Shockwave is an American documentary television series that premiered on November 30, 2007, on the History Channel. The program compiles video footage and eyewitness accounts to the headline making events and attempts to educate the viewer as to what really happened in a particular event.
The show depicts the United Airlines Flight 232 crash, USS Forrestal fire, the Killdozer, the Mount Hood hiking incident, the deadly Ramstein airshow disaster, and the PEPCON disaster.
The toolbox of resources which the show employs to perform this task include the following items: Video footage Photographs 3-D renderings (computer-generated imagery) of the event Eyewitness accounts (testimony/interviews) Participant accounts (interviews)
Each episode has typically four, five or six stories (or events). For each, people who witnessed the event or who were involved in the event are interviewed, video footage and photos of the event are shown, and 3-D renderings of the event are shown.
Episodes
Season 1 (2007–2008) +Episode Broadcast dateDescription1November 30, 2007 Amsterdam, New York (April 27, 2002) – a house explodes during a firefighting exercise Okinawa, Japan (August 20, 2007) – the explosion of China Airlines Flight 120 at Naha Airport Attica, Kansas (May 12, 2004) – a tornado rips through town, destroying a house Gulf of Tonkin, Vietnam (July 29, 1967) – the USS Forrestal Fire Jefferson, Georgia (March 26, 2000) – a driver's son runs out on the track to check on him and is hit by an out of control car Mount Hood, Oregon (May 30, 2002) – a helicopter crashes while trying to rescue injured mountain climbers2December 7, 2007 El Toro Air Base, California (April 24, 1988) – an F/A-18 Hornet crashes while performing at an air show Honolulu, Hawaii (August 15, 1980) – a firefighter is engulfed in flames while battling a fire at an oil storage facility St George, Utah (January 11, 2005) – flooding of the Santa Clara river destroys residential homes New Providence, Iowa (July 20, 2000) – a water tower collapses, taking construction workers down with it Butte, Montana (December 20, 1989) – the Terry Rossland case Henderson, Nevada (May 4, 1988) – the PEPCON disaster3December 14, 2007 Brooklyn, New York (May 4, 2004) – a helicopter crashes onto a roof while covering the aftermath of a shooting Chesapeake Bay (September 30, 1981) – testing of a snake eye bomb accidentally blows a chase plane out of the sky Ursa, Illinois (December 8, 1989) – an old silo crashes onto a bulldozer as a farmer tries to take it down Memphis, Tennessee (May 13, 1994) – funny car driver Jerry Caminito crashes into the guardrail at 280 mph and flips Uffculme, England (November 17, 1998) – a spark at a fireworks factory leads to a massive series of explosions Atlanta, Georgia (April 12, 1999) – a man is trapped on a crane over a structural fire4December 21, 2007 USS Theodore Roosevelt, Persian Gulf (February 20, 1991) – Petty Officer JD Bridges is sucked into the engine of a jet Off the coast of South Africa (August 4, 1991) – the sinking of the MTS Oceanos Muroc Dry Lake, California (June 28, 1998) & El Mirage Dry Lake, California (July 12, 1998) – Ron Cook crashes multiple times as he attempts to break the land speed record Comoros Islands (November 23, 1996) – the crash landing of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 961 Three Rivers, Texas (August 25, 1990) – firefighters run after an oil tank fire explodes 5December 28, 2007 Milwaukee, Wisconsin (April 11, 1989) – Pilot Ben Moore crashes as he attempts to lift an air conditioning unit off of a building Ennis, Texas (October 7, 2005) – the pro stock racing accident between Bruce Allen and Kenny Koretsky Tucson, Arizona (December 27, 1984) – rescuers try to save three men whose truck got submerged in a river during a flood USS Kitty Hawk, off the Coast of Japan (July 11, 1994) – a fighter jet crashes and explodes while landing Poipu, Hawaii (September 11, 1992) – Hurricane