Film backdrop image for Sabotaged by Autopilot (2012)

20122 minPGnews

Technology Innovation

Sabotaged by Autopilot

20122 minPGnews

Flight 148 crashes into a mountainside due to autopilot system failure moments before landing.

Technology Innovation

Genres

Channel: Smithsonian Channel

Sabotaged by Autopilot

2012• 2 minPG

Synopsis

Flight 148 crashes into a mountainside due to autopilot system failure moments before landing.

Synopsis

The high-tech autopilot system on board flight 148 is designed to enhance safety during flights. However, just minutes before reaching their destination, the system malfunctions and drives the aircraft into a mountainside. This incident highlights critical failures in the autopilot technology, including the absence of the 'Whoop whoop pull up' alert that could have warned the crew. The event is part of the series AIR DISASTERS: The Final Blow, which examines the catastrophic consequences of relying on advanced technology without proper safeguards. The Airbus aircraft's descent rate was incorrectly programmed, leading to this tragic accident.

Comments

What are people saying?

Play More Like This

Boeing's Fatal Flaw (2021)

Boeing's Fatal Flaw

2021•53m•★8.0TMDB

Boeing faced intense scrutiny over its 737 Max airplanes after two fatal crashes raised questions about the company's knowledge of safety issues and regulatory oversight.

Boeing's Fatal Flaw

What Went Wrong: Challenger Disaster, MH370 & Concorde Crash (2024)

What Went Wrong: Challenger Disaster, MH370 & Concorde Crash

Seven astronauts, including Christa McAuliffe, died when the space shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds after launch on January 28, 1986.

What Went Wrong: Challenger Disaster, MH370 & Concorde Crash

Ilya: the AI scientist shaping the world (2023)

Ilya: the AI scientist shaping the world

More than 1,300 tech leaders and researchers are calling for a pause in AI development to assess risks like fake news and automated weapons.

Ilya: the AI scientist shaping the world

Worst Aircraft Fires Caught On Camera (2022)

Worst Aircraft Fires Caught On Camera

Aircraft fires pose significant risks at 30,000 feet, as showcased through real footage and insights into firefighting techniques and aviation safety measures.

Worst Aircraft Fires Caught On Camera

The Fatal Concorde Crash That Killed 109 Passengers (2023)

The Fatal Concorde Crash That Killed 109 Passengers

On July 25, 2000, Air France Flight 4590 crashed shortly after takeoff from Paris, killing all 109 passengers on board and four people on the ground.

The Fatal Concorde Crash That Killed 109 Passengers

Boeing 747's Most Terrifying 10-Kilometer Nose Dive (2026)

Boeing 747's Most Terrifying 10-Kilometer Nose Dive

Boeing 747s and other aircraft face critical challenges when automated systems fail, emphasizing the vital role of pilot training in aviation safety.

Boeing 747's Most Terrifying 10-Kilometer Nose Dive

Deadly Cockpit Mistakes That Led To Plane Crashes (2026)

Deadly Cockpit Mistakes That Led To Plane Crashes

Catastrophic aviation disasters often result from simple cockpit errors, highlighting the critical need for improved communication and adherence to protocols.

Deadly Cockpit Mistakes That Led To Plane Crashes

The Women Changing the Future of the Internet (2022)

The Women Changing the Future of the Internet

Only 5 percent of NFT art sales in 2021 went to women artists, reflecting the gender bias in the male-dominated crypto industry.

The Women Changing the Future of the Internet

Boeing's Killer Plane - What Went Wrong? (2022)

Boeing's Killer Plane - What Went Wrong?

The Boeing 737 MAX, marketed as the future of air travel, faced scrutiny after two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019 raised serious safety concerns.

Boeing's Killer Plane - What Went Wrong?

The Disaster Plane (2024)

The Disaster Plane

The Disaster Plane reveals the tragic crash of Lion Air Flight 610 involving the Boeing 737 MAX.

The Disaster Plane

Tight Spaces, Tighter Deadlines - Mega Metro (2023)

Tight Spaces, Tighter Deadlines - Mega Metro

40,000 workers are engaged in constructing a $50 billion driverless metro system in Sydney, digging over 60 kilometers of tunnels beneath the city.

Tight Spaces, Tighter Deadlines - Mega Metro

Robo Dogs, Robo Spiders: Modern Robotic Engineering based on Animals (2021)

Robo Dogs, Robo Spiders: Modern Robotic Engineering based on Animals

Robotic engineers at Boston Dynamics and other organizations create Smart Robots like Robo Dogs and Robo Spiders to enhance safety and efficiency in hazardous environments.

Robo Dogs, Robo Spiders: Modern Robotic Engineering based on Animals

Explore Sabotaged by Autopilot

Where else to watch

Boeing's Fatal Flaw (2021)

Boeing's Fatal Flaw

2021•53m•★8.0TMDB

Boeing faced intense scrutiny over its 737 Max airplanes after two fatal crashes raised questions about the company's knowledge of safety issues and regulatory oversight.

Boeing's Fatal Flaw

No digital watch option in your country

Downfall: The Case Against Boeing (2022)

Downfall: The Case Against Boeing

2022•1h29m•★7.1TMDB

346 people died in the crashes of two Boeing 737 MAX planes, prompting investigations into the company's safety practices and corporate decisions.

