Welcome to Black Box Down, the aviation disaster podcast taking true crime to the skies.
Air Canada Flight 143 runs out of fuel mid-flight and begins falling from the sky. Flight 143, also known as the Gimli Glider, is making its routine passenger flight over Canada when it runs out of fuel while cruising at 41,000 feet. With no power and limited options, the flight crew is forced to make an emergency descent and land as quickly as possible.
Japan Airlines Flight 123 suffers a rapid decompression while cruising and loses control. With over 500 people on board an uncontrollable Boeing 747, what happened to this flight to make it the deadliest single aircraft incident?
The supersonic Concorde Jet erupts in flames while taking off and crashes into a nearby hotel. Air France Flight 4590 prepares for a routine flight to JFK International Airport. Everything seems normal as the plane taxis onto the runway, but disaster strikes during takeoff. Find out what happened to make this plane become a flying inferno and discover why the supersonic Concorde Jet is no longer used.
Commercial passenger jets full of civilians were shot down by militaries around the world in three different instances. Korean Air Lines Flight 007 was shot down on August 31, 1983 on its way to Seoul. Iran Air Flight 655 was shot down on its short flight to Dubai on July 3, 1988. Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 was shot down on July 17, 2014. Find out who shot these planes down and why in this episode of Black Box Down.
A disgruntled Federal Express Employee attempts to hijack a plane and kill the flight crew. FedEx Flight 705 takes off on a routine flight to San Jose, but an attempted hijacking leaves the crew fighting for their lives while keeping the plane in the air. What happened aboard this infamous flight? Find out in this episode of Black Box Down.
ValuJet Flight 592 crashes into The Everglades killing everyone on board. Flight 592 begins a routine flight from Miami to Atlanta. Ten minutes into takeoff, electrical power is lost and smoke begins filling the passenger cabin. What happened to this flight that made it crash so quickly? Find out in this episode of Black Box Down.
The massive USS Akron airship breaks apart and collapses into the ocean. In the 1930s, blimps and airships are common means of travel. The USS Akron, a US Naval airship, was one of the largest and more advanced aircrafts of its time. What led to the destruction of this behemoth? Find out in this episode of Black Box Down.
A Boeing 777 crashes just before making it onto the runway. British Airways Flight 38 is about to complete an uneventful ten and a half hour flight, when minutes before touchdown the engines fail. With less than a thousand feet of altitude the plane starts to rapidly descend and crashes just before the runway. What brought this plane down at the end of its trip? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
Two separate flights crash due to an issue with a light bulb. Eastern Airlines Flight 401 and United Airlines Flight 173 both crash due to a similar issue with light bulbs in the cockpit. As a result, major changes are made in the world of aviation. Find out what happened on this episode of Black Box Down.
Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappeared from radar in 2014 and was never found. Early into Flight 370, radio contact was lost as the plane turned and flew over the Indian Ocean. Satellites tracked the plane for several hours before it disappeared completely, leaving no answers behind. Find out what happened on this episode of Black Box Down.
Gustavo and Chris are joined by Ian, a passenger who was on British Airways 38 when it crashed. Listen as Ian recalls his experience and learn about what it's like to be in a plane crash from a first-hand experience in this bonus episode of Black Box Down.
Gustavo surprise Chris with a pop quiz on the first ten episodes of Black Box Down. Find out how much he's learned over the course of the show!
A Bombardier Dash 8 stalls on approach and crashes into a residential house. Colgan Air Flight 3407 was a short 53 minute regional airline passegner flight when it enounters icing conditions and stalls around 2,300 feet. What happened to make this plane go down in the final phases of flight? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
An Airbus A330 stalls at 38,000 feet while flying over the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Passenger flight Air France Flight 447 begins a routine trip from Brazil to France. A few hours into the flight, the pilots start losing control while the plane stalls and starts falling towards the ocean. What happened to make this flight stall at such a high altitude? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
An engine explodes on a DC-10 resulting in the loss of all hydraulic controls. United Airlines Flight 232 is cruising when one of the engines breaks apart causing the plane to loss all control. The pilots along with a passenger do all they can to safely land the plane. Will they succeed? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
An Airbus A300 losses control and spins to the ground crashing in a New York neighborhood. Passenger flight, American Airlines 587, enters the wake turbulence of a Boeing 747. The crew wrestles with the plane and the vertical stabilizer snaps off, causing them to lose control. What made this wake turbulence so dangerous? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A four month old Boeing 707 crashes into a mountain in Guadaloupe. Air France Flight 117 setting up to land in Guadaloupe when the plane flies past the airport and crashes into a mountain. Join Gustavo and Chris as they try to figure out what went wrong on this flight in this episode of Black Box Down.
Chris tells Gustavo about the bizarre hijacking of Eastern Airlines Flight 7, and gives him insight on what hijackings were like in the mid-20th century for the United States in this episode of Black Box Down.
