1 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:02,302 3000. 2 00:00:03,503 --> 00:00:05,205 We're not getting any oxygen. 3 00:00:05,238 --> 00:00:07,540 We have the terrain alarm. 4 00:00:07,573 --> 00:00:09,409 We are in an emergency. 5 00:00:29,829 --> 00:00:30,996 I can't see anything. 6 00:00:31,030 --> 00:00:32,164 Damn, we're off-course. 7 00:00:32,198 --> 00:00:33,665 - No, I can't see it. - Way off. 8 00:00:34,734 --> 00:00:37,170 On June 1st, 1999, 9 00:00:37,237 --> 00:00:40,039 as an American Airlines jet prepared to land 10 00:00:40,106 --> 00:00:41,707 amidst severe thunderstorms, 11 00:00:41,774 --> 00:00:44,411 passengers knew they were flying into trouble. 12 00:00:44,444 --> 00:00:46,579 I don't know what made me aware, 13 00:00:46,646 --> 00:00:50,149 so dog gone aware, that we were going to have a problem. 14 00:00:51,951 --> 00:00:53,152 Oh, no! 15 00:00:53,185 --> 00:00:55,354 Within minutes, their worst fears would be realized. 16 00:00:55,387 --> 00:00:57,156 - Other one! - Other one! 17 00:00:57,189 --> 00:00:59,325 - Other one! - Other one! 18 00:01:04,263 --> 00:01:06,031 I'm yelling, "Get away from the plane. 19 00:01:06,066 --> 00:01:07,900 Run. Get away from the plane." 20 00:01:09,168 --> 00:01:10,269 I don't know where we're at, 21 00:01:10,335 --> 00:01:11,971 but there's a road that goes around the airport. 22 00:01:12,004 --> 00:01:14,274 We've got a lot of people hurt. 23 00:01:15,641 --> 00:01:19,846 This film tells the story of a tragic and avoidable disaster. 24 00:01:19,879 --> 00:01:21,947 The investigation would reveal 25 00:01:22,015 --> 00:01:24,551 a lethal combination of pilot error, 26 00:01:24,617 --> 00:01:26,885 the devastating effects of severe weather, 27 00:01:26,953 --> 00:01:29,989 and a dangerous race to keep the plane on schedule. 28 00:01:30,022 --> 00:01:32,358 It would also uncover disturbing evidence 29 00:01:32,424 --> 00:01:34,326 of an industry-wide failing, 30 00:01:34,394 --> 00:01:37,763 one that could kill again at any time. 31 00:01:54,914 --> 00:01:58,518 Despite reliable aircraft and extensive training, 32 00:01:58,584 --> 00:02:02,221 modern airlines and their crews face unprecedented pressures. 33 00:02:02,254 --> 00:02:05,691 Intense industry competition demands that the whole system 34 00:02:05,757 --> 00:02:10,028 from the flight planers to the pilots be efficient and on time. 35 00:02:10,062 --> 00:02:15,768 The stresses this can bring would play a vital role in the loss of Flight 1420. 36 00:02:21,139 --> 00:02:24,009 For a large operator like American Airlines, 37 00:02:24,076 --> 00:02:26,412 the pressures start with the complex task 38 00:02:26,479 --> 00:02:28,580 of scheduling their vast fleet. 39 00:02:29,314 --> 00:02:31,617 Dispatchers direct the planes around the world 40 00:02:31,683 --> 00:02:33,887 in a carefully choreographed dance. 41 00:02:40,894 --> 00:02:44,264 The strain of maintaining this efficiency affects the entire system. 42 00:02:47,167 --> 00:02:50,235 Of course, competition has become very intense... 43 00:02:50,302 --> 00:02:52,972 A lot of pressure on the dispatchers, pilots, 44 00:02:53,038 --> 00:02:56,175 flight attendants and basically the whole infrastructure 45 00:02:56,241 --> 00:02:59,512 to accomplish the mission and make a dollar. 46 00:03:01,713 --> 00:03:03,650 Every effort is made to ensure 47 00:03:03,716 --> 00:03:05,852 that nothing disrupts these fragile schedules. 48 00:03:05,884 --> 00:03:09,656 But there is one variable that no airline can control: 49 00:03:09,722 --> 00:03:11,024 the weather. 50 00:03:16,862 --> 00:03:18,798 The southern states of America 51 00:03:18,865 --> 00:03:21,266 are especially prone to severe weather. 52 00:03:21,300 --> 00:03:23,536 Storms not only cause delays, 53 00:03:23,603 --> 00:03:26,605 but pose extreme dangers to commercial jets. 54 00:03:29,008 --> 00:03:32,478 Delays, scheduling problems and fierce thunderstorms 55 00:03:32,544 --> 00:03:35,181 would all conspire to turn a routine flight 56 00:03:35,247 --> 00:03:38,151 into a terrifying race against time. 57 00:03:40,620 --> 00:03:42,989 On June 1, 1999, 58 00:03:43,056 --> 00:03:46,292 American Airlines Flight 1420 is running late. 59 00:03:49,062 --> 00:03:50,330 The movement of the storm... 60 00:03:50,362 --> 00:03:52,764 Everything is sliding to the southeast. 61 00:03:52,799 --> 00:03:56,269 So, yes we do have a stormy evening headed our way. 62 00:03:58,304 --> 00:04:00,240 The delay of Flight 1420 63 00:04:00,306 --> 00:04:03,543 put pressure on the pilots even before takeoff. 64 00:04:03,575 --> 00:04:06,145 The responsibility can fall on flight crews 65 00:04:06,211 --> 00:04:08,413 to keep a tight schedule on track. 66 00:04:08,448 --> 00:04:09,649 Dispatch, please. 67 00:04:10,917 --> 00:04:12,384 Yeah, it's Michael Origel. 68 00:04:12,451 --> 00:04:15,487 Crews have strict legal limits on their duty time. 69 00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:17,656 The first officer warned the dispatcher 70 00:04:17,689 --> 00:04:20,192 that they were in danger of running out of time. 71 00:04:20,225 --> 00:04:22,394 ...around 11:16. 72 00:04:22,427 --> 00:04:26,531 The flight had to take off in the next hour or be cancelled. 73 00:04:27,634 --> 00:04:30,569 The pilots also became aware of another pressure 74 00:04:30,637 --> 00:04:34,173 caused by deteriorating weather near their destination. 75 00:04:34,206 --> 00:04:37,242 The pilots had a weather briefing that they got 76 00:04:37,310 --> 00:04:39,745 before they departed Dallas, Forth Worth, 77 00:04:39,812 --> 00:04:42,749 which provided the forecast... the weather alerts. 78 00:04:42,781 --> 00:04:45,718 The dispatcher and the captain preparing for the flight 79 00:04:45,785 --> 00:04:48,487 looked at the weather information and thought 80 00:04:48,553 --> 00:04:50,055 that they could get to Little Rock 81 00:04:50,122 --> 00:04:52,658 before the thunderstorms impacted. 82 00:04:53,625 --> 00:04:57,297 The 139 passengers just wanted to get home. 83 00:04:57,329 --> 00:05:00,033 I was traveling with my son and my daughter. 84 00:05:00,065 --> 00:05:01,968 We were coming home from our vacation. 85 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:04,002 It was my daughter's first flight. 86 00:05:04,036 --> 00:05:07,839 The plane was late and there were a lot of delays of course. 87 00:05:07,874 --> 00:05:10,142 It was tiring, it was frustrating, 88 00:05:10,209 --> 00:05:11,444 it was late at night... 89 00:05:12,678 --> 00:05:15,548 They soon began to sense that Flight 1420 90 00:05:15,615 --> 00:05:17,884 was racing against the weather. 91 00:05:17,916 --> 00:05:20,252 As they called for us to board the plane, 92 00:05:20,319 --> 00:05:23,689 they wanted us there just to get on really quickly. 93 00:05:23,723 --> 00:05:27,093 Just get on, sit down, put your seatbelt on, we're going. 94 00:05:28,194 --> 00:05:30,495 They did mention that there was bad weather 95 00:05:30,562 --> 00:05:32,764 between us and Little Rock. 96 00:05:32,831 --> 00:05:35,100 They wanted to get ahead of the bad weather coming into Little Rock. 97 00:05:37,737 --> 00:05:40,639 Finally, over two hours behind schedule, 98 00:05:40,706 --> 00:05:43,375 flight 1420 leaves Dallas. 99 00:05:46,612 --> 00:05:51,617 Unknown to the crew, the storms are already massing around Little Rock. 100 00:05:54,120 --> 00:05:59,057 40 minutes later, 1420 is 100 miles from its destination. 101 00:05:59,091 --> 00:06:02,095 At this point, the voice recorder transcript 102 00:06:02,161 --> 00:06:05,130 reveals a calm and steady cockpit routine. 103 00:06:08,935 --> 00:06:11,536 American 1420, are you going to still want lower? 104 00:06:11,571 --> 00:06:13,139 So far, it's okay. 105 00:06:13,639 --> 00:06:15,307 So far so good, ma'am. 106 00:06:15,341 --> 00:06:17,009 American 1420, we'll let you know. 107 00:06:17,843 --> 00:06:21,314 The First Officer on American 1420 was a new hire. 108 00:06:21,379 --> 00:06:23,449 He had just recently completed training 109 00:06:23,516 --> 00:06:26,017 and he had been paired on one of his first trips 110 00:06:26,084 --> 00:06:28,019 with this management captain. 111 00:06:28,053 --> 00:06:29,988 So, now you had a very experienced pilot 112 00:06:30,055 --> 00:06:31,923 sitting in the left seat with the company 113 00:06:31,958 --> 00:06:34,093 paired with a relatively new hire. 114 00:06:35,293 --> 00:06:37,663 Bushman and Origel are clearly relaxed, 115 00:06:37,730 --> 00:06:39,798 as they plan their approach and landing. 116 00:06:40,867 --> 00:06:43,970 25 for 24, set and armed. 117 00:06:44,002 --> 00:06:46,372 You think this stuff going to work out pretty well? 118 00:06:46,406 --> 00:06:49,641 Yeah, we're almost down to max landing weight. 119 00:06:50,276 --> 00:06:52,711 Oh, there's a moon out... or a spaceship. 120 00:06:52,745 --> 00:06:54,480 Oh, it's the mother ship. 121 00:06:55,982 --> 00:06:57,983 Center pump's coming off, all right? 122 00:06:59,752 --> 00:07:03,923 The pilots are keeping a close eye on the storms ahead. 