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00:00:01,702 --> 00:00:04,488
NARRATOR: A scene of
devastation in a remote region
2
00:00:04,571 --> 00:00:09,076
of Venezuela confirms the fate
of a missing passenger jet.
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00:00:10,410 --> 00:00:11,762
MAN: (OVER RADIO)
Whiskey-Charlie.
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00:00:11,845 --> 00:00:13,864
NARRATOR:
West Caribbean Airways Flight 708
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00:00:13,947 --> 00:00:19,353
has mysteriously dropped from the sky
while flying at over 30,000 feet.
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00:00:19,486 --> 00:00:20,898
It took off from Panama.
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00:00:20,988 --> 00:00:22,523
It's a Colombian operator.
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There was 160 French citizens on board.
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00:00:25,425 --> 00:00:30,397
It's the biggest accident that has ever
occurred in the Venezuelan territory.
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00:00:30,531 --> 00:00:33,117
NARRATOR: Investigators
hope the crew's desperate last words.
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DAVID: West 708.
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MAN: Do you have a problem on board?
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NARRATOR: Will help them pinpoint
the cause of the crash.
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OMAR: Affirmative.
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Tell them we've had
a flameout on both engines.
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00:00:41,642 --> 00:00:44,113
NARRATOR:
But instead, the mystery deepens.
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00:00:44,678 --> 00:00:47,347
It's a stall, captain. It's a stall.
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NARRATOR: The pilots can't agree on
why the plane is falling.
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(SCREAMING)
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Now it's up to investigators
to figure it out.
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MAN: (OVER RADIO)
Mayday, mayday.
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(THEME MUSIC PLAYS)
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(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING)
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{\an8}(AIRPLANE DRONING)
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NARRATOR: At Panama's Tocumen
International Airport
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West Caribbean Airways Flight 708
begins boarding
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two hours behind schedule.
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It's well past midnight.
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The 152 passengers
on this charter flight are returning
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home to Martinique,
they've been visiting the Panama Canal.
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Captain Omar Ospina has just flown in
with his crew from Colombia.
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00:02:05,125 --> 00:02:08,896
As he's behind schedule,
he must turn the plane around quickly.
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00:02:09,696 --> 00:02:12,065
But there are more unexpected delays.
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00:02:13,066 --> 00:02:17,478
First Officer David Munoz informs
the captain that the flight is overbooked.
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Even the jump seat in
the cockpit is filled.
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Let me deal with it.
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Alejo, I need you onboard to do
the announcements
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in Spanish and English.
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00:02:27,514 --> 00:02:28,515
Yes, sir.
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00:02:28,649 --> 00:02:31,168
- Angela and Luisa can stay behind.
- I'll let them know.
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00:02:31,251 --> 00:02:33,604
NARRATOR: Two of the flight
attendants will stay in Panama
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00:02:33,687 --> 00:02:36,040
because there's not enough room onboard.
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00:02:37,157 --> 00:02:39,393
Sir, we just got the final load sheet.
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NARRATOR:
Checking the weight of the aircraft.
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00:02:45,766 --> 00:02:48,819
Take off from runway two-one-left, sir.
3,050 meters.
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NARRATOR:
And the length of runway,
47
00:02:50,504 --> 00:02:54,141
Captain Ospina calculates
that he can safely get airborne.
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00:02:57,277 --> 00:03:00,498
Their flight path will take them
through some heavy weather,
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00:03:00,581 --> 00:03:04,084
something crews are accustomed to
during hurricane season.
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00:03:04,218 --> 00:03:07,621
Okay we're ready for takeoff.
Request pushback clearance.
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00:03:08,088 --> 00:03:09,573
Ground West Caribbean Airways.
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00:03:09,656 --> 00:03:12,843
DAVID: (OVER RADIO) 708 request pushback
clearance gate two-eight.
53
00:03:12,926 --> 00:03:14,962
West Caribbean 708.
54
00:03:15,095 --> 00:03:18,213
MAN: (OVER RADIO)
Cleared for pushback gate two-eight.
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Proceed to runway two-one-left.
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00:03:29,543 --> 00:03:33,280
West Caribbean 708 runway two-one-left
cleared for takeoff.
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(TURBINES WHIRRING)
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V1.
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Rotate.
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NARRATOR:
At 1:00 in the morning,
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flight 708 begins the journey
to Martinique.
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00:04:01,441 --> 00:04:03,094
They took off from Panama Airport,
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00:04:03,177 --> 00:04:07,514
{\an8}Tocumen Airport
with a heavy load for a long flight
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00:04:07,648 --> 00:04:09,349
{\an8}for that aircraft.
65
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{\an8}NARRATOR:
The flight should take three hours.
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00:04:14,388 --> 00:04:16,974
{\an8}EDUARDO: (OFF-SCREEN)
They climb up to 31,000 feet,
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their initial assigned flight level.
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They have filed a flight plan
with a final cruise level
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00:04:25,399 --> 00:04:27,968
of 3-3-0, 33,000 feet.
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00:04:29,236 --> 00:04:31,572
NARRATOR:
The crew is flying an MD-80.
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00:04:32,706 --> 00:04:34,441
(AIRPLANE DRONING)
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00:04:34,575 --> 00:04:38,262
The plane is easily recognizable
by its two rear mounted engines.
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00:04:38,345 --> 00:04:41,515
The MD-82 aircraft
is a very good aircraft.
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00:04:42,015 --> 00:04:46,320
It's a model that was derived
from the DC9.
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They made it longer, more fuel efficient
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00:04:49,556 --> 00:04:52,993
and more modern instrumentation
and avionics.
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Anti-ice on, please.
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NARRATOR: As altitude increases
and temperature drops,
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00:04:59,132 --> 00:05:02,002
they activate the plane's anti-ice system.
80
00:05:05,372 --> 00:05:09,076
Half an hour into the flight
while cruising at 31,000 feet,
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00:05:09,209 --> 00:05:11,162
the weather ahead is turning nasty.
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(THUNDER RUMBLES)
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A low-intensity hurricane
moving in from the Atlantic
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00:05:16,917 --> 00:05:19,506
has been whipping up
winds across the region.
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00:05:22,556 --> 00:05:24,458
Request deviation left.
86
00:05:25,259 --> 00:05:29,830
Barranquilla West 708 request deviation
to the left to avoid formation.
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00:05:29,963 --> 00:05:33,493
MAN: (OVER RADIO) West Caribbean 708
cleared to deviate left.
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(THUNDER RUMBLES)
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00:05:39,239 --> 00:05:41,392
EDUARDO: In the kind of weather
they were flying,
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it's common for pilots
to deviate from their initial route
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to avoid this bad weather.
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It should get better soon.
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(THUNDER RUMBLES)
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(BABY CRIES)
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00:05:59,593 --> 00:06:01,946
NARRATOR: 40 minutes into the flight
the plane has burnt
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00:06:02,029 --> 00:06:06,300
through thousands of pounds of fuel
allowing it to fly higher.
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00:06:06,934 --> 00:06:10,737
In order to reduce weight,
they had to climb to 31,000 feet
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00:06:10,871 --> 00:06:15,943
wait until the weight goes down and
then do a step climb up to 33,000 feet.
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00:06:17,377 --> 00:06:20,347
- Okay, let's do 3-3-0.
- 3-3-0.
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00:06:21,148 --> 00:06:24,751
Barranquilla West 708 request level 3-3-0.
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MAN: (OVER RADIO)
708 cleared to level three-three-zero.
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NARRATOR:
The captain now begins the climb
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to their scheduled altitude
of 33,000 feet.
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(AIRPLANE DRONING)
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Turn off engine anti-icing.
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(BEEPING)
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(THUNDER RUMBLES)
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I can't accelerate.
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00:07:07,461 --> 00:07:11,814
NARRATOR: The captain notices that
the engines don't seem to be responding.
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I'm going to the bathroom.
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NARRATOR:
The crew isn't overly concerned.
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Almost a third of the way to Martinique...
