1
00:00:02,535 --> 00:00:04,738
 (Narrator): Just moments       
 after taking off               

2
00:00:04,804 --> 00:00:07,140
  from a remote                 
   island in Norway...          

3
00:00:09,676 --> 00:00:11,077
  - Something's wrong.          

4
00:00:11,144 --> 00:00:13,613
    (Narrator): ... the pilots  
 of Wideroe Flight 8-3-9        

5
00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:15,515
   lose control of their plane. 

6
00:00:15,582 --> 00:00:17,083
- Oh God.                       

7
00:00:17,150 --> 00:00:18,985
  (Narrator): It plunges        
 into the Norwegian Sea,        

8
00:00:19,052 --> 00:00:21,488
    killing everyone on board.  

9
00:00:23,790 --> 00:00:28,361
  In the wreckage, investigators
find damage to a critical part. 

10
00:00:29,029 --> 00:00:31,231
   - The upper end is broken.   

11
00:00:32,866 --> 00:00:35,101
- It didn't make                
 a great deal of sense.         

12
00:00:35,168 --> 00:00:38,972
    (Narrator): And when they   
   learn another Wideroe flight 

13
00:00:39,039 --> 00:00:41,975
 nearly met the same fate       
  at the same airport...        

14
00:00:42,042 --> 00:00:43,777
- It looks like they lost       
  control of the plane          

15
00:00:43,843 --> 00:00:45,078
   for two minutes...           

16
00:00:45,145 --> 00:00:47,347
 (passengers screaming)         
   - We're going over.          

17
00:00:49,616 --> 00:00:50,817
 (passengers screaming)         

18
00:00:50,884 --> 00:00:54,521
   (Narrator): ...they discover 
 a controversial decision       

19
00:00:54,587 --> 00:00:56,222
 that put lives at risk.        

20
00:00:56,289 --> 00:00:59,526
- I wish that we had put        
  our foot down                 

21
00:00:59,592 --> 00:01:01,161
and said no more.               

22
00:01:02,862 --> 00:01:04,664
 (radio): Mayday, mayday!       

23
00:01:06,566 --> 00:01:08,501
 Pull up.                       

24
00:01:09,502 --> 00:01:11,738
 (radio chatter)                

25
00:01:24,050 --> 00:01:27,420
  (eerie music)                 

26
00:01:30,457 --> 00:01:33,026
 - Putting the seatbelt sign on.

27
00:01:34,561 --> 00:01:36,663
    (Narrator): Wideroe Flight  
  8-3-6                         

28
00:01:36,729 --> 00:01:40,900
  is heading to a remote outpost
    on the Lofoten archipelago  

29
00:01:40,967 --> 00:01:43,403
  in the Norwegian Sea.         

30
00:01:43,470 --> 00:01:48,041
  - Lofoten is one of the most  
   beautiful places in Norway.  

31
00:01:48,975 --> 00:01:52,112
  It's a place where Norwegians 
   would want to go on holiday  

32
00:01:52,178 --> 00:01:55,081
 to experience untouched nature 

33
00:01:55,148 --> 00:01:58,651
 and especially                 
the beautiful mountains.        

34
00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:04,090
   (Narrator): Tonight's flight 
    is carrying 11 passengers.  

35
00:02:04,157 --> 00:02:06,259
   Most are Norwegians,         

36
00:02:06,326 --> 00:02:08,761
 traveling to the islands       
    from the mainland.          

37
00:02:10,530 --> 00:02:14,634
 (radio): Wideroe 8-3-6.        
 Runway 25 free.                

38
00:02:14,701 --> 00:02:18,838
   Winds variable 10 21         
    at 2-6-0 degrees.           

39
00:02:18,905 --> 00:02:21,374
  Visibility 25-hundred meters. 

40
00:02:21,441 --> 00:02:24,477
   - Copy that, Wideroe 8-3-6.  

41
00:02:29,582 --> 00:02:33,286
(Narrator): Wideroe is Norway's 
    largest regional airline.   

42
00:02:33,353 --> 00:02:36,389
   It serves remote communities 
   across the country.          

43
00:02:37,657 --> 00:02:42,128
  (Lise): Since the 1960's and  
  70's it was a push in Norway  

44
00:02:42,195 --> 00:02:45,398
   to build regional airports   
 in rural areas.                

45
00:02:45,465 --> 00:02:48,568
 It made people                 
   feel less isolated           

46
00:02:48,635 --> 00:02:51,638
  and it made traveling         
  a lot easier.                 

47
00:02:54,174 --> 00:02:55,909
  (Narrator): The plane         
 is heading first               

48
00:02:55,975 --> 00:02:58,011
  to the small island of Vaeroy 

49
00:02:58,077 --> 00:03:00,113
    and then southwest to Rost  

50
00:03:00,180 --> 00:03:03,349
   before returning to          
    the mainland city of Bodo.  

51
00:03:05,752 --> 00:03:07,854
  - Approach checklist.         

52
00:03:09,088 --> 00:03:10,456
   (Narrator): 12 miles         
    from the airport,           

53
00:03:10,523 --> 00:03:12,792
  the crew prepares for landing.

54
00:03:13,860 --> 00:03:16,462
   - The crew was experienced   

55
00:03:16,529 --> 00:03:19,532
 but this was the first time the
 captain had flown into Vaeroy. 

56
00:03:19,599 --> 00:03:21,467
  - Altimeters.                 

57
00:03:23,736 --> 00:03:25,238
 - Set.                         

58
00:03:26,573 --> 00:03:29,742
    (Narrator): They're flying  
    a De Havilland Twin Otter.  

59
00:03:30,577 --> 00:03:34,080
  It's a twin turboprop         
    utility aircraft,           

60
00:03:34,147 --> 00:03:36,983
 a workhorse for                
    getting in and out          

61
00:03:37,050 --> 00:03:39,219
    of small remote airports.   

62
00:03:40,486 --> 00:03:42,655
   - The best airplane          
  in the world.                 

63
00:03:44,457 --> 00:03:47,026
   It's an incredibly           
sturdy aircraft.                

64
00:03:47,093 --> 00:03:49,295
  Very pilot-friendly.          

65
00:03:50,063 --> 00:03:52,498
 We have a long,                
mountainous coast               

66
00:03:52,565 --> 00:03:55,702
  and for that                  
   the Twin Otter was perfect.  

67
00:03:59,239 --> 00:04:01,341
- Landing lights.               

68
00:04:02,475 --> 00:04:03,943
   On.                          

69
00:04:04,010 --> 00:04:06,145
   (Narrator):                  
   Wideroe Flight 8-3-6         

70
00:04:06,212 --> 00:04:09,182
   is now minutes from          
    landing at Vaeroy.          

71
00:04:09,249 --> 00:04:12,719
 - And seat belt... already on. 

72
00:04:13,620 --> 00:04:15,788
   (Narrator):                  
   But the airport is notorious 

73
00:04:15,855 --> 00:04:17,757
 for unpredictable winds.       

74
00:04:18,524 --> 00:04:21,761
   - Vaeroy translated          
   means "the weather island".  

75
00:04:22,662 --> 00:04:26,199
 The airport was located        
   to the north of the island   

76
00:04:26,266 --> 00:04:28,334
  between the mountain          
  and the sea.                  

77
00:04:28,401 --> 00:04:32,071
  It's a very demanding         
   flying environment           

78
00:04:32,138 --> 00:04:35,041
   because the weather          
  changes all the time,         

79
00:04:35,108 --> 00:04:37,343
   so the pilots have           
to adapt to that.               

80
00:04:39,212 --> 00:04:41,314
  - Set flaps.                  

81
00:04:43,049 --> 00:04:44,884
   Flaps set.                   

82
00:04:45,518 --> 00:04:47,420
   (Narrator):                  
    With the runway in sight,   

83
00:04:47,487 --> 00:04:49,589
   the pilots begin to line up  
   for landing.                 

84
00:04:49,656 --> 00:04:52,325
But, just as the plane turns... 

85
00:04:53,526 --> 00:04:55,762
    it's rocked by turbulence.  

86
00:05:01,100 --> 00:05:02,835
- I have control.               

87
00:05:03,870 --> 00:05:05,438
   - You have control.          

88
00:05:07,607 --> 00:05:09,942
(Harald): When flying at Vaeroy,

89
00:05:10,009 --> 00:05:12,478
 you will experience turbulence,

90
00:05:12,545 --> 00:05:14,814
 and you will be tossed around. 

91
00:05:18,284 --> 00:05:21,387
  - This isn't getting better.  
   Go around.                   

92
00:05:24,824 --> 00:05:28,194
 - He obviously decided that the
 situation was not good to land 

93
00:05:28,261 --> 00:05:29,629
   so he went around.           

94
00:05:29,696 --> 00:05:31,397
   It was a great call          
  on his part.                  

95
00:05:33,099 --> 00:05:34,734
   - Flaps up.                  