123 00:07:04,757 --> 00:07:07,860 On-board weather radar scans a cone-shaped area 124 00:07:07,927 --> 00:07:10,262 of sky in front of the plane. 125 00:07:11,197 --> 00:07:14,500 Potentially severe storms show up in red. 126 00:07:15,233 --> 00:07:16,968 There's your big "wha diddly". 127 00:07:18,838 --> 00:07:21,040 Yeah, we've gotta get over there real quick. 128 00:07:25,610 --> 00:07:27,012 I don't like that. 129 00:07:27,045 --> 00:07:28,514 That's lightning. 130 00:07:28,548 --> 00:07:29,514 It sure is. 131 00:07:30,783 --> 00:07:33,718 The American Airlines' dispatcher issued an update 132 00:07:33,786 --> 00:07:36,889 on the shape and formation of the thunderstorms. 133 00:07:39,658 --> 00:07:43,028 Right now on radar there's a large slot to Little Rock. 134 00:07:43,062 --> 00:07:44,730 Thunderstorms are on the left and right 135 00:07:44,797 --> 00:07:46,132 and Little Rock is in the clear... 136 00:07:46,199 --> 00:07:48,468 sort of like a bowling alley approach. 137 00:07:49,401 --> 00:07:52,137 Thunderstorms are moving East North Eastward 138 00:07:52,204 --> 00:07:55,341 towards Little Rock and they may be a factor for our arrival. 139 00:07:55,374 --> 00:07:58,377 I suggest expediting our arrival. 140 00:08:01,413 --> 00:08:04,550 The dispatcher gave this flight crew the weather information. 141 00:08:04,584 --> 00:08:07,286 It appeared to him that there was going to be a gap, 142 00:08:07,353 --> 00:08:09,454 or what he called the bowling alley, 143 00:08:09,521 --> 00:08:11,690 where you had two types of thunderstorms 144 00:08:11,757 --> 00:08:14,360 or two thunderstorms with an alley between it. 145 00:08:14,392 --> 00:08:16,795 And that the flight crew, if they had expedited 146 00:08:16,862 --> 00:08:19,331 their travel to Little Rock, 147 00:08:19,398 --> 00:08:21,666 could probably make it up that alley 148 00:08:21,733 --> 00:08:24,136 before the two storms closed together. 149 00:08:24,836 --> 00:08:27,540 But as Flight 1420 descends, 150 00:08:27,607 --> 00:08:31,142 the plan to beat the storms is about to go seriously wrong. 151 00:08:31,177 --> 00:08:33,211 The pilots do not realize 152 00:08:33,278 --> 00:08:36,249 that the walls of the bowling alley are closing in. 153 00:08:42,388 --> 00:08:45,658 The route flown by American Airlines Flight 1420 154 00:08:45,725 --> 00:08:48,159 is flanked by treacherous thunderstorms, 155 00:08:48,226 --> 00:08:51,429 a corridor the pilots call The Bowling Alley. 156 00:08:52,097 --> 00:08:55,067 With 80 miles to go, the path to Little Rock 157 00:08:55,134 --> 00:08:57,003 still appears to be clear. 158 00:08:57,970 --> 00:08:59,772 This is the bowling alley right here. 159 00:08:59,804 --> 00:09:01,274 Yeah, I know. 160 00:09:01,307 --> 00:09:04,644 In fact, there are city lights straight there. 161 00:09:04,677 --> 00:09:07,980 - Do you want to go down? - Not yet, but pretty soon. 162 00:09:10,982 --> 00:09:13,552 We're about 80 miles 163 00:09:13,619 --> 00:09:18,390 from the airport and we've started our descent toward it. 164 00:09:18,423 --> 00:09:21,494 Quite a light show on the side of the aircraft 165 00:09:21,561 --> 00:09:24,196 and we're going to be passing that on our way to Little Rock. 166 00:09:24,263 --> 00:09:26,831 It's been a pleasure having you on board our short flight. 167 00:09:26,865 --> 00:09:28,900 And I'd like to take this opportunity 168 00:09:28,967 --> 00:09:32,238 to thank you for flying American Airlines. 169 00:09:32,270 --> 00:09:35,575 The lightning seemed to be on both sides of the plane. 170 00:09:35,607 --> 00:09:37,342 It lit up the inside of the plane. 171 00:09:37,375 --> 00:09:39,912 Very quick, you know, just... 172 00:09:39,979 --> 00:09:43,381 "kaboom" type lightning 173 00:09:43,448 --> 00:09:45,850 which was a little scary. 174 00:09:45,884 --> 00:09:47,886 There was quick a light show off to the left, 175 00:09:47,953 --> 00:09:50,022 normally that doesn't get pointed out. 176 00:09:50,056 --> 00:09:51,756 If you go past the Grand Canyon, 177 00:09:51,823 --> 00:09:54,259 that gets pointed out, but not a lightning show. 178 00:09:58,965 --> 00:10:02,335 As the plane descends, transcripts of the cockpit 179 00:10:02,400 --> 00:10:04,370 voice recordings show that the pilots 180 00:10:04,437 --> 00:10:07,038 are aware of rough weather ahead. 181 00:10:10,042 --> 00:10:11,243 Descent checks complete. 182 00:10:11,277 --> 00:10:12,577 We've got to get there quick. 183 00:10:12,610 --> 00:10:15,081 Yup. Sit them down early? 184 00:10:20,519 --> 00:10:22,355 Hello. 185 00:10:22,388 --> 00:10:24,724 I think it's going to get a little bumpy here again, 186 00:10:24,789 --> 00:10:26,057 if you don't mind. 187 00:10:26,091 --> 00:10:27,592 Do we need to sit down? 188 00:10:27,625 --> 00:10:29,495 Uh, well, how far through are you? 189 00:10:29,528 --> 00:10:32,030 Um... We're almost done, but not quite. 190 00:10:32,063 --> 00:10:33,565 Well, finish it up real quick. 191 00:10:33,566 --> 00:10:34,667 Okay. 192 00:10:37,035 --> 00:10:39,904 I thought it was more turbulent than normal. 193 00:10:39,938 --> 00:10:42,841 I remember especially watching the flight attendant 194 00:10:42,908 --> 00:10:45,677 and I was looking at her with amazement. 195 00:10:45,711 --> 00:10:48,047 I was wondering how could she hold those trays 196 00:10:48,114 --> 00:10:51,350 and pour the drinks and not spill everything. 197 00:10:51,384 --> 00:10:53,619 From that point, it just got worse. 198 00:10:55,988 --> 00:10:59,991 With flaps 40, 130 000 pounds, 199 00:11:00,458 --> 00:11:01,360 200 feet... 200 00:11:01,394 --> 00:11:02,995 As they prepare for landing, 201 00:11:03,062 --> 00:11:06,331 the pressure on the pilots will now steadily rack up. 202 00:11:06,865 --> 00:11:08,100 Manual brakes? 203 00:11:08,134 --> 00:11:09,467 Manual's fine. 204 00:11:10,001 --> 00:11:13,405 At first, as the crew pick their way around the storms, 205 00:11:13,471 --> 00:11:15,307 everything seems steady. 206 00:11:16,375 --> 00:11:18,244 Yeah, actually there's the city right there. 207 00:11:18,277 --> 00:11:19,378 Yeah. 208 00:11:19,412 --> 00:11:21,480 Breaking through this crud. Good, doin' good. 209 00:11:21,514 --> 00:11:24,450 Even when the first indication comes that the storms 210 00:11:24,517 --> 00:11:27,485 are advancing, the pilots take it in their stride. 211 00:11:27,519 --> 00:11:28,553 Whoa. 212 00:11:28,586 --> 00:11:30,056 Looks like it's movin' this way though. 213 00:11:30,089 --> 00:11:31,123 Yeah. 214 00:11:32,024 --> 00:11:34,527 Just some lightning straight ahead. 215 00:11:34,559 --> 00:11:36,394 I think we're going to be okay though. 216 00:11:36,428 --> 00:11:37,663 Right there. 217 00:11:37,697 --> 00:11:39,697 Yeah. Right down the bowling alley. 218 00:11:39,731 --> 00:11:42,067 As my friends would say, California Cool. 219 00:11:42,100 --> 00:11:43,668 Cool. 220 00:11:43,701 --> 00:11:46,038 Peachy. - Exactly. 221 00:11:47,273 --> 00:11:50,308 1420 at 11-3 for 10 000. 222 00:11:50,341 --> 00:11:53,711 But when pilots contact the controller at Little Rock, 223 00:11:53,778 --> 00:11:56,981 he gives the first of a series of alarming weather alerts. 224 00:11:57,950 --> 00:12:00,251 We've got a thunderstorm just northwest of the airport 225 00:12:00,318 --> 00:12:01,821 moving through the area now. 226 00:12:01,854 --> 00:12:07,058 Wind is 2-8-0 at 2-8, gusts 4-4, 227 00:12:07,125 --> 00:12:09,828 and I'll have new weather for you in just a moment, I'm sure. 228 00:12:11,397 --> 00:12:14,667 Gale force winds are gusting to 50 miles per hour, 229 00:12:14,734 --> 00:12:17,602 enough to blow tiles off a rooftop. 230 00:12:17,635 --> 00:12:22,173 High winds pose a severe hazard for Flight 1420. 231 00:12:22,207 --> 00:12:25,977 Crosswinds could make it difficult to control the plane on landing. 232 00:12:26,445 --> 00:12:30,482 The pilots must quickly determine if they're within safe limits. 233 00:12:30,515 --> 00:12:33,686 They calculate the strength of the cross wind from its angle 234 00:12:33,753 --> 00:12:35,520 to their final approach. 235 00:12:39,491 --> 00:12:43,394 All right, so, that's 2-8-0 at 4-4. 236 00:12:43,428 --> 00:12:45,464 - Gusts at 44. - Right. 237 00:12:45,498 --> 00:12:46,731 Near the limit. 238 00:12:46,764 --> 00:12:48,967 Well, it's 40 degrees off. 239 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:50,336 I mean, you're not out of the limit 240 00:12:50,402 --> 00:12:52,971 because of the angle, but that's pretty close. 241 00:12:53,004 --> 00:12:55,941 The crosswind limit for landing is 30 knots 242 00:12:56,008 --> 00:12:57,342 on a dry runway. 243 00:12:57,375 --> 00:12:59,812 But Bushman and Origel now become confused 244 00:12:59,879 --> 00:13:02,380 about what happens if it rains. 245 00:13:02,413 --> 00:13:05,250 Well, 30 knots is the crosswind limitation, 246 00:13:05,317 --> 00:13:07,385 but see 30 knots... that's not wet. 247 00:13:07,418 --> 00:13:09,587 - That's dry. - Yeah, dry. 248 00:13:09,621 --> 00:13:11,356 - What's the wet? - 20. 249 00:13:12,224 --> 00:13:13,625 It's 25. 