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West Caribbean flight 708
enters Venezuelan airspace.
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00:07:28,515 --> 00:07:30,284
(AIRPLANE DRONING)
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Is there cake and coffee for everybody?
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- Or are we expected to share?
- (CHUCKLES)
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(AIRPLANE DRONING)
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NARRATOR: As the storm intensifies
First Officer Munoz worries about icing.
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00:07:48,335 --> 00:07:51,672
- Do I turn it on, captain?
- Do we have ice?
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00:07:53,173 --> 00:07:55,776
(THUNDER RUMBLES)
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00:08:01,882 --> 00:08:03,383
Put 'em on.
122
00:08:07,988 --> 00:08:11,124
(BABY CRIES)
123
00:08:12,726 --> 00:08:13,760
(SCREAMS)
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00:08:13,894 --> 00:08:16,263
(AIRPLANE DRONING)
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00:08:17,030 --> 00:08:19,766
NARRATOR:
Soon the turbulence gets worse.
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00:08:19,900 --> 00:08:22,936
Man, there is a lot of nasty weather.
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Put the fasten seatbelt sign on.
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00:08:29,676 --> 00:08:31,144
(CLICKING)
129
00:08:32,713 --> 00:08:34,915
(AIRPLANE DRONING)
130
00:08:35,382 --> 00:08:39,086
(SCREAMING)
131
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Please stay in your seat.
132
00:08:46,326 --> 00:08:49,562
I'm dimming the lights
so the passengers don't stand up.
133
00:08:54,168 --> 00:08:56,110
Should we go down to level 3-1-0?
134
00:08:57,137 --> 00:08:58,372
Do it.
135
00:09:00,107 --> 00:09:01,492
Maiquetia Whisky-Charlie.
136
00:09:01,575 --> 00:09:03,527
NARRATOR:
The Maiquetia Air Traffic Control Station
137
00:09:03,610 --> 00:09:06,046
in Venezuela isn't equipped with radar.
138
00:09:06,813 --> 00:09:09,650
MAN: Request descent
to level 3-1-0.
139
00:09:09,783 --> 00:09:13,137
NARRATOR: The controller depends
on pilots to tell him where they are.
140
00:09:13,220 --> 00:09:14,988
MAN: 3-1-0.
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00:09:15,389 --> 00:09:18,042
NARRATOR:
Captain Ospina turns off the autopilot.
142
00:09:18,125 --> 00:09:19,426
OMAR: Give me 3-1-0.
143
00:09:19,560 --> 00:09:23,697
NARRATOR: And the plane starts
heading back down to 31,000 feet.
144
00:09:23,830 --> 00:09:25,772
- (AIRPLANE DRONING)
- (SCREAMING)
145
00:09:26,200 --> 00:09:28,836
The turbulence is getting even heavier.
146
00:09:29,236 --> 00:09:30,337
(ALARM BEEPING)
147
00:09:30,470 --> 00:09:33,674
And then suddenly
the stick shaker goes off.
148
00:09:33,807 --> 00:09:36,427
It's the most serious warning that
a crew can get.
149
00:09:36,510 --> 00:09:37,678
(RATTLING)
150
00:09:37,811 --> 00:09:40,097
The captain's control column
starts to vibrate
151
00:09:40,180 --> 00:09:43,617
warning him the plane
is flying dangerously slowly.
152
00:09:43,750 --> 00:09:44,885
(ALARM BEEPING)
153
00:09:45,018 --> 00:09:48,755
At close to 31,000 feet,
the plane suddenly drops.
154
00:09:48,889 --> 00:09:50,924
(AIRPLANE DRONING)
155
00:09:51,992 --> 00:09:53,260
(SCREAMING)
156
00:09:53,393 --> 00:09:56,797
(ALARMS BEEPING)
157
00:09:56,930 --> 00:09:59,933
It's a stall, captain.
It's a stall.
158
00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:02,536
NARRATOR: The plane is falling fast.
159
00:10:02,669 --> 00:10:05,472
The crew has only seconds
to figure out why.
160
00:10:05,606 --> 00:10:08,709
(SCREAMING)
161
00:10:09,510 --> 00:10:11,512
West 708.
162
00:10:11,912 --> 00:10:14,781
DAVID: (OVER RADIO)
Level down to below 2-4-0.
163
00:10:15,582 --> 00:10:17,651
Descending to 2-4-0.
164
00:10:17,784 --> 00:10:20,490
- Do you have a problem onboard?
- Affirmative.
165
00:10:20,587 --> 00:10:22,673
Tell him we've had a flameout
on both engines.
166
00:10:22,756 --> 00:10:26,159
- We've had a flameout on both engines.
- Confirm?
167
00:10:26,293 --> 00:10:28,112
We've got a flameout on both engines.
168
00:10:28,195 --> 00:10:29,246
MAN: (OVER RADIO)
Roger.
169
00:10:29,329 --> 00:10:33,200
Confirm radial and distance
from Punto Cabello if possible.
170
00:10:34,201 --> 00:10:36,287
NARRATOR: The controller
needs to know where they are.
171
00:10:36,370 --> 00:10:38,805
(AIRPLANE DRONING)
172
00:10:38,939 --> 00:10:40,307
Negative. Negative.
173
00:10:40,440 --> 00:10:41,909
We are at 14,000 feet.
174
00:10:42,042 --> 00:10:43,410
We're about 14,000.
175
00:10:43,544 --> 00:10:45,396
And going down.
The plane is uncontrollable.
176
00:10:45,479 --> 00:10:47,714
Keep your heads down. Stay down.
177
00:10:48,382 --> 00:10:49,533
Keep your heads down.
178
00:10:49,616 --> 00:10:50,835
Confirm people onboard,
179
00:10:50,918 --> 00:10:54,288
intention and distance from NAV aid
if it's possible.
180
00:10:54,421 --> 00:10:55,923
152 people onboard.
181
00:10:56,056 --> 00:10:57,704
The plane is uncontrollable.
182
00:10:57,791 --> 00:11:01,261
NARRATOR: In just 30 seconds,
the plane falls 9,000 feet.
183
00:11:01,395 --> 00:11:03,697
(SCREAMING)
184
00:11:03,830 --> 00:11:06,733
I understand 152 people onboard.
185
00:11:06,867 --> 00:11:08,402
Affirmative.
186
00:11:08,535 --> 00:11:09,887
MAN: (OVER RADIO)
Acknowledge.
187
00:11:09,970 --> 00:11:13,991
Confirm at what level you are crossing
at this time, whisky-Charlie-whisky.
188
00:11:14,074 --> 00:11:17,544
(TENSE MUSIC PLAYING)
189
00:11:17,678 --> 00:11:20,614
(THUNDER RUMBLES)
190
00:11:20,747 --> 00:11:23,817
MAN: (OVER RADIO)
Whisky-Charlie-Whisky 708.
191
00:11:23,951 --> 00:11:26,220
Confirm position if possible.
192
00:11:26,353 --> 00:11:27,588
(AIRPLANE DRONING)
193
00:11:27,721 --> 00:11:32,793
Whisky-Charlie-Whisky 708
confirm position if possible.
194
00:11:36,029 --> 00:11:38,716
NARRATOR: While flying almost
ten kilometers above the earth
195
00:11:38,799 --> 00:11:42,503
West Caribbean 708 mysteriously
drops from the sky.
196
00:11:42,636 --> 00:11:43,988
Confirm position, if possible.
197
00:11:44,071 --> 00:11:48,075
NARRATOR: Air traffic control in Venezuela
doesn't know its location
198
00:11:48,208 --> 00:11:50,544
nor if anyone has survived.
199
00:12:01,855 --> 00:12:06,026
NARRATOR: The morning after
West Caribbean Flight 708 goes missing,
200
00:12:06,159 --> 00:12:10,764
Venezuelan villagers report that a plane
has crashed on a remote farm.
