Ep 1. Catastrophes of the Sky

Deadly Engineering season 3 episode 1, titled "Catastrophes of the Sky" takes a closer look into some of the most tragic air disasters in recent history and the engineering failures that led to these catastrophes. The episode begins with the wreckage of Air India Flight 182, which crashed into the Atlantic Ocean in 1985. The crash was caused by a bomb placed on board by Sikh extremists, but the episode focuses on the failure of the plane's luggage hold to contain the explosion, leading to the separation of the tail section and the subsequent crash.

The episode then moves on to the 1998 crash of Swissair Flight 111, which was en route from New York to Geneva when it crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Nova Scotia. Investigators found that the crash was caused by an electrical fire in the cockpit, which quickly spread to the rest of the plane. The episode explores the engineering failures that led to the fire, including faulty wiring and insulation materials that were not fire-resistant.

Next, the episode examines the 2009 crash of Air France Flight 447, which was en route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris when it crashed into the Atlantic Ocean. The episode highlights the role of human error in the crash, including the pilots' misinterpretation of faulty airspeed readings due to icing on the plane's sensors.

The episode then moves on to the 2013 crash of Asiana Airlines Flight 214, which crashed while landing at San Francisco International Airport. The crash was caused by a combination of pilot error and the plane's autothrottle system, which did not maintain the necessary speed for landing. The episode explores the engineering failures that led to the faulty autothrottle system and the lack of adequate training for pilots.

Finally, the episode examines the 2018 crash of Lion Air Flight 610, which crashed into the Java Sea just minutes after takeoff from Jakarta, Indonesia. Investigators found that the crash was caused by faulty sensor readings due to a malfunctioning angle-of-attack sensor, which caused the plane's software to push the plane into a dive. The episode explores the engineering failures that led to the faulty sensor and the lack of redundancy in the plane's systems.

Throughout the episode, experts in aviation and engineering provide insight into the failures that led to these catastrophic air disasters, and explore the measures that have been taken to prevent similar disasters in the future. The episode serves as a sobering reminder of the importance of engineering, safety, and human factors in the field of aviation.