Smithsonian Channel USA HD

A trio of crashes reveals that when the nuts and bolts of maintenance go unchecked, it can spell catastrophe.

When a commuter turboprop crashes onto hilly terrain in New Zealand, the search for answers inevitably leads to the cockpit.

A deadly midair collision between a commercial airliner and a F-4 Phantom reveals a lack of communication.

An MD-82 crash lands in Arkansas during a severe thunderstorm, but investigators believe weather was not the main reason for the accident.

A rookie pilot flies passengers for the first time, airport staff battle to prevent bird strikes, a helicopter carries a heavy load over Johannesburg, and Africa's most skilled helicopter pilots fly low to protect rhinos from poachers.

A mysterious engine fault delays a new airliner; scientists fly into the bush to hunt a killer disease; a broken-down plane closes a major runway, and a snake hunt across the airport ends in a face-off with a spitting cobra.

Avianca Flight 52 is delayed numerous times by bad weather en route and is dangerously low on fuel as it attempts a landing at New York City.

A miraculous rescue is launched after a 747 plummets toward the Pacific.

The FBI and NTSB join forces to determine how terrorists hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 and flew it into the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.

When a 737 careens off the runway in Indonesia, investigators uncover a shocking explanation for the crash.

A Russian passenger jet crashes into the Volga River, killing almost everyone on board; the incident turns into a national tragedy when rescuers discover the plane carried some of the country's famous athletes.

Indonesia AirAsia Flight 8501 stalls and crashes into the Java Sea while flying through a thunderstorm.

An aerial journey across Montana celebrates the Treasure State's adventure-filled history while showcasing its sprawling farms and rugged terrain.

A coast-to-coast aerial journey across America, visiting locations made famous by movies such as Rocky, Citizen Kane, Forrest Gump and others.

Natural wonders, manmade marvels, hidden treasures and places of inspiration.

A view of Idaho from the air reveals a state filled with agricultural fields, lands untouched by human hands, and riches in the form of gold, ski resorts and spuds.

A soaring tour over Southern California explores the stunning beaches, vast deserts, sprawling city and unique culture.

An aerial tour over Kentucky reveals a state of racetracks, country music highways, bourbon distilleries and a history of feuds and traditions.

Great mountain ranges; coal-based economy.

A flight over Northern California explores ancient forests, timeless coasts, golden cities and the region's pioneering spirit.

A flying tour of Michigan's cultural landmarks, including Motown, the Great Lakes, the automobile industry and more.

The Wright Brothers gave the state its slogan "First in Flight"; civil rights leaders in Greensboro; NASCAR.

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.

A soaring tour over Washington, D.C. explores the unique landscape, rich history and colorful story of the Nation's Capital.

Gordon Welchman's top-secret work helped defeat the Nazis and impacted modern codebreaking.

The remarkable story of Hitler's last will and testament, from his surprising discovery to the family dispute he triggered and the new ideas he offers about the Führer.

In 1944 the Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe brings the hope of freedom and the devastation of war to the people of France.

New colourized footage and testimony reveal the true cost paid by the Allies and civilians to free Belgium and the Netherlands from Nazi occupation.

Dan Snow follows treasure hunters as they hunt for a missing train full of gold; Dan carries out his own investigation into this extraordinary story, one that leads all the way to Adolf Hitler himself.

For the first time in 70 years, forensic archaeologists have been granted access to the Treblinka death camp, which suddenly disappeared in 1943, along with some 900,000 victims.

In 1944 the Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe brings the hope of freedom and the devastation of war to the people of France.

New colourized footage and testimony reveal the true cost paid by the Allies and civilians to free Belgium and the Netherlands from Nazi occupation.

Gordon Welchman's top-secret work helped defeat the Nazis and impacted modern codebreaking.

The remarkable story of Hitler's last will and testament, from his surprising discovery to the family dispute he triggered and the new ideas he offers about the Führer.

Dan Snow follows treasure hunters as they hunt for a missing train full of gold; Dan carries out his own investigation into this extraordinary story, one that leads all the way to Adolf Hitler himself.