201
00:12:12,466 --> 00:12:15,869
Colonel Lorllys Ramos
is the lead air crash investigator
202
00:12:16,003 --> 00:12:17,621
for the Venezuelan Government.
203
00:12:17,704 --> 00:12:20,507
She has never handled a crash this big.
204
00:12:24,878 --> 00:12:27,214
She's shocked by what she sees.
205
00:12:27,614 --> 00:12:30,083
All 160 people onboard,
206
00:12:30,217 --> 00:12:33,820
most of them French citizens
from Martinique have died.
207
00:12:41,528 --> 00:12:44,048
LORLLYS: (OFF SCREEN)
It was a real shock for us
208
00:12:44,131 --> 00:12:46,350
because it was our
first really big accident.
209
00:12:46,433 --> 00:12:50,904
{\an8}And it had the highest number
of deaths for any crash in Venezuela.
210
00:12:51,038 --> 00:12:54,741
We felt a lot of pressure because of that.
211
00:12:57,110 --> 00:13:00,169
NARRATOR: The scope
of the investigation is daunting.
212
00:13:03,317 --> 00:13:05,603
Lorllys Ramos knows the plane
that has crashed
213
00:13:05,686 --> 00:13:08,005
is one of the safest planes in the world.
214
00:13:08,088 --> 00:13:11,959
There are more than 3,000 such planes
flying every day.
215
00:13:15,295 --> 00:13:18,449
EDUARDO: Investigating a crash
where an aircraft so popular
216
00:13:18,532 --> 00:13:21,201
{\an8}as the MD-80 is a great responsibility
217
00:13:21,335 --> 00:13:25,372
{\an8}because of the effects it could have
on the rest of the fleet.
218
00:13:25,506 --> 00:13:28,909
{\an8}(SPEAKING IN NATIVE LANGUAGE)
219
00:13:29,042 --> 00:13:32,563
{\an8}NARRATOR: The Colombian, Venezuelan
and French press from Martinique,
220
00:13:32,646 --> 00:13:35,649
{\an8}all descend on the site demanding answers.
221
00:13:39,386 --> 00:13:44,391
The plane has crashed in a lawless area
next to the Colombian border.
222
00:13:44,525 --> 00:13:46,093
Kidnappings are common.
223
00:13:49,663 --> 00:13:52,016
The Venezuelan army informs investigators
224
00:13:52,099 --> 00:13:55,536
that it can only protect them
during daylight hours.
225
00:13:55,936 --> 00:13:57,288
We don't have a lot of time.
226
00:13:57,371 --> 00:13:59,090
Let's get everything
documented as fast as.
227
00:13:59,173 --> 00:14:04,244
{\an8}MANUEL:
Certainly, our team including myself
228
00:14:04,378 --> 00:14:07,181
{\an8}wasn't prepared for the emergency
we faced.
229
00:14:14,254 --> 00:14:15,773
MANUEL:
This accident was complex.
230
00:14:15,856 --> 00:14:20,194
And it was very difficult to quickly
figure out what had happened.
231
00:14:23,497 --> 00:14:25,816
NARRATOR:
After the victims have been removed,
232
00:14:25,899 --> 00:14:27,384
the investigators first goal
233
00:14:27,467 --> 00:14:31,526
is to determine how much of the plane
landed intact at the crash site.
234
00:14:32,806 --> 00:14:36,543
If it's all there,
they can rule out a mid-air break-up.
235
00:14:42,049 --> 00:14:45,118
We could observe the four corners
of the aircraft,
236
00:14:45,252 --> 00:14:49,957
the tail, a part of the cockpit
and some remains of the wings.
237
00:14:50,090 --> 00:14:53,093
And this suggested that
there were no explosions
238
00:14:53,227 --> 00:14:55,863
or a collision that produced the accident.
239
00:15:02,736 --> 00:15:06,023
NARRATOR: Investigators question
the Maiquetia air traffic controller.
240
00:15:06,106 --> 00:15:09,026
They told me that they had a flameout
on both their engines.
241
00:15:09,109 --> 00:15:10,528
Do you have a problem onboard?
242
00:15:10,611 --> 00:15:13,317
Tell them we've had a flameout
on both engines.
243
00:15:20,420 --> 00:15:23,574
When we learned that the crew had reported
a flameout in both engines,
244
00:15:23,657 --> 00:15:27,422
we immediately focused on the function
of the airplane's engines.
245
00:15:32,132 --> 00:15:34,427
Yeah, I'm just getting up to speed now.
246
00:15:34,868 --> 00:15:39,740
NARRATOR: Joe Sedor is a senior
investigator at the NTSB in Washington
247
00:15:39,873 --> 00:15:42,309
specializing in foreign assignments.
248
00:15:42,442 --> 00:15:44,061
As soon as we're notified of an accident,
249
00:15:44,144 --> 00:15:48,015
{\an8}we contact the manufacturer
of both the airframe and the engine.
250
00:15:48,148 --> 00:15:51,335
Given the initial information
of a dual engine flameout,
251
00:15:51,418 --> 00:15:56,223
this caused us to start getting as much
information about the engines as possible.
252
00:15:59,193 --> 00:16:01,228
No sign of fire inside the engine.
253
00:16:02,329 --> 00:16:04,715
Lorllys had her hands full
with this accident.
254
00:16:04,798 --> 00:16:06,633
It was a remote location.
255
00:16:06,767 --> 00:16:10,871
There was four countries involved
and she didn't have a big staff.
256
00:16:13,440 --> 00:16:17,323
Let's see what we can find out
about the weather they flew through.
257
00:16:17,544 --> 00:16:22,099
NARRATOR: Colonel Ramos knows that severe
storms can kill a plane's jet engines.
258
00:16:22,182 --> 00:16:23,617
(THUNDER CRASHES)
259
00:16:23,750 --> 00:16:28,422
In 1977, a DC-9 with similarly
mounted rear engines
260
00:16:28,555 --> 00:16:31,967
experienced a flameout
while flying through a thunderstorm.
261
00:16:33,026 --> 00:16:34,695
Both engines were disabled.
262
00:16:35,162 --> 00:16:39,366
The plane fell 17,000 feet,
slammed to the ground
263
00:16:39,499 --> 00:16:41,268
and erupted in flames.
264
00:16:46,974 --> 00:16:50,577
Investigators suspect
that the engines of flight 708
265
00:16:50,711 --> 00:16:54,448
may have flamed out either
from heavy rain entering them
266
00:16:54,581 --> 00:16:57,017
or due to turbulent winds.
267
00:16:57,150 --> 00:16:58,936
One way to think of an engine flameout
268
00:16:59,019 --> 00:17:02,608
is when you have a pilot light go out
on your furnace at home.
269
00:17:02,723 --> 00:17:07,261
The engine is working properly
with combustion going on internally
270
00:17:07,394 --> 00:17:12,099
and then the flame stops
and the engine quits.
271
00:17:14,601 --> 00:17:16,687
NARRATOR:
If both engines flamed out,
272
00:17:16,770 --> 00:17:20,574
it would explain why the plane fell
from the sky in one piece.
273
00:17:20,707 --> 00:17:23,443
(ALARMS BEEPING)
274
00:17:27,781 --> 00:17:30,801
But Colonel Ramos knows that
her best chance of finding out
275
00:17:30,884 --> 00:17:35,289
exactly what happened to the engines lies
with the plane's two black boxes.
276
00:17:35,422 --> 00:17:38,659
They could hold critical flight
and voice data.
277
00:17:39,693 --> 00:17:44,064
But retrieving that data gets complicated
by political concerns.
278
00:17:45,566 --> 00:17:47,585
The other difficulty
with this investigation
279
00:17:47,668 --> 00:17:49,536
was the international aspect.
280
00:17:49,670 --> 00:17:54,107
This was a Colombian operator
that took off from Panama
281
00:17:54,241 --> 00:17:59,079
was over-flying Venezuela
and crashed on their soil.
