THE SIGHT & THE SOUND : Swissair MD-11 HB-IWF documentary from Seoul-Kimpo to Zurich

ILL-FATED SWISSAIR MD-11 HB-IWF SEOUL (SEL) - ZURICH
DECEMBER 17, 1996
In order to spend X-Mas with my family in Switzerland and to visit friends later in Leipzig and Berlin in December 1996, another longhaul flight onboard Swissair's MD-11 was on the agenda back in December 1996, my second flight from South Korea to Europe within one month.
This video features a flight onboard the ill-fated Swissair MD-11 HB-IWF "Vaud" from old Seoul-Kimpo Airport to Zurich, using the "Olympic route" the first time, saving a full hour flying time, because flights to Europe were allowed to use the direct route between Seoul and Beijing.
Even though this is old footage, I do hope, you get an idea of the inflight feeling onboard Business Class on a longhaul flight onboard Swissair almost 20 years ago, despite the tragic circumstances of this aircraft.
History of MD-11 HB-IWF
Airframe 48448 was manufactured 1991 and delivered to Swissair, registered HB-IWF, August 5, 1991. HB-IWF was named “Schaffhausen”, later “Vaud”. HB-IWF was destroyed on Swissair flight SR 111 on September 2, 1998, crashing into the sea at Peggy’s Cove, Canada, 35 nm from Halifax, killing all 229 passengers and crew members on board.
Enjoy with me the Sights & Sounds of Classic Aviation.
Thank you for watching my channel.
Flight details
Flight : SR 177
Date : Tuesday, December 17, 1996
Aircraft : MD-11
Registration : HB-IWF
Name : Vaud
Built : 1991
From : Seoul (SEL)
To : Zurich (ZRH)
Take off : 14.42 h (0542 UTC)
Touch down : 18.23 h (1723 UTC)
Flying time : 11 hours 41 minutes
Flying distance : 9.657 km
Altitude : 9.600 / 10.700 m
Speed : 731 / 850 / 903 km/h
Flight Captain : Altimatt, Rolf
Cabin Crew : Ahn, Mijin

[@JMsoo]

it gives me chills thinking about how this craft ended up

[@smoothflying]

Yep!

[@yz8152]

RIP swiss flight 111

[@fgrau7376]

Oh please. Grow Up

[@kirilmihaylov1934]

@@fgrau7376 why

[@kirilmihaylov1934]

@@quangminhnguyen2504 don't know

[@TijmensAviation]

This makes me sad... Vaud, you were an absolutely amazing aircraft!

[@jeannineweber5721]

I believe, that many of us will never forget this MD - 11 Vaud. Tears are still here inside.

[@vakzy319]

@@jeannineweber5721 my favorite plane is Vaud HB-IWF and it's also give me the tears among the 229 passengers aboard SWR 111

[@vincentmct5322]

Its so disturbing to see the aircraft where your aunt lost her life.. And its strange to see it works, I can't explain this feeling..

[@franciscohussein3244]

Vincent Mct rip

[@tasakliyizcukluyuzankaraguclyz]

so sorry for your loss mate rip...

[@madaltitude]

Rip, condolences for your aunt's loss ;(

[@rupalrughanithakkar5988]

Sorry for you

[@kirstenschafer1719]

My condolences for you! I really hope, you found comfort! Love and memory remain. Forever! May all the victims rest in the Glory of God! I know the pain, loosing beloved people...warm regards from Germany 💕

[@Mythbuster3808]

Very weird feeling watching this video knowing what happened.

[@ChevyBM]

The MD-11 was a beautiful aircraft and really quiet and roomy also, weird to know that in about 2 years this one was in the terrible accident :(

[@FLT111]

It's interesting to think, whatever we're hearing/seeing now, is exactly what the crew and passengers heard and experienced aboard flight 111.

[@louisbrasil4090]

+FLT111 And we are in business class where you're supposed to find the inflight entertainment system that doomed SR111.

[@compazine]

+Daniel Frohriep-Ichihara The inflight entertainment system was installed in a way which was non-compliant with the MD-11's original type certificate. However, the regulations governing installation were interpreted as allowing approval of system-to-aircraft integration designs which were not compliant with an aircraft's original type certificate. The accident investigation brought to light the fact that both the regulation and certificate requirements were working at cross-purposes to each other. Even though an arced wire from this system along with inadequately fire-proofed insulation blankets started the fire, the way it was installed had nothing to do with it arcing; rather, it was a coincidence.

[@castorini]

yes

[@ryanlittleton5615]

I've always found videos like these fascinating.

