Original subtitles

A passenger plane is completely obliterated

in the California hills.

in the California hills.

It would have been a horrifying experience.

A 747 vanishes over the Atlantic.

A 747 vanishes over the Atlantic.

747s do not fall out of the sky.

Fire erupts during a landing in Taiwan.

Fire erupts during a landing in Taiwan.

What the hell?

Mayday, mayday, mayday!

Mayday, mayday, mayday!

Three accidents all linked to lapses in security.

Three accidents all linked to lapses in security.

When the system fails.

What's the problem?

What's the problem?

I'm the problem.

A routine flight can turn into a tragedy.

The most basic rule

of security, which is every person, every time,

of security, which is every person, every time,

every flight matters every single time.

every flight matters every single time.

Ladies and gentlemen, we are starting our approach.

We lost both engines.

Put the masks over your nose.

Emergency descent.

Emergency descent.

Mayday, mayday, mayday!

Brace for impact.

Los Angeles International Airport, one

of the busiest in the world.

of the busiest in the world.

At Terminal 1, passengers and crew

taking a flight to San Francisco are making

taking a flight to San Francisco are making

their way through security.

They board Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 1771.

They board Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 1771.

They board Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 1771.

If you set me up with a Scotch on your way back.

Among the 38 passengers

are several PSA employees.

are several PSA employees.

It's very common for airline employees

to commute between cities for work.

to commute between cities for work.

And so people would take a bus to work,

many airline employees take a plane to work.

many airline employees take a plane to work.

Captain Gregg Lindamood has been

flying with PSA for 14 years.

flying with PSA for 14 years.

Brakes.

Brakes set.

Flaps up.

Spoilers retracted.

Spoilers retracted.

First Officer James Nunn joined the airline

only the previous spring.

only the previous spring.

He's logged thousands of hours in the cockpit.

Thrust levers.

Today, they're piloting a British-built BAe

146 Commuter Jet.

146 Commuter Jet.

The flight to San Francisco will take just over an hour.

The flight to San Francisco will take just over an hour.

Can you ask him how it's been?

About halfway through the flight,

About halfway through the flight,

Captain Lindamood worries about some mild turbulence.

Center, PSA 1771.

Center, PSA 1771.

Any reports on the ride ahead?

We've had a little continuous light chop.

We've had a little continuous light chop.

PSA, this is Rocky Mountain Center.

It's not too bad.

My God!

That was a gun.

Yeah.

Squawk 77, Squawk 77, we've had a gun

Squawk 77, Squawk 77, we've had a gun

fired on board the aircraft.

Moments later, Flight 1771 plunges into a steep dive.

Moments later, Flight 1771 plunges into a steep dive.

Moments later, Flight 1771 plunges into a steep dive.

Moments later, Flight 1771 plunges into a steep dive.

Moments later, Flight 1771 plunges into a steep dive.

Police find the crash site 175 miles northwest of Los Angeles.

Police find the crash site 175 miles northwest of Los Angeles.

Almost nothing remains of the 30-ton passenger jet.

This is one of the worst air disasters

This is one of the worst air disasters

in California's history.

There were no wings, there were no fuselage,

There were no wings, there were no fuselage,

there was no...

there was no tail section, there were no aircraft seats.

there was no tail section, there were no aircraft seats.

There was just papers.

Papers everywhere.

And the strong smell of aviation fuel.

And the strong smell of aviation fuel.

And the strong smell of aviation fuel.

We're making a frantic search throughout this remote cow

We're making a frantic search throughout this remote cow

pasture looking for survivors, and we can't even

find deceased human beings, much less

find deceased human beings, much less

human beings that had survived.

43 people died on board Flight 1771.

43 people died on board Flight 1771.

Come on up here, guys.

Come on up here, guys.

Investigators from the National

Transportation Safety Board and the FBI are soon on the scene.

Transportation Safety Board and the FBI are soon on the scene.

Have you ever seen anything like this?

When the aircraft hit at such a high speed,

When the aircraft hit at such a high speed,

it impacted and basically compressed

the earth, and then...

the earth, and then...

and then it released and it blew everything

back out of the hole.

back out of the hole.

With a total destruction of the aircraft, I mean,

you had limited amounts of information

that you could gather from the wreckage.

that you could gather from the wreckage.

But this is not only an accident site,

it's also a potential crime scene.

it's also a potential crime scene.

We knew that gunshots had been heard

by the air traffic controllers.

Squawk 77, squawk 77,

we've had a gun fired on board the aircraft.

If the reports of gunshots were accurate,

If the reports of gunshots were accurate,

then I realized immediately that we

had crime aboard an aircraft.

But perhaps the pilots and controllers were mistaken.

