1 00:00:02,035 --> 00:00:02,969 All available assistance required at Dubai. 2 00:00:03,036 --> 00:00:04,537 Emergency descent underway. 3 00:00:04,604 --> 00:00:06,940 NARRATOR: 22 minutes after takeoff-- 4 00:00:07,006 --> 00:00:08,508 Get your oxygen mask on. 5 00:00:08,575 --> 00:00:10,777 NARRATOR: --the pilots of a UPS cargo jet 6 00:00:10,844 --> 00:00:13,913 face a life-threatening emergency. 7 00:00:13,980 --> 00:00:15,548 JOHN COX: A cockpit full of smoke 8 00:00:15,615 --> 00:00:18,385 is an absolutely terrifying condition. 9 00:00:18,451 --> 00:00:19,686 Can you see anything? 10 00:00:19,753 --> 00:00:21,388 No, I can't see anything. 11 00:00:21,454 --> 00:00:23,390 It's about as bad as you can get. 12 00:00:23,456 --> 00:00:25,892 NARRATOR: The pilots need information fast. 13 00:00:25,959 --> 00:00:28,094 MATTHEW BELL: Tell me what to do-- what altitude, 14 00:00:28,161 --> 00:00:29,896 what speed, what heading. 15 00:00:29,963 --> 00:00:34,334 NARRATOR: Controllers on the ground may be their only hope. 16 00:00:34,401 --> 00:00:35,668 I want you to tell him exactly 17 00:00:35,735 --> 00:00:37,170 what I say when I say it. 18 00:00:37,237 --> 00:00:38,605 It's almost impossible to grasp 19 00:00:38,671 --> 00:00:41,307 the magnitude of the task. 20 00:00:41,374 --> 00:00:44,077 300 feet, any runway is available. 21 00:00:44,144 --> 00:00:46,212 JOHN COX: If he doesn't sort this out, 22 00:00:46,279 --> 00:00:49,149 this is going to result in a catastrophic accident. 23 00:00:50,216 --> 00:00:51,451 STEWARDESS 1: Ladies and gentlemen, 24 00:00:51,518 --> 00:00:52,819 we are starting our approach. 25 00:00:52,886 --> 00:00:53,887 We lost both engines. 26 00:00:53,953 --> 00:00:55,188 WOMAN: emergency detected. 27 00:00:55,255 --> 00:00:56,189 MATTHEW BELL: Mayday! 28 00:00:56,256 --> 00:00:57,190 Mayday! 29 00:00:57,257 --> 00:00:58,658 STEWARDESS 2: Brace for impact! 30 00:00:58,725 --> 00:00:59,659 MAN: I think I lost one. 31 00:01:19,512 --> 00:01:24,050 NARRATOR: Evening settles over the desert city of Dubai. 32 00:01:24,117 --> 00:01:28,988 The world's tallest building shimmers in the twilight. 33 00:01:29,055 --> 00:01:33,493 In the sky above, a 747 cargo jet climbs out from Dubai 34 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:38,097 International Airport. 35 00:01:38,164 --> 00:01:41,434 Autopilot engaged. 36 00:01:41,501 --> 00:01:45,038 NARRATOR: After a routine takeoff, the crew of UPS 6 37 00:01:45,104 --> 00:01:47,941 can now let the autopilot take over most of the flying 38 00:01:48,007 --> 00:01:52,011 and settle in for a long night. 39 00:01:52,078 --> 00:01:53,813 You may never get tired of that view. 40 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:57,116 NARRATOR: First Officer Matthew Bell is piloting the plane. 41 00:01:57,183 --> 00:02:02,088 He's a former US Marine who's been with UPS for four years. 42 00:02:02,155 --> 00:02:03,857 Nice flying, by the way. 43 00:02:03,923 --> 00:02:06,226 Get a good touch on the controls 44 00:02:06,292 --> 00:02:09,829 NARRATOR: Captain Doug Lampe is also a seasoned pro. 45 00:02:09,896 --> 00:02:12,799 He's been with UPS for 15 years and logged more 46 00:02:12,866 --> 00:02:16,636 than 4,000 hours on the 747. 47 00:02:16,703 --> 00:02:19,138 Both of them were said to be very skilled 48 00:02:19,205 --> 00:02:21,741 aviators, very experienced. 49 00:02:21,808 --> 00:02:24,911 NARRATOR: The massive cargo hold of the 747 50 00:02:24,978 --> 00:02:31,284 is filled with 228,000 pounds of freight bound for Germany. 51 00:02:31,351 --> 00:02:34,587 The 3,000-mile journey will take the plane northwest from 52 00:02:34,654 --> 00:02:37,357 the United Arab Emirates past Bahrain 53 00:02:37,423 --> 00:02:39,225 and the Middle East before crossing 54 00:02:39,292 --> 00:02:43,863 Europe to land in Cologne. 55 00:02:43,930 --> 00:02:46,566 Dubai is one of the major cargo hubs in the Middle East, 56 00:02:46,633 --> 00:02:48,468 in fact, in the world. 57 00:02:48,535 --> 00:02:50,503 JOHN COX: A lot of cargo moves at night. 58 00:02:50,570 --> 00:02:53,406 So oftentimes when we're asleep, 59 00:02:53,473 --> 00:02:56,543 we have over our heads thousands upon thousands 60 00:02:56,609 --> 00:02:58,645 of cargo flights moving the freight 61 00:02:58,711 --> 00:03:03,449 and being delivered the next day. 62 00:03:03,516 --> 00:03:06,619 NARRATOR: As the 747 climbs, it passes 63 00:03:06,686 --> 00:03:08,288 into Bahrain's airspace. 64 00:03:08,354 --> 00:03:10,590 And the captain tunes his radio to contact 65 00:03:10,657 --> 00:03:13,026 a new controller there. 66 00:03:13,092 --> 00:03:18,264 Bahrain UPS 6 climbing to flight level 320. 67 00:03:18,331 --> 00:03:19,399 RICHARD PHILLIPS: That'll be fine. 68 00:03:19,465 --> 00:03:21,401 UPS 6, this is Bahrain. 69 00:03:21,467 --> 00:03:23,069 And you are in radar contact. 70 00:03:23,136 --> 00:03:25,672 DOUGLAS LAMPE: Radar contact now for UPS 6. 71 00:03:25,738 --> 00:03:27,106 Thank you. 72 00:03:27,173 --> 00:03:29,375 NARRATOR: Richard Phillips is now responsible for the plane. 73 00:03:29,442 --> 00:03:30,877 JOHN COX: It's busy airspace. 74 00:03:30,944 --> 00:03:32,679 There's a lot of frequency changes. 75 00:03:32,745 --> 00:03:34,747 There's a lot of different air traffic controllers 76 00:03:34,814 --> 00:03:38,985 you talk to while traversing this airspace. 77 00:03:39,052 --> 00:03:41,988 NARRATOR: 21 minutes after takeoff, the plane 78 00:03:42,055 --> 00:03:47,460 has climbed to 31,000 feet. 79 00:04:03,409 --> 00:04:05,278 Fire, main deck forward. 80 00:04:05,345 --> 00:04:08,915 NARRATOR: An alarm warns of a fire in the cargo hold. 81 00:04:08,982 --> 00:04:10,283 DOUGLAS LAMPE: I'll fly the airplane. 82 00:04:10,350 --> 00:04:11,351 You run the checklist. 83 00:04:11,417 --> 00:04:15,421 OK. 84 00:04:15,488 --> 00:04:17,557 Checklist for deck forward. 85 00:04:17,624 --> 00:04:19,292 Land at nearest available airfield. 86 00:04:19,359 --> 00:04:21,628 Just got a fire indication on the main deck. 87 00:04:21,694 --> 00:04:23,296 I need to land ASAP. 88 00:04:23,363 --> 00:04:24,864 DARREN STRAKER: To have a fire on the airplane 89 00:04:24,931 --> 00:04:27,333 directs the crew to immediately land the airplane. 90 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:31,070 There is no such thing as a good fire. 91 00:04:31,137 --> 00:04:34,540 Doha is at your 10:00 and 100 miles. 92 00:04:34,607 --> 00:04:35,775 Is that close enough? 93 00:04:35,842 --> 00:04:37,977 NARRATOR: Phillips asks the crew if they'd like 94 00:04:38,044 --> 00:04:41,347 to land at a nearby airport. 95 00:04:41,414 --> 00:04:44,150 But the captain has a different idea. 96 00:04:44,217 --> 00:04:46,052 How about we turn around and go back to Dubai? 97 00:04:46,119 --> 00:04:47,787 I'd like to declare an emergency. 98 00:04:47,854 --> 00:04:49,689 NARRATOR: He wants to return to the airport 99 00:04:49,756 --> 00:04:50,723 they took off from. 100 00:04:50,790 --> 00:04:52,225 BILL ENGLISH: They knew the facility. 101 00:04:52,291 --> 00:04:54,260 They had the charts, giant runways, 102 00:04:54,327 --> 00:04:55,962 plenty of firefighting capability, 103 00:04:56,029 --> 00:04:57,397 good air traffic control. 104 00:04:57,463 --> 00:04:59,265 NARRATOR: Philips quickly finds a route 105 00:04:59,332 --> 00:05:03,002 to get Flight 6 back to Dubai. 106 00:05:03,069 --> 00:05:06,939 UPS 6 make a right turn, heading 090. 107 00:05:07,006 --> 00:05:14,013 Turn right, 090. 108 00:05:16,716 --> 00:05:20,553 NARRATOR: It will take 25 minutes to fly the 207 miles 109 00:05:20,620 --> 00:05:25,558 back to Dubai International. 110 00:05:25,625 --> 00:05:27,427 All available assistance required at Dubai. 111 00:05:27,493 --> 00:05:29,829 Emergency descent underway. 112 00:05:29,896 --> 00:05:34,467 NARRATOR: In Bahrain, Phillips' workload just skyrocketed. 113 00:05:34,534 --> 00:05:38,938 Iraqi Airways Flight 10 descend flight level to 7,000. 114 00:05:39,005 --> 00:05:41,974 NARRATOR: It's his job to keep the airspace around UPS 115 00:05:42,041 --> 00:05:44,744 6 clear of other planes. 