Air Disasters
Tragic Takeoff
When a twin-engine jet careens off the runway in Kentucky, investigators must determine why the plane failed to take off.
Current and upcoming Smithsonian Channel HD listings in America/Los_Angeles.
See the Smithsonian Channel HD TV Schedule with current and upcoming listings including Air Disasters, Combat Ships, Air Warriors. Times shown in.
Hidden Danger
In 1991, a Boeing 737 operating as United Airlines Flight 585 suddenly rolls into a dive and crashes within eight seconds, killing all 25 people on board.
Murder in the Skies
When Germanwings Flight 9525 crashes in the French Alps, investigators discover shocking truths about the co-pilot's mental health.
Imperfect Pitch
On 27 November 2008, an aircraft on a post-maintenance test flight operating as XL Airways Germany Flight 888T stalls and crashes into the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of France, killing all seven people on board.
Death and Denial
In 1999, EgyptAir Flight 990 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean while flying from New York City to Cairo, killing all 217 people on board; the cause of the crash is disputed.
Alarming Silence
Northwest Airlines Flight 255 crashes shortly after take-off in Detroit in 1987; a fatal preflight error caused the second-deadliest plane crash in the U.S. history.
Engine Gone
Three crews experience the same devastating event; with radically different outcomes when an engine falls off their commercial airplane.
Stealth Bomber Down
When a USAF stealth bomber crashes after takeoff, investigators search for a reason.
Mutiny
A look at how technological advances over the centuries have transformed maritime warfare.
Stealth
Vessels that operate in secret, unseen by their enemies, from secret missions that helped win World War II to modern stealth ships using strange shapes and technology to avoid spying ears and eyes.
Smugglers and Pirates
A look at how maritime task forces and the Coast Guard are keeping commercial vessels and US shores safe from pirates and drug smugglers.
Heroes of Guadalcanal
A comprehensive look at the naval battle of Guadalcanal in November 1942 and the heroic efforts of U.S. sailors who held off powerful Imperial Navy.
Amphibious Assaults
The evolution of amphibious assault vehicles, including the restoration of Britain's last surviving LCT 7074 landing craft, designed to carry six Churchill tanks.
World Wars
A look at how the role of battleships changed over the course of the First and Second World Wars.
Torpedo Boats
From tests in the River Thames, to the German's deadly U-boat attacks in World War II, this episode explores the silent threat of submarines.
Secrets of the Sea
Stories of espionage at sea, including deadly U-boat cat-and-mouse games during WWI, the sinking of the Lusitania, a gun-smuggling private yacht that made history, and liners turned troopships.
The Battle of Trafalgar
The legendary Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, which pitted Napoleon's French ships against a British armada under the command of Admiral Horatio Nelson.
Secrets and Lies
A look at how the art of deception was used by naval forces in the first half of the 20th century; in 1939, the German raider Atlantis was equipped with fake funnels, while its sailors dressed as women pushing strollers to fool Allied merchant ships.
Hawker Hunter
The inside story of Britain's flagship super jet of the Cold War era, the Hawker Hunter, and its most thrilling flights during the late 20th century.
F1-11
The history of the F-111 and how the fighter-bomber no one wanted went on to dominate both air and battlefields in the late 20th century.
The naval fighter designed to counter the Japanese Zero turns the tide of the war in the Pacific.
F-14 Tomcat
The true story of the F-14 Tomcat, the military aircraft made famous in "Top Gun"; how it served as the US Navy's top carrier fighter for a generation.
AC-130
The massive AC-130 provides unparalleled close air support to U.S. and allied ground troops.
P47
An inside look at the P47 Thunderbolt and the critical role it played in both the European and Pacific Theaters of World War II.
Osprey
The Marine Corps' V-22 Osprey.
F-15
The F-15 Eagle's conquests in Iraq, Yugoslavia and even space.
Tornado
An inside look at the Panavia Tornado's evolution from a Cold War low-level bomber to a high-level fighter-interceptor.