But perhaps the pilots and controllers were mistaken.

It's up to the NTSB to determine exactly

what happened on Flight 1771.

what happened on Flight 1771.

You try to arrive on scene with a totally objective view

of what's going on.

of what's going on.

The FBI is searching for evidence of a crime.

The NTSB for clues about the crash.

The NTSB for clues about the crash.

If they can recover the black boxes, they may find both.

That's about the first thing you do when you get on scene,

That's about the first thing you do when you get on scene,

you find the cockpit voice recorder.

You can't overemphasize how important that was,

in this case because we had no airframe left to work with

in this case because we had no airframe left to work with

and we really had no wreckage in the normal sense of the word.

and we really had no wreckage in the normal sense of the word.

After hours of searching

through the shattered remains, the effort finally pays off.

They find the plane's two black boxes.

They find the plane's two black boxes.

At the NTSB laboratory in Washington,

At the NTSB laboratory in Washington,

Dennis Grossi examines Flight 1771's badly damaged CVR.

Dennis Grossi examines Flight 1771's badly damaged CVR.

The case itself was basically crushed.

It was bent in like somebody grabbed it and pushed it

It was bent in like somebody grabbed it and pushed it

together like that.

And this is hardened steel, and we assess the impact forces

And this is hardened steel, and we assess the impact forces

around 5,000 Gs.

around 5,000 Gs.

Dennis Grossi knows the immense impact may have

ruined any chance of hearing the last words from the cockpit

ruined any chance of hearing the last words from the cockpit

of Flight 1771.

of Flight 1771.

All right.

Let's give it a listen.

Despite suffering huge impact forces,

Despite suffering huge impact forces,

the audiotape is still intact.

Flaps up.

Flaps up.

Spoilers retracted.

The first 28 minutes of the flight sound routine.

The first 28 minutes of the flight sound routine.

We hear the flight crew talk, you know,

do their normal procedures.

do their normal procedures.

But in the final two minutes,

events take a chilling turn.

events take a chilling turn.

Sure sounds like a gunshot.

And then all of a sudden, they hear and we hear

And then all of a sudden, they hear and we hear

on the recording this gunshot.

The tape confirms what the pilots

had reported... two gunshots.

had reported... two gunshots.

My God!

GREGG LINDAMOOD (ON RADIO): That was a gun.

JAMES NUNN (ON RADIO): Yeah, I know.

JAMES NUNN (ON RADIO): Yeah, I know.

It was actually a very sobering moment

because we realized that we were listening

to a very routine flight that suddenly

to a very routine flight that suddenly

became anything but routine.

The door to the cockpit was heard open,

and a female voice, presumably the flight attendant,

and a female voice, presumably the flight attendant,

was heard to say in a voice that was filled with alarm.

There's a problem, captain!

And we heard a voice, a male voice, which we presumed

to be the captain saying...

What's the problem?

What's the problem?

I'm the problem.

Investigators now know that an unidentified male

Investigators now know that an unidentified male

shot the flight crew.

shot the flight crew.

It's always startling when

you hear something like that.

When you hear the commission of a murder.

When you hear the commission of a murder.

That's five shots so far.

And then we could

hear the cockpit door shut again and another final shot,

hear the cockpit door shut again and another final shot,

the sixth shot.

the sixth shot.

Before the tape ends, they

hear one last ominous sound.

Within about five seconds,

Within about five seconds,

we picked up what's called a windscreen noise...

in other words, you could tell that the aircraft

in other words, you could tell that the aircraft

was accelerating.

The plane's in a dive.

The plane's in a dive.

The engines are revving.

65 seconds after the murder

of its crew, Flight 1771 smashes into the California hills.

of its crew, Flight 1771 smashes into the California hills.

It helped us to understand what we were

It helped us to understand what we were

investigating the heinousness of the crime

that we are investigating.

that we are investigating.

It just confirms that this wasn't an accident,

It just confirms that this wasn't an accident,

that it was, in fact, a crime, and the FBI

would be taking over the investigation from here on out.

would be taking over the investigation from here on out.

The FBI must find out who

was responsible for this mass murder.

was responsible for this mass murder.

It's establishing who had motive,

establishing who had access, establishing

establishing who had access, establishing

who was the intended victim.

Somehow, someone managed to get a gun on that plane.

Somehow, someone managed to get a gun on that plane.

A weapon was smuggled through LAX, one of the world's

busiest airports.

Let's find out how that guy got on the plane, all right?

Let's find out how that guy got on the plane, all right?

If the FBI can't find the hole in security,

more lives could be at risk.

This investigators are still combing

through the wreckage of Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 1771.

through the wreckage of Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 1771.