116 00:05:44,811 --> 00:05:47,714 Iraqi Airways Flight 1, turn right 10 degrees. 117 00:05:47,780 --> 00:05:49,248 I've got an emergency descent. 118 00:05:49,315 --> 00:05:52,051 JOHN COX: When you declare an emergency in an airplane, 119 00:05:52,118 --> 00:05:55,354 anywhere in the world, you can fly at any altitude, 120 00:05:55,421 --> 00:05:57,724 at any heading, going any direction, 121 00:05:57,790 --> 00:05:59,325 fly through any airspace. 122 00:05:59,392 --> 00:06:02,295 Dubai 70, make a left turn 190. 123 00:06:02,361 --> 00:06:03,830 JOHN COX: It doesn't matter. 124 00:06:03,896 --> 00:06:06,399 You own the sky. 125 00:06:06,466 --> 00:06:09,335 Pack 2 and 3 off. 126 00:06:09,402 --> 00:06:11,304 NARRATOR: The first officer activates 127 00:06:11,370 --> 00:06:17,076 the fire suppression system and depressurizes the cargo hold. 128 00:06:17,143 --> 00:06:22,548 The maneuver sucks the oxygen from a hold which 129 00:06:22,615 --> 00:06:26,085 should stifle the flames. 130 00:06:26,152 --> 00:06:29,122 JOHN COX: Cargo airplanes have a unique advantage in that 131 00:06:29,188 --> 00:06:31,524 they can starve a fire of oxygen, 132 00:06:31,591 --> 00:06:34,827 which is one of the three essential elements of a fire. 133 00:06:34,894 --> 00:06:36,329 Get your oxygen mask on. 134 00:06:36,395 --> 00:06:39,132 NARRATOR: The pilots also don emergency masks 135 00:06:39,198 --> 00:06:41,801 with up to two hours of oxygen in case smoke 136 00:06:41,868 --> 00:06:44,904 gets into the cockpit. 137 00:06:44,971 --> 00:06:46,672 DARREN STRAKER: Part of the checklist 138 00:06:46,739 --> 00:06:48,508 is to put on your oxygen mask. 139 00:06:48,574 --> 00:06:49,742 You don't have any choice. 140 00:06:49,809 --> 00:06:51,310 And in a fire, it's pretty obvious 141 00:06:51,377 --> 00:06:53,179 that you need to be breathing. 142 00:06:53,246 --> 00:06:55,481 NARRATOR: Captain Lampe flicks off the autopilot 143 00:06:55,548 --> 00:06:57,917 and begins flying the plane manually. 144 00:06:57,984 --> 00:07:00,553 BILL ENGLISH: For the pilot to be hands on in the emergency, 145 00:07:00,620 --> 00:07:02,855 he can immediately make inputs to the airplane 146 00:07:02,922 --> 00:07:05,858 without having to deal with making entries to a computer 147 00:07:05,925 --> 00:07:06,893 or anything like that. 148 00:07:06,959 --> 00:07:08,561 He can just simply point the airplane 149 00:07:08,628 --> 00:07:09,695 where he wants it to go. 150 00:07:15,134 --> 00:07:17,603 NARRATOR: Another warning light goes off. 151 00:07:17,670 --> 00:07:19,438 The fire is spreading. 152 00:07:19,505 --> 00:07:23,276 It's a nightmare scenario. 153 00:07:23,342 --> 00:07:26,212 The crew now has fire alarms in several different areas 154 00:07:26,279 --> 00:07:27,747 of the cargo hold. 155 00:07:27,814 --> 00:07:30,449 The fire suppression system isn't working. 156 00:07:30,516 --> 00:07:33,753 And the flames are spreading fast. 157 00:07:33,820 --> 00:07:35,421 The fact that the fire warnings were not 158 00:07:35,488 --> 00:07:37,990 only not going away but they were actually progressing, 159 00:07:38,057 --> 00:07:40,660 they were increasing, tells you that you 160 00:07:40,726 --> 00:07:43,996 have a high likelihood of a very, very serious fire 161 00:07:44,063 --> 00:07:44,997 in the back of the airplane. 162 00:07:46,766 --> 00:07:49,068 NARRATOR: With the emergency escalating, 163 00:07:49,135 --> 00:07:52,205 clear communication is key. 164 00:07:52,271 --> 00:07:54,674 Bahrain, I need an emergency descend. 165 00:07:54,740 --> 00:07:57,543 This is UPS 6 file. 166 00:07:57,610 --> 00:08:00,713 UPS 6, descend flight level 270. 167 00:08:00,780 --> 00:08:04,183 UPS 6 is going down to what altitude, sir? 168 00:08:04,250 --> 00:08:06,152 Flight level 270, sir. 169 00:08:06,219 --> 00:08:08,221 JOHN COX: Establishing effective communication 170 00:08:08,287 --> 00:08:12,758 is one of the first steps after the mask are in place. 171 00:08:12,825 --> 00:08:15,828 NARRATOR: But the pilots are having trouble hearing. 172 00:08:15,895 --> 00:08:16,996 Can you hear me? 173 00:08:17,063 --> 00:08:19,832 NARRATOR: The masks have built-in microphones. 174 00:08:19,899 --> 00:08:22,802 I can't hear a damn thing. 175 00:08:22,869 --> 00:08:24,837 NARRATOR: In the midst of the emergency, 176 00:08:24,904 --> 00:08:28,574 the crew needs to adjust the setting to make them work. 177 00:08:28,641 --> 00:08:32,378 JOHN COX: It can take some time because the correct selection 178 00:08:32,445 --> 00:08:35,181 for the microphone and the mask has to be made, 179 00:08:35,248 --> 00:08:37,083 the overhead speakers have to be turned on, 180 00:08:37,149 --> 00:08:38,985 the volume has to be turned up. 181 00:08:39,051 --> 00:08:42,688 The downside of that is that no additional parts 182 00:08:42,755 --> 00:08:45,992 of the checklist are accomplished until the crew 183 00:08:46,058 --> 00:08:48,261 communication is established. 184 00:08:48,327 --> 00:08:50,997 Bahrain, do you read UPS 6? 185 00:08:51,063 --> 00:08:54,300 RICHARD PHILLIPS: UPS 6, go ahead, sir. 186 00:08:54,367 --> 00:08:56,269 NARRATOR: Just as the communication 187 00:08:56,335 --> 00:09:03,309 problem is solved, a much bigger one drifts in-- 188 00:09:04,610 --> 00:09:05,544 smoke. 189 00:09:05,611 --> 00:09:07,113 JOHN COX: A cockpit full of smoke 190 00:09:07,179 --> 00:09:12,251 is an absolutely terrifying condition. 191 00:09:12,318 --> 00:09:14,820 You're doing everything you can to vent 192 00:09:14,887 --> 00:09:17,490 smoke out of the airplane. 193 00:09:17,556 --> 00:09:21,627 Yet, it continues to get worse. 194 00:09:21,694 --> 00:09:23,529 God, it's getting hot in here. 195 00:09:23,596 --> 00:09:25,798 BILL ENGLISH: The captain starts to feel heat. 196 00:09:25,865 --> 00:09:27,934 He knows the fires right underneath them. 197 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:31,971 I need a descent down at 10,000 feet right away, sir. 198 00:09:32,038 --> 00:09:36,042 UPS 6 descend and maintain 10,000, your discretion. 199 00:09:38,210 --> 00:09:40,212 NARRATOR: A terrifying situation 200 00:09:40,279 --> 00:09:43,482 is about to get worse. 201 00:09:43,549 --> 00:09:44,750 DARREN STRAKER: As soon as he starts 202 00:09:44,817 --> 00:09:46,852 to pitch the aeroplane down, there's 203 00:09:46,919 --> 00:09:50,957 no control of the elevators. 204 00:09:51,023 --> 00:09:52,725 Find out what the hell is going on. 205 00:09:52,792 --> 00:09:54,627 I've barely got control of the airplane. 206 00:09:54,694 --> 00:09:56,295 JOHN COX: That's very disconcerting 207 00:09:56,362 --> 00:09:59,265 because losing the normal actions 208 00:09:59,332 --> 00:10:02,668 of a primary flight control can have catastrophic effects. 209 00:10:06,806 --> 00:10:10,776 NARRATOR: The crew of UPS 6 is still 22 minutes from Dubai 210 00:10:10,843 --> 00:10:14,947 International Airport. 211 00:10:15,014 --> 00:10:17,717 I've got no control of the airplane. 212 00:10:17,783 --> 00:10:18,751 What? 213 00:10:18,818 --> 00:10:21,520 I have no pitch control of the airplane! 214 00:10:21,587 --> 00:10:23,155 BILL ENGLISH: Pitch control, that's nose 215 00:10:23,222 --> 00:10:25,358 up, nose down of the airplane. 216 00:10:25,424 --> 00:10:26,726 It's critical to airspeed. 217 00:10:26,792 --> 00:10:28,327 And as he gets close to the runway, 218 00:10:28,394 --> 00:10:30,429 critical to being able to land. 219 00:10:30,496 --> 00:10:32,198 NARRATOR: The captain knows if he 220 00:10:32,264 --> 00:10:34,400 can re-engage the autopilot, it might 221 00:10:34,467 --> 00:10:37,603 be able to steady the plane. 222 00:10:37,670 --> 00:10:39,271 Very quickly and prudently, he 223 00:10:39,338 --> 00:10:41,440 decides something's not right. 224 00:10:41,507 --> 00:10:43,142 Let's go back to the automation. 225 00:10:43,209 --> 00:10:45,911 NARRATOR: But the smoke is blinding. 226 00:10:45,978 --> 00:10:47,780 Can you see anything? 227 00:10:47,847 --> 00:10:49,248 No, I can't see anything. 