282
00:17:59,213 --> 00:18:01,548
So from the Venezuelan standpoint,
283
00:18:01,682 --> 00:18:04,535
they had very little connection
with the actual flight
284
00:18:04,618 --> 00:18:06,618
or the passengers on the aircraft.
285
00:18:07,788 --> 00:18:11,876
NARRATOR: The Venezuelan government,
deeply mistrustful of the United States,
286
00:18:11,959 --> 00:18:15,762
has final say on who will examine
the black boxes.
287
00:18:15,896 --> 00:18:19,367
JOSEPH: Since this is a United States
manufactured aircraft,
288
00:18:19,466 --> 00:18:24,071
we offered our facility to them
to download both the FDR and CVR.
289
00:18:24,204 --> 00:18:29,209
But they requested that they be downloaded
at the French facility of the BEA,
290
00:18:29,343 --> 00:18:31,745
our counterparts, uh, in Paris.
291
00:18:32,145 --> 00:18:34,081
(DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING)
292
00:18:34,214 --> 00:18:38,485
NARRATOR: The black boxes are sent
to France for expert analysis.
293
00:18:38,619 --> 00:18:42,239
The French aviation authorities
participated in the accident investigation
294
00:18:42,322 --> 00:18:48,862
because, um, all the passengers were
French citizens that lived in Martinique.
295
00:18:59,106 --> 00:19:01,992
NARRATOR: In the meantime,
investigators pursue another possible
296
00:19:02,075 --> 00:19:05,412
cause of engine failure,
contaminated fuel.
297
00:19:06,313 --> 00:19:09,961
They track down the fuel truck
that filled the plane in Panama.
298
00:19:11,185 --> 00:19:16,123
It was important to test the fuel
299
00:19:16,256 --> 00:19:19,904
because it was a possible cause
for why the engines had failed.
300
00:19:27,835 --> 00:19:29,420
We asked the Panamanian authorities
301
00:19:29,503 --> 00:19:31,503
to test the fuel for contaminants,
302
00:19:31,605 --> 00:19:34,441
but the results they obtained
were negative.
303
00:19:36,777 --> 00:19:37,945
- Hi.
- Hi.
304
00:19:38,078 --> 00:19:39,697
I hope I can be of some help.
305
00:19:39,780 --> 00:19:44,218
NARRATOR: Joe Sedor arrives from
Washington with two engine experts.
306
00:19:44,751 --> 00:19:47,905
JOSEPH: Once we arrived on scene
that was one of the first things
307
00:19:47,988 --> 00:19:50,459
that we wanted to look at was the engines.
308
00:19:50,657 --> 00:19:54,728
So my engine investigator
and the Pratt and Whitney investigator...
309
00:19:55,429 --> 00:19:58,298
went to each engine
and examined them thoroughly.
310
00:20:00,234 --> 00:20:02,219
NARRATOR: What they find is surprising.
311
00:20:02,302 --> 00:20:07,741
Both engines exhibited indications
of high-speed rotation at impact.
312
00:20:07,875 --> 00:20:10,694
That is to say that they,
that the evidence indicated
313
00:20:10,777 --> 00:20:13,597
that both engines were operating
at a very high power.
314
00:20:13,680 --> 00:20:17,718
NARRATOR: The investigators
give the engines a clean bill of health.
315
00:20:20,387 --> 00:20:24,892
When we obtained the analysts results
for the engines,
316
00:20:25,025 --> 00:20:29,129
we realized that they worked perfectly.
317
00:20:29,930 --> 00:20:32,049
- MAN: You have a problem onboard?
- Affirmative.
318
00:20:32,132 --> 00:20:34,618
Tell them we've had
a flameout on both engines.
319
00:20:34,701 --> 00:20:37,004
We've had a flameout on both engines.
320
00:20:37,137 --> 00:20:40,758
It sure looks like those blades were
turning when the plane hit the ground.
321
00:20:40,841 --> 00:20:46,280
LORLLYS: And that the flame out
reported by the crew never happened.
322
00:20:47,414 --> 00:20:48,933
NARRATOR:
The main suspect in the crash
323
00:20:49,016 --> 00:20:52,953
of one of the most popular planes
on earth is ruled out.
324
00:20:53,086 --> 00:20:55,923
Investigators need another lead.
325
00:20:56,056 --> 00:21:00,727
It made us want to get that FDR
and CVR data as quickly as possible.
326
00:21:01,962 --> 00:21:05,149
NARRATOR: The team is now counting
on the plane's two black boxes
327
00:21:05,232 --> 00:21:07,585
to shed light on the cause of the crash.
328
00:21:09,469 --> 00:21:12,999
They travel to France where
one of the boxes has been opened.
329
00:21:13,373 --> 00:21:16,160
When they listen to the
plane's cockpit voice recorder
330
00:21:16,243 --> 00:21:19,279
investigators are surprised
by what they hear.
331
00:21:19,413 --> 00:21:22,399
DAVID: (OVER RADIO)
It's a stall, captain. It's a stall.
332
00:21:22,482 --> 00:21:26,620
After listening
to the cockpit voice recordings,
333
00:21:26,753 --> 00:21:30,891
he realized that the plane
had entered a stall.
334
00:21:31,024 --> 00:21:32,492
(BEEPING)
335
00:21:32,626 --> 00:21:36,685
How did this plane stall at over
30,000 feet with two working engines?
336
00:21:36,797 --> 00:21:38,632
(AIRPLANE DRONING)
337
00:21:38,765 --> 00:21:40,818
NARRATOR:
To create the lift needed to fly,
338
00:21:40,901 --> 00:21:44,784
a plane depends on a very fast
moving stream of air over the wings.
339
00:21:44,905 --> 00:21:47,858
JOSEPH: An airplane stall
is when the lift over the wings
340
00:21:47,941 --> 00:21:51,411
is reduced to the point that
the lift cannot support
341
00:21:51,545 --> 00:21:53,697
the weight of the aircraft in the air.
342
00:21:53,780 --> 00:21:55,883
(AIRPLANE DRONING)
343
00:21:56,016 --> 00:21:59,086
(ALARM BEEPING)
344
00:22:02,422 --> 00:22:06,760
NARRATOR: It's unusual for planes to stall
at such a high altitude.
345
00:22:06,894 --> 00:22:10,247
Investigators hope the plane's
second black box will reveal
346
00:22:10,330 --> 00:22:11,598
why that happened.
347
00:22:13,967 --> 00:22:19,506
When we opened the flight data recorder
348
00:22:19,640 --> 00:22:22,893
even though it was really damaged,
the conditions inside were good.
349
00:22:22,976 --> 00:22:28,382
And that was a huge relief.
350
00:22:29,850 --> 00:22:34,203
NARRATOR: But for some reason, much of
what's on the recorder is gibberish.
351
00:22:35,255 --> 00:22:38,725
JOSEPH: Unfortunately,
some of the data was not usable.
352
00:22:42,629 --> 00:22:46,500
And it was some very important
data points that were not available
353
00:22:46,633 --> 00:22:50,204
such as elevator position,
rudder position,
354
00:22:50,704 --> 00:22:55,742
heading and the most important parameters
engine pressure ratios.
355
00:22:57,678 --> 00:23:00,480
NARRATOR:
It's a disappointing loss for Sedor.
356
00:23:02,516 --> 00:23:04,418
We need those engine parameters.
357
00:23:04,551 --> 00:23:06,971
NARRATOR: The engine pressure numbers
would tell investigators
358
00:23:07,054 --> 00:23:09,525
how much power the engines
were generating.
359
00:23:10,257 --> 00:23:15,028
They would paint a picture of how the
airplane was flying in its final minutes.
360
00:23:17,264 --> 00:23:21,168
In Washington, the NTSB offers to help.
361
00:23:24,137 --> 00:23:28,742
Sophisticated software may be able
to recapture some of the lost data.
362
00:23:29,476 --> 00:23:33,280
We wanted to work with
what data we had to recover
363
00:23:33,413 --> 00:23:35,178
any engine data that we could.
