Original subtitles

High above the North Sea, an aging propeller plane

High above the North Sea, an aging propeller plane

tumbles from the sky.

And the first headline was sabotage.

And the first headline was sabotage.

Investigators consider a string of possibilities.

It takes two years to find the cause.

It takes two years to find the cause.

Unbelievable.

It's something that's never been seen

in any previous investigation.

Then I looked at that and said, man, oh man,

Then I looked at that and said, man, oh man,

how could that be?

It would lead to arrests half-a-world away

It would lead to arrests half-a-world away

and call into question the safety

of one of the world's most important planes, Air Force

One.

One.

It reached all the way to the aviation

that flies around the President of the United States.

that flies around the President of the United States.

FLIGHT ATTENDANT (OVER RADIO): Ladies and gentlemen,

we are starting our approach.

We lost both engines!

Mayday, mayday.

4:30 PM, September 8, 1989.

4:30 PM, September 8, 1989.

Oh, hang on, hang on.

Oh, hang on, hang on.

Knut Tveiten and Finn Petter Berg

Knut Tveiten and Finn Petter Berg

are flying a charter flight from Oslo, Norway

to the German City of Hamburg.

to the German City of Hamburg.

Partnair 394, radar service terminated.

The plane is a little over 60 miles

The plane is a little over 60 miles

from the Danish coast.

124 decimal five-five-by.

Partnair 394.

Partnair 394.

How was dinner?

Delicious.

Delicious.

A little pricey, but delicious.

Partnair 394, good afternoon.

Radar contact, Copenhagen Control.

394.

The plane is flying 22,000

The plane is flying 22,000

feet above the North Sea.

The aircraft they're flying is a twin-prop Convair 340-580.

The aircraft they're flying is a twin-prop Convair 340-580.

It's a popular plane for short routes like this one.

It's a popular plane for short routes like this one.

The plane has been chartered by the Norwegian shipping company

Wilhelmsen.

Wilhelmsen.

All 50 passengers are winners of a company lottery,

sending them on a free trip to Hamburg to name a new ship.

sending them on a free trip to Hamburg to name a new ship.

Some had maybe been through naming ceremonies before,

Some had maybe been through naming ceremonies before,

but the naming ceremonies are quite exciting.

And the atmosphere was very, very, very

And the atmosphere was very, very, very

good at the time of leaving.

As the Convair crosses the North Sea,

As the Convair crosses the North Sea,

a Norwegian Air Force F-16 approaches

the plane on its way home.

Whoa, look at that.

11 o'clock.

F-16!

Suddenly, the plane experiences a violent shock.

The crew is caught by surprise.

The plane begins rolling upside-down.

Air traffic control notices that Partnair 394 is off-course

Air traffic control notices that Partnair 394 is off-course

and falling from the sky.

Please report new flight level.

Then it disappears.

Then it disappears.

It seems as though the charter flight

has crashed into the sea.

has crashed into the sea.

Partnair 394 en route to Hamburg is off-radar.

Rescue teams race to the crash

Rescue teams race to the crash

site a little over 12 miles north of the Danish coast.

They find only wreckage and bodies.

They find only wreckage and bodies.

All 55 people who were on the flight are dead.

I knew all the people.

And some were close friends, some were less close,

And some were close friends, some were less close,

but I knew them all.

And the pressure then felt double.

And the pressure then felt double.

The shipping company is devastated by the news.

Half the staff from its head office has been killed.

Half the staff from its head office has been killed.

It's the biggest airline

disaster in Norwegian history.

The nation is in shock.

Jan Ovind is a young reporter for Norway's largest newspaper.

He's assigned to cover this story.

He's assigned to cover this story.

One of the inspectors in the Norwegian FAA

jumped to the conclusion that it had to be sabotage.

jumped to the conclusion that it had to be sabotage.

And it was also stated by one of the Danish rescue team leaders

who said that they had no distress call,

who said that they had no distress call,

it just fell out of the sky, which meant it

had to be a bomb or something.

had to be a bomb or something.

And somebody draw links to Lockerbie the year before.

In December 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 exploded

In December 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 exploded

over Lockerbie, Scotland.

over Lockerbie, Scotland.

The evidence in that case is pointing

conclusively to a bomb.

Norwegian journalists uncover an intriguing fact

about the Partnair plane.

about the Partnair plane.

Our prime minister at the time, Gro Harlem

Brundtland, she used the plane on her campaign trip

to the north of Norway.

And I guess she used it for two or three days.

And that was just two or three days before it crashed.

And that was just two or three days before it crashed.

The nation wonders, could the tragedy

The nation wonders, could the tragedy

have been a botched assassination attempt?

The first headline was sabotage

on the whole front page.

on the whole front page.

A bomb would explain the plane's

sudden plunge from the sky.

Had the 55 people on board been the innocent victims

Had the 55 people on board been the innocent victims

of a murderer?