228 00:10:49,315 --> 00:10:51,550 JOHN COX: Terrifying would be an understatement. 229 00:10:51,617 --> 00:10:53,819 And it would require a lot of discipline 230 00:10:53,886 --> 00:10:56,355 to maintain the ability to fly the airplane. 231 00:11:01,427 --> 00:11:04,530 NARRATOR: The captain gropes through the smoke 232 00:11:04,597 --> 00:11:09,301 and finds the autopilot control. 233 00:11:09,368 --> 00:11:11,203 The strategy works. 234 00:11:11,270 --> 00:11:14,540 For now, the plant is stable. 235 00:11:14,607 --> 00:11:16,442 But navigating back to the airport 236 00:11:16,509 --> 00:11:18,411 with smoke obscuring the controls 237 00:11:18,477 --> 00:11:24,183 will still be an enormous challenge. 238 00:11:24,250 --> 00:11:27,853 UPS 6, proceed direct to Dubai when you're able. 239 00:11:27,920 --> 00:11:31,590 NARRATOR: With UPS 6 about to fly out of his airspace, 240 00:11:31,657 --> 00:11:34,326 Philips gets on the phone to controllers in the United Arab 241 00:11:34,393 --> 00:11:36,562 Emirates to make sure Dubai Airport is 242 00:11:36,629 --> 00:11:40,666 ready for the incoming plane. 243 00:11:40,733 --> 00:11:42,701 UPS 6 is reporting a cargo fire 244 00:11:42,768 --> 00:11:47,373 and has declared an emergency. 245 00:11:47,440 --> 00:11:49,875 Try and get Dubai into the computer. 246 00:11:49,942 --> 00:11:52,411 NARRATOR: The crew needs to program their autopilot 247 00:11:52,478 --> 00:11:55,047 for the return to Dubai. 248 00:11:55,114 --> 00:11:57,550 Let's get straight into 12 Left. 249 00:11:57,616 --> 00:11:58,851 12 Left, OK. 250 00:11:58,918 --> 00:12:00,286 BILL ENGLISH: Unfortunately, the pilot 251 00:12:00,352 --> 00:12:04,156 is going to need to see that autopilot to configure it. 252 00:12:04,223 --> 00:12:05,891 No, I can't see it! 253 00:12:05,958 --> 00:12:07,259 DARREN STRAKER: It's almost impossible 254 00:12:07,326 --> 00:12:10,863 to grasp the magnitude of the problem-solving task. 255 00:12:14,133 --> 00:12:16,702 NARRATOR: If they can get close enough to the runway 256 00:12:16,769 --> 00:12:19,805 and maintain the correct speed, a high-tech guidance 257 00:12:19,872 --> 00:12:21,874 system at the airport might help 258 00:12:21,941 --> 00:12:25,478 get the plane to the ground. 259 00:12:25,544 --> 00:12:29,548 The Instrument Landing System or ILS sends out radio signals 260 00:12:29,615 --> 00:12:31,217 from the end of the runway. 261 00:12:31,283 --> 00:12:33,853 It can guide the plane down both vertically 262 00:12:33,919 --> 00:12:36,956 and horizontally from about 12 miles out. 263 00:12:37,022 --> 00:12:40,159 The autopilot in the 747 is pretty sophisticated. 264 00:12:40,226 --> 00:12:42,161 It could pick up that instrument landing system 265 00:12:42,228 --> 00:12:45,164 signal and automatically fly the airplane and bring it 266 00:12:45,231 --> 00:12:48,167 all the way basically to the threshold of the runway. 267 00:12:48,234 --> 00:12:50,236 NARRATOR: But first, Bell has to dial 268 00:12:50,302 --> 00:12:52,538 in the right frequency for the ILS signal 269 00:12:52,605 --> 00:12:57,977 from Runway 12 Left. 270 00:12:58,043 --> 00:13:02,448 Somehow through the smoke, he doesn't. 271 00:13:02,515 --> 00:13:06,485 UPS 6 is now less than 20 minutes from the runway. 272 00:13:06,552 --> 00:13:09,922 OK, UPS 6 is straight into 12 Left, sirs. 273 00:13:09,989 --> 00:13:11,724 Straight into 12 Left. 274 00:13:11,790 --> 00:13:13,559 All planes stand by. 275 00:13:13,626 --> 00:13:15,127 NARRATOR: Other flights are rerouted 276 00:13:15,194 --> 00:13:18,397 to clear the way for UPS 6. 277 00:13:18,464 --> 00:13:22,134 Everyone is waiting for the mammoth 747 to land. 278 00:13:22,201 --> 00:13:23,769 DOUGLAS LAMPE: Give me a heading if you can. 279 00:13:23,836 --> 00:13:25,337 I can't see. 280 00:13:25,404 --> 00:13:26,705 OK, stand by. 281 00:13:26,772 --> 00:13:28,641 NARRATOR: The crew needs Philips to finish 282 00:13:28,707 --> 00:13:30,242 guiding them to the runway. 283 00:13:30,309 --> 00:13:32,378 Abu Dhabi, stand by. 284 00:13:32,444 --> 00:13:34,013 NARRATOR: He has to work fast. 285 00:13:34,079 --> 00:13:36,682 They're almost off his radar screen. 286 00:13:36,749 --> 00:13:38,217 BILL ENGLISH: Most of the time, pilots 287 00:13:38,284 --> 00:13:39,985 can at least see their instruments. 288 00:13:40,052 --> 00:13:42,221 In this case, the controller needed 289 00:13:42,288 --> 00:13:45,858 to be helping them in something very, very basic-- 290 00:13:45,925 --> 00:13:50,296 airspeed, altitude, and heading. 291 00:13:50,362 --> 00:13:51,463 I need that heading. 292 00:13:51,530 --> 00:13:53,165 It's getting really hot in here. 293 00:13:53,232 --> 00:13:55,201 NARRATOR: Just when the crew needs him most-- 294 00:13:55,267 --> 00:13:56,702 RICHARD PHILLIPS: We'll get right back to you 295 00:13:56,769 --> 00:13:58,270 with that, sir. 296 00:13:58,337 --> 00:13:59,371 Right, clipboard, please. 297 00:13:59,438 --> 00:14:01,674 NARRATOR: --Phillips loses radar contact. 298 00:14:01,740 --> 00:14:03,576 Thank you. 299 00:14:03,642 --> 00:14:06,512 NARRATOR: UPS 6 has flown beyond the range 300 00:14:06,579 --> 00:14:09,515 of Bahrain's radar. 301 00:14:09,582 --> 00:14:11,317 Emirates, this is Bahrain Area Control. 302 00:14:11,383 --> 00:14:13,385 I need your readouts for UPS 6. 303 00:14:13,452 --> 00:14:14,920 They're off my radar. 304 00:14:14,987 --> 00:14:18,390 NARRATOR: Since he can no longer see UPS 6, 305 00:14:18,457 --> 00:14:20,759 Philips asks controllers in Abu Dhabi 306 00:14:20,826 --> 00:14:25,431 to track the plane on their radar and send him updates. 307 00:14:25,497 --> 00:14:27,733 Heading 106. 308 00:14:27,800 --> 00:14:34,106 UPS 6, heading is 106. 309 00:14:34,173 --> 00:14:38,877 UPS 6, heading 106, if you're able. 310 00:14:38,944 --> 00:14:40,913 NARRATOR: Moments later, the pilots 311 00:14:40,980 --> 00:14:42,815 face their worst crisis yet. 312 00:14:50,623 --> 00:14:51,190 I got no 313 00:14:51,257 --> 00:14:52,925 oxygen. 314 00:14:52,992 --> 00:14:53,926 OK, hold on. 315 00:14:53,993 --> 00:14:55,094 Are you OK? 316 00:14:55,160 --> 00:14:58,797 NARRATOR: The captain isn't getting any air. 317 00:14:58,864 --> 00:15:02,501 I got no oxygen. I can't breathe. 318 00:15:02,568 --> 00:15:05,537 NARRATOR: There's emergency oxygen beside the jump seat 319 00:15:05,604 --> 00:15:09,975 at the rear of the cockpit. 320 00:15:10,042 --> 00:15:13,912 But the captain can't reach it. 321 00:15:13,979 --> 00:15:14,513 - 322 00:15:14,580 --> 00:15:15,914 Oxygen. 323 00:15:15,981 --> 00:15:17,716 NARRATOR: The captain now has just one option. 324 00:15:17,783 --> 00:15:18,717 But it's risky. 325 00:15:18,784 --> 00:15:20,352 JOHN COX: The best thing he can do 326 00:15:20,419 --> 00:15:22,721 now is to get up out of the seat, 327 00:15:22,788 --> 00:15:26,692 go back, and get that supplemental 328 00:15:26,759 --> 00:15:29,962 oxygen. 329 00:15:30,029 --> 00:15:32,331 You fly. 330 00:15:32,398 --> 00:15:34,433 OK, I got control. 331 00:15:34,500 --> 00:15:36,201 NARRATOR: No pilot wants to leave 332 00:15:36,268 --> 00:15:38,137 the controls in an emergency. 333 00:15:38,203 --> 00:15:40,506 It goes against every instinct. 334 00:15:40,572 --> 00:15:43,709 That would be a hard decision to make 335 00:15:43,776 --> 00:15:46,211 and one made almost out of desperation 336 00:15:46,278 --> 00:15:50,149 or, put another way, made with no other choice. 337 00:15:50,215 --> 00:15:52,584 NARRATOR: As the seconds pass with no sign 338 00:15:52,651 --> 00:15:59,658 of the captain's return, First Officer Bell 339 00:16:01,026 --> 00:16:03,329 faces a terrifying reality. 340 00:16:03,395 --> 00:16:06,465 He is now on his own. 341 00:16:06,532 --> 00:16:08,467 BILL ENGLISH: The situation now is doubly 342 00:16:08,534 --> 00:16:09,702 worse for the first officer. 343 00:16:09,768 --> 00:16:12,705 The captain is most likely incapacitated. 344 00:16:12,771 --> 00:16:14,940 He's no longer communicating. 345 00:16:15,007 --> 00:16:20,279 And now, the first officer has got to do it all himself. 