Seconds From Disaster Season 3 Episode 16 Crash of the Comet

The episode "Crash of the Comet" from season 3 of Seconds From Disaster delves into the tragic events that occurred on March 22, 1989, when British Aerospace 146, Flight 004 collided with Mt. Osutaka, Japan, while en route from Nagoya to Sendai. The episode analyses the perfect storm of mechanical and human errors which ultimately led to the catastrophic crash of the aircraft.

The episode begins by introducing us to the passengers and crew of Flight 004, including the captain, who was flying with British Airways for the first time, and the first officer, a mechanic with less experience in flying. The flight, which was scheduled to travel through the worst weather of the year, was already experiencing turbulence and thunderstorms when it approached Mt. Osutaka.

The documentary takes us through the critical decisions, from the flight's takeoff from Nagoya airport, to its communication with air traffic control, and the negotiations between the captain, the co-pilot, and a team of British engineers who were on board the flight giving the captain advice on how to handle the aircraft at altitude.

The episode covers in detail--both visually and using expert testimony--the sequence of events which led to the disaster. After the plane reaches cruising altitude, an instrument on the cockpit dashboard malfunctions, making the captan over-reliant on the autopilot system. The decisions made after the malfunction ultimately lead the flight into a much higher altitude level than the crew was trained for, which combined with the storm and decreased visibility, and turbulent winds caused the plane to crash.

To further add to the tragedy, around the same day of the accident, there was a rare cosmic event occurring - Halley's Comet was passing by Earth. The episode explores how this rare cosmic event played a role in the disaster, affecting planes' navigation systems as well as the pilots' visibility..

The show then sheds light on the aftermath of the catastrophe and how investigators pieced this information together. It covers the challenging terrain in which rescuers had to navigate to reach the site, made more difficult under the cover of darkness. The plane's black boxes are discovered the next day, but the flight data recorder was severely damaged, rendering the investigators with fewer clues than they had hoped. However, with help from a handful of surviving passengers, air traffic control recordings, and wreckage analysis, investigators were able to pinpoint the exact cause of the accident.

The episode concludes by honoring the victims and paying homage to the life-saving changes made to the aerospace industry to avoid similar tragedies. The documentary is informative, detailed, and sobering in its analyses of the disaster. It is a must-watch for anyone interested in aviation and safety protocols, as it highlights the importance of following procedures in flying to avoid dangerous errors.