Mayday Season 9 Episode 4 Cleared for Disaster

On May 31, 2009, Air France Flight 447 disappeared over the Atlantic Ocean, en route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris. The disappearance of the Airbus A330 left investigators baffled, as no distress signal was ever received. In the episode "Cleared for Disaster" of Mayday Season 9, the events leading up to the tragic crash of Air France Flight 447 are examined in detail.

The episode begins by introducing the crew of Flight 447, including the captain Marc Dubois, first officer Pierre-Cédric Bonin, and second officer David Robert. The flight was also carrying a total of 216 passengers, all of whom ultimately lost their lives. The plane, an Airbus A330-200, had a good safety record with no fatal accidents in its 15 years of being in operation. The crew was experienced, with Captain Dubois having accumulated over 11,000 flight hours, and First Officer Bonin was an experienced glider pilot, which requires exceptional skills to fly in extreme conditions.

The flight took off from Galeão International Airport in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil at 7:29 PM local time, bound for Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, France. The flight was routine for the first few hours, passing through an area of turbulence that required the crew to turn on the seatbelt sign. The flight then entered an area of convective activity, which presents hazards to aircraft flying in the airspace. In the following minutes, the crew were faced with a series of malfunctions, leading the aircraft to become unstable.

The critical moment of the flight occurred while First Officer Bonin was in control of the aircraft. The aircraft's speed sensors had malfunctioned, which led to the autopilot disengaging, and caused the flight to enter a stall. The stall wasn’t immediately detected by the pilots, as the stall alarm did not sound due to a technical malfunction. The flight crew’s control inputs for correcting the aircraft's altitude did not comply with standard operating procedures, leading to inaccurate readings by the onboard computers.

The "Cleared for Disaster" episode reveals how a simple misunderstanding and lack of training led to the disaster. The first officer's erratic control inputs coupled with the misinterpretation of the flight data instruments caused the aircraft to fall out of the sky, crashing into the Atlantic Ocean. The flight crew failed to recognize the stall, and their control inputs worked against each other, causing the plane to break apart in midair.

The episode also explores the aftermath of the accident, including the extensive search and recovery efforts. The wreckage was eventually located 3,900 meters below the Atlantic Ocean's surface, and over the next two years, more than three-quarters of the plane's debris were recovered. The recovery of the black boxes provided crucial evidence for investigators to piece together the events that led up to the flight's tragic end.

The episode's expert commentary and technical analysis of the accident help viewers understand the complex nature of aircraft accidents and the investigation processes that follow. In particular, it highlights the importance of accurate communication, crew resource management, and consistent training for operating complex systems. The episode also serves as a cautionary tale of the importance of responding to malfunctions and critical events by adhering to standard protocols and procedures.

"Cleared for Disaster" is a tragic story of human error, technical malfunction, and the consequences of miscommunication and inadequate training. The episode presents a detailed analysis of the event, and is an essential watch for anyone interested in understanding the intricacies of aviation safety and accident investigation.