I am a pilot and was a flight instructor. One of the first things I noticed when beginning my flight training was just how hard it is to see other airplanes out there with you.

I can't imagine anything more frightening than falling to the ground in a metal tube knowing you're seconds away from no longer existing...

Part of me is really perfectly fine with meeting my end, however falling nose down like that knowing theres nothing you can do to save yourself or crew sounds terrifying.

Your recreations are nothing short of stunning. What I like the most about these is that you never go into a fake mockup of the cabin so we can watch a group of actors scream as passengers meeting their fate. Those are truly awful. Outstanding.

Captain Jack Gandy was my friend George Gandy’s father. George followed in his father’s footsteps and became a pilot. He retired as a DC-8 captain in the1990s. Ironically, I flew for United Airlines retiring as a B-767 captain. In my career, I flew the route from LAX to Chicago many times and always thought of this accident when I flew over the Grand Canyon.

My Dad knew Cpt. Gandy and flew for TWA for 39 years. He flew that model plane many times. He was with TWA from 1942-1979. Ended up flying the 747s.

Such a sad tragedy, I hope those poor souls didn’t have too much time to think about what happened.

Now THIS is the TFC that I love. Music and intro included. Tragic story with this collision.

My friend’s Uncle and Cousin were on board the United flight. We visited the gravesite in 1997 in Flagstaff, Arizona near the University of Arizona campus.

To know my grandfather was to know his life was scheduled down to the minute and sometimes the second. He was an engineer. If you didn't know him some know the type. He told me of a time, the only time, he overslept and his alarm clock failed. He had a flight that day home to Chicago and he missed it. He recalled his panic and speed at which he ran to the gate in vain to watch his plane taxi away. I watch this channel often (it may not be for everyone). Too see it feature the flight my grandfather spoke of all those years ago brought tears to my eyes. Thank you TheFlightChannel. TL:DR Grandfather overslept for the first and only time to save his life.

It's a big sky...until it isnt.

HE BROUGHT BACK THE OLD MUSIC! OMG THANK YOU!

My heart sank watching this. I simply can't imagine what the passengers and crew must have gone through in those final seconds. This is a tragedy of all tragedies...May God bless all whom perished....

What a horrific way to go. RIP to everyone who lost their lives. Thank you, as always, for your truly incredible, detailed work.

This is why an air traffic controller job is said to be the most stressful.

I was a little over a year old, and living in Utah when this happened. I can still remember my parents talking about it (when I was old enough to understand). We were a USAF family and 2 years later, flew across the Atlantic to France - probably in a DC-7 - to be with my Dad. This gives me chills when I realize how afraid, yet totally brave my Mom must have been to take her 1st plane trip, with her 3 y/o daughter!

Billions and billions of square miles to fly around in, and somehow things like this still find each other, same time same place same results on both sides. Amazing

I'm so glad you posted this video, for it gives all of your viewers, especially young ones, a comprehensive glimpse of what air travel had to endure back in those days, and how tragedies such as this pioneered the system of technological advancements we in today's world have come to know. Nice job TFC, as always.

Hard to believe with all that airspace that 2 planes would collide. I could understand if it was close to an airport where the air traffic is congested but over the Grand Canyon ??? SMH

Rip to everyone on both flights

All variants of the "Connie" were beautiful airplanes.

You know... I'm just an ER nurse. I'm an aviation/ATC freakazoid. I was extremely blessed and overjoyed when asked if I'd like to sit in the pilot's seat for a picture on a recent trip home to Orlando from Midway, Chicago. The flight attendant told the pilot (I found out later) that I was overheard telling a fellow passenger how I followed the Flight Channel, VASAviation, and others, and how much I love to fly. When I was sitting in the pilot's seat, I told them (Pilot and First Officer) that I pray before every flight. They're dual response was, 'That we don't crash?' I said, 'No. That you follow all your checklists no matter how experienced you are. And, that I don't end up on a Flight Channel doomsday flight, lol'. We then began to discuss famous disasters and just a bunch of amazing things. This video made me cry. Thinking of all those people with minutes left until the end of their lives 😭 knowing they were going to die. We honor them, and they didn't die in vain. God bless all of you pilots and ATCs... Thank you for allowing me, as a know-nothing, to be a part of your world and answering my questions.