Iniki makes landfall in Hawaii6January 4, 2008 Niagara Falls, New York (March 20, 2003) – rescue of a man on the edge of Niagara Falls Firebird Raceway, Phoenix, Arizona (October 21, 2003) – Scotty Lumbert crashes while drag boat racing and his escape capsule crashes onto dry land Montserrat, Lesser Antilles (July 18, 1995) – eruption of the Soufrière Hills volcano Kingfisher, Oklahoma (August 19, 2007) – firefighters try to rescue a couple trapped in the middle of a flood Naval Air Engineering Station, Lakehurst, New Jersey (July 1, 1986) – the crash of the Piasecki PA-97 Heli-stat Mokulēia State Beach, Hawaii (May 31, 2001) – kitesurfer Erik Eck is dragged into the sky by a wind gust before crashing7January 25, 2008 Clinton Township, Michigan (August 28, 1998) – Escape Artist Jasen Magic is engulfed in flames when his trick backfires Sioux City, Iowa (July 19, 1989) – the crash of United Airlines Flight 232 Rantoul, Illinois (August 7, 2004) – a skydiver's parachute opens too soon and he gets caught on the back of the plane's wing Bowling Green, Kentucky (September 29, 2004) – Russell Sublett's 4 day siege inside a mansion Portland, Oregon (February 1, 1996) – A father and son check out a house they were renovating have to outrun a mudslide8February 1, 2008 Bering Sea, Alaska (March 15, 1990) – rescuers try to save the crew of the Alaskan Monarch after it becomes trapped in ice Corpus Christi, Texas (April 15, 1995) – a jet ski racer is torpedoed by a competitor USS Abraham Lincoln, Indian Ocean (July 9, 1991) – a Navy crewman is only partially ejected out of his jet when his ejection system fails Grandby, Colorado (June 4, 2004) – the Killdozer incident Lakeside, California (October 25, 2003) – residents are forced to drive through the Cedar Fire to survive9February 8, 2008 Murdock, Illinois (September 2, 1983) – a train derails and explodes Daytona International Speedway, Florida (February 11, 1990) – Paramedic Mike Staley is hit by a racecar while treating another driver Cook Inlet, Alaska (July 7, 1999) – a fishing boat sinks and the captain goes down with the ship Cornwall, England (November 13, 1991 & August 13, 1992) – Matt Coulter's attempts to jump an ATV over a steam boat Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida (January 17, 1997) – explosion of the Delta II Rocket10February 15, 2008Englishtown, New Jersey (July 8, 1990) – NRHA driver Johnny West is knocked out cold when his funny car slams against a guardrail and crashes at the end of the track Cerro Negro, Nicaragua (May 12, 2002) – Éric Barone crashes as he attempts to ride his bike down the side of the Cerro Negro volcano Allanburg, Canada (August 11, 2001) – the MS Windoc crashes into a lowered drawbridge USS America, Mediterranean Sea (December 28, 1982) – a fighter jet malfunctions while landing and goes over the side of the carrier Oahu, Hawaii (January 25, 1993) – tourist Hugh Alexander is sucked into the Moi Hole and struggles to get out11February 22, 2008 Ramstein Air Force Base, Germany (August 28, 1988) – the Ramstein air show disaster Perth, Australia (March 4 & 26, 1997) – stunt driver Ray Baumann's multiple attempts to beat the world's longest car jump Indian Ocean (July 21, 1991) – the sinking of the Greek Tanker Kirki Rantoul, Illinois (August 4, 2003) – Skydiver Tim Bernard crashes when he tries to swoop in and out of a plane hangar Denver, Colorado (November 30, 2005) – two window washers are trapped on their scaffold when the support cables fail Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (March 21, 2002) – firefighters try to put out a motel fire when the roof caves in on them12February 29, 2008 King's Speedway, Hanford, California (October 4, 1997) – Midget Racecar Driver Donny Oliver crashes and is engulfed in flames San Francisco, California (December 11, 1995) – a sinkhole swallows a mansion Edwards Air Force Base, Rosamand, California (August 25, 1976) – a pilot struggles to pull his