I want maintenance logs...

I want maintenance logs...

The Norwegian Accident Investigation Board

recruits an Air Force investigator, Finn Heimdal,

recruits an Air Force investigator, Finn Heimdal,

to join the team.

It will be a severe test of his investigative skills.

Well, it's good to be here.

I started many, many years ago with the Air Force.

I started many, many years ago with the Air Force.

And of course, I saw some investigations

And of course, I saw some investigations

mishandled terribly and I thought it

can be done better than that.

can be done better than that.

Investigators hear from several witnesses

Investigators hear from several witnesses

who lend support to the idea that the plane was sabotaged.

A young man claims to have heard a cannon-like sound coming

from the crash site off the danish coast.

from the crash site off the danish coast.

It may have been the explosion that brought

down the Partnair plane.

Searchers scour the surface of the sea for floating debris

Searchers scour the surface of the sea for floating debris

and for victims of the crash.

Eventually, all but five bodies are found.

Eventually, all but five bodies are found.

They're taken to Denmark for autopsies.

Those examinations reveal that some of the victims

Those examinations reveal that some of the victims

have small puncture-like wounds.

This supports the notion that a bomb brought

This supports the notion that a bomb brought

down Partnair Flight 394.

An autopsy on the first officer also

An autopsy on the first officer also

uncovers something unusual...

a complete unbroken toothpick is discovered in his stomach.

a complete unbroken toothpick is discovered in his stomach.

Now that was a odd finding, really, because it

Now that was a odd finding, really, because it

was pointed at both ends.

And how can you swallow a toothpick like that?

So he must have been exposed to a very shocking experience.

So he must have been exposed to a very shocking experience.

Please report new flight level.

Please report new flight level.

But investigators can't confirm that a bomb

brought down the plane.

They'll need to know more about the final moments of Flight

They'll need to know more about the final moments of Flight

394.

Partnair 394 en route to Hamburg is off-radar.

Partnair 394 en route to Hamburg is off-radar.

Nine separate radar stations

Nine separate radar stations

tracked its final seconds.

They could provide valuable clues.

The most intriguing readings come from a military radar

The most intriguing readings come from a military radar

station in Sweden.

Operators there track the Partnair flight

Operators there track the Partnair flight

as it crossed the North Sea.

Let's start at 14:36.

The military radar has detected something unexpected.

The military radar has detected something unexpected.

There is another object in the same airspace as the plane.

It is not another airplane.

It is not another airplane.

It appears as Flight 334 started to plummet from 22,000 feet.

Any idea what it is?

Any idea what it is?

Simply didn't know what it was from the beginning.

Simply didn't know what it was from the beginning.

We had no idea what... what it could have been.

It took more than half an hour, something like 38 minutes,

and the question was, what is light enough

and the question was, what is light enough

to fall that slowly and...

and solid enough to give radar returns like that?

and solid enough to give radar returns like that?

Whatever the mysterious object was,

it now lies at the bottom of the sea.

it now lies at the bottom of the sea.

A month after the crash of Partnair Flight 394,

investigators are busy recovering sunken wreckage.

investigators are busy recovering sunken wreckage.

They've plotted the position of the wreckage on the ocean floor

using side-scan sonar.

using side-scan sonar.

It sends out soundwaves that are reflected back

when they encounter objects.

when they encounter objects.

It helps investigators see that the plane parts have settled

over a 1-mile-wide area.

over a 1-mile-wide area.

It's an important piece of evidence.

It's an important piece of evidence.

It was evident that the aircraft

had come apart in the air.

It hadn't hit the sea in one piece, that was for sure.

It hadn't hit the sea in one piece, that was for sure.

The mid-air breakup suggests

The mid-air breakup suggests

a bomb brought down the plane, but it

will take weeks to prove this.

In the meantime, investigators hope

the plane's black boxes will provide more immediate insight

the plane's black boxes will provide more immediate insight

into the crash.

The plane's voice recorder and eventually its data recorder

The plane's voice recorder and eventually its data recorder

are recovered from the seabed and sent to labs for analysis.

Both boxes were damaged in the crash.

Investigators hope the damage to the boxes

didn't affect the data.

didn't affect the data.

Well, let's see what we got.

Avionics CVR on as required.

Avionics CVR on as required.

Autofeather system armed...

The device usually records

the final minutes of a flight, but this CVR

the final minutes of a flight, but this CVR

has done the opposite.

FINN PETTER BERG (OVER RADIO): ...lights on.

KNUT TVEITEN (OVER RADIO): You have power...

It recorded the start of the flight,

but then mysteriously stopped recording

but then mysteriously stopped recording

just before the plane took off.

While it had recorded the conversation

on the ground, but as soon as the engines were upshifted

on the ground, but as soon as the engines were upshifted

to normal RPM for takeoff, it ceased operations,

to normal RPM for takeoff, it ceased operations,

so that was a disappointment to us.

