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NARRATOR:
Laredo International Airport, Texas.
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Continental Express
is such a watershed moment
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for an accident investigation.
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Outside looks good.
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Okay. I've done the cockpit scans.
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We're set for the before start checklist.
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NARRATOR:
Continental Express flight 25-74.
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It happened extremely fast.
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(THUDS)
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I mean, the force was so violent.
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The plane was unflyable.
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CARY LABAY: Oh, my God. Look.
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(BEEPING)
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I was a little bit scared
when I first saw the wreckage.
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I told them that I thought it was...
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...a bomb went off.
Kaboom!
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NARRATOR:
The wreckage will tell a chilling story.
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If they had
strictly followed those procedures,
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this accident should not have happened.
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NARRATOR:
Of good intentions gone terribly wrong.
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PILOT:
Mayday! Mayday!
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(THEME MUSIC PLAYING)
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(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING)
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ATC (OVER RADIO): Jetlink 25-74.
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They're going to bring everybody in
on two-six or two-seven.
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Okie-dokie.
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COCKPIT COMPUTER:
Autopilot off.
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{\an8}NARRATOR:
Continental Express Flight 25-74
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{\an8}and its 11 passengers
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nears the end of its one-hour flight
from Laredo to Houston, Texas.
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It's the second flight
of the day for this crew.
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They've already flown
from Houston to Laredo.
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Now they're on their way back.
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15,000 feet below,
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it's a warm late summer morning
on the farms
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and cattle ranches of Southern Texas.
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Captured on the right.
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NARRATOR: The pilots prepare
the Embraer 120 Brasilia
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for another routine landing.
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Captain Brad Patridge
is just 29 years old.
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43-year-old first officer Clint Rodosovich
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is now very close to becoming
a captain himself.
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They are 110 kilometers from Houston,
home for both pilots.
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Pushing this descent.
Making like the space shuttle.
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(THUDDING AND RATTLING)
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(ALARMS BEEPING)
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- (PEOPLE SCREAMING)
- COCKPIT COMPUTER: High speed.
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NARRATOR: In the blink of an eye,
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the plane is plummeting
towards the ground.
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It drops 2,000 feet in just a few seconds.
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COCKPIT COMPUTER:
Stall.
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NARRATOR: Far below, Cary Labay
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and his brother Clifton
are working on their farm.
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My brother and I heard an explosion.
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We both looked up in the air
and, uh, it was, oh, my God. Look.
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{\an8}Seen the plane coming out of the air.
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{\an8}The plane was spiraling.
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NARRATOR:
Flight 25-74 plummets to the ground
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at more than 500 kilometers an hour.
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COCKPIT COMPUTER (SLOWED DOWN):
Autopilot. Autopilot.
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Unit one channel.
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Unit one channel. Unit one channel.
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(EXPLOSION BOOMS)
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When it hit the ground,
there was a massive explosion.
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My brother said, let's go.
And I said, "Man..."
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I really don't think there's anything
I want to see there.
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LABAY: When I made the 911 call,
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they were asking for directions
and I told them, I said, uh,
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all you have to do is follow the smoke.
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REPORTER: What we see
on the ground is not recognizable
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in any shape, form, or fashion
as having been an airplane.
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NARRATOR: Firefighters find
the smoldering wreckage of the aircraft
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in the middle of a farmer's field
near Eagle Lake, Texas,
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just 110 kilometers west of Houston.
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LABAY: As we went there, you,
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if you wouldn't have knew
it was an airplane,
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you would have just thought
it was a pile of trash.
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It was burned so far.
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REPORTER: Ten bodies were found
inside the wreckage, four outside.
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NARRATOR: All 14 people onboard
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including Patridge
and Rodosovich are dead.
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Accident investigators must now figure out
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why lives were lost
on a popular commuter flight.
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{\an8}BRENNER: Whenever one passenger dies
in a scheduled flight
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{\an8}we launch an entire team,
that's understood.
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We have about 12 specialties,
uh, that form the go-team.
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And we have to be prepared to launch
on three to four hours' notice.
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NARRATOR: Jim Ritter is an engineer
who specializes in airplane mechanics.
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{\an8}RITTER: One of the key things that
we do in every accident investigation
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{\an8}is we try to figure out
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{\an8}why did the airplane behave
the way it did.
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Was it normal performance
or was there a malfunction
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that can explain what caused the accident?
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I was a little bit scared
when I first saw the wreckage.
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The airplane was destroyed,
and there wasn't a lot to go on.
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NARRATOR: Deepak Joshi is an expert
on the structure of the aircraft itself.
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{\an8}I went straight to the main wreckage
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{\an8}where I found most of the airplane.
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My first order of business was
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to locate the four corners
of the airplane.
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NARRATOR: The small plane was
a Brazilian made twin turboprop,
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the Embraer 120.
