Original subtitles

On a cold day in Northern Ontario,

a passenger jet is unable to climb above the trees.

a passenger jet is unable to climb above the trees.

I thought, oh, my God.

We're going to crash.

Would have been nice of them to clear the snow.

During a snowstorm in Sweden,

a routine takeoff leads to a mysterious engine malfunction.

a routine takeoff leads to a mysterious engine malfunction.

There was a really big roar in the aircraft,

There was a really big roar in the aircraft,

almost like an explosion.

Boom.

Boom.

Go around!

Go around, thrust.

And when a jet crashes into a hillside

And when a jet crashes into a hillside

above Canada's Arctic Circle...

A 737 has just gone down at Resolute Bay.

A 737 has just gone down at Resolute Bay.

...investigators wonder if a magnetic phenomenon

is at play.

His compass is drifting.

His compass is drifting.

He's off by about 17 degrees.

Three airline disasters

Three airline disasters

in harsh Northern locations.

Investigators struggle to uncover

Investigators struggle to uncover

how distinct challenges in the North

overwhelmed all three flights.

Ladies and gentlemen,

we are starting our approach.

We lost both engines.

Emergency response.

Emergency response.

May-day, may-day!

Brace for impact!

A midday snow falls in the airport

at Dryden, a remote community in Northern Ontario, Canada.

at Dryden, a remote community in Northern Ontario, Canada.

Air Ontario Flight 1363 to Winnipeg is refueling.

Air Ontario Flight 1363 to Winnipeg is refueling.

Kenora Dryden, it's Ontario 363.

Kenora Dryden, it's Ontario 363.

Ontario 363.

As first officer Keith Mills checks the weather

conditions, Captain George Morwood returns

conditions, Captain George Morwood returns

after making a phone call.

Looking at accumulation...

It's getting worse.

What's the latest?

What's the latest?

...and won't clear till late afternoon.

Check that.

Quite heavy snow, looks like it's

going to be a bad one, but still within our takeoff limit.

going to be a bad one, but still within our takeoff limit.

Captain Morwood has been a commercial pilot

for 34 years.

for 34 years.

Cross check.

First officer Mills has

14 years of flight experience.

14 years of flight experience.

The Fokker F28 began the day in Winnipeg, flew to Thunder Bay,

The Fokker F28 began the day in Winnipeg, flew to Thunder Bay,

and is now stopping over in Dryden

before returning to Winnipeg.

before returning to Winnipeg.

But the weather is deteriorating.

A blanket of snow is falling and I couldn't

see the tree line anymore.

see the tree line anymore.

It was like looking through a sheer.

B1.

Rotate.

Rotate.

The F28 gets off the ground but it isn't climbing.

The F28 gets off the ground but it isn't climbing.

Our takeoff was very slow and sluggish.

Our takeoff was very slow and sluggish.

There's this dip to the left, and then dip to the right.

I thought, oh my God.

I thought, oh my God.

We're going to crash.

49 seconds after lifting off,

49 seconds after lifting off,

Flight 1363 crashes a half mile from the runway.

Flight 1363 crashes a half mile from the runway.

I didn't know where I was.

And at that point, I thought, oh my gosh.

I'm alive.

I'm alive.

I'm still alive, that this is all happening so quickly.

45 people survived the accident.

45 people survived the accident.

24, including Captain Morwood and first officer Mills,

do not.

This way, come on!

Why did the plane fall out of the sky

Why did the plane fall out of the sky

just after takeoff?

A team of investigators from the Canadian Aviation Safety Board

A team of investigators from the Canadian Aviation Safety Board

arrives at the scene the following day.

You're going there hopefully with the idea that you can find

You're going there hopefully with the idea that you can find

out what happened, why it happened,

and how do you prevent it from happening in the future.

and how do you prevent it from happening in the future.

We walked the entire path of the airplane right

to the crash site.

That was the first thing that I did.

That was the first thing that I did.

I wanted to document what I was seeing by photographing.

The path of destruction through the forest

provides investigators with their first clue.

Look at how these tree tops have been clipped off.

Look at how these tree tops have been clipped off.

It didn't ever fly.

What happened was the airplane went off the end of the runway

What happened was the airplane went off the end of the runway

in what we would call ground effect,

and just stayed at that height.

and just stayed at that height.

The team recovers the F28's two

black boxes from the wreckage.

black boxes from the wreckage.

But they suffered extreme heat damage and the data

is unrecoverable.

is unrecoverable.

Investigators will have to rely on survivor's accounts

Investigators will have to rely on survivor's accounts

for clues.

