Mayday Season 3 Episode 12 Head-On Collision

On this episode of Mayday, titled "Head-On Collision," viewers are taken inside the investigation of one of the deadliest air crashes in history. The episode centers around the catastrophic collision of two planes over Germany in 2002, which killed all 71 people on board.

The episode starts by introducing the two planes involved in the accident: a Bashkirian Airlines Tupolev Tu-154, carrying vacationers from Russia to Spain, and a DHL Boeing 757 cargo plane. The planes collided in mid-air over the town of Überlingen and crashed into the nearby woods. The episode then follows the investigation team as they try to piece together what happened.

Through a series of interviews with air traffic controllers and investigators, viewers get an inside look at the moments leading up to the collision. The Bashkirian Airlines flight had been flying on autopilot before it began to descend, due to a mistake made by the air traffic controllers in Zurich. The DHL cargo plane, which was flying in the opposite direction, was given a descent instruction by the same controller, leading to the mid-air collision.

The investigators worked to analyze the air traffic control system and understand how two planes could collide in such a heavily-controlled airspace. They also examined the wreckage and the flight data recorders to determine the flight paths of both planes in the moments leading up to the crash.

The investigation uncovered a number of factors that contributed to the accident, including language barriers between the Russian pilots and the Swiss air traffic control team, as well as a number of miscommunications and mistakes by air traffic controllers. Furthermore, the pilots on both planes were given conflicting instructions in the moments leading up to the collision, which made it nearly impossible for them to avoid one another.

The episode also highlights the human toll of the crash, with interviews with family members of the victims and a look at the trial of the air traffic controller responsible for the mistake. The trial became a source of controversy, as the controller was charged with negligent homicide, but ultimately acquitted.

Overall, "Head-On Collision" is a gripping and emotional look at one of the deadliest air crashes in history. The episode does an excellent job of breaking down the technical and human factors that contributed to the accident, while also paying tribute to the victims and their families.