They're looking for an uncommon piece of evidence

at a crash site...

at a crash site...

a murder weapon.

That's a hydraulic line, probably from the main gear.

The FBI, bear in mind,

The FBI, bear in mind,

knows how to investigate crime.

They don't necessarily know how to investigate

an aircraft accident.

So we... we would go ahead and do our normal

So we... we would go ahead and do our normal

investigative procedures and make that information

available to the FBI.

Finding the weapon could

help the FBI identify who fired shots on board Flight 1771.

help the FBI identify who fired shots on board Flight 1771.

We weren't sure that that we would succeed because the field

We weren't sure that that we would succeed because the field

of debris was so wide and the impact had reduced the airplane

of debris was so wide and the impact had reduced the airplane

to so many small pieces.

We were very, very fortunate, when we found the gun.

It was an unbelievable stroke of luck.

It was an unbelievable stroke of luck.

It's a .44 Magnum.

The shattered pistol leads to a morbid discovery.

The shattered pistol leads to a morbid discovery.

When we found what was left of the gun,

there was a portion of the finger between the trigger

there was a portion of the finger between the trigger

and the trigger guard.

That went back to the FBI Lab in Quantico, Virginia.

That went back to the FBI Lab in Quantico, Virginia.

The FBI has a weapon, a crime

The FBI has a weapon, a crime

scene, and 42 murder victims.

What they don't have is the identity

What they don't have is the identity

of the 43rd person on board...

the killer.

the killer.

And the way he smuggled a gun onto Flight 1771.

And the way he smuggled a gun onto Flight 1771.

The FBI soon uncovers a gaping hole in the security system

at Los Angeles International Airport.

at Los Angeles International Airport.

What they had set up is a bypass for a crew

members and airport employees.

members and airport employees.

You would show your badge and they

would allow you to bypass both the metal

detector and the X-ray unit.

detector and the X-ray unit.

It was a big loophole.

Is it possible that the killer

was an airline employee?

was an airline employee?

Using the passenger manifest, investigators

identify four male employees who worked

identify four male employees who worked

for either Pacific Southwest or its parent airline, US Air.

Forensic specialists lift a fingerprint

Forensic specialists lift a fingerprint

from the piece of skin found in the trigger guard.

They compare it to prints of employees on the flight

They compare it to prints of employees on the flight

and find a match.

The killer is identified as David Burke.

The killer is identified as David Burke.

David Burke, he was one of those employees

who would go in after he landed and help

to clean up the inside.

to clean up the inside.

Investigators now know David Burke smuggled a gun on

board, but they don't know why.

board, but they don't know why.

A motive gives you understanding.

It helps to develop the full mosaic of the crime.

It helps to develop the full mosaic of the crime.

At the crash site, a clue

At the crash site, a clue

is found in the midst of the papers

that scattered after impact.

All of the paper on the aircraft, any...

any of the insulation material on the aircraft, all

any of the insulation material on the aircraft, all

that light stuff got blown up into the air

and then the wind carried it for, I believe, miles.

and then the wind carried it for, I believe, miles.

Investigators come across a note scribbled

on an air sickness bag.

on an air sickness bag.

The handwriting is a match to David Burke's.

Hi, Ray.

Hi, Ray.

I think it's sort of ironical that we end up like this.

I asked for some leniency for my family, remember?

I asked for some leniency for my family, remember?

Well, I got none, and you'll get none.

The "Ray" in the note is identified as airline

The "Ray" in the note is identified as airline

station manager Ray Thompson.

He was David Burke's boss.

Three weeks before the crash, Burke

was fired from the company after being

caught on tape stealing from the in-flight bar proceeds.

caught on tape stealing from the in-flight bar proceeds.

He then came back for an appeal hearing

He then came back for an appeal hearing

on the day of the flight.

I've reviewed your file.

He was terminated by Ray Thompson.

He was terminated by Ray Thompson.

Your appeal, it's been denied.

That termination interview was...

was not a placid one.

was not a placid one.

Thank you.

Very much.

That same day, Burke buys a ticket for Flight 1771,

That same day, Burke buys a ticket for Flight 1771,

a flight he knew Ray Thompson would be on.

Ray Thompson lived in San Francisco,

Ray Thompson lived in San Francisco,

and he flew regularly on that flight

to return to San Francisco at the end of the day.

to return to San Francisco at the end of the day.

It was common knowledge among the employees

that Ray Thompson would be on that flight.

that Ray Thompson would be on that flight.

Exploiting the employee bypass,

Burke goes through security without being scanned

Burke goes through security without being scanned

carrying his .44 Magnum.

Ray!

Ray Thompson probably has the most merciful of all

the deaths on that plane.

the deaths on that plane.

