Air Disasters Season 4 Episode 106 Scratching the Surface

In the episode "Scratching the Surface" of Air Disasters season 4, we are taken on a dramatic journey as we investigate the factors that led to the catastrophic crash of an Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante in Brazil. The Bandeirante is a small commuter plane which was carrying 26 passengers and 2 crew members on a domestic flight from São Paulo to Rio de Janeiro. During the flight, the cockpit crew notice unusual vibrations and noises coming from one of the engines. They make the decision to shut down the engine and continue on to their destination with just one engine operational.

However, not long after this decision is made, things start to go horribly wrong. A number of alarms and warnings are sounding in the cockpit, and the plane drops dangerously low in altitude. The captain struggles to maintain control of the aircraft, but eventually, they lose both engines and crash into the side of a mountain. All 28 passengers and crew on board are tragically killed in the crash.

Investigators immediately begin to piece together what went wrong in the moments leading up to the crash. They examine the air traffic control recordings, interview witnesses and family members, and comb through the wreckage for clues. As they investigate, they discover a number of alarming factors that contributed to the disaster.

One of the key factors was the airline's maintenance practices. The Bandeirante was operated by a small regional airline that had a history of poor maintenance practices. The investigators find that the engine that failed had actually been modified to try and fix a recurring issue, without obtaining proper certification or authorization. The lack of proper maintenance combined with this unauthorized modification put the entire flight at risk.

Another factor that contributed to the crash was pilot error. Both cockpit crew members had relatively low hours of flight time on the Bandeirante, and they failed to follow proper procedures in response to the engine failure. Specifically, they did not shut off the fuel to the affected engine, which led to a fire shortly before the plane crashed. The investigation team also uncovered evidence that the pilot may have been feeling pressure to complete the flight quickly due to scheduling issues.

The episode "Scratching the Surface" of Air Disasters season 4 provides a detailed and gripping look at the events and factors that led to this tragic accident. Through interviews with experts and family members, as well as dramatic recreations of the flight and crash, viewers are given a deeper understanding of the complexity of air disasters and the importance of proper maintenance and pilot training and adherence to procedures.