364
00:23:36,517 --> 00:23:38,903
NARRATOR: Meanwhile,
investigators look for other clues
365
00:23:38,986 --> 00:23:41,163
about what may have caused the stall.
366
00:23:41,555 --> 00:23:44,758
That's quite a storm
probably very heavy rain.
367
00:23:45,292 --> 00:23:48,245
NARRATOR: They discover that
the plane flew through freezing,
368
00:23:48,328 --> 00:23:52,332
wet weather
capable of causing ice to form.
369
00:23:52,466 --> 00:23:55,969
Ice on the wings
can cause a plane to stall.
370
00:23:56,503 --> 00:23:58,189
JOSEPH:
When ice accumulates on an airplane,
371
00:23:58,272 --> 00:24:02,876
it will have increased drag and
increased weight and decreased lift.
372
00:24:03,410 --> 00:24:06,763
NARRATOR: The MD-80 is equipped
with an anti-icing system.
373
00:24:07,881 --> 00:24:12,052
When turned on, it blows hot air
from the engines onto the wings
374
00:24:12,186 --> 00:24:14,621
preventing ice from forming.
375
00:24:18,992 --> 00:24:21,662
Let's see what they did about the ice.
376
00:24:22,896 --> 00:24:26,014
OMAR: (OVER COMPUTER)
Put on the fasten seatbelt sign.
377
00:24:26,500 --> 00:24:28,869
Man, that is a lot of nasty weather.
378
00:24:29,002 --> 00:24:32,439
NARRATOR:
As the plane rose to 33,000 feet,
379
00:24:32,573 --> 00:24:34,926
Captain Ospina made an unusual decision.
380
00:24:35,909 --> 00:24:38,045
Turn off engine anti-icing.
381
00:24:42,015 --> 00:24:45,136
NARRATOR: A short while later
First Officer Munoz wants to know
382
00:24:45,219 --> 00:24:47,925
if the anti-icing system
should be put back on.
383
00:24:48,455 --> 00:24:50,290
Should I turn it on, Captain?
384
00:24:50,424 --> 00:24:52,192
Do we have ice?
385
00:24:55,929 --> 00:24:59,833
NARRATOR: Pilots generally examine
the outside metal window sill
386
00:24:59,967 --> 00:25:02,085
to see whether ice is forming there.
387
00:25:04,171 --> 00:25:05,572
Put 'em on.
388
00:25:06,373 --> 00:25:08,259
NARRATOR:
It appears the captain saw ice.
389
00:25:08,342 --> 00:25:10,327
DAVID: (OVER COMPUTER)
Barranquilla West 7...
390
00:25:10,410 --> 00:25:13,497
NARRATOR: Since they were flying
through cold and wet conditions,
391
00:25:13,580 --> 00:25:16,500
investigators don't know
why the crew didn't simply turn on
392
00:25:16,583 --> 00:25:18,485
the anti-ice and leave it on.
393
00:25:20,020 --> 00:25:23,090
With the weather conditions they had,
394
00:25:23,223 --> 00:25:28,362
they should have been using the anti-ice
systems during the entire flight.
395
00:25:29,263 --> 00:25:32,499
NARRATOR: Investigators wonder
if the crew made an error
396
00:25:32,633 --> 00:25:37,037
that allowed ice to build up on the
plane's wings causing it to stall
397
00:25:37,171 --> 00:25:39,206
and fall from the sky.
398
00:25:44,011 --> 00:25:48,315
NARRATOR: Promising new evidence in
the crash of West Caribbean Flight 708
399
00:25:48,448 --> 00:25:53,086
may help the investigative team to zero in
on the cause of the disaster.
400
00:25:56,823 --> 00:26:03,230
The NTSB has managed to recover
missing data about the MD-80's engines.
401
00:26:04,631 --> 00:26:06,834
(BEEPING)
402
00:26:09,069 --> 00:26:12,223
{\an8}This was very important for us
because it allowed us to understand
403
00:26:12,306 --> 00:26:15,275
{\an8}the operation of the engine
throughout the flight.
404
00:26:15,409 --> 00:26:17,461
NARRATOR:
If there had been ice on the wings,
405
00:26:17,544 --> 00:26:19,597
the engines would have had to work harder
406
00:26:19,680 --> 00:26:21,949
to overcome the friction it creates.
407
00:26:22,082 --> 00:26:24,818
The engine power numbers
would have gone up.
408
00:26:24,952 --> 00:26:26,186
Look at this.
409
00:26:26,320 --> 00:26:30,490
Engine power wasn't going up,
it was actually going down.
410
00:26:31,258 --> 00:26:35,329
Therefore that showed that
there was no ice on the airframe.
411
00:26:36,630 --> 00:26:39,299
NARRATOR: Ice didn't cause the stall.
412
00:26:40,834 --> 00:26:42,870
So what did?
413
00:26:44,571 --> 00:26:47,024
{\an8}Investigators must determine
why the engines
414
00:26:47,107 --> 00:26:50,813
weren't providing the power needed
to keep the MD-80 in the air.
415
00:26:52,112 --> 00:26:54,748
(AIRPLANE DRONING)
416
00:26:55,983 --> 00:26:58,925
The airline's troubled history
of safety violations
417
00:26:59,052 --> 00:27:01,388
gives investigators a possible lead.
418
00:27:02,222 --> 00:27:05,726
It had been cited
for flying overweight planes.
419
00:27:06,360 --> 00:27:09,647
{\an8}Colombian authorities used to bring
the aircraft to a scale,
420
00:27:09,730 --> 00:27:13,433
{\an8}they have at Bogota Airport
and compare against the manifest.
421
00:27:13,567 --> 00:27:15,669
And on some occasions,
422
00:27:15,802 --> 00:27:19,508
they found that the aircraft was heavier
than what was recorded.
423
00:27:21,074 --> 00:27:25,479
NARRATOR: Did Flight 708 stall in mid-air
because it was too heavy?
424
00:27:27,014 --> 00:27:30,017
MANUEL:
During our visit to Panama,
425
00:27:30,150 --> 00:27:32,252
we observed that West Caribbean
426
00:27:32,386 --> 00:27:35,873
{\an8}didn't have very rigorous control over
the checking of passengers' luggage
427
00:27:35,956 --> 00:27:38,125
{\an8}and their weight.
428
00:27:39,726 --> 00:27:41,762
NARRATOR:
If a plane is too heavy,
429
00:27:41,895 --> 00:27:47,034
it may not be able to fly at higher
altitudes where the air is less dense.
430
00:27:50,470 --> 00:27:53,807
Pilots need to make these
calculations carefully.
431
00:27:56,944 --> 00:28:03,684
{\an8}The pilot knows
at what altitude he can fly
432
00:28:03,817 --> 00:28:06,303
{\an8}by studying the aircraft's
performance tables
433
00:28:06,386 --> 00:28:11,325
and inputting the plane's weight
and the temperature.
434
00:28:11,458 --> 00:28:13,144
NARRATOR:
What investigators don't know
435
00:28:13,227 --> 00:28:16,046
is whether Captain Ospina
did the math correctly.
436
00:28:16,129 --> 00:28:17,664
Stand-by.
437
00:28:18,999 --> 00:28:22,202
NARRATOR: They now try
to calculate whether flight 708
438
00:28:22,336 --> 00:28:26,273
was too heavy to avoid stalling
at 33,000 feet.
439
00:28:27,007 --> 00:28:29,576
So we went back
and looked at the number of,
440
00:28:29,710 --> 00:28:32,679
of passengers onboard,
the number of crew onboard
441
00:28:32,813 --> 00:28:37,150
and the weight of the aircraft itself
along with the baggage.
442
00:28:38,051 --> 00:28:42,757
NARRATOR: They already tested the plane
at its reported weight of 148,000 pounds.
443
00:28:43,156 --> 00:28:46,193
Alright, let's add a few thousand pounds,
444
00:28:46,326 --> 00:28:50,664
we got heavier luggage, mis-weighed cargo.
