<P> "Flight" is the twenty - fourth and final episode of the eighth season of the American television medical drama Grey's Anatomy, and the show's 172nd episode overall . It was written by series creator Shonda Rhimes, and directed by Rob Corn . The episode was originally broadcast on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the United States on May 17, 2012 . In the episode, six doctors from Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital who are victims of an aviation accident fight to stay alive, but Dr. Lexie Grey (Chyler Leigh) ultimately dies . Other storylines occur in Seattle where Dr. Richard Webber (James Pickens, Jr .) plans his annual dinner for the departing residents, Dr. Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd) fires Dr. Teddy Altman (Kim Raver), and Dr. Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson) gets engaged . </P> <P> The episode marked Leigh's and Raver's final appearance to the series . Exterior filming of the accident took place at Big Bear Lake, California . Jason George reprised his role as a guest star, whereas James LeGros made his first appearance . The episode opened to mixed reviews from television critics, with some criticizing the death of Lexie, but praising Leigh's performance, in addition to Ellen Pompeo (Dr. Meredith Grey)'s and Eric Dane (Dr. Mark Sloan)'s . "Flight" earned Rhimes an NAACP Image Award nomination and it was also nominated under several categories of Entertainment Weekly's finale awards . Upon its initial airing, the episode was viewed in the United States by 11.44 million people, garnered a 4.1 / 11 Nielsen rating / share in the 18--49 demographic, ranking fourth for the night in terms of viewership, and registering as Thursday's highest - rated drama . </P> <P> After their plane crashes in the woods, Dr. Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), Dr. Lexie Grey (Chyler Leigh), Dr. Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh), Dr. Arizona Robbins (Jessica Capshaw), Dr. Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey), and Dr. Mark Sloan (Eric Dane) desperately fight to stay alive . Meredith is relatively unscathed, while the rest have serious injuries: the pilot, Jerry (James LeGros), has a major spine injury, and Yang dislocates her arm . Robbins' femur is broken and sticking through the skin, Sloan has serious internal injuries; though initially adrenaline keeps him on his feet . Shepherd is sucked out the side of the plane and awakens alone in the wood; his mangled hand having been pushed through the door of the plane . However, none are in as bad shape as Lexie, who is crushed under a piece of the plane . While Meredith searches for Shepherd, Yang and Sloan try to move the debris off Lexie . Eventually, the two realize that they cannot save her, so Sloan holds her hand while she dies, telling her that he loves her . As Sloan tells her of the life the two were meant to have together, Lexie dies with a smile on her face just as Meredith and Yang are approaching . </P> <P> Lexie's death devastates Meredith, who is still desperately trying to find her husband . Eventually, she and Shepherd reunite and they fix his hand as best as they can . Meanwhile, back at Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital, no one is aware of what has happened to the other doctors . Dr. Richard Webber (James Pickens, Jr .) prepares the annual dinner for the departing residents, which Dr. Alex Karev (Justin Chambers), Dr. Jackson Avery (Jesse Williams), and Dr. April Kepner (Sarah Drew) are dreading . Avery makes the choice to take a job offer at Tulane Medical Center, and he and Kepner share a moment . Dr. Ben Warren (Jason George) and Dr. Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson) decide to get married, even though Warren is going to start his surgical internship in Los Angeles . After realizing Dr. Teddy Altman (Kim Raver) was offered a chief position at United States Army Medical Command (MEDCOM) and is refusing to leave Seattle out of loyalty, Dr. Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd), the chief of surgery, fires her to free her from the hospital where her husband died . As the episode ends, Hunt picks up his messages to discover the surgical team never made it to Boise . The residents, finally excited to celebrate at Webber's dinner, are left waiting for their stranded friends . The remaining crash survivors are left struggling to stay awake as their last match goes out . In the closing monologue, Meredith repeats the opening to the speech that Webber gave in the pilot episode of the series . </P>

When does the plane crash occur in grey's anatomy
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