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Air Crash Investigation

Original title: Mayday
  • TV Series
  • 2003– 2003–
  • TV-14TV-14
  • 46m
IMDb RATING
8.8/10
5.1K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,497
152
Air Crash Investigation (2003)
Mayday
Play trailer1:50
1 Video
99+ Photos
DocumentaryCrimeDrama
Dramatized reconstruction of real-life air disasters, along with interviews with aviation experts and eyewitnesses.Dramatized reconstruction of real-life air disasters, along with interviews with aviation experts and eyewitnesses.Dramatized reconstruction of real-life air disasters, along with interviews with aviation experts and eyewitnesses.
IMDb RATING
8.8/10
5.1K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,497
152
    • Bernard Vaillot
    • Andre Barro
    • Greg Gransden
  • Stars
    • Jonathan Aris
    • Stephen Bogaert
    • John Cox
    • Bernard Vaillot
    • Andre Barro
    • Greg Gransden
  • Stars
    • Jonathan Aris
    • Stephen Bogaert
    • John Cox
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 32User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards

    Episodes234

    Browse episodes
    TopTop-rated

    Videos1

    Mayday
    Trailer 1:50
    Watch Mayday

    Photos459

    Air Crash Investigation (2003)
    Air Crash Investigation (2003)
    Air Crash Investigation (2003)
    Douglas E. Hughes in Air Crash Investigation (2003)
    Jasmin Geljo in Air Crash Investigation (2003)
    Leopold Sartorius in Air Crash Investigation (2003)
    Air Crash Investigation (2003)
    Air Crash Investigation (2003)
    Air Crash Investigation (2003)
    Air Crash Investigation (2003)
    Air Crash Investigation (2003)
    Air Crash Investigation (2003)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jonathan Aris
    Jonathan Aris
    • Narrator…
    Stephen Bogaert
    Stephen Bogaert
    • Narrator…
    John Cox
    • Self - Aviation Analyst…
    John Nance
    John Nance
    • Self - Aviation Analyst…
    Gregory Feith
    • Self…
    Robert Benzon
    • Self - NTSB Investigator…
    Ron Schleede
    • Self…
    Bob Macintosh
    • Self - NTSB Investigator…
    Tom Haueter
    • Self - NTSB Investigator…
    Malcolm Brenner
    • Self - NTSB Investigator…
    David Learmount
    • Self - Aviation Analyst…
    Richard Rodriguez
    • Self…
    Barry Strauch
    • Self - NTSB Investigator…
    Von Flores
    Von Flores
    • Lead Investigator…
    Dennis Grossi
    • Self - NTSB Investigator…
    Al Dickinson
    • Self - NTSB Investigator…
    Thom Marriott
    Thom Marriott
    • NTSB Investigator Bob Benzon…
    Dale Yim
    • Air France 358 - Eddie Ho…
      • Bernard Vaillot
      • Andre Barro
      • Greg Gransden
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Over the course of seven seasons, the show has featured accidents with a grand total of 9,704 passengers and crew; 6,243 fatalities (including hijackers but not including people who died on the ground as a result of an accident); and 3,461 survivors.
    • Alternate versions
      The French-Canadian version, "Danger dans les airs", features actor (and weekend bush pilot) Gaston Lepage as the narrator, but also as the host, appearing on screen before and after the film, and before commercial breaks.
    • Connections
      Featured in Screenwipe: Episode #1.3 (2006)

    User reviews32

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    Engaging
    Most of us have flown, and have heard of those horrible airplane crashes that used to make big splashy news' headlines. They don't happen quite as often as they used to, and in our day and age of information overload, they tend to get drowned out with all the other news around the world. But, they still occasionally occur, and still draw attention.

    This show, "Air Crash Investigations", "May Day", or "Air Emergency", or whatever you want to call it, delves deep into the causes and effects of many a famous air liner disaster. And, amazingly enough, despite the theatrics in the recreations, educates the viewer as to the realities of air craft functions and procedures of operation. By the end of the episode you'll feel like an aerospace engineering expert.

    The format of the episodes follow a presentation of the event in brief, then an elongated version showing the developments to the event, followed by investigation and analysis. Nearly every episode has an act four that tells of the aftermath's, good and bad, of the disaster or crash that was investigated. All the while you, the viewer, are given great insight into the short comings of procedure, design or environment--more often than not it will be a combination of these factors that will lead to the inevitable; a crash of some form.

    Not every episode deals with a crash landing. Sometimes the crew is able to salvage mortal failure on part of the plane, and bring things to a safe end--or, more often than not, a relative safe end. Even when the pilots can bring back a wounded bird so the show still looks into what forced the pilots into that situation, and how the event culminated in its eventful end.

    One of the amazing things about this show is that the engineering aspects are explained such that any lay person, anyone who doesn't have any kind of engineering nor scientific background, are brought up to speed on the mechanics and science behind aircraft design so that they can understand, for the duration of the episode, the engineering aspects that were involved. Similarly procedures are explained as to how jets are flown, how they are berthed, how they land, takeoff, and are maintained. Interviews with key players, witnesses, experts in the field, make clear along with charts, animations and recreations provide visual cues to further explain and educate.

    As a casual viewer who's flown, but flies no more, I have a curiosity about some crashes here in the United States. The series explored and explained them. I also had a curiosity about the reputation of the DC- 10 during the 70s, and the series looked into that aircraft in a series of episodes as well. All the major crashes are examined; from the bombing of Pan Am over Lockerbie Scotland, to PSA Flight 182 in San Diego, to the more contemporary events such as British Airways flight 38 in Heathrowe.

    If this series has a shortcoming it's not that it caters to sensationalism (it uses that as a hook, but this is not the focus of the series), it's the actors in the recreations. It's a double edged sword with the performances because the actors needed to convey the emotional atmosphere of the participants involved, and therefore by necessity ham up the effort. It makes for an unusual viewing experience, but again gives the viewer a concept of the events and the actions of the people involved.

    Well, just as car wrecks create rubber-neckers, so it is that I found this show addicting. Again, in spite of its sensationalist promotion, it is an actual documentary with elements of recreated drama interspersed between interviews and explanations. Married to it is a kind of tension that holds the show together and keeps the viewer riveted. You already know what happens, but the show is going to show you why it happened, and, hopefully, what solutions resulted from these horrible events.

    It's not a show for the squeamish nor emotional. You might find yourself tearing up, being shocked, maybe outraged, but not very often will you feel settled after viewing this show.

    I do recommend it, but definitely watch at your risk.
    helpful•25
    2
    • Blueghost
    • Dec 27, 2012

    Details

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    • Release date
      • September 3, 2003 (United States)
      • Canada
      • French
      • Spanish
      • Japanese
      • Russian
      • German
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Toronto, Ontario, Canada
    • Production companies
      • Cineflix Productions
      • Galaxie Productions
      • NF Inc.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • 46 minutes
      • Color
      • Stereo

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