Ep 8. Lethal Limits

In season 19 episode 8 of Air Disasters, titled "Lethal Limits," viewers are presented with a real-life aviation disaster involving a Boeing 747 cargo jet that crashes just moments after taking off from Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan.

The episode begins with a detailed overview of the aircraft, which was loaded with around 70 tons of cargo, including five MRAPs (Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicles used by military personnel. Before taking off, the crew carried out all the necessary pre-flight procedures, including a weight and balance check. However, as the plane begins to taxi, it becomes apparent that something is wrong.

One of the flight crew members notices that the takeoff performance calculations are incorrect and that the airplane will not have enough runway to achieve the necessary speed for takeoff. The crew is aware that the runway at Bagram is shorter than what is typically required for a fully loaded 747, thereby adding extra pressure on the flight crew for a successful takeoff.

Despite these concerns, the captain of the aircraft gives the command to take off, confident that the plane will perform as expected. However, just seconds after leaving the ground, disaster strikes. The plane's nose suddenly pitches up, and the aircraft banks heavily to the left; it stalls and crashes within the base of Bagram.

Viewers are then taken on a virtual tour of the crash site and provided with an in-depth analysis of the initial findings of the accident investigation. The investigation team quickly discovers that the cause of the crash was a simple miscalculation of the aircraft's weight and balance.

The loadmaster, responsible for carrying out proper loading procedures is discovered to have made an error in his calculations, which led to the cargo being incorrectly loaded. Specifically, the MRAPs were loaded at the nose of the plane rather than over the wing, which led to the plane's center of gravity being dangerously high.

As a result, the aircraft's control surfaces experienced high aerodynamic loads that the design of the aircraft was not capable of handling, resulting in some surface area succumbing to the weight pressure. With so much weight in the front, the wings could no longer lift the plane leading it to a stall.

The episode ends with a detailed reconstruction of the events leading up to the crash, using CG animations and recordings of the air traffic control communications. The disaster illustrated how even the smallest errors in calculation can lead to catastrophic consequences.

Overall, "Lethal Limits" is a gripping and thought-provoking episode of Air Disasters that gives the viewers an in-depth analysis of a real aviation disaster from various angles. The episode also serves as an excellent reminder of the importance of following proper procedures in all aspects of aviation, where the slightest error can lead to tragic consequences.