A Boeing 727 approaches the speed of sound as it climbs to cruising altitude. Northwest Airlines Flight 6231 is on its way to pick up the Baltimore Colts. The indicated airspeed continues to rise as the plane climb, but eventually stalls anyway. Find out what happened to this plane on this episode of Black Box Down.
Three hijackers take over a Boeing 767 and try to fly to Australia. Ethiopian Airlines Flight 961 is taken over by hijackers claiming to have a bomb. They force the captain to fly to Australia even though there isnt enough fuel on board to make it. Find out what happens to this flight on this weeks episode of Black Box Down.
Two separate flights involved two people being sucked out of an airplane. National Airlines 27 and British Airways 5390 both suffer a rapid decompression leading to an occupant being forced out of the plane. Find out what happened in this episode of Black Box Down.
Two Boeing 747s collide causing the deadliest accident in aviation history. KLM Flight 4805 and Pan Am Flight 1736 prepare for takeoff at Los Rodeos Airport on Tenerife. One plane starts to takeoff without clearance, heading towards the other. What happened to cause these two planes to collide on the ground? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
Join Gus Sorola, Chris Demarais, and their producer Dennis Fant as they record a new episode of the hit true-crime podcast about air disasters, Black Box Down.
True Crime Panel from RTX 2020. Join Gustavo and Chris as they talk about their experiences making a true crime style podcast with the hosts from Red Web and Cult Podcast.
A business jet and a commercial airliner clip wings at 37,000 feet. Gol Transportes Aereos Flight 1907 is carrying passengers over Brazil when they suddenly collide, almost head on, with an Embraer Legacy 600 business jet. What happens when two planes collide midair? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
An Airbus A380 full of passengers loses an engine after takeoff. Qantas Flight 32 is an Airbus A380 full of passengers and loses an engine shortly after takeoff and more problems begin to develop on board the plane. What happens when the largest passenger plane fails an engine? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A Boeing 737 has its front cabin ripped open exposing passengers to the open sky. Aloha Airlines Flight 243 is cruising at 24,000 feet when the ceiling bursts open. With the airplane barely holding together, the pilots try their best to safely land. Will they succeed? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
Smoke starts filling the airplane cabin but no one can see the flames. Air Canada Flight 797 is cruising at 33,000 feet when smoke is found in the rear lavatory. No one can see the fire and they don't know how serious it is. What happened on this flight? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
Two children enter the cockpit of an A310. One of the pilots of Aeroflot Flight 593 lets his children sit in the captain's chair of this passenger plane. When one of them is at the controls, the plane starts losing control. What happened in the cockpit of this flight? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
Two passenger flights are forced to try to land in unexpected places. TACA Flight 110 and Southern Airways Flight 242 both encounter dangerous storms that are so intense, the engines fail. With little room to maneuver, both flights try to land wherever they can. Will they make it? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A woman falls out of the sky from 21,000 feet, still strapped to her seat. LANSA Flight 508 was struck by lightning and breaks apart over the Amazon rainforest. What happened to the passengers on this flight? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A passenger plane crashes four minutes after takeoff. Scandinavian Airlines Flight 751 has a dual engine failure right as it leaves the airport. The crew only has a couple of minutes to save this flight. Will they succeed? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A flock of birds cause an airplane to crash moments after takeoff. US Airways Flight 1549 has its engines shut down after flying into a flock of Canadian Geese flying over New York City. What happens when an airplane encounters birds? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
One airline has only four fatalities in nearly 50 years. Southwest Airlines has only had four fatal incidents during its entire operational period. What are the moments that led to these incidents and what did we learn from them? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
Join Gustavo Sorola and Chris Demarais as they share stories about their own experiences with air travel.
Gustavo Sorola and Chris Demarais are joined by Jon Risinger, host of The Real Canon, to discuss their favorite fictional airplane crashes and see how realistic they are.