This was so beautifully done, thank you. It was not only aesthetically pleasing, but educated some of us (me) on the history of early commercial flight in the US and the formation of our federal agencies. May the victims RIP.

Well done, thank you.... I can’t imagine trying to recover bodies and fuselage out of the Grand Canyon. It had to have been a nightmare. I live near the Grand Canyon, I knew of this tragedy so long ago. I’m glad you chose to reenact it.

My favorite Air Crash Investigation episode. Not because of the loss of life, but the history behind it. This accident changed the entire scope of aviation and unfortunately if it didn't happen then, it may have happened later with another pair of aircraft. RIP to all involved 🙏

A TFC masterpiece! And a beautiful homage to the souls we lost that day.

Another excellent addition to TheFlightChannel. This episode is particularly meaningful to me as a native Arizonan, having visited the Grand Canyon many times. This terrible tragedy happened just a few years before I was born, and I had never heard about it until now. The information in the video regarding the development of modern ATC infrastructure was also very interesting, and a great addition to the episode. The quality of TheFlightChannel’s videos continues to improve, and I personally think this is one of the best episodes ever. Keep up the good work!

You never know when its your last day,hour or minute! We are never promised tomorrow,thats why its always important to tell your loved ones I love you often! Then they will always remember the last words were I love you! No regrets!!

why do I watch these every night. I'm terrified of flying, yet I've seen multiple versions of every goddam crash

finally. someone on an airplane that we CAN call Shirley.

I was 7 yrs old at the time and still remember my parents talking about it, and how stunned I was. In the bathtub with my rubber toy airplanes I recreated what had happened many times.

I've been waiting to see this one. Thank you for making it. Those poor people.. Rip 💔 edit to say thank you for bringing back the old music.

"...midair collisions gradually became less frequent." Damn, what a wild west show air travel was in terms of systemic safety, even at mid-century.

What gets me about this mid-air collision, is how improbable an event such as this did actually happen. How these two aircraft eventually ended up crossing each others flight paths and having a mid-air collision. When on the face of it, it looked highly unlikely this would ever happen, yet it did. Both flights took off at different times, although not by much, had different flight paths and destinations, were suppose to be cruising at different altitudes, traveling at different air speeds, and were the only two aircraft flying in this vast area, and should have been visible to each other when they started to get close, yet they still collided.

So very tragic! Just thinking about, how horrifying this must have been for those poor people. I pray it was quick. I always enjoy your videos. Keep up the good work.

You should really do PSA 182. It's a tragic crash that not many people know about. There's video of the (I might be wrong) piper going down with still images of the Boeing moments before impact.

What an unfortunate event. We don't realize how busy the skies are to avoid this type of mishap. The location where this happened would make it a. Nightmare to investigate and clear the area. Very sad indeed for the crew and passengers. Your video was well done as always

Visiting the south rim is how I learned about this accident. There are still pieces of the wreckage in the canyon. There’s a plaque marking where you can look down to see where it happened.

It's very coincidental that they crashed right over the Grand Canyon . They could have collided any where else but for right over a massive canyon Very Very Tragic RIP to the passengers aboard both flights ❤❤

It would be good if you could have included a map of the two flight paths - its a bit hard to understand the implications of the data (distance, degrees, routes, etc) if you are a lay person, like me

The music gave me chills all the way through, honestly a beautiful recreation.

This was a tragedy. I feel the deepest sorrow for the people that lost their lives.

OMG how utterly utterly tragic. God rest their souls.

Many times when I look out the window on a flight in the US, I see other planes on the horizon. They're obviously at a safe distance from one another but that's a reminder of the extraordinary number of flights that operate at the same time in US air space. I rarely see other planes out the window when I'm flying in other countries.

One of the few channels on KZfaq with Gold Content. Keep up your hard work.

My wife and I enjoy each of your well made videos, but I found this one particularly interesting. My father was in Los Angeles on June 29 the day before this disaster. He was supposed to be on a flight to Kansas City on the 29th continuing on to our home near Detroit on a connecting flight. However, due to bad weather his flight was canceled. The airline told him they would call him at his hotel in time to catch the flight the next day. The next morning he awoke with no call. He hurried to the airport but just missed his flight. He asked if he could be on the flight to Chicago where he could catch a connecting flight to Detroit or catch a train. He was told that flight had just left the gate and would not be called back. So he missed that flight too. Fate, or God, or just plain good luck has a way of taking care of a person.