But the malfunctioning CVR

did pick up an intriguing exchange

did pick up an intriguing exchange

between the two pilots.

How's the weather in Hamburg?

Oh, it's clear skies, good visibility.

Oh, it's clear skies, good visibility.

Hope it stays that way.

The CVR does tell investigators that Flight 394

The CVR does tell investigators that Flight 394

began with an unusual problem.

Partnair was in financial dire straits

Partnair was in financial dire straits

and we found out that just a few hours before the plane took

off, the Norwegian Aviation Authorities sent out a telex

off, the Norwegian Aviation Authorities sent out a telex

to tell all the airports in Norway to don't let a Partnair

to tell all the airports in Norway to don't let a Partnair

plane take off because they owe a lot of money

in non-paid charges and fees.

They won't release us for takeoff

They won't release us for takeoff

until we pay the catering bill.

How much you got on you?

How much you got on you?

Seriously?

Probably enough, actually.

Wow.

I'll take care of it, then.

The first officer was forced

to leave the cockpit to pay the caterers for on-board meals.

to leave the cockpit to pay the caterers for on-board meals.

Investigators check maintenance records to find out why the CVR

Investigators check maintenance records to find out why the CVR

only recorded the crew's conversation

while they were on the ground.

They discover that the plane's cockpit

They discover that the plane's cockpit

voice recorder had been modified more than 10 years earlier.

voice recorder had been modified more than 10 years earlier.

Modified to switch to primary AC.

It was altered so that when the engines were

given full power for takeoff,

given full power for takeoff,

You have power.

The CVR would automatically

The CVR would automatically

switch from the plane's batteries to its generator.

And that the modification was not working on this aircraft.

Neither pilot realized that as the engines

Neither pilot realized that as the engines

were revved up for takeoff, power to the CVR

was actually cut off.

was actually cut off.

Any time you get key investigation components

such as a cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder

such as a cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder

that don't work correctly, it brings into question

the thoroughness of the maintenance

the thoroughness of the maintenance

and also the continued operation... safe operation

of the airplanes.

of the airplanes.

The malfunctioning voice recorder

and the unpaid catering bill lead investigators to look more

and the unpaid catering bill lead investigators to look more

closely at the history of the airplane

and the company that owned it, Partnair Airlines.

and the company that owned it, Partnair Airlines.

Partnair operated a fleet of mostly older planes

Partnair operated a fleet of mostly older planes

that flew to Northern European destinations.

The Convair that crashed into the North Sea

was one of the airline's most recent acquisitions.

was one of the airline's most recent acquisitions.

But the plane itself was 36 years old.

But the plane itself was 36 years old.

It had a complicated history of both ownership

and modification.

and modification.

The biggest change was to the plane's engines.

A really important modification was upgrading

A really important modification was upgrading

the engines to turbine engines.

On prop planes, the propeller

On prop planes, the propeller

moves the air backward, propelling the plane forward.

Early prop planes used piston engines to turn the propeller.

Early prop planes used piston engines to turn the propeller.

A turbine engines, which use a series of fans, not pistons,

A turbine engines, which use a series of fans, not pistons,

to compress air, generate substantially more power.

Heimdal learns that in 1960, the plane's original piston engines

Heimdal learns that in 1960, the plane's original piston engines

were removed and powerful new turboprops

were bolted to the wings.

were bolted to the wings.

It's a modification that provides more power,

but could pose a risk.

but could pose a risk.

Well, that was a tremendous increase

of horsepower, installing the turbine engines.

I was wondering what that was doing to the structure

I was wondering what that was doing to the structure

of the aircraft.

Heimdal has been placed in charge of analyzing

the plane's engines.

He wants to know if the turbine engines could have

torn the aging plane apart.

torn the aging plane apart.

I started asking the question,

how can an aircraft fly itself to pieces in mid-air?

The antiquated flight data

recorder proves to be another frustration for investigators.

recorder proves to be another frustration for investigators.

It didn't record many of the parameters it was supposed to.

It didn't record many of the parameters it was supposed to.

But more mysteriously, the needle seems to have

recorded certain signals twice.

recorded certain signals twice.

The double line confounds experts who analyze the device.

The double line confounds experts who analyze the device.

We had no experience with anything like that.

We contacted several experts, but none had

We contacted several experts, but none had

experience with this before.

Yeah, I've never seen that before.

Yeah, I've never seen that before.

The flight data doesn't

offer investigators any immediate revelations

about the crash.

Heimdal now wonders if the very fact

that the recorder was malfunctioning

that the recorder was malfunctioning

could be a clue in itself.

He decides to send the flight data recorder

back to the American company that

made it for further analysis.

made it for further analysis.

Investigators painstakingly reconstruct the Partnair plane.

Investigators painstakingly reconstruct the Partnair plane.