A sightseeing group crashes into an Antarctic mountain. Air New Zealand Flight 901 takes passengers to Antarctica but the weather is not ideal for sightseeing. The flight descends below the clouds to get a better look but suddenly crashes into a mountain that was in their path. What series of events caused such a disaster? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
The Marshall University football team crashes just before landing. Southern Airways Flight 932 was bringing Marshall University's football team home after a game when the plane descends too early and crashes into a hillside. What caused the pilots to descend early? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A passenger flight stalls after takeoff, forty feet above the ground. Spanair Flight 5022 is attempting to takeoff for its second time. Seconds after leaving the ground, the plane begins to stall and bank to the right. What happened to make this flight stall so quickly? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
Two flights overrun the runway while trying to land and takeoff. Air France Flight 358 tries to land during a thunderstorm and Emirates Flight 407 tries taking off, but is too slow. What events led to these planes overrunning the runway? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A military fighter jet collides with a commercial passenger flight. Hughes Airwest Flight 706 is climbing to its cruising altitude when suddenly a military F-4 Phantom fighter jet collides with it. What happened that led to a military jet hitting a passenger flight? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A cargo door on a Boeing 747 bursts open as the plane is climbing to cruising altitude. United Airlines Flight 811 suffers a rapid decompression after the cargo door separates from the plane at 22,000 feet. What happened to make this door come off the plane and is the flight able to land safely? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A flat tire causes problems moments after takeoff. Nigeria Airways Flight 2120 takes off with a flat tire and starts to have pressurization problems and issues with other systems begin to develop. What happened to this flight? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A Boeing 747 tries to take off, but there is construction equipment on the runway. Singapore Airlines Flight 006 is trying to quickly take off to avoid a typhoon. As they are approaching take off speed, the captain sees something on the runway but it is too late. The 747 slams into construction equipment at a speed of 131 knots. What events led to this crash? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
After an engine fails on takeoff, the captain shuts down the wrong engine. Moments after take off, one of two engines on TransAsia Airways Flight 235 fails. In an attempt to fix it, the pilot mistakenly shuts down the only remaining engine. How does a mistake like this happen? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A Boeing 747 suddenly explodes over New York. Trans World Airlines Flight 800 is climbing out of New York City when it suddenly bursts into flames, separates into pieces and falls to the Atlantic Ocean below. What caused this plane to suddenly explode? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
Gustavo Sorola and Chris Demarais are joined by Blaine Gibson to share more of their air travel stories.
Gustavo Sorola and Chris Demarais are joined by Jon Grilz and Pacific Obadiah to talk about the realism of aviation in movies. Listen as they talk about Con Air, The Edge, and Die Hard 2 in this bonus episode of Black Box Down.
A DC-9 collides with a Piper Archer over Los Angeles. Aeromexico Flight 498 is approaching Los Angeles International Airport when suddenly a small Piper Archer airplane collides into it, sending it to a neighborhood below. How did these two planes hit each other? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A Boeing 737 lands while another plane is on the same runway. USAir Flight 1493 is given a last minute runway change when on approach into Los Angeles International, but SkyWest Airlines Flight 5569 is on the same runway waiting for takeoff instructions. What events led to both of these planes being on the same runway at the same time? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A Boeing 777 crashes in San Francisco just before the runway. Asiana Airlines Flight 214 has an unstabilized approach and crashes into a seawall just before the runway. What events led to this crash? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A passenger flight crashes just before the runway in Dallas. Delta Air Lines Flight 191 is on approach during a thunderstorm when it encounters a microburst that causes it to crash. What is a microburst and how does it cause something like this? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A Boeing 747 suddenly disappears from radar over the Atlantic Ocean. Air India Flight 182 is operating normally at cruising altitude when the radar scope shows two other aircraft converge with this one. After a few moments only two radar blips remain on the screen and Flight 182 is missing. What happened to this airplane? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A Boeing 727 is rolling down the runway when a DC-9 suddenly appears in its path. Northwest Airlines Flight 299 is on the ground at Detroit's Wayne County Airport on a very foggy day. As Flight 299 starts to take off, Flight 1482 appears in front of them on the runway. How did both these planes end up on the runway at the same time? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A Boeing 737 suddenley dives to the ground while flying over Indonesia. SilkAir Flight 185 was operating normally when Air Traffic Control notices a severe loss of altitude from the plane on their radar. Some investigators conclude they could not find a reason for the crash, but others think the crash was intentional. What happened to this flight? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
The pilots on two separate flights become negligent while flying their planes. Aeroflot Flight 6502 is approaching the airport when the Captain makes a bet with the First Officer that he can land without looking. Northwest Airlines Flight 188 is supposed to land in Minneapolis but the pilots become distracted and fly past the airport. What happened to both of these flights? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
An Airbus A330 loses engine power while over the Atlantic Ocean. Air Transat Flight 236 is at cruising atltitude when the pilots realize something is wrong with the plane. As they are working out the problem, they lose thrust in both engines. The closest place to land is an island 65 miles away. What happened to this flight? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
The brand new Boeing 737 Max 8 crashes in Indonesia. Lion Air Flight 610 has trouble right after taking off from Jakarta, Indonesia. With innacurate speed and altitude indications, both pilots fight with the plane to try and stop it from diving to the ocean below. What made this plane crash? Find out in this episode of Black Box Down.
During the Black Box Down Panel for RTX 2021, Gustavo gives both Chris and the audience a test. How well do they do? Find out on this bonus episode of Black Box Down.
Gustavo tells the history of Trijets to Chris. Learn why three engine airplanes were developed and why we don't see them anymore in this bonus episode of Black Box Down.