They said in their witness statements

there was snow and ice on the wings when the airplane

attempted to take off.

attempted to take off.

Was the storm a factor in the accident?

Weather charts show that during the half hour

the F28 was on the ground at Dryden Airport,

the F28 was on the ground at Dryden Airport,

snowfall grew significantly worse.

Investigators now have a theory.

Investigators now have a theory.

And though we may find other reasons,

for sure, snow and ice on the wings

for sure, snow and ice on the wings

was a factor in this accident.

Flight attendant Sonia Hartwick's account

Flight attendant Sonia Hartwick's account

offers a crucial detail.

As we took off, I noticed that the wings just

As we took off, I noticed that the wings just

became a solid sheen of gray, shiny ice.

The team consults the F28's

manual to find out the extent of its anti-icing system.

manual to find out the extent of its anti-icing system.

They discover that only the wing's leading edges are

protected, so it wouldn't have cleared

protected, so it wouldn't have cleared

the ice Hartwick noticed forming on the surface of the wings.

the ice Hartwick noticed forming on the surface of the wings.

Investigators now suspect that the buildup, what

experts call wing contamination, played

a major role in the accident.

a major role in the accident.

To verify their theory, they call in engineers from Fokker

To verify their theory, they call in engineers from Fokker

to run computer simulations of the crash.

They were able to get some very good data simulating

They were able to get some very good data simulating

the type of loads, temperatures, et

cetera, that the Dryden aircraft would have been exposed to.

The simulations reveal that due to the angle

The simulations reveal that due to the angle

of the F28's wings, even a small accumulation of ice

will make the aircraft vulnerable to stalling.

will make the aircraft vulnerable to stalling.

The finding supports what witnesses saw.

The finding supports what witnesses saw.

It just barely got airborne, dropping wings, losing lift,

It just barely got airborne, dropping wings, losing lift,

and then hitting trees and decelerating to the point

where it broke up.

The team is now certain

that ice contamination on the wings

was the main cause of the crash.

was the main cause of the crash.

The conclusion raises a more intriguing question.

Virtually all cold climate airports, including Dryden,

Virtually all cold climate airports, including Dryden,

are equipped with the technology to remove ice from a plane.

Yet, Captain Morwood never requested de-icing.

Why?

Why?

Investigators scrutinize his employment records

Investigators scrutinize his employment records

searching for an answer.

They portray a conscientious pilot

They portray a conscientious pilot

who had delayed and even canceled flights in the past

because of icing concerns.

because of icing concerns.

Why did he fail to do so on the day of the accident?

Another pilot who has had Dryden airport that morning

provides some of the answer.

He heard an angry Morwood on the phone to Air Ontario.

That is what I have been trying to tell you.

That is what I have been trying to tell you.

Right, so now what am I supposed to do?

Right, so now what am I supposed to do?

No, you figure it out.

It's an important new lead.

It's an important new lead.

The team now wants to know the reason behind the argument

and if it might explain why Captain Morwood

and if it might explain why Captain Morwood

didn't de-ice the wings.

They delve into the plane's flight log

They delve into the plane's flight log

and discover that on the day of the crash,

the plane's auxiliary power unit wasn't functioning.

the plane's auxiliary power unit wasn't functioning.

The APU is a generator that provides the power

needed to start the engines.

Normally, the captain would rely on the APU

to restart his engines after shutting

to restart his engines after shutting

them both down for refueling.

But if he couldn't use his APU,

he couldn't shut his engines down.

he couldn't shut his engines down.

That meant Flight 1363 had to be refueled

with one engine running.

with one engine running.

But Air Ontario policy prohibited de-icing

with an engine running.

with an engine running.

The fluid can be ingested in the engines

and then find its way from there to the air conditioning

and then find its way from there to the air conditioning

on the airplane and make it extremely noxious in the cabin

portion of the airplane.

portion of the airplane.

If Morwood had shut down both engines,

he wouldn't have been able to restart the plane.

he wouldn't have been able to restart the plane.

He would ground the aircraft there, effectively, requiring

He would ground the aircraft there, effectively, requiring

the billeting of passengers and hotels

and added expense to the airline for which

and added expense to the airline for which

- he would be answerable. - Right.

So now what...

So he was under a great deal of pressure.

So he was under a great deal of pressure.

No, you figure it out.

And I believe that the conversation on the phone

And I believe that the conversation on the phone

would have been about that scenario and his displeasure

with it, but he didn't have any other chance.

with it, but he didn't have any other chance.

It's getting worse.

What's the latest?

Quite heavy snow.

