Mayday S04E07 - Out Of Sight (1986 Cerritos mid-air collision)
Mayday (2003)
S04E07 Out Of Sight (1986 Cerritos mid-air collision)
Episode Overview
On August 31, 1986, a tragic incident occurred when Aeroméxico Flight 498, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9, collided with a small aircraft over Cerritos, California. The collision resulted in both planes spiraling out of control and crashing, claiming the lives of 82 individuals. The disaster stemmed from the pilots' failure to visually identify the other aircraft, compounded by the absence of automated collision warning systems. This heartbreaking event ultimately led to the development of the traffic collision avoidance system to enhance air safety in the future.