This is an episode list for the documentary television program Mayday (also called Air Crash Investigation[s] or Air Emergency in markets outside Canada). It is aired on the Discovery Channel Canada and the National Geographic Channel. The series has been on the air since 2003, with several off-season specials. While the series focuses on aircraft accidents and incidents, several episodes (3) dealt with non-aircraft disasters, aired under the title Crash Scene Investigation outside of Canada.

Episodes

A total of 59 episodes have been made in seven seasons; three of them are "Crash Scene Investigation" episodes and another five being "mayday special" episodes.

Season 1

#	Title ,(alternate title)	Disaster	Date of disaster	Type of aircraft	Cause of disaster
1	Racing the Storm(Fatal Landing)	American Airlines Flight 1420	June 1, 1999	McDonnell Douglas MD-82	Foul weather, runway overrun resulting from pilot error
		During their pre-landing checks during approach to Little Rock National Airport, the crew of American Airlines Flight 1420 forget to preset the spoiler to extend automatically when the aircraft touches down. The MD-82 overruns the runway and eleven people are killed.
2	Unlocking Disaster (Ripped From The Sky)	United Airlines Flight 811	February 24, 1989.	Boeing 747-100	Faulty cargo door, explosive decompression
		A Boeing 747 operating as United Airlines Flight 811 from Los Angeles to Auckland is above the Pacific Ocean when part of the RH forward fuselage rips off. An electrical short circuit caused the cargo door lock mechanism to fail and the cargo door was blown open by the force of the cabin pressurization. Nine people are ejected from the aircraft; some are still strapped to their seats. The Boeing 747 safely lands at Honolulu without any more loss of life.
3	Flying on Empty	Air Transat Flight 236	August 24, 2001	Airbus A330-243	Faulty maintenance, fuel starvation due to fuel leak
		Air Transat Flight 236 leaks large amounts of fuel, but the pilots discount the ECAM warnings and the aircraft runs out of fuel. The pilots glide the aircraft to a naval base in the Azores where it lands safely. The post-incident investigation determines that improper maintenance actions during an engine change caused a hydraulic oil pipe and a fuel pipe to touch each other, resulting in the fracture of the fuel pipe.
4	Fire on Board(Fire in the Sky)	Swissair Flight 111	September 2, 1998	McDonnell Douglas MD-11	In-flight fire, faulty wiring
		A McDonnell Douglas MD-11 operating as Swissair Flight 111 experiences a fire in the cockpit due to faulty wiring. The pilots divert the aircraft to Halifax, Nova Scotia, but vital systems fail while dumping fuel in preparation for landing. The aircraft crashes into the sea off Peggy's Cove with no survivors.
5	Flying Blind	Aeroperú Flight 603	October 2, 1996	Boeing 757-200	Faulty maintenance, static ports blocked by tape
		The pilots of Aeroperú Flight 603 are confused by false speed and altitude readings and contradictory warnings from the aircraft's air data system, caused by duct tape over the static ports. The pilots descend the aircraft over the Pacific Ocean in preparation for an emergency landing, but it is much lower than the altimeter indicates. One wingtip touches the water and the aircraft crashes seconds later, killing everyone on board.
6	Cutting Corners(Fatal Error)	Alaska Airlines Flight 261	January 31, 2000	McDonnell Douglas MD-83	Faulty maintenance, horizontal stabilizer trim failure
		Alaska Airlines Flight 261 is heading for Seattle via San Francisco but its trimmable horizontal stabilizer jams due to an improperly maintained jackscrew assembly. The stabilizer breaks free from its control system and the aircraft dives inverted into the Pacific Ocean, causing the death of all on board.