Looks like it's going to be a bad one, but still

Looks like it's going to be a bad one, but still

within our takeoff limits.

Investigators discover that although the amount

of snow on the wings was still within limits,

of snow on the wings was still within limits,

it's what was hidden beneath the snow that doomed the flight.

The fuel in a plane's wings can get as cold as -40 degrees.

The fuel in a plane's wings can get as cold as -40 degrees.

The frigid fuel cools the metal surface of the wing.

When snow hits this super cooled surface,

When snow hits this super cooled surface,

it freezes instantly into a barely visible layer of ice.

And this, of course, is what's disrupting

the airflow on the wing and destroying

the lifting capabilities.

the lifting capabilities.

Advise, Kenora, we're ready to proceed.

And Kenora Dryden Ontario...

Perhaps not wanting to face the consequences

Perhaps not wanting to face the consequences

of shutting down his engines, Morwood

opted to take off for Winnipeg without de-icing the plane.

opted to take off for Winnipeg without de-icing the plane.

He must have concluded that the ice

would blow off on takeoff.

would blow off on takeoff.

That is where he made a mistake, a tragic mistake.

That is where he made a mistake, a tragic mistake.

In the wake of Flight 1363,

In the wake of Flight 1363,

Canada upgrades airports' de-icing capabilities.

We now have runway end de-icing

We now have runway end de-icing

pads so they can get a final de-icing before they take off.

This was something directly the result of the Dryden Commission

inquiry.

But frigid conditions have more than one way

But frigid conditions have more than one way

of endangering an aircraft...

On-ground emergency!

On-ground emergency!

Bend down, bend down!

...as the crew of one Swedish airliner

suddenly discovers.

It's two days after Christmas.

Stockholm-Arlanda Airport is blanketed in

Stockholm-Arlanda Airport is blanketed in

snow, slush, and ice.

Passengers are boarding Scandinavian Airlines Flight

Passengers are boarding Scandinavian Airlines Flight

751 to Copenhagen. Among them is Per

751 to Copenhagen. Among them is Per

Holmberg, an off-duty captain who flies for the airline.

He is scheduled to command another flight later

He is scheduled to command another flight later

in the day.

In the cockpit is 34-year-old Ulf Cedermark,

who's been with the airline for four years.

who's been with the airline for four years.

He is the first officer on today's flight.

He is the first officer on today's flight.

Temperature was just below freezing and light winds.

We were going to fly Stockholm to Copenhagen, and then

We were going to fly Stockholm to Copenhagen, and then

to Warsaw, back to Copenhagen, and down to Barcelona that day.

The captain in command of the MD81

is Danish pilot Stefan Rasmussen.

Where are we now with the de-icing?

The wings aren't quite done.

The wings aren't quite done.

They've done the underside.

Now they're doing the top.

The ground crew is conducting

a second round of de-icing.

a second round of de-icing.

And it took a while,

but they had trouble getting rid of the snow on top of the wing.

but they had trouble getting rid of the snow on top of the wing.

So we were slightly late for our push back out to our runway.

So we were slightly late for our push back out to our runway.

Shortly after 8:30 AM, the process is complete.

Scandinavian 751, you are cleared

for takeoff from runway 08.

for takeoff from runway 08.

Gear up.

Gear up selected.

Gear up selected.

When Ulf reached out for the gear,

When Ulf reached out for the gear,

I heard things which were different.

There was a really big roar in the aircraft,

There was a really big roar in the aircraft,

almost like an explosion.

Boom.

Boom.

There was another banging noise,

There was another banging noise,

but I just thought, what is that?

I had never heard that before.

That sounds serious.

I believe it's a compressor stall.

I believe it's a compressor stall.

I took the right throttle and moved a little back,

I took the right throttle and moved a little back,

but there, it really became strange

because the engine performance increased

because the engine performance increased

when I reduced the turbo.

3,200 feet above the ground,

the emergency escalates.

the emergency escalates.

When we have flown a little over one minute,

When we have flown a little over one minute,

the right engine just went down.

Two seconds later, the left engine also quits.

The plane loses all thrust.

The plane loses all thrust.

Less than a minute and a half after takeoff,

Less than a minute and a half after takeoff,

the MD81 begins falling from the sky.

And after that, it was complete silence.

And I think that was the worst moment for me.

Engine relay.

Engine relay.

The pilots try to restart

their engines, only to see the left engine erupt in flames.

their engines, only to see the left engine erupt in flames.

The fire could spread to the rest of the plane.

Should I pull?

But if the pilots activate the fire

But if the pilots activate the fire

extinguisher in the left engine, they

won't be able to restart it.

