Air Crash Investigation

The crash of the Berlin‑to‑Zurich Crossair Flight 3597 happened in November 2001. In the minutes preceding its intended landing, the pilots lost control of the aircraft, and the plane subsequently collided with a hillside, ultimately leading to the fatal accident.

Cockpit Failure is an episode of a programme that concentrates on a single aviation accident. The title signals that the focus will be on a loss of control within the cockpit, and the format follows the conventions of a typical documentary‑style episode. The core of the episode recounts the tragedy of Crossair Flight 3597, which was operating a scheduled service from Berlin to Zurich. In November 2001, just minutes before the aircraft was due to land, the pilots found themselves unable to maintain control. The loss of command led the plane to veer off its intended approach path and ultimately strike a hillside. The narrative outlines the flight’s final moments, emphasizing how the critical moments unfolded so close to the intended touchdown. By pinpointing the exact timing—only a few minutes before landing—the episode underscores how quickly a routine approach can turn catastrophic when control is lost. The crash site, a hillside near the airport, is presented as the final point of impact for the aircraft. Overall, the episode provides a concise recounting of the events surrounding the November 2001 disaster, detailing the flight’s route, the sudden loss of cockpit authority, and the resulting collision with the terrain. It stays firmly rooted in the factual sequence of the accident without introducing extraneous information.