96
00:05:34,801 --> 00:05:37,704
    (Narrator): As the captain  
    powers out of the landing,  

97
00:05:37,770 --> 00:05:41,007
  the plane is hit with         
   a powerful downdraft         

98
00:05:41,074 --> 00:05:43,543
 and extreme turbulence.        

99
00:05:46,746 --> 00:05:48,681
(Harald): You get sort of       
 a tunnel vision                

100
00:05:48,748 --> 00:05:51,651
   when you're in a situation   
   like that.                   

101
00:05:51,718 --> 00:05:54,721
And you pull out                
   all your resources           

102
00:05:54,787 --> 00:05:58,358
and you try to counteract       
  the situation that you're in. 

103
00:06:00,993 --> 00:06:02,662
   (Narrator): For two minutes, 

104
00:06:02,729 --> 00:06:05,064
  the captain struggles         
   to level the plane.          

105
00:06:05,932 --> 00:06:07,633
   (grunting)                   

106
00:06:08,067 --> 00:06:10,503
 - He was in extreme turbulence.

107
00:06:10,570 --> 00:06:12,238
   You're momentarily           
 out of control.                

108
00:06:12,305 --> 00:06:14,040
   You may or may not           
 regain control.                

109
00:06:16,376 --> 00:06:18,745
   (grunting)                   

110
00:06:24,183 --> 00:06:25,785
   - We're going over.          

111
00:06:26,719 --> 00:06:29,122
  (Narrator): The force         
   of the wind becomes so great 

112
00:06:29,188 --> 00:06:32,592
    that the plane rolls over   
  speeding toward the mountains.

113
00:06:35,194 --> 00:06:36,929
   - Altitude?                  

114
00:06:39,031 --> 00:06:41,100
- I-I can't see anything.       

115
00:06:41,167 --> 00:06:45,338
 (passengers screaming)         

116
00:06:45,972 --> 00:06:48,074
   (grunting)                   

117
00:06:51,010 --> 00:06:53,513
Come on!                        

118
00:06:54,213 --> 00:06:56,249
Come on!                        

119
00:06:56,315 --> 00:06:58,684
 (passengers screaming)         

120
00:07:01,053 --> 00:07:03,489
   (Narrator): Only 250         
  feet from the ground,         

121
00:07:03,556 --> 00:07:07,994
   the captain levels the plane 
    and pulls out of the dive.  

122
00:07:12,999 --> 00:07:14,934
 (sighs)                        

123
00:07:15,001 --> 00:07:17,103
 - I just can't believe         
that he recovered               

124
00:07:17,170 --> 00:07:18,871
 at such a low altitude.        

125
00:07:23,443 --> 00:07:25,678
   - Put in headings for Rost.  

126
00:07:30,283 --> 00:07:33,486
 - Wideroe 8-3-6                
  has aborted landing,          

127
00:07:33,553 --> 00:07:35,521
  redirecting to Rost.          

128
00:07:35,588 --> 00:07:39,192
   (radio): Copy that,          
    Wideroe 8-3-6. Stay safe.   

129
00:07:39,258 --> 00:07:41,127
   - Everyone okay back there?  

130
00:07:48,134 --> 00:07:52,038
    (Narrator): Wideroe Flight  
 8-3-6 escapes disaster.        

131
00:07:52,104 --> 00:07:54,507
   No one on board is injured.  

132
00:07:57,777 --> 00:08:00,480
   - I'm still shaking          
  my head at that one.          

133
00:08:00,546 --> 00:08:02,582
 That was an ace pilot.         

134
00:08:04,584 --> 00:08:06,619
(Narrator): In the city of Bodo,

135
00:08:06,686 --> 00:08:10,323
officials from Wideroe Airlines 
  cancel all flights into Vaeroy

136
00:08:10,389 --> 00:08:12,525
  while they try                
    and piece together          

137
00:08:12,592 --> 00:08:15,394
what happened with Flight 8-3-6.

138
00:08:15,461 --> 00:08:18,364
    As part of                  
    an internal investigation,  

139
00:08:18,431 --> 00:08:20,666
    the pilot is interviewed.   

140
00:08:21,467 --> 00:08:23,402
   - We were lining up          
  for approach.                 

141
00:08:23,469 --> 00:08:26,772
 Turbulence was getting         
worse and worse.                

142
00:08:28,140 --> 00:08:29,742
 I have control.                

143
00:08:32,211 --> 00:08:34,347
It was obvious we couldn't land.

144
00:08:34,413 --> 00:08:36,616
 I applied power to the engines 

145
00:08:36,682 --> 00:08:39,785
 and we climbed                 
   to about 1800 feet           

146
00:08:39,852 --> 00:08:44,490
where we got hit                
with a massive downdraft.       

147
00:08:48,361 --> 00:08:50,029
We're going over.               

148
00:08:50,096 --> 00:08:52,732
 (passengers screaming)         

149
00:08:56,535 --> 00:08:59,105
  I battled that plane,         

150
00:08:59,705 --> 00:09:02,208
 trying to keep it away         
   from the mountains.          

151
00:09:03,409 --> 00:09:05,845
Come on!                        

152
00:09:08,247 --> 00:09:10,049
Come on!                        

153
00:09:11,517 --> 00:09:13,986
  Eventually I was able         
  to level out,                 

154
00:09:14,053 --> 00:09:18,090
   climbed to a safe altitude   
  and turned for Rost.          

155
00:09:20,126 --> 00:09:23,696
- It would be terrifying        
   for them, I'm sure.          

156
00:09:25,097 --> 00:09:29,035
  - I've heard stories          
   about that airport.          

157
00:09:30,403 --> 00:09:32,238
And they're true.               

158
00:09:34,807 --> 00:09:37,310
(Harald):                       
 The pilots were not very happy.

159
00:09:38,177 --> 00:09:42,548
  We realized this had          
 been a serious incident        

160
00:09:42,615 --> 00:09:45,518
  and we had to tighten         
   the operational requirement  

161
00:09:45,585 --> 00:09:48,955
at the island to                
   make Vaeroy safer.           

162
00:09:51,958 --> 00:09:54,827
   (Narrator): The first action 
    taken by Wideroe officials  

163
00:09:54,894 --> 00:09:58,698
  is to reduce the maximum wind 
  speeds for takeoff and landing

164
00:09:58,764 --> 00:10:02,902
    at Vaeroy airport           
   from 20 to 15 knots.         

165
00:10:02,969 --> 00:10:06,572
 Wideroe asks the               
 Civil Aviation Authority       

166
00:10:06,639 --> 00:10:08,541
 to install anemometers,        

167
00:10:08,607 --> 00:10:11,544
   devices that monitor         
    and transmit wind speeds.   

168
00:10:11,611 --> 00:10:14,547
  Two are installed at each end 
 of the airstrip.               

169
00:10:14,614 --> 00:10:16,816
   And one is installed         
 on the mountain.               

170
00:10:16,882 --> 00:10:19,118
- The mountain is               
 its own weather maker.         

171
00:10:19,185 --> 00:10:21,887
   It can cause winds           
 to change in direction,        

172
00:10:21,954 --> 00:10:22,888
change in speed,                

173
00:10:22,955 --> 00:10:25,057
  which are conducive to making 

174
00:10:25,124 --> 00:10:26,959
some serious turbulence.        

175
00:10:28,794 --> 00:10:31,864
 (Narrator): It's called        
   terrain-induced turbulence.  

176
00:10:31,931 --> 00:10:34,634
  When winds hit                
 the mountains on Vaeroy,       

177
00:10:34,700 --> 00:10:36,636
 they tend to accelerate        
   over the top                 

178
00:10:36,702 --> 00:10:39,305
  and drop down                 
  towards the airstrip.         

179
00:10:39,372 --> 00:10:42,875
  This creates powerful         
    downdrafts and crosswinds.  

180
00:10:42,942 --> 00:10:46,345
    The sudden changes          
   in wind speeds and direction 

181
00:10:46,412 --> 00:10:48,347
  can create wind shear         

182
00:10:48,414 --> 00:10:50,816
    and cause a pilot           
 to lose control.               

183
00:10:52,118 --> 00:10:54,620
   (Harald): This was           
  a difficult place to operate  

184
00:10:54,687 --> 00:10:57,189
when the wind was flowing       
   over the mountains           

185
00:10:57,256 --> 00:10:58,991
and down onto the airport       

186
00:10:59,058 --> 00:11:01,494
  and we had to                 
   tighten those restrictions   

187
00:11:01,560 --> 00:11:05,264
   quite severely and quickly.  

188
00:11:07,166 --> 00:11:09,101
   (Narrator): But will         
    the restrictions at Vaeroy  

189
00:11:09,168 --> 00:11:12,705
   be enough to ensure          
  the safety of future flights? 

190
00:11:19,345 --> 00:11:23,215
r): It's been 15 months         
    since Wideroe Flight 8-3-6  

191
00:11:23,282 --> 00:11:25,317
   had their close call         
    at Vaeroy airport.          

