Mayday Season 3 Episode 11 Crash of the Century

On May 11, 1996, ValuJet Flight 592 took off from Miami International Airport bound for Atlanta. However, just 11 minutes into the flight, the airplane crashed into the Florida Everglades, killing all 110 people on board. The Crash of the Century episode of Mayday Season 3 delves into the investigation that followed this tragic event.

The episode begins with a recreation of the moments leading up to the crash. As the airplane climbs into the sky, a loud bang is heard, followed by smoke and fire in the cabin. The crew struggles to maintain control and communication with air traffic control as the plane descends rapidly towards the ground. In a heart-wrenching moment, the cockpit voice recorder captures the last words of the crew before the plane crashes into the swamp below.

As investigators begin to comb through the wreckage, they discover that the source of the fire was several oxygen generators that were being transported illegally in the cargo hold. These generators, designed to provide supplemental oxygen in case of emergency, were not packaged properly and had been loaded onto the airplane in a hazardous manner. When one of them ignited, it created a chain reaction that set the rest of them on fire, leading to the catastrophic events that followed.

The episode explains how these oxygen generators, which are normally considered safe, became a deadly hazard in this case. It turns out that the generators had been improperly handled by a maintenance company that had been hired by ValuJet to maintain their airplanes. The maintenance workers had failed to remove the safety caps from the generators, which allowed them to become activated during the flight. Furthermore, they had not properly disposed of the generators that had already expired, which meant that they were still on board the airplane when the disaster occurred.

As the investigation unfolds, it becomes clear that there were several warning signs that could have prevented this tragedy. The maintenance company had a poor safety record and had been cited for numerous violations in the past. Additionally, ValuJet had been warned by the Federal Aviation Administration that their operations were not up to par. However, both companies had failed to take these warnings seriously, and as a result, 110 people lost their lives.

Throughout the episode, interviews with family members of the victims and survivors of the crash provide emotional insight into the impact of this event. They recount how their loved ones were taken too soon, and the long-lasting consequences of this tragedy.

The episode concludes with a discussion of the changes that were made as a result of the Crash of the Century. ValuJet was ultimately forced to shut down, and the FAA implemented stronger regulations on the transportation of hazardous materials. Furthermore, the incident prompted a re-evaluation of the entire aviation industry, leading to improvements in safety protocols and training procedures.

Overall, the Crash of the Century episode of Mayday Season 3 provides a detailed and moving account of a horrific disaster and the subsequent investigation. It serves as a reminder of the importance of taking safety protocols seriously and the devastating consequences that can occur if they are not followed.