Vol 3054: Une tragédie annoncée

TAM flight 3054 was an accident caused entirely by a simple, 100 % confirmed pilot error. An amateur error worst than that of the infamous Air France 447. Yet, the producers of this miniseries decided to make 3 episodes that show the victims families blinded by anger trying to get justice by blaming some Brazil's aviation authorities, white collar workers that had absolutely nothing to do with the accident itself. It doesn't explore a single piece of technical or psychological aspect of the incident. It only exploits a tragedy and insults the victims memory in the process. 1/10 rating, just skip it.

An important series that shows how Brazil is - and always has been - a country where impunity reigns, justice is nonexistent, and the powerful are never held accountable for their mistakes, incompetence, or negligence. The justice system is complicit, slow, inefficient - and it enables impunity, forgetfulness, and the repetition of preventable tragedies.

I still remember that accident to this day; it left a mark on many people. As usual, the justice system turned its back on the victims and their families. It's powerful to see a documentary that keeps their memory alive and makes us reflect on the country we live in - where so much pain is ignored.

The first episode begins in a very interesting pace, addressing the most dramatic side of the accident, telling the story of some of the passengers who were victims of the air crash as well as their families and some interviews. But unfortunately after the first episode, the series prefers to focus on the political side behind the accident, which would make sense, if it didn't have to take a side to defend.

It got to a point where the series mentioned the former president of Brazil, Lula da Silva, turning him into a national hero. Clearly stating that he was doing so well in the country's economy, that the people started to have more money to travel by plane that it triggered the infamous Brazilian air blackout. In a certain way, exempting him from such responsibilities for the serious air problem of that time.

Don't waste your time. This documentary is terrible. They only explain the accident in the last 25 minutes of the final episode. Its purpose is to create cheap sensationalism and push a political agenda in favor of the government.

Most of the content is filled with irrelevant interviews and dramatic reenactments that add nothing of value. Instead of focusing on facts and technical explanations, the series spends hours building a narrative designed to manipulate political opinions rather than inform the audience.

It feels more like political propaganda than a serious investigation. If you're looking for a well-researched, objective account of what really happened, you're better off reading an article or watching a proper documentary that respects the viewer's intelligence.

As a pilot, I'm always keen to watch every new aviation documentary. Unfortunately, they often disappoint me-most of the time due to a lack of professionalism and, I assume, proper aviation consultants, especially when it comes to correct phraseology. This series, however, was the biggest disappointment I've ever experienced. And that wasn't because of some minor mistakes, but because of a blatant disregard for facts.

A simple aviation accident caused by human error. Of course with long list of contributing factors, as it always is, but still, simple accident. For the victims' families, it is a great tragedy, but a documentary shouldn't be biased by the emotions of people who, respectfully, are not aviation experts. Objectivity should be the main goal, not the presentation of unsubstantiated theories made by outraged individuals who have lost loved ones. Of course, it's important to show the human tragedy of the accident, but in documentary it shouldn't affect objective judgment.

Three aviation experts, including a TAM captain, were the only ones who sounded reasonable and stuck to the facts, avoiding unsupported allegations. It is truly disappointing that their professional opinions were not the foundation of this series. Instead, Netflix chose to create a clickable, sensationalist series full of unsubstantiated claims and unprofessional commentary.

I strongly encourage everyone to watch Mentour Pilot's episode on this tragedy. It is unbiased, fact-based, and overall well-made (with a small fraction of Netflix's budget).