Ep 4. Break Up Over Texas
On Mayday season 11 episode 4, titled "Break Up Over Texas," viewers are taken on a harrowing journey of a routine flight that turns into a devastating disaster. The episode recounts the tragic events of Flight 965, a Boeing 757 operated by American Airlines, that crashed into the mountains of Colombia on December 20th, 1995.
The flight was carrying 155 passengers and crew members en route from Miami to Cali, Colombia. The journey was proceeding as normal until the pilots and air traffic control encountered communication difficulties due to a language barrier. The air traffic control misinterpreted the pilots' heading instructions, leading them to fly towards the Andes Mountains instead of heading towards Cali.
As the flight neared the mountains, the terrain warning system on the aircraft sounded multiple alarms, alerting the pilots of their imminent danger. However, due to their confusion caused by the miscommunication, the pilots missed the warning signs and continued flying towards the mountains.
The aircraft eventually crashed into the side of a mountain, killing 159 passengers and crew members and leaving only four survivors. The episode delves into the investigation following the crash, which revealed several contributing factors to the disaster.
One of the main issues highlighted in the episode was the communication breakdown between the pilots and air traffic control. The air traffic controllers had limited English proficiency and were unable to understand the pilots' instructions properly. Additionally, the pilots failed to effectively communicate their heading instructions, leading to a misinterpretation that ultimately caused the crash.
Another contributing factor was the pilots' inability to respond correctly to the terrain warning system. Despite receiving multiple warnings of their proximity to the mountains, the pilots failed to take the necessary actions to avoid the collision.
Furthermore, the episode highlights the importance of crew resource management (CRM) in aviation. The investigation revealed that the cockpit crew did not effectively use CRM techniques to address the communication issues with air traffic control. Had they used these techniques, they may have been able to avoid the disaster.
As with all episodes of Mayday, this episode of the show provides a detailed analysis of the events leading up to the tragedy and the lessons learned from the investigation. It showcases the importance of effective communication and CRM in aviation and emphasizes the need for continued vigilance and improvement in aviation safety standards.
Overall, "Break Up Over Texas" is a riveting and emotional episode that provides a detailed look at one of the most devastating air disasters in history. Viewers are taken on a journey through the investigation, revealing the factors that led to the tragic event and the measures taken to prevent such catastrophes from happening again.