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Its size and speed have made it popular
with regional airlines in the US.
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The Continental Express fleet
includes 34 of the aircraft.
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(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING)
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The first day, uh, when we got down there
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I led the group in terms
of interviewing six witnesses.
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And one of them reported
that the airplane appeared
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to be in a routine descent to the airport,
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and as he watched it, he saw that,
uh, there was an explosion.
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There was an explosion.
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I told him that I thought it was a...
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...bomb went off
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And, uh, it was spiraling as it went down.
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When it hit the ground,
there was a secondary explosion.
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And kaboom!
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The primary explosion's
what caused us to go, oh, my God.
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I could see a hole in it.
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It looked like it had a hole in it
about the size of a Volkswagen.
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BRENNER: The eyewitnesses
were unanimous
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that the airplane was on fire
before it reached the ground.
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Seen this plane. Saw the fire just at the
outside wings and going straight down.
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The wing was blown completely off.
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And it was just dangling there.
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NARRATOR:
The eyewitness testimony is compelling.
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An onboard explosion caused by a bomb
seems like a very real possibility.
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Agents from the Federal Bureau
of Investigation are quickly on the scene
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looking for evidence of foul play.
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The FAA said that they believe
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that there had been a mid-air explosion,
and it went off the,
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it went off the screen very rapidly.
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RITTER: The FBI had gotten a report
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that, uh, someone had placed
a bomb on the aircraft
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and they were being very careful
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and making sure that there was no evidence
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of any kind of bomb or criminal activity.
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REPORTER: The NTSB has heard reports
of a federally protected witness
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testifying in a Laredo drug trial
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who was reportedly booked
on the Continental flight.
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The suspect missed the flight
after the trial ran late.
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What I'm telling you
is our investigators have nothing on that.
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I don't know how much more clear
I can be on that.
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NARRATOR: The wreckage itself
gives the investigators
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an immediate clue about the crash.
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JOSHI: I saw the cockpit was there.
The fuselage was there.
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The left wing had folded
under the right wing.
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And a portion of the vertical stabilizer
was there.
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But the horizontal stabilizer was missing.
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NARRATOR: The Embraer 120
is what's called a T-tail airplane.
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The horizontal stabilizer sits
on top of the vertical stabilizer.
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And then I wondered where could it be?
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NARRATOR: 200 meters away,
well back from the main wreckage,
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Joshi finds the missing tail section.
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Can someone help me get a bearing on this?
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That made me believe
that there is definitely
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an in-flight breakup of an airplane.
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Alright.
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RITTER: A lot of the various pieces
were scattered around,
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so one of the key questions
that we kept asking ourselves
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was what happened first?
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What initiated this event?
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(CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS)
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I'm guessing that tail came off
at about 9,000 feet.
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There's something there that,
something speaking to us in that evidence.
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00:10:56,690 --> 00:10:58,976
NARRATOR:
Deciphering the message won't be easy.
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00:10:59,059 --> 00:11:02,563
But as the story of Flight 25-74 unfolds,
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00:11:02,696 --> 00:11:05,899
investigators will uncover
a shocking accident scenario
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00:11:06,033 --> 00:11:08,468
unlike anything seen before.
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(AIRPLANE DRONING)
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REPORTER:
All 14 people aboard were killed,
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among them the pilot
Captain Brad Patridge of Kingwood.
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00:11:20,614 --> 00:11:23,467
NARRATOR: NTSB investigators
recover the black boxes
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00:11:23,550 --> 00:11:28,088
from the rear fuselage
of Continental Express Flight 25-74.
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00:11:31,258 --> 00:11:33,511
{\an8}RITTER:
The recorders are pivotal in our work.
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00:11:33,594 --> 00:11:36,647
{\an8}It's really what gives us
a window into what happened.
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{\an8}If we didn't have the flight data recorder
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or we don't have
the cockpit voice recorder,
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00:11:40,901 --> 00:11:43,737
we don't have a lot
of information to go on.
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NARRATOR: The black boxes
will be rushed to Washington for analysis.
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00:11:50,210 --> 00:11:53,547
Investigators focus next
on the plane's severed tail.
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00:11:55,449 --> 00:11:58,135
JOSHI: There is a missing piece,
uh, of the puzzle,
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{\an8}and it does not reach the main wreckage.
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{\an8}That's where the focus tends to go.
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NARRATOR:
From its position 200 meters back
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00:12:07,094 --> 00:12:08,579
from the rest of the wreckage,
186
00:12:08,662 --> 00:12:11,248
investigators can tell
it was one of the first parts
187
00:12:11,331 --> 00:12:12,833
to come off the plane.
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00:12:14,001 --> 00:12:16,737
(DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING)
189
00:12:18,939 --> 00:12:21,508
They wonder if corrosion or metal fatigue
190
00:12:21,642 --> 00:12:24,584
may have weakened the tail
to the point of failure.