192
00:11:25,384 --> 00:11:29,722
   Wideroe flight 8-3-9         
    has just landed at Vaeroy   

193
00:11:29,789 --> 00:11:32,892
 and is refueling before        
   heading back to the mainland 

194
00:11:32,958 --> 00:11:34,927
   for Easter weekend.          

195
00:11:34,994 --> 00:11:37,196
 - Anti-collision light.        

196
00:11:38,597 --> 00:11:39,865
  - On.                         

197
00:11:39,932 --> 00:11:42,001
- Aft and forward boost.        

198
00:11:42,068 --> 00:11:43,202
  - On.                         

199
00:11:43,269 --> 00:11:46,072
   (Narrator):                  
 Captain Idar Nils Persen       

200
00:11:46,138 --> 00:11:48,307
 is the pilot in command.       

201
00:11:48,908 --> 00:11:53,412
(Harald): Idar was a very       
   level-headed fella.          

202
00:11:53,479 --> 00:11:57,983
He was a top-rated pilot        
and he'd been with us for years.

203
00:11:58,050 --> 00:11:59,919
 - Start switch.                

204
00:11:59,985 --> 00:12:01,287
 - Left engine.                 

205
00:12:02,154 --> 00:12:06,792
  (Narrator): The first officer 
    is Arnt Vidar Gronneflåta.  

206
00:12:06,859 --> 00:12:09,128
   - On. Right engine.          

207
00:12:09,195 --> 00:12:13,199
   - Right engine. On.          

208
00:12:13,766 --> 00:12:17,436
   - The first officer          
 was fairly new.                

209
00:12:17,503 --> 00:12:20,840
I think he'd been with us       
 for only about a year.         

210
00:12:23,642 --> 00:12:27,346
- Look at that windsock.        
 It's flapping like mad.        

211
00:12:28,347 --> 00:12:30,950
  - Welcome to Vaeroy.          

212
00:12:31,016 --> 00:12:32,451
Buckle up, folks.               

213
00:12:32,518 --> 00:12:34,954
 It's going to be a bit         
   bumpy getting out of here.   

214
00:12:35,020 --> 00:12:37,890
   (Narrator): There are three  
   passengers onboard,          

215
00:12:37,957 --> 00:12:40,059
    including a young couple.   

216
00:12:40,126 --> 00:12:42,495
 - Vaeroy, Wideroe 8-3-9        
 ready to taxi.                 

217
00:12:42,561 --> 00:12:44,296
  (radio): Wideroe 8-3-9 roger. 

218
00:12:44,363 --> 00:12:46,932
 No known traffic, runway free, 

219
00:12:46,999 --> 00:12:49,702
 wind variable middle direction 

220
00:12:49,769 --> 00:12:52,905
   2-5-0 at 21 max 57,          

221
00:12:52,972 --> 00:12:55,775
  QNH Niner-8-8.                

222
00:12:55,841 --> 00:12:57,476
   - Copy, Niner-8-8.           

223
00:12:59,445 --> 00:13:01,814
  (Doug): The captain,          
  he was a local pilot.         

224
00:13:01,881 --> 00:13:03,382
  He knew the weather.          

225
00:13:03,449 --> 00:13:06,085
 He knew the limitations        
of the aircraft.                

226
00:13:06,152 --> 00:13:07,753
  Knew the limitations          
 of the airport.                

227
00:13:09,455 --> 00:13:12,424
   (Narrator): As they line up  
    at the end of the runway,   

228
00:13:12,491 --> 00:13:15,861
  the crew performs the         
    Before Take-off checklist.  

229
00:13:17,797 --> 00:13:19,598
 - Flaps set 10.                

230
00:13:19,665 --> 00:13:21,233
- Set 10.                       

231
00:13:21,300 --> 00:13:24,136
 - Heading set to 2-8-0.        

232
00:13:24,203 --> 00:13:26,672
 - Let's make it 3-2-0.         

233
00:13:27,373 --> 00:13:29,141
   Just get clearance.          

234
00:13:29,208 --> 00:13:31,610
 It's calm now.                 
  We should get going.          

235
00:13:31,677 --> 00:13:32,845
  - Copy that.                  

236
00:13:32,912 --> 00:13:35,781
  Tower, Wideroe 8-3-9          
  requesting clearance.         

237
00:13:35,848 --> 00:13:37,316
 - Wideroe 8-3-9,               

238
00:13:37,383 --> 00:13:40,753
   Bodo control clears Wideroe  
8-3-9 direct Bodo               

239
00:13:40,820 --> 00:13:44,757
  at 5,000 feet                 
   and squawk 0-1-3-5.          

240
00:13:44,824 --> 00:13:46,258
 - Copy.                        

241
00:13:46,325 --> 00:13:47,760
 Wideroe 8-3-9.                 

242
00:13:47,827 --> 00:13:49,461
  - Here we go.                 

243
00:13:55,267 --> 00:13:56,936
    - Wind has varied           

244
00:13:57,002 --> 00:14:00,272
 2-1-0 to 2-9-0 degrees         

245
00:14:00,339 --> 00:14:02,508
    with gusts of 34.           

246
00:14:02,575 --> 00:14:05,511
 - Yeah. Roger. We are rolling. 

247
00:14:06,946 --> 00:14:08,814
   70 knots...                  

248
00:14:09,448 --> 00:14:11,083
   80 knots...                  

249
00:14:15,654 --> 00:14:17,223
 rotate.                        

250
00:14:17,289 --> 00:14:20,893
   (Narrator): At 2:43,         
   Wideroe Flight 8-3-9         

251
00:14:20,960 --> 00:14:24,396
  takes off from Vaeroy         
   and heads for the mainland.  

252
00:14:26,232 --> 00:14:30,035
    The return flight to Bodo   
will take less than 30 minutes. 

253
00:14:34,039 --> 00:14:35,741
   - Flaps up.                  

254
00:14:37,543 --> 00:14:39,945
   (Narrator):                  
   10 seconds after takeoff...  

255
00:14:40,012 --> 00:14:41,847
   (rattling)                   

256
00:14:41,914 --> 00:14:44,950
    ...a strange noise          
  catches the pilots' attention.

257
00:14:46,118 --> 00:14:48,754
(Harald): You don't want        
   anything unusual to happen   

258
00:14:48,821 --> 00:14:50,823
  in that phase                 
  of the flight                 

259
00:14:50,890 --> 00:14:53,559
  since you are                 
very close to the ground.       

260
00:14:55,194 --> 00:14:58,564
    (Narrator): They struggle   
 to keep the plane level.       

261
00:14:59,899 --> 00:15:01,533
- Steady.                       

262
00:15:02,768 --> 00:15:04,803
   (rattling)                   

263
00:15:04,870 --> 00:15:06,939
   Something's wrong.           

264
00:15:15,948 --> 00:15:19,785
  (Narrator): And then,         
   the nose of the plane drops  

265
00:15:19,852 --> 00:15:22,254
  and the captain can't         
 do anything to raise it.       

266
00:15:22,321 --> 00:15:25,557
- No, no, no, no.               

267
00:15:27,960 --> 00:15:32,398
 (passengers screaming)         

268
00:15:33,866 --> 00:15:35,167
- Oh God.                       

269
00:15:35,801 --> 00:15:38,938
   (Narrator): Just 63 seconds  
   after lifting off...         

270
00:15:41,106 --> 00:15:43,108
   Wideroe Flight 8-3-9         

271
00:15:44,576 --> 00:15:46,211
   slams into the sea.          

272
00:15:46,278 --> 00:15:49,014
 (alarm sounds)                 

273
00:15:52,051 --> 00:15:56,822
 - Wideroe 8-3-9, this is Vaeroy
   Tower. Do you copy?          

274
00:15:56,889 --> 00:16:01,560
 Wideroe 8-3-9,                 
  Vaeroy information on 119.4.  

275
00:16:09,134 --> 00:16:11,804
    (Narrator): Within hours,   
 search and rescue teams        

276
00:16:11,870 --> 00:16:14,707
   spot debris                  
 on the ocean's surface,        

277
00:16:14,773 --> 00:16:17,943
 6.5 kilometers northwest       
 of the airport.                

278
00:16:20,012 --> 00:16:23,716
- The wreckage was found        
 three days after the accident. 

279
00:16:24,583 --> 00:16:27,886
  Harsh sea conditions          
  made it a challenge.          

280
00:16:30,889 --> 00:16:33,525
  (Narrator): The bodies        
 of the three passengers        

281
00:16:33,592 --> 00:16:36,061
  and the first officer         
  are recovered.                

282
00:16:36,128 --> 00:16:39,665
  Captain Persen remains        
 are never found.               

283
00:16:41,300 --> 00:16:44,536
 - The accident                 
 caused a lot of grief.         

