Ep 10. Death in the Arctic

Narrated by Stephen Bogaert, Air Disasters is a documentary television series that presents the real-life stories of aviation disasters and the forensic investigation that follows each tragedy. In season 8 episode 10, titled Death in the Arctic, the show explores the harrowing story of a small passenger plane that crashes into the icy waters of Resolute Bay, Nunavut, Canada.

The episode starts by introducing the four passengers and two pilots who boarded the charter plane due to take them from Yellowknife to Grise Fiord, the northernmost community in Canada. The journey was not smooth as weather conditions were harsh, winds were howling, and the temperature was plummeting. However, the passengers trusted their pilots to make the right decisions for their safety.

Mid-flight, the pilots make an unusual descent towards the bay, alarming the passengers. The passengers, some of whom are Inuit from the region, wonder why the plane is flying over the inhospitable Arctic landscape rather than following the usual routing over the frozen ocean. Suddenly, the landing gear collapses, and the plane crashes into Resolute Bay, just short of the runway.

The show highlights the challenges that followed the crash, including how the harsh Arctic conditions hindered the rescue efforts of the emergency crew. Resolute Bay is located in a remote part of Nunavut, about 700 miles north of the Arctic Circle. The area is a frozen wilderness characterized by permafrost, icebergs, and dangerous wind chill. The rescue team had to contend with extreme weather conditions, treacherous terrain and fuel shortages, making the situation even more perilous.

The Arctic ordeal proves demanding as the area is not equipped for such emergencies, and the rescuers have to improvise ways to approach the wreckage. The show depicts how the Canadian Armed Forces, Royal Canadian Air Force, the Canadian Coast Guard, and other entities come together to find and rescue survivors.

The episode touches on the military's role in search and rescue efforts in Canada, especially in remote locations such as the Arctic. The show also highlights the role of technology in the search and rescue mission. The rescue teams use modern equipment such as infrared cameras, satellite imagery, and underwater sensors to detect where the passengers and pilots are located in the wreckage, even when the sun is down.

Despite the challenges, the response effort led to a miraculous result when one passenger was found alive after hours of submersion in near freezing water and two others were rescued from the wreckage. The show tells the story of their determination and grit in surviving the Arctic plunge and waiting for rescue.

The episode ends with the investigation of the crash and the cause of the landing gear collapse. The investigators unveil the faults found in the plane and its operations before the accident, including how the pitch lever, responsible for controlling the attitude of the aircraft, was in a reverse position. The investigators narrate how they liaised with the Transportation Safety Board of Canada to find the cause of the accident.

In conclusion, Air Disasters season 8 episode 10 delivers an enthralling account of a disastrous Arctic plane crash and the dramatic rescue that followed. The documentary captures the various setbacks that the troops in the rescue mission had to deal with in order to bring the survivors to safety. It also gives viewers an insight into the work of the Canadian military and Coast Guard in remote areas in fighting and saving lives in unprecedented scenarios. The episode brings to light the intense nature of the incidents that lead to aviation disasters and how critical it is to scrutinize and tighten safety checks even in desolate areas.