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The Worst Episodes of Air Crash Investigation: Special Report

Every episode of Air Crash Investigation: Special Report ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of Air Crash Investigation: Special Report!

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In this special season of Air Crash Investigation, every episode examines multiple aviation disasters that prove to have similarities including; engines that separated from their aircrafts mid-flight, mismatched pilot pairings that led to deadly crashes,

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Worst Episode
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    Air Crash Investigation: Special Report Season 1 Episode 8 - Controversial Crashes
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #1 - Controversial Crashes

    S1:E8

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. Air Crash Investigation: Special Report Season 1 Episode 9 - Deadly Distractions
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #2 - Deadly Distractions

    S1:E9

    In 1981, the Federal Aviation Administration established the sterile cockpit rule requiring pilots to refrain from non-essential activities during critical phases of flight. When this rule is broken, the resulting distraction can be deadly. Passengers fight for their lives inside a burning plane at Dallas Fort Worth Airport. A brand new L-1011 crashes in a remote swamp in the Florida Everglades. And, during a demonstration flight, a brand new Russian Superjet slams into a mountain south of Jakarta.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. Air Crash Investigation: Special Report Season 2 Episode 6 - Perilous Payload
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #3 - Perilous Payload

    S2:E6

    Three planes fatally out of balance force investigators to question every calculation. It's a flight risk that's entirely preventable, and yet repeated disasters reconfirm the need for critical backup systems. With nearly 90,000 pounds of denim on board, a cargo plane in Miami crashes moments after lifting off. A packed commuter flight slams into a North Carolina hangar, revealing a deadly industry oversight. And, the NTSB is called in when a jumbo jet loaded with armored military vehicles pancakes to the ground in Afghanistan.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. Air Crash Investigation: Special Report Season 2 Episode 8 - Deadly Confusion
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #4 - Deadly Confusion

    S2:E8

    Spatial disorientation is one of the leading causes of all air accidents. Even the most experienced pilots are susceptible to its subtle yet deadly effects. A confused John F. Kennedy Jr. disappears on the way to Martha's Vineyard. High over the Red Sea, a captain loses his bearings and crashes his passenger jet. And, off the coast of Indonesia, pilots fly their Boeing 737 into a violent storm and end up on the ocean floor.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. Air Crash Investigation: Special Report Season 3 Episode 1 - Heat of The Moment
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #5 - Heat of The Moment

    S3:E1

    When aviation decisions are made in the heat of the moment, even minor issues can have fatal consequences. A dashcam captures the horrific crash as a Taiwanese airliner nosedives into a river. Warned of a problem that doesn't exist, a KLM crew inadvertently sparks a cascade of deadly errors. And, for a revolutionary new spacecraft, a split-second decision spells a supersonic disaster.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. Air Crash Investigation: Special Report Season 3 Episode 5 - Mountain Impact
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #6 - Mountain Impact

    S3:E5

    Following three horrifying crashes, investigators uncover fatal flaws in the very operations designed to prevent aircraft from plowing into mountains. Somehow flying in the wrong direction, a passenger jet crashes in the Himalayas. A Chinese airliner collides with a hillside just miles from a Korean airport. And, an Airbus crash in France reveals a deadly high-tech blind spot.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  7. Air Crash Investigation: Special Report Season 4 Episode 6 - Frozen Wings
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #7 - Frozen Wings

    S4:E6

    Three planes are brought down by ice, and it's up to investigators to determine how modern aircraft could possibly end up with frozen wings.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  8. Air Crash Investigation: Special Report Season 4 Episode 8 - Cockpit Breakdown
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #8 - Cockpit Breakdown

    S4:E8

    Illustrating the deadly consequences of a mismatched crew, three flights end in tragedy, leaving investigators to unravel what went wrong.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. Air Crash Investigation: Special Report Season 5 Episode 7 - Deadly Data
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #9 - Deadly Data

    S5:E7

    With hidden flaws buried in their navigation systems, three planes suffer catastrophic computer errors that force investigators to dig deep for clues