A reconstruction is like putting together

a puzzle it helps investigators focus the investigation

a puzzle it helps investigators focus the investigation

on areas that need to be looked at

and helps prioritize the investigation.

and helps prioritize the investigation.

As the fuselage takes shape,

As the fuselage takes shape,

the reconstructed plane provides investigators

with some stunning evidence.

The only thing that could destroy

the aircraft at cruising level would be an explosion.

the aircraft at cruising level would be an explosion.

So on some of the parts, that looked maybe a bit suspicious.

Suspicious about what's on them.

There were rumors that it was found explosives at...

There were rumors that it was found explosives at...

in the Partnair plane.

There are traces of a powerful military explosive.

There are traces of a powerful military explosive.

The amount is small, but the press gets wind of it.

The explosive residue could be from a bomb on board the plane

or from another source.

or from another source.

A NATO war exercise called Operation Sharp Spear

was taking place that same day near the flight

was taking place that same day near the flight

path of Flight 394.

One of the pilots I talked to, and he said,

One of the pilots I talked to, and he said,

I guess it might have been the so-called cold rocket...

test rocket might have gone through one of the wings

test rocket might have gone through one of the wings

or the fuselage... fuselage.

Many people now wonder if an errant

Many people now wonder if an errant

warhead played a role in bringing down the plane.

But when the explosive residue is analyzed,

But when the explosive residue is analyzed,

it's found not to have been from a bomb or a warhead.

it's found not to have been from a bomb or a warhead.

There simply isn't enough of it on the plane.

Many battles have been fought off the Danish coast.

Many battles have been fought off the Danish coast.

The sea is littered with old munitions.

Investigators believe the plane picked

Investigators believe the plane picked

up some explosive residue while lying on the ocean floor.

Explosives are ruled out as a cause of this crash.

Explosives are ruled out as a cause of this crash.

Metallurgist Terry Heaslip has been brought in

to examine Partnair Flight 394's reconstructed tail

to examine Partnair Flight 394's reconstructed tail

and makes a startling observation.

Pieces of the plane's skin show evidence of damage

Pieces of the plane's skin show evidence of damage

from overheating.

Which means that it was flexing.

And, you know, to take a coat hanger

And, you know, to take a coat hanger

and you go like that back and forth,

if you hold it close to where it's going to break,

you'll burn your hand because you develop heat where

you'll burn your hand because you develop heat where

you're doing the fatiguing.

It's the same thing on an airplane.

The evidence is pointing to a problem

The evidence is pointing to a problem

with the plane's tail.

Investigators are keen to look at a massive generator

Investigators are keen to look at a massive generator

recovered from the rear of the aircraft.

The Auxiliary Power Unit, or APU,

The Auxiliary Power Unit, or APU,

is housed inside the Convair's rear fin.

It's a backup power generator that's

It's a backup power generator that's

usually only used while the plane is on the ground.

Heimdal inspects the device and discovers that some melted

Heimdal inspects the device and discovers that some melted

plastic parts from the plane's cabin

have found their way inside the APU's turbine.

have found their way inside the APU's turbine.

It gives him an important new piece of information

It gives him an important new piece of information

about what was happening on the plane at the moment it failed.

Meaning that the cabin had failed

Meaning that the cabin had failed

and the APU was still operating.

and the APU was still operating.

The APU should not have been running

while the plane was in the air.

The fact that it was means the APU could be behind this crash.

The fact that it was means the APU could be behind this crash.

Investigators try to learn more about what happened

on the day of the crash.

They interview the mechanic who inspected

They interview the mechanic who inspected

the plane that morning.

He reports that one of the plane's two main generators

He reports that one of the plane's two main generators

wasn't working and that he wasn't able to repair it.

wasn't working and that he wasn't able to repair it.

Regulations demand that the plane have two sources of power

before it's allowed to take off.

before it's allowed to take off.

The first officer comes up with a solution that

The first officer comes up with a solution that

will allow the flight to leave.

He tells the airline that he will use the auxiliary power

He tells the airline that he will use the auxiliary power

unit throughout the flight as a substitute for the

malfunctioning main generator.

During his inspection of the APU,

During his inspection of the APU,

Heimdal makes an important discovery.

When I saw the part,

When I saw the part,

I saw that there was not an aircraft standard part at all.

It was made in a very primitive way by a piece of iron

It was made in a very primitive way by a piece of iron

and welding it together in a substandard way.

He notices that one of the mounts attaching

the APU to the plane is broken.

The unit contains a rapidly-spinning turbine

The unit contains a rapidly-spinning turbine

that generates electricity.

If it wasn't properly held in place,

If it wasn't properly held in place,

it could have caused this crash.

Investigators need to know if the broken APU

caused the crash.

caused the crash.

They'll soon discover that it's just a piece of a much more

troubling puzzle.

