Two Planes, One Disaster! | Mayday Air Disaster

In July 2002, tragedy struck when Bashkirian Airlines Flight 2937 and DHL Flight 611 collided midair over Germany. Discover the errors and events leading to this devastating Zurich tragedy, caused by air traffic control and pilot error.
Mayday Air Disaster S02 E04
0:00 Emergency Over Germany
1:02 Collision Course Begins
3:37 Children’s Dream Trip
8:41 Air Traffic Control Error
14:31 Midair Collision Imminent
19:00 Plane Collision Impact
24:42 Families’ Tragic Loss
33:39 Investigations and Aftermath
44:07 Sky Guide's Responsibility
51:03 Remembering the Victims
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Welcome to Mayday Air Disasters! This riveting series delves into the world's most catastrophic aviation accidents, uncovering the causes and consequences of each tragic event. Through expert analysis, compelling reenactments, and survivor testimonies, we explore how and why these disasters occurred. Join us as we investigate the crucial lessons learned from these incidents, aiming to make the skies safer for everyone.
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[@natehill8069]

Having one guy control traffic on two different screens and have to roll back and forth is insane. And to not have ANY form of telephone isnt a lot better.

[@Moo2oob]

Decisions made by those who don't do the actual work. They are called "Managers".

[@paulklaes816]

The moment the work crew informed him they were going to be working on the radar so it wouldn't be as effective, he should have had someone call the other controller back in. One controller handling 2 screens that far apart is bad enough when everything is working at optimal efficiency.

[@mariopalos9238]

The odds of the two planes arriving at the same spot boggles the mind.

[@natehill8069]

That used to be official air traffic control policy. Until 1956.

[@jfh667]

They follow virtual lines in the sky. And they go to the same places. They inevitably cross path.

[@mariopalos9238]

@@jfh667 Still, when you consider the different speeds and angles they were moving at. The timing that was required for both planes to converge.

[@marcbloemen2082]

They don't really though, do they.

[@user-ss6bm3vx7v]

Actually very easy...there are flight paths...and every plane use them.

[@KatVog]

I feel bad for everyone involved. That controller didn't do that on purpose. He had to live with that horror every day in his mind.

[@shoepanda]

Yeah. And then paid with his life. :(

[@greenpegatrix3773]

I can imagine something happening with the controller who went on break. "If only I was there..."

[@scotthayes4135]

The man that lost his whole family in that tragedy murdered Peter Nelson in an act of revenge. Still that didn't bring his family back and it made him a wanted criminal. Like the moral of a story by Edgar Allen Poe. To get revenge one must commit a crime.

[@georgestroudukian6227]

@@scotthayes4135 He spent a few years in jail and then was released.

[@georgestroudukian6227]

@@shoepanda According to Kaloyev, Nielsen showed no signs of remorse, but on the contrary behaved with arrogance and contempt. Like the Swiss do.

[@starry53]

Lack of manpower in the control tower really impacts the incident the most. Human error, yes. But it was not truly his fault. Also the machine can be part of it too.

[@gaminghamz2024]

True

[@lihuanhuan2003]

True

[@KabukeeJo]

SkyGuide Management is fully responsible for this tragedy. Sadly, it was the controller and 2 planes full of people that paid the price. RIP to all those lost.

[@lesleymorgan01]

The Controller was also a victim. And so many people blamed the victim instead of the real culprit: a corporation.

[@jfh667]

No radar, no phone, no TCAS. Go figure something went wrong. At least both screens were on the same floor.

[@Josh.Davidson]

They had TCAS. The Russian pilots ignored it.

[@MegaFieldy1]

@@Josh.Davidsonhave you watched the episode?

[@Josh.Davidson]

@@MegaFieldy1 yes, which is why I commented. Did you?

[@scottirvine121]

Think he meant no STCA for the controller

[@gregmiller9710]

..when you compare your own problems of today with what these poor folks have suffered you realize you really ain't got no problems...

