Ep 2. Killer Attitude

On this episode of Air Disasters season 11, viewers are taken back in time to March 3, 1991, when a commuter flight from New York to Pennsylvania met with a horrific fate. The episode titled "Killer Attitude" sets the backdrop for what could have been one of the deadliest aviation disasters in US history.

The episode covers the events that followed after the tragic crash of Colgan Air flight 3528, which claimed the lives of seventeen people on board. The episode, through a detailed investigation, uncovers the various factors that led up to the disaster. The narrative is based on interviews with surviving passengers, air traffic controllers, and aviation experts - all of whom shed light on the numerous lapses and flaws that ultimately led to the tragic outcome.

The episode begins with a routine regional flight that would have otherwise been uneventful. Colgan Air, which was flying under contract with Continental Airlines, operated flight 3528 – a Dash 8 Q400 turboprop. The flight was scheduled to depart Newark Airport at 10:50 p.m. and arrive at Buffalo-Niagara International Airport at 12:28 a.m. on February 13, 2009. The episode captures how minutes before takeoff, a new pilot, Colgan Air First Officer Rebecca Shaw, addressed some of her concerns to the captain, Captain Marvin Renslow.

The narrative then goes on to reveal that Captain Renslow, who was well-liked by his colleagues, had a reputation for being a "cowboy". While Renslow was an experienced pilot who had flown dozens of types of aircraft, he had previously failed several flight tests due to his poor instrument skills. Yet, he was allowed to keep flying under FAA's lax regulations, which did not enforce any medical tests to determine pilots’ psychological and physical fitness.

The episode portrays how, on the night of the flight, the pilots, disregarding their airline's standard operating procedures, engaged in casual banter and did not stay focused on their flying duties. As the flight progressed, the plane flew into an ice storm, and its de-icing system failed to function optimally, which led to the plane's wings accumulating ice, increasing drag and making it difficult to fly. The episode's animation vividly recreates the nightmare that was unfolding.

However, the ill-fated flight could still have been saved if Captain Renslow had not ignored several automated warnings and failed to take corrective action. Also, First Officer Shaw, who was the flying pilot, was under stress and fatigued, which compromised her situational awareness and reaction timing.

In a gripping scene, the narrative shows the final moments of flight 3528 as it spirals down and crashes into a residential area. The disaster claimed the lives of all 45 passengers and four crew members on board, as well as a person on the ground.

The episode also examines the aftermath of the crash, which revealed a range of deficiencies in Colgan Air's safety culture, training, and crew monitoring. The narrative highlights the efforts of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to investigate the accident and recommends several safety improvements, such as better pilot training strategies, improved safety protocols, and more frequent pilot monitoring.

The episode concludes with a poignant look at the victims’ families' struggles to cope with the aftermath of the tragedy, and the need for regulatory and institutional changes to ensure aviation safety.

In conclusion, the episode "Killer Attitude" delivers a compelling, insightful, and thought-provoking narrative of a tragic flight disaster. Through detailed analysis of the events leading to the crash and the efforts to prevent such incidents in the future, the episode raises critical questions about aviation safety, regulatory oversight, and pilot training. The episode is a must-watch for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of aviation safety and the challenges of preventing human errors that can have catastrophic consequences.