Another huge layer of safety was the Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS). In my 18,000 hours, I've had a dozen or so TCAS advisories to change flight path. One in particular, a couple of years ago saved me and my passengers.

I’ve always been fascinated by this story. Love the Connies.

Production quality (backgrounds, music, narration) are greatly improved, well done!

If you're going to go out unexpectedly, the Grand Canyon is probably the most beautiful place to do it.

I remember back in the mid 1950's, my family was going to visit relatives and, on our way, we witnessed a mid air collision. It happened in the early evening just after dark. We heard that a military transport and another aircraft had indeed collided. One of the planes came down by the Norwalk California Sheriff's Department. Don't remember where the other one came down. I was taking a Photography class in high school several years later and my teacher, Mr. Boyd told our class that he too had witnessed the crash but, he was on the ground and, as usual, he had a camera with him. Someone asked if he had taken any pictures and he said no. He felt that taking pictures should be limited to things of beauty. Thanks for sharing this informative video with us.

I’d like to emphasize that the quality of what you produce is astonishingly good. The steerings violins, the images... waouw. And the story is well documented. I applause 👏

The more I watch of these videos the more I am starting to think that maybe there is some kind of fate or destiny at work here. How else can you explain one plane running a half hour behind, taking off, then colliding with a plane that took off fifteen minutes later? It doesn't make sense, but no tragedy ever does.

Very sad moments. No one survived. But thank you for this video, I was waiting of this and you made it very, very well. You are the best.

Historical quote. While delivering the daily newspaper back in the day with that crash as a headline heard an old timer say...” you’ll never get me up in one of those damn things.”

I've just found your channel and I love it. The graphics, the music and the effort put Into each vid is astounding and informative! 👍🏻 Thank you

Are you, by any chance, a pilot? You do such a great job on this channel. Very informative. May those poor souls RIP.

This, for some reason, has a STRIKING similarity of the New York collision.

SightSeeing was and is always a dangerous sport. Chilling.

Tough to see a Connie and DC-7 destroyed besides the tragic loss of lives.

These videos are amazing. Pure genius. Keep them coming.

...wow - this happened a long time ago... Had to dig deep to find info about this one I bet... So ironic that both planes took off from the same airport within minutes of each other! .... Seems the people aboard the DC-7 could have been alive all the way down - but the people aboard the L-1049 might have been sucked out of the plane and fell to earth... Can you imagine?????????????????

In 1956 my grandfather was TWA's director of maintenance based out of KC. He was part of the team that traveled to the site to investigate. He spoke at length about the Swiss climbing team TWA brought in to assist in climbing to the site, and how impressed of them he was. He didn't share much about the accident, but I have seen dozens of pictures of the wreckage. It was a horrible time for aviation.

My Father and uncle were the ones who found the wreckage in 1956 . I was two and this is the earliest memory that i have.

best animation, best music, best channel on this planet

I want more airplane accidents from the 50's or 60's, and RIP for the passengers and crew btw.

In HUGE wide open spaces like that, what are the odds of having a collision. And passengers just relaxing one moment, then falling to their deaths the next. Hard to imagine a worse hell.

Watching your incredible videos ... makes one realise just how difficult and challenging a pilots job really is ..and how brave they are

Not good on "old" dates. Would have guessed 1954 instead of 1956. Remember a very small part like it was yesterday. On the first radio news reports, I rode my bike to alert a neighbor friend. He had a PP license while still in high school. We both were glued to the radio for the next several hours.

In 1967 there was a midair collision between a DC9 and a small private aircraft in Ohio, killing all involved. TWA 553. It happened near where I live. It has not been covered by any YT channel yet. I'm hoping one of the channels does.

Very well done video. I remember hearing about this at the time but only because we were going to visit my grandparents in southern Colorado and this time we were going to fly instead of riding the bus and it was only a short time after this happened. My mother was terrified because of this accident and it was the first time any of us had flown. I was so little I don't remember any of the flight nor where we landed. I didn't fly commercially again until 1983.