Lockhead T33 out of a death spiral Red Bluff, California (May 26, 2002) – Mark Atkinson's drag boat crashes and he opens the safety capsule too soon Siloam Springs, Arkansas (October 9, 2005) – the skydiving accident of Shayna Richardson Hell's Hole, Arizona (June 26, 1994) – a Pavehawk crashes while trying to rescue hikers, and a man's leg is pinned by the wreckage13March 14, 2008 Boston, Massachusetts (August 16, 1985) – a pipe bomb defusal goes bad, catching bomb technician Randy Lamatina in the blast Dunbar, Pennsylvania (September 2, 2000) – a skydiver is stuck upside down on a plane and there's no way to free him Del Mar, California (July 4, 2001) – Daredevil Bubba Blackwell crashes while trying to jump his Harley over a row of parked cars Valdez, Alaska (April 7, 1997) – an extreme skier tumbles down the mountain Anne Arundel, Maryland (August 12, 2005) – a motorcycle stunt goes bad when rider Ben Smolen misses the foam pit and faceplants onto a bulldozer Brisbane, Australia (October 4, 1999) – a utility worker gets sucked into a storm drain while clearing away debris
Season 2 (2008) +EpisodeBroadcast DateDescription14May 2, 2008 Salinas, California (October 3, 1999) – pilot Wayne Handley crashes while showing off his Oracle Turbo Raven Crested Butte, Colorado (February 18, 1998) – a snowmobile lands on top of another rider during the Winter X Games Hagerstown Speedway, Maryland (October 13, 1996) – racer Jack Bland's crash into the guardrail at Hagerstown Mexico City, Mexico (July 12, 2000) – soap opera star Anadela's magic trick backfires, catching her in the explosion Fort Lauderdale, Florida (April 6, 1997) – the Coast Guard has to act fast when a sight-seeing boat is dragged underneath a barge 15May 9, 2008 Firebird Lake, Arizona (February 24, 1985) – a drag boat crashes into powerlines Valdez, Alaska (April 2, 1992) – extreme skier Garrett Bartelt's tumble down the mountains Mangalore, Australia (April 12, 1998) – an ultralight plane flies out of control and into a spectator Tampa, Florida (March 11, 2001) – a skateboarder is knocked out cold as he attempts to skate a 360 loop Big Island, Hawaii (April 21, 1990) – the eruption of Mount Kīlauea destroys homes in the town of Kalapana Adelaide Hills, Australia (April 19, 1992) – a jockey is dragged by his horse when he falls off it16May 16, 2008 Valle De Bravo, Mexico (January 18, 2005) – Para-glider Joe Parr falls into some trees and then to the ground Firebird Lake, Arizona (September 13, 1983) – Daredevil Spanky Spangler's attempt at a world record jump leaves him stuck upside down in his car and without oxygen Monterey Bay, California (March 12, 1999) – a CH-46 Seaknight catches fire shortly after takeoff, trapping reports on the burning craft Chiefland, Florida (March 4, 2004) – a boater is launched out of his vehicle when it flips and skips across the water Norfolk, Virginia (September 3, 1984) – a firefighter plunges into a pool of burning gasoline while fighting a tanker fire17May 23, 2008 Middle River, Maryland (September 14, 1997) – an F-117 Nighthawk crashes onto a family's house Albuquerque, New Mexico (October 10, 2004) – a hot air balloon with two kids on it crashes into a radio tower Twin Falls, Idaho (June 4, 1999) – "Flying Mike" Brown crashes underneath a ramp while performing a stunt Stateline, Nevada (August 27, 1980) – the bombing at Harvey's casino Chad's Gap, Utah – (March 6, 2005) – freestyle skier Tanner Hall comes up short in a backwards facing jump and breaks both of his ankles Moab, Utah (April 1, 1991) – a newlywed couple crash while traversing the Lion's Back18May 30, 2008 Cottonwood, Arizona (November 19, 2004) – a routine training exercise leaves several firefighters caught in a flashover Queensland, Australia (September 17, 2007) – Phil Lamattina's top fuel dragster breaks apart and explodes against the guardrails Jalalabad, Afghanistan (April 5, 2007) – a suicide bomber in a van targets marines in a Humvee