For the first time in 70 years, forensic archaeologists have been granted access to the Treblinka death camp, which suddenly disappeared in 1943, along with some 900,000 victims.

Moments after takeoff, a plane sustains electrical failures and crashes in the Florida Everglades, killing all 110 people on board.

An American Airlines Flight en route to Cali, Colombia loses their exact position and flies into a mountain.

An anonymous tip helps uncover the cause of a cargo plane crash in Miami.

A look at three deadly air disasters that were caused by misunderstandings between pilots and air traffic controllers.

In 1978, PSA Flight 182 collides with a Cessna and crashes into a San Diego residential area killing everyone on both planes and seven people on the ground.

Air Midwest Flight 5481 plane plummets to the ground just after take off killing all on board and injuring one on the ground.

West Caribbean Airways Flight 708 crashes down killing 160 people in 2005 ultimately leading to the bankruptcy of the troubled airline.

Two similar plane crashes in Ontario and New York prompt an investigation which determines that the source of the crashes was due to a design flaw on the wings of the planes, both Fokker F28s.

Following the story of the Scandinavian Airlines Flight 751 and Captain Rasmussen.

British Midland Flight 92 slams into Britain's busy M1 motorway and it seems like a rare case of dual engine failure, but investigators learn the real cause was a tragic misunderstanding.

Three flights headed for disaster are saved at the last moment by heroes in the cockpit.

Pilots leaving Cameroon steer their plane clear of a storm, but the aircraft begins rolling to the right, and they are unable to regain control.

When a commuter flight crashes mysteriously just a mile from a Missouri runway, investigators turn their attention to the final seconds in the cockpit.

Design innovations evolve as a result of terrible air disasters due to pressurization failure or explosive decompression.

A rookie pilot flies passengers for the first time, airport staff battle to prevent bird strikes, a helicopter carries a heavy load over Johannesburg, and Africa's most skilled helicopter pilots fly low to protect rhinos from poachers.

A mysterious engine fault delays a new airliner; scientists fly into the bush to hunt a killer disease; a broken-down plane closes a major runway, and a snake hunt across the airport ends in a face-off with a spitting cobra.

A baboon invasion on a runway threatens to cut off a remote safari lodge, engine faults wreck airline flight schedules and a wild cheetah gets a first taste of flying.

A wildlife invasion delays a flight, a massive airliner attempts a night landing at a bush airport, cargo handlers rush to deliver flowers in time for Mother's Day, and a patrol plane discovers fires raging through Kruger Nation.

Investigators face a mystery when Varig Flight 254 disappears without a trace over the jungles of Brazil.

Airplane crashes involving high-profile passengers put added pressure on investigators.

History's most terrifying air disasters, and the investigations that followed, are revisited and reexamined.

A 1986 midair crash between planes near Los Angeles brings attention to disturbing congestion at airports.

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.

Three crews experience the same devastating event; but with radically different outcomes when an engine falls off their commercial airplane.

Three horrific aviation disasters are all linked to breakdowns in vital security measures.

A look at commercial flights that ended in disaster because of suicidal pilots.

Experts investigate an unfortunate string of events that caused the freshly serviced Air Astana Flight 1388 to become completely uncontrollable.

The cockpit window of an Airbus A319 explodes; pilots miraculously land the out-of-control plane; investigators must determine how the freshly serviced aircraft was released with a fatal flaw.

Saudi Airways and Kazakhstan Airlines jets hit each other at 14,000 feet sending both planes spiraling to the ground.

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.

Investigators discover a shocking mistake when pilots must ditch their plane in the Mediterranean, killing 14 of the 34 passengers.

An American Airlines Flight en route to Cali, Colombia loses their exact position and flies into a mountain.

A design flaw sends American Eagle Flight 41-84 smashing into a cornfield outside of Chicago, killing all 68 people on board.

Mistaken identity and hostile fire over enemy territory are among the many risks that pilots face in war zones around the world.

In a rush to complete their flights, three different flight crews skip key procedures, ignore signs of danger and make deadly decisions.

On 9 August 2007, Air Moorea Flight 1121 crashes shortly after taking off from Moorea Airport in French Polynesia, killing all 19 passengers and the pilot.

