Ep 8. River Runway

In season 10 episode 8 of AIR DISASTERS, titled River Runway, viewers are taken on a harrowing journey through the circumstances surrounding the crash of Chalk's Ocean Airways Flight 101 in 2005. The episode begins by introducing viewers to the history of the seaplane company and its founder Pappy Chalk, who started the business in 1917.

As the episode progresses, viewers learn about the fateful flight that occurred on December 19, 2005. The flight was supposed to be a regular commute from Miami to Bimini, but shortly after takeoff, the plane's right wing broke off, causing the aircraft to crash into the water. All on board perished in the crash.

With such a catastrophic event, investigators immediately set to work to determine what went wrong. The episode details the painstaking process of investigating the wreckage and the evidence left behind, including analyzing the recovered black boxes.

As the investigation unfolds, it becomes clear that a number of factors were at play during the flight, including known issues with the de Havilland DHC-3 Twin Otter's wing assembly. The right wing failure on Flight 101 was ultimately attributed to metal fatigue in the wing, which caused it to separate from the aircraft during takeoff.

However, investigators also discovered that a number of warning signs had been ignored in the lead-up to the crash. For instance, maintenance records revealed that a crack had been discovered in the plane's wing spar the previous year, but it had not been repaired properly, if at all. Furthermore, the company had not performed a thorough inspection of the airplane prior to the ill-fated flight.

The episode highlights how various factors, from inadequate maintenance to manufacturing defects, can contribute to the outcome of an aviation disaster. It also explores the role of human factors, including the crew's decision-making and communication, in the sequence of events that led to the crash.

Overall, the episode is a compelling and sobering look at the factors that can contribute to failures in aircraft safety, and the urgency with which investigators must approach these situations in order to prevent future disasters.