The Hindenburg Disaster: Probable Cause When the Hindenburg took to the skies in 1936, it was the largest flying machine in history. It was created when aeronautical engineering was a “new” science and the stresses involved in flight were not as well known as today. The cause of the Hindenburg’s tragic demise in only 34 seconds is still not clear. The documentary recruits specialist investigators to re-examine the airship disaster and look at modern airship technology for examples of where technology has advanced since the tragedy. Using blueprints held by the United States Navy and historical Civil Aeronautics Board charts that follow the Hindenburg’s route; the program re-creates the Hindenburg’s last journey and its ten successful voyages prior to the disaster