They decide to extinguish the fire.

Flight 751 is now falling at a rate of 1,200 feet per minute.

Flight 751 is now falling at a rate of 1,200 feet per minute.

We have problems with our engines, please.

We need to go back to...

We need to go back to...

to go back to Arlanda.

751, Roger.

751, Roger.

Turn right heading to...

Suddenly, the radio goes dead,

a result of the engine failure.

a result of the engine failure.

How can I help?

Captain Per Holmberg steps in to assist.

Captain Per Holmberg steps in to assist.

Like, he came out in the cockpit

and he said, is there anything I can help you with?

and he said, is there anything I can help you with?

I don't think I even said yes, I said just said start the APU.

I don't think I even said yes, I said just said start the APU.

He managed to start the auxiliary power

unit so my flight instruments were supplied from that.

unit so my flight instruments were supplied from that.

But for some reason, Captain Rasmussen's instruments

don't come back online.

He managed to fly the plane basically by feel.

However, the APU is powering the radio again.

However, the APU is powering the radio again.

Stockholm air traffic control instructs the pilots

to return to the airport.

But the plane is now just 1,600 feet from the ground.

But the plane is now just 1,600 feet from the ground.

Holmberg wants Rasmussen to focus on finding a place

to make an emergency landing.

to make an emergency landing.

Look straight ahead.

Prepare for on-ground emergency.

On-ground emergency!

Bend down.

Bend down!

Bend down!

Captain Rasmussen finds

Captain Rasmussen finds

himself gliding without power over a dense forest.

I could use the trees as almost like a pillow.

Should I lower the landing gear?

Should I lower the landing gear?

Yes, gear down.

Scandinavian Airlines Flight 751 crashes nine miles

Scandinavian Airlines Flight 751 crashes nine miles

Northeast of Stockholm-Arlanada Airport.

The fuselage is broken into three pieces.

The fuselage is broken into three pieces.

Rescuers arrive within minutes.

92 of the passengers are injured.

But when a head count is conducted,

the crew learns that not a single person

was killed in the crash.

was killed in the crash.

Just honored to have this captain in the world.

We were all alive.

We were all alive.

It was a great moment.

Sweden's Accident Investigation

Board takes charge of the case.

They're joined by a team of investigators

from Scandinavian Airlines, led by Tore Hultgren.

from Scandinavian Airlines, led by Tore Hultgren.

It's most unusual that the plane crashes in a wooded area

It's most unusual that the plane crashes in a wooded area

and everybody survives.

I've never heard of it before.

We had a complete aircraft, nothing had burnt.

I mean, we had lots of good data.

I mean, we had lots of good data.

The plane's cockpit voice

recorder and flight data recorder

are recovered for analysis.

are recovered for analysis.

In the meantime, investigators interview

the passengers and crew.

the passengers and crew.

Would you mind telling me what you saw and heard?

They recall hearing repeated booming noises before

They recall hearing repeated booming noises before

the left engine caught fire.

The cockpit voice recorder picked up those sounds.

The cockpit voice recorder picked up those sounds.

We could correlate that with when the damage occurred.

We could correlate that with when the damage occurred.

You can see that on the flight data recorder.

For investigators, the booming sounds

For investigators, the booming sounds

are evidence that the MD81's engines were surging.

Jet engines rely on a steady stream of air for combustion.

Jet engines rely on a steady stream of air for combustion.

A series of fans moves incoming air through various stages

A series of fans moves incoming air through various stages

of compression.

But when that flow is disrupted, fuel at the rear of the engines

ignites and shoots forward in what's called a surge.

This surge process was very violent.

This surge process was very violent.

So after a very short time, we had an aircraft

with two engines that could not be restarted,

with two engines that could not be restarted,

that didn't generate any thrust.

Basically, you had a giant glider at that point.

Basically, you had a giant glider at that point.

What caused the engines to surge?

What caused the engines to surge?

A close look at the fan blades from the front of the engines

A close look at the fan blades from the front of the engines

provides an explanation.

They're badly dented.

The damage would have prevented them from smoothly directing

The damage would have prevented them from smoothly directing

air to the rear of the engines.

This damage, the twist of the fan blade,

started this process.

started this process.

You got this disturbed air in the fan.

You got this rotating fan stall that then triggered

You got this rotating fan stall that then triggered

this whole breakdown, the compressor surge,

and then the whole process that led

up to the dual engine failures.

up to the dual engine failures.

But what damaged the blades?

There are ways to find out.

There are ways to find out.

If it comes from a stone, rubber, ice, and so on,

you can see it on the shape of the damage.

you can see it on the shape of the damage.