[@fabioxpieta]

Nice!!!! Finally videos with just sounds onboard! This is what aviation lovers want. No background boring musics and someone talking almost always useless subjects. Congragulations!!!

[@upontheventura]

From my limited human perception- Its unthinkable that this aircraft was literally disintegrated within 1 second. I read the rear met the front of aircraft in a fraction of a second. Mercifully there was no physical suffering for the passengers.. (Its unknown as far as what the pilots really went through but one of them was in the cockpit and trying to fight the fire I believe) it sounds like the smoke may have reached 1st class cabin shortly before the crash. This is a haunting and moving video and I keep those folks and their families in my prayers.

[@GabrielViana-mg3vh]

It was 22 years ago from today, I will always remember Vaud.

[@louisbrasil4090]

Interesting really interesting, but very sad too. knowing that 229 died 1 year 9 months and 14 days later inside this MD11 just because of a fire caused by the on board technology for first and business class. I'm feeling closer to the SR111 victims now. Anyway nice video.

[@noodlehome]

Very interresting than you made this kind of video in 1996! Cool :-)

[@pcorf]

This MD11 shattered into over a million of pieces when it crashed almost 2 years later. No bodies were intact. It was a very violent crash.

[@originalpadoru]

Pcorf Creations one body was

[@Vxllain]

only one body was intact

[@mcdonnelldouglasmd-1124]

What?

[@kirilmihaylov1934]

@@Vxllain which one

[@Vxllain]

@@kirilmihaylov1934 idk

[@smasherplaysrb4958]

Oh my goodness! This is the first time i've seen the cabin of the ill-fated plane....

[@jorgelcosta0121]

Hello Dear Daniel. This video about the MD-11, made me a little sad. And the reason is: I am in love with this wonderful aircraft. I know a lot about her. I flew in this wonder. A 4 hour flight. Wonderful. Nowadays, they are in some desert, abandoned to the time, or, many already destroyed. For me, the most beautiful ever built. It was very bad that McDonnel missed the timing for its launch. As a passenger aircraft, it was not profitable for companies, but as a CARGO, it was unbeatable at the time. The MD-11 incorporated many advances, such as, only 2 crew members, Winglets on the tips of the wings, and digital avionics. However, soon after, the Boeing 757 appeared. And so, the end of the MD-11 was decreed. 2 engines consume less than 3. **September 2, 1998, a Swissair MD-11, with HB-IWF matrix, departed at 8:18 pm from New York on the regular SR111 flight to Geneva. 54 minutes after takeoff, the crew reports problems on board and requests a landing in Boston. A few minutes later, he declares an emergency and requests a landing at the nearest airport (Halifax), declaring that there is smoke in the cabin. The crew requests to be vectored to an area over the sea in order to dump fuel, since the MD-11 was then above its maximum landing weight. The MD-11 starts a left turn and soon after, contact with Halifax is lost. Minutes before the crash, CVR and FDR stopped recording data, probably shut down by fire or a short circuit. The situation within the MD-11 deteriorates rapidly. Crew members lose the ability to control the aircraft, which dives and falls into the sea, just a few kilometers from the coast. The 229 occupants die.**

[@lizzie9300]

From 27:00 forward, your Swissair Flight SR177 from Seoul-Zurich on December 17, 1996 and nighttime aboard HB-IWF is VERY eerie! The entire nighttime portion of your Swissair flight on Vaud HB-IWF is eerie. After all, the ill-fated transatlantic New York-Geneva flight that this same Swissair MD-11 performed 21 months after your flight and this video was shot, was a nighttime transatlantic flight!

[@GBOAGMach2]

RIP IWF :( - Great video!

[@lizzie9300]

At 27:00 and for the rest of the video (and your flight!), night-fall and the night taking hold of your Swissair Flight SR177 from Seoul-Zurich on 12/17/1996 is so eerie! After all, Swissair Flight SR111 approximately 21 months after your trip on the same Swissair MD-11 aircraft and this video, was a nighttime flight!