191
00:12:25,979 --> 00:12:28,899
When a piece of metal
bends back and forth over time,
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00:12:28,982 --> 00:12:30,751
it eventually snaps.
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00:12:30,884 --> 00:12:35,789
Called fatigue, that failure
is identified by a smooth clean break.
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00:12:39,193 --> 00:12:41,212
JOSHI: We started to look
at the fracture surfaces
195
00:12:41,295 --> 00:12:43,697
of the vertical stabilizer.
196
00:12:44,831 --> 00:12:47,618
NARRATOR: But the edges
of the tail section aren't smooth.
197
00:12:47,701 --> 00:12:49,203
They're jagged.
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00:12:50,337 --> 00:12:55,676
In this particular accident,
we did not see any brown color, rust.
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00:12:56,743 --> 00:12:58,846
No corrosion. No fatigue.
200
00:13:01,181 --> 00:13:03,400
NARRATOR:
The fracture surfaces clearly indicate
201
00:13:03,483 --> 00:13:05,719
that the tail was ripped off suddenly.
202
00:13:09,890 --> 00:13:11,124
In Washington...
203
00:13:12,626 --> 00:13:15,662
...NTSB technicians open the black boxes.
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00:13:17,731 --> 00:13:21,285
BRENNER: The cockpit voice recorder is our
single most important piece of evidence.
205
00:13:21,368 --> 00:13:23,220
{\an8}It records everything that's said,
206
00:13:23,303 --> 00:13:26,951
{\an8}all sounds in the cockpit
for the last half hour before impact.
207
00:13:28,308 --> 00:13:30,961
You can hear cockpit sounds
that can be very helpful.
208
00:13:31,044 --> 00:13:32,496
So you can hear
what the engines are doing.
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00:13:32,579 --> 00:13:36,109
You can hear a whole bunch of things.
We do analysis on that.
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00:13:36,383 --> 00:13:39,170
NARRATOR: But no voice recorder
comes with a guarantee.
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00:13:39,253 --> 00:13:43,489
It's a complicated piece of electronics
hooked up to several microphones.
212
00:13:44,157 --> 00:13:48,061
After slamming into the ground
at more than 500 kilometers an hour,
213
00:13:48,195 --> 00:13:51,498
there's a chance the recording
may be damaged or lost.
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00:13:53,133 --> 00:13:55,602
In Texas, the FBI field unit
215
00:13:55,736 --> 00:13:59,854
finishes testing remnants of the plane
for any residue from explosives.
216
00:14:03,277 --> 00:14:05,101
I think it was a bomb went off.
217
00:14:05,913 --> 00:14:08,090
NARRATOR: The results are conclusive.
218
00:14:08,182 --> 00:14:11,585
There was no bomb onboard Flight 25-74.
219
00:14:12,386 --> 00:14:14,621
(AIRPLANE DRONING)
220
00:14:14,755 --> 00:14:20,227
It became pretty obvious that we had
a structural reason for the accident
221
00:14:20,360 --> 00:14:24,665
and not really a bomb
or any kind of criminal event.
222
00:14:27,734 --> 00:14:28,869
(EXPLOSION BOOMS)
223
00:14:29,002 --> 00:14:32,556
NARRATOR: The fire and a mid-air explosion
reported by witnesses
224
00:14:32,639 --> 00:14:36,581
were likely caused when the wing broke off
igniting the fuel inside.
225
00:14:40,547 --> 00:14:42,900
Investigators discover
that the tail section
226
00:14:42,983 --> 00:14:45,118
did not fall off in one piece.
227
00:14:45,919 --> 00:14:48,188
JOSHI: I noticed that the leading edge
228
00:14:48,322 --> 00:14:51,625
on the left side horizontal stabilizer
was missing.
229
00:14:51,758 --> 00:14:52,910
This is very unusual.
230
00:14:52,993 --> 00:14:55,579
Maybe a small section
of the leading edge would be missing
231
00:14:55,662 --> 00:14:58,133
but not the whole complete
10 foot section.
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00:14:59,900 --> 00:15:01,786
NARRATOR:
The leading edge on the right side
233
00:15:01,869 --> 00:15:03,921
is still attached to the stabilizer,
234
00:15:04,004 --> 00:15:06,640
but the one on the left
is missing entirely.
235
00:15:09,276 --> 00:15:11,945
So when did this piece break off?
236
00:15:12,079 --> 00:15:13,798
RITTER: A key question there is,
237
00:15:13,881 --> 00:15:16,700
what was the first part
that came off of the airplane?
238
00:15:16,783 --> 00:15:19,303
Because a lot of times,
the initiating event
239
00:15:19,386 --> 00:15:22,089
is going to be found in those early parts
240
00:15:22,222 --> 00:15:25,281
that break from the airplane
in an in-flight breakup.