445
00:28:52,799 --> 00:28:55,636
Uh, let's try 155,000 pounds.
446
00:28:56,336 --> 00:28:58,823
NARRATOR:
Investigators now make the calculations
447
00:28:58,906 --> 00:29:01,608
for a plane that's grossly overweight.
448
00:29:04,178 --> 00:29:06,046
They're in for a surprise.
449
00:29:06,180 --> 00:29:10,184
JOSEPH: And even with
a heavier aircraft at takeoff,
450
00:29:10,317 --> 00:29:13,965
the aircraft could maintain
level flight at three, three, zero.
451
00:29:14,721 --> 00:29:17,427
NARRATOR:
It's a setback for the investigation.
452
00:29:17,758 --> 00:29:20,194
We're missing something.
453
00:29:20,961 --> 00:29:22,896
Let's go back to the beginning.
454
00:29:27,167 --> 00:29:31,171
NARRATOR: After much research,
investigators still can't figure out
455
00:29:31,305 --> 00:29:33,407
what caused the plane to stall.
456
00:29:39,446 --> 00:29:40,647
Thanks.
457
00:29:41,648 --> 00:29:45,986
NARRATOR: The answer has to do
with how a plane distributes power.
458
00:29:50,724 --> 00:29:55,329
When it's turned on, the anti-icing system
draws energy from the engines
459
00:29:55,462 --> 00:29:57,564
reducing power for thrust.
460
00:29:57,698 --> 00:30:00,751
This decrease in thrust can affect
the performance of the airplane
461
00:30:00,834 --> 00:30:02,920
depending on the weight and the altitude.
462
00:30:03,003 --> 00:30:05,122
The performance study showed
that the airplane
463
00:30:05,205 --> 00:30:08,392
was perfectly safe to fly at 33,000 feet
with the anti-ice off.
464
00:30:08,475 --> 00:30:10,210
Anti-ice on, please.
465
00:30:11,044 --> 00:30:15,883
JOSEPH: However, it could only fly as high
as 31,900 feet with the anti-ice on.
466
00:30:17,751 --> 00:30:19,686
It was the anti-icing.
467
00:30:19,820 --> 00:30:22,356
It robbed them of the power they needed.
468
00:30:25,592 --> 00:30:28,063
They shouldn't have gone higher than 31-9.
469
00:30:38,372 --> 00:30:41,058
We concluded that the aircraft
was flown too high
470
00:30:41,141 --> 00:30:44,083
for its weight and
the weather conditions it faced.
471
00:30:47,548 --> 00:30:50,017
- (AIRPLANE DRONING)
- Put 'em on.
472
00:30:50,150 --> 00:30:51,936
The airspeed started to decelerate
473
00:30:52,019 --> 00:30:54,772
when the flight crew turned
on the anti-ice system.
474
00:30:54,855 --> 00:30:57,624
This reduced the thrust of the engine.
475
00:30:57,758 --> 00:31:00,811
NARRATOR: Investigators conclude
the reduction in thrust
476
00:31:00,894 --> 00:31:02,663
led the plane to stall.
477
00:31:02,796 --> 00:31:05,399
Sir, we just got the final load sheet.
478
00:31:05,532 --> 00:31:08,252
NARRATOR: They now assume that
when Captain Ospina
479
00:31:08,335 --> 00:31:11,104
calculated his maximum cruise altitude,
480
00:31:11,238 --> 00:31:14,541
he failed to factor in the need
for anti-icing.
481
00:31:14,675 --> 00:31:18,262
There are many factors you have to take
into account when planning,
482
00:31:18,345 --> 00:31:21,065
and, apparently,
they did not do it in this case.
483
00:31:21,148 --> 00:31:26,119
NARRATOR: But if low thrust led
to a stall, why didn't the crew notice?
484
00:31:26,253 --> 00:31:29,373
Part of the answer is that
while the problem was developing,
485
00:31:29,456 --> 00:31:31,258
they weren't flying the plane.
486
00:31:33,961 --> 00:31:35,696
They had their autopilot on.
487
00:31:39,399 --> 00:31:42,669
NARRATOR: The autopilot should not
let a plane stall.
488
00:31:42,803 --> 00:31:47,774
Investigators wonder why this particular
autopilot let that happen.
489
00:31:54,448 --> 00:31:57,351
While researching
the autopilot on the MD-80,
490
00:31:57,484 --> 00:32:00,888
they discover a bulletin
from the plane's manufacturer.
491
00:32:01,021 --> 00:32:04,391
It was sent to the airline
three years earlier.
492
00:32:05,993 --> 00:32:09,763
Under some conditions,
airspeed could decay to stall warning
493
00:32:09,897 --> 00:32:12,466
before the autopilot disconnects.
494
00:32:13,967 --> 00:32:18,839
In the bulletin issued by Boeing,
it described another incident
495
00:32:18,972 --> 00:32:21,292
with an autopilot
that was almost the exact same
496
00:32:21,375 --> 00:32:24,878
as what had happened with West Caribbean.
497
00:32:25,746 --> 00:32:27,131
NARRATOR: The bulletin warned crews
498
00:32:27,214 --> 00:32:30,367
that if they set the autopilot to maintain
the plane's altitude,
499
00:32:30,450 --> 00:32:34,021
they should keep a close eye
on their airspeed.
500
00:32:34,154 --> 00:32:37,475
JOSEPH: The operation bulletin warned
that with the autopilot on
501
00:32:37,558 --> 00:32:42,095
and at altitude that
a similar situation could occur
502
00:32:42,229 --> 00:32:44,798
where the aircraft could maintain altitude
503
00:32:44,932 --> 00:32:47,167
and airspeed could decrease
504
00:32:47,301 --> 00:32:50,337
if the pilots were not monitoring
the airspeed.
505
00:32:50,470 --> 00:32:55,642
So in order to maintain altitude
as the speed goes down,
506
00:32:55,776 --> 00:33:01,114
the aircraft starts to pitch up, nose up
attitude increasing the angle of attack
507
00:33:01,248 --> 00:33:03,917
to have a better lift.
508
00:33:04,051 --> 00:33:08,989
But that has a problem because
you cannot exceed certain angle
509
00:33:09,122 --> 00:33:13,060
because you can enter a stall condition.
510
00:33:13,861 --> 00:33:16,830
In this case,
the autopilot led the aircraft
511
00:33:16,964 --> 00:33:20,084
into a condition that caused
an excessive angle of attack.
512
00:33:20,167 --> 00:33:23,871
That generated the stall.
513
00:33:24,338 --> 00:33:26,809
NARRATOR:
As important as the bulletin was,
514
00:33:26,907 --> 00:33:31,111
there's no evidence that
it ever reached West Caribbean's pilots.
515
00:33:33,113 --> 00:33:36,049
Investigators now have
a deeper understanding
516
00:33:36,183 --> 00:33:38,252
of the events causing the stall.
517
00:33:38,652 --> 00:33:40,871
The crew were not monitoring
their instruments
518
00:33:40,954 --> 00:33:44,208
believing that the autopilot would
maintain the correct speed.
519
00:33:44,291 --> 00:33:46,093
They were wrong.
520
00:33:47,528 --> 00:33:50,047
It was at this moment that
the captain began to notice
521
00:33:50,130 --> 00:33:51,415
that something wasn't right.
522
00:33:51,498 --> 00:33:53,166
I can't accelerate.
523
00:33:53,300 --> 00:33:54,968
I'm going to the bathroom.
524
00:33:55,102 --> 00:33:59,239
They were aware that they had a problem
but they didn't know why.
525
00:34:00,941 --> 00:34:03,544
(AIRPLANE DRONING)
526
00:34:03,677 --> 00:34:05,863
NARRATOR: The captain decided
to descend to an altitude
527
00:34:05,946 --> 00:34:07,431
where the engines would perform better.
528
00:34:07,514 --> 00:34:08,899
MAN: (OVER RADIO)
Three, one, zero.
529
00:34:08,982 --> 00:34:12,219
And descending to 31,000 feet
was the right choice.
