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The Best Episodes of Mayday Season 1

Every episode of Mayday Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Mayday Season 1!

Major real-life air disasters are depicted in this series. Each episode features a detailed dramatized reconstruction of the incident based on cockpit voice recorders and air traffic control transcripts, as well as eyewitnesses recounts and interviews with aviation experts.

Genres:DocumentaryDramaCrime

Season 1 Ratings Summary

The best episode of "Mayday" season 1 is "Racing the storm", rated 7.6/10 from 204 user votes. It was directed by Léo Singer and written by N/A. "Racing the storm" aired on 9/3/2003 and is rated 0.5 point(s) higher than the second highest rated, "Unlocking Disaster".

  • Racing the storm
    7.6/10 204 votes

    #1 - Racing the storm

    Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 9/3/2003

    On June 1, 1999, American Airlines Flight 1420 tries to land at the Little Rock National Airport during a storm, but overruns the runway, killing eleven people.

    Director: Léo Singer

    Writer: N/A

  • Unlocking Disaster
    8.1/10 210 votes

    #2 - Unlocking Disaster

    Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 9/10/2003

    On February 24, 1989, United Airlines Flight 811 is flying above the Pacific Ocean, when part of the right-side fuselage is ripped off, ejecting nine people from the aircraft and causing explosive decompression. The flight later lands safely at Honolulu without any more loss of life.

    Director: Bryn Higgins

    Writer: Andrew Weir

  • Flying Blind
    7.9/10 193 votes

    #3 - Flying Blind

    Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 9/17/2003

    On October 2, 1996, shortly after take off, the crew of Aeroperú Flight 603 is confused by false speed and altitude readings and contradictory warnings from the aircraft's air data system. In preparation for an emergency landing, the crew descends the aircraft, but unknowingly descend too far by relying on the false readings. The Boeing 757 crashes into the water, killing everyone on board.

    Director: Gary Lang

    Writer: Gary Lang

  • Flying on Empty
    8.0/10 181 votes

    #4 - Flying on Empty

    Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 10/8/2003

    On August 24, 2001, Air Transat Flight 236 runs out of fuel while flying over the Atlantic Ocean. The pilots of the aircraft glide it to a safe landing on a runway at a naval base on an island in the Azores.

    Director: Bernard Vaillot

    Writer: Bernard Vaillot

  • Cutting Corners
    8.0/10 184 votes

    #5 - Cutting Corners

    Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 10/15/2003

    On January31, 2000, Alaska Airlines Flight 261's trimmable horizontal stabilizer jams and breaks free from its control system. The aircraft dives inverted into the Pacific Ocean, causing the death of all 88 on board.

    Director: Greg Lanning

    Writer: Andrew Weir

  • Fire on Board
    8.0/10 176 votes

    #6 - Fire on Board

    Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 10/22/2003

    On September 2, 1998, a fire breaks out on Swissair Flight 111 while in-flight, damaging vital systems and causing the aircraft to crash into the sea off Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia, with no survivors.

    Director: Gary Lang

    Writer: Gary Lang