Season 2

#	Title(alternate title)	Disaster	Date of disaster	Aircraft type	Cause of disaster
1	Blow Out(Ripped from the Cockpit)	British Airways Flight 5390	June 10, 1990	BAC-111-528FL	Faulty maintenance(cockpit window), explosive decompression
		The night before the incident, a maintenance worker replaces the screws attaching the cockpit window on a British Airways BAC-111 but does not follow the correct procedure, using incorrect screws to do the job. The next day the aircraft is heading for Malaga, Spain as Flight 5390 when the cockpit window blows out, sucking the captain partially through the hole. A member of the cabin crew clings to the pilot's legs as the co-pilot flies the aircraft to Southampton Airport for an emergency landing. The captain is found to be still alive after being outside the cockpit for 21 minutes.
2	A Wounded Bird(Wounded Bird) (One Wing Flight)	Atlantic Southeast Airlines Flight 529	August 21, 1995	Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia	Faulty maintenance, Metal fatigue in the propeller
		Atlantic Southeast Airlines Flight 529's left propeller is damaged by metal fatigue, causing it to lose one of its blades. The resulting imbalance causes the engine to be partly torn from its mounting, which disrupts the airflow over the wing. That and the massive increase in drag means the aircraft is unable to maintain height on one engine. The aircraft crashes before it can reach an airport, killing nine of the 29 people on board.
3	The Killing Machine(Hijacked) (Hijack Rescue)	Air France Flight 8969	December 24 December 26, 1994	Airbus A300B2-1C	Aircraft hijacking
		Air France Flight 8969 to Paris-Orly is hijacked on the ground at Algiers Airport. The terrorists demand the aircraft be allowed to depart for Paris so they could crash the A300 into the Eiffel Tower. The only problem is the terrorists do not know how to fly the airplane. The Algerian Army refuses and three of the 220 passengers are shot dead over the next two days. The aircraft is cleared to take off but the crew divert it to Marseille Provence Airport. The terrorist leader forces the pilots to park the aircraft in front of the control tower and the terrorists open fire on the tower building. The Hostage rescue team of the French Gendarmerie storm the aircraft and after a gun battle in the cabin, the hijackers are dead. Everyone else is evacuated.
4	Deadly Crossroads(Mid-Air Collision) (A Father's Revenge)	Bashkirian Airlines Flight 2937/DHL Flight 611	July 1, 2002	BTC 2937: Tupolev Tu-154M DHL 611: Boeing 757-200	Mid-air collision resulting from ATC error, Pilot error TCAS ignorance (Tupolev) and technical limitations
		Bashkirian Airlines Flight 2937 is flying in German airspace near Überlingen under control of the Swiss air traffic control service with 69 people on board. Due to multiple faults within the local air traffic control system, the Tu-154M aircraft collides with the tail of DHL Flight 611, carrying air freight. Flight 2937 is destroyed instantly and Flight 611 crashes shortly afterwards, killing all 71 people in the two aircraft. The air traffic controller in charge at the time is killed shortly afterwards by the father of one of the families onboard the passenger plane.
5	Lost(Crash on the Mountain)	American Airlines Flight 965	December 20, 1995	Boeing 757-200	Pilot error, controlled flight into terrain
		American Airlines Flight 965 heads for Cali, Colombia. The crew is asked if they would like to do a straight-in approach to Cali. The pilots agree and inadvertently remove the waypoints from the flight plan in their Flight management system (FMS), causing them to become unsure of their exact position. Their mistakes cause them to crash into a 9,000 foot mountain near Buga. Only four passengers survive.
6	Missing Over New York(Deadly Delay)	Avianca Flight 52	January 25, 1990	Boeing 707-320B	Numerous delays, fuel starvation and pilot error
		During its flight to New York, Avianca Flight 52 is delayed numerous times, causing the Boeing 707 with 158 people on board to run out of fuel. The aircraft then crashes near Cove Neck, New York. 73 people die.

