Ep 5. Lethal Turn

In season 11 episode 5 of Air Disasters titled Lethal Turn, viewers are taken through the events that led to the crash of Crossair Flight 498. The flight was scheduled to travel from Berlin to Zurich on the night of November 24, 2001, and was carrying 28 passengers and three crew members.

The episode begins by setting the scene for the flight, detailing the experience of the captain and first officer who were seasoned professionals with over 10,000 flight hours between them. The weather on the night of the flight was challenging, with heavy rain and wind making for difficult flying conditions. As the flight took off from Berlin, the crew had to deal with severe turbulence, making it difficult for them to maintain altitude.

As the flight approached Zurich, disaster struck. The airport was shrouded in fog, making it difficult for the pilots to see the runway. The captain of the flight had to rely solely on the instruments to guide the plane as it descended for landing. The instrument approach that the crew had planned on using was not available due to maintenance work on the runway lights, which further compounded the situation. The crew had to rely on the backup approach, but due to the fog, they were unable to make visual contact with the runway until it was too late.

As the plane descended, it was flying too low and too slow, and the captain failed to notice the aircraft's deviation from the flight path. The plane started to bank too sharply, and by the time the crew realized what was happening, it was too late to correct their mistake. The plane crashed into a hillside just short of the runway, killing 24 people on board.

The investigation that followed the crash revealed that the cause of the crash was a combination of factors. Firstly, the crew was not adequately trained in using the backup instrument approach, which involved flying a steep and tight turn to align with the runway. Secondly, the pilots had not received any information regarding the runway lights being out of service, which meant that they were unaware that the primary instrument approach was not available. Thirdly, the flight deck instruments did not provide sufficient warnings to the crew when the plane was deviating from the flight path.

The episode also explores the aftermath of the crash, detailing the measures that were put in place to prevent similar accidents from happening in the future. The aviation industry implemented changes, such as improved training for crew members and the installation of enhanced warning systems in cockpits.

In conclusion, Air Disasters season 11 episode 5 titled Lethal Turn takes viewers through the tragic events that led to the crash of Crossair Flight 498. The episode provides a detailed account of the challenges that the crew faced, and the factors that contributed to the accident. The episode also highlights the importance of ongoing efforts to improve aviation safety and prevent further air disasters.