Mayday!

May 10 2023 45 ep. 41 mins 5

Mayday! Podcast artwork

A comedy and history podcast for the curious, morbidly curious, and mechanically curious about the tragedies and oddities of flight.

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A Deadly Wind: Delta Airlines 191

May 10 2023 36 mins

Thanks for your patience during Caroline's unexpected hiatus! We're back, with a harrowing tale of fire, destruction, and death. A routine flight from Florida with a stopover in Texas became a tragic nightmare when a powerful storm began to fight Delta Airlines 191. What followed resulted in the death of over 100 people, and the longest trial in aviation history. But what exactly h

Death Spiral: Alaska Airlines 261

Apr 20 2023 49 mins

On January 31, 2000, Alaska Airlines 261 became one of the most infamous flights in history. As pilots from two other planes watched helplessly, the MD-80 aircraft spiraled downward toward the ocean, ending in a violent crash that killed 88 people. But how did this happen? The answer proved to be scandalous, and led to the exposure of airline corruption beyond anyone's worst nightm

Fatal Blade: Southwest Airlines 1380

Mar 30 2023 28 mins

If you knew that one person would be killed on your flight, would you still get on that plane? Unbeknownst to anyone, those were the odds facing the passengers of Southwest 1380 when they boarded the aircraft in spring of 2018. A freak accident would occur that fateful day, tragically taking the life of a beloved person. And if things had happened slightly differently, everyone els

Never Waking Up: Helios 522

Mar 22 2023 31 mins

On an August day in 2005, each and every person on Helios 522 lost consciousness. Inside the cockpit, both pilots were slumped over in their seats, unresponsive. Without any manual input to guide the aircraft, the Boeing 737 flew itself for over an hour. But two hours after takeoff, everyone on board died in a fiery crash. What happened here? Why didn't the pilots take control of t

Cannibalism: The Andes Flight Disaster Part II

Mar 16 2023 68 mins

On our final part of the Andes Flight Disaster series, we cover the grim realities of survival cannibalism, a violent avalanche, and the miraculous rescue of the survivors of Uruguayan Air Force 571. How do you make the impossible decision to consume the body of another person, who you knew and loved? How do survive a natural disaster with no equipment or help? And after everything

Fight to Survive: The Andes Flight Disaster Part I

Mar 08 2023 46 mins

Cannibalism. We're talking about that flight that ended in cannibalism: Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571. But how did this happen? What brought a group of young rugby players, their families, and their friends to resort to survival cannibalism in the remote, desolate Andes? No one thinks they'll ever be in a plane crash, but for these crash victims, they quickly found themselves in a

Volcanic Disruption: British Airways Flight 009

Mar 01 2023 44 mins

Ever wondered what happens if a plane flies through a volcanic eruption? Well, today you can find out! On a beautiful summer day in the 1980s, British Airways 009 took off for what should have been an uneventful flight to Australia. However, their flight was soon disrupted by a bizarre weather phenomenon that the weather radar didn't detect. But despite the ensuing chaos and danger

The Perfect Crime: D.B. Cooper Part III

Feb 22 2023 41 mins

We love the FBI's most wanted list! From possible CIA connections, to Vietnam veterans with a "death wish," the suspects and theories about the identity of D.B. Cooper are endless. In today's episode we cover the FBI's criminal profile and decades-long investigation on D.B. Cooper, discuss likely suspects, and cover a second murder that is wrapped up in this case. Finally, we discl

Murder and Parachutes: D.B. Cooper Part II

Feb 15 2023 40 mins

After the hijacking of Northwest Orient Flight 305, we are left with a staggering number of questions. Where did this hijacker disappear to? Who is he? Is he dead somewhere?! The FBI begins their biggest manhunt of the 20th century, and along the way, they'll find more than they bargained for. Also, a little boy found something that the FBI couldn't. Good job, kid! To hear all abou

A Dynamite Hijacking: D.B. Cooper Part I

Feb 08 2023 44 mins

The last words you want to hear on a plane is, "I have a bomb." But for the flight attendants on board Northwest Orient Airlines 305, those are the exact words spoken to them the night before Thanksgiving in 1971. The elaborate and unusual hijacking that ensued would elude the FBI for over 50 years, and and become one of the world's most fascinating mysteries. Who is D.B. Cooper? W