241
00:15:26,326 --> 00:15:27,945
NARRATOR:
It's now vitally important
242
00:15:28,028 --> 00:15:31,031
for investigators to find
the missing leading edge.
243
00:15:33,600 --> 00:15:37,538
It's a piece of molded composite material
three meters long.
244
00:15:37,671 --> 00:15:41,495
Its rounded shape allows air
to pass smoothly over the stabilizer.
245
00:15:45,979 --> 00:15:49,803
But the missing piece can't be found
anywhere near the crash site.
246
00:15:51,852 --> 00:15:55,072
We really needed it,
and there was a growing frustration
247
00:15:55,155 --> 00:15:57,658
because we thought this part was critical.
248
00:15:59,459 --> 00:16:03,459
NARRATOR: Without it, they don't have
all the pieces of the aircraft.
249
00:16:04,431 --> 00:16:08,843
More importantly, they're missing
the piece that most likely came off first.
250
00:16:08,969 --> 00:16:11,438
(INDISTINCT)
251
00:16:12,906 --> 00:16:14,708
JOSHI: That piece of evidence
252
00:16:15,242 --> 00:16:19,146
was very, very important
for this investigation.
253
00:16:20,314 --> 00:16:24,351
And, uh, we made our best effort
to find this leading edge.
254
00:16:27,154 --> 00:16:31,425
The FAA asked us to assist in,
uh, the search.
255
00:16:32,059 --> 00:16:33,427
We walked our property.
256
00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:35,662
I knew every bit of that property.
257
00:16:41,568 --> 00:16:43,863
NARRATOR: As searchers comb the area...
258
00:16:45,072 --> 00:16:47,708
...Jim Ritter receives a copy
of the CVR data
259
00:16:47,841 --> 00:16:49,430
from the lab in Washington.
260
00:16:51,512 --> 00:16:54,748
The good news
is that the recording is intact.
261
00:16:54,882 --> 00:16:57,802
The pilots' final moments
have been clearly captured.
262
00:16:57,885 --> 00:16:59,303
RODOSOVICH (ON TAPE):
Radio check.
263
00:16:59,386 --> 00:17:02,506
NARRATOR: Ritter wants to see
if they discussed a developing crisis
264
00:17:02,589 --> 00:17:04,909
or perhaps were forced
to make a sudden maneuver
265
00:17:04,992 --> 00:17:06,960
to avoid an oncoming obstacle.
266
00:17:08,862 --> 00:17:13,700
If the airplanes are flying
within 6,000 to 8,000 feet,
267
00:17:13,834 --> 00:17:17,004
you know, you might have
some involvement of birds.
268
00:17:17,137 --> 00:17:19,957
NARRATOR: But the twin turboprop
was flying much higher,
269
00:17:20,040 --> 00:17:22,409
well above any threat of a bird strike.
270
00:17:23,810 --> 00:17:25,129
RODOSOVICH: Radio check.
271
00:17:25,212 --> 00:17:28,348
- I can hear you loud and clear.
- As you also.
272
00:17:29,516 --> 00:17:31,516
OFFICER PATRIDGE (ON TAPE):
Okay...
273
00:17:31,785 --> 00:17:35,206
NARRATOR: But the CVR is mostly filled
with the sound of controllers
274
00:17:35,289 --> 00:17:37,658
giving the pilots routine instructions.
275
00:17:38,559 --> 00:17:41,695
ATC (ON TAPE):
Jetlink 25-74, say your heading.
276
00:17:42,629 --> 00:17:44,398
Zero-five-zero.
277
00:17:45,532 --> 00:17:48,035
ATC (OVER RADIO):
Jetlink 25-74, Roger.
278
00:17:48,502 --> 00:17:50,504
Fly heading zero-three-zero.
279
00:17:52,940 --> 00:17:55,999
NARRATOR: And normal conversation
between the pilots.
280
00:17:56,176 --> 00:17:57,235
(RODOSOVICH SIGHS)
281
00:17:57,344 --> 00:17:58,929
RODOSOVICH (ON TAPE):
Got a few days off coming up.
282
00:17:59,012 --> 00:18:02,366
I'm gonna head down to the coast,
a little R and R, a little golf.
283
00:18:02,449 --> 00:18:05,035
NARRATOR: There are no hints of trouble
on this flight
284
00:18:05,118 --> 00:18:09,890
until the First Officer pushes his plane
into a rapid descent towards Houston.
285
00:18:11,425 --> 00:18:13,577
RODOSOVICH: (ON TAPE)
Pushing this descent.
286
00:18:13,660 --> 00:18:15,425
Making like the space shuttle.
287
00:18:16,296 --> 00:18:18,432
(RATTLING)
288
00:18:24,204 --> 00:18:25,790
Well, the CVR showed us that,
289
00:18:25,873 --> 00:18:28,426
that the flight crew
was totally professional.