An engine falls off an airplane as it is taking off. American Airlines Flight 191 has just reached takeoff speed when the engine falls off the airplane. What caused the engine to leave the aircrat and what happened to this flight? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A flight around the world mysteriously crashes in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Pan Am Flight 7 was on its way to Hawai'i while making several radio check ins. After failing to check in, search and rescue began and it was discovered the plane crashed North of its planned course. What happened on board this plane that led it to crash? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A fire rages midflight above the cockpit. Swissair Flight 111 is one hour into their flight when the crew starts smelling smoke. A fire has started in the area above the cockpit and causes the plane to crash into the ocean. What what the cause of this fire? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
The captain and first officer get overwhelmed and crash the airplane. Aeroflot Flight 821 is approaching its destination when the two pilots get confused and overwhelmed. The captain is underqualified and neither pilot is very familiar with the plane they are flying. How did two unqualified pilots be left in charge of this flight? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A heavy crosswind pushes an aircraft off the runway during takeoff. Continental Airlines Flight 1404 is getting ready for takeoff when they notice a strong crosswind. The winds are below the maxium speed allowed, but as they begin takeoff, the wind becomes too powerful and the aircraft rolls off the runway. How powerful were these winds and why couldn't the pilots fight it? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A Boeing 737 catches fire after parking at the gate. China Airlines Flight 129 safely lands and taxis to their gate. After shutting down the engines, the right engine bursts into flames with everyone still on board. What caused this strange fire? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A Convair CV-600 is flying at low altitudes at night in mountainous terrain. Texas International Airlines Flight 655 tries to fly around a line of thunderstorms at night without a flight plan. The crew goes off course and find themselves in mountainous terrain at night and can't see where they are. What happened to this flight? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
An Airbus A330 suddenly pitches down on its own. Qantas Flight 72 is cruising over the Indian Ocean when it violently pitches down without warning. The Captain eventually regains control but moments later it pitches down again. What is happening on board this plane to cause it to suddenly dive? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
The throttles of an Airbus A330 are not responding to the captain's inputs. Cathay Pacific Flight 780 has a few minor engine warnings while cruising but are told it is safe to continue the flight. The problems get worse as the flight continues and the throttle becomes unresponsive during their approach leaving the flight too fast for a safe landing. What happens to Flight 780? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
Only one person on a Boeing 737 is awake. The crew of Helios Airways Flight 522 are trying to solve a problem as they are climbing to cruising altitude. Suddenly all radio communication stops but the plane flies for several more hours. An F-16 pilot looks into the airplane and finds that everyone is motionless except for one person who enters cockpit. What happened aboard this flight? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
Gus shares stories about becoming a pilot. Gus and our producer Dennis share stories with Chris about what it is like to be a student pilot. How hard could being a pilot really be? Find out on this bonus episode of Black Box Down.
Two airliners collide over France in 1922. Three accidents from the 1920's helped shape aviation regulations still used today. What were these three accidents? Find out on this bonus episode of Black Box Down.
A Boeing 747 starts nose diving towards the Pacific Ocean. China Airlines Flight 006 is cruising normally towards California when the crew thinks an engine has failed. While trying to restart the engine, the captain doesn't notice a continuous bank to the right and the plane enters a nose dive. Were the crew able to regain control of the plane? Find out in this episode of Black Box Down.
A Boeing 757 crashes in Colombian mountains. American Airlines Flight 965 is on approach to their destination airport when the pilots are given instructions to land on a different runway. The pilots become confused and get lost while trying to figure out their new approach path and fly directly towards a mountain. What happened on this flight? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A Lockheed L-1011 Tristar has an emergency after takeoff and is forced to land. Saudia Flight 163 has just taken off when the crew recieves a smoke warning from the cargo compartment. As they return to the airport, they lose their number 2 engine but land safely. However, after coming to a stop, the crew are never heard from again. What happened aboard this flight? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A Convair CV-580 is flying between Norway and Denmark when it disappears from radar. Partnair Flight 394 is cruising over water when all contact is lost. Investigators find several strange things concerning the planes black boxes and are confused about what they are seeing. Eventually they discover something sinister about some of the parts that were installed on the aircraft. What discoveries were made about this flight? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A Beechcraft 1900D becomes uncontrolable immediately after takeoff. Air Midwest Flight 5481 starts pitching up uncontrollably after taking off. The pilots do their best to force the nose down but are unable to regain control of the aircraft. What made this plane become uncontrollabe? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A DC-10 suffers explosive decompression while climbing to cruising altitude. Turkish Airlines Flight 981 has a cargo door burst open while climbing. This was not the first time this exact situation has occured, but safety recommendations were not implemented to prevent this from happening a second time. What is the fate of this flight? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
The pilots of a Bombardier CRJ200 decide to take a flight to 41,000 feet. Pinnacle Airlines Flight 3701 was a meant to be a simple relocation flight but the pilots decide to fly to the maximum altitude of 41,000 feet. After a short celebration, the engines start to lose power and shut down causing the plane to stall. Why weren't the pilots able to recover the plane? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
The captain of a Saab 340B gets lost in the clouds. Crossair Flight 498 has just taken off from Zurich and is climbing through the clouds. The crew are instructed to turn left, but the captain initiates a right turn without the first officer realizing. The bank angle continues to increase until the plane begins spiraling to the ground. Why did the captain make such a harsh right turn? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A Boeing 747 carrying military vehicles crashes right after takeoff. National Airlines Flight 102 is flying five multi-ton military vehicles out of Afghanistan and stops for a quick refueling. After some concerns about the cargo being loose, the crew prepares for departure. Shortly after takeoff, the plane pitches up sharply and falls flat to the ground. What series of events led to this accident? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A Boeing 747 has engine trouble after takeoff. El Al Flight 1862 has just taken off and is flying over Amsterdam when the plane loses power from two engines. The crew realizes they are too high and too fast to land and must circle over the city. Suddenly the pilots lose control and the plane crashes into a nearby apartment building. What series of events led to this crash? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
Gustavo Sorola and Chris Demarais are joined by Nichole Goodnight to talk about the realism of aviation in movies. Listen as they discuss Nightmare at 20,000 Feet, Yellowjackets, and 7500 in this bonus episode of Black Box Down.