346 00:16:20,346 --> 00:16:21,280 Mayday! Mayday! 347 00:16:21,347 --> 00:16:22,281 Mayday! 348 00:16:22,348 --> 00:16:23,515 Can anyone hear me? 349 00:16:23,582 --> 00:16:26,852 JOHN COX: As the slow realization happened-- 350 00:16:26,919 --> 00:16:28,454 the captain's not coming back-- 351 00:16:28,520 --> 00:16:30,856 all it does is intensify the focus of, 352 00:16:30,923 --> 00:16:35,027 what do I need to do to get on the runway in Dubai? 353 00:16:35,094 --> 00:16:37,830 NARRATOR: Bell is also facing another problem. 354 00:16:37,896 --> 00:16:40,399 After flying beyond Bahrain's radar range, 355 00:16:40,466 --> 00:16:44,870 he is now about to fly out of its radio range as well. 356 00:16:44,937 --> 00:16:49,475 BILL ENGLISH: Just like a cell tower or a AM/FM radio, as you 357 00:16:49,541 --> 00:16:52,244 get farther away, the signal gets weaker and weaker 358 00:16:52,311 --> 00:16:54,413 and eventually doesn't work anymore. 359 00:16:54,480 --> 00:16:58,417 UPS 6, contact Dubai 132 decimal-- 360 00:16:58,484 --> 00:17:00,619 NARRATOR: Controllers give him a new frequency 361 00:17:00,686 --> 00:17:03,355 to tune in to Dubai control. 362 00:17:03,422 --> 00:17:04,823 But it's no use. 363 00:17:04,890 --> 00:17:07,393 The smoke in the cockpit is too thick. 364 00:17:07,459 --> 00:17:08,861 Sir, we're going to have to stay with you. 365 00:17:08,927 --> 00:17:10,028 We can't see our radios. 366 00:17:10,095 --> 00:17:12,030 Can you give me an altitude? 367 00:17:12,097 --> 00:17:14,933 He couldn't change back to the Dubai frequency. 368 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:16,769 So the problem now is, how do you 369 00:17:16,835 --> 00:17:19,872 talk to someone out of radio range on your frequency? 370 00:17:19,938 --> 00:17:22,441 NARRATOR: His only choice is to stay with Richard 371 00:17:22,508 --> 00:17:24,743 Phillips in Bahrain. 372 00:17:24,810 --> 00:17:27,112 Phillips has to think fast. 373 00:17:27,179 --> 00:17:30,015 Sky Dubai 751, you're my intermediary. 374 00:17:30,082 --> 00:17:31,984 SKY DUBAI PILOT (ON RADIO): Sky Dubai 751, roger. 375 00:17:32,050 --> 00:17:34,119 DARREN STRAKER: And a quick piece of thinking, 376 00:17:34,186 --> 00:17:36,088 the controller said, I'm going to use relays 377 00:17:36,155 --> 00:17:38,056 to communicate with the airplane, which is 378 00:17:38,123 --> 00:17:40,659 flying out of my radio range. 379 00:17:40,726 --> 00:17:42,561 NARRATOR: He recruits a plane that's 380 00:17:42,628 --> 00:17:46,298 flying within radio range of both Bahrain control and 381 00:17:46,365 --> 00:17:47,533 UPS 6. 382 00:17:47,599 --> 00:17:50,736 This plane will act as a relay, forwarding messages 383 00:17:50,803 --> 00:17:54,873 to and from the stricken plane. 384 00:17:54,940 --> 00:17:57,576 At the same time, controllers in Abu Dhabi 385 00:17:57,643 --> 00:18:01,580 are tracking UPS 6 on radar and feeding that data to Philips 386 00:18:01,647 --> 00:18:05,818 by phone. 387 00:18:05,884 --> 00:18:09,254 UPS 6, your altitude is 15,000. 388 00:18:09,321 --> 00:18:12,257 This is Sky Dubai 751 relay. 389 00:18:12,324 --> 00:18:14,827 NARRATOR: It's a makeshift system that could 390 00:18:14,893 --> 00:18:22,868 save the first officer's life. 391 00:18:22,935 --> 00:18:26,805 UPS 6 is now just 12 minutes from the runway in Dubai, 392 00:18:26,872 --> 00:18:30,542 hurtling toward it at more than 400 miles an hour. 393 00:18:30,609 --> 00:18:33,011 Dubai is how far? 394 00:18:33,078 --> 00:18:37,049 NARRATOR: It is possible for a single pilot to land a 747. 395 00:18:37,115 --> 00:18:40,052 But in an emergency, the workload is immense. 396 00:18:40,118 --> 00:18:42,154 BILL ENGLISH: He can't see his instruments, 397 00:18:42,221 --> 00:18:43,522 doesn't know where he is relation 398 00:18:43,589 --> 00:18:47,326 to the ground or the airport, and has basic troubles 399 00:18:47,392 --> 00:18:49,661 in controlling the airplane. 400 00:18:49,728 --> 00:18:52,197 That's about as bad as you can get. 401 00:18:52,264 --> 00:18:53,732 Sir, you're going to have to work faster. 402 00:18:53,799 --> 00:18:55,567 Give me a heading direct to the airport of Dubai 403 00:18:55,634 --> 00:18:57,569 and give me immediate vectors. 404 00:18:57,636 --> 00:18:59,438 SKY DUBAI PILOT (ON RADIO): UPS 6 requests 405 00:18:59,505 --> 00:19:01,607 radar vectors to the runway. 406 00:19:01,673 --> 00:19:03,408 OK, tell them to stand by. 407 00:19:03,475 --> 00:19:05,777 UPS 6 requests vectors to runway. 408 00:19:05,844 --> 00:19:09,014 NARRATOR: In Bahrain, Phillips draws on all his experience 409 00:19:09,081 --> 00:19:11,316 to manage the communications. 410 00:19:11,383 --> 00:19:13,051 BILL ENGLISH: The air traffic controllers were faced 411 00:19:13,118 --> 00:19:14,953 with this unique situation-- 412 00:19:15,020 --> 00:19:16,788 pilots who couldn't see their instruments. 413 00:19:16,855 --> 00:19:18,957 Never mind just couldn't see outside. 414 00:19:19,024 --> 00:19:20,459 And were trying the best they could 415 00:19:20,526 --> 00:19:24,530 to give this pilot the information that he needed. 416 00:19:24,596 --> 00:19:26,865 Current airspeed immediately. 417 00:19:26,932 --> 00:19:27,866 Immediately! 418 00:19:27,933 --> 00:19:29,935 NARRATOR: As he fights for his life, 419 00:19:30,002 --> 00:19:33,138 all Matthew Bell knows is that the information he needs 420 00:19:33,205 --> 00:19:34,273 can't come soon enough. 421 00:19:34,339 --> 00:19:35,841 JOHN COX: There's a lot of people 422 00:19:35,908 --> 00:19:37,910 in this communication loop. 423 00:19:37,976 --> 00:19:41,179 And information has to pass from one person to the next 424 00:19:41,246 --> 00:19:42,214 to the next to the next. 425 00:19:42,281 --> 00:19:43,549 And this takes time. 426 00:19:43,615 --> 00:19:45,250 And that's something the first officer doesn't have 427 00:19:45,317 --> 00:19:46,919 very much up. 428 00:19:46,985 --> 00:19:50,622 NARRATOR: As UPS 6 speeds ever closer to Dubai, 429 00:19:50,689 --> 00:19:55,460 Phillips struggles to keep the lines of communication open. 430 00:19:55,527 --> 00:19:58,063 As each relay plane flies out of range, 431 00:19:58,130 --> 00:20:00,299 he must scramble to find another. 432 00:20:00,365 --> 00:20:02,334 Dubai 1, you up? 433 00:20:02,401 --> 00:20:04,503 DUBAI 1 PILOT (ON RADIO): Dubai 1, go ahead. 434 00:20:04,570 --> 00:20:08,941 NARRATOR: Dubai 1 is a government aircraft, a 747. 435 00:20:09,007 --> 00:20:11,376 Captain Patty Hearst will be the voice bell 436 00:20:11,443 --> 00:20:14,079 here is during the final descent. 437 00:20:14,146 --> 00:20:16,148 Dubai 1, your radar contact, sir. 438 00:20:16,214 --> 00:20:18,350 I need you to do relays for UPS 6. 439 00:20:18,417 --> 00:20:21,486 All right, what do you want me to tell UPS 6? 440 00:20:21,553 --> 00:20:22,788 I want you to tell him exactly 441 00:20:22,854 --> 00:20:25,157 what I say when I say it. 442 00:20:25,223 --> 00:20:29,061 NARRATOR: The next five minutes will decide the fate of UPS 6 443 00:20:29,127 --> 00:20:31,930 and its lone pilot, Matthew Bell. 444 00:20:31,997 --> 00:20:34,967 JOHN COX: He's now dependent on his thousands of hours 445 00:20:35,033 --> 00:20:40,672 of experience and training to basically rewrite an emergency 446 00:20:40,739 --> 00:20:43,709 procedure for this airplane because 447 00:20:43,775 --> 00:20:46,578 these compound failures are far and above anything 448 00:20:46,645 --> 00:20:47,946 that you-- we train for. 449 00:20:48,013 --> 00:20:50,949 Tower clears you to land Runway 12 Left. 450 00:20:51,016 --> 00:20:54,886 UPS 6, you are cleared to land 12 Left. 451 00:20:54,953 --> 00:20:56,755 Tell me what to do-- what altitude, 452 00:20:56,822 --> 00:20:57,956 what speed, what heading. 453 00:20:58,023 --> 00:20:59,358 DUBAI 1 PILOT (ON RADIO): OK. 454 00:20:59,424 --> 00:21:01,627 NARRATOR: Bill desperately needs to know how 455 00:21:01,693 --> 00:21:03,261 to line up with the runway. 456 00:21:03,328 --> 00:21:04,563 They want to know what altitude, 457 00:21:04,630 --> 00:21:06,732 what speed, what heading. 