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  10. Air Crash Investigation: Special Report Season 1 Episode 2 - Bad Attitude
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #10 - Bad Attitude

    S1:E2

    On every flight, passengers place their lives in the hands of their captain whose human flaws are enough to bring down an aircraft. When BEA Flight 548 crashes just moments after takeoff, investigators unravel a tragic combination of human factors centered around the captain. Meanwhile, a captain's belligerence paralyzes the first officer on Northwest Airlink Flight 5719. And, it's the captain's hidden flaw that proves fatal for everyone on board Trans Colorado Flight 2286.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. Air Crash Investigation: Special Report Season 1 Episode 7 - Missing Pieces
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #11 - Missing Pieces

    S1:E7

    Three horrifying accidents capture the world's attention, and in order to solve these deadly mysteries, hero investigators are pushed to the limit to uncover the hidden clues. A commercial jet plunges into the Florida Everglades and investigators face one of the most hazardous scenes imaginable. When a Boeing 777 crash lands at Heathrow Airport, investigators can't find anything wrong with the aircraft. And, a devastating crash shatters a Scottish village becoming the largest crime scene in the world.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. Air Crash Investigation: Special Report Season 1 Episode 10 - Fire On Board
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #12 - Fire On Board

    S1:E10

    One of aviation's worst nightmares, a fire on board can have disastrous consequences. And though these epic tragedies have exacted a terrible human cost, they've also helped lead the way towards significantly safer skies. In Manchester, a holiday flight bound for the Mediterranean faces an inferno on the runway. In the skies over Saudi Arabia, a flight ful of pilgrims is consumed by flames. And, after a UPS cargo plane crashes in Dubai, investigators discover a tiny battery with outsize implications.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  13. Air Crash Investigation: Special Report Season 2 Episode 2 - Rookie Errors
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #13 - Rookie Errors

    S2:E2

    The simplest mistakes are at the heart of some of the worst airline accidents, and while commercial pilots undergo hundreds of hours of training and testing, even experienced pilots can make deadly rookie errors. A botched takeoff in Buenos Aires kills 60 people and the cause stuns investigators. Just two months after 9/11, American Airlines Flight 587 crashes in Queens, New York, igniting fears that America is once again under attack. And, when Continental Airlines 3407 stalls above Buffalo, the flight crew's baffling reaction proves fatal.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  14. Air Crash Investigation: Special Report Season 2 Episode 4 - Engines Out
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #14 - Engines Out

    S2:E4

    When an aircraft loses total engine power, a pilot's training can make all the difference in the world, but it's still up to investigators to determine what went wrong. An Airbus flames out en route to Hong Kong, and the crew is determined to avoid a disastrous ocean ditching. En route to Australia, a mysterious engine failure ultimately leads to a giant leap in aviation safety. And, after a terrifying ten-kilometer freefall, a captain is hailed as a hero by passengers, but the resulting investigation tells a different story.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  15. Air Crash Investigation: Special Report Season 2 Episode 5 - Fuel Trouble
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #15 - Fuel Trouble

    S2:E5

    Three mysterious accidents send investigators hunting for clues. In the end, all three trails lead back to the same source-the fuel tank. Minutes before touching down in Portland, United Airlines 173 loses all four engines over a densely populated suburb. In Japan, a Boeing 737 lands safely, but then catches fire with all 165 passengers and crew still on board. And, nearly 700 miles off course, the crew of Varig Flight 254 are forced to make a crash landing in the Amazon jungle.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  16. Air Crash Investigation: Special Report Season 2 Episode 7 - Runway In Sight
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #16 - Runway In Sight

    S2:E7

    If pilots aren't prepared when the runway is in sight, a landing can quickly become a tragedy. On its final approach, an Indonesian passenger jet smashes down at a catastrophically high speed. Without warning, a Delta flight crew faces a deadly storm just before touchdown in Dallas. And, tragedy strikes in San Francisco when a Boeing 777 crew lands short of the runway.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. Air Crash Investigation: Special Report Season 2 Episode 10 - Design Flaws
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #17 - Design Flaws