Metallurgist Harry heasley performs extensive testing

Metallurgist Harry heasley performs extensive testing

on the failed part.

My initial reaction was that...

My initial reaction was that...

that the welding was bad, was probably inappropriate.

Heaslip wants to know when the strut broke.

Heaslip wants to know when the strut broke.

If it happened during the plane's last flight,

it could explain the accident.

it could explain the accident.

I could see the impact markings

and the progression markings on it that showed that it

and the progression markings on it that showed that it

did not fail in a single overload

during this last accident flight.

during this last accident flight.

The way the broken mount is worn down

also tells Heaslip that the mount holding the APU in place

also tells Heaslip that the mount holding the APU in place

didn't break on the day of the accident.

It was broken long before Flight 394 took off.

It was broken long before Flight 394 took off.

Investigators now need to know what effect the broken mount

had on the flight.

had on the flight.

40,000 RPMs.

Did a lot of damage.

Did a lot of damage.

Yeah, but those dampers...

The APU is a large gyroscope

having a tremendous amount of energy in it

having a tremendous amount of energy in it

when it's rotating.

And if that energy is transmitted

to the surroundings, the fuselage, the structure,

to the surroundings, the fuselage, the structure,

it could impact the whole vibration pattern in the tail.

it could impact the whole vibration pattern in the tail.

Investigators want to know

Investigators want to know

if anyone had felt vibrations on this particular plane.

Interviews with people who flew on it provide some answers.

Interviews with people who flew on it provide some answers.

...appreciate your coming in.

Now you said you felt some rumbling on the plane,

is that right?

is that right?

One person stated that the plane that crashed

One person stated that the plane that crashed

vibrated far more than the two other Convairs

owned by the company.

Did anything seem unusual on the plane?

Did anything seem unusual on the plane?

But others failed to mention the vibrations.

But others failed to mention the vibrations.

Had a good flight?

It's a puzzling situation.

Investigators know the APU mount was broken before the flight,

Investigators know the APU mount was broken before the flight,

but they still don't know if it even played a role in the crash

but they still don't know if it even played a role in the crash

or whether it would have affected the plane's tail.

Then, the reconstruction begins to clear things up.

Then, the reconstruction begins to clear things up.

Heimdal discovers the two doors from the plane's tail

Heimdal discovers the two doors from the plane's tail

have not been found.

When we reassembled the parts

from the tail, we saw that the rudder

from the tail, we saw that the rudder

had been torn apart in two major pieces

and some parts are missing.

In particular, the doors between the fin and rudder

In particular, the doors between the fin and rudder

were missing.

The shroud doors are two small doors located on

The shroud doors are two small doors located on

the vertical fin of the plane.

They provide mechanics with access

to weights inside the fin that control the rudder's movement.

to weights inside the fin that control the rudder's movement.

Heimdal makes a dramatic find about the doors themselves.

They were constructed with an aluminum honeycomb liner.

They were constructed with an aluminum honeycomb liner.

From his days in the Air Force, Heimdal knows

they have a unique property.

they have a unique property.

This is thin aluminum foil, as you know,

and it has the good reflective properties for radar

and it has the good reflective properties for radar

and it's very light.

The military use it to disturb radar signals, call it chaff.

The military use it to disturb radar signals, call it chaff.

The military use it to disturb radar signals, call it chaff.

Investigators now realize

that the unidentified object picked up by Swedish radar

was probably a piece of one of the shroud doors.

was probably a piece of one of the shroud doors.

But when we connected the missing doors

and honeycomb with the radar data,

and honeycomb with the radar data,

we knew that it had happened up at cruising altitude

because the slow falling object had come from very high level,

because the slow falling object had come from very high level,

cruising altitude, practically.

Investigators conclude that the tail on Partnair

Flight 394 began to break apart at 22,000 feet

Flight 394 began to break apart at 22,000 feet

before it plummeted from the sky.

But why had the doors fallen off in mid-flight?

But why had the doors fallen off in mid-flight?

Whatever caused the shroud doors to tear off likely

Whatever caused the shroud doors to tear off likely

caused the crash.

Investigators know that the rudder's

Investigators know that the rudder's

counterweights are located just inside the shroud doors.

counterweights are located just inside the shroud doors.

If a rudder moves too violently from side to side,

the weights do as well.

the weights do as well.

We found enough pieces to show that, that it was just pounding

these... these doors, and the first

real components that came off were

the honeycomb in those doors.

Investigators conclude that around the time

Investigators conclude that around the time

of the accident, something caused the rudder

to swing violently back and forth,

but they still don't know what.

but they still don't know what.

The APU with the broken front shock

mount on its own running in flight

mount on its own running in flight

would not cause the aircraft to come apart

and the tail to come apart.

There had to be extra factors there for that to occur.

Investigators continue searching

Investigators continue searching

for those extra factors.

Then, Partnair Airlines proposes one.