290
00:18:28,509 --> 00:18:32,496
I mean, they were not doing anything
that they shouldn't have been doing.
291
00:18:32,579 --> 00:18:35,638
NARRATOR: Investigators listen
for any other clues...
292
00:18:37,084 --> 00:18:40,084
...the sounds of objects
being upset in the cockpit.
293
00:18:41,188 --> 00:18:43,190
- (THUDDING)
- (RATTLING)
294
00:18:43,657 --> 00:18:45,876
- NARRATOR: The engines suddenly screaming.
- (ENGINES WHINING)
295
00:18:45,959 --> 00:18:48,078
- The blare of flight warning alarms.
- (ALARM BEEPING)
296
00:18:48,161 --> 00:18:50,931
COCKPIT COMPUTER:
Stall. Stall. Stall.
297
00:18:51,064 --> 00:18:53,947
NARRATOR:
But there's no more conversation at all.
298
00:18:54,868 --> 00:18:57,822
The recording tells investigators
that Patridge and Rodosovich
299
00:18:57,905 --> 00:19:01,909
had absolutely no advance warning
of their plane's sudden plunge.
300
00:19:03,844 --> 00:19:06,213
The event happened extremely fast.
301
00:19:08,115 --> 00:19:11,763
I don't think there was anything
that the crew could have done.
302
00:19:11,985 --> 00:19:14,955
(EXPLOSION BOOMS)
303
00:19:17,357 --> 00:19:19,960
(KEYPAD BEEPING)
304
00:19:20,093 --> 00:19:22,213
NARRATOR:
An analysis of the flight data recorder
305
00:19:22,296 --> 00:19:24,002
comes to the same conclusion.
306
00:19:27,334 --> 00:19:30,187
RITTER: We didn't see anything unusual
about the accident flight
307
00:19:30,270 --> 00:19:33,540
until the very instant
that we had the pitch down.
308
00:19:34,474 --> 00:19:38,662
NARRATOR: Until the plane went into a dive
at near top speed and broke up,
309
00:19:38,745 --> 00:19:41,381
there was nothing abnormal
about this flight.
310
00:19:44,184 --> 00:19:46,620
The cause of the crash remains a mystery.
311
00:19:47,154 --> 00:19:51,658
Finding the one missing piece of the tail
is now more important than ever.
312
00:20:01,668 --> 00:20:03,854
BRENNER: We were doing marches
through the area,
313
00:20:03,937 --> 00:20:06,257
and after several days went by,
it was difficult.
314
00:20:06,340 --> 00:20:09,176
We had flights
by the local volunteer groups,
315
00:20:09,309 --> 00:20:10,839
were flying over the site.
316
00:20:11,345 --> 00:20:14,198
NARRATOR: They're searching
a 12-square kilometer area
317
00:20:14,281 --> 00:20:16,984
for a three-meter-long composite piece.
318
00:20:18,619 --> 00:20:20,454
Finding it is a long shot.
319
00:20:21,421 --> 00:20:23,140
BRENNER: There was this growing theme
320
00:20:23,223 --> 00:20:25,459
that we have to find that part.
321
00:20:25,592 --> 00:20:29,945
And there was a frustration that it was
way more difficult than we thought.
322
00:20:31,532 --> 00:20:35,302
RITTER: We had engineers
from the aircraft manufacturer
323
00:20:35,435 --> 00:20:38,639
helping to tell us
how heavy the parts were.
324
00:20:38,772 --> 00:20:40,257
Do... Well, do you have
the weight of the piece?
325
00:20:40,340 --> 00:20:41,859
RITTER: The dimensions of the parts
326
00:20:41,942 --> 00:20:45,295
so that we could figure out
what drag levels we might see.
327
00:20:45,946 --> 00:20:49,182
NARRATOR: Ritter logs
the coordinates of the crash site.
328
00:20:50,517 --> 00:20:53,370
He studies the weather patterns
from the day of the accident.
329
00:20:53,453 --> 00:20:56,223
{\an8}So I took that information,
330
00:20:56,356 --> 00:20:58,258
put it together, and calculated
331
00:20:58,392 --> 00:21:00,745
where the leading edge radius should be.
332
00:21:02,229 --> 00:21:04,748
NARRATOR: Finally he comes up
with a possible location
333
00:21:04,831 --> 00:21:06,400
for the missing piece.
334
00:21:11,738 --> 00:21:13,190
RITTER: I think it's somewhere in here.
335
00:21:13,273 --> 00:21:17,044
Over the next couple of days,
we went to that area and we...
336
00:21:17,177 --> 00:21:19,295
We laid out a grid to search for it.
337
00:21:20,881 --> 00:21:24,184
We searched for it on,
uh, in the four-wheelers,
338
00:21:24,318 --> 00:21:26,186
and in the helicopter.
339
00:21:28,055 --> 00:21:31,350
NARRATOR: On the third day
of the search, some good news.