There's a problem, captain!

What's the problem?

I'm the problem.

Burke takes his own life, plus the lives

Burke takes his own life, plus the lives

of everyone on board.

The tragedy of Flight 1771 compelled the Federal

The tragedy of Flight 1771 compelled the Federal

Aviation Administration to take urgent measures

to tighten security.

to tighten security.

The FAA came out and canceled the bypass authority,

The FAA came out and canceled the bypass authority,

so therefore, air crews and employees

would have to go through the normal screening

would have to go through the normal screening

as any passenger would.

Now it's... it's required that any employee that leaves

Now it's... it's required that any employee that leaves

an airline, whether they've been fired or quit

or retire or whatever, must turn their credentials

or retire or whatever, must turn their credentials

in immediately.

Getting on an aircraft with a gun now, won't say that

it's impossible, but it's...

it's next to impossible.

it's next to impossible.

All of these measures have made flying safer,

but nothing can completely eliminate the risk

but nothing can completely eliminate the risk

of another David Burke.

One of the things that sometimes is difficult

for those of us in the industry to deal with when we have to go

through security, for instance, and do absolutely the same

thing that everybody else does... wait a minute,

thing that everybody else does... wait a minute,

don't you recognize who I am?

I'm the pilot.

No.

We need 100%.

We need 100%.

If we put a barrier up, the barrier is only

as good as it is consistent.

And that's true whether we've trained our...

And that's true whether we've trained our...

our people at the front counter to never do certain things

or accept certain things or whether we're talking

or accept certain things or whether we're talking

about what gets past the entrance to the gate

and on an airplane.

Air India Flight 182 flies across the Atlantic six

miles above the ocean surface.

miles above the ocean surface.

On its way from Canada, the 747 is heading to London,

and then continuing to New Delhi.

and then continuing to New Delhi.

Captain Hanse Singh Narendra is a veteran Air India pilot.

Captain Hanse Singh Narendra is a veteran Air India pilot.

Satwinder Bhinder serves as first officer.

There are 329 people on board, including passengers and crew.

Six minutes after 8:00 in the morning,

First Officer Bhinder makes radio contact with air

First Officer Bhinder makes radio contact with air

traffic control in Ireland.

Shannon, Air India 182, good morning.

Station Collins Shannon, go ahead again, please.

Station Collins Shannon, go ahead again, please.

Air India 182 is 5-1 north, 1-5 west at level 3-1-0.

Air India 182 is 5-1 north, 1-5 west at level 3-1-0.

Estimate FIR at 0735.

Estimate FIR at 0735.

Air India 182, Shannon, roger.

Cleared for landing.

Cleared for landing.

Flight level 3-1-0.

Air India Flight 182 is flying below two planes,

Air India Flight 182 is flying below two planes,

causing their three signals to momentarily converge on radar.

But when they diverge, only two planes are visible.

But when they diverge, only two planes are visible.

Air India 182 is no longer on the screens

Air India 182 is no longer on the screens

at air traffic control.

Air India is not showing up.

Air India is not showing up.

Hold on a minute Air India 182, this is Shannon,

Hold on a minute Air India 182, this is Shannon,

do you read, over?

Yes, it's Michael Quinn at Shannon.

Yes, it's Michael Quinn at Shannon.

We have a plane off-radar.

Shannon air traffic control

Shannon air traffic control

alerts search and rescue teams.

A 747 carrying 329 people vanishes into thin air.

A 747 carrying 329 people vanishes into thin air.

Air India flight 182 disappears off the coast of Ireland.

Air India flight 182 disappears off the coast of Ireland.

We have a plane off-radar.

Several ships in the area

keep watch for any signs of the missing 747.

keep watch for any signs of the missing 747.

Its last known position is approximately

180 miles Southwest of Cork.

180 miles Southwest of Cork.

Two hours after the plane disappears,

Two hours after the plane disappears,

a passing cargo ship confirms the worst.

Floating wreckage is spotted.

Floating wreckage is spotted.

Then, bodies.

Then, bodies.

It becomes clear that all 329 people on board have died.

Most of the wreckage, including the black boxes,

has sunk to the bottom of the Atlantic

over an area spanning 60 square miles.

over an area spanning 60 square miles.

What caused the 747 to fall out of the sky over the Atlantic?

What caused the 747 to fall out of the sky over the Atlantic?

Could it have been a bomb or some other kind

Could it have been a bomb or some other kind

of catastrophic mishap?

The search for the black boxes was urgent and...

The search for the black boxes was urgent and...

and three countries participated in it.

England, Ireland, and India.

England, Ireland, and India.

It takes two weeks for searchers

to detect the radio beacon emitted

by the plane's black boxes.

by the plane's black boxes.