Then, Partnair Airlines proposes one.

They point to the F-16 that passed

over the plane just minutes before the plane veered

over the plane just minutes before the plane veered

off-course.

Whoa, look at that!

11 o'clock.

F-16!

F-16!

Partnair claims the military jet was flying faster

than it should have been.

than it should have been.

They also believe that it came much closer to the flight

They also believe that it came much closer to the flight

than officially reported.

Partnair, they contacted

the Swedish investigator, and he came out with the answer

the Swedish investigator, and he came out with the answer

that the F-16 could probably have gone

that the F-16 could probably have gone

through the sound barrier as it passed

just over the Partnair plane.

When the fighter jet or any other plane

breaks the sound barrier, you have this pressure wave,

breaks the sound barrier, you have this pressure wave,

and their theory was that this pressure

wave just got the plane to disintegrate in the air.

wave just got the plane to disintegrate in the air.

Investigators calculate just how close

the F-16 would have had to be in order to seriously

the F-16 would have had to be in order to seriously

disturb Flight 394.

They determined that for the F-16's pressure wave

They determined that for the F-16's pressure wave

to have affected the Convair, it would have had to fly

within a few feet of the plane.

within a few feet of the plane.

There's no evidence the two planes were ever that close.

So there's no way.

So there's no way.

No.

OK.

OK, good work.

Investigators get a break when

Investigators get a break when

the faulty flight data recorder is

analyzed in the United States.

analyzed in the United States.

The manufacturer has asked its top expert

to come out of retirement and examine the device.

to come out of retirement and examine the device.

Manufacturer referred

us to a previous employee, and we found him in California.

us to a previous employee, and we found him in California.

The expert tells investigators

that the needle that was supposed to be recording

that the needle that was supposed to be recording

the plane's altitude was shaking so much that it was leaving

another mark on the foil.

But then he goes one step further.

The flight data recorder has a capacity to record

for hundreds of hours.

By unspooling the metal foil completely,

By unspooling the metal foil completely,

he sees that the FDR has been vibrating severely for months.

he sees that the FDR has been vibrating severely for months.

And we saw that this had happened

something like 360 operations hours before the accident.

something like 360 operations hours before the accident.

I had never seen an abnormality like that before

I had never seen an abnormality like that before

and it took us a while to figure out what was going on here.

It now seems the APU wasn't the only thing

vibrating on this plane.

vibrating on this plane.

Investigators decide to chart the history of

Investigators decide to chart the history of

the vibrations chronologically.

They notice an unusual change in the pattern of vibrations.

They notice an unusual change in the pattern of vibrations.

Two months before the crash, the vibration suddenly

stopped for a number of weeks.

Virtually no vibrations for at least 16 flights.

Virtually no vibrations for at least 16 flights.

With increasing intensity

With increasing intensity

and frequency up to the summer of '89,

and then the pattern changed.

and then the pattern changed.

After getting better, the pattern of vibrations

got worse again, right up until the crash.

got worse again, right up until the crash.

What happened here?

Investigators now need to find out what changed

Investigators now need to find out what changed

on the plane during the two-week period

when the vibrations stopped.

when the vibrations stopped.

Why was it out of service?

Where was the work done?

Where was the work done?

The airline tells investigators

that during that time, the plane was receiving a major overhaul

that during that time, the plane was receiving a major overhaul

in Western Canada.

Thank you.

We'll be in touch.

The work was done by the plane's

previous owner, a Canadian company that specializes

previous owner, a Canadian company that specializes

in servicing Convairs.

During the various test flights there, the FDR recorded

almost no excessive vibrations.

almost no excessive vibrations.

This healthy pattern continued on several passenger flights

once the overhaul was done and the plane returned to Norway.

once the overhaul was done and the plane returned to Norway.

Investigators review the maintenance records.

Investigators review the maintenance records.

Heimdal finds that during the overhaul,

mechanics found signs of wear on one of the four bolts

mechanics found signs of wear on one of the four bolts

that connect the vertical fin to the plane's tail.

These four bolts are the only things holding

the tail to the fuselage.

the tail to the fuselage.

During the overhaul of the Convair in July of 1989,

a mechanic replaced one of the four bolts.

a mechanic replaced one of the four bolts.

The information from the flight data recorder

reveals that the vibrations in the tail

reveals that the vibrations in the tail

stopped right after that one bolt was replaced.

You see that?

You see that?

And as they go across, then they take that little dip.

Incredibly, investigators

Incredibly, investigators

are able to recover all four of the bolts which

were holding the tail in place.

Terry Heaslip thoroughly analyzes the bolts.

Terry Heaslip thoroughly analyzes the bolts.

He makes a final stunning discovery.

The three bolts that weren't replaced

The three bolts that weren't replaced

were not approved parts.

We did metallurgical testing and we did mechanical testing.

We did metallurgical testing and we did mechanical testing.

