Air Crash Investigation

In 1972, Eastern Airlines Flight 401 crashed while it was preparing to land during its final approach to Miami Airport. The accident may have resulted from a landing‑gear problem that diverted the pilots' attention, contributing to the loss of aircraft control.

"Who's at the Controls?" is a television programme presented in the form of an episode. It belongs to the genre of factual broadcast, focusing on specific incidents rather than fictional storytelling. The format is designed to walk viewers through the sequence of events surrounding a particular aviation occurrence, offering a concise but thorough account. The episode centres on the 1972 crash of Eastern Airlines Flight 401 as it was preparing to land at Miami International Airport. While the aircraft was on its final approach, something went wrong with the landing‑gear system, and that issue appears to have drawn the pilots’ attention away from other critical tasks. The programme outlines how the crew’s focus shifted at a crucial moment, creating a situation that ultimately led to the disaster. In examining the accident, the broadcast suggests that the distraction caused by the landing‑gear problem may have been a key factor in the crash. By tracing the timeline from the moment the anomaly was detected to the final impact, the episode highlights how a single technical fault can ripple through cockpit decision‑making. It underscores the importance of maintaining situational awareness, especially when an aircraft is in the final stages of its approach, and illustrates how even a brief lapse can have severe consequences.