Analysis of dent patterns on the fan blades

is conclusive.

They were struck by ice.

They were struck by ice.

The ice causes very specific damages.

It's sort of like a soft dent.

It's sort of like a soft dent.

Investigators need to discover

Investigators need to discover

where the ice came from.

They learn that the MD81 arrived from Zurich

They learn that the MD81 arrived from Zurich

the night before with its fuel tanks more than half full.

The fuel in the wing tanks were

close to -20 degrees Celsius.

The frigid conditions were

ideal for the formation of clear ice on the wing surface.

ideal for the formation of clear ice on the wing surface.

And here, you had very, very cold fuel on the top wing skin.

And as the temperature dropped during the night,

And as the temperature dropped during the night,

it went to snow and rain, and finally snow.

it went to snow and rain, and finally snow.

Got 10 inches total on top of the wings in the morning.

Investigators wonder if the pilot

Investigators wonder if the pilot

did all he could to ensure his plane

was completely free of ice.

was completely free of ice.

Rasmussen claims he instructed technicians

to de-ice the plane thoroughly.

to de-ice the plane thoroughly.

Noticing there was still frost on the wings,

the head technician also ordered a second round.

the head technician also ordered a second round.

Where are we now with the de-icing?

The wings aren't quite done.

They've done the underside. Now they're...

The cockpit voice recorder

The cockpit voice recorder

backs up Rasmussen's testimony.

You've got it good and clean under the wings?

Yes, yes.

Yes, yes.

The ground crew insists

that after they sprayed the wings,

they appeared to be clean.

they appeared to be clean.

But that appearance was deceptive.

It looked perfect because the clear

ice on top of the fuel tanks, you cannot see the clear ice.

A technician inspected the front of the wing

A technician inspected the front of the wing

and found no ice.

But further back beyond his reach,

the situation was different.

the situation was different.

But still, there was maybe an inch of ice on top of the wing

But still, there was maybe an inch of ice on top of the wing

when the aircraft took off.

As soon as the plane took off, ice became a problem.

As soon as the plane took off, ice became a problem.

On this aircraft, the engines are

positioned behind the wings.

positioned behind the wings.

And as the aircraft rotated and the wings bent in order

to take the weight of the aircraft,

to take the weight of the aircraft,

this ice in the wing roots loosened and it

sucked right into the engine.

sucked right into the engine.

The ice damaged the fan

blades at the front of the engine, causing them to surge.

Nobody really expected this would happen or could happen,

Nobody really expected this would happen or could happen,

but it did.

Now investigators wonder,

Now investigators wonder,

did the pilots respond correctly to the search,

or did they make the situation worse?

or did they make the situation worse?

They combed through the flight data

to track what the pilots did when the emergency struck.

to track what the pilots did when the emergency struck.

The first thing you do when you have a search,

if you recognize this at the search,

if you recognize this at the search,

is that you reduce power.

Of course, you just pull the throttle back.

And that was actually what I did.

And that was actually what I did.

But the flight data recorder

tells a different story.

Why is the engine power increasing?

Why is the engine power increasing?

It clearly shows that in the moments after the surge,

thrust was reduced, but seconds later increased to full power.

thrust was reduced, but seconds later increased to full power.

And the throttle position was moving, and it shouldn't be.

And the throttle position was moving, and it shouldn't be.

The only thing that could move the throttle up

was the pilot's hand.

was the pilot's hand.

But if Rasmussen didn't push the throttles

forward himself, what did?

forward himself, what did?

Investigators consult with the MD81's manufacturer to find out

Investigators consult with the MD81's manufacturer to find out

what could have caused Flight 751's throttles to increase

power shortly before the crash.

power shortly before the crash.

The answer is something called automatic thrust restoration,

The answer is something called automatic thrust restoration,

or ATR.

It's brand new.

It automatically increases the thrust during the climb.

It automatically increases the thrust during the climb.

ATR was recently introduced

as a safety feature on Scandinavian Airlines planes.

as a safety feature on Scandinavian Airlines planes.

It was designed to stop pilots from throttling back

to dangerous levels in an effort to reduce

to dangerous levels in an effort to reduce

noise over residential areas.

So as soon as he powered back, the system kicked in.

Investigators learned that when Rasmussen reduced

Investigators learned that when Rasmussen reduced

power to clear his engine surge, the ATR system recognized this

power to clear his engine surge, the ATR system recognized this

as a dangerously low power setting

and automatically pushed the throttles forward.

and automatically pushed the throttles forward.