And by doing all of these analyzes,

And by doing all of these analyzes,

we worked out that the three of the assemblies

were not up to scratch.

were not up to scratch.

They were... they were bogus assemblies.

His analysis shows that the faulty bolts

His analysis shows that the faulty bolts

were incorrectly heat-treated when they were made.

As a result, they are only 60% as strong as they

As a result, they are only 60% as strong as they

should have been.

Investigators finally know why the tail

was vibrating for months.

was vibrating for months.

Got something for me?

Mm-hmm.

Three of the bolts holding it in place

Three of the bolts holding it in place

were too weak.

They just weren't hard enough.

Unbelievable.

Unbelievable.

Three bolts holding the tail

to the rest of the plane were not authentic parts.

to the rest of the plane were not authentic parts.

They were well-disguised fakes.

The weak bolts mean investigators now must

The weak bolts mean investigators now must

answer a critical question.

Why didn't the tail come off in the previous 16 flights

Why didn't the tail come off in the previous 16 flights

where it vibrated excessively?

Why this last flight?

Investigators already know

that on the day of the accident, a power generator on Partnair

Flight 394 wasn't working and that the pilots

Flight 394 wasn't working and that the pilots

improvised a solution.

OK, I want you to write this in the logbook.

OK, I want you to write this in the logbook.

Released for flight with APU generator operative.

We'll use the APU to power the left-side AC system.

We'll use the APU to power the left-side AC system.

APU is coming on.

The pilots didn't realize

The pilots didn't realize

that the APU mount was broken and the motor

was vibrating considerably.

was vibrating considerably.

Their decision to run it throughout the flight

made a bad situation worse.

The reason why things got bad on this particular flight

The reason why things got bad on this particular flight

is that the APU was literally floating

is that the APU was literally floating

on two mounts instead of three.

This, along with a faulty bolts,

This, along with a faulty bolts,

created even more vibrations in the tail of the plane.

And when you get the two of them shaking,

if they ever get into sync, what we call resonance

if they ever get into sync, what we call resonance

with each other, disaster.

The investigators conclude that the vibrations

The investigators conclude that the vibrations

in the tail and the vibrations from the APU

could have combined into a lethal force.

could have combined into a lethal force.

OK.

Now this is what we got from the guys at MIT.

Now technically, the vibrations could

Now technically, the vibrations could

have torn the plane apart.

If the two loose items start to vibrate in the same

If the two loose items start to vibrate in the same

frequency, now you're going to get...

or a multiple of that frequency, you get what's called

or a multiple of that frequency, you get what's called

coupled harmonics.

And the one vibration is feeding the other one.

And the one vibration is feeding the other one.

They're feeding each other and making

each other worse and worse.

each other worse and worse.

The lethal combination of vibrations

caused the tail to sway back and forth

so violently that the rudder jammed to the left.

so violently that the rudder jammed to the left.

This forced the plane into a left turn so abrupt

that it increased airflow over the right wing,

that it increased airflow over the right wing,

creating greater lift and causing the aircraft to roll.

creating greater lift and causing the aircraft to roll.

The plane recovered briefly, but the rudder

jams to the left again and the shroud doors explode.

jams to the left again and the shroud doors explode.

It rolls a second time and the tail begins to disintegrate.

It rolls a second time and the tail begins to disintegrate.

After that, the crew didn't have a chance.

Investigators conclude that it was the three bogus bolts that

initiated the Partnair crash.

initiated the Partnair crash.

Then I looked at that and said, man, oh man,

how could that be?

In a crucial component... a crucial fitting

In a crucial component... a crucial fitting

like that in the tail.

I couldn't believe it.

The report on Partnair Flight 394

The report on Partnair Flight 394

sends shockwaves throughout the aviation industry.

It's the first time that a fatal plane crash has been linked

It's the first time that a fatal plane crash has been linked

to unapproved spare parts.

to unapproved spare parts.

It raises a frightening question... how many

of the parts being put into planes around the world

are bogus?

The Partnair crash,

that was the seminal event that started people actually having

that was the seminal event that started people actually having

to recognize the unapproved parts problem and the fact

to recognize the unapproved parts problem and the fact

that the worldwide inventories of aircraft parts,

in fact, were contaminated.

in fact, were contaminated.

There are 6 million moving parts on a 747 alone.

There are 6 million moving parts on a 747 alone.

The spare parts business is a $45 billion industry.

And at the time of the crash, that industry

And at the time of the crash, that industry

was largely unregulated.

Mary Schiavo is the former Inspector General

Mary Schiavo is the former Inspector General

of the Department of Transportation,

the agency that oversees the Federal

Aviation Administration.

Aviation Administration.

No one knew how large the problem was.

They knew it was a problem because of a crash,

but how big was the problem in the United States?

but how big was the problem in the United States?

So we set out to measure it.

We started by auditing the FAA's own parts bins.