Lancaster
The inside story of the Avro Lancaster, the British bomber that was rushed into service to fight back against Nazi Germany.
F-18
Exploring the history of the F-18 and how the U.S. Navy's dual-role aircraft has dominated both the air and the battlefields for over three decades.
Harrier
The inside story of the Harrier, the world's most famous short takeoff and vertical landing fighter jet.
AH-1 Cobra
During the Vietnam War, the United States needed a helicopter that could defend itself; the AH-1 Cobra, the world's first pure attack helicopter.
Prowler-Growler
Electronic warfare aircraft; the EA-6B Prowler; the EA-18G Growler.
Arizona
A flight over Arizona explores the state's storied past, architectural achievements and landscapes, including America's natural wonder, the Grand Canyon.
The Great Plains
An aerial tour over America's Great Plains tracks the prairies, farms, oilfields and wildlife.
Alabama
Vast cotton fields, Gulf coast beaches; famous Civil Rights marches; NASCAR's most dangerous track; steel factories.
Nevada
An aerial tour of Nevada; the state's deserts, ghost towns, neon cities and Hoover Dam; its history built on epic booms and busts.
South Carolina
White sand beaches; Blue Ridge Mountains; Charleston's Rainbow Row.
Roadside Attractions
A cross-country aerial journey over America's most majestic and unique roadside attractions.
New England
An aerial tour over New England captures its beauty while celebrating its rich history; from the Massachusetts harbors, where Americans rebelled against the British, to the autumn colors that blanket the mountains of Vermont.
Death Race
When a modified WWII fighter plane crashes into the crowd at a Nevada air show, investigators struggle to find the cause.
Slam Dunk
A quick trip from Washington D.C. to Ohio in 1994 turns deadly when pilots of a twin-engine turboprop attempt a risky landing.
Fatal Delivery
The two-man crew of a UPS cargo jet must attempt an emergency landing when a fire in the cargo hold fills their cockpit with smoke.
The Final Push
Investigators try to find the cause of two similar air crashes that happened nearly 12 years apart.
Fatal Approach
A false warning in the cockpit triggers a series of pilot errors, sending a commuter plane crashing by the runway of an Amsterdam airport.
Turboprop Terror
When a turboprop stalls and crashes into a North Carolina forest, investigators resort to a risky test flight-and uncover an industry-wide safety problem.
Mayday Munich
A plane with members of the Manchester United football team crashes while heading home from Yugoslavia, killing 23 aboard.
Focused on Failure
On 28 December 1978, the crew of United Airlines Flight 173 are preoccupied with a landing gear problem as the aircraft circles in a holding pattern in the vicinity of Portland, Oregon; it runs out of fuel and crashes in a sparsely populated area.
Scratching the Surface
After taking off from Taiwan, a China Airlines 747 suddenly disappears from radar and crashes, killing 225 people.
Unlocking Disaster
A 747's cargo door opens at 23,000 feet, causing an explosive decompression that ejects nine passengers from the plane.
Flying on Empty
When Air Transat Flight 236 runs out of fuel over the Atlantic, its pilots desperately try to keep their Airbus A330 in the air until they reach land.
Cruel Skies
The U.S. Aviation Weather Center in Kansas City, Miss.; the importance of accurate weather forecasting to the aviation industry.
Lost in Translation
On 10 January 2000, Crossair Flight 498 crashes just two minutes after takeoff from Zürich, Switzerland, while heading for Dresden, Germany, killing all 10 people on board.
Deadly Pitch
A team of experts investigates in detail the carnage of a cargo plane; an anonymous tip helps explain why a cargo plane crashed just moments after taking off from Miami.
Landings Gone Wrong
Relying on instinct rather than the rule book, three flights end in tragedy when crews improvise on their final approach.
Collision Course
A passenger ferry sinks after crashing into rocks off the coast of a Greek island, killing 82; it leads to a shocking investigation.