[@renasauceman]

This one was hard to watch. So many lives touched in this one accident.

[@larrypatterson5363]

Yes, but clearly this is one of the best produced episodes I’ve ever seen. An amazing story!

[@user-ss6bm3vx7v]

Jesus people are sensitive.I bet worst things happen , every day, near YOU!!!!!!

[@jlthomas531]

Yayyy they brought the old narrator back!!!!

[@Soffity]

I think they had different narrators depending on which country they were selling it to. Jonathan Aris is my favourite narrator too. He is just great. He has done all the Australian released ones since season 2. I think they are now up to season 22. They are so well done, interesting and frightening all at once. Greg Fieth is my favourite investigator. He now has a KZbin channel with a couple of other retired investigators. I must have watched this one 10 times. It’s beyond tragic on so many levels. All the best to a fellow J. Aris appreciator. 🌈🦘

[@ArmenianKingdom]

@@Soffity I can't even watch if someone else presents the documentary. This gentleman really feels with us. and these documentaries are monumental ; we pray, we suffer, we share victims' pain. it is very important.

[@jameswest8280]

That's because it's a reupload.

[@MikeDCWeld]

This is exactly why TCAS RA's *_ALWAYS_* override any and all ATC instructions until it is resolved!

[@greenpegatrix3773]

Unfortunately, that didn't become the international standard until after this accident.

[@cheery-hex]

tbh if I were a pilot in that situation I'd prob follow ATC b/c I'd figure they could see better than me how the planes are positioned

[@lisaborsella5412]

The incredible reenactment is heartbreaking!💔

[@StefaniClowdis]

Think about the other guy on a break….when that much equipment isn’t working, go get him

[@FNaveed23]

The actors’ resemblance to the pilots is remarkable

[@differenttakethanmost]

47:14 THAT “standard practice” is pure insanity.

[@Sahilprakash1999]

8:28 Wow, that kid was a really smart artist

[@coolcat8b]

was

[@timothyconard2825]

A top five episode, no doubt.

[@Vic-xq9us]

A very well constructed and educational docu and the reenactment is powerful and yet so sad. Sympathy to all the families ; I was especially struck by the man (the architect) who lost his entire family.

[@huntergreene9781]

So SkyGuide management had mysterious technicians come in to do random maintenance of which the controllers were unaware? Yet they threw Peter under the bus. This system maintenance should have been properly coordinated to ensure all hands were on deck due to the faulty delayed system and downed phone lines. Peter is not at all to be blamed.

[@br4nd0nh347]

Something we could learn by this is that you should know, even generally, how your systems and alerts work. Even before it was standardized (listening to TCAS first), knowing how TCAS works would help you make an informed decision (which may conflict with ATC) since at the end of it all, the pilot has control of the aircraft.

[@bobjones9727]

Why didn't the controller call back the other controller who was on a break as soon as the workload picked expectantly and surely when the maintenance people requested to remove from service several critical systems???

[@cheery-hex]

not only was he insanely busy, the other guy was prob outside not near a phone. Also quite experienced so maybe he thought he could handle it. the vid said he was unaware that smthg needed wasn't working properly

[@aiz-amazing3945]

This is the most heartbraking reenactment 😢😢😢. So sad. No survivor. Midair.

[@vahanyazarian5582]

Deeply touched because it was not fiction. R.I. P.

[@jlthomas531]

So Sad 😢 if the travel agency didn't bumble the first jet and caused the children to miss it, they would all probably still be alive.. so sad I can only imagine the person responsible for that mistake feels a tremendous amount of guilt 😢💔

[@jagirl966]

The controller wasn't put in the best conditions for this. Even so, he felt bad enough. The only good that came of this, as with all disasters, is the updated safety regulations that are SUPPOSE to be followed, but we know companies will find loopholes and shortcuts.

