On August 24, 2001, Air Transat Flight 236 leaks large amounts of fuel, but the pilots discount the ECAM warnings and the aircraft runs out of fuel. The pilots glide the aircraft to a naval base in the Azores where it lands safely. The post-incident investigation determines that improper maintenance actions during an engine change caused a hydraulic oil pipe and a fuel pipe to touch each other, resulting in the fracture of the fuel pipe.

On Ocotober 2, 1996 the pilots of Aeroperú Flight 603 are confused by false speed and altitude readings and contradictory warnings from the aircraft's air data system, caused by duct tape over the static ports. The pilots descend the aircraft over the Pacific Ocean in preparation for an emergency landing, but it is much lower than the altimeter indicates. One wingtip touches the water and the aircraft crashes seconds later, killing everyone on board.

On January 31, 2000 Alaska Airlines Flight 261 is heading for Seattle via San Francisco but its trimmable horizontal stabilizer jams due to an improperly maintained jackscrew assembly. The stabilizer breaks free from its control system and the aircraft dives inverted into the Pacific Ocean, causing the death of all on board.

On Sept. 2, 1998 a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 operating as Swissair Flight 111 experienced a fire in the cockpit due to faulty wiring. The pilots diverted the aircraft to Halifax, Nova Scotia, but vital systems failed while dumping fuel in preparation for landing. The aircraft crashed into the sea off Peggy's Cove with no survivors.

On Jun 1, 1999 during their pre-landing checks during approach to Little Rock National Airport, the crew of American Airlines Flight 1420 forget to preset the spoilers to extend automatically when the aircraft touches down. The MD-82 overruns the runway and eleven people are killed.

On February 24, 1989, a Boeing 747 operating as United Airlines Flight 811 from Honolulu to Auckland is above the Pacific Ocean when part of the RH forward fuselage rips off. An improperly closed cargo door was blown open by the force of the cabin pressurization. Nine people are ejected from the aircraft; some are still strapped to their seats. The Boeing 747 safely lands back at Honolulu without any more loss of life.

On May 25, 2002, a China Airlines Boeing 747 disintegrated in mid-air and crashed into the Taiwan Strait just 20 minutes after taking off, killing all 225 people on board. The investigation revealed that a tailstrike some 22 years earlier sealed the fate of the aircraft.

Mulder & Scully travel to Idaho in order to investigate the disappearance of a military test pilot. They observe unusual aircraft activity, prompting Mulder to proclaim the existence of a government conspiracy. Mulder sneaks onto the military base and is spotlighted by one of the craft, but is captured by soldiers and has his memory erased before he is released.

...amazing... please notice this was a test; no passengers involved...

Airbus 380 Vmu demo - it brings a whole new meaning to Tail Dragger! Certification: it’s called the Vmu demonstration.. Most non-pilots have never seen this test. During the takeoff roll the pilot rotates the aircraft nose up well below normal V1 rotation speed. The aircraft is not ready to fly so at the high angle of attack the tail hits the runway and drags along until the aircraft obtains sufficient speed to fly itself off the ground. The tail strike is a required certification test where the pilot hits the tail of the aircraft on the runway on purpose and then flies it off the runway showing that it can fly off after the runway scrape. Most aircraft have an oak skid placed on the tail where it is going to hit to minimize any damage to the tail. Two things to notice: Just how big this aircraft is!!!! And, as the aircraft rotates and you can see the elevators, the engine thrust is bouncing off the runway causing the elevators to flap up and down. The elevators on this plane are probably bigger than most planes wing.

“Earning money . . . serious money, is no different than piloting a jet aircraft or baking an apple pie."