Ep 7. Out of Sight

In the seventh season of the documentary series Air Disasters, episode 7 takes viewers on a harrowing journey in Out of Sight. This episode tells the story of Delta Airlines Flight 191, which crashed in Dallas in 1985. The show uses cutting-edge computer graphics and expert testimony to deliver a bold, unsentimental look at one of the deadliest aviation disasters in history.

The episode begins by providing a brief overview of the flight and its passengers. It then delves into the pre-flight preparations, highlighting the key players who were responsible for ensuring the safety of the flight. Through a mixture of interviews with experts and archival footage, viewers get a sense of the complex mechanics of this massive, nearly 170-foot-long jetliner, which had to surmount countless technical obstacles to even take to the air.

As the plane makes its initial ascent, viewers are privy to the intricate calculations that the pilots and crew must regularly make. Every decision, from the flaps on the wings to the angle of the engines, is meticulously measured to ensure that the flight goes as smoothly as possible. However, as the plane reaches cruising altitude, the tone of the show begins to change, as the viewers are made aware of a troubling pattern emerging.

Almost imperceptibly at first, the sound of the plane's engines begins to shift. Experts interviewed on the show speculate that this may have been due to a phenomenon known as wind shear or downdrafts, in which changes in wind direction can cause sudden drops in air pressure. This can be a serious danger to pilots, as it can cause a sudden loss of altitude. The symptoms of this condition often go unnoticed, but in the case of Delta Airlines Flight 191, the crew's reactions only worsened the situation.

As the plane enters the crucial descent phase of the flight, the pilots make a fateful decision to turn off the autopilot and take manual control of the aircraft. In a gripping sequence, viewers watch as the crew struggles to manage the plane's trajectory and speed, even as the onset of a violent storm threatens to make their task even harder. Experts now believe that the shift in sound heard earlier may have been due to a violent gust of wind that knocked the plane off course.

As the storm becomes more intense, the situation inside the cockpit deteriorates further. The pilots are faced with rapidly changing weather conditions, and the weight of the plane changes drastically due to the combination of turbulence and evasive maneuvers. This all culminates in a disastrous approach to the runway, as the plane lands at a dangerously steep angle. The episode closes with a heartbreaking account of the aftermath of the crash, as rescue workers and loved ones desperately search for survivors.

In conclusion, Air Disasters season seven episode seven, Out of Sight, provides a gripping, gritty and ultimately heart-wrenching account of the Delta Airlines Flight 191 disaster. By combining expert opinion with state-of-the-art graphics, the show creates a vivid and immersive picture of the workings of a Boeing 767 jetliner, as well as a compelling portrait of the complex and intricate decisions that pilots must make on a daily basis. Viewers are left with a deep and abiding respect for the men and women who face the hazards of aviation head-on, each and every day.