Caught in a Jam
A commuter turboprop crashes onto hilly terrain in New Zealand; the search for answers inevitably leads to the cockpit.
Illinois
A high-flying tour over Illinois; the Windy City, prairies and rivers; the state's dramatic history of great fires, crime and historic battles; Chicago's unique skyscrapers and the Lincoln Tomb.
Dallas - Fort Worth
An aerial tour over Dallas and Fort Worth highlights the cities' differences while showcasing their shared contributions to the Texas narrative.
Iowa
A sky-high tour over Iowa explores its vast stretches of farmland, covered bridges and evolution from wilderness to statehood.
Kentucky
An aerial tour over Kentucky reveals a state of racetracks, country music highways, bourbon distilleries and a history of feuds and traditions.
Georgia
The Empire State of the South; ancient Mound builders to the Cherokee Indians.
Oregon
Oregon's Cascade Mountains; Columbia River waterway.
Pennsylvania
A high-flying tour of Pennsylvania.
Minnesota
A sky-high tour over Minnesota reveals the state's ancient, glacial landscapes and tells the stories of the pioneers who helped build the nation.
Boston 24
A day-long aerial tour of the New England city of Boston in Massachusetts; where Americans first rebelled against Britain by dumping chests of tea into the harbor and where rock band Aerosmith first made it big.
Yellowstone
An aerial tour of the world's first national park showcases Yellowstone's diverse wildlife and rich history.
Alaska's Call of the Wild
A look at America's landmarks, including a view of bears catching clams in Alaska's rivers; a high-flying tour reveals Alaska's call of the wild spirit that has lured adventurers and dreamers north for centuries.
Nieuw Statendam
One of Holland America Line's largest cruisers makes its debut in the Caribbean, highlighted by a visit to an exclusive private island resort.
Seven Seas Explorer
Sailing from Chile and Peru to Ecuador and Costa Rica, the luxurious Seven Seas Explorer cruise ship is full of marble, granite and almost 500 chandeliers.
Marina
Visit Stonehenge, kiss the Blarney Stone and hunt for Nessie on a magical tour of the British Isles, aboard Marina.
AIDAnova
We hop aboard a seven-day cruise to the Canary Islands and Madeira aboard the first large liner to run purely on cleaner-burning liquefied natural gas.
Carnival Vista
The Carnival Vista is the new flagship for one of the world's largest cruise lines, carrying more than 4,600 passengers and boasting 10 restaurants, nearly 2,000 staterooms and a crew of 1,400.
Symphony of the Seas
A crew of 2,200 on the Symphony of the Seas tends to more than 5,500 passengers as they sail to ports in Spain, France and Italy.
MSC Divina
Experience romance on a mega cruiser that pampers its guests with the best of Italian design and American convenience.
Viking Star
We follow passengers and crew aboard Viking Star during its two-week tour from Barcelona to its home port in Bergen, Norway.
Speed Trap
Joining NTSB and military experts as they work together to uncover how a fighter jet could collide with a civilian flight.
Meltdown Over Kathmandu
Landing at one of the world's most challenging airports, a passenger plane comes in like a fighter jet and crashes, killing 51 of the 71 people aboard.
Vertigo
On Jan. 3, 2004, Flash Airlines Flight 604 banks to the right just after takeoff and crashes into the Red Sea, killing all 148 people on board.
Lapse in Security
Three aviation disasters are all linked to breakdowns in vital security measures.
Delivery to Disaster
History's most terrifying air disasters, and the investigations that followed, are revisited and reexamined.
Alaska's Fire and Ice
The world's largest volcanic island; Iceland's landscapes, forged by fire and ice; a tour over Alaska, the residents it attracts and the wildlife that thrives in these unique surroundings.
Coasts
An aerial tour over America's coastlines explores the visual splendor and rich history of the nation's varied borders.
Nebraska
Soaring above the Cornhusker State's vast farms, towering spires, desolate badlands and gleaming cities.
Dazzling Destinations
A sweeping tour over popular destinations in America, including the Badlands, Nantucket, the National Mall and more.