458 00:21:06,798 --> 00:21:10,469 I need current altitude, speed, and heading. 459 00:21:10,535 --> 00:21:14,006 20 miles out, heading 115. 460 00:21:14,072 --> 00:21:16,208 UPS, 620 miles. 461 00:21:16,274 --> 00:21:18,577 Heading is 115. 462 00:21:18,644 --> 00:21:22,180 UPS 6, you are 20 zero miles from the field. 463 00:21:22,247 --> 00:21:25,884 NARRATOR: The information is frustratingly incomplete. 464 00:21:25,951 --> 00:21:27,352 Just like the game of telephone, 465 00:21:27,419 --> 00:21:29,488 a little bit gets lost in the translation. 466 00:21:29,554 --> 00:21:32,290 JOHN COX: With so many people in the communication loop, 467 00:21:32,357 --> 00:21:35,227 every bit of data he's getting is outdated. 468 00:21:35,293 --> 00:21:37,262 It's not what's going on right now. 469 00:21:37,329 --> 00:21:41,500 It's what was going on some period of time-- seconds ago. 470 00:21:41,566 --> 00:21:45,037 And he's trying to fly the airplane in real time. 471 00:21:45,103 --> 00:21:46,838 NARRATOR: As he nears the airport, 472 00:21:46,905 --> 00:21:49,574 Bill takes the final step in his attempt to lock 473 00:21:49,641 --> 00:21:51,710 on to the runway signal. 474 00:21:51,777 --> 00:21:55,013 He pushes the ILS approach button. 475 00:21:55,080 --> 00:21:56,448 Come on! 476 00:21:56,515 --> 00:21:58,784 NARRATOR: He knows it may be his last chance 477 00:21:58,850 --> 00:22:01,953 to get his plane on the ground safely. 478 00:22:02,020 --> 00:22:05,557 If the autopilot system captures 479 00:22:05,624 --> 00:22:09,061 the both lateral and vertical parts of the ILS, 480 00:22:09,127 --> 00:22:12,464 it says that you have a high likelihood of getting 481 00:22:12,531 --> 00:22:14,499 the airplane to the airport. 482 00:22:14,566 --> 00:22:15,600 You may bend it. 483 00:22:15,667 --> 00:22:17,436 It may end up in some pieces. 484 00:22:17,502 --> 00:22:20,739 But it's the highest likelihood of survival. 485 00:22:20,806 --> 00:22:22,808 No traffic between the field and the aircraft. 486 00:22:22,874 --> 00:22:25,577 No traffic between the field and the aircraft. 487 00:22:28,447 --> 00:22:30,949 NARRATOR: Bill is doing the impossible. 488 00:22:31,016 --> 00:22:37,589 He manages to line the plane up with the runway. 489 00:22:37,656 --> 00:22:38,590 He's too high. 490 00:22:38,657 --> 00:22:40,225 And he's too fast. 491 00:22:40,292 --> 00:22:41,927 NARRATOR: But it's not enough. 492 00:22:41,993 --> 00:22:48,233 The plane is moving too fast to capture the ILS signal. 493 00:22:48,300 --> 00:22:55,040 In an instant, his best chance for a safe landing is gone. 494 00:22:56,074 --> 00:22:57,209 They said he's too fast and too high. 495 00:22:57,275 --> 00:22:59,377 Is he able to make a 360? 496 00:22:59,444 --> 00:23:00,979 NARRATOR: Circling would give Bell 497 00:23:01,046 --> 00:23:03,115 more time to slow his plane and try 498 00:23:03,181 --> 00:23:06,318 again to capture the signal. 499 00:23:06,384 --> 00:23:07,319 You're high and fast. 500 00:23:07,385 --> 00:23:08,687 Can you do a 360? - Negative. 501 00:23:08,754 --> 00:23:09,688 Negative. 502 00:23:09,755 --> 00:23:10,822 Negative. 503 00:23:10,889 --> 00:23:12,991 JOHN COX: He's what's known as behind it. 504 00:23:13,058 --> 00:23:15,494 He's not on the proper vertical profile. 505 00:23:15,560 --> 00:23:16,862 It's not getting better. 506 00:23:16,928 --> 00:23:19,898 If he doesn't sort this out, this is going to result 507 00:23:19,965 --> 00:23:24,169 in a catastrophic accident. 508 00:23:24,236 --> 00:23:26,271 NARRATOR: Bell doesn't give up. 509 00:23:26,338 --> 00:23:29,975 He sets the autopilot to speed up his descent. 510 00:23:30,041 --> 00:23:33,011 Here we go. 511 00:23:33,078 --> 00:23:36,314 NARRATOR: He hopes he can bring the plane in steep and fast 512 00:23:36,381 --> 00:23:38,150 and somehow make the landing work. 513 00:23:39,851 --> 00:23:41,853 Bell is blinded by the smoke. 514 00:23:41,920 --> 00:23:46,124 He's operating the play by feel. 515 00:23:46,191 --> 00:23:53,198 He extends the flaps and drops the landing gear. 516 00:23:55,567 --> 00:23:58,436 An alarm warns Bell the gear did not drop. 517 00:23:58,503 --> 00:24:03,108 Oh, I have no gear! 518 00:24:03,175 --> 00:24:04,609 JOHN COX: He was doing everything 519 00:24:04,676 --> 00:24:09,447 he could to maintain control of a severely crippled airplane. 520 00:24:09,514 --> 00:24:10,649 Sir, where are we? 521 00:24:10,715 --> 00:24:13,318 Where are we located? 522 00:24:13,385 --> 00:24:16,621 NARRATOR: Bell is overshooting the runway. 523 00:24:16,688 --> 00:24:19,658 He was pretty much lined up along the left right course 524 00:24:19,724 --> 00:24:21,760 to the runway. 525 00:24:21,827 --> 00:24:28,834 Unfortunately, it was too high for him to make a landing. 526 00:24:29,968 --> 00:24:31,336 Is he able to make a left turn for a 10-mile 527 00:24:31,403 --> 00:24:32,437 final for Sharjah? 528 00:24:32,504 --> 00:24:33,705 BILL ENGLISH: Air traffic thought quick. 529 00:24:33,772 --> 00:24:36,208 They knew there was another runway nearby at Sharjah 530 00:24:36,274 --> 00:24:39,177 and tried to give him guidance to make that runway. 531 00:24:39,244 --> 00:24:41,580 Are you able to make a left turn now to Sharjah? 532 00:24:41,646 --> 00:24:43,281 It's 10 miles away. 533 00:24:43,348 --> 00:24:44,282 Do your left turn. 534 00:24:44,349 --> 00:24:45,383 What heading? 535 00:24:45,450 --> 00:24:47,619 NARRATOR: A small left turn could take 536 00:24:47,686 --> 00:24:49,521 him to the alternate airport. 537 00:24:49,588 --> 00:24:56,595 What sort of heading, Bahrain? 538 00:25:01,466 --> 00:25:02,400 Hurry up! 539 00:25:02,467 --> 00:25:06,371 What heading? 540 00:25:06,438 --> 00:25:09,007 Heading 095. 541 00:25:09,074 --> 00:25:11,543 You're on final for Sharjah. 542 00:25:11,610 --> 00:25:13,411 NARRATOR: Bell tries to enter the heading 543 00:25:13,478 --> 00:25:20,485 into the autopilot. 544 00:25:21,820 --> 00:25:24,589 He's made a right turn-- a right turn! 545 00:25:24,656 --> 00:25:26,524 NARRATOR: But instead of turning left, 546 00:25:26,591 --> 00:25:31,463 the plane turns the wrong way, 90 degrees to the right. 547 00:25:31,529 --> 00:25:33,465 Unfortunately, one digit was wrong-- 548 00:25:33,531 --> 00:25:34,833 195. 549 00:25:34,900 --> 00:25:37,168 And instead of turning left towards Sharjah, 550 00:25:37,235 --> 00:25:41,139 the airplane turned right, away from Dubai and Sharjah. 551 00:25:41,206 --> 00:25:44,142 NARRATOR: Bell feels the plane banked the wrong way. 552 00:25:44,209 --> 00:25:48,246 He disconnects the autopilot to try to correct his course. 553 00:25:48,313 --> 00:25:51,049 But he still has no manual pitch control. 554 00:25:51,116 --> 00:25:53,718 The nose of the plane drops. 555 00:25:53,785 --> 00:25:55,921 DARREN STRAKER: He has no manual flight controls. 556 00:25:55,987 --> 00:25:57,422 So the audio flight system is off. 557 00:25:57,489 --> 00:25:58,623 And he has to control pitch. 558 00:25:58,690 --> 00:26:00,191 But he has no elevator control. 559 00:26:00,258 --> 00:26:02,727 My airspeed! 560 00:26:02,794 --> 00:26:04,396 What's his airspeed? 561 00:26:04,462 --> 00:26:07,365 Ground speed 266. 562 00:26:07,432 --> 00:26:09,301 JOHN COX: The first officer never 563 00:26:09,367 --> 00:26:13,538 gave up trying to fly the airplane or land the airplane. 564 00:26:13,605 --> 00:26:15,540 OK, your ground speed is 266. 565 00:26:15,607 --> 00:26:18,777 It sounds like you're too fast. 566 00:26:18,843 --> 00:26:20,145 800 feet. 567 00:26:20,211 --> 00:26:21,146 You're 800 feet. 568 00:26:27,786 --> 00:26:28,687 300 feet. 569 00:26:28,753 --> 00:26:29,988 Any runway is available. 570 00:26:30,055 --> 00:26:35,360 Any runway available, UPS 6. 571 00:26:35,427 --> 00:26:36,528 If able, climb immediately. 572 00:26:36,594 --> 00:26:37,729 Climb immediately! 573 00:26:37,796 --> 00:26:44,769 UPS 6, climb immediately! 574 00:27:05,824 --> 00:27:10,528 What's the word? 575 00:27:10,595 --> 00:27:18,303 Radar contact lost. 576 00:27:18,370 --> 00:27:21,873 NARRATOR: UPS 6 has crashed into a military base 577 00:27:21,940 --> 00:27:24,909 10 miles from Dubai International Airport. 