250 00:13:13,658 --> 00:13:16,294 The discussion is never resolved 251 00:13:16,361 --> 00:13:19,798 and the crosswinds will soon be gusting well over the limit. 252 00:13:19,831 --> 00:13:23,601 Flight attendants, prepare for landing please. 253 00:13:24,870 --> 00:13:27,306 The pilot's attention now returns 254 00:13:27,373 --> 00:13:28,841 to the bad weather ahead. 255 00:13:32,344 --> 00:13:34,980 He said the storm was to the northwest of the field. 256 00:13:35,014 --> 00:13:37,182 - He said northwest. - Yeah. 257 00:13:37,216 --> 00:13:39,751 Lightning strikes... He said storm. 258 00:13:39,817 --> 00:13:41,720 But the task of tracking the storms 259 00:13:41,754 --> 00:13:46,192 is made more difficult by the lack of sophisticated radar at Little Rock. 260 00:13:46,225 --> 00:13:48,626 American 1420, um... 261 00:13:48,660 --> 00:13:51,029 your equipment's a lot better than what I have. 262 00:13:51,062 --> 00:13:53,566 How's that final for 2-2 looking? 263 00:13:53,599 --> 00:13:54,667 What's that? 264 00:13:54,700 --> 00:13:56,869 Uh... we can see the airport, 265 00:13:56,936 --> 00:13:58,303 but we can just barely make it out. 266 00:13:58,336 --> 00:14:01,072 Uh... we should be able to make 2-2. 267 00:14:01,105 --> 00:14:04,109 That storm is moving closer like your radar says, 268 00:14:04,176 --> 00:14:06,812 but it's a little farther off than you thought. 269 00:14:06,846 --> 00:14:10,515 The controller is going, "Well, your radar is better than mine," and so forth. 270 00:14:10,548 --> 00:14:13,885 The controller in this accident had a monochromatic 271 00:14:13,918 --> 00:14:17,489 or basically, almost a black and white set of a radar 272 00:14:17,556 --> 00:14:21,326 and could not determine the intensities of the storm. 273 00:14:21,360 --> 00:14:23,428 Just eight miles from the airport, 274 00:14:23,495 --> 00:14:26,097 the pilots now face another key decision: 275 00:14:26,164 --> 00:14:28,967 How to approach the runway through bad weather? 276 00:14:29,000 --> 00:14:31,169 Controllers routinely ask pilots 277 00:14:31,202 --> 00:14:32,870 if they want to land visually 278 00:14:32,937 --> 00:14:34,907 instead of relying on the airport's 279 00:14:34,974 --> 00:14:38,576 electronic instrument landing system, or ILS. 280 00:14:38,610 --> 00:14:41,013 But a visual approach means they must be able 281 00:14:41,080 --> 00:14:43,916 to see the runway and this is proving difficult. 282 00:14:43,948 --> 00:14:46,284 Uh... No, we can't really make it out right now. 283 00:14:46,317 --> 00:14:48,687 We're going to have to stay with you as long as possible. 284 00:14:49,554 --> 00:14:52,725 Now, as the wind suddenly changes direction, 285 00:14:52,791 --> 00:14:55,660 the pilots' problems quickly mount up. 286 00:14:55,693 --> 00:14:58,197 The wind's kind of kicked around a little bit right now. 287 00:14:58,230 --> 00:15:01,533 It's 3-3-0 at 1-1. 288 00:15:01,567 --> 00:15:03,001 Whoa. 289 00:15:03,034 --> 00:15:04,802 It's a little better than it was. 290 00:15:05,403 --> 00:15:07,740 Yeah, but 330 is a tail wind though. 291 00:15:07,773 --> 00:15:10,509 The crew now face the problem of having the wind 292 00:15:10,542 --> 00:15:12,076 behind them when they land, 293 00:15:12,110 --> 00:15:15,313 greatly increasing the dangers of overshooting the runway. 294 00:15:17,349 --> 00:15:20,985 Then, the controller calls in with more bad news. 295 00:15:21,019 --> 00:15:23,389 Right now, I have a wind shear alert. 296 00:15:23,422 --> 00:15:25,957 Wind shear is a sudden change of wind direction 297 00:15:25,990 --> 00:15:27,558 over a short distance. 298 00:15:27,592 --> 00:15:29,260 It is one of the most feared elements 299 00:15:29,327 --> 00:15:31,363 of a severe thunderstorm. 300 00:15:31,397 --> 00:15:33,765 To combat constantly shifting winds, 301 00:15:33,831 --> 00:15:36,000 the pilots are forced to throw away 302 00:15:36,067 --> 00:15:39,038 their previous approach plans and start again. 303 00:15:39,071 --> 00:15:42,006 They have to reverse the direction of their approach, 304 00:15:42,073 --> 00:15:44,809 so they will be landing into the wind. 305 00:15:44,842 --> 00:15:46,644 Yeah, we're going to need, uh... 306 00:15:46,678 --> 00:15:49,114 We would rather go into the headwinds, sir. 307 00:15:51,616 --> 00:15:54,620 The pilots' decision to land in the opposite direction 308 00:15:54,687 --> 00:15:58,490 is a prudent move, but it will create serious problems. 309 00:15:58,524 --> 00:16:02,160 Okay... a right turn 2-5-0 the long way around? 310 00:16:02,193 --> 00:16:04,429 Yes, sir. You're a little close to the airport. 311 00:16:04,462 --> 00:16:07,298 Yeah, right. 2-5-0, that'll work. 312 00:16:10,034 --> 00:16:12,337 As the pilots turn to their new approach, 313 00:16:12,403 --> 00:16:14,273 the aircraft's weather radar, 314 00:16:14,340 --> 00:16:16,075 which scans in front of the plane, 315 00:16:16,140 --> 00:16:18,844 loses track of the thunderstorms. 316 00:16:21,647 --> 00:16:24,383 Worse still, the turn delays landing 317 00:16:24,416 --> 00:16:26,085 by more than 10 minutes... 318 00:16:26,118 --> 00:16:28,287 and with every passing moment, 319 00:16:28,354 --> 00:16:31,023 the storms are growing in intensity. 320 00:16:33,892 --> 00:16:38,263 Runway 4 right, 1-1-1 point 3, 0-4-2. 321 00:16:38,297 --> 00:16:41,366 I think... I think that was the airport below us. 322 00:16:41,399 --> 00:16:42,567 Yeah, right... 323 00:16:42,634 --> 00:16:45,671 Switching runways, keeping track of the storms, 324 00:16:45,703 --> 00:16:48,307 all added greatly to the pilots' heavy workload. 325 00:16:48,340 --> 00:16:51,943 2-2-17 glide slope intercept all the way down. 326 00:16:51,976 --> 00:16:55,214 Missed approach right turn to 4 000. 327 00:16:55,246 --> 00:16:57,316 Let's see, you've got the airport right... 328 00:16:57,349 --> 00:16:58,549 Yeah. I don't have the airport. 329 00:16:58,616 --> 00:17:00,686 Well, I'm saying you've got the ILS. 330 00:17:00,753 --> 00:17:01,986 Yeah, I've got the ILS. 331 00:17:02,019 --> 00:17:04,655 Airline pilots, they make their money 332 00:17:04,722 --> 00:17:06,491 when they're flying into bad weather. 333 00:17:06,525 --> 00:17:08,126 When the weather goes down, 334 00:17:08,192 --> 00:17:11,194 now all of a sudden the workload starts to increase 335 00:17:11,261 --> 00:17:14,866 because you have to factor in low clouds, rain, 336 00:17:14,932 --> 00:17:17,769 lightning, thunderstorms, wind... all of these elements 337 00:17:17,836 --> 00:17:21,772 start to bombard you the closer you get into the airport environment. 338 00:17:25,809 --> 00:17:28,713 American 1420, it appears we have the second part 339 00:17:28,780 --> 00:17:30,348 of this storm moving through. 340 00:17:30,382 --> 00:17:35,287 The wind now is 3-4-0 at 1-6, gusts 3-4. 341 00:17:35,887 --> 00:17:37,923 With the storms worsening, 342 00:17:37,990 --> 00:17:39,991 the pilots need to make it to the airport 343 00:17:40,057 --> 00:17:41,292 as quickly as possible. 344 00:17:42,461 --> 00:17:44,296 You want to accept the short approach, keep it tight? 345 00:17:44,328 --> 00:17:46,298 Yeah. But if you can see the runway, 346 00:17:46,365 --> 00:17:49,034 because I don't quite see it. - Yeah, it's right there. 347 00:17:49,067 --> 00:17:50,301 - All right. - See it? 348 00:17:50,335 --> 00:17:51,769 You just point me in the right direction 349 00:17:51,836 --> 00:17:53,771 and I'll start slowing down. Give me flaps eleven. 350 00:17:56,575 --> 00:17:58,309 Damn, it's heading right over the field. 351 00:17:58,343 --> 00:18:00,211 American 1420, did you call me? 352 00:18:00,244 --> 00:18:02,314 Yeah. We got the airport, 353 00:18:02,381 --> 00:18:04,016 but we're going right in between clouds. 354 00:18:04,849 --> 00:18:07,051 I think it's to my right, uh... 355 00:18:07,086 --> 00:18:10,189 off my 3 o'clock low about 4 miles. 356 00:18:10,221 --> 00:18:12,156 American 1420, that's it. 357 00:18:12,191 --> 00:18:14,159 Do you want to shoot the visual approach 358 00:18:14,226 --> 00:18:16,028 or do you want to go off of the ILS? 359 00:18:16,828 --> 00:18:19,064 A visual approach will allow 1420 360 00:18:19,131 --> 00:18:22,667 to reach the airport faster than one that depends on instruments. 361 00:18:23,402 --> 00:18:25,503 Uh, well, yeah. 362 00:18:25,537 --> 00:18:28,073 I can start the visual if we can do it. 363 00:18:28,105 --> 00:18:31,710 American 1420's cleared, visual approach runway 4 right. 364 00:18:31,742 --> 00:18:34,579 If you lose it and need some help, let me know please. 365 00:18:34,613 --> 00:18:37,615 But a visual approach means the pilots must keep the runway 366 00:18:37,682 --> 00:18:39,617 in sight at all times. 367 00:18:39,651 --> 00:18:42,653 The transcripts now reveal rising confusion 368 00:18:42,721 --> 00:18:44,756 on the flight deck as the captain struggles 369 00:18:44,823 --> 00:18:46,892 to fix the position of the airport. 370 00:18:46,924 --> 00:18:48,359 Okay. Did you notice something? 371 00:18:48,393 --> 00:18:49,728 Did you see the airport there? 