Season 3

#	Title(alternate title)	Disaster	Date of disaster	Aircraft type	Cause of disaster
1	Hanging by a Thread	Aloha Airlines Flight 243	April 28, 1988	Boeing 737-200	Faulty lap joint, metal fatigue, explosive decompression
		Aloha Airlines Flight 243 is en route from Hilo to Honolulu in Hawaii with 95 passengers and crew. Fuselage skin lap joints (badly damaged by corrosion resulting from a fault at manufacture, and by metal fatigue) give way, and a section of the roof between the cockpit and the leading edges of the wings is torn off. The aircraft manages an emergency landing at Kahului, Maui. A flight attendant blown out of the cabin is the only fatality.
2	Attack Over Baghdad	European Air Transport/DHL OO-DLL	November 22, 2003	Airbus A300B4-203F	Missile attack, loss of hydraulics
		A terrorist missile is fired at a European Air Transport freighter flying on behalf of DHL Aviation. The left wing burns out of control and all hydraulic pressure is lost. Despite the damage the aircraft lands safely at Baghdad, the first successful landing of a large airliner without the use of hydraulics. The crew are later given awards in recognition of their actions that day.
3	Out of Control	Japan Airlines Flight 123	August 12, 1985	Boeing 747SR	Faulty maintenance, explosive decompression, vertical stabilizer and hydraulics lost
		Damage to the lower rear fuselage of a Japan Airlines Boeing 747 is incorrectly repaired and the aircraft returns to service. Seven years later the aircraft is operating as Flight 123 when the poorly-repaired rear pressure bulkhead bursts, destroying the vertical fin and rupturing all four hydraulic systems. The pilots manage to keep the aircraft flying for 32 minutes until it clips a mountain ridge then impacts Mt. Osutaka. Of the 524 passengers onboard, many survive the crash but die during the night; only four survive to be rescued the next day. This is the largest ever death toll for a single-aircraft disaster.
4	Fight for Your Life(Suicide Attack)	FedEx Flight 705	April 7, 1994	McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30	Attempted hijacking
		Auburn Calloway is about to be fired from FedEx for lying on his résumé. He boards FedEx Flight 705 with hammers and a speargun. After the cargo flight takes off from Memphis, Tennessee, Calloway enters the cockpit and attacks the flight crew. They fight to subdue their co-worker and land the aircraft safely back at Memphis.
5	Mistaken Identity	Iran Air Flight 655	July 3, 1988	Airbus A300B2-203	Shot down by USS Vincennes
		The Iran–Iraq War is raging in the Persian Gulf region. The USS Vincennes is a highly advanced cruiser, capable of identifying and destroying aircraft with pinpoint accuracy. But when Iran Air Flight 655 crosses the Gulf, the crew of the Vincennes, despite its high-tech equipment, mistake the airliner for an F-14 Tomcat fighter jet and launch a missile, shooting it down and killing all on board.
6	Bomb on Board	Philippine Airlines Flight 434	December 11, 1994	Boeing 747-200B	In-flight terrorist bomb, damage to control systems
		Terrorist Ramzi Yousef smuggles a bomb aboard Philippine Airlines Flight 434 on the first leg of its flight. On the final leg of the journey to Tokyo the bomb explodes, killing a passenger and damaging the aircraft's control systems. The pilot makes a successful emergency landing in Okinawa. The larger plot to bring down as many as a dozen aircraft is foiled.
7	Helicopter Down	Bristow Flight 56C	January 19, 1995	Aerospatiale AS 332L Super Puma	Lightning, tail rotor failure
		A Bristow Helicopters Super Puma is struck in the tail rotor by lightning in a storm while flying to the Brae oilfield. The tail rotor fails, forcing the crew to perform an emergency autorotation and ditch in the sea. Despite the conditions, the sixteen oil rig workers and pilots are rescued.
8	Death and Denial(Egypt Air 990)	EgyptAir Flight 990	October 31, 1999	Boeing 767-300ER	Disputed; the Egyptian government claims mechanical failure associated with the elevator controls, while the US government claims the aircraft was deliberately crashed by the First Officer in a suicide/homicide.
		First Officer Gameel Al-Batouti takes control of EgyptAir Flight 990 after it is established at its cruising altitude of 33,000 feet, and switches off the autopilot. The aircraft subsequently dives at a rate of over 20,000 feet per minute (losing 17,000 feet of altitude in 44 seconds), creating weightlessness in the cabin. The aircraft ascends back to 24,000 feet, then dives again. The manoeuvres cause the left engine to be torn off. Less than three minutes after leaving cruising altitude, the aircraft crashes into the Atlantic Ocean 100 kilometres South of Nantucket Island, Massachusetts, killing all 217 people on board.