284
00:16:44,603 --> 00:16:47,773
Vaeroy is a small island        
 where everyone know each other,

285
00:16:47,840 --> 00:16:50,709
so everyone felt they had       
   lost someone close to them.  

286
00:16:51,844 --> 00:16:53,812
    (Narrator): Investigators   

287
00:16:53,879 --> 00:16:56,949
   from the Norwegian Accident  
  Commission for Civil Aviation,

288
00:16:57,016 --> 00:17:00,753
   or HSL, soon arrive          
  on the island.                

289
00:17:02,521 --> 00:17:05,557
  - The purpose of the Wideroe  
  investigation                 

290
00:17:05,624 --> 00:17:09,695
  was to find out what happened 
  during that incident.         

291
00:17:13,665 --> 00:17:15,434
   - I was manager air safety   

292
00:17:15,501 --> 00:17:16,702
for Boeing Canada               
 De Havilland Division,         

293
00:17:16,769 --> 00:17:19,538
and I traveled to Vaeroy        

294
00:17:19,605 --> 00:17:22,174
 to assist with                 
   the investigation.           

295
00:17:23,275 --> 00:17:25,477
  The airfield was spectacular, 

296
00:17:25,544 --> 00:17:29,048
  but I was somewhat surprised  
in the closeness                

297
00:17:29,114 --> 00:17:33,285
   of the mountain range which  
  paralleled the entire runway. 

298
00:17:35,120 --> 00:17:36,422
  - Thank you.                  

299
00:17:36,488 --> 00:17:39,558
(Narrator): Investigators start 
by interviewing the controller, 

300
00:17:39,625 --> 00:17:41,960
    who briefs pilots           
  on the local weather.         

301
00:17:42,027 --> 00:17:43,896
   - Sorry about that.          
 - That's fine.                 

302
00:17:43,962 --> 00:17:45,664
 Can you walk me                
  through what happened         

303
00:17:45,731 --> 00:17:46,832
the day of the accident?        

304
00:17:46,899 --> 00:17:48,300
- A normal day by our standards.

305
00:17:48,367 --> 00:17:50,969
  They landed at 14:30.         

306
00:17:51,036 --> 00:17:54,740
  Refueled, changed passengers  
 and asked to taxi out.         

307
00:17:54,807 --> 00:17:57,109
  The whole turnaround          
was less than 15 minutes.       

308
00:17:57,176 --> 00:17:59,745
  - What were the winds         
   when they took off?          

309
00:17:59,812 --> 00:18:02,514
- It was gusting                
  when they were parked         

310
00:18:02,581 --> 00:18:04,683
   but eased off to 34          
on the west end.                

311
00:18:04,750 --> 00:18:07,019
  The winds were coming         
  from every direction.         

312
00:18:07,086 --> 00:18:08,887
   It's pretty common.          

313
00:18:08,954 --> 00:18:12,157
- Did the pilots have any       
  hesitation about taking off?  

314
00:18:12,224 --> 00:18:13,592
   - No. None at all.           

315
00:18:13,659 --> 00:18:15,094
 - And what about the take off? 

316
00:18:15,160 --> 00:18:18,430
   (Narrator):                  
 The controller explains        

317
00:18:18,497 --> 00:18:20,165
   that after the plane passed  
    the tower,                  

318
00:18:22,101 --> 00:18:25,938
    it turned and then          
   disappeared into the clouds. 

319
00:18:26,004 --> 00:18:28,474
  - What was the cloud          
  ceiling at the time?          

320
00:18:28,540 --> 00:18:30,576
  - 1,000 feet.                 

321
00:18:30,642 --> 00:18:32,177
  I received a distress signal  

322
00:18:32,244 --> 00:18:35,247
 and a few seconds later        
 I heard a bang.                

323
00:18:37,316 --> 00:18:38,617
 That was fast.                 

324
00:18:38,684 --> 00:18:41,386
 They were airborne for         
   just over a minute.          

325
00:18:41,453 --> 00:18:44,189
 - Did they call mayday         

326
00:18:44,256 --> 00:18:47,860
or relay any information        
about mechanical issues?        

327
00:18:47,926 --> 00:18:49,828
   - Nothing.                   

328
00:18:50,796 --> 00:18:53,832
 - That was helpful. Thank you. 

329
00:18:55,033 --> 00:18:57,503
   (Narrator): Could there have 
    been a structural failure   

330
00:18:57,569 --> 00:19:00,973
 or loss of power               
    which caused Flight 8-3-9   

331
00:19:01,039 --> 00:19:03,775
   to crash so quickly          
  into the sea?                 

332
00:19:08,747 --> 00:19:10,949
   s                            
   survey the wreckage          

333
00:19:11,016 --> 00:19:12,684
 of Wideroe Flight 8-3-9        

334
00:19:12,751 --> 00:19:14,887
    for any signs that          
  would explain a crash         

335
00:19:14,953 --> 00:19:16,655
  so soon after takeoff.        

336
00:19:16,722 --> 00:19:20,526
   - Nose and cockpit           
   completely crushed.          

337
00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:24,997
  Both wings, engines,          

338
00:19:25,063 --> 00:19:28,333
 undercarriage and tail section 

339
00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:31,770
  severed from                  
 the fuselage on impact         

340
00:19:31,837 --> 00:19:33,939
  and carried forward.          

341
00:19:34,006 --> 00:19:36,608
  A high energy impact.         

342
00:19:38,677 --> 00:19:41,079
  (Jim): With the nose          
 buckled the way it was         

343
00:19:41,146 --> 00:19:44,016
 and the left wing tip buckled; 

344
00:19:44,082 --> 00:19:46,118
we had a pretty good idea       

345
00:19:46,185 --> 00:19:48,954
   of how the aircraft          
impacted the sea.               

346
00:19:52,724 --> 00:19:54,927
 (Narrator): The wreckage       
   tells investigators          

347
00:19:54,993 --> 00:19:58,797
   the plane entered the water  
   nose first at a high speed.  

348
00:20:02,935 --> 00:20:06,405
    The team considers          
  whether engine failure        

349
00:20:06,471 --> 00:20:08,707
  caused the high-speed impact. 

350
00:20:08,774 --> 00:20:11,343
 The manufacturer               
  provides their report.        

351
00:20:11,410 --> 00:20:13,345
- No fire damage.               

352
00:20:13,412 --> 00:20:16,548
  Both engines appeared         
to be running at high RPM       

353
00:20:16,615 --> 00:20:19,418
   and torque                   
 at the time of impact.         

354
00:20:19,484 --> 00:20:22,487
  - The engine                  
 manufacturer determined        

355
00:20:22,554 --> 00:20:23,889
  that the engines were running 

356
00:20:23,956 --> 00:20:26,858
 and they were ruled out        
   very, very quickly.          

357
00:20:28,493 --> 00:20:30,696
   (Narrator):                  
  With engine failure ruled out,

358
00:20:30,762 --> 00:20:34,499
  they wonder whether any parts 
  that control the plane's pitch

359
00:20:34,566 --> 00:20:36,201
   or steering failed,          

360
00:20:36,268 --> 00:20:38,804
  causing it to                 
   plunge into the sea.         

361
00:20:41,206 --> 00:20:44,009
  - The right elevator          
sheared in half,                

362
00:20:44,076 --> 00:20:45,844
  maybe due to impact.          

363
00:20:47,913 --> 00:20:50,349
 (Narrator): The elevator       
   is a control surface         

364
00:20:50,415 --> 00:20:53,318
 on the Twin Otter's tail       
   that adjusts pitch.          

365
00:20:56,755 --> 00:20:59,925
  Investigators discover        
    something unusual           

366
00:20:59,992 --> 00:21:02,661
in the elevator connecting rod. 

367
00:21:06,164 --> 00:21:08,367
   The elevator connecting rod  

368
00:21:08,433 --> 00:21:11,770
   moves the elevators          
 up and down on the tail.       

369
00:21:12,371 --> 00:21:15,507
   It's activated when          
    the pilot pushes or pulls   

370
00:21:15,574 --> 00:21:17,609
  on the control column.        

371
00:21:18,310 --> 00:21:20,045
   - The upper end is broken.   

372
00:21:20,112 --> 00:21:24,383
   (Narrator): What would cause 
   such a vital part to break?  

373
00:21:24,449 --> 00:21:27,886
  - You shouldn't have          
any preconceived notions        

374
00:21:27,953 --> 00:21:29,888
   as to why the part failed.   

375
00:21:31,323 --> 00:21:33,358
- Let's get this                
   elevator rod to metallurgy.  

376
00:21:33,425 --> 00:21:35,861
  I want to know how it failed. 

377
00:21:38,363 --> 00:21:40,165
   - Did the part fail          

378
00:21:40,232 --> 00:21:42,567
because there was               
 a manufacturing defect?        

379
00:21:42,634 --> 00:21:46,872
   Did it fail because          
  there was a tool mark on it?  