372 00:18:49,760 --> 00:18:50,761 Where? 373 00:18:50,796 --> 00:18:52,163 There, okay... 374 00:18:52,196 --> 00:18:53,898 You're on a base for it. 375 00:18:53,932 --> 00:18:55,267 Okay. It's right there. 376 00:18:55,299 --> 00:18:56,934 I'm on a base now? 377 00:18:56,969 --> 00:18:58,303 It's like a dogleg... 378 00:18:58,369 --> 00:19:01,539 and we're coming in and there it is right there. 379 00:19:01,573 --> 00:19:03,008 I... I lost it. 380 00:19:03,709 --> 00:19:06,644 You're downwind of it. It's right... it's right there. 381 00:19:06,678 --> 00:19:08,380 Well, I still don't see it. 382 00:19:09,146 --> 00:19:11,349 Just vector me. I don't know. 383 00:19:11,383 --> 00:19:16,989 American 1420, monitor 1-1-8 point 7, runway 4 right, clear to land. 384 00:19:17,021 --> 00:19:21,292 The wind now is 3-3-0 at 2-1. 385 00:19:21,326 --> 00:19:24,563 18-7, we'll monitor, American 1420, thanks. 386 00:19:24,596 --> 00:19:26,865 Uh, clear to land runway 4. 387 00:19:26,898 --> 00:19:28,500 See... Those red lights there, 388 00:19:28,567 --> 00:19:30,169 what are they in relation to? 389 00:19:30,201 --> 00:19:32,837 There's the runway, uh... there's two runways. 390 00:19:32,871 --> 00:19:34,405 Yeah, I know. 391 00:19:35,707 --> 00:19:36,974 See, we're losin' it. 392 00:19:37,009 --> 00:19:39,577 I don't see how we can maintain visual. 393 00:19:39,611 --> 00:19:43,182 The pilots now have to abandon their direct visual approach 394 00:19:43,248 --> 00:19:45,083 and request help from Little Rock's 395 00:19:45,150 --> 00:19:46,684 instrument landing system. 396 00:19:46,718 --> 00:19:49,288 But this delays landing even further. 397 00:19:49,320 --> 00:19:51,455 Approach American 1420. 398 00:19:51,490 --> 00:19:53,892 American 1420, yes sir. 399 00:19:54,593 --> 00:19:57,496 Yeah, there's a cloud between us and the airport 400 00:19:57,563 --> 00:19:59,565 and we've lost the field. 401 00:19:59,597 --> 00:20:01,900 Um... we're on a vector... 402 00:20:02,800 --> 00:20:05,470 Well, basically we're on the last vector you gave us, 403 00:20:05,503 --> 00:20:08,472 which is like a dogleg, it looks like. 404 00:20:09,208 --> 00:20:13,644 American 1420, can you fly heading 2-2-0? 405 00:20:13,679 --> 00:20:15,314 I'll take you out to the ILS. 406 00:20:16,548 --> 00:20:19,984 This news footage shows the storm on the night of the crash. 407 00:20:20,018 --> 00:20:23,087 As heavy rain cuts visibility even further, 408 00:20:23,154 --> 00:20:25,757 Captain Bushman becomes frustrated. 409 00:20:26,458 --> 00:20:29,595 See, I hate droning around visual at night in weather 410 00:20:29,661 --> 00:20:31,430 without having any clue where we are. 411 00:20:32,497 --> 00:20:34,732 The thing that was really getting to me was... 412 00:20:34,799 --> 00:20:36,500 I knew we were getting very low. 413 00:20:36,535 --> 00:20:39,171 I knew that the rain was not letting up 414 00:20:39,238 --> 00:20:42,507 and that we were being jolted around quite heavily. 415 00:20:45,611 --> 00:20:47,511 See how we're going right in the middle of this crap. 416 00:20:47,546 --> 00:20:50,848 Right. Approach American 1420, 417 00:20:50,915 --> 00:20:52,550 I know you're doing your best, sir, 418 00:20:52,617 --> 00:20:54,920 but we're getting really close to this storm 419 00:20:54,987 --> 00:20:57,588 and uh, we'll keep it really tight if we have to. 420 00:20:58,824 --> 00:21:01,093 The plane was rocking and rolling at that point. 421 00:21:01,159 --> 00:21:02,861 It was pretty dog gone unstable. 422 00:21:02,894 --> 00:21:06,765 I don't know what made me aware... so dog gone aware, 423 00:21:06,832 --> 00:21:08,467 that we were going to have a problem. 424 00:21:08,500 --> 00:21:09,701 I don't know what did that. 425 00:21:09,734 --> 00:21:12,837 As flight 1420 lines up for final approach, 426 00:21:12,903 --> 00:21:15,906 they're heading straight into the heart of the thunderstorm. 427 00:21:15,941 --> 00:21:19,544 The crisis for the flight crew is about to get even worse. 428 00:21:26,684 --> 00:21:29,988 With flight 1420 four minutes from touch down, 429 00:21:30,055 --> 00:21:33,191 severe thunderstorms give the pilots another major problem. 430 00:21:33,224 --> 00:21:36,795 Blinding rain and thick clouds are obscuring the airfield. 431 00:21:37,561 --> 00:21:40,999 The visibility on the runway, known as RVR, 432 00:21:41,066 --> 00:21:43,268 is getting dangerously low. 433 00:21:48,205 --> 00:21:49,441 We're goin' right into this. 434 00:21:49,473 --> 00:21:52,009 American 1420, right now, 435 00:21:52,076 --> 00:21:54,046 we have heavy rain on the airport. 436 00:21:54,078 --> 00:21:55,814 I don't have new weather for you, 437 00:21:55,881 --> 00:21:58,317 but visibility is less than a mile 438 00:21:58,383 --> 00:22:01,619 and the runway 4 right RVR is 3 000. 439 00:22:02,953 --> 00:22:05,824 Visibility is down to 3 000 feet, 440 00:22:05,891 --> 00:22:08,026 the pilots are unsure if it's safe to land. 441 00:22:08,059 --> 00:22:09,294 3 000? 442 00:22:09,326 --> 00:22:11,663 Roger that, 3 000, American 1420. 443 00:22:11,730 --> 00:22:13,530 This is 4 right, correct? 444 00:22:13,531 --> 00:22:15,599 American 1420, that's correct, sir, 445 00:22:15,666 --> 00:22:17,602 on runway 4 right, clear to land. 446 00:22:17,635 --> 00:22:23,075 The winds now 3-5-0 at 3-0, gusts 4-5. 447 00:22:23,107 --> 00:22:24,675 Can we land? 448 00:22:24,710 --> 00:22:27,578 0-3-0 at 4-5, American 1420. 449 00:22:27,612 --> 00:22:29,847 3 000 RVR... we can't land on that! 450 00:22:29,881 --> 00:22:31,415 - 3 000 at... - What do we need? 451 00:22:31,450 --> 00:22:33,417 No... it's 2400 RVR. 452 00:22:33,451 --> 00:22:35,453 - Okay. Right. - Yeah. We're fine. 453 00:22:35,487 --> 00:22:37,455 Alright. 15. 454 00:22:40,925 --> 00:22:42,259 Landing gear down. 455 00:22:44,596 --> 00:22:46,330 And lights please. 456 00:22:53,805 --> 00:22:58,977 As we descended, we descended through a very dark black cloud. 457 00:22:59,009 --> 00:23:02,413 The rain seemed to be going horizontal. 458 00:23:02,446 --> 00:23:05,416 It was windy enough, apparently, 459 00:23:05,450 --> 00:23:08,053 outdoors, that the plane was moving around a lot. 460 00:23:08,086 --> 00:23:09,386 I'd never done this before... 461 00:23:09,453 --> 00:23:12,257 I buckled up really tight, almost uncomfortably tight, 462 00:23:12,324 --> 00:23:15,760 and I was concerned enough I put my shoes back on and got ready to go. 463 00:23:15,794 --> 00:23:18,896 There was something going on that made me very nervous. 464 00:23:19,765 --> 00:23:22,433 The crosswinds are way over the limit. 465 00:23:22,467 --> 00:23:24,970 The pilots could divert to another airport, 466 00:23:25,036 --> 00:23:28,205 but they don't, even as the weather gets worse. 467 00:23:30,107 --> 00:23:32,009 Wind shear alert! 468 00:23:32,042 --> 00:23:34,746 Center field wind 3-5-0 at 3-2, 469 00:23:34,813 --> 00:23:39,785 gusts 4-5, north boundary wind 3-1-0 at 2-9, 470 00:23:39,851 --> 00:23:44,122 north east boundary wind 3-2-0 at 3-2. 471 00:23:44,789 --> 00:23:48,894 The jolts seemed to be much stronger than I'd ever felt. 472 00:23:48,926 --> 00:23:52,463 You could tell that the thunderheads were extremely close to the plane. 473 00:23:52,497 --> 00:23:56,233 I said words to the effect that if he tries to land in this weather we'll crash. 474 00:23:56,268 --> 00:23:58,537 - Flaps 28. - Add 20. 475 00:23:59,503 --> 00:24:03,307 Then visibility falls drastically below the limit. 476 00:24:03,340 --> 00:24:09,247 American 1420, the runway 4 right RVR is now 1600. 477 00:24:09,280 --> 00:24:10,648 Damn. 478 00:24:10,682 --> 00:24:12,116 The crew are rattled. 479 00:24:12,150 --> 00:24:14,952 Under pressure, they begin to make mistakes. 480 00:24:14,986 --> 00:24:16,253 Can't see anything. 481 00:24:16,288 --> 00:24:17,888 Looking for 4-60. 482 00:24:17,923 --> 00:24:20,357 - It's there. - Couldn't see anything. 483 00:24:20,392 --> 00:24:22,993 The wind was throwing the plane around so violently... 484 00:24:23,060 --> 00:24:25,096 I think there was enough of a crosswind that I was afraid 485 00:24:25,130 --> 00:24:26,463 we were going to land on a wing. 486 00:24:26,498 --> 00:24:28,400 It felt like we were going to tip over, I mean, 487 00:24:28,467 --> 00:24:29,567 it just felt that bad. 488 00:24:29,601 --> 00:24:31,670 - You want 40 flaps. - Yeah, I thought I called it. 489 00:24:33,003 --> 00:24:35,906 I knew the way he was jockeying the plane 490 00:24:35,973 --> 00:24:39,211 and the sounds of the engines that he was trying to get lined up for the runway, 491 00:24:39,277 --> 00:24:41,480 and I couldn't see it and I couldn't see it, 492 00:24:41,546 --> 00:24:42,913 but I could tell we were close. 493 00:24:42,948 --> 00:24:44,449 And I kept thinking, "Where's the runway?" 494 00:24:44,481 --> 00:24:46,151 1000 feet... 495 00:24:46,218 --> 00:24:47,652 20... 496 00:24:48,487 --> 00:24:49,453 40-40 land... 497 00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:51,088 This... this is a can of worms. 498 00:24:51,122 --> 00:24:54,526 Wind is 3-3-0 at 2-8. 