Washington D.C.
A soaring tour over Washington, D.C. explores the unique landscape, rich history and colorful story of the Nation's Capital.
Colorado
Alpine valleys; Rocky Mountains; Denver's towering skyscrapers.
Ohio
An aerial journey over Ohio showcases the Buckeye State's autumnal vistas, majestic rivers, epic skyscrapers and battlegrounds.
Utah
An amazing aerial tour over Utah reveals a state full of otherworldly landscapes and landmarks, including a history steeped in Mormonism, pioneering tragedy, and Olympic glory.
Wyoming
An aerial exploration of Wyoming reveals the Cowboy State's controversial history while highlighting its breathtaking canyons and volcanic formations.
Kansas
An aerial tour of Kansas shows a state with varied landscapes, scenic areas and historical conflict sites.
On the Water
Taking flight for a bird's eye tour of America's rivers, lakes and canals.
New York
Beauty of the Empire State; Central Park; tallest skyscrapers; mighty rivers; 17th century explorer Henry Hudson.
Break Up Over Texas
Near the end of its flight, Continental Express Flight 2574 suffers wing damage and goes into a dive falling out of the sky.
Nuts and Bolts
When an American cargo plane crashes moments after takeoff, investigators uncover a systemic problem with aircraft maintenance.
The Turning Point
A Boeing 767 crashes miles from a South Korean runway; the investigation leads to contradicting stories between the surviving pilot and air traffic control.
Deadly Delay
Almost immediately after taking off from Madrid International Airport, Spanair Flight 5022 banked to the right, slammed into a creek and burst into flames.
Landing Hazards
Martinair 495 crashes on a rain-soaked runway in Portugal, showing how weather can doom a landing; American 1572 hits a storm and loses both engines amid a tower shutdown; crosswinds challenge an Air France crew already halfway down the runway.
No Control
An examination of three crashes that occurred when pilots battled against their sophisticated aircraft.
Playing Catch Up
A private jet attempting to compensate for a late approach to the airport, slams into an Ohio apartment building just a couple of miles from the runway.
Deadly Display
A high-stakes demonstration flight in Indonesia turns catastrophic when a Russian jet slams into a mountain.
Fanning the Flames
A complex recovery operation is launched to find out if a 747 which disappeared into the Indian Ocean was carrying illegal weapons.
Trained to Fail
Pilots are prepared to cope with a range of emergency scenarios, but failures in training can lead to catastrophe in the cockpit.
Communication Breakdown
A look at three deadly air disasters that are caused by misunderstandings between pilots and air traffic controllers.
Fuel Trouble
History's most terrifying air disasters, and the investigations that followed, are revisited and reexamined.
Impossible Landing
A look at the fate of United Airlines Flight 232 which crashed into Sioux City's runway in 1989; it caused a subsequent explosion that left 111 people dead.
Controversial Crashes
Seeing how international investigative teams must overcome differences to solve controversial plane crashes.
Dead Tired
Investigating the 2009 crash of Colgan Air Flight 3407; the plane stalls at low altitude and dives into a residential area near Buffalo, N.Y.
Fire in the Hold
Moments after takeoff, a plane sustains electrical failures and crashes in the Florida Everglades, killing 110 people on board.
Lost
Investigators struggle to determine why a 757 strayed off course during its final approach to a Colombia airport and crashed into a mountain.
Dream Flight Disaster
When a British tycoon and his family die in a 2017 Australian seaplane crash, investigators spend over two years searching for the reason behind the tragedy.
Accident or Assassination
A plane carrying Mexico's interior minister crashes into Mexico City's financial district.
Reckless Approaches
A twin-engine jet slams into an Ohio apartment building in a tragic perfect storm, raising questions about speed, power, and fatigue; a turboprop crash exposes an industry-wide issue; at Guantánamo Bay, a cargo plane goes down near the Cuban border.
Fatal Focus
When a 737 careens off the runway in Indonesia, investigators uncover a shocking explanation for the crash.