380
00:21:46,938 --> 00:21:50,909
 You should let the part        
   tell you the story.          

381
00:21:52,411 --> 00:21:54,212
   (Narrator):                  
 While investigators wait       

382
00:21:54,279 --> 00:21:55,714
  for the metallurgical results,

383
00:21:55,781 --> 00:21:57,983
  they research                 
   the plane's history,         

384
00:21:58,050 --> 00:22:00,852
  looking for any clues         
   into what might have caused  

385
00:22:00,919 --> 00:22:03,522
   the elevator                 
 connecting rod to fail.        

386
00:22:03,588 --> 00:22:06,291
   - The Twin Otter DHC 6-300   

387
00:22:06,358 --> 00:22:09,661
  was purchased                 
   by Wideroe in 1977.          

388
00:22:10,329 --> 00:22:12,397
   - The last daily inspection  
 was carried out                

389
00:22:12,464 --> 00:22:13,799
the day of the accident.        

390
00:22:13,865 --> 00:22:16,068
  Maintenance all in accordance 
with current regulations.       

391
00:22:16,134 --> 00:22:18,103
  - So not a maintenance issue. 

392
00:22:19,938 --> 00:22:22,374
  (Phone rings)                 

393
00:22:23,208 --> 00:22:25,877
(Tor): The investigators        
  went through                  

394
00:22:25,944 --> 00:22:28,246
   all the maintenance          
 documentation.                 

395
00:22:28,313 --> 00:22:30,982
   All the inspections          
  was completed                 

396
00:22:31,049 --> 00:22:33,518
  and no deviations was found.  

397
00:22:34,720 --> 00:22:37,489
   (Narrator): With maintenance 
   ruled out as a cause         

398
00:22:37,556 --> 00:22:40,025
    for the failure of          
   the elevator connecting rod, 

399
00:22:40,092 --> 00:22:43,428
investigators review the results
  of a metallurgical examination

400
00:22:43,495 --> 00:22:45,964
  performed on the rod.         

401
00:22:46,898 --> 00:22:49,368
  - There's no                  
  pre-existing cracks.          

402
00:22:49,434 --> 00:22:52,504
 There's banding here and here. 

403
00:22:53,472 --> 00:22:57,409
  - Banding is created because  
you have a repeated load        

404
00:22:57,476 --> 00:22:59,578
   that is applied on and off   
  to your part.                 

405
00:22:59,644 --> 00:23:01,980
 And every time                 
  the load is applied,          

406
00:23:02,047 --> 00:23:05,050
  you have a crack that         
 grows a little bit more        

407
00:23:05,117 --> 00:23:09,154
and it creates a rainbow        
on the fracture surface.        

408
00:23:10,188 --> 00:23:13,458
   (Narrator): The report also  
   reveals the banding occurred 

409
00:23:13,525 --> 00:23:16,528
   because of sideways          
   bending on the rod.          

410
00:23:18,263 --> 00:23:19,998
 (Jim): This was highly unusual.

411
00:23:20,065 --> 00:23:24,002
There's never any               
 side loads on that rod.        

412
00:23:24,069 --> 00:23:26,405
   It just moves up and down.   

413
00:23:26,471 --> 00:23:29,508
   So, it didn't make           
 a great deal of sense.         

414
00:23:30,542 --> 00:23:33,078
   (Narrator):                  
Investigators examine schematics

415
00:23:33,145 --> 00:23:35,547
   of the tail section          
    of the Twin Otter           

416
00:23:35,614 --> 00:23:37,349
   to determine what would bend 

417
00:23:37,416 --> 00:23:40,852
   the elevator connecting rod  
  sideways, causing it to break.

418
00:23:40,919 --> 00:23:44,790
   - So what if this elevator   
broke in flight?                

419
00:23:46,992 --> 00:23:50,562
- It would swing freely,        
   and uncontrollably.          

420
00:23:50,629 --> 00:23:53,532
  - It would definitely         
 cause the rod to bend.         

421
00:23:58,904 --> 00:24:00,639
   (Narrator):                  
  If the right elevator         

422
00:24:00,705 --> 00:24:02,774
  separated from                
  its mounts in flight,         

423
00:24:02,841 --> 00:24:05,343
  it would swing                
   in every direction,          

424
00:24:05,410 --> 00:24:07,779
 putting sideways               
   pressure on the rod,         

425
00:24:07,846 --> 00:24:10,248
  and ultimately                
   causing it to break.         

426
00:24:11,716 --> 00:24:16,021
  - First the elevator.         
  Then the rod.                 

427
00:24:17,556 --> 00:24:19,991
  - It's the only thing         
that makes sense.               

428
00:24:20,926 --> 00:24:23,929
   - It's kind of like          
   the cart before the horse.   

429
00:24:23,995 --> 00:24:27,299
  The control rod would         
 not have seen any loads        

430
00:24:27,365 --> 00:24:29,768
  had the elevator not broken.  

431
00:24:30,769 --> 00:24:34,873
   (Narrator): What would cause 
the elevator to break in flight?

432
00:24:34,940 --> 00:24:36,775
   - Maybe the cockpit          
 voice recorder                 

433
00:24:36,842 --> 00:24:38,810
  can shed some light on that.  

434
00:24:45,584 --> 00:24:48,320
- Okay let's start              
 with the takeoff roll.         

435
00:24:49,287 --> 00:24:51,022
   (Narrator):                  
 Norwegian investigators        

436
00:24:51,089 --> 00:24:53,124
  listen to the cockpit         
  voice recorder                

437
00:24:53,191 --> 00:24:55,627
   for clues as to how          
    the right elevator          

438
00:24:55,694 --> 00:24:58,830
    on Wideroe Flight           
   8-3-9 might have come loose, 

439
00:24:58,897 --> 00:25:01,199
   bending the connecting rod.  

440
00:25:01,266 --> 00:25:04,936
(recorder): 70 knots. 80 knots. 

441
00:25:05,003 --> 00:25:07,239
 Rotate.                        

442
00:25:07,305 --> 00:25:10,942
   (Tor): It was amazing that   
   the cockpit voice recorder   

443
00:25:11,009 --> 00:25:13,645
   was in the aircraft          
   in the first place           

444
00:25:13,712 --> 00:25:16,114
   because it was not           
 mandatory at the time.         

445
00:25:19,551 --> 00:25:20,585
   - Flaps up.                  

446
00:25:20,652 --> 00:25:22,721
   (rattling)                   

447
00:25:28,293 --> 00:25:30,662
   - Did you hear that          
clattering noise?               

448
00:25:31,029 --> 00:25:33,598
   - Strange.                   

449
00:25:38,336 --> 00:25:40,171
   (recorder): Steady.          

450
00:25:45,810 --> 00:25:47,679
   Something's wrong.           

451
00:25:48,046 --> 00:25:49,281
   (rattling)                   

452
00:25:49,347 --> 00:25:52,817
Stop. There it is again.        

453
00:25:53,685 --> 00:25:56,121
- Was that the elevator?        

454
00:25:56,988 --> 00:25:59,457
  - Play it back again.         

455
00:26:00,458 --> 00:26:03,128
 (Jim): When I listened         
   to the CVR,                  

456
00:26:03,194 --> 00:26:06,231
there was nothing               
  that I could pinpoint         

457
00:26:06,298 --> 00:26:10,302
   as being the source          
of the clattering sound.        

458
00:26:13,605 --> 00:26:15,540
   (rattling)                   

459
00:26:15,607 --> 00:26:17,842
- Could it have been the        
   elevator breaking?           

460
00:26:17,909 --> 00:26:21,279
 It was possible but we         
 really just don't know.        

461
00:26:22,280 --> 00:26:23,748
  - Do you hear the propellers? 

462
00:26:23,815 --> 00:26:26,217
  (Narrator): Fifty-five seconds
 into the flight,               

463
00:26:26,284 --> 00:26:28,887
    investigators hear          
 the sound of propellers        

464
00:26:28,954 --> 00:26:30,622
  rotating out of sync.         

465
00:26:31,656 --> 00:26:34,859
    This occurs when there's a  
change in the aircraft's pitch. 

466
00:26:34,926 --> 00:26:36,928
  - Turbulence?                 

467
00:26:37,862 --> 00:26:39,397
 - It has to be.                

468
00:26:39,798 --> 00:26:44,402
 - A sudden gust of wind        
   or change in wind direction  

469
00:26:44,469 --> 00:26:47,472
   would cause                  
the propellers to adjust        

470
00:26:47,539 --> 00:26:51,409
 to compensate for the changing 
attitude of the aircraft.       

471
00:26:52,844 --> 00:26:55,914
    (Narrator): Investigators   
   discover that Wideroe 8-3-9  

472
00:26:55,981 --> 00:27:00,285
was struck by severe turbulence 
  shortly after takeoff.        

473
00:27:00,352 --> 00:27:03,521
   - The crash happens          
 just 10 seconds later.         