499 00:24:54,558 --> 00:24:56,094 I'm going to stay above it a little. 500 00:24:56,126 --> 00:24:57,394 There's a runway off to your right. 501 00:24:57,429 --> 00:24:58,630 You got it? - No. 502 00:24:58,663 --> 00:25:00,396 I've got the runway in sight. You're right on course-- 503 00:25:00,397 --> 00:25:02,366 Stay where you are-- - I got it. I got it. 504 00:25:02,400 --> 00:25:04,702 Most of the people at that point in the plane 505 00:25:04,769 --> 00:25:06,605 were just holding on really tight. 506 00:25:06,637 --> 00:25:09,974 Just looking forward, I mean, like rigid. 507 00:25:10,008 --> 00:25:13,044 I suspected the worst. I really did. 508 00:25:13,077 --> 00:25:14,613 We might not get down. 509 00:25:21,853 --> 00:25:24,388 In the midst of fierce thunderstorms, 510 00:25:24,455 --> 00:25:27,491 Flight 1420 is about to land at Little Rock. 511 00:25:28,292 --> 00:25:30,561 Low visibility and high winds 512 00:25:30,628 --> 00:25:33,330 make the final approach treacherous. 513 00:25:33,365 --> 00:25:36,134 Wind 3-3-0 at 2-5. 514 00:25:36,166 --> 00:25:38,369 - 500 feet. - Plus 20. 515 00:25:40,571 --> 00:25:42,641 Wind 3-3-0 at 2-3. 516 00:25:42,673 --> 00:25:44,276 Damn, we're off course. 517 00:25:44,308 --> 00:25:45,710 - I can't see it. - Way off! 518 00:25:45,743 --> 00:25:47,112 I can't see anything. 519 00:25:47,144 --> 00:25:48,279 - Got it? - Got it! 520 00:25:50,214 --> 00:25:51,482 100 feet. 521 00:25:52,349 --> 00:25:53,951 50 feet. 522 00:25:55,319 --> 00:25:56,221 40... 523 00:25:57,689 --> 00:25:58,722 30... 524 00:26:00,357 --> 00:26:01,292 20... 525 00:26:02,727 --> 00:26:03,862 10... 526 00:26:10,201 --> 00:26:13,104 We hit the runway real hard and we didn't slow down. 527 00:26:14,605 --> 00:26:16,374 We're down! We're sliding! 528 00:26:16,407 --> 00:26:17,842 Oh, no! 529 00:26:17,875 --> 00:26:21,211 We were still going very, very, very fast, 530 00:26:21,278 --> 00:26:23,147 and at that point I thought, we're dead. 531 00:26:23,181 --> 00:26:24,516 On the brakes! 532 00:26:30,255 --> 00:26:32,656 It was just chaos. 533 00:26:32,691 --> 00:26:33,924 It was terrifying. 534 00:26:33,959 --> 00:26:35,759 It was quite literally terrifying. 535 00:26:35,794 --> 00:26:36,928 Other one! 536 00:26:36,961 --> 00:26:38,096 Other one... other one! 537 00:27:01,318 --> 00:27:03,922 When the plane actually stopped, 538 00:27:03,989 --> 00:27:07,826 there was a moment of absolute total silence. 539 00:27:10,795 --> 00:27:12,763 There was fire in front of me... 540 00:27:12,797 --> 00:27:16,300 and I could see debris and it was silent. 541 00:27:16,334 --> 00:27:20,538 And I thought, "Oh my gosh. I'm dead!" 542 00:27:24,675 --> 00:27:27,345 Well, I knew we were in deep trouble. 543 00:27:27,378 --> 00:27:29,213 You know, it's a process that started, 544 00:27:29,279 --> 00:27:30,548 and in some way, it's got to end, 545 00:27:30,582 --> 00:27:32,916 it's gonna end and when it ends how do I get out of here? 546 00:27:36,121 --> 00:27:40,057 Within those minutes, I heard a small scream. 547 00:27:40,090 --> 00:27:43,961 And I heard it get louder and louder and louder, 548 00:27:44,028 --> 00:27:47,898 like it was on a megaphone and it hit me: That's my daughter. 549 00:27:47,932 --> 00:27:52,002 And I was like, "Oh, okay. We've got to get out of here. 550 00:27:52,037 --> 00:27:53,738 You know, we've got to do something." 551 00:27:54,972 --> 00:27:59,144 The passengers struggled to get out before fire engulfed the cabin. 552 00:27:59,176 --> 00:28:02,513 I had a broken scapula, a dislocated shoulder, 553 00:28:02,547 --> 00:28:05,282 and cracked ribs and all sorts of stuff going on, 554 00:28:05,349 --> 00:28:06,785 but I didn't feel a thing. 555 00:28:06,817 --> 00:28:08,252 I just wanted to get out. 556 00:28:09,054 --> 00:28:11,056 I was not going to die in that thing. 557 00:28:11,088 --> 00:28:14,491 I got out of that plane probably in ten seconds. 558 00:28:14,526 --> 00:28:16,627 It was like being in a war, go, go, go. 559 00:28:19,431 --> 00:28:22,099 I was yelling, "Get away from the plane, run, 560 00:28:22,166 --> 00:28:24,803 get away from the plane, go! Go. Go." 561 00:28:32,876 --> 00:28:36,181 Some folks looked like they'd been in an explosion. 562 00:28:36,213 --> 00:28:37,816 Their clothes were tattered. 563 00:28:37,848 --> 00:28:40,451 I saw a man using his cell phone to call for help. 564 00:28:40,484 --> 00:28:42,153 Okay, I don't know where we're at, 565 00:28:42,220 --> 00:28:44,855 but there is a road that goes around the airport... 566 00:28:44,923 --> 00:28:47,092 We've got a lot of people hurt. 567 00:28:58,336 --> 00:29:00,904 Traveling at over 100 miles an hour, 568 00:29:00,971 --> 00:29:03,374 the aircraft ran off the end of the runway, 569 00:29:03,441 --> 00:29:05,676 ploughed down a 25-foot embankment 570 00:29:05,742 --> 00:29:08,278 and slammed into a steel walkway. 571 00:29:08,313 --> 00:29:10,848 The plane was ripped into several pieces. 572 00:29:12,416 --> 00:29:17,055 The wreckage finally came to rest on the muddy banks of the Arkansas River. 573 00:29:29,200 --> 00:29:32,069 10 passengers died in the crash. 574 00:29:32,103 --> 00:29:34,404 Captain Bushman was killed instantly 575 00:29:34,471 --> 00:29:37,575 when the cockpit was split open by the steel walkway. 576 00:29:40,944 --> 00:29:43,347 It was a shame I hadn't... literally a shame, 577 00:29:43,381 --> 00:29:46,617 that I had not done more to save people. 578 00:29:47,285 --> 00:29:49,119 That's the worst nightmare I have. 579 00:30:04,669 --> 00:30:07,404 The US National Transportation Safety Board 580 00:30:07,471 --> 00:30:09,240 was immediately notified. 581 00:30:09,273 --> 00:30:12,676 Greg Feith was the NTSB's chief investigator. 582 00:30:14,945 --> 00:30:17,882 The night American 1420 happened, 583 00:30:17,949 --> 00:30:21,786 I received a phone call about one o'clock in the morning 584 00:30:21,853 --> 00:30:24,556 from our communication center at the NTSB, 585 00:30:24,622 --> 00:30:26,391 advising that there had been an aircraft accident 586 00:30:26,457 --> 00:30:30,428 at Little Rock and there may be some fatalities involved. 587 00:30:34,031 --> 00:30:37,434 Fellow investigator Don Eick was quickly on the scene. 588 00:30:37,468 --> 00:30:40,872 There's a sense of adrenalin as an accident occurs like this 589 00:30:40,939 --> 00:30:43,807 where you're being launched to the accident scene. 590 00:30:43,842 --> 00:30:46,577 And there's a strong urge to get there, 591 00:30:46,644 --> 00:30:48,779 to try to find out what happened, 592 00:30:48,846 --> 00:30:51,915 to document the facts, so we can prevent it from happening. 593 00:30:52,717 --> 00:30:56,788 The NTSB set up a command center close to the site. 594 00:30:56,820 --> 00:30:59,190 They would spend the next 18 months 595 00:30:59,257 --> 00:31:02,026 piecing together the events that led to the crash. 596 00:31:04,828 --> 00:31:06,564 We did have a basic idea 597 00:31:06,631 --> 00:31:09,433 when we got on scene of what happened. 598 00:31:09,467 --> 00:31:10,969 We just didn't know why. 599 00:31:11,001 --> 00:31:13,337 We knew the airplane went off the end of the runway. 600 00:31:13,371 --> 00:31:15,472 We knew the pilots couldn't stop it. 601 00:31:15,506 --> 00:31:17,709 We knew that the aircraft was destroyed 602 00:31:17,775 --> 00:31:19,210 going through this catwalk. 603 00:31:19,243 --> 00:31:22,380 We knew that the subsequent post-crash fire killed people. 604 00:31:22,413 --> 00:31:24,348 We just didn't know why at that point. 605 00:31:25,516 --> 00:31:28,486 The NTSB worked backwards from the impact, 606 00:31:28,553 --> 00:31:30,788 piecing together the sequence of events 607 00:31:30,855 --> 00:31:34,358 from the final approach all the way back to Dallas, Fort Worth. 608 00:31:36,326 --> 00:31:38,096 The first question for investigators 609 00:31:38,162 --> 00:31:40,932 was why the pilots had been unable to stop the plane. 610 00:31:41,965 --> 00:31:45,369 Analysis of the tire tracks left by the skidding plane 611 00:31:45,435 --> 00:31:47,971 showed a complete loss of control after touch down. 612 00:31:49,339 --> 00:31:52,042 When you look at the width of those tire tracks, 613 00:31:52,109 --> 00:31:54,846 you then see that the airplane wasn't going straight, 614 00:31:54,913 --> 00:31:56,881 but in fact was sliding sideways. 615 00:31:56,913 --> 00:31:59,217 Here you have this machine 616 00:31:59,284 --> 00:32:03,387 that weighs 130, 140 000 pounds. 617 00:32:03,421 --> 00:32:05,856 It has a hundred or so people on it 618 00:32:05,923 --> 00:32:09,460 and it is sliding uncontrolled off this runway. 619 00:32:14,065 --> 00:32:16,567 Something had gone terribly wrong on landing 620 00:32:16,634 --> 00:32:19,503 and investigators had to find out why. 621 00:32:19,537 --> 00:32:22,874 They questioned the survivors of flight 1420 622 00:32:22,941 --> 00:32:26,243 who would provide an extremely important clue. 623 00:32:32,916 --> 00:32:36,487 The NTSB investigators needed to find out 624 00:32:36,520 --> 00:32:40,657 why flight 1420 had slid uncontrolled off the runway. 