Fire on Board
A look at the fatal consequences that can occur when a fire breaks out on a plane; three flights that erupted in flames and the investigations that changed aviation forever.
Under Pressure
On July 11, 1991, the crew of Nigeria Airways Flight 2120 unsuccessfully tries to return to the airport after a burst tire creates an in-flight fire which causes 247 Nigerian pilgrims and 14 crew to perish.
Steep Impact
When the crash of a commuter plane in Georgia kills a NASA astronaut, a four-term U.S. senator and 21 others, the disaster grabs headlines around the world.
USS Ford
A behind-the-scenes look at how the U.S. Navy's radically redesigned Ford-class aircraft carrier was built.
Strike Force Arabian Gulf
The crew of the USS George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier prepares to give air support to ground troops battling ISIS in Iraq.
Ready to Launch
A behind-the-scenes look at the operations of a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier; the dedicated sailors who keep it running at maximum efficiency.
Air Wing
From the USS Langley to the high-tech floating airports; the history of the aircraft carrier and how its air wing operates.
First-person accounts and rare color footage detail the final 100 days of World War II in Europe.
The war was over in Europe but in the Pacific one of the bloodiest battles was being fought; a look at the bloody and history-altering final 100 days of the Pacific War, shown through rare war footage and first-person accounts.
Dead of Night
Confused, flying blind and lost in the dark, three crews lose sight of the horizon and fall into the same deadly trap.
Cockpit Breakdown
Three flights end in tragedy after miscommunication mix-ups and personality clashes; Investigators try to unravel what went wrong.
Vanishing Act
Investigators face a mystery when Varig Flight 254 disappears without a trace over the jungles of Brazil.
VIP on Board
Airplane crashes involving high-profile passengers put added pressure on investigators.
Sideswiped
A Boeing 737 leaving Panama City crashes into one of the most remote and treacherous jungles on the planet.
Lockerbie Disaster
A bomb explodes on Pan Am Flight 103, causing the aircraft to disintegrate in midair and the wreckage of the aircraft to crash into the Scottish town of Lockerbie, killing all 259 people on board and 11 people on the ground.
Le Soléal
New luxury liner Le Soleal navigates the uncharted waters of Indonesia to give her passengers one-of-a-kind encounters at exotic destinations.
Norwegian Joy
Norwegian Joy sails amid icebergs in Alaska's Inside Passage, treating guests to glaciers, humpback whales, and the largest zip line in the world.
Viking Sea
The new Viking Sea cruise ship whisks guests away on a journey across the Arctic Circle and into the heart of Norway.
Stella Australis
The only cruise ship designed specifically to navigate the treasures and dangers at the southern tip of South America.
Ocean Endeavor
Cruise among the icebergs of Greenland and the Canadian High Arctic aboard the expedition cruiser Ocean Endeavour.
Koningsdam
Set a course for breathtaking sights on Koningsdam's 15-day voyage from Amsterdam to the northern tip of Norway.
AVE 103
On Europe's high-speed rail network, between Barcelona and Madrid, crews work to expand the infrastructure for a new train.
The Canadian
VIA Rail's passenger train travels between Vancouver and Toronto on four-day, four-night journey that cater to everyone.
Thai Rail & Death Railway
Travel aboard the colorful trains of the State Railway of Thailand and explore the famed Death Railway; the trains travel through ancient areas, historic tunnels, and raging rivers.
Oasis of the Seas
The maiden voyage of the Oasis of the Seas, the largest, most revolutionary cruise ship in the world.
Quantum of the Seas
Filled with big toys, guests fly the trapeze, surf and skydive without ever leaving the world's most innovative cruise ship.
Crystal Serenity
The world's top cruise ship, the Crystal Serenity visits Sydney harbor, the port of Melbourne, Bali, a large-scale furniture load in Semarang, Indonesia and the port of Singapore.