    S2:E10

    Drawing the attention of the entire world, three fatal design flaws put air crash investigators in a storm of controversy. When one of former race car driver Niki Lauda's planes nosedives into a Thai jungle, a one-in-a-million failure reveals a weak spot in every Boeing 767. A piece of the plane blows off a Turkish Airlines DC-10 causing the most catastrophic mid-air emergency of its time. And, a risky test flight is the only way to uncover the startling truth about what brought down Atlantic Southeast Airlines Flight 2311.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  18. Air Crash Investigation: Special Report Season 3 Episode 2 - Instrument Confusion
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #18 - Instrument Confusion

    S3:E2

    Aviation relies on precision and accuracy. So when critical instruments in the cockpit can't be trusted, the consequences can be fatal. A Boeing 737 vanishes from radar over one of the most remote areas on earth. A Korean cargo jet slams into the English countryside just moments after takeoff. And, an inexperienced crew faces a horrific pileup of errors on a late-night flight over Russia.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. Air Crash Investigation: Special Report Season 3 Episode 3 - Vip On Board
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #19 - Vip On Board

    S3:E3

    Crashes involving high-profile passengers make international headlines and, placing investigators under tremendous pressure to come up with answers as the world looks on. A diplomat's secret mission ends with a mystery that lingers for decades. Tragedy strikes when pilots gamble with the lives of a famous Brazilian football team. And, a US Air Force jet carrying an American VIP crashes in war-torn Croatia.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  20. Air Crash Investigation: Special Report Season 3 Episode 7 - Death From Above
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #20 - Death From Above

    S3:E7

    Mid-air tragedies are particularly horrifying when they occur over a community, and rain terror on the people below. A thrilling day at the air show turns into a nightmare for spectators in Reno. A Learjet spirals into the heart of Mexico City and sets the financial district ablaze. And, after a catastrophic mid-air collision, a DC-9 nosedives into a Los Angeles suburb.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  21. Air Crash Investigation: Special Report Season 3 Episode 9 - Maintenance Mistakes
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #21 - Maintenance Mistakes

    S3:E9

    A trio of crashes reveal that when the nuts and bolts of maintenance go unchecked, it can spell catastrophe. A mechanic's error in judgement leads to a terrifying mid-flight disaster in Texas. Botched maintenance and a missing cotter pin leads to a life-and-death struggle for three cargo pilots. And, after a twin turboprop goes missing in the North Sea, investigators uncover a criminal empire half a world away. Take Off Tragedies

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  22. Air Crash Investigation: Special Report Season 4 Episode 1 - Dead of Night
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #22 - Dead of Night

    S4:E1

    Confused, flying blind and lost in the dark, three crews lose site of the horizon and fall into the same deadly trap.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. Air Crash Investigation: Special Report Season 4 Episode 7 - Runway Collisions
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #23 - Runway Collisions

    S4:E7

    Three catastrophic runway collisions raise the same pressing question: How could two planes end up on the same runway at the same time?

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. Air Crash Investigation: Special Report Season 4 Episode 10 - Northern Extremes
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #24 - Northern Extremes

    S4:E10

    Faced with the extreme conditions of the far North, three flights fall out of the sky leaving investigators to uncover the cause.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  25. Air Crash Investigation: Special Report Season 5 Episode 2 - Time Critical
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #25 - Time Critical

    S5:E2

    Haste in the Airline Industry is never good, and three flights are examined where crews skipped procedures, missed warnings, and made incorrect decisions. Turkish Flight 1951, Continental Flight 1713 and Ansett Flight 703.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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Worst Episodes Summary

"Controversial Crashes" is the worst rated episode of "Air Crash Investigation: Special Report". It scored 7/10 based on 1 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by Unknown, it aired on 8/27/2018. This episode scored 0.0 points lower than the second lowest rated, "Deadly Distractions".