625 00:32:40,692 --> 00:32:43,594 They set out to interview surviving passengers, 626 00:32:43,661 --> 00:32:45,962 many of whom were local to Little Rock. 627 00:32:46,596 --> 00:32:49,299 Their eyewitness testimony would point the inquiry 628 00:32:49,366 --> 00:32:51,702 towards the most important mechanical system 629 00:32:51,769 --> 00:32:54,439 used to slow a plane down after landing. 630 00:32:55,038 --> 00:32:56,874 What we were really interested in 631 00:32:56,941 --> 00:32:59,376 were those passengers that were sitting in a position 632 00:32:59,443 --> 00:33:02,180 right near the wings who could look out the windows 633 00:33:02,246 --> 00:33:06,250 and tell us whether they saw the ground spoilers deploy. 634 00:33:06,951 --> 00:33:09,953 Spoilers are large flaps that flip up on landing, 635 00:33:10,020 --> 00:33:12,990 literally spoiling the airflow over the wings. 636 00:33:13,023 --> 00:33:15,026 This prevents them from giving lift 637 00:33:15,093 --> 00:33:16,760 and allows braking to take effect. 638 00:33:17,494 --> 00:33:19,364 Crucially, none of the passengers 639 00:33:19,430 --> 00:33:21,398 saw the spoilers deploy. 640 00:33:22,666 --> 00:33:26,203 To check their testimony, the NTSB examined information 641 00:33:26,269 --> 00:33:28,638 from the airplane's black boxes. 642 00:33:28,673 --> 00:33:31,875 The flight data recorder, which monitors the systems 643 00:33:31,942 --> 00:33:36,279 on board during flight, confirmed that the spoilers had failed to deploy. 644 00:33:37,949 --> 00:33:40,617 The implications were catastrophic. 645 00:33:40,651 --> 00:33:44,489 Flight 1420 had no hope of stopping in time. 646 00:33:44,521 --> 00:33:45,623 On the brakes! 647 00:33:46,990 --> 00:33:48,925 We're sliding! - Oh no! 648 00:33:54,231 --> 00:33:56,500 So, was the failure of the spoilers to deploy 649 00:33:56,567 --> 00:33:58,403 a mechanical problem 650 00:33:58,469 --> 00:34:02,038 or in the confusion of final approach, was it pilot error? 651 00:34:04,474 --> 00:34:07,478 To find out, the NTSB would make clever use 652 00:34:07,545 --> 00:34:10,648 of the cockpit voice recorder or CVR. 653 00:34:12,884 --> 00:34:15,253 - You want 40 flaps? - Yeah! I thought I called it! 654 00:34:16,387 --> 00:34:19,123 One of the key elements that the CVR team 655 00:34:19,190 --> 00:34:22,893 was listening for was the setting of the spoiler handle. 656 00:34:22,927 --> 00:34:26,697 Was saw on the flight data recorder that the ground spoilers didn't deploy. 657 00:34:26,731 --> 00:34:31,302 We wanted to know if the handle had been actually armed or not. 658 00:34:31,335 --> 00:34:35,373 And we were looking for a specific click sound. 659 00:34:36,440 --> 00:34:39,610 We couldn't find that sound on the accident CVR, 660 00:34:39,677 --> 00:34:42,280 which led us to believe that the handle was never 661 00:34:42,346 --> 00:34:45,148 in the armed position at touch down. 662 00:34:52,023 --> 00:34:54,224 Intensely busy in the cockpit, 663 00:34:54,291 --> 00:34:57,094 the pilot simply forgot to arm the spoilers. 664 00:34:57,128 --> 00:35:00,029 Had they deployed, the MD80 aircraft 665 00:35:00,030 --> 00:35:01,865 might have over shot the runway, 666 00:35:01,932 --> 00:35:04,202 but it would have stopped before hitting the catwalk. 667 00:35:04,235 --> 00:35:08,438 The pilots had made serious and ultimately fatal errors, 668 00:35:08,505 --> 00:35:11,675 but investigators wanted to know why. 669 00:35:11,708 --> 00:35:14,478 They suspected that pressures earlier in the flight 670 00:35:14,545 --> 00:35:16,481 led to these mistakes. 671 00:35:16,514 --> 00:35:19,117 They turned their attention to the weather. 672 00:35:26,257 --> 00:35:28,291 It was clear to us that severe weather 673 00:35:28,358 --> 00:35:31,561 had been in the area around the time of the accident. 674 00:35:31,596 --> 00:35:34,364 How it played a part was one of the things 675 00:35:34,431 --> 00:35:36,434 we had to try discover, 676 00:35:36,501 --> 00:35:39,269 and putting the radar images in, the observations, 677 00:35:39,302 --> 00:35:42,072 trying to put it all together would take weeks, of course, 678 00:35:42,139 --> 00:35:43,840 to get this information done. 679 00:35:44,809 --> 00:35:47,545 The NTSB wanted to know what role the weather 680 00:35:47,612 --> 00:35:48,846 had played in the crash 681 00:35:48,913 --> 00:35:52,083 and had the pilots been fully aware of the dangers? 682 00:35:52,884 --> 00:35:55,119 See, we're going right in the middle of this crap. 683 00:35:55,152 --> 00:35:57,788 One of the concerns that all pilots have 684 00:35:57,855 --> 00:36:00,490 when they're trying to land an aircraft is, of course, 685 00:36:00,557 --> 00:36:04,061 making sure that the crosswinds that they may experience 686 00:36:04,128 --> 00:36:05,896 don't exceed the capabilities 687 00:36:05,963 --> 00:36:08,132 of either themselves or the aircraft. 688 00:36:08,932 --> 00:36:14,137 The winds now 3-5-0 at 3-0, gusts 4-5. 689 00:36:14,172 --> 00:36:15,739 Can we land? 690 00:36:15,773 --> 00:36:19,010 This particular flight crew had a limitation 691 00:36:19,076 --> 00:36:21,878 not imposed by themselves, but imposed by the company 692 00:36:21,945 --> 00:36:24,248 and that was that they were not allowed to exceed 693 00:36:24,315 --> 00:36:26,583 a 10-knot crosswind on a wet runway. 694 00:36:27,418 --> 00:36:31,255 Crosswind limits are clearly stated in the operating manual. 695 00:36:31,289 --> 00:36:35,326 The crew of 1420 were flying beyond regulation limits. 696 00:36:35,358 --> 00:36:37,161 This... This is a can of worms. 697 00:36:37,195 --> 00:36:38,695 There's a runway off to your right. 698 00:36:38,728 --> 00:36:39,864 You got it? - No. 699 00:36:42,599 --> 00:36:46,469 The effect of the winds can be seen in this NTSB animation 700 00:36:46,536 --> 00:36:49,407 showing the captain's desperate last maneuvers. 701 00:36:49,440 --> 00:36:51,208 Winds definitely impacted the flight. 702 00:36:51,242 --> 00:36:52,510 If you look at the animation, 703 00:36:52,577 --> 00:36:54,545 you'll see him fighting the winds... 704 00:36:54,579 --> 00:36:55,947 Definitely not good. 705 00:36:56,813 --> 00:36:58,282 We're down! 706 00:36:58,315 --> 00:36:59,884 On the brakes! 707 00:37:00,617 --> 00:37:02,286 Other one! Other one! Other one! 708 00:37:02,320 --> 00:37:04,422 When you start talking about wet runway, 709 00:37:04,487 --> 00:37:06,456 thunderstorms... not good. 710 00:37:07,925 --> 00:37:10,193 But were the crew of 1420 711 00:37:10,260 --> 00:37:13,530 aware of the hazards posed by the severe weather? 712 00:37:13,597 --> 00:37:16,900 For the NTSB, previous accidents had made the dangers 713 00:37:16,967 --> 00:37:19,237 of thunderstorms all too clear. 714 00:37:19,269 --> 00:37:22,672 In 1994, a US Air DC 9 715 00:37:22,739 --> 00:37:25,443 fell victim to wind shear in North Carolina. 716 00:37:26,110 --> 00:37:29,981 The plane stalled at 250 feet and fell from the sky. 717 00:37:31,548 --> 00:37:35,920 A Delta Tristar crashed after flying into the most severe kind of wind shear 718 00:37:35,987 --> 00:37:39,222 that created an intense downdraft of air. 719 00:37:39,257 --> 00:37:43,126 So should the crew of 1420 have aborted the approach? 720 00:37:46,597 --> 00:37:49,800 There's the runway... uh... there's two runways. 721 00:37:49,833 --> 00:37:52,737 Yeah, I know. See we're losing it. 722 00:37:52,769 --> 00:37:55,172 I don't see how we can maintain visual. 723 00:37:56,106 --> 00:37:59,242 This NTSB weather animation overlays the path 724 00:37:59,309 --> 00:38:02,813 of the aircraft with ground radar images of the storm. 725 00:38:02,847 --> 00:38:06,416 Bushman and Origel landed in lightning, torrential rain and hail 726 00:38:06,483 --> 00:38:09,552 and the crosswinds gusting well over the limit. 727 00:38:09,586 --> 00:38:13,423 Based on the information we had from ground base weather radar, 728 00:38:13,490 --> 00:38:18,496 the flight crew of 1420 should have been seeing the majority of that storm. 729 00:38:18,528 --> 00:38:22,266 They would have been seeing the leading edge going green, 730 00:38:22,333 --> 00:38:25,335 rapidly changing to yellow to a bright red. 731 00:38:26,237 --> 00:38:29,239 Can't see anything. Looking for a 4-60. 732 00:38:30,708 --> 00:38:32,909 As they progress towards Little Rock, 733 00:38:32,976 --> 00:38:35,612 they started to paint the bad weather 734 00:38:35,679 --> 00:38:37,248 not only on their on-board radar, 735 00:38:37,315 --> 00:38:39,884 but they could see out the window... lightning. 736 00:38:42,018 --> 00:38:46,023 And one of the key statements that this captain made, 737 00:38:46,090 --> 00:38:49,893 which basically summarized the entire flight, 738 00:38:49,960 --> 00:38:51,362 was the captain saying... 739 00:38:51,429 --> 00:38:54,597 I hate droning around visual at night in weather 740 00:38:54,664 --> 00:38:56,333 without having any clue where we are. 741 00:38:56,367 --> 00:38:58,735 "I hate droning around at night 742 00:38:58,802 --> 00:39:00,204 when I don't know where I am." 743 00:39:01,005 --> 00:39:03,039 That was such a key statement. 