Viking Long Ship Gefjon
Take a river tour through some of Europe's greatest cities--Budapest, Vienna, and Amsterdam--on Viking Longship Gefjon.
Azamara Journey
Azamara Journey travels the rivers of Southeast Asia, delivering passengers to exotic cities and hidden treasures that larger cruise ships cannot reach.
Boeing 747-8F
Transporting the gear of Formula E's 10 electric-powered racing teams to cities around the world across more than 50,000 total kilometers in the greenest way imaginable is no easy task; for air transport, DHL uses Boeing 747 or 777 aircraft.
Hector Rail
Hector Rail's trains haul timber to a pulp mill in Ostrand, Sweden on some of the most difficult railways in the country.
Roald Amundsen
The world's latest, most-advanced expedition cruise ship Roald Amundsen whisks passengers on an adventurous voyage to Antarctica.
Celebrity Solstice
Facing Australia's fierce heat, Celebrity Solstice provides guests with views of waterfalls, jumping crocodiles, koalas and the Great Barrier Reef.
Tren Turistico
A trip through Lima details the voyage's breathtaking scenery and engineering challenges.
Glacier Express
The Glacier Express features cutting-edge technology to pull the train up the steepest slopes on its route across the Swiss Alps.
Seven Seas Explorer
Sailing from Chile and Peru to Ecuador and Costa Rica, the luxurious Seven Seas Explorer cruise ship is full of marble, granite and almost 500 chandeliers.
Marina
Visit Stonehenge, kiss the Blarney Stone and hunt for Nessie on a magical tour of the British Isles, aboard Marina.
AIDAnova
We hop aboard a seven-day cruise to the Canary Islands and Madeira aboard the first large liner to run purely on cleaner-burning liquefied natural gas.
Carnival Vista
The Carnival Vista is the new flagship for one of the world's largest cruise lines, carrying more than 4,600 passengers and boasting 10 restaurants, nearly 2,000 staterooms and a crew of 1,400.
Steep & Stunning
The engineering secrets behind the world's steepest mountain railway, a remodeled 145-year-old museum and a futuristic condo.
Summit & Submerge
Building an eco-friendly visitor center in the permafrost on Colorado's Pikes Peak tests the team. A museum is constructed in a disused dry dock that's in danger of collapse.
Elevated & Elegant
Traveling from Canada to Belgium to the Southern U.S. to examine an eye-popping school, museum and railway station and reveal how they were built.
Skywalks & Suspensions
Uncovering the design and engineering secrets behind the Grand Canyon Skywalk, the Audain Museum and more.
Arches & Opera Houses
The inside stories behind a new, horseshoe-shaped complex in Rotterdam, a rock-shaped opera house in China and a makeover of the British Museum.
Facelifts & Scaffolds
A museum building bends 1,100-glass tubes to form a facade and tunnels below the water table; a vast 11-storey glass atrium HQ is built on the former Berlin Wall site to represent unity.
Volcano Power
Mike is in Iceland, where teams harness the power of volcanos to keep the geothermal energy flowing; they battle harsh weather to maintain and upgrade giant power systems, fixing miles of steam pipes, and bringing a dead well back to life.
Philadelphia Transit
In Philadelphia, Mike is on streets, in tunnels, on tracks and in trolley restoration garages; he is working shoulder-to-shoulder with the team that keeps one of America's largest and oldest mass transit systems running smoothly and on time.
Water Work
In Florida, Mike tackles one of the dangerous jobs on the planet, commercial diving; he helps a specialized team keep waterways safe; fixing construction site leaks and removing dangerous structures, all while hurricane season is in full swing.
Boxes & Birds
The American Museum of Natural History in NYC gets a cave-like extension; an arts center inspired by migrating birds is built on a lake in China; Boston University gains a fossil-free, Jenga-like tower.
Heights & Balance
A 1.2-million-square-foot office building balances precariously on a 39-foot wide base in Chicago; a building named Pterodactyl lands on top of a Los Angeles parking garage; the world's longest suspension footbridge.