The increased thrust made the surging worse.

And it went on to self-destruct both engines.

In a few seconds, they were both totally destroyed.

In a few seconds, they were both totally destroyed.

The system was so new that no one at Scandinavian

The system was so new that no one at Scandinavian

Airlines was aware that it had been

installed on their airplanes.

We hadn't bought that modification

We hadn't bought that modification

and it was sneaked in via another system.

The investigation concludes that the pilots

followed the right procedures to clear the surge

followed the right procedures to clear the surge

and prevent the catastrophe.

But the ATR undermined their efforts.

But the ATR undermined their efforts.

In the wake of the crash, Scandinavian Airlines

began training pilots in how to use the ATR system.

began training pilots in how to use the ATR system.

They also implemented procedures to ensure their airplanes

don't take off with clear ice on the wings.

don't take off with clear ice on the wings.

We changed all the procedures.

It provided stairs for the mechanic,

It provided stairs for the mechanic,

and we made it a requirement to go up on top of the wing

and touch it with your hand to verify after de-icing.

and touch it with your hand to verify after de-icing.

As planes travel further North,

As planes travel further North,

they have to contend with more than just snow and ice.

Go around!

Flying in the high Arctic

Flying in the high Arctic

presents another unseen danger.

26,000ft over Canada's Nunavut territory.

CYRB military, this is First Air 6560.

CYRB Military, ETA at resolute.

CYRB Military, ETA at resolute.

16:43.

First Air Flight 6560 is approaching Resolute Bay.

First Air Flight 6560 is approaching Resolute Bay.

The remote community is home to about 200 residents.

The remote community is home to about 200 residents.

The land is well above the tree line.

The land is well above the tree line.

It's very barren.

There's nothing on it.

There's no tundra, no plants.

There's no tundra, no plants.

It's just sand and rock.

The 737 charter is carrying cargo along

The 737 charter is carrying cargo along

with 11 passengers and 4 crew.

Flight 6560 left Yellowknife an hour and a half earlier.

Flight 6560 left Yellowknife an hour and a half earlier.

It's due to land in approximately 30 minutes.

It's due to land in approximately 30 minutes.

Wind 180 degrees at 8 knots.

First Officer David Hare joined

First Air four years ago.

Ah, there we go.

The captain, Blair Rutherford,

has been with the airline for more than 15 years.

has been with the airline for more than 15 years.

OK, let's go over the approach.

OK,

OK,

Today, Resolute Bay is blanketed in heavy fog,

so the crew will be relying on their autopilot

so the crew will be relying on their autopilot

during the approach.

Checklist complete.

Autopilot set.

Autopilot set.

This way, they don't have to worry about lining

up with the runway visually.

The plane's computer will maintain control

The plane's computer will maintain control

until they're ready to land.

At 11:40 AM, Flight 6560 begins its final approach

At 11:40 AM, Flight 6560 begins its final approach

to the runway.

First Air 6560, we're three miles out on final.

First Air 6560, we're three miles out on final.

Uh, we're over the shoreline now.

Uh, we're over the shoreline now.

All right.

Oh.

Oh.

Suddenly, the low altitude warning goes off.

Go around.

Go for it.

Go around.

Go around.

Go around thrust.

Ahh!

Flight 6560 is too low and slams into the ground

Flight 6560 is too low and slams into the ground

at 180 miles an hour.

The plane skids across the crest of the hill...

The plane skids across the crest of the hill...

...and bursts into flames.

A 737 has just gone down at Resolute Bay.

No duff.

No duff.

By coincidence, a military flight heading

to Resolute Bay is carrying air crash

investigators from Canada's Transportation Safety Board.

investigators from Canada's Transportation Safety Board.

They're participating in an armed forces

They're participating in an armed forces

exercise simulating an air accident in the North.

But suddenly, they're dealing with the real thing.

But suddenly, they're dealing with the real thing.

We need to hit the ground running.

Rescuers arrive at the crash site

and discover three passengers have survived.

and discover three passengers have survived.

The other 12 people on board, including both pilots,

are dead.

Are you guys with the TSB?

Show me what you got.

Show me what you got.

It's up to investigator

Brian MacDonald and his team to find out what happened.

We're here.

We're here.

They came down here, two clicks East.

They got pretty close to the runway.

They got pretty close to the runway.

The plane's cockpit voice

recorder and flight data recorder are

recovered from the wreckage.

recovered from the wreckage.

We were able to get them on an aircraft

and down to our laboratory in Ottawa on the following day.

and down to our laboratory in Ottawa on the following day.