744 00:39:03,074 --> 00:39:04,708 It was at that point, 745 00:39:04,775 --> 00:39:07,711 by an experienced 10,000-hour captain, 746 00:39:07,777 --> 00:39:09,713 that he should have abandoned the approach 747 00:39:09,780 --> 00:39:12,449 going into Little Rock and either gone to his alternate 748 00:39:12,516 --> 00:39:15,018 or made his way back to Dallas. 749 00:39:15,719 --> 00:39:20,023 But to make a statement like that and then continue an approach to an airport 750 00:39:20,090 --> 00:39:23,994 where you have a thunderstorm in progress over the airport... 751 00:39:24,061 --> 00:39:25,896 is a recipe for disaster. 752 00:39:26,864 --> 00:39:30,534 But the pilots were not the only ones to be heavily criticized. 753 00:39:30,568 --> 00:39:32,836 As the investigation continued, 754 00:39:32,902 --> 00:39:35,940 American Airlines' flight policy would come under fire 755 00:39:36,005 --> 00:39:40,010 and an industry-wide scandal was about to be exposed. 756 00:39:45,248 --> 00:39:47,952 For months after the crash of flight 1420, 757 00:39:48,018 --> 00:39:52,590 the NTSB dug deeper into the circumstances surrounding the accident. 758 00:39:52,623 --> 00:39:56,092 The question was: Who would take responsibility? 759 00:39:56,126 --> 00:39:58,661 American Airlines were reluctant to admit 760 00:39:58,728 --> 00:40:00,530 that their pilots had knowingly flown 761 00:40:00,630 --> 00:40:02,432 into a severe thunderstorm. 762 00:40:03,800 --> 00:40:05,969 Initially, they tried to pin the blame 763 00:40:06,036 --> 00:40:07,905 on the controller at Little Rock. 764 00:40:07,938 --> 00:40:10,173 American started legal action 765 00:40:10,240 --> 00:40:13,411 against the authorities responsible for airport controllers. 766 00:40:14,445 --> 00:40:17,681 American's lawyers claimed that the crew of flight 1420 767 00:40:17,748 --> 00:40:20,617 had not been given all the current weather information. 768 00:40:21,652 --> 00:40:26,257 American 1420, your equipment's a lot better than what I have. 769 00:40:26,956 --> 00:40:28,659 How's that final for 2-2 left looking? 770 00:40:29,827 --> 00:40:32,963 But after interviewing the controller at Little Rock, 771 00:40:33,030 --> 00:40:35,266 investigators were unconvinced. 772 00:40:35,298 --> 00:40:37,867 It's highly unlikely that the flight crew 773 00:40:37,934 --> 00:40:40,471 wasn't sufficiently informed 774 00:40:40,538 --> 00:40:42,306 about the nature of the weather, 775 00:40:42,373 --> 00:40:44,141 and the severity of the weather, 776 00:40:44,208 --> 00:40:46,409 not only en route but, of course, 777 00:40:46,476 --> 00:40:49,112 during the course of landing at Little Rock. 778 00:40:49,146 --> 00:40:51,648 The focus turned back on the pilots. 779 00:40:51,681 --> 00:40:54,385 Lawyers representing the passengers were determined 780 00:40:54,452 --> 00:40:58,088 to get American Airlines to accept liability for the crash. 781 00:41:00,324 --> 00:41:03,092 I mean, it is about money, in a way, 782 00:41:03,159 --> 00:41:05,795 because you want to make them pay, 783 00:41:05,862 --> 00:41:10,300 because I saw the letters that they would write back to my lawyer, 784 00:41:10,367 --> 00:41:13,036 minimizing what we had been through. 785 00:41:13,070 --> 00:41:15,873 Minimizing my daughter's burns, 786 00:41:15,940 --> 00:41:21,344 cuts, the psychological effects it had on my son at age 15 787 00:41:21,411 --> 00:41:25,416 and my daughter and me... and just minimizing everything. 788 00:41:25,449 --> 00:41:27,451 So you want to find a way to hurt them. 789 00:41:28,219 --> 00:41:30,454 Renee Salmans and many other survivors 790 00:41:30,521 --> 00:41:32,789 attended the NTSB public hearings 791 00:41:32,856 --> 00:41:36,226 held in Little Rock eight months after the disaster. 792 00:41:36,260 --> 00:41:40,030 With the captain dead, the co-pilot was the first to testify. 793 00:41:40,664 --> 00:41:42,365 As we went off the end of the runway, 794 00:41:42,398 --> 00:41:43,666 I could see the runway lights coming up 795 00:41:43,701 --> 00:41:46,070 and I knew we were going off the end of the runway... 796 00:41:46,103 --> 00:41:47,670 I couldn't see anything in front of us. 797 00:41:47,704 --> 00:41:49,639 All I thought was that the gear would collapse 798 00:41:49,706 --> 00:41:52,775 and we would continue to slide, it's got to be okay. 799 00:41:52,809 --> 00:41:56,547 And all of a sudden, I felt the impact. 800 00:41:56,579 --> 00:41:58,615 I followed it as close as I could. 801 00:41:58,648 --> 00:42:01,217 You bet. I wanted to know what happened. 802 00:42:01,251 --> 00:42:03,621 I went to all of the NTSB hearings. 803 00:42:03,653 --> 00:42:05,121 I was outraged. 804 00:42:05,155 --> 00:42:06,856 I was mad. 805 00:42:06,891 --> 00:42:09,425 For me, they didn't ask him the right questions. 806 00:42:09,460 --> 00:42:12,295 You know, I wanted to ask him: What were you thinking? 807 00:42:12,329 --> 00:42:14,697 Why did you all play chicken with our lives? 808 00:42:15,699 --> 00:42:18,802 The co-pilot's testimony was highly controversial. 809 00:42:18,835 --> 00:42:21,438 In his account of the final moments of the flight, 810 00:42:21,505 --> 00:42:24,708 he claims to have told the captain to abort the approach, 811 00:42:24,775 --> 00:42:26,809 otherwise known as a go-around. 812 00:42:26,844 --> 00:42:29,679 Who can call for abandoning the approach? 813 00:42:29,713 --> 00:42:30,847 Either pilot. 814 00:42:31,481 --> 00:42:33,317 Did you call for a go-around at any time? 815 00:42:34,050 --> 00:42:35,518 Yes, sir, I did. 816 00:42:35,552 --> 00:42:36,920 Sounds like after reviewing the tape, 817 00:42:36,954 --> 00:42:39,789 you can definitely hear the "go" and the "around". 818 00:42:39,856 --> 00:42:42,626 It seems like he talked at the same time I did 819 00:42:42,693 --> 00:42:45,028 and I looked over at him 820 00:42:45,094 --> 00:42:47,364 and he brought the airplane back on course. 821 00:42:47,431 --> 00:42:51,402 However, when NTSB specialists studied the cockpit voice tapes, 822 00:42:51,467 --> 00:42:53,304 they couldn't hear this statement. 823 00:42:53,336 --> 00:42:55,838 Damn, we're off course. No, I can't see it. 824 00:42:55,873 --> 00:42:57,106 Way off! 825 00:42:58,309 --> 00:43:01,077 Even though he stood by that statement, 826 00:43:01,144 --> 00:43:02,478 we could never validate it. 827 00:43:02,512 --> 00:43:05,615 That led to a controversial finding because we weren't 828 00:43:05,682 --> 00:43:08,585 really sure if that took place or not. 829 00:43:08,619 --> 00:43:12,155 The NTSB asked tough questions to the co-pilot, 830 00:43:12,188 --> 00:43:15,592 but was American Airlines' training also at fault? 831 00:43:15,626 --> 00:43:19,063 Greg Feith put an American Airlines' manager on the stand. 832 00:43:19,096 --> 00:43:20,998 What were the company rules 833 00:43:21,030 --> 00:43:23,367 for pilots flying near thunderstorms? 834 00:43:23,400 --> 00:43:25,969 When asked the question, he basically responded 835 00:43:26,036 --> 00:43:29,639 that he just didn't want his pilots flying into that type of weather. 836 00:43:29,672 --> 00:43:33,344 Our pilots are forbidden to enter or depart 837 00:43:33,409 --> 00:43:36,713 a terminal area blanketed by thunderstorms. 838 00:43:36,746 --> 00:43:40,416 To the NTSB, this policy simply wasn't clear cut enough. 839 00:43:41,150 --> 00:43:43,987 Well, that's a very subjective call for a pilot. 840 00:43:44,021 --> 00:43:45,655 Pilots need boundaries. 841 00:43:45,688 --> 00:43:47,257 You have to set limits. 842 00:43:47,291 --> 00:43:50,094 If there's convective activity, that is thunderstorm activity, 843 00:43:50,159 --> 00:43:52,762 that's within five nautical miles of the airport, 844 00:43:52,829 --> 00:43:56,432 there's lightning, there's wind shear... don't go there. 845 00:44:05,141 --> 00:44:08,112 The deeper they looked, the more the NTSB found 846 00:44:08,177 --> 00:44:11,914 that flying into thunderstorms was disturbingly widespread. 847 00:44:11,949 --> 00:44:14,617 Extraordinary evidence given at the hearings 848 00:44:14,684 --> 00:44:17,820 revealed that the problem spread through the whole industry. 849 00:44:23,159 --> 00:44:27,063 Expert analysts from MIT spent weeks recording 850 00:44:27,164 --> 00:44:30,567 the flight paths of planes landing at Dallas, Fort Worth. 851 00:44:30,601 --> 00:44:34,704 They waited for thunderstorms and watched how pilots reacted. 852 00:44:38,509 --> 00:44:41,512 Their animation plots the planes coming in to land 853 00:44:41,577 --> 00:44:44,614 overlaid with radar images of the storms. 854 00:44:44,681 --> 00:44:49,353 Anything yellow or orange is a potentially severe thunderstorm. 855 00:44:49,385 --> 00:44:52,356 Of the 2000 encounters with thunderstorms, 856 00:44:52,422 --> 00:44:54,958 two out of three pilots flew into the storm 857 00:44:55,025 --> 00:44:57,260 and landed their aircraft. 858 00:45:00,764 --> 00:45:04,400 I was very surprised by the testimony at the public hearing. 