530
00:34:12,352 --> 00:34:16,089
That's why he disconnected
the autopilot to begin the descent.
531
00:34:16,223 --> 00:34:17,741
OMAR:
Give me three, one, zero.
532
00:34:17,824 --> 00:34:20,211
NARRATOR:
The plane is very close to stalling.
533
00:34:20,294 --> 00:34:24,236
But the crew is just a few seconds away
from overcoming the problem.
534
00:34:25,065 --> 00:34:28,168
If he would have attained 31,000 feet
535
00:34:28,302 --> 00:34:31,538
during that descent the speed
would have gone up
536
00:34:31,672 --> 00:34:34,842
and he would have recovered the lift.
537
00:34:34,975 --> 00:34:39,246
And after leveling off, there would
have been no problem at all.
538
00:34:40,547 --> 00:34:42,549
NARRATOR: They almost made it.
539
00:34:42,683 --> 00:34:46,720
But the captain was oblivious
to his biggest threat.
540
00:34:47,187 --> 00:34:50,858
The plane is still traveling slowly
with its nose raised
541
00:34:50,991 --> 00:34:53,527
at a dangerously high angle.
542
00:34:54,361 --> 00:34:57,631
That's when the crew experienced
some bad luck.
543
00:34:57,764 --> 00:35:00,017
The weather they were flying
through was turbulent.
544
00:35:00,100 --> 00:35:03,337
Winds were intense
and the plane was vulnerable.
545
00:35:03,470 --> 00:35:06,857
Our study showed that it would
only take a 20 mile an hour updraft
546
00:35:06,940 --> 00:35:08,793
to push the aircraft into a stall.
547
00:35:08,876 --> 00:35:11,144
(AIRPLANE DRONING)
548
00:35:11,278 --> 00:35:15,966
NARRATOR: Investigators conclude that the
plane was hit with a ferocious updraft...
549
00:35:16,049 --> 00:35:20,454
that lifted the plane's nose
just enough to put it into a stall...
550
00:35:21,288 --> 00:35:24,157
a crisis the crew then mishandled.
551
00:35:24,725 --> 00:35:28,495
There was very little communication
between them.
552
00:35:28,629 --> 00:35:31,749
The captain thought he was having
a flameout in both engines.
553
00:35:31,832 --> 00:35:33,934
OMAR:
Affirmative.
554
00:35:34,067 --> 00:35:36,479
Tell him we have a flameout both engines.
555
00:35:36,570 --> 00:35:38,138
(BEEPING)
556
00:35:38,272 --> 00:35:40,624
DAVID: (OVER RADIO)
We have a flameout on both our engines.
557
00:35:40,707 --> 00:35:44,002
The captain was not telling
the first officer what to do.
558
00:35:45,145 --> 00:35:49,449
The captain was only fixating,
or if you will have tunnel vision,
559
00:35:49,583 --> 00:35:51,018
on the engines...
560
00:35:52,419 --> 00:35:55,789
which is a very big problem
in this situation.
561
00:35:59,693 --> 00:36:03,463
NARRATOR: As the investigation
into the crash of flight 708
562
00:36:03,597 --> 00:36:07,000
nears completion only one
mystery remains unsolved.
563
00:36:07,134 --> 00:36:08,702
It's a stall.
564
00:36:08,836 --> 00:36:11,672
Munoz seems to know what was happening.
565
00:36:11,805 --> 00:36:14,158
NARRATOR: Why did the crew fail
to recover from a stall
566
00:36:14,241 --> 00:36:16,443
that they'd been trained to overcome?
567
00:36:16,577 --> 00:36:19,497
To get out of a stall,
a pilot should increase thrust
568
00:36:19,580 --> 00:36:23,317
and pitch over, that is push forward
on the control column.
569
00:36:23,450 --> 00:36:25,836
NARRATOR:
But as the recovered flight data shows
570
00:36:25,919 --> 00:36:28,956
that is not what Captain Ospina did.
571
00:36:29,089 --> 00:36:32,076
There is no indication that the pilot
pushed forward on the control column
572
00:36:32,159 --> 00:36:35,529
to reduce the angle of attack
and to increase speed.
573
00:36:35,662 --> 00:36:37,831
(ALARM BEEPING)
574
00:36:37,965 --> 00:36:40,667
He's pulling back on the control column.
575
00:36:42,002 --> 00:36:45,055
At that point, it was impossible
to recover from the stall.
576
00:36:45,138 --> 00:36:47,962
NARRATOR:
The captain should have pushed forward.
577
00:36:48,175 --> 00:36:51,578
The question remains, why didn't he?
578
00:36:53,881 --> 00:36:58,719
Investigators get their first clue
when they re-examine the engine data,
579
00:36:58,852 --> 00:37:00,805
at the precise moment of the stall.
580
00:37:00,888 --> 00:37:03,190
That's what distracted the captain.
581
00:37:04,491 --> 00:37:06,177
At the time that the airplane stalled,
582
00:37:06,260 --> 00:37:09,672
we also saw that both engines rolled back
at the same time.
583
00:37:11,265 --> 00:37:13,854
JOSEPH:
This most likely confused the pilots.
584
00:37:14,868 --> 00:37:17,655
NARRATOR: When airflow
to the engines is disrupted
585
00:37:17,738 --> 00:37:21,508
it causes a rollback reducing thrust.
586
00:37:22,943 --> 00:37:25,479
Because of the updrafts in the area,
587
00:37:25,612 --> 00:37:28,732
it most likely increased
the angle of attack of the engine inlet
588
00:37:28,815 --> 00:37:31,035
which then caused
the engines to roll back.
589
00:37:31,118 --> 00:37:34,118
NARRATOR: With his engine power
temporarily reduced,
590
00:37:34,421 --> 00:37:37,341
the captain wrongly concluded
that his engines had quit.
591
00:37:37,424 --> 00:37:38,659
It's a stall.
592
00:37:38,792 --> 00:37:41,579
The first officer yelled,
"It's a stall, captain, it's a stall."
593
00:37:41,662 --> 00:37:45,199
(THUNDER RUMBLING)
594
00:37:45,332 --> 00:37:48,038
JOSEPH:
There was no response from the captain.
595
00:37:48,335 --> 00:37:52,335
This showed that the captain was
fixating most likely on the engines.
596
00:37:53,040 --> 00:37:54,792
NARRATOR: Unaware he had stalled,
597
00:37:54,875 --> 00:37:58,496
the captain made things worse by
pulling back on his control column.
598
00:37:58,579 --> 00:38:03,083
That kept the nose of the plane
angled dangerously high.
599
00:38:03,217 --> 00:38:05,669
Tell them we've had a flameout
on both engines.
600
00:38:05,752 --> 00:38:08,422
We've had a flameout on both engines.
601
00:38:08,555 --> 00:38:13,293
The crew couldn't understand the situation
presented to them.
602
00:38:13,427 --> 00:38:16,430
West 708 go down to level two-four-zero.
603
00:38:16,563 --> 00:38:18,149
Do you have a problem onboard?
604
00:38:18,232 --> 00:38:20,409
We've got a flameout on both engines.
605
00:38:20,534 --> 00:38:23,570
They had a heavy buffet from the stall.
606
00:38:23,704 --> 00:38:26,724
They were looking at the engines
which were rolled back
607
00:38:26,807 --> 00:38:29,894
and they were also communicating
with the air traffic controller.
608
00:38:29,977 --> 00:38:34,615
During that time there was not much
troubleshooting going on in the cockpit.
609
00:38:34,748 --> 00:38:37,690
This was a very, very difficult time
for the pilot.
610
00:38:39,486 --> 00:38:44,057
It is very important that the crews
communicate in an effective way.
611
00:38:45,893 --> 00:38:49,329
And, in this case,
you don't hear the two pilots
612
00:38:49,463 --> 00:38:51,698
communicating between themselves.
