the ice protection boots.
Testing reveals that the valves were functioning correctly, indicating that the ice protection system was operational during the flight.
Cougar Flight 91 experiences a main gearbox oil pressure problem, leading to an emergency landing in the ocean.
The gearbox oil pressure issue is linked to the failure of titanium studs in the oil filter bowl, causing a sudden loss of oil.
Sikorsky had advised replacing the titanium studs with steel studs, but Cougar delayed the replacement, leading to the crash.
Trigana Air Service Flight 267 crashes in Indonesia after deviating from the official approach procedure, missing crucial steps.
LAM 470 crashes in Namibia, with investigations ruling out mechanical issues and weather, focusing on pilot error as a potential cause.

59:25

Multiple Plane Crashes Investigated in Africa

Mozambique Airlines Flight 470 crashes in Namibia, killing all 27 passengers and crew.
Namibia's DAAI investigators take charge of the crash site investigation.
The team searches for clues at the crash site to understand the steep descent before impact.
Investigators find two pits 32 feet apart, indicating the plane's engine positions at impact.
The wreckage pattern suggests the plane may have been attempting to land.
Examination of the landing gear reveals no signs of emergency landing attempts.
Kenya Airways Flight 507 faces a storm delay in Douala before takeoff.
Flight 507 experiences a dangerous roll to the right after takeoff, leading to a crash.
The flight data recorder reveals a bank-angle alert and the captain's left-turn inputs.
The cockpit voice recorder is missing, hindering the investigation into Flight 507's crash.
Loganair Flight 6780 faces control issues during a storm, narrowly avoiding disaster twice.
The crew of Flight 6780 struggles to land safely at Aberdeen Airport.
The cockpit voice recorder fails to provide crucial information about Flight 6780's incident.
Investigators analyze flight data to understand the lightning strike and control problems on Flight 6780.
Execuflight 1526 crashes into a building during a stormy landing attempt in Akron, Ohio.
The NTSB investigates the crash to determine the cause of the fatal accident.

01:20:16

Aircraft Crashes Prompt Investigations and Safety Concerns

Execuflight 1526 crashes in Akron, Ohio, leading to an investigation.
Angle of attack indicator found in cockpit wreckage, showing wing stall possibility.
Cockpit voice recorder sent to NTSB for analysis due to lack of flight data recorder.
Weight and balance discrepancies discovered, indicating plane was heavier than documented.
Actual weight of the plane calculated, showing slight overweight but not affecting performance.
Comair Flight 5191 crashes in Lexington due to taking off from the wrong runway.
Investigation reveals runway 26 was too short for takeoff, leading to crash.
Lion Air Flight 610 crashes into the Java Sea due to faulty angle-of-attack sensor and MCAS system.
MCAS system lacked failsafe, relying on one sensor, causing catastrophic failure.
Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 experiences engine failure, leading to emergency landing in Philadelphia.

01:41:42

Fan Blade Crack Investigation Raises Safety Concerns

Flight 1380 lands safely, but investigators focus on the fan blades in the left engine, which underwent a full overhaul in 2012.
Fan blade 13, along with all blades, was inspected during the overhaul, with the protective coating stripped and fluorescent dye used for crack identification.
Maintenance records show routine checks and lubrication were done as per guidelines between 1,500 and 3,000 flights.
A microscopic examination reveals over 32,000 striations on fan blade 13, indicating the crack may have started over six years ago.
The crack likely began before the 2012 overhaul, raising concerns for the 4,000 Boeing 737s using similar fan blades.
US-Bangla Flight 211 faces a tragic landing attempt in Kathmandu, with miscommunication leading to a fatal crash.
Investigators find the captain's inputs matched the plane's movements, but extreme inputs near the end raise questions.
The flight path data shows the plane drifted off course near Guras waypoint, where a holding pattern was programmed but not completed.
US Air Force Flight Whale 05 faces a mid-flight crisis due to wake turbulence, leading to engine loss and a near-disaster situation.
Quick thinking and teamwork help the crew recover the plane, emphasizing the critical role of crew coordination in emergencies.

02:01:28

Ansett Flight 703 Crash Investigation and Rescue

Survivors of Ansett Flight 703 recall the urgency to escape the plane after the crash.
McGrory, a survivor, calls emergency services and requests assistance for the crash site.
A passenger helps identify the crash location near a sheep holding pen.
Rescuers locate the crash site of Flight 703, where 15 passengers and both pilots survive, but three passengers and a flight attendant perish.
Investigators focus on the landing gear failure of Ansett 703, leading to the crash.
Ansett New Zealand's history reveals recurring landing gear issues on Dash 8 planes.
The investigation uncovers a mechanical issue with the landing gear latch, causing the failure to extend.
Pilots had a reliable alternate system to manually lower the landing gear if needed.
The first officer's failure to properly engage the alternate landing gear system is identified as a contributing factor to the crash.
Propair Flight 420 experiences dual hydraulic failure, an engine fire, and control issues, leading to a fatal crash near Mirabel Airport.

02:20:59

Flight crew error causes confusion during approach.

Investigators found that the flight management computer was working properly, but the crew had failed to clear a conflict in the programmed destinations, leading to a flight plan discontinuity that caused confusion and incorrect guidance during the approach to Birmingham Airport. The crew missed a step in planning their route, resulting in the autopilot not initiating the descent path correctly.

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