340
00:21:32,025 --> 00:21:33,811
BRENNER: We were flying
over the Texas countryside,
341
00:21:33,894 --> 00:21:35,262
big cattle country.
342
00:21:35,395 --> 00:21:36,984
Suddenly the, uh, the pilot
343
00:21:37,097 --> 00:21:38,949
sitting next to me said,
"I think I see it."
344
00:21:39,032 --> 00:21:41,535
(HELICOPTER WHIRRING)
345
00:21:43,804 --> 00:21:45,923
NARRATOR:
The piece is in the area predicted,
346
00:21:46,006 --> 00:21:49,889
but it's so well camouflaged
that it was nearly impossible to spot.
347
00:21:50,444 --> 00:21:53,130
BRENNER: People had walked by it
hundreds of times,
348
00:21:53,213 --> 00:21:56,450
but it just happened to blend in
with the cattle fence.
349
00:21:57,251 --> 00:21:58,636
Uh, hey, Jim, we found it,
350
00:21:58,719 --> 00:22:00,837
and it's just where you said it was.
351
00:22:02,289 --> 00:22:05,342
Of course it is,
you just weren't looking hard enough.
352
00:22:05,425 --> 00:22:08,262
We had spent several days all day long,
353
00:22:08,395 --> 00:22:11,732
long days and nights
calculating where to look,
354
00:22:11,865 --> 00:22:15,335
and so I was elated
when we finally found the part.
355
00:22:16,136 --> 00:22:18,489
NARRATOR: Now that
the leading edge has been found,
356
00:22:18,572 --> 00:22:22,514
investigators believe they finally
have all the pieces of the plane.
357
00:22:23,744 --> 00:22:26,263
RITTER: We were really excited
because it's important.
358
00:22:26,346 --> 00:22:29,900
You want to do your best to understand
what happened in an accident.
359
00:22:29,983 --> 00:22:32,219
And if you didn't have the key part...
360
00:22:32,819 --> 00:22:34,878
...there would always be questions.
361
00:22:36,557 --> 00:22:37,608
(CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING)
362
00:22:37,691 --> 00:22:40,691
NARRATOR: Right away,
they notice something unusual.
363
00:22:41,094 --> 00:22:43,624
The evidence indicated
that the leading edge
364
00:22:43,730 --> 00:22:47,835
upper surface holes were absolutely clean.
365
00:22:47,968 --> 00:22:50,537
No elongation. No damage.
366
00:22:52,506 --> 00:22:54,191
NARRATOR:
But the holes that hold the piece
367
00:22:54,274 --> 00:22:57,444
to the bottom of the stabilizer
look quite different.
368
00:22:59,813 --> 00:23:04,718
Uh, the lower surface holes
onto the leading edge were elongated.
369
00:23:04,852 --> 00:23:09,256
They were cracked as if you have pulled it
through the fasteners.
370
00:23:10,557 --> 00:23:12,576
NARRATOR: The missing piece
was found over a kilometer
371
00:23:12,659 --> 00:23:14,795
southwest of the tail section.
372
00:23:16,363 --> 00:23:20,187
There is no question it was the
first piece to fall off the plane.
373
00:23:22,636 --> 00:23:25,606
(DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING)
374
00:23:30,310 --> 00:23:33,447
Look here, look here,
absolutely perfect on top...
375
00:23:34,982 --> 00:23:36,850
...but destroyed at the bottom.
376
00:23:37,684 --> 00:23:39,703
NARRATOR: The fact that the screw holes
377
00:23:39,786 --> 00:23:41,705
on the leading edge aren't damaged
378
00:23:41,788 --> 00:23:43,671
presents a frightening prospect.
379
00:23:44,224 --> 00:23:46,894
It looked like
there was no screws attached
380
00:23:47,027 --> 00:23:49,596
onto the top surface
381
00:23:49,730 --> 00:23:52,201
of the horizontal stabilizer leading edge.
382
00:23:52,666 --> 00:23:56,784
NARRATOR: The discovery presents
the team with two important questions.
383
00:23:56,870 --> 00:23:59,606
Why were the screws missing and...
384
00:23:59,740 --> 00:24:02,560
Could losing this actually
cause the plane to crash?
385
00:24:02,643 --> 00:24:06,430
NARRATOR: The leading edge improves
the aerodynamics of the plane.
386
00:24:06,513 --> 00:24:09,583
But it's not a moving part
that controls direction.
387
00:24:09,716 --> 00:24:12,403
It's hard to see how losing it
would cause the plane
388
00:24:12,486 --> 00:24:14,188
to plummet from the sky.
389
00:24:16,223 --> 00:24:18,926
At that time, I was kind of, uh, surprised
390
00:24:19,059 --> 00:24:23,931
that losing a composite leading edge
would actually cause such a severe impact.