474
00:27:06,091 --> 00:27:08,827
 (passengers screaming)         

475
00:27:08,893 --> 00:27:11,730
- No. No, no, no.               

476
00:27:11,796 --> 00:27:13,431
- Oh God!                       

477
00:27:24,542 --> 00:27:26,544
  - So where were they exactly  

478
00:27:26,611 --> 00:27:28,613
  when they were struck         
  by severe turbulence?         

479
00:27:28,680 --> 00:27:31,182
   - Well, Standard Operating   
   Procedure calls for a rate   

480
00:27:31,249 --> 00:27:33,685
  of ascent of 1000 to          
   12-hundred feet per minute.  

481
00:27:33,752 --> 00:27:36,888
 - So they would                
   have hit turbulence          

482
00:27:36,955 --> 00:27:41,292
right after they entered        
   clouds at about 1000 feet.   

483
00:27:42,527 --> 00:27:46,264
 And, that mountain ridge there 
  is just over a thousand feet. 

484
00:27:47,766 --> 00:27:50,502
 - It looks like                
   terrain-induced turbulence.  

485
00:27:54,039 --> 00:27:59,144
 (Harald): The quicker you could
  get away from the mountains,  

486
00:27:59,210 --> 00:28:01,179
   the better it was.           

487
00:28:01,246 --> 00:28:04,382
  - How bad could those         
winds have been?                

488
00:28:05,984 --> 00:28:08,787
(Narrator): Investigators learn 
    of the near crash           

489
00:28:08,853 --> 00:28:12,357
   of the other Wideroe plane,  
  Flight 8-3-6,                 

490
00:28:12,424 --> 00:28:15,560
  on approach to Vaeroy,        
    15 months earlier.          

491
00:28:16,428 --> 00:28:18,396
- It looks like they lost       
  control of the plane          

492
00:28:18,463 --> 00:28:21,599
for two minutes,                
   even went inverted.          

493
00:28:25,870 --> 00:28:29,441
   - At what altitude           
 did they lose control?         

494
00:28:29,507 --> 00:28:31,776
   - About 1800 feet,           

495
00:28:31,843 --> 00:28:35,647
just after he aborted the       
  landing on runway 25          

496
00:28:35,714 --> 00:28:37,882
  due to winds.                 

497
00:28:40,085 --> 00:28:43,221
 (Narrator): Both flights       
   encountered dangerous winds  

498
00:28:43,288 --> 00:28:46,391
at or above the mountain ridges.

499
00:28:46,458 --> 00:28:48,426
   - Were any measures          
 put into place                 

500
00:28:48,493 --> 00:28:50,261
  to prevent this from          
happening again?                

501
00:28:50,328 --> 00:28:53,298
  - After Flight 8-3-6's missed 
approach,                       

502
00:28:53,364 --> 00:28:56,935
   Flight Order 17 was          
 put into place.                

503
00:28:57,001 --> 00:28:58,603
So they made this change,       

504
00:28:58,670 --> 00:29:02,340
  "Landings and departures must 
   not be planned or executed   

505
00:29:02,407 --> 00:29:04,676
   with variable winds          
above 15 knots."                

506
00:29:05,710 --> 00:29:07,812
   So they reduced the maximum  
  allowable wind speeds         

507
00:29:07,879 --> 00:29:10,548
for takeoff and landing.        

508
00:29:11,649 --> 00:29:16,054
 - Wideroe established some very
  significant wind restrictions 

509
00:29:16,121 --> 00:29:21,092
   using some very experienced  
  crew to develop them.         

510
00:29:21,159 --> 00:29:25,230
   But there was still          
unpredictability.               

511
00:29:25,296 --> 00:29:28,366
 - Anemometers were also        
installed                       

512
00:29:28,433 --> 00:29:30,368
   at both ends of the runway   

513
00:29:30,435 --> 00:29:34,038
   and on the mountain ridge.   

514
00:29:36,541 --> 00:29:38,476
(Doug): It's good               
  to have an anemometer         

515
00:29:38,543 --> 00:29:39,978
 on top of the mountain.        

516
00:29:40,044 --> 00:29:43,414
  It just gives the pilot more  
  information for the landing.  

517
00:29:43,481 --> 00:29:46,384
 - So what were                 
   the mountain winds           

518
00:29:46,451 --> 00:29:48,686
  at the time of flight 8-3-9?  

519
00:29:51,623 --> 00:29:56,728
  - Huh. There is no anemometer 
 data for the mountain.         

520
00:30:00,665 --> 00:30:05,503
  - If it doesn't provide data, 
 it's absolutely no use.        

521
00:30:06,371 --> 00:30:08,573
 (Narrator):                    
  Investigators contact         

522
00:30:08,640 --> 00:30:10,175
   the Civil Aviation Authority 

523
00:30:10,241 --> 00:30:12,977
  to determine why there weren't
 any mountain anemometer        

524
00:30:13,044 --> 00:30:15,113
  wind readings                 
 at the time of the crash       

525
00:30:15,180 --> 00:30:17,515
 of Wideroe Fight 8-3-9.        

526
00:30:17,582 --> 00:30:19,417
  - Thank you.                  

527
00:30:21,953 --> 00:30:24,589
 The anemometer was taken down. 

528
00:30:26,858 --> 00:30:29,494
(Narrator): They learn that the 
    anemometer on the mountain  

529
00:30:29,561 --> 00:30:33,131
 wasn't reliable because        
  of the icy conditions.        

530
00:30:33,198 --> 00:30:35,033
  A year after being installed, 

531
00:30:35,099 --> 00:30:38,136
   it was removed from          
 the mountain for repair.       

532
00:30:39,037 --> 00:30:41,105
- It gets worse.                

533
00:30:41,172 --> 00:30:43,274
It was never reinstalled.       

534
00:30:43,341 --> 00:30:46,277
It was officially               
  taken out of service          

535
00:30:46,344 --> 00:30:48,413
 three days before the accident.

536
00:30:53,251 --> 00:30:55,553
   (Doug): The removal          
of the anemometer               

537
00:30:55,620 --> 00:30:57,488
   is a degradation of safety.  

538
00:30:57,555 --> 00:31:00,925
  It's information that a pilot 
 would certainly require        

539
00:31:00,992 --> 00:31:02,293
for an airport like that.       

540
00:31:02,360 --> 00:31:04,162
 - Okay.                        

541
00:31:04,229 --> 00:31:07,198
So, what wind information       

542
00:31:07,265 --> 00:31:10,335
 were the pilots                
   actually getting, and when?  

543
00:31:12,470 --> 00:31:15,673
    (Narrator): Investigators   
   listen to the CVR recording  

544
00:31:15,740 --> 00:31:20,178
 of Wideroe Flight 8-3-9,       
   before it landed at Vaeroy.  

545
00:31:20,245 --> 00:31:21,946
    (recording): I'm going to   
 bank west of the island        

546
00:31:22,013 --> 00:31:23,715
    to avoid more turbulence.   

547
00:31:23,781 --> 00:31:25,817
  I'm getting updrafts already. 

548
00:31:25,884 --> 00:31:27,185
  - Copy that.                  

549
00:31:27,252 --> 00:31:30,555
- Wideroe 8-3-9. Runway free... 

550
00:31:30,622 --> 00:31:35,059
    Wind east side 270          
    degrees at max 23.          

551
00:31:35,126 --> 00:31:36,394
  - Understood.                 

552
00:31:36,461 --> 00:31:38,429
  Wideroe 8-3-9.                

553
00:31:40,565 --> 00:31:42,367
  - Twenty three knots.         

554
00:31:42,433 --> 00:31:44,669
   That's eight knots           
above the limit.                

555
00:31:44,736 --> 00:31:47,038
   - They shouldn't even have   
landed the inbound flight       

556
00:31:47,105 --> 00:31:48,339
   in the first place.          

557
00:31:48,406 --> 00:31:51,509
 What about when                
they were on the ground?        

558
00:32:00,518 --> 00:32:02,820
   (recording):                 
  Look at that windsock.        

559
00:32:02,887 --> 00:32:05,556
 It's flapping like mad.        

560
00:32:05,623 --> 00:32:07,125
  - Welcome to Vaeroy.          

561
00:32:10,061 --> 00:32:12,797
 - The pilot was talking        
  a lot about the wind          

562
00:32:12,864 --> 00:32:15,800
and they were discussing        
  that the wind                 

563
00:32:15,867 --> 00:32:17,669
 was coming from all directions.

564
00:32:17,735 --> 00:32:20,438
  (air traffic control):        
  Wideroe 8-3-9, roger.         

565
00:32:20,505 --> 00:32:23,207
  No known traffic, runway free,

566
00:32:23,274 --> 00:32:25,810
  wind variable                 
 middle direction               

567
00:32:25,877 --> 00:32:29,881
  at two five zero at 21 max 57.