9	Kid in the Cockpit	Aeroflot Flight 593	March 23, 1994	Airbus A310-304	Pilot error, Pilot's 15 year old son disengages autopilot
		The captain of Aeroflot Flight 593 brings his two children into the cockpit. The pilot's 15 year old son has a turn in the captain's seat. He uses the aircraft controls; his actions eventually cause the aircraft to stall. The aircraft crashes with the loss of all 75 people on board.
10	Head-On Collision(Train Collision) (Impact on the Rails)	Hinton train collision	February 8, 1986	VIA Rail passenger train (FP9A and F9B locomotives); 118-car freight train (one EMD GP38-2 and two EMD SD40 locomotives	Driver fatigue, overseer error
		A westbound freight train travels on a line of the Canadian National Railway network in west central Alberta. The train passes 'slow' and then 'stop' signals on a section of double track, and speeds up instead of stopping. The drivers at the front are asleep and the overseer in the rear caboose does not stop the train despite being trained to use an emergency brake. The train re-enters the single track section of rail and collides with an eastbound passenger train and a fire breaks out. The disaster claims the lives of 23 people.Note: This is a Crash Scene Investigation episode.
11	Collision Course(Greek Ferry Disaster) (Express Samina)	MS Express Samina sinking	September 26, 2000	RORO passenger ferry MS Express Samina	Helmsman and crew error
		In stormy weather, the Express Samina sails in the Aegean Sea. The ferry is on autopilot with no crew member monitoring the ship's course. The waves push the Express Samina off course, it hits a group of rocks and begins taking on water, eventually sinking. Survivors fight for their lives in the freezing water and giant swells. By the time rescuers finish their task 80 passengers drown.Note: This is a Crash Scene Investigation episode.
12	Runaway Train(Unstoppable Train)	San Bernardino train disaster	May 12, 1989	69 freight cars pulled by 6 locomotives	Brake failure, calculation error
		An overloaded freight train is descending from a pass in the mountains. The driver applies all brakes but they overheat and the train continues to gain speed. The train enters a turn near San Bernardino, California, derails, and crashes into a row of houses, killing five people. More than a week later, an underground gasoline pipeline which has been damaged during the crash site cleanup ruptures, killing two more people.Note: This is a Crash Scene Investigation episode.
13	Ocean Landing(African Hijack)	Ethiopian Airlines Flight 961	November 23, 1996	Boeing 767-200ER	Aircraft hijacking, fuel starvation
		Hijackers on Ethiopian Airlines Flight 961 demand passage to Australia, not believing the pilot when he explains they do not have enough fuel. The pilot tries to trick them by flying down the coast of Africa but the hijackers notice and force the pilot to fly east. The pilot obeys but heads for the Comoros Islands, near where the aircraft runs out of fuel. The leading hijacker disengages the autopilot and tries to fly the aircraft himself but realizes he cannot control it. The pilot is put back in control and attempts to land the 767 on the water next to a beach at Grand Comoro Island but the aircraft breaks up as its wing hits the water; 125 people die.
14	Crash of the Century(Collision on the Runway)	Tenerife airport disaster	March 27, 1977	Boeing 747	Bad weather, pilot error (KLM), ATC error, bombing in airport
		KLM Flight 4805 and Pan Am Flight 1736 are scheduled to land at Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands, but a terrorist bombing at the airport causes them to divert to Tenerife. As the passengers and crew of the planes wait for the Gran Canaria airport to reopen, a heavy fog envelops the Tenerife airfield. Moreover, the captain of the KLM jet opts to refuel, taking 35 minutes in the process. Due to the sheer volume of traffic at the small airport, aircraft are forced to backtaxi along the runway and then take off in the opposite direction. The Pan Am flight follows behind the KLM flight, but the two cannot see each other due to the fog. The KLM plane then proceeds to take off without receiving clearance to do so, as the Pan Am jet is exiting the runway onto the C4 taxiway; only 61 survive the resulting fiery collision, the worst accident in aviation history.