391
00:24:25,632 --> 00:24:28,552
NARRATOR: Now that all the pieces
of the plane have been found,
392
00:24:28,635 --> 00:24:31,305
the investigation moves
to NTSB headquarters
393
00:24:31,438 --> 00:24:33,073
in Washington, D.C.
394
00:24:36,643 --> 00:24:40,879
Well, we were just trying to put
all the pieces of the puzzle together...
395
00:24:42,549 --> 00:24:44,668
...and try to make sure that we understood
396
00:24:44,751 --> 00:24:49,163
what the motion of the airplane was
after the leading edge radius broke off.
397
00:24:49,656 --> 00:24:53,362
NARRATOR: The horizontal stabilizer
is like an upside down wing.
398
00:24:53,460 --> 00:24:57,097
It pushes the tail down
while the wings lift it up.
399
00:24:57,731 --> 00:25:00,618
Reducing the force
on the stabilizer lifts the tail
400
00:25:00,701 --> 00:25:02,636
and makes the flight unstable.
401
00:25:03,937 --> 00:25:05,790
RITTER: There were still questions about
402
00:25:05,873 --> 00:25:08,141
maybe it would still be controllable,
403
00:25:08,275 --> 00:25:10,461
and so we did an engineering simulation
404
00:25:10,544 --> 00:25:12,730
to try to see if maybe there was a way
405
00:25:12,813 --> 00:25:16,950
that the airplane could still fly
after it lost the leading edge.
406
00:25:18,619 --> 00:25:22,322
But we found that it really was not
a controllable situation.
407
00:25:23,557 --> 00:25:27,761
After the leading edge radius
broke off of the airplane,
408
00:25:27,895 --> 00:25:30,564
it was a negative five-G pitch over.
409
00:25:30,697 --> 00:25:33,551
Once the angle of attack
exceeded the negative limits,
410
00:25:33,634 --> 00:25:35,576
it actually broke the wing apart.
411
00:25:36,904 --> 00:25:40,140
So it was not a survivable event.
412
00:25:47,481 --> 00:25:49,600
NARRATOR: The simulations are conclusive.
413
00:25:49,683 --> 00:25:53,154
Losing just one leading edge
along the horizontal stabilizer
414
00:25:53,287 --> 00:25:56,190
will send the plane
into a catastrophic nosedive.
415
00:25:58,559 --> 00:26:01,061
Precisely what witnesses say happened...
416
00:26:02,229 --> 00:26:04,531
...to Flight 25-74.
417
00:26:05,332 --> 00:26:06,466
(EXPLOSION BOOMS)
418
00:26:06,600 --> 00:26:10,204
If there is any component of the wing
419
00:26:10,337 --> 00:26:13,279
that you don't want to lose,
it's the leading edge.
420
00:26:15,709 --> 00:26:18,696
NARRATOR: The team now knows
what triggered the crash,
421
00:26:18,779 --> 00:26:21,348
the loss of the stabilizer's leading edge.
422
00:26:21,882 --> 00:26:23,367
But what they still don't know
423
00:26:23,450 --> 00:26:26,745
is why the part seems
not to have been properly attached.
424
00:26:30,657 --> 00:26:33,477
Examining the maintenance records
for the aircraft,
425
00:26:33,560 --> 00:26:35,662
Brenner makes a disturbing find.
426
00:26:36,530 --> 00:26:39,183
A maintenance crew worked
on the horizontal stabilizer
427
00:26:39,266 --> 00:26:41,031
the night before the accident.
428
00:26:41,802 --> 00:26:45,022
The evidence was mounting that
we really needed to look in-depth
429
00:26:45,105 --> 00:26:47,458
at the maintenance procedures
done the night before
430
00:26:47,541 --> 00:26:48,826
and the maintenance area.
431
00:26:48,909 --> 00:26:50,911
(SIREN WAILING)
432
00:26:52,813 --> 00:26:55,433
NARRATOR: Continental Express
is one of the most popular carriers
433
00:26:55,516 --> 00:26:57,050
{\an8}in the United States.
434
00:26:58,919 --> 00:27:02,673
The lives of thousands of passengers
depend on the entire fleet of aircraft
435
00:27:02,756 --> 00:27:04,558
being properly maintained.
436
00:27:06,527 --> 00:27:09,830
Investigators urgently need
to find out what went wrong
437
00:27:09,963 --> 00:27:12,432
in the hours leading up to the crash.
438
00:27:17,004 --> 00:27:19,356
NARRATOR:
NTSB investigator Malcolm Brenner
439
00:27:19,439 --> 00:27:21,559
travels to Houston
Intercontinental Airport
440
00:27:21,642 --> 00:27:24,128
to talk with the maintenance crew
that worked on the plane
441
00:27:24,211 --> 00:27:25,946
the night before it crashed.