Find out the real life inspiration for this Twilight Zone episode. Gustavo and Chris guest star on the Insidious Inspirations Podcast to tell you what inspired the Twilight Zone episode "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet".
Learn what it takes to turn Black Box Down into an animated show. Gustavo and Chris are joined by Jordan Cwierz, Andrew Lhotsky and Al McClelland to learn the behind the scenes of Aviation Explanation. Learn some animation information on this bonus episode of Black Box Down.
The captain of a Bombardier Q400 becomes fixated with landing the plane no matter what. US Bangla Airlines Flight 211 is on approach when the crew becomes overwhelmed. The captain is in the middle of a breakdown and becomes disoriented. Once the crew finds the runway, the captain commits to landing at all costs. What was going on in the cockpit of this flight? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
The first officer of a Boeing 707 doesn't declare an emergency when he needs to. Avianca Flight 52 is running out of fuel over New York City and has to land. Bad weather forces the plane to do a go around. The captain repeatedly tells the first officer to declare an emergency but he does not do so. How did this flight run out of fuel? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A Boeing 737 on final stalls a few hundred feet in the air. Turkish Airlines Flight 1951 is descending when the airplane determins it is time to land. The throttle automatically goes to idle and the crew doesn't realize until they are about to stall. What led the airplane to carry out landing procedures on its own? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A McDonnell Douglas DC-9 crashes seconds after starting a go around procedure. The crew of USAir Flight 1016 are cautious of heavy storms over their destination airport. As they are on final approach the crew decided to go around due to a wind shear. Twenty seconds later the plane suddenly crashes into the ground and comes to rest on a neighborhood street. What caused this plane to crash so suddenly? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A McDonnell Douglas MD-82 flies above its maximum altitude. West Caribbean Airways Flight 708 is over Venezuela when the crew decides to climb to 33,000 feet to avoid storms. The engines are unable to produce enough power to maintain speed at this height and start to produce less and less thrust. The crew becomes distracted and don't realize what's going on until it is too late. What are the events that led to this crash? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A brand new Airbus A320 crashes while performing at an airshow. Air France Flight 296Q is being flown by the brand new Airbus A320 and is full of contest winners and journalists. The crew are told they will be part of an airshow and are supposed to fly over the runway at just 100 feet above the ground. While performing this maneuver, something goes wrong and the airplane flies into a forest and crashes into the trees. What series of events led to this crash? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A Boeing 747 crashes immediately after taking off. Korean Air Cargo Flight 8509 takes off from London after some frustrating delays. The captain is angry and worried about a piece of equipment on board that appears to not be working properly. Immediately after takeoff the flight engineer tries to get the captain's attention about their bank angle but soon after the airplane crashes into the ground. What series of events led to this crash? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A Boeing 767 crashes while circling a runway. Air China Flight 129 is approaching Busan, South Korea when they are told to land in the opposite direction than they planned for. While the crew is circling, they fly in to clouds and comment that the wind is making the plane hard to fly. As the crew are making their final turn, they realize they are flying directly into a mountain. What events led to this crash? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A Fairchild Metroliner SSA26 flips upside down just before making an emergency landing. Propair Flight 420 has just taken off from Montreal but must turn back due to a warning message. The left wing is overheating and as the pilots try to figure out what's happening, the left engine catches on fire. Seconds before the crew touches down on the runway, the left wing fails and the airplane flips upsisde down. What happened to this airplane? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A Boeing 757 and a Tupolev Tu-154M collide over southern Germany. Bashkirian Airlines Flight 2937 and DHL Flight 611 are both flying over southern Germany at night. Both crews start getting warnings about a possible collision from their in flight instruments. An Air Traffic Controller also notices that both planes might collide and gives instructions to one of the crews. Both crews take evasive manueuvers but they end up colliding and crashing to the ground. What series of events led to this collision? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
Go to flight school this week and learn all about Airspaces. Gustavo sits down with Chris to teach him all about the different airspaces in the United States. Find out how many there are in this episode of Black Box Down.