Season 4

#	Title(alternate title)	Disaster	Date of disaster	Aircraft type	Cause of disaster
1	Desperate Escape(Miracle Escape)	Air France Flight 358	August 2, 2005	Airbus A340-313X	Runway overrun in storm, short runway, pilot error
		Air France Flight 358 comes in too high for landing at Toronto Pearson International Airport during a storm. The runway is short and the pilots deploy the thrust reversers too late. The A340 overruns the runway and smashes through the airport fence before plunging into a small ravine. Although the aircraft is burnt out, all 309 people onboard survive by evacuating the aircraft in less than 90 seconds.
2	Falling from the Sky(All Engines Failed)	British Airways Flight 9	June 24, 1982	Boeing 747-200B	Failure of all engines in volcanic ash cloud
		British Airways Flight 9 experiences St. Elmo's fire along with smoke smelling like sulphur in the cabin. All four engines on the Boeing 747 start torching then flame out. With 263 people on board, BA009 starts downward but the crew successfully restart the engines. The aircraft safely makes an emergency landing at Jakarta.
3	Fire Fight(Fiery Landing)	Air Canada Flight 797	June 2, 1983	McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32	Unexplained in-flight fire, flashover
		Air Canada Flight 797 experiences an in-flight fire in the aircraft's toilet and smoke fills the cabin. An emergency landing is made in Cincinnati, but due to a flashover the DC-9 is engulfed by flames as the doors open on the runway. More than half of the passengers perish.
4	Final Approach(Missed Approach) (Blind Landing)	Korean Air Flight 801	August 6, 1997	Boeing 747-300	Controlled flight into terrain resulting from foul weather, pilot error and fatigue, improper training, inoperable ILS
		Korean Air Flight 801 with its 254 passengers and crew is on final approach to Guam's Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport in the middle of the night in poor weather. The glideslope part of the Instrument landing system is out of service, leaving only the Localiser to aid aircraft crews; a software change to the ground proximity radar system at the airport prevents the aircraft from being shown on the system. The aircraft follows the Localiser and DME signals towards the airport. The aircraft descends, but the pilots still cannot see the airport. They initiate a missed approach procedure but they have descended too far and Flight 801 hits the rugged terrain of Nimitz Hill. The Boeing 747 breaks up and catches fire. 26 people escape but 228 die in the wreckage; four crash survivors die later while being hospitalized. One of the surviving passengers tries talking to seat designers into changing the design of the seat in order to make aviation safer.
5	Hidden Danger(Mystery Crashes)	United Airlines Flight 585 USAir Flight 427 Eastwind Airlines Flight 517	UA 585: March 3, 1991 USAir 427: September 8, 1994 EA 517: June 9, 1996	UA 585: Boeing 737-200 USAir 427: Boeing 737-300 EA 517: Boeing 737-200	Malfunction of power control units (PCUs) due to thermal shock UA 585: crash into park during approach USAir 427: nosedive during approach EA 517: Suffered two uncontrolled starboard rolls until successfully landing
		The rudder fails on a Boeing 737 operating as United Airlines Flight 585 and the aircraft spins out of control during approach to Colorado Springs, killing 25. Investigators are unable to determine the cause although they suspect a problem in the power control unit (PCU) which controls the rudder. Then three years later, another Boeing 737 flying as USAir Flight 427 crashes after a similar event during final approach. This time, the PCU survives intact but functions normally during testing. Two years on, Eastwind Airlines Flight 517 experiences two massive rolls to the right but the pilot is able to control the rolls and lands the 737 safely. This time an intact PCU is available for inspection. Investigations determine that thermal shock caused the rudders of the three aircraft to "hardover" and jam.
6	Panic Over the Pacific(6 Mile Plunge)	China Airlines Flight 006	February 19, 1985	Boeing 747SP	Engine failure, pilot error, jet lag, spatial disorientation
		China Airlines Flight 006 encounters turbulence while flying to Los Angeles. The No. 4 engine flames out and the crew tries to restart the engine at too high an altitude. Crew mismanagement of the situation causes the aircraft to go out of control. The extreme forces rip the undercarriage doors and parts of the horizontal stabilizers off. The crew recover control of the aircraft and then land it safely at San Francisco despite control problems associated with the tailplane damage. Two people are hurt, but everyone survives. The accident was attributed to pilot error caused by jet lag and difficulty adjusting to various time zones.
7	Out of Sight(Collision Over LA)	Aeroméxico Flight 498/Piper Archer N4891F	August 31, 1986	Aeroméxico 498: McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32 N4891F: Piper PA-28-181 Archer	Mid-air collision, pilot error (Piper), ATC error, outdated radar systems
		Aeroméxico Flight 498 is descending into Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) for landing. Meanwhile, a privately-operated Piper Archer takes off from an airfield in nearby Torrance. The Archer unwittingly enters LAX airspace but the air traffic controller does not notice it due to a distraction by another light aircraft on his radar screen. Over the residential district of Cerritos the Archer hits Flight 498's horizontal stabilizer, shearing off the top of its cockpit and destroying half of the tail of Flight 498. The badly damaged DC-9 rolls inverted and plummets into the houses below. Everyone on board the two aircraft perishes as well as 15 people on the ground.
8	Fog of War(Crash in Croatia) (Inbound) (Flight 21 Is Missing)	Boeing CT-43, callsign IFO-21	April 3, 1996	Boeing CT-43	Pilot error, badly designed instrument approach procedure
		A United States Air Force Boeing CT-43 (operating under the callsign IFO-21) attempts an instrument approach into Dubrovnik Airport in heavy fog. The passengers are mainly US government officials. The pilots attempt the IFR non-precision NDB approach to Runway 12. The aircraft goes off course and hits mountains north of the airport, killing all 35 people onboard, including the United States Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown.
9	Vertigo(Deadly Disorientation) (Desperate Dive)	Flash Airlines Flight 604	January 3, 2004	Boeing 737-300	Disputed; Spatial disorientation, improper training. The Egyptian government claims structural failure
		Flash Airlines Flight 604 departs Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport in Egypt for Paris. Just after take-off, the aircraft banks right and goes off course. The pilot corrects the roll but the aircraft banks right again. This time the pilot does not correct the roll. The Boeing 737 rolls further and descends into the Red Sea 9 km south of Sharm el-Sheikh. Everyone on board is killed. The cause of this disaster is disputed.
10	Ghost Plane(Unconscious Pilot)	Helios Airways Flight 522	August 14, 2005	Boeing 737-300	Pilot error, loss of cabin pressure, fuel exhaustion
		Helios Airways Flight 522 departs from Cyprus. As it flies over Greece, air traffic controllers lose radio contact with it. An incorrect setting on the cabin pressurization panel causes the pilots and everyone else on board to succumb to hypoxia. Flight 522 runs out of fuel and dives into a hill near Marathon, Greece. There are no survivors.