[@Starboard76]

Wow! Wow! Wow!...where do I start? First, that you flew on this particular aircraft AND videotaped it! You must be only person with proof that you did on the internet! As an American who grew up in Japan & Taiwan - Sungshan Airport in downtown Taipei is where I took my first photos of airliners - because they zoomed right over your head landing everyday, I was hooked for life! Although none of your videos feature that airport, your fantastic collection features an airport I have long lived top see...the original Kimpo in Seoul hardly any photos exist of it! Let alone actual video...that is until you shared enormous amounts of it on your channel - THANK YOU! Kimpo is important to me because as a kid, I spotted the Korean Airlines fleet that originated there from Seoul to Taipei and beyond. KAL brought in their 727s, 720s, 707s (my favorite above all) & DC-8s! I just wish I had the foresight to get a super 8mm or 16mm and caught all that! Although, I did not..your great focus and sense to permanently document what you captured brings me to the doorstep of my past and provide insight to an airport I dreamed about! Just in hopes of spotting some 707s anywhere...I will not stop till I've seen ALL of your uploads...thank you again! You've done aviation history a great and immortal service!

[@Starboard76]

Daniel..I'm truly impressed by what you have accomplished! I will google those clips ASAP! Really??? Hundreds of Videos??? Please tell me you are exaggerating because I might have to arrange a flight over to you to assist you in anyway I can! But again, I know I'm not alone in deep appreciation of all you have done!

[@lizzie9300]

You know, if my folks & I (I was only 6 years old- going on 7- at the time you shot this video footage of your trip, only to turn 7 three months later on 14 March 1997) were traveling on your flight on that day- on December 17th, 1996- from Seoul-Kimpo in South Korea 🇰🇷 to Zurich, Switzerland 🇨🇭, as a child I would have been really excited to be flying on a Swissair MD-11 shortly before Christmas 🎄🎅🏻✝️ and openly expressed that excitement at the gate before boarding as well as on the plane. However, nevertheless, I never could have imagined what was to come to this one particular Swissair MD-11 (HB-IWF)- one year and nine months after your flight on this video during your trip took place! 😖😣😞🕯️⚰️🙏 My intuition/instincts tell me that, as you shot this video as you were traveling that day 12/17/1996 from Seoul to Zurich onboard Swissair’s HB-IWF, you probably never could have imagined that the same MD-11 you were traveling on, would have very serious issues with a new inflight-entertainment system that was installed, and then

[@saviodesilva7933]

Classic md11 memories. Thanks for making this timeless video! :))

[@lizzie9300]

If any of the families of the 229 passengers and crew aboard this same Swissair MD-11 HB-IWF “Vaud” performing a New York-Geneva flight

[@JamesArthurMuller]

I love your page. My mother worked for SR for 30 plus years, so it is always so nice to remember what flying them was like. I still have amenities kits from Business class and I have the exact coffee cups that are in your video. :-) Swissair is very missed!

[@JamesArthurMuller]

+Daniel Frohriep-Ichihara anytime! hope to see more!

[@apieceofdirt4681]

Damn. This guy was on the SA-111 plane. Glad they hadn’t installed the in flight entertainment yet.

[@smoothflying]

Doesn't mean it would burn down directly they installed it, I mean the aircraft flew some flight´s before it overheated....

[@lockervomhocker9795]

@@smoothflying That is true. Some flights before crash stewardess noticed that unusual smell. but nothing happens

[@proxiimatedd]

Actually its fine with the in-flight entertainment, but however they should have the turn off and on switch and a cooling system

[@kirilmihaylov1934]

@@lockervomhocker9795 seriously?

[@windshearahead7012]

@@lockervomhocker9795 thats BS. The only time you would notice the smell is when it's already burning up. Which was when it crashed. Also, any unusual smells leads to the airplane turning back to the airport.

[@safeinmyheart1]

Great video. Thanks for posting. 😊

[@sebastianliksza9892]

A trip report from gone times when it was not common to prepare them. if only there were more movies like this.

[@coconutdreams1238]

24:20 I don't know why they put stars there, but it's so wholesome Edit: It feels weird saying this and thinking about the fact that it's the exact MD-11 that crashed into the sea

[@dimitriskotsks389]

It was a week before Christmas

[@coconutdreams1238]

@@dimitriskotsks389 Ohhh, well that makes sense of course. If I recall correctly, they also had sunflowers instead of stars in another video.

[@lizzie9300]

It’s nice that they put on a joyful act in decorating the cabin for Christmas with sticker stars ⭐️, and later with sticker sunflowers 🌻, yet very sad 😢 at the same time. After all, this is the one fateful Swissair MD-11- HB-IWF “Vaud”- that went down in the Atlantic off the coast of Canada’s Nova Scotia Peninsula on a regular scheduled transatlantic New York-Geneva flight with 229 passengers and crew aboard. 😭😭😭😭😭😭

[@goodfella2400]

11 hours 41 min is a respectable flight time for the MD-11.

[@mcdonnelldouglasmd-1124]

They flew up to 15 Hours.