They lie more than 6,500 feet below the surface.

They lie more than 6,500 feet below the surface.

On the fourth attempt to retrieve them,

a deep sea submersible salvages the recorders.

a deep sea submersible salvages the recorders.

SATWINDER BHINDER (ON RADIO): Estimate FIR at 0735.

Air India 182, Shannon, roger.

Air India 182, Shannon, roger.

Cleared for landing.

Both the flight data and cockpit

voice recorders paint a picture of a routine flight.

voice recorders paint a picture of a routine flight.

The cockpit voice recorder

indicated that there was no abnormality in the cockpit,

indicated that there was no abnormality in the cockpit,

no...

no emergency every conversation was normal.

no emergency every conversation was normal.

Customs?

Yeah.

Customs sealed two... sealed the bar before its arrival.

The cockpit voice recorder

cuts off at exactly 14 minutes and one second

cuts off at exactly 14 minutes and one second

after 8:00 in the morning.

Khola checks the flight data recorder

Khola checks the flight data recorder

and finds the same story, a perfectly normal flight

until the FDR loses power at, again, 14 minutes

until the FDR loses power at, again, 14 minutes

after 8:00 in the morning.

Khola turns to the recovered wreckage for more clues.

Khola turns to the recovered wreckage for more clues.

When he examines the floor of the front cargo bay,

he notices something unusual.

he notices something unusual.

We found that it had holes which

are of a very special nature.

Penetration from inside to outside at a very high speed.

Penetration from inside to outside at a very high speed.

Similar holes are found in the sidewall

of the cargo bay.

of the cargo bay.

These also appear to have been blown out from the cargo hold.

The clues point to what took down Flight 182...

a bomb.

- PETER ST. - And so when the bomb went off,

- PETER ST. - And so when the bomb went off,

the explosion would have taken out the computers completely,

and there would have been absolutely dead silence,

and there would have been absolutely dead silence,

and that's precisely what happened.

How did a bomb get on board Flight 182?

How did a bomb get on board Flight 182?

Police and crash investigators in Canada

Police and crash investigators in Canada

scour the passenger list for clues.

Air India Flight 182 originated in Toronto,

but many passengers had connected via another flight

but many passengers had connected via another flight

from Vancouver.

Canadian investigators make a breakthrough

Canadian investigators make a breakthrough

when they interview a check-in agent at Vancouver Airport.

She tells them about a difficult passenger

She tells them about a difficult passenger

who wanted to get on the Air India Flight in Toronto.

You're going to Toronto?

And I want my bag checked through to Delhi.

Sir, I can't do that.

Sir, I can't do that.

Your reservation is only confirmed to Toronto.

This true?

The passenger insisted his bag be checked

all the way through to India.

all the way through to India.

Then I have to pick up my bag.

I can't check your bags through to India

if you are not confirmed.

if you are not confirmed.

The passenger got belligerent.

I can't...

The ticket agent was facing a long line

of people waiting to check in.

of people waiting to check in.

Oh... OK, OK, OK.

I'll check it through, but you have to check with Air India

I'll check it through, but you have to check with Air India

when you get to Toronto.

The man's luggage was loaded,

but he never boarded the plane bound for Toronto.

but he never boarded the plane bound for Toronto.

The ticket identified him as M. Singh.

The ticket identified him as M. Singh.

It simply had an initial, but no full name.

We believe that name to be...

We believe that name to be...

was fictitious, and that the person

never intended to travel.

- PETER ST. - She broke the rules.

As they were, she should not have allowed that to go through

As they were, she should not have allowed that to go through

for New Delhi interline.

But she was so bullied and so browbeaten by Mr. Singh

But she was so bullied and so browbeaten by Mr. Singh

in front of everybody else that I think,

to her eternal sadness and heartbreak, she gave in.

to her eternal sadness and heartbreak, she gave in.

Singh's suitcase didn't raise any red flags when

Singh's suitcase didn't raise any red flags when

it was loaded onto the domestic flight from Vancouver

to Toronto.

to Toronto.

But after the bag arrived in Toronto,

it faced stricter inspections for the international flight

it faced stricter inspections for the international flight

to India.

Why wasn't the bag flagged there?

Why wasn't the bag flagged there?

When investigators talked to security agents,

they learn that the X-ray machine,

they learn that the X-ray machine,

which normally scans every piece of luggage,

broke down that day.

broke down that day.

- PETER ST. - The technology, especially the X-ray

technology, were very, very weak, very in their infancy

technology, were very, very weak, very in their infancy

at that time, and it didn't work reliably.

at that time, and it didn't work reliably.