Season 5

#	Title(alternate title)	Disaster	Date of disaster	Aircraft type	Cause of disaster
1	Air India: Explosive Evidence (Explosive Evidence)	Air India Flight 182	June 23, 1985	Boeing 747-200B	Bombing and explosion in mid-air
		Air India Flight 182 explodes in mid-air and disintegrates over the coast of Ireland, killing all 329 on board. Investigators discover that a bomb from Sikh militant group Babbar Khalsa caused the explosion.
2	Behind Closed Doors	American Airlines Flight 96 Turkish Airlines Flight 981	AA 96:June 12, 1972 TK 981:March 3, 1974	AA 96 & TK 981: McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10	Explosive decompression resulting from faulty cargo door design on the DC-10
		A McDonnell Douglas DC-10 just a few months old, operating American Airlines Flight 96 from Detroit, Michigan to Buffalo, New York, suffers an explosive decompression after a cargo door bursts open. The crew make an emergency landing at Detroit, Michigan without any loss of life. However, the design fault with the cargo door mechanism is not rectified and two years later, Turkish Airlines Flight 981 suffers a similar blowout during a flight from Paris to London. This time the DC-10's hydraulic systems are damaged and the aircraft crashes in a forest near Senlis, killing all 346 on board.
3	Southern Storm	Southern Airways Flight 242	April 4, 1977	McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31	Extreme weather leading to multiple engine failure
		Southern Airways Flight 242 is a flight from Huntsville, Alabama to Atlanta, Georgia. It flies through a severe thunderstorm and is hit by large hailstones. Both engines of the DC-9-31 fail and the aircraft makes an emergency landing on a highway in New Hope, Paulding County, Georgia. However it collides with a gas station and explodes, killing 62 people on board and eight on the ground; two more die later of injuries they sustained during the crash.
4	Dead Weight	Air Midwest Flight 5481	January 8, 2003	Beechcraft 1900D	Maintenance error and overloading
		A small commuter aircraft, Air Midwest Express Flight 5481 crashes into a hangar of Charlotte/Douglas International Airport seconds after take-off on a flight to Greenville.
5	Invisible Killer (Slammed To The Ground)	Delta Air Lines Flight 191	August 2, 1985	Lockheed L-1011-385-1 TriStar	Microburst-induced wind shear, pilot error
		Delta Air Lines Flight 191 crashes while on approach to the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, killing eight of 11 crew members and 128 of the 152 passengers on board, and one person on the ground. This accident is one of the few commercial air crashes in which the meteorological phenomenon known as microburst-induced wind shear was a direct contributing factor.
6	Gimli Glider (Deadly Glide) (Miracle Flight)	Air Canada Flight 143	July 23, 1983	Boeing 767-200	Fuel starvation resulting from ground and flight crew errors
		A Boeing 767 operating as Air Canada Flight 143 runs out of fuel at 41,000 feet (12,000m) altitude, about halfway through its flight from Montreal to Edmonton. The crew is able to glide the aircraft safely to an emergency landing at Gimli Industrial Park Airport, a former airbase at Gimli, Manitoba.
7	Fanning the Flames (Cargo Conspiracy) (Mystery Fire)	South African Airways Flight 295	November 28, 1987	Boeing 747-200B Combi	In-flight fire
		South African Airways Flight 295 starts filling with smoke over the Indian Ocean. A fire has erupted in the rear main level cargo area; the pilots successfully open the doors in flight to clear the smoke from the aircraft, however it crashes with no survivors.
8	Fatal Distraction (Who's at the Controls?)	Eastern Airlines Flight 401	December 29, 1972	Lockheed L-1011-1 TriStar	Controlled Flight Into Terrain, Crew Error
		A Lockheed L-1011 Tristar operating Eastern Airlines Flight 401 to Miami International Airport crashes in the Everglades because the crew is distracted by a faulty landing gear indicator light and accidentally disengage the autopilot. 101 people die.
9	Mixed Signals (The Plane That Wouldn't Talk)	Birgenair Flight 301	February 6, 1996	Boeing 757-200	Pitot tube blocked by mud dauber wasp, FMC error, autopilot error and pilot error
		Birgenair Flight 301 is scheduled to fly from Puerto Plata to Frankfurt. On takeoff, the captain finds that his air speed indicator (ASI) is not reading properly, though the co-pilot's ASI is showing the correct speed. Both pilots become confused and believe that both ASIs are malfunctioning. They lose control of the aircraft and it crashes in the Caribbean Sea. All 13 crew members and 176 passengers die.
10	Phantom Strike (Death Over The Amazon) (Radio Silence)	Gol Flight 1907/Embraer Legacy N600XL	September 29, 2006	GOL 1907:Boeing 737-800 N600XL:Embraer Legacy 600	Mid-Air Collision resulting from ATC error, design flaw of the Legacy's cockpit, pilot error (Embraer)
		A Gol Transportes Aéreos Boeing 737 and a brand-new Embraer Legacy business jet on its delivery flight collide in mid-air over the Amazon. The 737 crashes but the Legacy manages to make a safe landing. 154 people die.

Season 6

A sixth season is now being broadcast, starting with the episode Lockerbie which aired on December 8, 2008 in the United Kingdom, on December 17, 2008 in the United States, and on May 4, 2009 in Australia and New Zealand. This season will also begin on November 4, 2009 in Canada, starting with the episode Operation Babylift.