578 00:27:24,976 --> 00:27:29,014 Neither pilot has survived. 579 00:27:29,080 --> 00:27:32,217 First officer Matthew Bell, who fought to the final seconds, 580 00:27:32,283 --> 00:27:37,722 leaves behind a wife and a four-year-old daughter. 581 00:27:37,789 --> 00:27:43,261 Captain Douglas Lampe was also married with four children. 582 00:27:43,328 --> 00:27:48,633 It's one of Dubai's worst ever aviation disasters. 583 00:27:48,700 --> 00:27:51,836 And for the first time, the man in charge of the investigation 584 00:27:51,903 --> 00:27:58,910 is a UAE national. 585 00:27:59,978 --> 00:28:03,148 I remember it was a Friday evening 586 00:28:03,214 --> 00:28:05,150 on the month of Ramadan. 587 00:28:05,216 --> 00:28:08,253 And shortly after, we got the call. 588 00:28:08,319 --> 00:28:10,822 NARRATOR: He knows he's facing one of the most important 589 00:28:10,889 --> 00:28:13,258 challenges of his career. 590 00:28:13,324 --> 00:28:14,592 KHALID AL RAISI: This is the busiest 591 00:28:14,659 --> 00:28:16,027 airport in this region. 592 00:28:16,094 --> 00:28:19,531 And UPS is a major career as well. 593 00:28:19,597 --> 00:28:22,200 It was so important to know what the reason 594 00:28:22,267 --> 00:28:29,074 that the aircraft crashed. 595 00:28:29,140 --> 00:28:32,510 NARRATOR: Al Raisi already has an important lead. 596 00:28:32,577 --> 00:28:36,247 The pilots told controllers the plane was on fire. 597 00:28:36,314 --> 00:28:38,616 But he doesn't know what caused the fire 598 00:28:38,683 --> 00:28:44,522 or how it could have crippled a jumbo jet so completely. 599 00:28:44,589 --> 00:28:48,993 The $220-million plane is now charred rubble. 600 00:28:49,060 --> 00:28:51,763 The unrecognizable remains spread over a wreckage site 601 00:28:51,830 --> 00:28:55,066 the size of six football fields. 602 00:28:55,133 --> 00:28:57,902 JOHN COX: The airplane had hit at very high speeds. 603 00:28:57,969 --> 00:28:59,838 There were a lot of small pieces. 604 00:28:59,904 --> 00:29:03,041 And when that happens, from an investigative standpoint, 605 00:29:03,108 --> 00:29:05,577 it's going to be really challenging. 606 00:29:05,643 --> 00:29:07,245 NARRATOR: Al Raisi quickly appoints 607 00:29:07,312 --> 00:29:11,416 New Zealander Darren Straker to lead the investigation. 608 00:29:11,483 --> 00:29:14,152 Straker is an experienced air crash investigator, 609 00:29:14,219 --> 00:29:18,756 recently recruited to the UAE. 610 00:29:18,823 --> 00:29:20,992 OK, let's get moving. 611 00:29:21,059 --> 00:29:23,461 We need to see every piece. 612 00:29:23,528 --> 00:29:26,698 First question is, what was on fire? 613 00:29:26,764 --> 00:29:28,399 How did it get on board? 614 00:29:28,466 --> 00:29:32,203 Why didn't the aircraft fire suppression system handle it? 615 00:29:32,270 --> 00:29:36,141 And how did this 747 drop out of the sky 616 00:29:36,207 --> 00:29:39,577 in the middle of a large city? 617 00:29:39,644 --> 00:29:42,747 NARRATOR: Since the 747 is American built-- 618 00:29:42,814 --> 00:29:43,748 Well, what do you need? 619 00:29:43,815 --> 00:29:45,316 NARRATOR: --Al Raisi he also calls 620 00:29:45,383 --> 00:29:47,218 in investigators from the US National 621 00:29:47,285 --> 00:29:50,088 Transportation Safety Board. 622 00:29:50,155 --> 00:29:52,590 BILL ENGLISH: We knew right away from the air traffic 623 00:29:52,657 --> 00:29:55,493 communications, they had this catastrophic fire 624 00:29:55,560 --> 00:29:58,363 and all these other side effects in the airplane. 625 00:29:58,429 --> 00:30:02,066 We needed to find out how could this happen. 626 00:30:02,133 --> 00:30:04,335 NARRATOR: The 747 is one of the most 627 00:30:04,402 --> 00:30:07,906 popular planes in the sky. 628 00:30:07,972 --> 00:30:12,010 A newly formed team needs answers fast. 629 00:30:12,076 --> 00:30:15,680 I want you to search this entire grid inch by inch. 630 00:30:15,747 --> 00:30:17,482 NARRATOR: The first step is to recover 631 00:30:17,549 --> 00:30:19,918 as much debris as possible. 632 00:30:19,984 --> 00:30:21,519 BILL ENGLISH: We call it eating the elephant, 633 00:30:21,586 --> 00:30:23,755 where do you start, one bite at a time. 634 00:30:23,821 --> 00:30:25,423 First things to look for were the flight 635 00:30:25,490 --> 00:30:31,996 recorders-- the CVR and FDR. 636 00:30:32,063 --> 00:30:33,698 NARRATOR: The cockpit voice recorder 637 00:30:33,765 --> 00:30:36,367 is found almost immediately. 638 00:30:36,434 --> 00:30:38,336 It should have captured everything that pilots 639 00:30:38,403 --> 00:30:41,139 said in the cockpit. 640 00:30:41,206 --> 00:30:43,641 But there's no sign of a flight data recorder. 641 00:30:43,708 --> 00:30:46,411 And the heat of the desert is making a difficult search 642 00:30:46,477 --> 00:30:48,413 even more challenging. 643 00:30:48,479 --> 00:30:51,182 We needed to find the data recorder. 644 00:30:51,249 --> 00:30:53,751 So we just resorted to searching square by square. 645 00:30:53,818 --> 00:30:55,520 We made 10 meter squared sections. 646 00:30:55,587 --> 00:30:58,156 And we just progressed in a linear fashion 647 00:30:58,223 --> 00:31:05,129 from the beginning of the debris field. 648 00:31:06,130 --> 00:31:07,732 NARRATOR: Meanwhile, investigators 649 00:31:07,799 --> 00:31:11,502 hope the cockpit voice recorder will provide some leads. 650 00:31:11,569 --> 00:31:13,438 DOUGLAS LAMPE (ON RECORD): Fire, main deck forward. 651 00:31:13,504 --> 00:31:15,907 NARRATOR: But it only raises more questions. 652 00:31:15,974 --> 00:31:17,542 DOUGLAS LAMPE (ON RECORD): I'll fly the airplane. 653 00:31:17,609 --> 00:31:18,543 You run the checklist. 654 00:31:18,610 --> 00:31:23,214 MATTHEW BELL (ON RECORD): OK. 655 00:31:23,281 --> 00:31:24,582 Pack 2 and 3 off. 656 00:31:24,649 --> 00:31:27,619 NARRATOR: The recording shows the crew reacted quickly, 657 00:31:27,685 --> 00:31:29,988 immediately engaging the onboard systems 658 00:31:30,054 --> 00:31:33,057 designed to contain a fire. 659 00:31:33,124 --> 00:31:37,195 Why couldn't they make it back to the airport? 660 00:31:37,262 --> 00:31:41,532 Those systems should prevent this from happening. 661 00:31:41,599 --> 00:31:42,967 But they didn't. 662 00:31:44,202 --> 00:31:47,505 DOUGLAS LAMPE (ON RECORD): I got no oxygen. 663 00:31:47,572 --> 00:31:49,440 I can't breathe. 664 00:31:49,507 --> 00:31:52,110 DARREN STRAKER: The thing that stood out 665 00:31:52,176 --> 00:31:54,979 for me was the speed of the onset of the problems 666 00:31:55,046 --> 00:31:56,214 they faced. 667 00:31:56,281 --> 00:31:59,484 How does a fire get so out of control, uncontained, 668 00:31:59,550 --> 00:32:02,487 that the airplane is rendered almost unflyable 669 00:32:02,553 --> 00:32:05,523 and the crew is put at risk? 670 00:32:05,590 --> 00:32:08,593 NARRATOR: Three days in, the search for the second recorder 671 00:32:08,660 --> 00:32:11,796 pays off. 672 00:32:11,863 --> 00:32:14,332 The flight data recorder should contain information 673 00:32:14,399 --> 00:32:19,003 about exactly where the fire started and how it progressed. 674 00:32:19,070 --> 00:32:21,039 Let's see what the lab can do with this back in Washington. 675 00:32:21,105 --> 00:32:23,474 NARRATOR: Investigators won't know what they have 676 00:32:23,541 --> 00:32:25,910 until they can get the recorder to an NTSB 677 00:32:25,977 --> 00:32:27,145 laboratory for analysis. 678 00:32:27,211 --> 00:32:29,947 BILL ENGLISH: Recorders are designed to withstand 679 00:32:30,014 --> 00:32:31,449 some fire and some heat. 680 00:32:31,516 --> 00:32:33,785 But they're not completely immune. 681 00:32:33,851 --> 00:32:35,186 They can be burned. 682 00:32:35,253 --> 00:32:38,056 They can be damaged by heat and by impact. 