[@gaminghamz2024]

I hate the travel agency

[@coolcat8b]

You mean the company responsible for this. Skyguide put one controller in charge of two radars, then removed most of the tools he needed to control air traffic, then gave him a coin to flip to decide on a last minute emergency. That collision is Skyguide's fault, and the death of those children is the end result of a weird string of random events (travel agency made them miss their flight, etc.)

[@Soffity]

There were five pilots in the cockpit on Qantas 32 when engine 2 exploded after take off from Singapore. The two check captains knew the captain in the left seat was in charge and the five of them worked and resourced together to bring 😊 the crippled A 380 back to Singapore with all on board safe and sound. This accident in 2002 certainly brought following TCAS over ATC to the fore but like most accidents it was a chapter of faults starting with the wrong airport. However Sky Guide to me should never have had Peter working alone with all the maintenance going on around him and his colleague on an extended break. I still don’t understand why the two planes were at the same altitude in the first place, I thought they had corridors in the sky where depending on which direction you were going you had to be at a specific altitude. If anyone can explain this over sight to me I’d be interested to read it. This happened 22 years ago. I hope the families have found some peace.

[@Geronimo2Fly]

I will never understand why those Russian pilots didn't say, "But TCAS is telling us to climb!" Then Nielsen would've known that TCAS was telling the other pilots to descend. Why did they muddle through without expressing their concern and confusion to ATC? I know it's easy to armchair quarterback, but this seems so obvious. In any event, the people truly responsible for this tragedy are the management at ATC. They NEVER should have arranged for critical equipment to be shut down without ensuring extra personnel would be on duty that night to handle any issues.

[@jetblackjoy]

Because this was not the procedure? People do what they are trained to do under stress but everyone is smart in their armchair (especially when there are some Russians to blame).

[@cheery-hex]

they were literally cut off by ATC b/c (ATC) was dealing with another plane and couldn't respond for 23 seconds. It says so in the video

[@jamestew5075]

I

[@Wildrover82]

Waiting for all the brats who will complain they've seen this already. Watch something else then. Simple as that.👊

[@HansDurchdenwald]

Facts

[@greenpegatrix3773]

There seem to be rerunning season 1. At least they made it available internationally this time.

[@ChrisPBacon-gt3nq]

!!!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@katrinarucker2326]

Sure, they can start with the playlist. There, they can find this exact SAME EPISODE with a DIFFERENT TITLE! So stop complaining about why other "BRATS" you call them complaining about reuploads. Keep scrolling if you don't like it. Simple as that.

[@Wildrover82]

@@katrinarucker2326 unsubscribe from the channel if it upsets you that much.

[@F7Aengineer]

It's sad story over all all those kids Robbed of a bright future

[@sharonhaywood2818]

You can clearly see that that man was out of his mind he showed the control of pictures and then he stabbed them not knowing that they can take the pictures and track them back to him. I feel so sorry for them

[@beckylynn209]

What a miracle that the dad found his little girl's necklace.. Poor man lost his entire family.. What a mess.. All those bright children, God help the families.. 😞

[@barry7608]

The issue between air traffic controllers and TCAS had already been exposed via the near collision involving the 2 Japanese planes. It's the authorities who had FAILED to see a clear communication issue and did nothing to clarify WHICH instruction should be followed. This is where the problem originated, by well paid authorities sitting on their hands. I have been a safety officer in an entirely different field, and I became aware of the 'brick walls' encountered at company and controlling authority level when safety requires changes. Too lazy, too arrogant and too self important to be concerned with a 'possible' safety issue raised from those below their lofty pay scale. I resigned my position simply because of these pigheaded attitudes.

[@ArmenianKingdom]

to blame only on controller was wrong. but the man was out of his mind because of grief.

[@linda10989]

I don't condone what he did, but as a mother I understand why.

[@ombrepark4315]

I hope he spent many years in jail.

[@satiricalzero]

@@ombrepark4315 He didnt spend long in jail, and he got an award when he got back home

[@ombrepark4315]

@@satiricalzero oh, how disgusting. :(

[@cheery-hex]

@@satiricalzero wut

[@moto__shark]

My grandfather used to fly a TU-154 in the Soviet days.