While they wait for the data,

the team tracks the flight's final moments

the team tracks the flight's final moments

using records from a temporary radar

system set up by the military.

system set up by the military.

They immediately discover something unusual.

Where the hell are they going?

The radar shows Flight 6560 was flying parallel

to the runway when it crashed.

to the runway when it crashed.

Why?

Why did the aircraft track in that direction?

Why did the aircraft track in that direction?

The 737's autopilot should have

guided the plane to the runway.

guided the plane to the runway.

Why did it crash into a hill more than a mile away instead?

All right, let's see what these guys were thinking.

The TSB's John Stewart needs to find out why

The TSB's John Stewart needs to find out why

Flight 6560 drifted off course.

He listens to the cockpit voice recorder for clues.

He listens to the cockpit voice recorder for clues.

GPS has us going off to the right.

The first officer knew they were off course.

The first officer knew they were off course.

So, uh, are we too far to the right?

So, uh, are we too far to the right?

We'll get there.

If we're going right, Resolute Hill is right of the runway.

Not only did the first officer realize they were

Not only did the first officer realize they were

off course, he knew they were headed

toward a hill near the runway.

toward a hill near the runway.

But the plane's autopilot system should

have been locked onto Resolute Airport's instrument

have been locked onto Resolute Airport's instrument

landing system, the ILS.

The ILS emits a signal known as a localizer beam.

The ILS emits a signal known as a localizer beam.

It can be picked up by the plane's autopilot to navigate

the plane safely to the runway.

the plane safely to the runway.

We're not on the localizer.

Ah, we're fine.

Ah, we're fine.

The autopilot is tracking the localizer.

I think we should abandon the approach,

go around, and sort this out.

No, we're good.

No, we're good.

We'll continue the approach.

OK.

Continuing approach.

The captain is confident the autopilot will

adjust their course for the runway.

adjust their course for the runway.

But then...

Go around.

Go for it!

Go around.

Go around thrust!

The ILS beacon should have guided the plane

The ILS beacon should have guided the plane

all the way to the runway.

Investigators need to find out why that didn't happen.

Investigators need to find out why that didn't happen.

We had the, uh, download information

We had the, uh, download information

from the flight data recorders.

OK, pitch up two degrees.

OK, pitch up two degrees.

Using the flight recorder data...

Speed to 168 knots.

Speed to 168 knots.

...the team retraces the plane's approach

to Resolute Bay.

Turn left two degrees.

Turn left two degrees.

But on the final turn toward the runway,

But on the final turn toward the runway,

they identify the critical moment.

That's where it started to go wrong.

They turned too wide and never got back on the beam.

They turned too wide and never got back on the beam.

What happened during the turn

that sent the plane off course?

that sent the plane off course?

To carry out the ILS landing...

Autopilot set.

Autopilot set.

...the crew needed to set their autopilot to a mode...

...the crew needed to set their autopilot to a mode...

Localizer alive.

...which locks it onto the ILS signal.

Let me just see the control wheel inputs.

So the turn started out OK, nice and smooth through here.

So the turn started out OK, nice and smooth through here.

Definitely the autopilot in control.

Definitely the autopilot in control.

But during the final turn, the data changes.

But during the final turn, the data changes.

These jagged corrections have got to be human.

They must have been flying on manual.

They must have been flying on manual.

Sometime during the turn,

control of the plane switched to manual.

The autopilot wasn't locked in any longer to the localizer

beam.

Without ILS, the pilots

Without ILS, the pilots

would have to depend on their eyes

to line up with the runway in heavy fog.

Who or what changed the control mode, and why?

Who or what changed the control mode, and why?

Investigators hear nothing on the cockpit voice recorder

to indicate the captain switched off

the autopilot intentionally.

the autopilot intentionally.

But there's another possibility.

Autopilot systems have built-in capability for pilots

Autopilot systems have built-in capability for pilots

to override it, the aircraft is not

reacting quick enough or it's doing something too quickly.

reacting quick enough or it's doing something too quickly.

Flight data reveals a slight pressure was applied

to the captain's control column, just enough to trigger

to the captain's control column, just enough to trigger

the switch to manual.

We believe it was likely an inadvertent pressure

We believe it was likely an inadvertent pressure

on the wheel.

Perhaps someone was leaning over to check something.

Perhaps someone was leaning over to check something.

With neither the autopilot nor the crew

steering the plane toward the runway,

steering the plane toward the runway,

the wind began pushing it off course.

So, um, aren't we too far to the right?

The first officer noticed the problem.

The first officer noticed the problem.

Investigators now want to know, why didn't the captain

do something about it?

do something about it?