859 00:45:04,434 --> 00:45:06,704 Given the fact that they are flying the best equipment, 860 00:45:06,769 --> 00:45:08,539 typically have the best training, 861 00:45:08,605 --> 00:45:11,175 have the best information available to them, 862 00:45:11,240 --> 00:45:15,411 for those decisions to be made to continue into harm's way, 863 00:45:15,478 --> 00:45:18,981 it was very surprising to me that they tried to do that. 864 00:45:19,016 --> 00:45:22,351 Pilots know that if we go into that thunderstorm, 865 00:45:22,418 --> 00:45:24,454 we may not come out of that thunderstorm, 866 00:45:24,521 --> 00:45:27,356 and if we do it may not be basically in one piece. 867 00:45:28,391 --> 00:45:32,096 Why did so many pilots fly into danger? 868 00:45:34,965 --> 00:45:38,335 The MIT researchers found pilots were more reckless 869 00:45:38,402 --> 00:45:41,003 if they were behind schedule, if it was night, 870 00:45:41,070 --> 00:45:44,742 and if aircraft in front of them were also flying into bad weather. 871 00:45:44,775 --> 00:45:48,045 In the Little Rock case, two of those three elements 872 00:45:48,112 --> 00:45:51,914 were present: it was night and they were running late. 873 00:45:59,989 --> 00:46:02,860 The MIT investigation was chilling evidence 874 00:46:02,925 --> 00:46:04,393 that the crash at Little Rock 875 00:46:04,460 --> 00:46:06,429 was part of a much wider problem. 876 00:46:07,597 --> 00:46:09,599 We're not seeing a major improvement, 877 00:46:09,666 --> 00:46:10,768 to put it bluntly. 878 00:46:10,800 --> 00:46:13,503 There's a limited time for training, 879 00:46:13,570 --> 00:46:16,206 weather was a significant part that set up the stage 880 00:46:16,273 --> 00:46:17,574 of this accident. 881 00:46:17,608 --> 00:46:20,911 We do not condone any operation 882 00:46:20,978 --> 00:46:24,047 to be conducted in such weather. 883 00:46:24,847 --> 00:46:28,152 It is a known severe weather hazard 884 00:46:28,217 --> 00:46:31,521 and it should have been suspended... no operation. 885 00:46:32,356 --> 00:46:35,291 Ironically, it also emerged that new technology 886 00:46:35,358 --> 00:46:38,528 may be partly to blame for bad decision-making. 887 00:46:38,561 --> 00:46:41,597 Might it be that we're desensitizing pilots? 888 00:46:41,632 --> 00:46:44,534 We're putting weather radar on-board aircraft, 889 00:46:44,601 --> 00:46:47,237 we're putting wind shear detection systems on airplanes. 890 00:46:47,271 --> 00:46:51,809 Most of these systems only react when you're in the hazard, 891 00:46:51,875 --> 00:46:54,010 at that time, it may be too late. 892 00:46:54,677 --> 00:46:58,748 The root causes behind the crash of 1420 went even deeper. 893 00:46:58,782 --> 00:47:01,585 Why were the pilots so determined to land? 894 00:47:01,617 --> 00:47:05,088 Gregory Feith found the answer back at Dallas, Fort Worth 895 00:47:05,155 --> 00:47:07,456 before the flight even left the ground. 896 00:47:07,490 --> 00:47:10,059 There he found signs of a deadly condition 897 00:47:10,126 --> 00:47:12,795 in aviation known as "get-there-itis". 898 00:47:12,862 --> 00:47:15,065 There may have been a sense of "Get-there-itis". 899 00:47:15,097 --> 00:47:17,967 The flight crew knew that they were pushing their 14-hour duty day. 900 00:47:18,001 --> 00:47:21,605 It had been a long duty day, the airport's right there, 901 00:47:21,637 --> 00:47:25,141 let's try it, let's see if we can accomplish the mission. 902 00:47:25,976 --> 00:47:28,512 Pilots are goal-oriented, we're mission oriented. 903 00:47:28,545 --> 00:47:30,213 We will stick our nose in there 904 00:47:30,280 --> 00:47:32,748 to try and see if we can accomplish the mission. 905 00:47:32,782 --> 00:47:35,152 Sometimes, we will accomplish that mission, 906 00:47:35,219 --> 00:47:38,554 but sometimes, we get too far into it that we can't bail out, 907 00:47:38,621 --> 00:47:41,257 we don't have any more options and bad things happen. 908 00:47:42,458 --> 00:47:45,728 For flight 1420, the pressures of "Get-there-itis" 909 00:47:45,795 --> 00:47:49,365 sparked a fatal series of mistakes and misjudgments. 910 00:47:50,400 --> 00:47:53,570 At the end of a long day, rushing to beat the storms 911 00:47:53,637 --> 00:47:56,239 and get the passengers to their destination, 912 00:47:56,306 --> 00:47:59,376 the crew of 1420 made a basic mistake 913 00:47:59,443 --> 00:48:01,744 that cost eleven people their lives. 914 00:48:01,777 --> 00:48:03,780 They forgot to arm the spoilers. 915 00:48:03,813 --> 00:48:06,315 They were so busy trying to get the plane on the ground 916 00:48:06,349 --> 00:48:08,751 that they forgot to do what they needed to do. 917 00:48:08,784 --> 00:48:10,721 They didn't have time to do it. 918 00:48:14,090 --> 00:48:16,525 After the accident, American Airlines 919 00:48:16,592 --> 00:48:18,961 revised their checklist procedures. 920 00:48:18,996 --> 00:48:22,331 Both pilots must now confirm that the spoilers are armed, 921 00:48:22,398 --> 00:48:23,833 ready for landing. 922 00:48:24,800 --> 00:48:30,206 In October, 2001, the NTSB published their report. 923 00:48:30,239 --> 00:48:33,043 They concluded that the two main causes of the crash 924 00:48:33,110 --> 00:48:36,280 were first the decision to land in a thunderstorm, 925 00:48:36,346 --> 00:48:39,849 and second, the pilots' failure to arm the spoilers. 926 00:48:40,684 --> 00:48:43,686 American Airlines declined to take part in this film 927 00:48:43,753 --> 00:48:46,088 or comment on the findings. 928 00:48:50,860 --> 00:48:53,764 As an investigator, I had over two years 929 00:48:53,829 --> 00:48:58,135 to basically criticize and determine 930 00:48:58,201 --> 00:49:00,469 what the captain was trying to accomplish. 931 00:49:00,503 --> 00:49:04,407 That particular captain had seconds to make decisions 932 00:49:04,474 --> 00:49:06,643 based on the information he was getting. 933 00:49:06,677 --> 00:49:10,780 And while it's unfair for an accident investigator like myself 934 00:49:10,847 --> 00:49:14,384 to start pointing the finger, I wasn't there. 935 00:49:14,418 --> 00:49:16,485 I blame them, 936 00:49:16,552 --> 00:49:20,489 but I'm not angry per se at them. 937 00:49:20,523 --> 00:49:24,094 I don't waste my time with anger on them. 938 00:49:24,126 --> 00:49:26,028 They got nothing but flack. 939 00:49:27,264 --> 00:49:28,998 You can understand it, 940 00:49:29,065 --> 00:49:33,469 but I can't understand a person, you know, 941 00:49:33,503 --> 00:49:35,405 wanting to kill himself either. 942 00:49:35,438 --> 00:49:38,007 We've been out and visited his grave 943 00:49:38,074 --> 00:49:40,543 at the Air Force Academy a couple times 944 00:49:40,577 --> 00:49:44,213 and the guy just got caught up in a bad, bad situation. 945 00:49:44,246 --> 00:49:46,248 I mean, uh... been there, done that. 946 00:49:51,822 --> 00:49:53,724 One year after the crash, 947 00:49:53,789 --> 00:49:56,360 the survivors of flight 1420 948 00:49:56,425 --> 00:49:59,730 gathered at the site to remember those who died. 949 00:50:01,130 --> 00:50:02,733 For surviving passengers, 950 00:50:02,798 --> 00:50:06,335 the effects of the crash are long lasting and profound. 951 00:50:10,273 --> 00:50:13,744 We as a family worked long and hard to work through it. 952 00:50:13,777 --> 00:50:16,012 We had many talks. 953 00:50:16,045 --> 00:50:18,414 It blew apart a lot of relationships. 954 00:50:18,447 --> 00:50:21,318 You find out who your real friends are. 955 00:50:22,985 --> 00:50:25,889 I cannot do enough to mitigate what happened 956 00:50:25,956 --> 00:50:28,090 to the individuals on the airplane. 957 00:50:28,125 --> 00:50:33,829 Life is a precious thing and you're definitely here 958 00:50:33,864 --> 00:50:35,331 for a very short time. 959 00:50:35,898 --> 00:50:39,635 All of a sudden, your life looks like about a second and a half long. 960 00:50:41,570 --> 00:50:44,240 The impact of the crash is something that I try 961 00:50:44,306 --> 00:50:48,478 to block out of my mind, because I still feel uh... 962 00:50:50,480 --> 00:50:51,847 ...a reaction. 963 00:50:54,451 --> 00:50:55,851 People ask me if I'm okay. 964 00:50:55,885 --> 00:50:57,420 Well, no, I'm not okay! 965 00:50:58,320 --> 00:50:59,789 No! We'll never be okay. 966 00:50:59,822 --> 00:51:01,425 And what is this okay stuff? 967 00:51:01,458 --> 00:51:02,626 You're different. 968 00:51:03,260 --> 00:51:04,661 Deal with it. 969 00:51:04,693 --> 00:51:06,228 I mean, that's the way we're going to be. 970 00:51:06,262 --> 00:51:08,297 The day after... 971 00:51:10,467 --> 00:51:13,737 ...it happened when Adam and I were in the hospital, and Samantha... 972 00:51:15,237 --> 00:51:17,807 ...Adam and I got up and we looked out the window 973 00:51:17,873 --> 00:51:20,242 and we just couldn't believe that life went on. 974 00:51:20,277 --> 00:51:22,778 We just couldn't believe cars were driving 975 00:51:22,846 --> 00:51:25,414 and it was sunny and life went on, 976 00:51:25,481 --> 00:51:29,052 because for us, life stopped. 977 00:51:30,786 --> 00:51:32,722 difuze