[@Vxllain]

sad knowing what happened to this craft nd its passengers 2 yrs later

[@FLT111]

THANK YOU!

[@originalpadoru]

Just seeing the exact plane that crashed in SWR 111

[@zms8092]

Oye, it’s rough to think that this is the very SwissAir MD11 that crashed. RIP to all onboard.

[@DannyGoldingTV]

This flight/video took place EXACTLY a month before I was born!!!! Interesting to see a trip vid from before I was even alive and crazy to think what happened on this aircraft only a year and a half later :( The food on the flight looked really good I noticed the air phone at 24:54 were those popular in the 90s and early 2000s? They of course played a big role in the 9/11 attacks.

[@miausculos_xd]

R.I.P VAUD 1990-1998

[@kirilmihaylov1934]

1991

[@dmitriypopykin2003]

HB-IWF The plane that crashed in 1998

[@yoosufslenses4799]

Rest in peace Vaud!😔💔🙏🏼💪🏻

[@fse30]

Thank you for this Video! I cannot imagine what it must feel - thinking in hindsight - that you ended up flying in what turned out to be a ticking time bomb (The installation of the new 1st Class Entertainment System was I believe well after you boarded the flight that day)... Many of us don't ever experience anything like a 'close shave' such as this from an aviation perspective...

[@thomasw2096]

Swissair 111: 20 years ago already 😢

[@smoothflying]

Yess

[@Vxllain]

22 years ago today

[@marlenejojo1]

Before they installed the new entertainment system that ultimately brought the plane down. RIP to so many people

[@embrj1453]

I remembered this accident, just to think that you were flying in a time bomb...

[@gusangga7630]

RIP HB-IWF 😭🙏

[@sigwx1]

At 21:00 I see a brazilian brewered beer Antarctica, didn't swiss make home made beer at that time ?

[@wisnuadiputra4843]

R.I.P MD - 11 Swissair HB - IWF ( 1991 - 1998 )

[@airborne8102]

Love the PW4000 sound!

[@marcusbrodkorb9513]

Sad what happened 2 years later with that plane, RIP😢😢😢😢

[@levelat350]

I see you that you have flown on a doomed airframe.

[@levelat350]

+Daniel Frohriep-Ichihara IF you went aboard HB-IWF as a passenger on 9/2/1998 for the New York to Geneva part of the airplane's trip, Who would have been left to record these videos and publish them on the date(s) that you have uploaded the videos?

[@Airplanefan-fk1kd]

Wow 20 years ago

[@EpicThe112]

Swissair flight 111 aircraft and the same in-flight Entertainment System that caused the crash was still used in 2004-2006 on airlines that are based in Asia South Korea Korean Air Republic of the Philippines Philippine Airlines and Hong Kong Cathay Pacific airways

[@johannlgwada971]

It wasn't the in-flight entertainment system that caused the crash. It was the metallized Mylar. If the md11 didn't have metallized Mylar and the check list was good, maybe the plane wouldn't have crashed.

[@johannlgwada971]

The in-flight entertainment system was one of the causes of the crash. In a plane crash, there are always many causes. More than twenties recommandations are communicated to the manufacturers, airlines, FAA, etc.

[@lockervomhocker9795]

0:58 creepy

[@mintoto4184]

OMG This plane was Swiss air 111 !!!

[@dynasty0019]

Pretty eerie that right above those ceiling panels 21:54 two years later would bring down this aircraft.

[@visionist7]

The fire actually started further down above first class

[@lizzie9300]

It’s also eerie that from 27:00 forward for the rest of the video and the flight, Swissair Flight SR177 flew into the night 🌃, night fell, and the cabin at nighttime was videoed. After all, Swissair Flight SR111 approximately 21 months later was a nighttime flight too! A red-eye flight!

[@danielthommen8243]

Ist schon krass wenn man bedenkt was spaeter der HB-IWF MD-11 geschehen ist... R.I.P. Wenn man nur wuesste wie die Geschichte ihren Lauf nimmt, was waere wohl alles anders gemacht worden?...

[@that90skid72]

It looks like the crappy IFE system wasn't yet fitted at the time of that video. This uber-expensive and otherwise unreliable piece of crap was the main reason SR111 went down.

[@originalpadoru]

Jools VK it was installed in 1997, and gosh it wasn’t Swissairs fault it was the installer

[@visionist7]

It was cutting edge technology, nothing "crappy" about it. Not the manufacturer's fault it wasn't installed properly.

[@that90skid72]

@@visionist7 Were you part of IFT at the time?

