Ten Steps to Disaster
External Rating44%
202160 minTo Be Determined

Ten Steps to Disaster

Network:Smithsonian Channel

Previous Episode

S02E08 - "Waco Siege"

Aired on May 15, 2023, 1:00 AM

Next Episode

Unknown

Description

When a catastrophe occurs, the questions immediately arise. How did it happen? Who was responsible? And can it happen again? Often, the tragedy isn't triggered by a single cause but by a string of errors. This series investigates four of modern history's worst disasters-the JFK assassination, the 9/11 attack, the 737 Max crashes, and the Deepwater Horizon explosion-and reveals ten crucial mistakes behind each one. Weaving archive and interviews, we detail what went wrong and what steps have been taken to prevent similar events from reoccurring.

Details

Status
To Be Determined
Language
English
Runtime
60 min
Premiered
September 6, 2021
Schedule
Sunday at 9:00 PM

External Links

Episodes (2 Seasons · 12 Episodes)

Surfside Condo Collapse

A comprehensive investigation reveals ten key failures that led to the collapse of Champlain Towers South in 2021, which killed 98 people.

Mar 26, 2023

60 min

Texas Blackout

Experts examine how a record-breaking winter storm combined with an unstable power grid led to a catastrophic power failure in 2021 that left millions of Texans struggling to survive. 

Apr 2, 2023

60 min

Iranian Hostage Crisis

Survivors, academics and former public officials dissect the timeline of the Iranian hostage crisis, occupation of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and failed rescue mission Operation Eagle Claw.

Apr 9, 2023

60 min

Boston Marathon Bombing

In 2013, a devastating explosion rocked the Boston Marathon, and experts suggest a lack of security and surveillance allowed two brothers to carry out the terror attack undetected.

Apr 16, 2023

60 min

Mount St. Helens

Insufficient planning, defiant tourists and months of ignored warnings lead to chaos in May 1980 when Washington's Mt. St. Helens devastates the surrounding area with a lateral eruption.

Apr 23, 2023

60 min

The Opioid Crisis

Physicians and other experts examine the rise of an opioid crisis fueled by greed and misleading claims made by Purdue Pharma, makers of the highly addictive painkiller OxyContin.

Apr 30, 2023

60 min

Fukushima Nuclear Disaster

In 2011, a preventable nuclear meltdown in Japan endanger tens of thousands due to multiple structural failures, a lack of emergency training and a persistent myth of infallible safety.

May 7, 2023

60 min

Waco Siege

Experts and witnesses of the 1993 federal raid on the David Koresh-led Branch Davidian cult near Waco, TX, review the multiple mistakes from both sides that resulted in 86 deaths.

May 14, 2023

60 min

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