America has so many stories to tell. And nobody brings them to your home like Smithsonian Channel.

Smithsonian Channel HD

Design innovations evolve as a result of terrible air disasters due to pressurization failure or explosive decompression.

Air Disasters

Ripped Apart

A look at the string of events that caused a midair collision in 2002 over the skies of southern Germany; a Bashkirian Airlines Flight collides with a DHL Flight in German airspace near Überlingen.

Deadly Crossroads

A blade on the left-side propeller of Atlantic Southeast Airlines Flight breaks off; the imbalance of the rotating propeller causes the engine to partly tear itself from its mounting.

A Wounded Bird

A cockpit window on British Airways Flight blows out, partially ejecting and injuring the captain; the co-pilot completes an emergency landing.

Blow Out

US Airways Flight 1549 suffers a bird strike with a flock of Canada geese, causing both engines to fail.

Hudson River Runway

Following the story of the Scandinavian Airlines Flight 751 and Captain Rasmussen.

Pilot Betrayed

Watch TV Networks, Shows and Movies | DIRECTV

The latest movies and must watch shows!

Watch It Welcome to Derry on the HBO Max app, included with an HBO Max subscription.

Data/messaging rates may apply for app download/usage. HBO Max subscription required.

Welcome to your ultimate entertainment destination. Watch new episodes of Jeremy Renner in the new season of Mayor of Kingstown and more all in one network.

Watch exclusive originals like the adventure drama Robin Hood and Hollywood hit movies.

MGM+ is a trademark of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Lion Corp. All copyrights, trademarks, and other intellectual property or proprietary rights are the property of their respective owners.

Watch visionary original series like Power Book IV: Force, Outlander: Blood of My Blood, BMF, The Couple Next Door and much more.

Watch Hollywood hits like Civil War and behind-the-scenes exclusives when you add CINEMAX to your current DIRECTV package.

Statistically, traveling by airplane is safer than driving and other forms of transportation, but when something goes wrong during a flight, it can be catastrophic with potentially hundreds of lives at stake. This series examines some of the world's worst air disasters, using official reports, transcripts and interviews with people involved to tell the stories of midair mishaps and discover what went wrong in each case. Episodes include a discussion of how the weather affects flights -- including stories of aviation disasters and near-misses -- and a New Year's Eve flight that fell from the sky into the Florida Everglades.

auxCol1

footer-common

helpCenterInfo

legal

business

options

footer-social

footer

footer-utility

auth

lightLogo

logo

recog

search

unauth

The 2000 crash of an Alaska Airlines plane just off the California coast leads to a disturbing discovery about the company's cost-cutting procedures.

S18 E11 | Cutting Corners

E22 | Ripped Apart

E16 | Deadly Crossroads

E14 | A Wounded Bird

E13 | Blow Out

E5 | Hudson River Runway

E3 | Pilot Betrayed