We started by auditing the FAA's own parts bins.

And the FAA's own parts bins contain 39% bogus parts.

What we found is if the parts had come from a parts

What we found is if the parts had come from a parts

broker, which was a huge percentage

of the parts supply industry.

of the parts supply industry.

95% of them were not authentic.

There are 5,000 parts brokers in the United States,

many of them in the Miami area.

many of them in the Miami area.

Parts brokers had no regulation whatsoever.

Parts brokers had no regulation whatsoever.

You had a telephone and a fax, you were a parts broker.

Overnight you could be in the parts brokerage business

Overnight you could be in the parts brokerage business

and you could get them anywhere you chose.

You could get them from junkyards,

you could get them from scrap facilities,

you could get them from scrap facilities,

you could get them from old planes,

you could get them from crashes, you could get them

from people who are willing to manufacture

from people who are willing to manufacture

and don't care about the law.

Spare parts for airplanes are expensive.

A single bolt, like the one holding

A single bolt, like the one holding

on the Partnair flight's vertical fin,

can cost up to $250.

can cost up to $250.

A bogus one can cost as little as 30,

which makes it a bargain.

which makes it a bargain.

And when you have situations like you have today,

and airlines are bottom-line-driven,

and airlines are bottom-line-driven,

and you've got eight or 10 major Airlines in the United States,

for example, that are on the verge of bankruptcy,

for example, that are on the verge of bankruptcy,

they're looking to cut costs.

The FAA launches a major investigation

The FAA launches a major investigation

into illegal parts and uses sting operations to uncover

unscrupulous dealers.

Investigators uncover a black market industry

Investigators uncover a black market industry

that makes thousands of worn and inferior parts look brand new.

that makes thousands of worn and inferior parts look brand new.

These are really good counterfeits.

It's very difficult to tell.

At the time of the Partnair accident,

At the time of the Partnair accident,

there were checks and balances in the system that were

supposed to keep bogus parts from getting

supposed to keep bogus parts from getting

on planes of major Airlines.

For instance, each spare part needs someone's signature

For instance, each spare part needs someone's signature

to verify its authenticity.

It has to have some documentation that

It has to have some documentation that

states that it's airworthy.

It has to have a maintenance release

It has to have a maintenance release

by some certificated entity.

But investigators discover that in addition

But investigators discover that in addition

to a huge market in spare parts, there's

also a burgeoning market for counterfeit FAA tags.

also a burgeoning market for counterfeit FAA tags.

We'd execute search warrants

and find that people had printed stacks of fake yellow tags,

and find that people had printed stacks of fake yellow tags,

and in many cases, they'd sign with the name

of an actual inspector, but they'd

just forged the signature.

just forged the signature.

The tag in this business that's

worth more than the part.

worth more than the part.

At first, investigators

believe the problem is mostly with smaller airlines.

believe the problem is mostly with smaller airlines.

Smaller operators and repair stations

are usually the people who are most

vulnerable to this aftermarket broker parts problem.

vulnerable to this aftermarket broker parts problem.

They're shocked when they discover that bogus parts

have been found on what is supposed

have been found on what is supposed

to be the most tightly-controlled plane

in the world, Air Force One.

It reached all the way

It reached all the way

to what many people consider literally the highest levels

of aviation, the aviation that flies around the President

of aviation, the aviation that flies around the President

of the United States.

Supposedly in an airtight supply chain,

Supposedly in an airtight supply chain,

we had bogus parts cases that touched those aircraft.

The FAA responds quickly.

More than 100 dealers are arrested.

With every conviction,

we were able to raise the level of awareness

we were able to raise the level of awareness

not only of the problem, but of the severe consequences

if you want to risk somebody's life.

if you want to risk somebody's life.

And I actually think that the most

important thing that we did was get criminal convictions.

important thing that we did was get criminal convictions.

As a result of their investigation,

the FAA institutes a much more rigorous system

the FAA institutes a much more rigorous system

for documenting airplane parts.

They threaten airlines with criminal charges

They threaten airlines with criminal charges

if they knowingly accept bogus parts.

Things are different today because we have a whole body

of regulations much more than we had in the '80s and '90s, even,

of regulations much more than we had in the '80s and '90s, even,

to address the problem.

You have to get the mechanic

who's actually got the wrench in his hand

who's actually got the wrench in his hand

to a point of sophistication where

he's knowledgeable enough to...

he's knowledgeable enough to...

to smell a bad part, to smell a bad piece of paper.

to smell a bad part, to smell a bad piece of paper.

And it is possible to do.

One of the smallest parts on a Norwegian charter

One of the smallest parts on a Norwegian charter

plane failed in 1989.

Because investigators found the cause of that accident,

Because investigators found the cause of that accident,

passengers around the world are safer.

We are less likely to be on a plane

that's fitted with bogus parts.

that's fitted with bogus parts.