568
00:32:29,948 --> 00:32:32,016
 - Could you say again. Max 57? 

569
00:32:32,083 --> 00:32:34,786
 - Yeah. Max 57.                

570
00:32:37,989 --> 00:32:39,724
 - Copy.                        

571
00:32:42,994 --> 00:32:45,229
   - 57 knots.                  

572
00:32:46,698 --> 00:32:51,369
 (Narrator): 57 knots is        
   more than 65 miles per hour. 

573
00:32:52,837 --> 00:32:56,274
- Yeah. The manual says that the
 Twin Otter must not be operated

574
00:32:56,341 --> 00:32:59,644
  on the ground                 
in winds above 50 knots.        

575
00:33:01,446 --> 00:33:04,882
- He is sticking                
his neck out on the line        

576
00:33:04,949 --> 00:33:06,684
 and I'm not quite sure         
why he did that.                

577
00:33:06,751 --> 00:33:09,754
  - Were the winds that strong  
   when they took off?          

578
00:33:13,524 --> 00:33:15,994
 - They go through their        
  pre-takeoff checklist         

579
00:33:16,060 --> 00:33:17,795
   and then...                  

580
00:33:18,997 --> 00:33:20,398
  - Just get clearance.         

581
00:33:20,465 --> 00:33:22,734
 It's calm now.                 
  We should get going.          

582
00:33:22,800 --> 00:33:24,102
  - Copy that.                  

583
00:33:24,168 --> 00:33:26,537
  - The captain says its calm.  

584
00:33:26,604 --> 00:33:28,673
What's he basing that on?       
   Windsocks?                   

585
00:33:28,740 --> 00:33:30,041
- The rains had stopped.        

586
00:33:30,108 --> 00:33:32,577
  Maybe it looked like          
the weather was clearing.       

587
00:33:35,113 --> 00:33:37,081
(Harald):                       
  If a shower was approaching,  

588
00:33:37,148 --> 00:33:39,283
you could expect variable winds.

589
00:33:39,350 --> 00:33:41,986
   But when the shower passed,  

590
00:33:42,053 --> 00:33:44,756
you could expect                
   a lull in the wind.          

591
00:33:48,826 --> 00:33:51,429
 - According to the transcript, 

592
00:33:51,496 --> 00:33:54,532
 they get their next wind report
  as they're about to take off. 

593
00:33:55,700 --> 00:33:59,037
 (radio):                       
   Wind has varied two one zero 

594
00:33:59,103 --> 00:34:02,507
 to two nine zero degrees       
    with gusts of 34.           

595
00:34:02,573 --> 00:34:04,909
 - Yeah. Roger. We are rolling. 

596
00:34:07,712 --> 00:34:10,281
 - They took off                
   in a 34-knot wind.           

597
00:34:10,348 --> 00:34:12,383
That's more than                
double the limit.               

598
00:34:14,318 --> 00:34:17,021
 - If the winds were gusting at 
 57 knots on the ground,        

599
00:34:17,088 --> 00:34:18,990
 then who knows                 
how strong the winds were       

600
00:34:19,056 --> 00:34:20,892
coming off the mountain.        

601
00:34:22,026 --> 00:34:24,295
 - Strong enough                
 to break the elevator.         

602
00:34:29,400 --> 00:34:31,369
   (Doug): When he hit the lip  
of the mountain,                

603
00:34:31,436 --> 00:34:35,206
  I bet he encountered          
 60, 70, 80 knot winds.         

604
00:34:37,775 --> 00:34:41,446
   It obviously caused severe   
 to extreme turbulence.         

605
00:34:42,747 --> 00:34:44,015
- Steady.                       

606
00:34:44,082 --> 00:34:46,818
  (Narrator): The team concludes
   the winds were strong enough 

607
00:34:46,884 --> 00:34:49,520
   to break the right elevator  
   from of its mounts,          

608
00:34:49,587 --> 00:34:52,156
    causing the connecting rod  
    to break,                   

609
00:34:52,223 --> 00:34:54,959
making both elevators unusable. 

610
00:34:55,026 --> 00:34:56,994
  - Something's wrong.          

611
00:34:57,795 --> 00:35:00,932
  - They ignored Wideroe's wind 
  limits on the ground          

612
00:35:02,133 --> 00:35:04,435
   and they had no wind limits  

613
00:35:04,502 --> 00:35:06,938
  in the dangerous area         
  around the mountain.          

614
00:35:07,004 --> 00:35:09,640
Why were they so eager to leave?

615
00:35:12,076 --> 00:35:14,712
- This was Easter weekend       

616
00:35:14,779 --> 00:35:18,349
and there is an incentive       
  to get home.                  

617
00:35:20,251 --> 00:35:24,989
 There was clearly some         
 concern, but they went.        

618
00:35:33,531 --> 00:35:37,335
  (Narrator): To understand why 
   the Captain of Flight 8-3-9  

619
00:35:37,401 --> 00:35:40,238
    took off in winds           
  that exceeded company limits, 

620
00:35:40,304 --> 00:35:43,307
 investigators interview        
   other Wideroe pilots         

621
00:35:43,374 --> 00:35:45,576
 about wind restrictions        
    at Vaeroy.                  

622
00:35:46,711 --> 00:35:48,980
  - What has been your          
  experience at Vaeroy?         

623
00:35:50,281 --> 00:35:52,316
I don't like it,                
 none of the pilots do.         

624
00:35:52,383 --> 00:35:54,986
The wind reports                
aren't reliable.                

625
00:35:58,589 --> 00:36:00,858
  - You could actually          
   sit on the tarmac,           

626
00:36:00,925 --> 00:36:02,793
get one wind indication,        

627
00:36:02,860 --> 00:36:06,297
move towards the runway,        
and get another.                

628
00:36:06,364 --> 00:36:09,467
- Even though the maximum       
wind speeds were reduced        

629
00:36:09,534 --> 00:36:10,968
  from 20 knots to 15?          

630
00:36:11,035 --> 00:36:14,839
  - Well they were, but         
 they brought it back up to 20. 

631
00:36:17,341 --> 00:36:20,011
 (Narrator): Nine months        
    after the incident          

632
00:36:20,077 --> 00:36:21,779
  with the first Wideroe flight,

633
00:36:21,846 --> 00:36:24,849
  the wind restrictions         
  were reversed.                

634
00:36:26,317 --> 00:36:27,685
- Why would they do that?       

635
00:36:27,752 --> 00:36:31,789
   - My guess?                  
 Too many cancellations.        

636
00:36:35,526 --> 00:36:39,063
    (Narrator): After Wideroe   
 lowered the wind limits,       

637
00:36:39,130 --> 00:36:40,698
 cancellations increased.       

638
00:36:40,765 --> 00:36:44,635
    That led to negative press  
and anger from local residents. 

639
00:36:46,003 --> 00:36:48,439
- The decision to cancel flights

640
00:36:48,506 --> 00:36:51,609
 became very unpopular.         

641
00:36:52,476 --> 00:36:55,913
 It was so unpredictable        
   at Vaeroy.                   

642
00:36:58,516 --> 00:37:03,020
   - Did pilots feel pressure   
to complete the flights?        

643
00:37:03,854 --> 00:37:06,390
   - Yeah, but                  
  not from the airline.         

644
00:37:06,457 --> 00:37:08,259
   (Harald): I had a situation  

645
00:37:08,326 --> 00:37:11,162
where the weather               
 turned into a hurricane        

646
00:37:11,229 --> 00:37:12,797
and I could not take off.       

647
00:37:12,863 --> 00:37:16,467
And I got a real workover       
  from some of the passengers.  

648
00:37:17,468 --> 00:37:19,971
    (Narrator): Investigators   
   research the impact          

649
00:37:20,037 --> 00:37:23,908
those wind related cancellations
   had on Wideroe's operations. 

650
00:37:26,110 --> 00:37:29,413
 - Hmm. The pressure was        
   piling on from the public.   

651
00:37:29,480 --> 00:37:31,983
 - Cancellations tripled        
 in the last 12 months.         

652
00:37:34,986 --> 00:37:37,488
   - Compared to other          
   airports in Europe,          

653
00:37:37,555 --> 00:37:38,823
   Vaeroy had a lot of          
 cancellations.                 

654
00:37:38,889 --> 00:37:41,525
 And the flights                
  were often cancelled          

655
00:37:41,592 --> 00:37:44,028
   quite early                  
when the wind was strong,       

656
00:37:44,095 --> 00:37:47,298
   but when the flight          
 was supposed to arrive,        

657
00:37:47,365 --> 00:37:50,368
   it could be no wind at all,  

658
00:37:50,434 --> 00:37:52,703
   which made people question   
 all the cancellations.         

659
00:37:53,271 --> 00:37:56,574
 - Almost all the cancellations 
   were being caused by winds.  

660
00:37:56,641 --> 00:37:58,943
  - Because of that, bad press, 

661
00:37:59,010 --> 00:38:01,779
which gets the attention        
   of the government.           