And in the case of the Air India episode,

the technology went quite badly wrong.

the technology went quite badly wrong.

This is what it will sound like.

This is what it will sound like.

Instead of the X-ray machines,

security workers used a portable wand

security workers used a portable wand

that triggers an alarm if it detects explosive chemicals.

But the agents had little experience using it.

But the agents had little experience using it.

Still, everything seemed normal until security

Still, everything seemed normal until security

got to Singh's bag.

This would be the last in a series of security lapses

This would be the last in a series of security lapses

that resulted in the deaths of 329 people.

At Lester B. Pearson Airport in Toronto,

a suitcase arrives from Vancouver.

a suitcase arrives from Vancouver.

It triggers a portable explosives wand,

but the sound differs from the one agents

but the sound differs from the one agents

were told would indicate the presence of explosives.

The suitcase is eventually placed at the front of the jet.

The suitcase is eventually placed at the front of the jet.

And the passenger who checked in the bag

And the passenger who checked in the bag

doesn't board the plane.

Then, as Air India Flight 182 soars over the Atlantic.

Then, as Air India Flight 182 soars over the Atlantic.

Then what about 30 custom seats?

Customs?

Customs?

Yeah, customs...

Most of the dead are Canadian citizens.

Most of the dead are Canadian citizens.

This is the largest terrorist attack and mass

murder in Canadian history.

Police eventually traced the bombing to Sikh extremists

Police eventually traced the bombing to Sikh extremists

living in British Columbia.

One confesses to assembling the bomb and is sent to prison.

One confesses to assembling the bomb and is sent to prison.

While the suspected mastermind is

While the suspected mastermind is

killed several years later in India.

After investigators discover the security lapses that allowed

After investigators discover the security lapses that allowed

the bomb on board Flight 182, luggage screening

the bomb on board Flight 182, luggage screening

at most international airports is overhauled.

- PETER ST. - In the case of Air India,

the most important thing of all was passenger

the most important thing of all was passenger

baggage reconciliation.

No plane leaves with baggage unattached

No plane leaves with baggage unattached

to a specific passenger inside that plane.

Someone made an exception or someone

failed to follow the rule thinking

it won't matter this one time.

it won't matter this one time.

It always does.

The rules are there for a purpose.

The rules are there for a purpose.

And about the time someone decides

they can skip them, even once, is when a tragedy happens.

Hualien Tower, good afternoon.

Hualien Tower, good afternoon.

Uni Air 873.

Visual approach 15 miles out.

Visual approach 15 miles out.

Uni Air Flight 873 is nearing

Hualien Airport in Taiwan.

Hualien Airport in Taiwan.

Uni Air 873, continue approach.

Report at 5 miles out.

Report at 5 miles out.

The first officer is flying

under the watchful eye of the more experienced captain.

under the watchful eye of the more experienced captain.

They've been in the air for only 20 minutes,

They've been in the air for only 20 minutes,

traveling south, hugging the coastline from Taipei

to Hualien.

It was what you'd call a puddle jumper.

It was what you'd call a puddle jumper.

It was a short flight.

You don't expect anything to happen.

Right on schedule, the crew

prepares to land the MD-90.

prepares to land the MD-90.

But as they close in, the first officer

struggles with the landing.

struggles with the landing.

Too high.

Too high.

You are sinking too fast.

I have control.

The captain takes over the controls.

The captain takes over the controls.

You have control.

The plane touches down with ample runway to stop.

The plane touches down with ample runway to stop.

You start rolling and it all irons out.

So you're on the ground and you start to relax.

So you're on the ground and you start to relax.

But as the plane slows.

What the hell?

Fire breaks out.

Passengers panic.

Mayday, mayday, mayday!

Mayday, mayday, mayday!

It's suddenly a fight for survival

on board Flight 873.

on board Flight 873.

on board Flight 873.

Panic is as dangerous as the fire.

Panic is as dangerous as the fire.

You can't expect any passenger

to sit-in his seat and wait for an evacuation.

to sit-in his seat and wait for an evacuation.

Evacuate, evacuate, evacuate!

Fire is consuming the passenger

Fire is consuming the passenger

cabin with terrifying speed.

The 90 passengers and six crew members

have only seconds to escape.

Next!

Come on!

It takes more than an hour

to contain the massive fire.

to contain the massive fire.

28 people are hospitalized.

Many suffering from serious burns.

Many suffering from serious burns.

One passenger will die in the hospital later.

How did fire break out during what

seemed like a routine landing?

seemed like a routine landing?

Taiwan's Aviation Safety Council must figure

Taiwan's Aviation Safety Council must figure

out what caused so much destruction

and threatened so many lives.

