Ep 2. Deadly Discussions

In season 12, episode 2 of Air Disasters, titled "Deadly Discussions," viewers are taken through one of the most tragic flights in aviation history. The episode recounts the events leading up to the crash of Flight 111, a Swissair MD-11 plane flying from New York to Geneva in September 1998.

The episode begins by introducing the crew of the flight, which includes Captain Urs Zimmerman, First Officer Stefan Loder, and Second Officer Dirk de Jager. The three men are experienced pilots with over 30,000 flight hours combined. Throughout the episode, viewers witness their professionalism and dedication to ensuring a safe flight, even in the face of unforeseen circumstances.

As Flight 111 takes off from JFK airport, viewers are introduced to some of the passengers on board, including a group of prominent musicians from Europe on their way to a music festival in Geneva. The flight is uneventful for the first few hours, with the crew and passengers settling in for a long journey across the Atlantic.

However, around three hours into the flight, the crew begins to notice an unusual smell in the cockpit. They also notice that some of the flight instruments are not functioning properly. The crew tries to diagnose the problem, but their efforts are hampered by the fact that the MD-11 has a complex electrical system that is difficult to troubleshoot in flight.

The situation quickly escalates as smoke begins to fill the cockpit and cabin. The crew declares an emergency and begins to descend rapidly in an attempt to land the plane as soon as possible. As they descend, the crew tries to communicate with air traffic control and with the airline's maintenance department on the ground to get advice on how to address the problem, but they are unable to get clear instructions.

As the smoke and haze in the cockpit become thicker, the crew is forced to rely on their instruments and flying skills to navigate the plane. They are also hampered by the fact that the plane's automatic pilot system is malfunctioning, making it difficult to maintain a stable altitude and speed.

Despite their best efforts, the crew is ultimately unable to land the plane safely. Flight 111 crashes into the waters off the coast of Nova Scotia, killing all 229 people on board.

In the aftermath of the crash, investigators from various agencies work to piece together what went wrong. The episode explores the painstaking process of recovering the wreckage from the ocean floor and analyzing the evidence to determine the cause of the crash.

Ultimately, investigators discover that the cause of the crash was a fire that started in the plane's entertainment system. The fire spread rapidly through the plane's electrical system, causing critical instruments to fail and making it impossible for the crew to control the plane.

"Deadly Discussions" is a heartbreaking and sobering episode that serves as a reminder of the importance of rigorous safety protocols in the aviation industry. The episode also pays tribute to the professionalism and bravery of the crew of Flight 111, who did everything in their power to save their passengers and the plane despite overwhelming odds.