On 21 February 2008, Santa Bárbara Airlines Flight 518 strays off course and flies into the side of a mountain shortly after takeoff.

On 20 August 2011, First Air Flight 6560, a charter flight, crashes near its destination of Resolute Bay Airport, Resolute, Nunavut, Canada, in poor weather conditions; out of the fifteen passengers and crew members, only three survived.

On 18 June 1972, British European Airways Flight 548 stalls and crashes in a field near Staines shortly after takeoff from London Heathrow Airport, killing all 118 people on board.

After a Boeing 727's near-fatal nosedive over Michigan, investigators risk their own lives to determine what caused the aircraft to lose control.

The inside story of one of history's most infamous and complex investigations: the 1996 crash of TWA Flight 800.

When a Bulgarian airliner is taken over by violent hijackers, the crew and authorities on the ground devise a daring plan to save the airliner.

Three FedEx employees must regain control of their plane when a coworker attacks them in midair.

A 1994 terrorist bombing aboard Philippine Airlines Flight 434 forces its pilots into a daring emergency landing.

Pilots aboard a hijacked plane are forced to attempt an emergency landing at sea.

When basketball legend Kobe Bryant is killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, investigators examine the data, the wreckage, and the pilot's actions for clues.

When John F. Kennedy Jr.'s Piper Saratoga crashed in 1999, the NTSB faces enormous pressure to find the wreckage and the cause.

During the Cold War, Korean Air Lines Flight 007 is shot down by a fighter jet when it violates Soviet airspace.

Set a course for breathtaking sights on Koningsdam's 15-day voyage from Amsterdam to the northern tip of Norway.

Cruise among the icebergs of Greenland and the Canadian High Arctic aboard the expedition cruiser Ocean Endeavour.

The only cruise ship designed specifically to navigate the treasures and dangers at the southern tip of South America.

Royal Clipper is the largest sailing cruise ship in the world, celebrating tall ships of the 19th century while offering modern-day service for its guests.

We follow passengers and crew aboard Viking Star during its two-week tour from Barcelona to its home port in Bergen, Norway.

Take a river tour through some of Europe's greatest cities--Budapest, Vienna, and Amsterdam--on Viking Longship Gefjon.

Norway's Bergen Line stretches from Oslo to Bergen, passing through 182 tunnels; Nordland Line transports passengers and freight; Flam Railway boasts one of the steepest railway climbs on Earth.

Japan's Tokaido Shinkansen, known as the bullet train, operates on a dedicated railway line at up to 177 mph.

A trip aboard the luxury tourist train, Transcantábrico Clásico through Northern Spain along a historic 19th century rail line.

Follow the building of the Norwegian Breakaway at Germany's Meyer-Werft shipyard; it is the largest ship they've ever built and they have only 18 months to finish it.

Le Boreal is built to take on the demanding waters of the Southern Ocean.

MSC's biggest cruise ship navigates tight Mediterranean harbors, offering a brand new water park, classic excursions and Cirque du Soleil at Sea.

Take a cruise where the guests choose the ports to visit and the captain and crew work overtime to make it happen.

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.

The world's largest serially manufactured cargo plane, the Antonov 124, was built to move Soviet military vehicles and equipment.

A trip aboard one of the world's most expensive and sought-after train rides details the journey for both passengers and crew.

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.

New colourized footage and testimony reveal the true cost paid by the Allies and civilians to free Belgium and the Netherlands from Nazi occupation.

Travelling up the coast of New Zealand in style aboard the Coastal Pacific, a train that embodies the nation's spirit of grit and determination; for two years, this ride was shut down due to an earthquake in 2016.

VIA Rail's passenger train travels between Vancouver and Toronto on four-day, four-night journey that cater to everyone.

Norwegian Joy sails amid icebergs in Alaska's Inside Passage, treating guests to glaciers, humpback whales, and the largest zip line in the world.

The Paul Gauguin offers five-star luxury while sailing near the coral reefs, mountainous islands and tropical playgrounds of French Polynesia.

New luxury liner Le Soleal navigates the uncharted waters of Indonesia to give her passengers one-of-a-kind encounters at exotic destinations.