I got a call and said there was a major accident

I got a call and said there was a major accident

happened in Hualien.

happened in Hualien.

I immediately rushed back to Taiwan.

Investigators from the United States National

Investigators from the United States National

Transportation Safety Board and the Federal

Aviation Administration arrived to assist in the investigation.

Aviation Administration arrived to assist in the investigation.

We've seen lots of in-flight fires.

We've seen crashing into things on landing.

We've seen crashing into things on landing.

I had never seen one where they had some kind of fire

erupt after the aircraft got on the ground.

erupt after the aircraft got on the ground.

Very unusual.

OK.

Let's see if the tape can tell us anything.

Investigators turn to the black boxes for clues.

Investigators turn to the black boxes for clues.

Too high.

He was thinking too fast.

I have control.

The plane gets on the ground without incident.

So far, so good.

So far, so good.

You could hear the thrust reversers,

you could hear the speed brakes come up,

you could hear everything from the cockpit as being normal.

you could hear everything from the cockpit as being normal.

We could pretty much

rule out the flight crew having anything to do with this.

rule out the flight crew having anything to do with this.

The first they knew something was different

was when they heard that sound.

What the hell?

It came right out of the blue.

Right away, you thought, it must be a bomb.

Right away, you thought, it must be a bomb.

Explosives expert Ed Kittell is

part of the investigation team.

part of the investigation team.

There's a lot of pressure

on a post-blast investigator to solve the case quickly.

on a post-blast investigator to solve the case quickly.

It could have been a bombing and we just weren't

sure what we were looking at.

Kittell identifies a likely detonation

point, the burned-out overhead bin above row 8.

point, the burned-out overhead bin above row 8.

But instead of finding the holes typical of a bomb explosion,

But instead of finding the holes typical of a bomb explosion,

he finds the aircraft's skin ripped open

along the rivet lines that join sections of the fuselage

along the rivet lines that join sections of the fuselage

together.

The effects were more of a

The effects were more of a

pushing and heaving than a shattering

in a really high-pressure, high-explosive event.

in a really high-pressure, high-explosive event.

Kittell concludes it wasn't

Kittell concludes it wasn't

a bomb that caused the damage.

But if not a bomb, then what was the source of the explosion?

But if not a bomb, then what was the source of the explosion?

Let's check the rows near the blast area first.

Let's check the rows near the blast area first.

We had no idea what we were looking for.

We had no idea what we were looking for.

You just look for anything that's just a little bit

different from something else.

different from something else.

On the far side, underneath seat 7C,

he spots something unusual.

he spots something unusual.

It looked like a bottle or a jug of some sort.

It looked like it had been ripped apart.

It looked like it had been ripped apart.

It turned out, it was the top third of a bottle.

I've found something.

You could smell gasoline instantly.

Not kerosene or the fuel that is used in a jet engine.

Not kerosene or the fuel that is used in a jet engine.

It smells like gasoline.

It smells like gasoline.

What is this doing on this airplane?

Gasoline is prohibited from any kind of airplane.

Gasoline is prohibited from any kind of airplane.

Could this be the source of the explosion?

Investigators order up a chemical analysis

of the fragment.

The piece is soon identified as coming

from a bottle of a common brand of laundry bleach.

from a bottle of a common brand of laundry bleach.

But lab results confirm that it wasn't bleach in the bottle.

But lab results confirm that it wasn't bleach in the bottle.

No question about it, it's gasoline.

Everybody sort of say, well, bingo,

Everybody sort of say, well, bingo,

we found the golden nugget.

The discovery only raises more questions.

The discovery only raises more questions.

How did someone get gasoline on board an airplane?

And how did it ignite?

Investigators need to find out how a small bottle of gasoline

ended up on Uni Air Flight 873.

ended up on Uni Air Flight 873.

This could take a while.

We're looking for things

that are beyond the normal.

We're looking for suspicious behavior.

We're looking for suspicious behavior.

We're looking for items that are singled out by the screeners.

We're looking for items that are singled out by the screeners.

We're looking for something that's not right.

Look at this.

Look at this.

A security guard has pulled over a passenger

to inspect his bag.

to inspect his bag.

There were two bottles that we can't quite tell what they are.

Let's see if we can get any closer.

Could one of these be the bottle containing gasoline?

Could one of these be the bottle containing gasoline?

Sure it looks like a match.

It turns out, the two bottles are identical

It turns out, the two bottles are identical

and are the same brand of bleach as the fragment

found on the plane.

The guard just put them back.

The security person then looked at the contents

The security person then looked at the contents

and read the contents, did not remove the cap,

did not smell it, but gave it back and put it back down.

did not smell it, but gave it back and put it back down.

Investigators now question the security

inspector to find out more.

inspector to find out more.