Hear more stories caused by airline travel. Gustavo and Chris are joined by Geoff Ramsey to share more stories from traveling on airplanes.
A Tupolev 154M carrying the President of Poland crashes while trying to land. Polish Air Force Flight 101 is carrying many high ranking Polish officials to Russia to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Katyn Massacre. The weather conditions make landing nearly impossible, but the pilots decide to try anyway. With help from Air Traffic Control, the pilots are guided down to the runway, but hit some trees and crash into the terrain. Many suspect Russia of foul play and claim that this crash was an elaborate assissination. What is the real cause of this crash? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A McDonnell Douglas MD-83 crashes into the Pacific Ocean. Alaska Airlines Flight 261 is cruising when the crew begin to notice a problem with the horizontal stabilizer. While the pilots are troubleshooting, the plane begins to suddenly nosedive. The pilots are able to recover, but the plane starts to nosedive again. What went wrong on this flight? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
An Airbus 300 crashes on airport grounds. China Airlines Flight 140 is on final approach to Nagoya, Japan. As the crew is making final preperations, the first officer accidently activates the go around lever without realizing it. The pilots struggle to push the nose down but the plane ends up stalling and crashing near the runway. Was this accident unavoidable? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
An ATR-72 starts to violently bank right on its own. American Eagle Flight 4184 is flying to Chicago when it gets placed in a holding pattern. After 45 minutes the crew start receiving further clearance but as they make their way down the controls suddenly whip all the way to the right. The plane does a full roll before the pilots can regain control, but soon the controls whip to the right again, causing the plane to crash. What went wrong on this flight? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A Boeing 767 suddenly crashes into the Atlantic Ocean. EgyptAir Flight 990 has recently taken off from New York when crew members switch their rest shifts ahead of schedule. The captain leaves the cockpit for a moment leaving the first officer alone at the controls. Suddenly the airplane starts nose diving violently. The captain returns to the cockpit to try to recover the plane but is unsuccesful. Was this crash truly an accident? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
An Airbus A310 crashes less than a minute after takeoff. TAROM Flight 371 has just taken off from Bucharest bound for Brussels. Moments after leaving the ground one of the engines starts to reduce to idle. The crew are unaware this happens and lose control. The plane dives to the ground and crashes killing everyone on board. How were the pilots not able to prevent this accident? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A McDonnell Douglas DC-8 crashes in a busy Miami parking lot. Fine Air Flight 101 is packed with cargo bound for the Dominican Republic. Just after take off, the airplane pitches up sharply and starts to stall. The pilots don't have enough time to react to this unexpected pitch and are not able to get control. The plane crashes onto a busy Miami street and slides into a parking lot, crashing into several cars. What caused this flight to go so wrong? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
An Airbus A320 crashes in the ocean near Indonesia. Indonesia AirAsia Flight 8501 is cruising at 32,000 feet when the pilots receive an error message in the cockpit. The error is a minor problem and the pilots are able to fix it in a quick and easy way. The error message pops up again several times however, and eventaully the pilots try to permanently solve the problem by resetting a circuit breaker. Suddenly the pilots lose control of the airplane and they begin to fall to the ocean below. What exactly went wrong on board this flight? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
Gustavo and Chris answer audience submitted questions. Find out their scariest moment on an airplane in this special First Class episode of Black Box Down.
A Fokker 100 crashes shortly after taking off in Brazil. TAM Flight 402 has an autothrottle failure during the takeoff roll. The pilots on board take the correct actions against this and continue with their takeoff. Shortly after lifting off the runway, the throttle for one of the engines reduces to idle. The crew fights against this but the throttle keeps falling back to idle. Quickly the pilots lose control of the plane and it crashes into the ground. What was wrong with the throttles on board this aircraft? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
A Lockheed C-5A Galaxy is carrying orphans out of Vietnam. Operation Babylift was a military operation during the Vietnam War to evacuate baby orphans and bring them to the United States and other countries. During the first flight of this operation, the airplane suffers an explosive decompression over the ocean. The crew try their best to bring the plane back to the Air Force base located near Saigon, but crash short of the runway. What caused this accident? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
Gustavo and Chris are joined by Barbara Dunkelman from Squad Team Force to talk about more airplanes in movies. What happens when an elephant gets put on an airplane? Find out in this bonus episode of Black Box Down.
Gustavo and Chris are joined by Brian Gaar from Ship Hits The Fan to learn about the history of seaplanes. Learn some fun facts in this bonus episode of Black Box Down.