683 00:32:52,003 --> 00:32:54,772 NARRATOR: Beyond the outer edge of the wreckage field, 684 00:32:54,839 --> 00:32:58,176 investigators make an unexpected find. 685 00:32:58,242 --> 00:33:00,611 BILL ENGLISH: We looked outside the burned area 686 00:33:00,678 --> 00:33:03,247 and saw this little shrub, maybe 3 feet high, 687 00:33:03,314 --> 00:33:06,584 just sitting out by itself in the dirt, burned 688 00:33:06,651 --> 00:33:10,955 far away from the main area. 689 00:33:11,022 --> 00:33:16,060 Inside that bush was one small lithium battery 690 00:33:16,127 --> 00:33:19,897 that had burns, blown itself up, 691 00:33:19,964 --> 00:33:24,202 and shot out of the wreckage into the little bush. 692 00:33:24,268 --> 00:33:26,104 NARRATOR: The small piece of evidence 693 00:33:26,170 --> 00:33:32,443 suggests a terrifying new theory. 694 00:33:32,510 --> 00:33:36,614 The cargo manifest reveals UPS 6 had dozens of shipments 695 00:33:36,681 --> 00:33:39,384 of lithium batteries or consumer electronics 696 00:33:39,450 --> 00:33:41,085 that contain them. 697 00:33:42,553 --> 00:33:47,191 81,000 batteries, that's a lot of hazardous cargo. 698 00:33:47,258 --> 00:33:49,560 DARREN STRAKER: Once we had got the cargo manifest 699 00:33:49,627 --> 00:33:52,296 and seen the total volume of these batteries 700 00:33:52,363 --> 00:33:54,399 that were on board, we were heading 701 00:33:54,465 --> 00:33:55,666 in the right direction. 702 00:33:55,733 --> 00:33:59,570 NARRATOR: Lithium batteries are extremely flammable. 703 00:33:59,637 --> 00:34:01,873 They can provide up to 10 times the energy 704 00:34:01,939 --> 00:34:04,308 of regular alkaline batteries, which is why they 705 00:34:04,375 --> 00:34:06,978 last longer in electronics. 706 00:34:07,044 --> 00:34:08,913 But their volatile chemical composition 707 00:34:08,980 --> 00:34:13,184 means they can burst into flames if they're damaged. 708 00:34:13,251 --> 00:34:18,823 Is that what happened in the cargo hold of UPS Flight 6? 709 00:34:18,890 --> 00:34:23,694 Joseph Panagiotu is a fire and explosive expert for the NTSB. 710 00:34:23,761 --> 00:34:25,496 JOSEPH PANAGIOTU: There's been instances where they're 711 00:34:25,563 --> 00:34:27,598 trying to load a pallet of cargo which 712 00:34:27,665 --> 00:34:28,666 contains a lot of batteries. 713 00:34:28,733 --> 00:34:30,301 And it catches on fire at the airport 714 00:34:30,368 --> 00:34:32,570 before getting onto the airplane. 715 00:34:32,637 --> 00:34:36,541 So we're aware that that is a possibility. 716 00:34:36,607 --> 00:34:38,075 You can't automatically conclude 717 00:34:38,142 --> 00:34:39,076 that that's what it is. 718 00:34:39,143 --> 00:34:41,379 But it's one of the prime suspects. 719 00:34:41,446 --> 00:34:43,314 NARRATOR: Demand for lithium batteries 720 00:34:43,381 --> 00:34:45,316 has never been higher. 721 00:34:45,383 --> 00:34:47,452 Several billion are manufactured and shipped 722 00:34:47,518 --> 00:34:49,954 around the world every year. 723 00:34:50,021 --> 00:34:52,990 Lithium batteries are on everything that we do. 724 00:34:53,057 --> 00:34:54,091 They're in our cars. 725 00:34:54,158 --> 00:34:55,326 They're in our homes. 726 00:34:55,393 --> 00:34:57,662 They're in every airplane we get on. 727 00:34:57,728 --> 00:35:00,231 They are everywhere. 728 00:35:00,298 --> 00:35:03,167 NARRATOR: At a testing facility in the United States, 729 00:35:03,234 --> 00:35:05,903 Straker runs lab tests to explore just 730 00:35:05,970 --> 00:35:11,409 how flammable lithium batteries can be. 731 00:35:11,476 --> 00:35:17,415 The results are astonishing. 732 00:35:17,482 --> 00:35:20,751 When they heat a single box containing 100 batteries, 733 00:35:20,818 --> 00:35:24,322 it quickly ignites, sending up flames that reach temperatures 734 00:35:24,388 --> 00:35:27,658 of 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. 735 00:35:27,725 --> 00:35:30,428 DARREN STRAKER: We are completely surprised at how 736 00:35:30,495 --> 00:35:36,901 a small AA size lithium battery would overheat and then vent 737 00:35:36,968 --> 00:35:40,037 and practically just explode into a problem 738 00:35:40,104 --> 00:35:46,844 which you couldn't contain. 739 00:35:46,911 --> 00:35:50,515 NARRATOR: The black box flight data has been downloaded. 740 00:35:50,581 --> 00:35:52,650 Investigators study each parameter, 741 00:35:52,717 --> 00:35:57,922 trying to reconstruct how the plane broke down over time. 742 00:35:57,989 --> 00:36:00,491 BILL ENGLISH: We could see numerous systems failing, 743 00:36:00,558 --> 00:36:01,959 things dropping offline. 744 00:36:02,026 --> 00:36:05,763 We could start tracing back as things were failing, 745 00:36:05,830 --> 00:36:09,934 lining them up physically with the airplane. 746 00:36:10,001 --> 00:36:12,837 NARRATOR: The next step is to map the failures 747 00:36:12,904 --> 00:36:19,644 and use them to trace the path of the fire. 748 00:36:20,878 --> 00:36:23,381 The data paints a vivid picture of an intense fire 749 00:36:23,447 --> 00:36:28,019 that burned through the cargo hold at a critical location. 750 00:36:28,085 --> 00:36:32,189 All the failures are right here behind the cockpit. 751 00:36:32,256 --> 00:36:34,859 BILL ENGLISH: If you are familiar with the 747, 752 00:36:34,926 --> 00:36:36,394 you know it has that very distinctive 753 00:36:36,460 --> 00:36:37,495 hump up in the front. 754 00:36:37,562 --> 00:36:39,163 The cockpit is part of that hump. 755 00:36:39,230 --> 00:36:41,532 And the cargo deck is underneath there. 756 00:36:41,599 --> 00:36:45,102 A lot of the cabling, the control cables, 757 00:36:45,169 --> 00:36:46,537 electrical cabling and everything 758 00:36:46,604 --> 00:36:48,940 ran through this one common area 759 00:36:49,006 --> 00:36:51,042 just at the aft part of that hump, 760 00:36:51,108 --> 00:36:54,779 right above the part of that cargo compartment where 761 00:36:54,845 --> 00:36:57,582 we saw the first fire alarms. 762 00:36:57,648 --> 00:36:59,817 NARRATOR: So what was in the containers 763 00:36:59,884 --> 00:37:02,720 beneath those systems? 764 00:37:02,787 --> 00:37:04,221 Bingo. 765 00:37:04,288 --> 00:37:05,623 Lithium batteries. 766 00:37:05,690 --> 00:37:08,426 BILL ENGLISH: Right underneath the critical failure points 767 00:37:08,492 --> 00:37:10,494 in the airplane, we found some shipments 768 00:37:10,561 --> 00:37:12,830 in there of some pretty large batteries, 769 00:37:12,897 --> 00:37:15,533 a lot of energy packed in a very dense place. 770 00:37:15,600 --> 00:37:17,802 DARREN STRAKER: That was a big moment to figure that out. 771 00:37:17,868 --> 00:37:19,337 We had the solution to the issue 772 00:37:19,403 --> 00:37:21,739 of where the failures originated 773 00:37:21,806 --> 00:37:26,644 and how they originated. 774 00:37:26,711 --> 00:37:28,713 NARRATOR: In the crowded cargo deck, 775 00:37:28,779 --> 00:37:32,016 the flames soon spread to other containers, many of which 776 00:37:32,083 --> 00:37:34,685 also contained batteries. 777 00:37:34,752 --> 00:37:36,454 JOSEPH PANAGIOTU: We've seen in fire tests 778 00:37:36,520 --> 00:37:38,889 that sometimes, they become projectiles, 779 00:37:38,956 --> 00:37:40,291 flaming projectiles. 780 00:37:40,358 --> 00:37:45,162 And they can spread a fire that way and make it even worse. 781 00:37:47,598 --> 00:37:49,500 Fire, main deck forward. 782 00:37:49,567 --> 00:37:51,902 NARRATOR: By the time the crew gets a warning, 783 00:37:51,969 --> 00:37:54,872 the fire is already burning too intensely for the suppression 784 00:37:54,939 --> 00:37:59,577 system to put it out. 785 00:37:59,644 --> 00:38:01,178 The menu of flight control system 786 00:38:01,245 --> 00:38:05,783 is in the direct path of the fire. 787 00:38:05,850 --> 00:38:08,152 Luckily, the autopilot system is not. 788 00:38:08,219 --> 00:38:10,287 It can still send electrical signals 789 00:38:10,354 --> 00:38:17,361 directly to the servos that operate the plane's controls. 790 00:38:19,430 --> 00:38:22,466 But when the pilot switches off the autopilot, 791 00:38:22,533 --> 00:38:25,970 the plane becomes nearly impossible to fly. 792 00:38:26,037 --> 00:38:30,074 I have no pitch control of the airplane. 