Let's see what this flight looked

like from inside the cockpit.

like from inside the cockpit.

Investigators want to know what the captain was

seeing and hearing in the moments

leading up to the crash of Flight 6560.

leading up to the crash of Flight 6560.

They combine information from both the flight data recorder

They combine information from both the flight data recorder

and cockpit voice recorder to recreate the journey

on a dashboard simulation.

on a dashboard simulation.

The key thing that we try to do

is to understand why events made sense from their point of view.

is to understand why events made sense from their point of view.

I wanted to see what could each pilot see in their positions.

What could they hear?

What could they hear?

What lead them to make the decisions they did?

First Air 6560, we're 10 miles from runway 35, true.

First Air 6560, we're 10 miles from runway 35, true.

Gear down.

The recreation reveals that both pilots

were busy preparing to land.

were busy preparing to land.

There.

There.

So busy, it seems, that neither noticed the

critical control mode change.

critical control mode change.

That's where the autopilot mode switched.

There's a lot going on in the cockpit

also in the turn at this time, so they're not necessarily

also in the turn at this time, so they're not necessarily

looking to see if there's one light in a sea

of lights that's no longer lit.

of lights that's no longer lit.

We're not on track here.

We're off to the right a bit.

We're off to the right a bit.

GPS has us going off to the right.

Both the GPS and the horizontal indicator

Both the GPS and the horizontal indicator

were clearly showing the plane was drifting

further from the runway.

We'll get there.

Yet, the captain did nothing to correct the problem.

OK, what's he thinking?

Investigators find a possible answer

in the flight data.

in the flight data.

His compass is drifting.

He's off by about 17 degrees.

He's off by about 17 degrees.

The captain's compass was

reacting to an invisible natural phenomenon.

reacting to an invisible natural phenomenon.

This far North, a compass will always

point to the magnetic North Pole,

point to the magnetic North Pole,

not to the geographic North Pole, two

different points on the globe.

different points on the globe.

Pilots have to regularly recalibrate their compasses

using GPS to establish their true heading.

using GPS to establish their true heading.

Oh, there we go.

You might as well do yours too.

You might as well do yours too.

Heading 029 degrees.

Investigators determine

the pilots only made one compass adjustment during the flight.

the pilots only made one compass adjustment during the flight.

And that was before they made the turn

to begin their final approach.

to begin their final approach.

As the plane descended toward Resolute Bay,

their compasses were drifting at different rates.

their compasses were drifting at different rates.

Each pilot had a completely different understanding

of what was happening.

of what was happening.

We're not on the localizer.

Ah, we're fine.

The autopilot is tracking the localizer.

The captain had a perception that they

were on a correction course.

were on a correction course.

Rutherford's compass was telling him that he was flying

Rutherford's compass was telling him that he was flying

331 degrees straight back towards the center

331 degrees straight back towards the center

line of the runway.

But he was actually flying 348 degrees

But he was actually flying 348 degrees

straight towards the hill.

Having two pilots that have different perceptions of

Having two pilots that have different perceptions of

the situation is problematic.

Continuing approach.

As the less experienced pilot,

As the less experienced pilot,

First Officer Hare may have felt reluctant to voice

his concerns more forcefully.

his concerns more forcefully.

Moments later, the captain was caught by surprise.

Go around.

Go for it!

Go for it!

By the time the crew decided to abort the landing...

Go around!

Go around, thrust.

Go around, thrust.

...it was too late to get the power they

needed to climb out of trouble.

Two seconds later, he slammed into the hill near the runway.

Two seconds later, he slammed into the hill near the runway.

There were so many things that had to have happened

for this outcome, that if need one of those didn't happen,

for this outcome, that if need one of those didn't happen,

you wouldn't have had the accident.

Following the investigation,

Following the investigation,

the Safety Board urges First Air to review how pilots

calibrate their compasses.

calibrate their compasses.

I think we should abandon the approach,

go around, and sort this out.

No, we're good.

We'll continue the approach.

We'll continue the approach.

It also recommends that the company institute

clear policies on how first officers should take control

clear policies on how first officers should take control

in dangerous situations.

As the flight progresses, you can see in the conversation

between the two of them, that the two

between the two of them, that the two

pilots have differing views as to what needs to be done.

pilots have differing views as to what needs to be done.

Three planes fall prey to the hidden dangers

of flying in the North.

of flying in the North.

With each investigation, the cause is revealed.

And Northern skies become a safer place.

Our job is to illuminate where the deficiencies are,

and the industry and the regulator

and the industry and the regulator

will take action to mitigate those risks.