Downfall: The Case Against Boeing

Air Disasters (2011)

Air Disasters

2011•206h15m•★6.7TMDB

Aviation disasters are examined through reenactments, survivor testimonies, and expert analysis, highlighting failures that led to significant safety reforms.

Mayday: The Accident Files (2018)

Mayday: The Accident Files

Each episode examines multiple aviation disasters linked by common factors such as engine failures and mismatched pilot pairings.

Mayday: The Accident Files

Flight/Risk (2022)

Flight/Risk

2022•1h38m•★6.6TMDB

346 people died in the crashes of two Boeing 737 MAX planes, as told through the perspectives of family members, lawyers, and whistleblowers.

Miracle Landing on the Hudson (2014)

Miracle Landing on the Hudson

2014•1h30m•★6.8TMDB

On January 15, 2009, US Airways flight 1549 struck a flock of birds shortly after takeoff, leading to an emergency landing in the Hudson River.

Miracle Landing on the Hudson

VO (2021)

VO

2021•20m•★4.2TMDB

A pedestrian dies in a self-driving car accident, sparking a national debate on the safety and ethics of autonomous vehicles in 2021.

Super Speeders 4 - Head To Head (2008)

Super Speeders 4 - Head To Head

2008•45m•★6.0TMDB

A 90-mile race in Nevada features speeds exceeding 200 mph, with intense head-to-head battles between high-performance cars.

Super Speeders 4 - Head To Head

Browse more like this

What Went Wrong: Challenger Disaster, MH370 & Concorde Crash (2024)

What Went Wrong: Challenger Disaster, MH370 & Concorde Crash

Seven astronauts, including Christa McAuliffe, died when the space shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds after launch on January 28, 1986.

What Went Wrong: Challenger Disaster, MH370 & Concorde Crash

No digital watch option in your country

Worst Aircraft Fires Caught On Camera (2022)

Worst Aircraft Fires Caught On Camera

Aircraft fires pose significant risks at 30,000 feet, as showcased through real footage and insights into firefighting techniques and aviation safety measures.

Worst Aircraft Fires Caught On Camera

No digital watch option in your country

The Fatal Concorde Crash That Killed 109 Passengers (2023)

The Fatal Concorde Crash That Killed 109 Passengers

On July 25, 2000, Air France Flight 4590 crashed shortly after takeoff from Paris, killing all 109 passengers on board and four people on the ground.

The Fatal Concorde Crash That Killed 109 Passengers

No digital watch option in your country

Boeing 747's Most Terrifying 10-Kilometer Nose Dive (2026)

Boeing 747's Most Terrifying 10-Kilometer Nose Dive

Boeing 747s and other aircraft face critical challenges when automated systems fail, emphasizing the vital role of pilot training in aviation safety.

Boeing 747's Most Terrifying 10-Kilometer Nose Dive

No digital watch option in your country

Deadly Cockpit Mistakes That Led To Plane Crashes (2026)

Deadly Cockpit Mistakes That Led To Plane Crashes

Catastrophic aviation disasters often result from simple cockpit errors, highlighting the critical need for improved communication and adherence to protocols.

Deadly Cockpit Mistakes That Led To Plane Crashes

No digital watch option in your country

Boeing's Killer Plane - What Went Wrong? (2022)

Boeing's Killer Plane - What Went Wrong?

The Boeing 737 MAX, marketed as the future of air travel, faced scrutiny after two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019 raised serious safety concerns.

Boeing's Killer Plane - What Went Wrong?

No digital watch option in your country

The Disaster Plane (2024)

The Disaster Plane

The Disaster Plane reveals the tragic crash of Lion Air Flight 610 involving the Boeing 737 MAX.

The Disaster Plane

No digital watch option in your country

Tight Spaces, Tighter Deadlines - Mega Metro (2023)

Tight Spaces, Tighter Deadlines - Mega Metro

40,000 workers are engaged in constructing a $50 billion driverless metro system in Sydney, digging over 60 kilometers of tunnels beneath the city.

Tight Spaces, Tighter Deadlines - Mega Metro

No digital watch option in your country

The Plane Crash (2012)

The Plane Crash

2012•1h•★8.0TMDB

An international team conducts a controlled crash of a Boeing 727 to study crashworthiness and the effects on the human body during forced landings.

The Plane Crash

Crash of Flight 447 (2010)

Crash of Flight 447

2010•54m•★8.3TMDB

All 228 passengers and crew aboard Air France Flight 447 lost their lives when the Airbus A330 disappeared over the Atlantic Ocean on June 1, 2009.

Crash of Flight 447

Concorde's Last Flight (2010)

Concorde's Last Flight

2010•1h12m•★8.7TMDB

Air France Flight AF4590 crashed just outside Paris on July 25, 2000, killing all 109 people on board and marking a significant moment in aviation history.

Concorde's Last Flight

National Geographic: Into the Great Pyramid (2004)

National Geographic: Into the Great Pyramid

2004•1h30m•★8.0TMDB

Advanced robotics are used to explore the Great Pyramid of Giza, uncovering hidden chambers and an ancient sarcophagus related to Old Kingdom burial practices.

National Geographic: Into the Great Pyramid

Bots High (2010)

Bots High

2010•1h24m•★7.0TMDB

Three high school robotics teams compete in Miami, Florida, building powerful robots that face the risk of self-destruction in intense battles.

Is this your film?

If you made this film or hold the rights to it, we'd like to talk. We can license it and pay you a share of what it earns.

License it with us →