793 00:38:30,141 --> 00:38:33,177 NARRATOR: Fire quickly destroys more systems, 794 00:38:33,244 --> 00:38:35,513 including the captain's oxygen supply 795 00:38:35,579 --> 00:38:38,382 and the landing gear controls. 796 00:38:38,449 --> 00:38:42,219 I have no gear. 797 00:38:42,286 --> 00:38:44,755 NARRATOR: But Straker believes that tragedy would have 798 00:38:44,822 --> 00:38:47,324 been even worse if not for the final actions 799 00:38:47,391 --> 00:38:49,326 of the first officer. 800 00:38:49,393 --> 00:38:51,295 300 feet, any runway is available. 801 00:38:51,362 --> 00:38:53,431 NARRATOR: At the last moment, in a plane 802 00:38:53,497 --> 00:38:55,366 he could barely control-- 803 00:38:55,433 --> 00:38:56,567 If able, climb immediately. 804 00:38:56,634 --> 00:38:58,035 Climb immediately! 805 00:38:58,102 --> 00:38:59,770 NARRATOR: --he manages to narrowly 806 00:38:59,837 --> 00:39:04,308 avoid a suburb of Dubai. 807 00:39:04,375 --> 00:39:06,243 At the very end, there are some controlled movements 808 00:39:06,310 --> 00:39:09,480 that go in, which if he hadn't made them 809 00:39:09,547 --> 00:39:12,316 two seconds beforehand, they would have collided 810 00:39:12,383 --> 00:39:17,254 with that residential area. 811 00:39:19,156 --> 00:39:21,358 He knew what was in front of him. 812 00:39:21,425 --> 00:39:23,928 And he also knew from the grand proximity warning system 813 00:39:23,994 --> 00:39:30,301 that the time was running out. 814 00:39:35,139 --> 00:39:39,176 NARRATOR: Investigators have one final question. 815 00:39:39,243 --> 00:39:41,579 The 747's cargo area is equipped 816 00:39:41,645 --> 00:39:43,647 with a flame resistant liner. 817 00:39:43,714 --> 00:39:48,486 It wraps the entire cargo hold in a protective shield. 818 00:39:48,552 --> 00:39:51,255 It should have protected the critical systems. 819 00:39:51,322 --> 00:39:56,360 We had to get on top of the reason of this failure 820 00:39:56,427 --> 00:39:58,129 to save other people lives. 821 00:39:58,195 --> 00:40:00,064 NARRATOR: Investigators need to know 822 00:40:00,131 --> 00:40:01,632 why the cargo liner failed. 823 00:40:06,370 --> 00:40:08,672 It's now certain that an intense fire 824 00:40:08,739 --> 00:40:10,908 fueled by a large cargo of batteries 825 00:40:10,975 --> 00:40:14,478 crippled UPS Flight 6. 826 00:40:14,545 --> 00:40:17,047 To find out how fire could have burned through the plane's 827 00:40:17,114 --> 00:40:19,650 protective cargo liner, investigators 828 00:40:19,717 --> 00:40:22,620 conduct another dramatic test. 829 00:40:22,686 --> 00:40:29,293 We did our tests with a representative load. 830 00:40:30,461 --> 00:40:35,132 The fire was-- on the palette was enormous. 831 00:40:35,199 --> 00:40:38,169 JOSEPH PANAGIOTU: We were standing behind glass 832 00:40:38,235 --> 00:40:39,870 about 50 feet away from this. 833 00:40:39,937 --> 00:40:41,605 And I could feel the heat. 834 00:40:41,672 --> 00:40:42,940 BILL ENGLISH: What the test showed 835 00:40:43,007 --> 00:40:47,978 us is not just the energy but the time factor as well. 836 00:40:48,045 --> 00:40:50,714 All this pent-up energy released so quickly 837 00:40:50,781 --> 00:40:52,850 that it could create this catastrophic event 838 00:40:52,917 --> 00:40:54,885 without the time needed for the pilots 839 00:40:54,952 --> 00:40:56,520 to get safely back down on the ground. 840 00:40:57,588 --> 00:40:59,924 NARRATOR: The cargo liner failed. 841 00:40:59,990 --> 00:41:01,759 The flames spread quickly, eating 842 00:41:01,826 --> 00:41:04,495 through vital control systems. 843 00:41:04,562 --> 00:41:06,831 DARREN STRAKER: Once the single point of failure, which 844 00:41:06,897 --> 00:41:09,533 is the cargo liner, has disintegrated, 845 00:41:09,600 --> 00:41:11,802 you don't have protections for your oxygen system. 846 00:41:11,869 --> 00:41:14,338 You don't have protections for your flight control. 847 00:41:14,405 --> 00:41:17,508 You don't have protections for your environmental control. 848 00:41:17,575 --> 00:41:23,347 It's all gone. 849 00:41:23,414 --> 00:41:26,417 It all came down to a single point of failure. 850 00:41:26,483 --> 00:41:28,919 KHALID AL RAISI: We never thought that a new aircraft 851 00:41:28,986 --> 00:41:30,688 could have such failure. 852 00:41:30,754 --> 00:41:34,592 Nobody thought of these failures would happen. 853 00:41:34,658 --> 00:41:36,961 NARRATOR: The final report highlights the need 854 00:41:37,027 --> 00:41:39,697 for better smoke detectors and fire extinguishers in 855 00:41:39,763 --> 00:41:44,869 cargo holds. 856 00:41:44,935 --> 00:41:47,037 It also calls for new fire-resistant 857 00:41:47,104 --> 00:41:49,773 cargo containers. 858 00:41:49,840 --> 00:41:52,543 The final report for UPS 6 came up 859 00:41:52,610 --> 00:41:55,479 with 36 safety recommendation. 860 00:41:55,546 --> 00:41:58,082 This number talks by itself on the depth 861 00:41:58,148 --> 00:42:04,288 of the safety lessons, which we learned from this accident. 862 00:42:04,355 --> 00:42:05,723 BILL ENGLISH: One of the big changes 863 00:42:05,789 --> 00:42:08,058 that's already occurring in the cargo industry 864 00:42:08,125 --> 00:42:12,730 is the concept of container level fire detection. 865 00:42:12,796 --> 00:42:15,299 Rather than relying on the smoke detection or fire 866 00:42:15,366 --> 00:42:17,902 detection in the cargo, compartments themselves, 867 00:42:17,968 --> 00:42:19,837 these very large compartments, we're 868 00:42:19,904 --> 00:42:23,874 moving towards the ability to detect fires inside the cargo 869 00:42:23,941 --> 00:42:26,677 pallets themselves inside the containers 870 00:42:26,744 --> 00:42:31,181 rather than waiting before it's too late and too big. 871 00:42:31,248 --> 00:42:34,051 NARRATOR: At UPS, the entire company mourned 872 00:42:34,118 --> 00:42:36,787 the loss of their colleagues. 873 00:42:36,854 --> 00:42:38,889 Even before the report came out, 874 00:42:38,956 --> 00:42:43,160 they took steps to keep their pilots safer. 875 00:42:43,227 --> 00:42:44,929 The company is testing a new cargo 876 00:42:44,995 --> 00:42:47,431 container that can withstand a 1,200-degree 877 00:42:47,498 --> 00:42:49,767 fire for up to four hours. 878 00:42:49,833 --> 00:42:51,835 HOUSTON MILLS: That-- you know, that type of containment 879 00:42:51,902 --> 00:42:55,506 capability will allow our people as well as anyone 880 00:42:55,572 --> 00:42:58,409 in the world to safely get an aircraft on the ground 881 00:42:58,475 --> 00:43:00,277 no matter where they're flying. 882 00:43:00,344 --> 00:43:04,448 NARRATOR: UPS has also improved safety in the cockpit. 883 00:43:04,515 --> 00:43:06,884 HOUSTON MILLS: We've implemented full-face action 884 00:43:06,951 --> 00:43:08,986 masks, which can be placed on our pilots 885 00:43:09,053 --> 00:43:11,155 with one hand three seconds, gives 886 00:43:11,221 --> 00:43:13,190 them more time to respond to perhaps 887 00:43:13,257 --> 00:43:14,491 a smoke-filled cockpit. 888 00:43:14,558 --> 00:43:17,428 We also will be the first international carrier 889 00:43:17,494 --> 00:43:19,496 to install EVAS, which is the Enhanced 890 00:43:19,563 --> 00:43:21,732 Vision Assurance System. 891 00:43:21,799 --> 00:43:24,768 NARRATOR: The new system creates a sealed air bubble 892 00:43:24,835 --> 00:43:28,272 for the pilots that allows them to see both their instruments 893 00:43:28,339 --> 00:43:35,346 and the view ahead if the cockpit ever fills with smoke. 894 00:43:37,715 --> 00:43:39,917 DARREN STRAKER: The industry has taken 895 00:43:39,984 --> 00:43:43,153 on board what's in the report. 896 00:43:43,220 --> 00:43:45,656 They're addressing the risk clearly. 897 00:43:45,723 --> 00:43:48,325 There's a general public awareness that the batteries 898 00:43:48,392 --> 00:43:50,260 now can pose a serious risk. 899 00:43:50,327 --> 00:43:52,563 So if all of the safety recommendations which 900 00:43:52,629 --> 00:43:56,233 the Civil Aviation Authority have put in the report 901 00:43:56,300 --> 00:43:58,335 are implemented, any other similar accident 902 00:43:58,402 --> 00:43:59,336 would be avoided.