Air Disasters Season 12 Episode 6 Deadly Distraction

On Air Disasters season 12 episode 6, Deadly Distraction, viewers will be taken through a tragic incident that occurred on November 22, 2003, in the skies over northeast China. Korean Air Cargo Flight 8509 took off from London on its way to South Korea, carrying more than 200,000 pounds of cargo, including dangerous items like lithium-ion batteries.

As the plane flew over China, the first officer, who was the pilot flying the aircraft, would become distracted from flying the plane. The captain was doing paperwork and as the first officer noticed some of the transshipment cargo was leaking, he became preoccupied with trying to isolate the spillage, even leaving the cockpit. The captain didn't notice his co-pilot was no longer in his seat until it was too late to prevent disaster. The plane made a sudden, unrecoverable roll to the right and crashed into a hillside, killing all three crew members.

The investigation into the accident would reveal the full scope of the distraction that led to the crash. Investigators determined that Korean Air had a culture of ignoring safety protocols and had failed to train its pilots adequately. Pilots were discouraged from challenging the captain, even when the captain was making poor decisions.

Viewers will learn how the rise of the low-cost airline market has decreased the amount carriers are willing to invest for pilot training. Coupled with lax regulation, it has resulted in an increased number of life-ending incidents. The episode also reveals how aviation investigators pieced together the events leading up to the deadly crash and how their findings contributed to significant changes in airline training and regulations.

Throughout the episode, viewers will see gripping reenactments of the crash and interviews with aviation experts, survivors and family members of victims who will be sharing the human stories, adding to the emotional gravity of the tragedy. And, as always, experts will break down the technicalities underlying the technical queries of the investigation for aviation enthusiasts and industry professionals alike.

Deadly Distraction is a stirring episode of Air Disasters, revealing the human factors that contribute to aviation disasters and the steps necessary to make flying safer for everyone in the sky.