#	Title(alternate title)	Disaster	Date of disaster	Aircraft type	Cause of disaster
1	Lockerbie (Explosive Device)	Pan Am Flight 103	December 21, 1988	Boeing 747-100	Terrorist bombing and explosion in mid-air
		Pan Am Flight 103, a Boeing 747 flying from London to New York explodes in mid-air shortly after levelling off at 31,000 feet. The explosion causes the disintegration of the plane and wreckage lands in and around the small town of Lockerbie in Scotland, killing all 259 people on board as well as 11 people on the ground. The explosion was later determined to have been caused by a bomb in the forward cargo compartment.
2	Head-on Collision (Collision Course) (Crash Course) (Sight Unseen)	Saudi Arabian Airlines Flight 763/Air Kazakhstan Flight 1907	November 12, 1996	Boeing 747-100/Ilyushin Il-76	Mid-Air Collision, Pilot Error and poor communication(Ilyushin), poor visibility, outdated radar systems and no TCAS on both planes
		A Saudi Arabian Airlines Boeing 747 and a Air Kazakhstan Ilyushin Il-76 collide in mid-air over Charkhi Dadri, Haryanna, India; killing 349 people. Communication problems between the Kazakh jet and ATC, a design flaw in the ATC radar system, and cloudy weather; lead to the deadliest mid-air collision in history.
3	Shattered in Seconds (Scratching the Surface)	China Airlines Flight 611	May 25, 2002	Boeing 747-209B	Faulty maintenance, Explosive decompression, Structural failure
		In 2002, a China Airlines Boeing 747 disintegrated in mid-air and crashed into the Taiwan Strait just 20 minutes after taking off, killing all 225 people on board. The investigation revealed that a tailstrike some 22 years earlier sealed the fate of the aircraft.
4	Deadly Prize (Blown Apart) (Silent Killer)	Partnair Flight 394	September 8, 1989	Convair 580	In-flight structural failure(tail)
		In September 1989, a Partnair Convair 580 plunged into the sea just off the coast of Denmark killing all 55 people on board. Due to the use of non-genuine spare parts, the bolts joining the tail section to the fuselage failed in flight leading to a catastrophic structural failure.
5	Operation Babylift	Crash during Operation Babylift	April 4, 1975	Lockheed C-5A Galaxy	Explosive decompression due to improper maintenance of the cargo door.
		In the final days of the Vietnam War, an American-led coalition conducts a mass evacuation of infants and children from South Vietnam. During the airlift a United States Air Force Lockheed C-5 Galaxy suffers an explosive decompression soon after take off and has to return to Tan Son Nhat airport. It crashes in a paddy field near the airport.
6	Ditch the Plane (Falling Fast)	Tuninter Flight 1153	August 6, 2005	ATR-72	Faulty maintenance of the Fuel Quantity Indicator System (FQIS), Fuel starvation, Pilot error, Improper training, Ditching
		On August 2005, a Tuninter ATR-72 ran out of fuel and was forced to ditch in the sea near Palermo, Italy. Of the 39 people on board, 16 lost their lives. The mistake was simply the installation of the wrong fuel gauge from a similar model of plane. This displayed an inaccurate reading; significantly higher than what fuel was actually on board.
7	The Plane That Vanished (Lost in space)	Adam Air Flight 574	January 1, 2007	Boeing 737-4Q8	Pilot error, inertial reference system malfunction
		In January 2007, an Adam Air Boeing 737 crashed into the Makassar Strait killing 102 people on board. The pilots inadvertenly disengaged the autopilot while trying to fix the inertial reference system, causing the plane to plunge to the water.
8	Frozen in Flight (Deep Freeze)	American Eagle Flight 4184	October 31, 1994	ATR-72	Icing, Design flaw
		On Halloween 1994, an American Eagle ATR-72 suffered a loss of control and crashed near Roselawn, Indiana killing all 68 people on board. While flying in freezing conditions, ice accumulated on the wings. Inadequate de-icing mechanisms failed to remove the ice, resulting in the disruption of the air flow.

Mayday — Special

Four specials that are considered a spin-off of Mayday which re-examined previous episodes. Also known as Mayday: Science of Disaster or Air Crash Investigation Special Report, they were first aired between seasons 4 and 5.