613
00:38:51,832 --> 00:38:57,971
It was an almost silent cockpit
614
00:38:58,105 --> 00:39:02,009
until the time just before the accident
615
00:39:02,142 --> 00:39:08,482
when they realized
they were in deep trouble.
616
00:39:10,284 --> 00:39:13,387
NARRATOR:
But by that time, it was already too late.
617
00:39:13,520 --> 00:39:16,290
They were past the point of no return.
618
00:39:19,026 --> 00:39:22,462
During that descent
according to the flight data recorder,
619
00:39:22,596 --> 00:39:24,348
they reached a rate of descent,
620
00:39:24,431 --> 00:39:28,869
an average of more than
12,000 feet per minute.
621
00:39:29,336 --> 00:39:33,874
At that rate of descent not only
the G-force will prevent them
622
00:39:34,007 --> 00:39:39,947
from any coordinated action, the vibration
in the aircraft would be a lot.
623
00:39:41,415 --> 00:39:45,536
That's why when you hear the voice
recorder you hear the voice trembling.
624
00:39:45,619 --> 00:39:46,987
Negative. Negative.
625
00:39:47,120 --> 00:39:48,589
We are at 14,000 feet.
626
00:39:48,722 --> 00:39:50,023
We're about 14,000.
627
00:39:50,157 --> 00:39:51,976
We're going down.
The plane is uncontrollable.
628
00:39:52,059 --> 00:39:55,362
And that's because of high vibration
in the aircraft.
629
00:39:58,232 --> 00:40:00,056
NARRATOR:
For everyone on board,
630
00:40:00,167 --> 00:40:05,439
the final plunge was a nightmare
lasting almost three minutes.
631
00:40:06,607 --> 00:40:08,742
(EXPLOSION)
632
00:40:14,715 --> 00:40:16,583
Whisky Charlie Whisky.
633
00:40:17,417 --> 00:40:19,103
NARRATOR:
When Colonel Lorllys Ramos
634
00:40:19,186 --> 00:40:21,906
and her team interview friends
and family of the pilots
635
00:40:21,989 --> 00:40:24,258
of West Caribbean flight 708.
636
00:40:24,391 --> 00:40:25,676
How was he when he was at home?
637
00:40:25,759 --> 00:40:28,012
NARRATOR: They uncover
other longstanding issues
638
00:40:28,095 --> 00:40:30,864
that may help explain the crew's behavior.
639
00:40:30,998 --> 00:40:37,037
West Caribbean Airline, uh, was going
through a very critical financial status.
640
00:40:38,605 --> 00:40:45,512
Because of West Caribbean's
economic struggles,
641
00:40:45,646 --> 00:40:51,985
the crew members
hadn't been paid for six months.
642
00:40:52,119 --> 00:40:53,471
And this could have influenced,
643
00:40:53,554 --> 00:41:00,460
the captain's concentration.
644
00:41:02,196 --> 00:41:04,415
NARRATOR:
Investigators discover that Captain Ospina
645
00:41:04,498 --> 00:41:08,235
was forced to take a second job
moonlighting in a bar
646
00:41:08,368 --> 00:41:11,572
in order to make ends meet for his family.
647
00:41:12,873 --> 00:41:16,076
MANUEL: The level of stress
that the captain was under
648
00:41:16,210 --> 00:41:21,448
because of his financial
situation was huge.
649
00:41:21,582 --> 00:41:25,035
- Have we solved the fuel situation yet?
- I think we're getting close captain.
650
00:41:25,118 --> 00:41:28,839
NARRATOR: Before the accident,
the crew was delayed in Colombia for hours
651
00:41:28,922 --> 00:41:31,342
because the airline
couldn't pay for their fuel.
652
00:41:31,425 --> 00:41:34,561
That was their third of four flights
that day.
653
00:41:35,529 --> 00:41:40,734
The crew was under a lot of stress
because they were already late
654
00:41:40,868 --> 00:41:45,339
and they didn't know if their flight
would be canceled.
655
00:41:47,908 --> 00:41:50,777
T's a stall, captain. It's a stall.
656
00:41:51,712 --> 00:41:55,232
NARRATOR: Investigators also believe
that the 21-year-old first officer
657
00:41:55,315 --> 00:41:57,735
should have voiced his opinions
more clearly.
658
00:41:57,818 --> 00:42:03,857
There was a considerable age difference
between the captain and the co-pilot
659
00:42:03,991 --> 00:42:09,997
and this might have intimidated
the co-pilot when he needed to speak up.
660
00:42:10,130 --> 00:42:13,333
- Do I turn it on, captain?
- Do we have ice?
661
00:42:14,902 --> 00:42:19,840
EDUARDO: No matter how young
the copilots and first officers are,
662
00:42:19,973 --> 00:42:24,545
how old and experienced the captain is,
663
00:42:24,678 --> 00:42:28,549
they have the right
to preserve their life.
664
00:42:28,682 --> 00:42:31,094
If they see something that's going wrong.
665
00:42:31,585 --> 00:42:34,488
It's a stall, captain. It's a stall.
666
00:42:34,621 --> 00:42:38,759
And they alert the captain
and he does not react,
667
00:42:38,892 --> 00:42:40,678
they should react by themselves.
668
00:42:40,761 --> 00:42:44,531
(AIRPLANE DRONING)
669
00:42:46,066 --> 00:42:49,120
NARRATOR: The investigation's
official report concludes
670
00:42:49,203 --> 00:42:52,223
that there was an insufficient level
of situational awareness
671
00:42:52,306 --> 00:42:53,974
in both pilots.
672
00:42:55,275 --> 00:42:58,395
Although, the pilot's actions
are in question in this flight,
673
00:42:58,478 --> 00:43:00,714
we also have to look at the operator.
674
00:43:00,848 --> 00:43:03,383
Did the operator provide proper training?
675
00:43:03,517 --> 00:43:05,836
We found that the training
was insufficient,
676
00:43:05,919 --> 00:43:08,139
that they did not receive
proper CRM training,
677
00:43:08,222 --> 00:43:10,928
and they did not receive
proper stall training.
678
00:43:19,566 --> 00:43:22,286
LORLLYS: This accident happened
as a result of numerous factors
679
00:43:22,369 --> 00:43:26,173
that aren't only attributable to the crew.
680
00:43:26,306 --> 00:43:30,377
There were deplorable conditions
in the operation of the airline.
681
00:43:30,511 --> 00:43:34,214
And over time,
these faults can lead to accidents.
682
00:43:41,355 --> 00:43:43,274
- Negative. Negative.
- Do you have problem on board?
683
00:43:43,357 --> 00:43:46,577
We're 14,000 feet. We're going down.
The plane is uncontrollable.
684
00:43:46,660 --> 00:43:48,913
NARRATOR: The report makes
a long list of recommendations
685
00:43:48,996 --> 00:43:53,934
to ensure that the tragedy of flight 708
never happens again.
686
00:43:57,404 --> 00:44:04,111
We made recommendations
to the Colombian aviation authorities
687
00:44:04,244 --> 00:44:05,913
to improve pilot training.
688
00:44:06,046 --> 00:44:09,183
Specifically, better training
in crew communication
689
00:44:09,316 --> 00:44:10,801
and having a better awareness
690
00:44:10,884 --> 00:44:16,823
about the use of the plane's autopilot.
691
00:44:20,093 --> 00:44:24,917
After this accident occurred, the airline
was grounded and it never operated again.
692
00:44:25,032 --> 00:44:27,668
It went bankrupt and simply disappeared.
693
00:44:27,801 --> 00:44:30,270
(AIRPLANE DRONING)
694
00:44:30,404 --> 00:44:34,169
NARRATOR: But West Caribbean Airways
did leave a valuable legacy.
695
00:44:35,676 --> 00:44:40,480
Better safety measures for every
other MD-80 taking to the skies today.
696
00:44:40,614 --> 00:44:44,017
(AIRPLANE DRONING)
697
00:44:45,986 --> 00:44:49,857
(CLOSING THEME MUSIC PLAYING)