662
00:38:04,882 --> 00:38:08,452
(Harald): The government        
 paid the company to fly there. 

663
00:38:08,919 --> 00:38:11,756
 And the company                
  wrote the government          

664
00:38:11,822 --> 00:38:14,659
and said it was extremely       
   difficult to operate there.  

665
00:38:14,725 --> 00:38:16,694
 And the reply from the         
 government was                 

666
00:38:16,761 --> 00:38:21,132
 if you don't fly there, we will
  have to take the money away.  

667
00:38:21,666 --> 00:38:23,267
   - Out of curiosity,          

668
00:38:23,334 --> 00:38:27,038
   how many cancellations were  
 there on departure from Vaeroy?

669
00:38:32,877 --> 00:38:34,779
 - None.                        

670
00:38:35,846 --> 00:38:38,949
 (Doug): Basically it's         
"get-home-itis."                

671
00:38:39,016 --> 00:38:41,786
   If they're at the airport,   
pilots are gonna tell themselves

672
00:38:41,852 --> 00:38:44,088
 they're capable                
 of taking off as well.         

673
00:38:45,122 --> 00:38:47,425
- You know, there's still       
 one thing I don't get.         

674
00:38:50,594 --> 00:38:53,197
If the conditions               
  were so treacherous,          

675
00:38:53,264 --> 00:38:57,601
why was this airport even       
 built there in the first place?

676
00:39:04,175 --> 00:39:08,112
s location                      
 chosen for the airport?        

677
00:39:09,380 --> 00:39:11,949
   (Narrator):                  
Investigators consult officials 

678
00:39:12,016 --> 00:39:14,085
   about the viability          
    of Vaeroy airport           

679
00:39:14,151 --> 00:39:16,354
   to determine                 
  if passengers and crew        

680
00:39:16,420 --> 00:39:18,756
   were placed at risk          
  unnecessarily.                

681
00:39:21,359 --> 00:39:24,295
   (Tor): Wideroe had           
 two possible locations         

682
00:39:24,362 --> 00:39:26,497
   for airport at the island.   

683
00:39:26,564 --> 00:39:30,568
   This one was chosen despite  
the difficulties                

684
00:39:30,634 --> 00:39:35,206
  with wind conditions          
 near a mountain ridge.         

685
00:39:37,208 --> 00:39:40,478
- Okay. And what testing        
 went into the decision?        

686
00:39:42,413 --> 00:39:44,782
(Lise): Wideroe had done        
 test flights at Vaeroy         

687
00:39:44,849 --> 00:39:47,952
  prior to the decision         
 of building the airport there. 

688
00:39:48,018 --> 00:39:52,089
And they had experienced        
  very windy conditions         

689
00:39:52,156 --> 00:39:54,592
  and did not recommend         
   building the airport there.  

690
00:39:58,796 --> 00:40:02,433
 - So if Wideroe was against it,
then why did it go ahead?       

691
00:40:03,167 --> 00:40:06,670
 - We knew that                 
  the wind conditions at Vaeroy 

692
00:40:06,737 --> 00:40:11,041
  would be so difficult         
   it would affect regularity.  

693
00:40:11,108 --> 00:40:14,712
   But that advice was ignored  

694
00:40:14,779 --> 00:40:17,148
 by the meteorology specialists 

695
00:40:17,214 --> 00:40:20,384
  that the authorities          
  had consulted                 

696
00:40:20,451 --> 00:40:23,087
   when it came to put          
   the airport on the island.   

697
00:40:24,755 --> 00:40:26,991
  - Maybe some of the decisions 

698
00:40:27,057 --> 00:40:30,594
that were made were more        
  politically motivated         

699
00:40:30,661 --> 00:40:32,830
  than were practical.          

700
00:40:35,199 --> 00:40:38,035
    (Narrator): Investigators   
   now know the factors         

701
00:40:38,102 --> 00:40:40,337
  that led to the deaths        
   of three passengers          

702
00:40:40,404 --> 00:40:43,841
  and two pilots onboard        
  Wideroe Flight 8-3-9.         

703
00:40:44,875 --> 00:40:48,212
  - First up, you have          
  an airport next to a mountain 

704
00:40:48,279 --> 00:40:50,047
  resulting in dangerous winds. 

705
00:40:50,114 --> 00:40:52,550
  Lower wind limits are imposed 

706
00:40:52,616 --> 00:40:56,620
  but the result is an          
   increase in cancellations.   

707
00:40:56,687 --> 00:40:59,223
- Which forces the limits       
to change again.                

708
00:40:59,290 --> 00:41:01,459
- The limits go back up,        

709
00:41:01,525 --> 00:41:03,828
and then finally                
the unreliable wind data,       

710
00:41:03,894 --> 00:41:05,963
  which results in wind reports 

711
00:41:06,030 --> 00:41:10,267
being ignored by pilots.        

712
00:41:14,505 --> 00:41:17,875
 - Rules are established        
  for a reason.                 

713
00:41:17,942 --> 00:41:22,546
 If you don't follow the rules, 
you're taking a big risk.       

714
00:41:22,613 --> 00:41:26,116
 (radio): Wind has varied       
   two one zero                 

715
00:41:26,183 --> 00:41:30,387
 to two nine zero degrees       
    with gusts of 34.           

716
00:41:30,454 --> 00:41:33,457
 - Yeah. Roger. We are rolling. 

717
00:41:37,795 --> 00:41:41,765
    (Narrator): Wideroe Flight  
8-3-9 enters turbulent airspace 

718
00:41:41,832 --> 00:41:45,269
    when the winds coming off   
    the mountain were extreme.  

719
00:41:46,070 --> 00:41:47,838
  The force of the winds        

720
00:41:47,905 --> 00:41:50,941
    causes the right elevator   
 to break free...               

721
00:41:53,811 --> 00:41:56,213
  - Something's wrong.          

722
00:41:56,280 --> 00:41:58,616
  (Narrator): ...bending        
    the connecting rod          

723
00:41:58,682 --> 00:42:00,951
 until it fails.                

724
00:42:04,755 --> 00:42:07,825
- No. No, no, no.               

725
00:42:10,294 --> 00:42:13,964
- It was subject                
  to aerodynamic loads          

726
00:42:14,031 --> 00:42:18,469
  that exceeded the structural  
  strength of the tail.         

727
00:42:21,572 --> 00:42:24,408
   (Harald): It must have been  
  absolutely terrifying         

728
00:42:24,475 --> 00:42:28,178
 because you would pull         
   the control column           

729
00:42:28,245 --> 00:42:30,547
  without any reaction at all.  

730
00:42:30,614 --> 00:42:32,683
   - Oh, God!                   

731
00:42:42,893 --> 00:42:45,663
    (Narrator): The Norwegian   
   Accident Commission          

732
00:42:45,729 --> 00:42:46,830
    for Civil Aviation          

733
00:42:46,897 --> 00:42:49,600
    recommends new regulations  
   for the distribution         

734
00:42:49,667 --> 00:42:51,502
   of wind information to crews 

735
00:42:51,569 --> 00:42:55,072
    and urges Wideroe           
  to ensure their pilots        

736
00:42:55,139 --> 00:42:58,108
follow established restrictions.

737
00:42:58,175 --> 00:43:00,744
  - The Captain wanted          
   to get the job done          

738
00:43:00,811 --> 00:43:03,981
and he probably got away        
  with it other times,          

739
00:43:04,048 --> 00:43:07,484
  but this time                 
   it didn't work out.          

740
00:43:11,455 --> 00:43:13,757
    (Narrator): Other           
 recommendations are made       

741
00:43:13,824 --> 00:43:14,925
   for Vaeroy airport,          

742
00:43:14,992 --> 00:43:17,828
  but ultimately                
    it is deemed too dangerous  

743
00:43:17,895 --> 00:43:21,632
  and the airport never reopens 
  to commercial traffic.        

744
00:43:23,968 --> 00:43:27,037
  - Vaeroy airport was          
  open only four years,         

745
00:43:27,104 --> 00:43:30,240
  which makes it one of         
   the shortest-lived airports  

746
00:43:30,307 --> 00:43:31,709
  in the world.                 

747
00:43:35,613 --> 00:43:38,782
(Harald): I wish that we        
  had put our foot down         

748
00:43:38,849 --> 00:43:41,752
  and said, "No more."          

749
00:43:43,220 --> 00:43:46,390
   I wish the company           
   had done the same.           

750
00:43:48,359 --> 00:43:52,296
  I wish the government         
 and the experts                

751
00:43:52,363 --> 00:43:55,599
  had listened                  
to our warnings earlier.        

752
00:43:57,735 --> 00:44:01,472
 Then we might have had         
   our colleagues still alive.  

753
00:44:03,474 --> 00:44:07,411
  (theme music)                 

754
00:44:07,478 --> 00:44:09,713
   Subtilling: difuze