[@trianrobloxgaming8363]

Rest in peace 😢😢

[@danknate]

2 Planes, 1 Disaster..... what a title

[@user-gf6pn2lx2t]

One of the saddest air crashes which.. which could have been avoided easily

[@zayastorms8069]

Idk why I come back, it’s all reuplods

[@jlthomas531]

Aviation addiction?

[@Ezra411st]

I don't even know it's just a morbid thing to watch ig

[@gregmiller9710]

..hope....and one maybe ya missed is on....^^

[@zayastorms8069]

@@jlthomas531I think I read the tone wrong, but probably

[@zayastorms8069]

@@gregmiller9710yeah

[@natehill8069]

Did the outgoing shift not brief the incoming shift that capabilities were drastically reduced? What do they do at shift change, just high five at the door?

[@coolcat8b]

Because it happened after they changed shifts. Watch the video again.

[@sharonhaywood2818]

That's common sense not to leave one man monitoring more than one screen that is common sense.

[@xanseviera]

lama sgt kawan2 dia pergi mengopi

[@nurrizadjatmiko21]

This reupload video episode is way better than before and pretty hard to watch😢. This is also one of the most tragic aviation accidents that i have ever learn. That controller was not really guilty for the accident.

[@sharonhaywood2818]

If he was robbed of all the technical support he needed he should have notified his supervisor everybody is at fault!

[@Barbara-yh3gg]

Me too.

[@maximodakila2873]

The families should be compensated by the SkyGuide

[@StefaniClowdis]

I cannot believe the ATC

[@synstreamings]

There are more things than meets the eye. It was sadly a chain of critical events!

[@MikeDCWeld]

Peter should never have cleared DHL to FL360 in the first place. Putting him at FL350 would have likely satisfied the DHL crew's request for increased altitude while ensuring appropriate separation fromthe other traffic present in the sector. That said, if he had been kept distracted just a little longer, or the other control center had been allowed to contact the planes directly, this likely could have been a mere incident instead of an accident.

[@crilleboys]

Rip Peter

[@lisaborsella5412]

😢

[@katrinarucker2326]

More reuploads. I guess KZbin don't want to put in new episodes or new seasons in. Here's a thought. If you're wondering why people are complaining about reuploads, go to the playlist. You'd be shocked by how many times these episodes get played over and over with a different or misleading titles.

[@zainabxim88]

The guy who killed the controller bro he did so wrong but we can feel him 😢💔💔He lost his whole family

[@vitahah91]

Result of deep russian propaganda. The whole nation is fully filled with it. In russia, they blamed the controller on day one with no evidence.

[@girl1213]

And now the controller's family lost him and are angry at the guy who murdered him The cycle of revenge never gives any peace

[@zainabxim88]

@@girl1213 true that's heartbreaking💔

[@cheery-hex]

yeah but he only made more children suffer... Peter's kids and wife

[@zainabxim88]

@@cheery-hex I agree 💔

[@stephenmapeka7774]

It's easy for me to judge but what i know&it makes perfect sense, If ATC&aircraft's TCAS give contradictory warnings pilots are instructed to follow TCAS.Pilots of flight 2937 didnt and followed instructions from ATC.

[@ladonnaramirez4467]

The air traffic controller should have had his name changed and gone into hiding. Noone wanted this to happen but people tend to use anger & blame when dealing with grief. So tragic.😢

[@FredyArcanta]

In the name of cost reduction ...

[@WLT-me]

is this plane filled with children (i am a child)

[@WLT-me]

yes

[@mvrielen]

The German accent is so funny 😂 (I’m german myself) haha

[@DARKSIDE-99nine]

cant they just calculate the time and avoid a point of intersection even if the planes are hundreds of feets above and below each other

[@ChrisPBacon-gt3nq]

Oh good !!!!! A new one I’ve already seen 26 times !! 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@cheery-hex]

that's so funny I thought I'd seen every aircrash video only to discover I had never seen this one

[@Bill_Dippertly]

Why are these videos like 1990’s PBS documentaries.

