Mayday: Season 10

2011 · 6 episodes · ★ 8.0

What Season 10 of Mayday

Season 10 of Mayday features six episodes that reconstruct plane crashes and near misses through dramatized reenactments, computer animation and archival material. Between those scenes, interviews with experts, retired pilots and investigators explain what failed and how it was investigated. Stephen Bogaert narrates. The conflicts stem from technical failures and human error. A faulty radio altimeter causes the engines to lose thrust too early on approach to Amsterdam. At Heathrow, an autothrottle increases power while ice blocks the heat exchangers. And in Buffalo, fatigue among the Colgan Air pilots contributes to a chain of critical errors.

6episodes

Feb 28, 2011premiered

Dec 3, 2011final episode

4.5 hrtotal runtime

Season 10 Episodes

10x01 Who's in Control (Turkish Airlines Flight 1951)
Feb 28, 2011 · 45 min
On 25 February 2009, Turkish Airlines Flight 1951 is on approach to land at Schiphol in Amsterdam, when it stalls and crashes 1.5 kilometres from the runway. Nine people, including the three cockpit crew members, are killed. A faulty radar altimeter caused the aircraft's flight control computer to automatically reduce engine thrust prematurely, and the flight crew failed to notice the resulting drop in airspeed until it was too late.
Directing: James Hyslop · Writer: Alex Bystram · Starring: Shaun Kurlsingh Clarke, Kevork Arslanian, John Cleland, Samy Osman
10x02 The Heathrow Enigma (British Airways Flight 38)
Mar 7, 2011 · 45 min
On 17 January 2008, British Airways Flight 38 is on its final approach to land, when the autothrottles command increased thrust from the engines. The engines do not respond to the control inputs and remain at idle. The captain raises one notch of flaps to give the aircraft a few more feet of flying distance; it crash-lands just short of the runway without causing any fatalities. The fuel flow to both engines was restricted because of ice crystals causing a blockage in the fuel-oil heat exchangers.
Directing: George D'Amato · Writer: Larry Bambrick · Starring: Frank Chiesurin, Grahame Wood, Robert Bennett, Marty Moreau
10x03 Cockpit Failure (Crossair Flight 3597)
Mar 12, 2011 · 45 min · ★ 8.0
On 24 November 2001, Crossair Flight 3597 crashes into a hill during final approach to Zurich, killing 24 of the 33 passengers and crew members on board. The cause of the crash was the pilot descending the aircraft below the minimum safe altitude for the approach.
Directing: Ian Robertson · Writer: Greg Gransden · Starring: Damir Andrei, Jim Annan, Christopher Stanton, Hannah Cheesman
10x04 Hudson River Runway (US Airways Flight 1549)
Mar 14, 2011 · 45 min
On 15 January 2009, US Airways Flight 1549 suffers a bird strike with a flock of Canada geese approximately 1.5 minutes after taking off from LaGuardia Airport in New York City. Both engines fail, and less than two minutes later, the crew members successfully ditch the aircraft in the Hudson River. All on board survive.
Directing: George D'Amato · Writer: Larry Bambrick · Starring: Chris Britton, Patrick Stevenson, Walace Pidgeon, Aaron Abrams
10x05 Dead Tired (Colgan Air Flight 3407)
Mar 21, 2011 · 45 min · ★ 7.0
On 12 February 2009, Colgan Air Flight 3407 stalls at low altitude and dives into a residential area near Buffalo, New York. All on board and one person on the ground are killed. Several critical errors made by the flight crew might have been the result of their fatigue.
Directing: James Hyslop · Writer: Greg Gransden · Starring: Ashley Wright, Ava Himmel, Adam Gaudreau, Greg Thomas
10x06 Pilot Betrayed (Scandinavian Airlines Flight 751) Season Finale
Dec 3, 2011 · 45 min
On 27 December 1991, Scandinavian Airlines Flight 751 crash-lands without loss of life in Gottröra moments after taking off due to both engines failing. Clear ice from the tops of the wings had been sucked into both engines, causing internal damage. An automatic system (of which the pilots were unaware) to increase the engines' thrust contributed to their failure.
Directing: Su Rynard · Writer: Christopher Blow · Starring: Stephen Sparks, Ryan Hollyman, Sten Eirik, Leva Lucs