Why did you let the bleach bottles through?

Why didn't you open them to check?

The bottles had bleach, he said it was bleach.

The bottles had bleach, he said it was bleach.

That time, there was a procedure that whenever there

That time, there was a procedure that whenever there

is a bottle, the inspector shall open the bottle

and smell it to make sure it's not a hazardous material.

and smell it to make sure it's not a hazardous material.

We're opening the family cabin, needed to clean.

Oh.

OK.

He did not actually open the cap

and smell it and just let it go.

Can you tell me anything about the passenger

Can you tell me anything about the passenger

carrying the bleach bottles?

Sure.

I recognized them right away.

Investigators discovered that the man who

Investigators discovered that the man who

carried the bottle through security

was a Taiwanese athlete named Ku Chin-shui.

was a Taiwanese athlete named Ku Chin-shui.

The suspect was a very famous decathlon champion.

The suspect was a very famous decathlon champion.

Almost everybody knew him.

When Ku Chin-shui is brought in for questioning,

When Ku Chin-shui is brought in for questioning,

he explains that after passing security,

he gave his bag to a relative who carried it on board.

he gave his bag to a relative who carried it on board.

He pleads his innocence to the media.

Because my family was on the plane,

why would I do such a stupid thing

as to put gasoline on board?

as to put gasoline on board?

It's up to the police to determine

if Ku is criminally responsible for the bottles

if Ku is criminally responsible for the bottles

ending up on board.

Air crash investigators have a different priority.

Air crash investigators have a different priority.

We did not look into the motive of the suspect.

What we did care is how to improve safety.

What we did care is how to improve safety.

So our focus is what happened, how did it happen?

So our focus is what happened, how did it happen?

Where we were with a compartment

that we knew had two bleach bottles that had gasoline

that we knew had two bleach bottles that had gasoline

in them, we're pretty certain fumes leaked out of them,

in them, we're pretty certain fumes leaked out of them,

and you get to a point when that becomes very flammable

and you get to a point when that becomes very flammable

and it doesn't take much to set that off.

Two bottles of gasoline

end up in an overhead bin, but what caused them to explode?

end up in an overhead bin, but what caused them to explode?

Lab technicians comb through all the debris taken

Lab technicians comb through all the debris taken

from the aircraft and runway looking for anything that

may have sparked an explosion.

may have sparked an explosion.

They make an astonishing discovery.

It was a motorcycle battery.

And that motorcycle battery was also actually something you

And that motorcycle battery was also actually something you

should not be on the aircraft.

This motorcycle battery

This motorcycle battery

was found a couple of rows away from the bottle,

and the top of the battery has been damaged

and the top of the battery has been damaged

and it's exposing the...

the poles, the positive and the negative terminals.

Investigators can now construct a theory as

to what caused the explosion.

to what caused the explosion.

The gasoline may have leaked,

created a vapor inside of that overhead bin.

created a vapor inside of that overhead bin.

And as the aircraft came to a sudden stop, then

And as the aircraft came to a sudden stop, then

the battery slid and created an arc.

the battery slid and created an arc.

It would have created the explosion to blow the door off

of the overhead bin.

of the overhead bin.

We did quite a few simulations

to prove that such scenario could happen.

to prove that such scenario could happen.

The lid blows right out and there's a flash fire.

Taiwan's Aviation Safety

Council concludes, this is the probable cause

Council concludes, this is the probable cause

of the explosion.

But no clear answer was ever found

But no clear answer was ever found

as to why someone took banned substances onto the plane.

After six separate trials, Ku Chin-shui was ultimately

cleared of wrongdoing.

cleared of wrongdoing.

The court concluded the evidence wasn't strong enough to justify

a criminal conviction.

Still, the aviation report calls for an overhaul

Still, the aviation report calls for an overhaul

of the Taiwanese system that screens

for hazardous materials.

Training for security personnel was improved in the hopes

Training for security personnel was improved in the hopes

of preventing another disaster.

I'm willing to bet that nobody in screening in Taiwan

I'm willing to bet that nobody in screening in Taiwan

ever misses another motorcycle battery.

Three horrific air disasters

lead to fundamental changes in airport security procedures,

lead to fundamental changes in airport security procedures,

but the threats are always evolving.

but the threats are always evolving.

For aviation authorities, there's

a never-ending obligation to stay vigilant.

Whatever lessons were learned in the past

Whatever lessons were learned in the past

will be somewhat relevant in the future, but not 100% relevant.

And the aviation industry, government organizations

And the aviation industry, government organizations

responsible for security, and, frankly, even

responsible for security, and, frankly, even

passengers have to be aware at all times

and evolve with those threats.