December 19th, 2005. Chalk’s Ocean Airways Flight 101, a 58 year old Grumman G-73T Turbine Mallard seaplane with 20 people on board, is taking off from the Miami Seaplane Base, bound for a short 25 minute flight to Bimini in the Bahamas. The seaplane accelerates across the water and becomes airborne, but less than a minute after taking to the skies something goes wrong. Eyewitnesses on the beach report seeing the plane’s right wing come apart from the plane and catch fire. The plane impacts the water, killing all on board. What happened to Chalk’s Ocean Airways 101? Why did the wing separate from the fuselage? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
Air Moorea 1121, a seven minute long passenger flight between the islands of Moorea and Tahiti, has taken off for its quick flight. Witnesses on the beach are horrified as shortly after takeoff the plane plunged into the ocean below. What led to this disaster in paradise? Find out in this episode of Black Box Down.
Northwest Airlink 5719 is about to land at Chisolm-Hibbing airport in Minnesota. Poor weather and a tail wind have forced the pilots to change their plans and land on the runway in the opposite direction from what they were initially cleared for. The plane makes a steep descent through icy conditions in the dark of night and impact trees two miles short of the runway. What caused this accident? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
Chris Demarais tells Gustavo Sorola all about incidents of air rage and how it can affect a flight. Find out what happens when passengers become a hazard in this episode of Black Box Down.
XL Airways Germany Flight 888T was on a test flight when it crashed into the Mediterranean Sea November 27, 2008, off the French coast killing all 7 people on board. During final approach, the flight disappeared from radar. Find out what happened on this episode of Black Box Down.
While on a visual approach, Trigana Air Flight 267, an ATR 42 turboprop with 54 people on board, contacts air traffic control and disappears into a cloud. Repeated calls to the aircraft go unanswered. A pilot departing Oksibil reports seeing smoke on a nearby mountainside. The plane has impacted a mountain, killing all on board. Why would a relatively modern plane with a qualified crew and safety equipment collide with a mountain? Find out what happened on this episode of Black Box Down.
Chris Demarais and Gustavo Sorola uncover the root of the cause of why Tuninter Flight 1153 lost both engines and was forced to ditch into the Mediterranean causing it to break up on impact. Find out what happened in this episode of Black Box Down.
Chris Demarais and Gustavo Sorola discover why a demonstration flight promoting the new Russian Sukhoi Superjet passenger aircraft ended in the tragic loss of life on the side of a steep mountain in Indonesia. Find out what happened in this episode of Black Box Down.
Chris Demarais and Gustavo Sorola get to the cause of how Saudia Flight 763 and Kazakhstan Airlines Flight 1907 collided to become the most deadly midair collision of all time. Find out what happened on this episode of Black Box Down.
Chris Demarais and Gustavo Sorola get to the cause of how a Boeing 767 servicing legendary F1 racer Niki Lauda's airline became the deadliest crash in Thailand's history. Find out what happened in this episode of Black Box Down.
Chris and Gus cover the news from the skies around the world as it is happening in this premium episode of Black Box Down.
Chris and Gus talk about the process of getting a pilot license as well as the challenges and situations you may not have thought about.
Gustavo Sorola and Chris Demarais talk about the hidden world of baggage handling and how your bags end up wherever they end up.
Chris Demarais and Gustavo Sorola discover what happened after Transportes Aéreos Nacionales de Selva (TANS) Flight 204 disappeared in the Amazon jungle while attempting an emergency landing at Pucallpa Airport in Peru. Find out what happened on this episode of Black Box Down.
Chris Demarais and Gustavo Sorola uncover what caused Thai Airways International Flight 311 to cause the tragic crash deep in the Himalayan mountains. Find out what happened on this episode of Black Box Down.
Gustavo Sorola and Chris Demarais sort through the details of what happened to Tam Airlines Flight 3054’s crash landing at Sao Paulo’s Congonhas airport under heavy rains on an infamous runway with a history of incidents due to the degree of difficulty involved in landing on it. How did the crew lose control, exit the runway, and collide with a gas station and a building immediately causing a fire killing all 187 people on board and 12 people on the ground? Find out what happened on this episode of Black Box Down.
Gustavo Sorola and Chris Demarais uncover the details of what happened to British Midland Airways Flight 092 after smoke filled the cabin signaling engine failure and forcing the Boeing 737 to attempt an emergency landing at a runway near a busy motorway in the UK. Find out what happened on this episode of Black Box Down.
Gustavo Sorola and Chris Demarais attempt to unravel the mystery behind the disappearance of Adam Air 574, a Boeing 737 with 102 people on board, en route to Manado from Surabaya in Indonesian when Air Traffic Control lost them from radar over the ocean in the vicinity of the Makassar Strait. What happened to this routine flight that ended up becoming the deadliest aviation accident involving a Boeing 737-400 and got Indonesian airlines banned from flying into the European Union for several years? Find out what happened on this episode of Black Box Down.