[@differenttakethanmost]

😂🤣😂 bc they ARE 🤦🏻‍♀️

[@Bill_Dippertly]

@@differenttakethanmost 😂

[@ChrisPBacon-gt3nq]

!!!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@shanesingh4293]

Mom: he needed some rest and it was a good opportunity for a summer holiday.. Forces of the universe: I will take him away forever 😢😢😢😢

[@WLT-me]

rip the cvs

[@cheery-hex]

this is all very final destination. poor Peter. no-one is to blame here

[@theemptyone7650]

Except Peter himself to some extent

[@Martinezalex007]

Peter was killed

[@natehill8069]

If its not written policy someplace (BEFORE the accident) that you HAVE to obey TCAS over ATC, then no, it was not an "error" for the Russian crew to obey ATC over TCAS and given Russian (and worse - Soviet) culture it was very predictable what would happen. I can understand nobody having thought of it beforehand. But after the Japan incident, it should have been obvious. All these overlapping governmental agencies want control of everything they can get their hands on, this would have been one place where ICAO actually SHOULD have taken the initiative and issued a policy. One month would have been a reasonable time period. 2 years is a joke, make them give their budget back, fire everyone and replace them with workers, instead of bureaucrats.

[@maramba32]

shouldnt be in the same altitude with other planes.

[@_framedlife]

I am still thinking why'd they need 5 pilots

[@ChrisPBacon-gt3nq]

We need new episodes regardless of the human cost 🤣🤣

[@cheery-hex]

ikr LOL

[@Arby1981]

lol

[@scotthayes4135]

If the tourist agency had taken the kids to right airport to begin with then the tragedy never would have happened.

[@darlawittmier1793]

So far from this channel is don't fly at night 😮

[@ChrisPBacon-gt3nq]

!!!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@Barbara-yh3gg]

All he had to do was ask the lady next to him to help him.

[@huntergreene9781]

She had an entirely different role and probably was not trained in whatever he was doing?

[@startupedition6874]

Admit it, you searched this after seeing the 1956 Grand Canyon collision episode

[@bottecchia1214]

Best pilots in the world that time the Soviet pilots,why you wouldn't accept?

[@stevewheatley243]

I keep hoping but it's always the same old videos. Smh.

[@ChrisPBacon-gt3nq]

!!!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@Arby1981]

Its a June tragedy thats why..

[@user-fj2ux4el9x]

😪😪😪

[@kevinwatson3874]

Take a video that is 15 years old .......... rename it .......... and post it on You Tube every few months as new !

[@---xv3zf]

There are newer episodes on torrent sites

[@skylarpedersen1]

its not 15 years old

[@ChrisPBacon-gt3nq]

!!!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@Go_Against_The_Flow]

Controller was indeed careless. 😡 Despite knowing the gravity of the situation, he just instructed one plane and carelessly moved onto the other screen.

[@StefaniClowdis]

The other ATC should have broken the international rules…

[@trishalaxman8209]

Please post new content 😒 y recycling old episodes 🤔

[@Cursedconsolename]

First one here!

[@yeahnoonecaresifyouarefirst]

😂❤

[@herstory911]

You have gone A/I. Fake.

[@satiricalzero]

This is from 2005 so what are you even talking about.

[@herstory911]

The show was reproduced, but you just look at what you see and never mind me.

[@Carla-by9rg]

I HATE THAT ALL THOSE CHILDREN HAD TO DIE. I'M SORRY BUT I BLAME THE DUDE THAT "HAD TO TAKE AN EXTENDED BREAK*..... NOT WHEN LIVES ARE ON THE LINE DUDE NO!!!!!!!!!

[@CrackheadHuntersDopeDealer]

31:50 Too bad we didn't see how evil the media was back then!