Smithsonian HD Network A Swissair passenger jet catches fire midflight and crashes into the Atlantic, leading to one of the largest investigations in aviation history. 2026-04-04 A challenging descent in the Himalayas turns tragic when the pilots miscalculate their approach to a Kathmandu airport. 2026-04-04 Three planes fall prey to deadly winds, and it is up to investigators to find out why. 2026-04-04 On July 17, 2007, TAM Airlines Flight 3054 slides off runway 35L at Congonhas Airport in São Paulo, Brazil, and crashes at high speed into a warehouse adjacent to a petrol station killing nearly 200 people. 2026-04-04 Following the story of the Scandinavian Airlines Flight 751 and Captain Rasmussen. 2026-04-04 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. 2026-04-04 A United States Air Force transport aircraft conducting the inaugural flight of Operation Babylift suffers an explosive decompression when the rear cargo door fails and crashes into a paddy field while attempting an emergency landing. 2026-04-04 Investigators discover a shocking mistake when pilots must ditch their plane in the Mediterranean, killing 14 of the 34 passengers. 2026-04-04 Delta Air Lines Flight 1141 crashes beyond the runway while taking off from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. 2026-04-04 Experts examine a departing DC-9 in Detroit which gets lost in the fog and ends up in the path of an oncoming 727. 2026-04-04 Louisiana's wetlands and underwater oil fields. 2026-04-04 A coast-to-coast aerial journey across America, visiting locations made famous by movies such as Rocky, Citizen Kane, Forrest Gump and others. 2026-04-04 Explore the forests, shores, bridges and tunnels of one of American's 13 original states, New Jersey. 2026-04-04 Home to some of America's highest mountains; Mount St. Helens. 2026-04-04 Natural wonders, manmade marvels, hidden treasures and places of inspiration. 2026-04-04 Viewing Oklahoma from the sky reveals a state filled with tall-grass prairies and man-made wonders; the Dust Bowl, Tornado Alley and buffalo-filled plains; it also shows a history steeped in tragedy and devastation. 2026-04-04 A flight over Arizona explores the state's storied past, architectural achievements and landscapes, including America's natural wonder, the Grand Canyon. 2026-04-04 An aerial tour over America's Great Plains tracks the prairies, farms, oilfields and wildlife. 2026-04-04 Vast cotton fields, Gulf coast beaches; famous Civil Rights marches; NASCAR's most dangerous track; steel factories. 2026-04-04 An aerial tour of Nevada; the state's deserts, ghost towns, neon cities and Hoover Dam; its history built on epic booms and busts. 2026-04-04 An aerial tour of the world's first national park showcases Yellowstone's diverse wildlife and rich history. 2026-04-04 A supervolcano brewing beneath Yellowstone National Park could be the worst natural disaster in history. 2026-04-04 The eruption of Guatemala's Fuego volcano kills hundreds as a pyroclastic flow roars down its slopes; the eruption of Hawaii's Kilauea volcano is a slow-motion disaster, starting with small earthquakes before bursting into residential neighborhoods. 2026-04-04 On the evening of May 3, 1999, the residents of Oklahoma City were hit with a devastating tornado. 2026-04-04 On May 18, 1980, Washington state's Mount St. Helens erupts; revisiting the destructive volcanic event and revealing ten failures that escalated the catastrophe, including ignored warnings, inadequate safety zones and poor rescue planning. 2026-04-05 When a magnitude 6.9 earthquake strikes San Francisco in 1989, the city is thrown into chaos. 2026-04-05 Bound from Jacksonville, Fla., to San Juan, Puerto Rico, crew members on the SS El Faro containership find themselves just 20 miles from the eye of a hurricane; after the ship goes missing, investigators ask why the crew took such a deadly course. 2026-04-05 Modern history's worst disasters are revisited and analyzed to identify ten key errors that led to each one. 2026-04-05 An exploration of the threat posed by bird strikes in commercial and military air accidents as well as a closer look at the day when US Airways Flight 1549 struck a flock of Canadian geese and lost engine power over the Hudson River. 2026-04-05 US Airways Flight 1549 suffers a bird strike with a flock of Canada geese, causing both engines to fail. 2026-04-05 The crew of a commuter flight over France makes a sight-seeing detour that sets off a deadly chain of events. 2026-04-05 After experiencing icing conditions, a turboprop slams into an Argentine desert; investigators are mystified by what they uncover. 2026-04-05 Five aviation disasters and the changes they have forced air-traffic controllers to make. 2026-04-05 On 13 January 1982, Air Florida Flight 90 stalls at 300 feet altitude, strikes a road bridge and crashes into the Potomac River, killing 78 people. 2026-04-05 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. 2026-04-05 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. 2026-04-05 An aerial tour over America's coastlines explores the visual splendor and rich history of the nation's varied borders. 2026-04-05 Zoom above, and below, some of the Golden State's greatest monuments. 2026-04-05 Soaring above the Cornhusker State's vast farms, towering spires, desolate badlands and gleaming cities. 2026-04-05 A sweeping tour over popular destinations in America, including the Badlands, Nantucket, the National Mall and more. 2026-04-05 Alpine valleys; Rocky Mountains; Denver's towering skyscrapers. 2026-04-05 An aerial journey over Ohio showcases the Buckeye State's autumnal vistas, majestic rivers, epic skyscrapers and battlegrounds. 2026-04-05 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. 2026-04-05 An aerial exploration of Wyoming reveals the Cowboy State's controversial history while highlighting its breathtaking canyons and volcanic formations. 2026-04-05 An aerial tour of Kansas shows a state with varied landscapes, scenic areas and historical conflict sites. 2026-04-05 Taking flight for a bird's eye tour of America's rivers, lakes and canals. 2026-04-05 Avianca Flight 52 is delayed numerous times by bad weather en route; it is dangerously low on fuel as it attempts a landing at New York City. 2026-04-05 On June 27, 1980, Aerolinee Itavia Flight 870 crashes into the Tyrrhenian Sea near the island of Ustica, Italy; all 81 people on board are killed. 2026-04-05 Trace the chain of events that led to a deadly explosion on the Deepwater Horizon rig and unleashed the largest marine oil spill in history; see the failed part that caused the NASA Challenger Space Shuttle to explode seconds after liftoff. 2026-04-06