Chris Demarais and Gustavo Sorola uncover what happened to KLM Cityhopper Flight 433 after the airliner failed to reach enough speed to takeoff safely. After a failed landing attempt in Amsterdam, the flight crashed in a field less than 2,000 feet to the right of the runway killing 3 of the people on board. What happened to cause this flight to crash so close to the runway? Was this accident avoidable? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
Chris Demarais and Gustavo Sorola find out why Birgenair Flight 301, a Boeing 757 with 189 people on board, fell out of the sky and crashed in the Atlantic shortly after taking off from the Dominican Republic. What could have caused the airliner to stall so soon after departure? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
Chris Demarais and Gustavo Sorola investigate what happened after a propeller exploded and forced Atlantic Southeast Airlines Flight 529 out of the air shortly after takeoff. What caused the left engine to malfunction? Could anything have been done to make it back to the airport? Did anybody survive this crash? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
Gustavo Sorola and Chris Demarais uncover the details of LaMia Flight 2933 carrying a Brazilian soccer team and their entourage from Santa Cruz, Bolivia to the final match of the 2016 Copa Sudamericana tournament in Colombia. The flight would disappear in the mountains outside of Medellín after a fuel emergency and resulting engine flame out. What happened to LaMia Flight 2933? How did a low fuel situation get out of hand so quickly? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
Gustavo Sorola and Chris Demarais uncover what happened to Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 182 after it collided with a Cessna 172 and crashed into a San Diego neighborhood below. How did these planes collide if the PSA captain had the Cessna in sight? Could air traffic control have done more to intervene? What prevents this kind of thing from happening today? Find out on this episode of Black Box Down.
Chris Demarais and Gustavo Sorola dive into the reasons smoking has been banned on airlines. Find out why airlines have put a stop to the Madmen era of smoking on flights in this episode of Black Box Down.
Gustavo Sorola and Chris Demarais cover recent near misses and other aviation headline updates in this First Class bonus episode of Black Box Down.
Gustavo Sorola and Chris Demarais are joined by Blaine Gibson of 'Tales from the Stinky Dragon' fame to pick apart the details of Hollywood's attempts to portray air travel in movies. Find out which films got it right in this Bonus episode of Black Box Down.
Gustavo Sorola and Chris Demarais figure out how a terrorist bomb explosion failed to bring down Philippine Airlines Flight 434. With the aid of a competent crew and quick thinking, the aircraft managed to land safely with the tragic loss of one passenger. Find out what happened on this episode of Black Box Down.
Chris Demarais and Gustavo Sorola uncover what happened to British Airtours Flight 28M when a fire broke out during the takeoff roll. Find out what happened and how this tragedy changed the safety protocols for the airline industry on this episode of Black Box Down.
Gustavo Sorola and Chris Demarais uncover the details of Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 1771 after a hijacker took over the aircraft with a revolver he smuggled past security and ended up murdering all 43 people on board. Find out how this nightmare unfolded on this episode of Black Box Down.
Gustavo Sorola and Chris Demarais get to the bottom of what happened when a propeller detached from a Lockheed L-188C and cut open the belly of the fuselage forcing Reeve Aleutian Airways Flight 8 crew to take drastic measures to attempt to land the aircraft with no controls. Find out what happened on this episode of Black Box Down.
Chris Demarais and Gustavo Sorola discover what happened to Uni Air Flight 873 after an explosion rocked the passenger cabin just after landing, spreading a fire and forcing an emergency evacuation. Find out what caused this tragic event on this episode of Black Box Down.
Gustavo Sorola and Chris Demarais investigate what happened to Northwest Airlines Flight 85 that caused the plane to get stuck in a hard left bank over the Bering Sea. Find out how the flight crew managed to fight an unresponsive rudder and if they managed to make it back to the ground safely on this episode of Black Box Down.
Chris Demarais and Gustavo Sorola uncover how a wrong turn became deadly for Garuda Indonesia Flight 152 on this episode of Black Box Down.
Gustavo Sorola and Chris Demarais investigate what happened to Kenya Airways Flight 507 after the pilots failed to recover from a hard bank roll that fatally ended in the tragic loss of all 114 people on board. Find out what happened on this episode of Black Box Down.
Chris Demarais and Gustavo Sorola dig through the details of what caused Copa Flight 201 to crash into one of the most remote jungles on the planet. What happened to this flight that led it to become the deadliest accident in Panamanian aviation history? Find out on this episode of Black Bock Down.
Gustavo Sorola and Chris Demarais discover the details of Air Florida Flight 90 after it crashed in the frozen Potomac River just after takeoff. A harrowing rescue managed to extract only 6 people after the aircraft struck the 14th Street bridge connecting Arlington, Virginia and Washington, D.C. Find out what happened on this episode of Black Box Down.
Gustavo Sorola and Chris Demarais explore the more than 25 year saga of the Berlin Brandenberg Airport. Find out the story behind the troubled development of the German capitol's airport after the fall of the Berlin Wall on this episode of Black Box Down.
Gustavo Sorola and Chris Demarais discuss the future of the aviation industry in this final episode of Black Box Down.