#	Title(alternate title)	Disasters	Date of disasters	Aircraft types	Cause of disasters
1	Ripped Apart	Aloha Airlines Flight 243 British Airways Flight 5390 United Airlines Flight 811 Helios Airways Flight 522	AQ 243 : April 28, 1988 BA 5390 : June 10, 1990 UA 811 : February 24, 1989 ZU 522 : August 14, 2005	AQ 243 : Boeing 737-200 BA 5390 : BAC-111-528FL UA 811 : Boeing 747-100 ZU 522 : Boeing 737-300	AQ 243 : Metal fatigue BA 5390 : Faulty maintenance UA 811 : Cargo door failure ZU 522 : Pilot incapacitation
		This special looks at accidents and incidents where pressurization failure or explosive decompression played a part. Episodes re-visited: 3x01-Hanging by a Thread, 2x01-Blow Out, 1x02-Unlocking Disaster, 4x10-Ghost Plane.
2	Fatal Flaw (Fatal Fix)	Alaska Airlines Flight 261 Japan Airlines Flight 123 Atlantic Southeast Airlines Flight 529 Swissair Flight 111 United Airlines Flight 585 USAir Flight 427 Eastwind Airlines Flight 517	AS 261 : January 31, 2000 JL 123 : August 12, 1985 EV 529 : August 21, 1995 SR 111 : September 2, 1998 UA 585 : March 3, 1991 US 427 : September 8, 1994 W9 517 : June 9, 1996	AS 261 : McDonnell Douglas MD-83 JL 123 : Boeing 747SR EV 529 : Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia SR 111 : McDonnell Douglas MD-11 UA 585 : Boeing 737-200 US 427 : Boeing 737-300 W9 517 : Boeing 737-200	AS 261 : Negligence in maintenance JL 123 : Faulty maintenance EV 529 : Mechanical failure SR 111: Faulty wiring, in-flight fire UA 585: Rudder hard over US 427 : Rudder hard over W9 517 : Rudder hard over
		This special looks at accidents caused by seemingly minor defects or errors. Episodes re-visited: 1x06-Cutting Corners, 3x03-Out of Control, 2x02-A Wounded Bird, 1x04-Fire on Board, 4x05-Hidden Danger.
3	Who's Flying the Plane?	Aeroperú Flight 603 China Airlines Flight 006 Aeroflot Flight 593 Flash Airlines Flight 604 Air Transat Flight 236	October 2, 1996 February 19, 1985 March 23, 1994 January 3, 2004 August 24, 2001	Boeing 757-200 Boeing 747SP Airbus A310-304 Boeing 737-300 Airbus A330-243	603: Negligence in maintenance, failure of basic instruments 006: No. 4 engine failure, crew error 593: Autopilot disengaged, 15-year old in control of airplane, pilot error 604: According to the US and France, Loss of control (due to spatial disorientation) 236: Fuel exhaustion in flight, fuel leak
		This special looks at accidents and incidents where problems with the interface between crew members and onboard avionics were a factor, and the causes of those problems. Episodes re-visited: 1x05-Flying Blind, 4x06-Panic Over the Pacific, 3x09-Kid in the Cockpit, 4x09-Vertigo, 1x03-Flying on Empty.
4	System Breakdown (Communication Breakdown)	TWA Flight 2/United Flight 718 Aeroméxico Flight 498/Piper Archer N4891F Avianca Flight 52 Gol Flight 1907/Embraer Legacy N600XL Bashkirian Airlines Flight 2937/DHL Flight 611	June 30, 1956 August 31, 1986 January 25, 1990 September 29, 2006 July 1, 2002	TW 2: Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation UA 718: Douglas DC-7 Mainliner AM 498: McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32 N4891F: Piper PA-28-181 Archer AV 52: Boeing 707-320B G3 1907: Boeing 737-800 N600XL: Embraer Legacy 600 V9 2937: Tupolev Tu-154M QY 611: Boeing 757-23APF	TW 2/UA 718: Mid-air collision over uncontrolled airspace AM 498/N4891F: Mid-air collision, pilot error (Piper), ATC error, outdated radar AV 52: Numerous delays, fuel starvation, pilot error G3 1907/N600XL: Mid-air collision, design flaw (Embraer), pilot error (Embrarer) V9 2937/QY 611: Mid-air collision, ATC error, pilot error, TCAS ignorance (Tupolev)
		This special looks at the role of air traffic controllers in the airline industry, and takes a look at the Next Generation Air Transportation System, a new technology meant to eliminate mid-air collisions by reducing overall dependence on radar and radio, as well as delegating some of the air traffic controllers' tasks to computers onboard each plane. Episodes revisited: 4x07-Out of Sight, 2x06-Missing Over New York, 5x10-Phantom Strike, 2x04-Deadly Crossroads.
5	Cruel Skies (Deadly Storms)	Southern Airways Flight 242 Delta Airlines Flight 191 American Airlines Flight 1420 British Airways Flight 9	April 4, 1977 August 2, 1985 June 1, 1999 June 24, 1982	SO 242: McDonnel Douglas DC-9-32 DL 191: Lockheed L-1011-385-1 Tristar AA 1420: McDonnell Douglas MD-82 BA 9: Boeing 747-200B	SO 242: Extreme weather leading to multiple engine failure DL 191: Microburst-induced wind shear, pilot error AA 1420: Foul weather, runway overrun resulting from pilot error BA 9: Failure of all engines in volcanic ash cloud
		This special looks at the role of bad weather in disasters, and tours the US Aviation Weather Center in Kansas City, Missouri to see how information on weather is transmitted to pilots in the sky. Episodes revisited: 5x03-Southern Storm, 5x05-Invisible Killer, 1x01-Racing the Storm, 4x02-Falling From the Sky.

References

Specific

1. NTSB Report of the investigation into the crash of Korean Air 801. Retrieved: 30 November 2008
2. NTSB Report of the investigation into the crash of N1335U. Retrieved: 22 January 2009.

External links

• National Geographic Asia's Air Crash Investigation Official Site
• National Geographic UK's Air Crash Investigation Official Site
• National Geographic Australia's Air Crash Investigation Official Website

See also

• Mayday
• Seconds From Disaster
• Seismic Seconds
• Blueprint for Disaster
• Situation Critical
• Trapped
• Zero Hour