[@kirilmihaylov1934]

@@originalpadoru what happened

[@originalpadoru]

@@kirilmihaylov1934 wdym? also this was a year ago i forgot anything that happened in sr111

[@levelat350]

23:55 into the video. What is with all the star decorations on the aircraft's cabin walls?

[@gabrieldelacruz4566]

It was christmastime

[@fernandosoares8619]

i guess im crazy because i enjoy a lot the sound aircrafts 80's

[@shivanand7557]

R.I.P. Swissair McDonnell Douglas Md-11 Hotel Bravo India Whiskey Foxtrot (HS-IWF) (1991-1998)

[@Airplanefan-fk1kd]

1990 was its first flight

[@Hoyeons7]

R.I.P..

[@smoothflying]

Did you know that after the crash the IFE boxes where moved back in the fuselage and also some aircraft has devided the IFE boxes into the the cabin so it can be put down quickly

[@dimitriskotsks389]

25.55 there were phones available for the passengers back then?i wonder what was the charge for the use

[@alexpaumen3937]

How loud were those compared to 757's with PW2000's if you've ever been on one?

[@Dana_Danarosana]

I never got on one... but I was on NWA's DC-10-40s (with the Pratt JT-9Ds and they were very quiet and comfortable. Since the MD-11 was a new and improved version of the DC-10 and the Pratt 4000 series were newer, quieter, more powerful, and more efficient JT-9Ds, I'd imagine they were quite quiet.

[@The_Greatest_Bernie]

BRO this md-11 was involucred in SwissAir flight 111

[@giselo66]

ANTARTICA is a beer from Brazil!

[@bellaggio1770]

I flew on a brand new Swissair MD-11 in the mid 90s too, I wonder if it's the one that crashed.

[@kirilmihaylov1934]

Hardly

[@titikwijayanti2454]

Good bye swissair😢😭🙌

[@thuycao7887]

It's Swissair 111

[@smoothflying]

Interesting video, sad this exact aircraft crashed two years after... But where´s the IFE that eventually put the aircraft down

[@Vxllain]

wasn’t installed yet

[@visionist7]

00:25 Press F to pay respects

[@coconutdreams1238]

Literally. Since this is the exact MD-11 that crashed into the sea due to a fire on board caused by the business class's in flight entertainment system. Even creepier that this guy was sitting in business class.

[@StephenLuke]

F

[@antoniodavirbrito]

The pilot of Swissair flight 111 should not turn off the air conditioning of the aircraft and should begin the dumping fuel when the smoke has appeared in the cockpit .

[@dziltener]

That would have made no difference.

[@lockervomhocker9795]

in this case the emergency checklist said, deactivate power for cabin and air condition....at this point the fire was concentrated behind the main swith cabinet of the plane and no longer in the roof where it was before for a long time.

[@proficience7748]

This is sad

[@Aircraft1606.]

This video gives a horrifying perspective of what was going on for the passangers and crew onboard Swissair Flight 111 may they rest in peace 24:54 albeit the flight attendant showing a happy expression I would imagine that this is what was going on during the time that Flight 11 was hijacked 25:01 Nani?

[@FlightSimXtreem]

And it all started with a cable as thick as your pinky :(

[@porusky]

Catering was as bad as its now. Sad to see the bird gone though.

[@Carlito_Brigante93]

Bad? I though it was great!

[@franciscohussein3244]

rip 111

[@mcdonnelldouglasmd-1124]

The Pilot of SR111 had to make the emergency landing in Halifax and not in Boston, Halifax was near to plane and Boston wasn't. Maybe they could land safely in Halifax.

[@visionist7]

Predicted arrival in Halifax was 3 minutes after the plane was lost. Sadly this is one occasion when the pilots did everything perfectly but it wasn't enough.

[@joergholterhoff2450]

and Brasil Beer... ANTARTICA :-)

[@Fiidnrnhr]

Not sure this qualifies as a „documentary“

[@shadymorsi4347]

people who dont know people who know

[@yb6.]

Swiss flight 111

[@HanwhaEagles--TorontoBlueJays]

THAT'S AIR 111???

[@coconutdreams1238]

Yes

[@HanwhaEagles--TorontoBlueJays]

@@coconutdreams1238 Swissair flight 111 right?

[@coconutdreams1238]

@@HanwhaEagles--TorontoBlueJays Yes, HB-IWF is the one involved in that crash

[@HanwhaEagles--TorontoBlueJays]

@@coconutdreams1238 thanks for letting me know

[@coconutdreams1238]

@@HanwhaEagles--TorontoBlueJays No problem!