My father was involved with the aerial search shortly after the crash. Within a few years, due to a shortage of air traffic controllers, he was hired by the FAA and was stationed in Phoenix. I heard the stories and saw the newspaper clippings. "Get your eyes out of the cockpit" my dad said. "Always be checking your flight path for traffic". Good advice I think. Thanks dad for my gift of wings. I am forever grateful!

I've been addicted to these, sadly since Kobe's crash. Thank you so much for taking the time to do these; I know it takes a lot of hard work and time.

An incredible tragedy. When I was much younger, my Dad told me about this crash. Later on, he & I would discuss it at times. Dad passed away in 1997. Today, I wish for the souls of those who died to continue to rest in peace, and I am thankful that the lessons learned from this tragedy have led to needed reforms in civil aviation.

It's so devastating...Great work on these! Amazing quality👌 & yes! i miss all the old music.

Your use and choice of music is quite masterful. The score really connects with our inate emotional responses. Many thanks , always superb graphics and information. Elle sanctuary owner, England xxx

That was harrowing, but thank you for a great, informative video.

I remember this tragic accident very well. I grew up in Kansas City and it was TWA’s headquarters in 1956. It was also one of the city’s largest employers. I knew several people who had friends or loved ones on Flight 2. I do need to point out, though, that while your report was well-done and accurate, both aircraft shown were incorrect. The TWA plane involved in the accident was a Lockheed model 1049 Super Constellation. The aircraft you showed was either a Model 049, 849 or 949, quite a different airplane. The United Airlines plane was a Douglas -7. The aircraft shown in your report was a DC-6.

Love your videos and the respect you show to the unfortunate souls that perished. Thank you and keep up the good work.

RIP. Appreciate the ATC history at the end. Great job with these recreations.

Can you document the September 1976 mid-air collision involving a British Airways jet and Inex-Ardia plane over Zagreb, Yugoslavia? This accident was caused by misgivings and miscommunication of the air traffic controllers at that time.

restful peace to all......another great job by the flight channel....you have scared the shit out of me about flying & I will never again get into an airplane.....never

Thank you for bringing back the old music! It’s my favorite.

I hope pilots and atc around the world are watching these outstanding, sobering, and deeply researched recreations. You deserve high commendation for such excellent work. Shame on those who give you a thumb down.

I saw this accident featured on a television program a long time ago about past aviation crashes but your video is much more detailed on this. You always give us a lot of information and the videos and graphics are top notch. Always worth watching. A very terrible tragedy. So glad things have greatly improved to make flying safer.

Is that only me, or someone else who has to read every other statement atleast twice in this particular video of TFC..????

For 1956, that is a very modern looking van driving on the flight line at 2:33,lol

About 20years ago I was in a plane (we were over the Arizona desert) and as I was looking out the window I saw another plane (a Delta 737) come in the opposite direction about 1,500 ft below us. It was surreal. What struck me most was how fast the planes were going (seeing something that close puts it in perspective, and I always wondered if that was some kind of near miss as I have flown ~200 times and have yet to see another aircraft that close.

Nice job on this! Would you mind if u can make TWA800?

My father flew the connie for western airlines mid sixties Great production Thank you for sharing

Wisconsin had a mid-air in the seventies. One plane was Air Wisconsin, and other was perhaps North Central. Happened near where my brother was living at the time. I remember him talking about the body parts being found.

Just rewatched this. Stunning images and music that both hits home and is appropriate. Great work, guys!

"The controller was blamed by both air carriers and vilified in the press..." nice!

WOW KLAX back in the 50"s look so different, 3:28 that nose gear is SO long..wow,

I love your videos, they are so realistic and informative! Your choice of music is outstanding! Thank you for another great video!

On a raft trip down Grand Canyon our guide pointed out the crash site, you can to this day see small pieces of aluminum reflecting the sun light there this was in 2007 when I saw this.

Gripping stuff, an amazing video.

It's unfortunate that it takes a tragedy to make changes that should have already been done.

Amazing. So well put together. The desire to provide a scenic view of the Grand Canyon may have played a part.Thank you.

August 31, 1956 I flew as a child from Greece to meet my new parents at LAX - I know from NY to LA, it was Tiger Airlines which no longer exist. RIP to all who died in these tragic collisions