442
00:27:28,682 --> 00:27:32,419
BRENNER: In general,
we wanted to visit the facility
443
00:27:32,553 --> 00:27:34,638
{\an8}to see what the facility looked like,
444
00:27:34,721 --> 00:27:39,016
{\an8}and then to go through specifically
what had been done the evening before.
445
00:27:39,626 --> 00:27:41,645
VON THADEN:
Now, many times, a lot of work happens
446
00:27:41,728 --> 00:27:43,258
on these overnight shifts,
447
00:27:43,363 --> 00:27:46,952
and they have to get an airplane
back out to fly the next day.
448
00:27:47,301 --> 00:27:50,121
NARRATOR: Terry von Thaden
teaches aviation safety.
449
00:27:50,204 --> 00:27:53,841
She uses Flight 25-74 as a case study.
450
00:27:53,974 --> 00:27:57,277
{\an8}So there's a push to turn this aircraft
around quickly.
451
00:27:57,411 --> 00:28:00,231
{\an8}Sometimes you can get the work done,
sometimes you can't.
452
00:28:00,314 --> 00:28:02,366
NARRATOR: In preparation for winter,
453
00:28:02,449 --> 00:28:06,437
Continental Express had been inspecting
and repairing the deice boots
454
00:28:06,520 --> 00:28:09,122
on its fleet of Embraer 120s.
455
00:28:09,523 --> 00:28:11,525
The deice boot is a rubber bladder
456
00:28:11,658 --> 00:28:15,894
that can be inflated by the pilots
to break up ice on the wings and tail.
457
00:28:18,866 --> 00:28:23,136
We wanted to interview
every mechanic, uh, supervisor,
458
00:28:23,270 --> 00:28:26,507
and inspection person
who took part in that activity.
459
00:28:27,774 --> 00:28:31,480
NARRATOR: Brenner is particularly
interested in three employees.
460
00:28:32,346 --> 00:28:34,615
Shift Supervisor Adam Dillon...
461
00:28:37,117 --> 00:28:42,000
{\an8}...Troy Anderson, an inspector responsible
for checking the work of the mechanics...
462
00:28:42,856 --> 00:28:47,027
...and the evening shift supervisor
who started the job, John LePage.
463
00:28:50,931 --> 00:28:52,533
Thanks for taking the time.
464
00:28:54,968 --> 00:28:57,254
So, uh, what was the plan for the night?
465
00:28:57,337 --> 00:29:00,140
Uh, we had about 10 hours
to change both boots.
466
00:29:01,875 --> 00:29:05,029
NARRATOR: Replacing the boot involves
removing the leading edge,
467
00:29:05,112 --> 00:29:08,649
stripping the old boot off it,
and putting on a new one.
468
00:29:09,216 --> 00:29:13,040
The entire piece gets screwed back
onto the horizontal stabilizer.
469
00:29:14,521 --> 00:29:16,933
This is a big job to do all in one night.
470
00:29:19,293 --> 00:29:22,496
This was scheduled to have these replaced
471
00:29:22,629 --> 00:29:24,631
during the, uh, midnight shift.
472
00:29:26,333 --> 00:29:30,304
Somehow, the evening shift
had some extra time
473
00:29:30,771 --> 00:29:34,975
{\an8}and decided they can help out
get this airplane, uh, out
474
00:29:35,108 --> 00:29:36,944
{\an8}so we'll get it started.
475
00:29:37,778 --> 00:29:40,014
Grab what you need.
I'll get the boots.
476
00:29:40,781 --> 00:29:43,367
NARRATOR: Watching over the work
being done by the mechanics
477
00:29:43,450 --> 00:29:45,652
is Inspector Troy Anderson.
478
00:29:47,955 --> 00:29:49,779
I had some time to lend a hand.
479
00:29:53,727 --> 00:29:56,080
We went up the stabilizer
to start the job.
480
00:29:56,163 --> 00:29:58,165
(LIFT WHIRRING)
481
00:30:03,570 --> 00:30:05,389
The mechanic started working
on the bottom.
482
00:30:05,472 --> 00:30:07,374
The inspector volunteered
483
00:30:07,508 --> 00:30:10,567
to climb up on top of the thing
and get the top ones.
484
00:30:10,944 --> 00:30:13,831
NARRATOR: The evening shift,
the second shift of the day,
485
00:30:13,914 --> 00:30:17,679
was going to remove the screws
holding the leading edge in place.
486
00:30:19,686 --> 00:30:22,981
The rest of the work would be done
by the midnight shift.
487
00:30:24,958 --> 00:30:27,344
NARRATOR:
At 10 pm, Adam Dillon takes over
488
00:30:27,427 --> 00:30:29,604
as supervisor for the midnight shift.
489
00:30:30,998 --> 00:30:34,822
Hey-hey, finishing a C-check,
engine maintenance, and a boot swap.
490
00:30:36,136 --> 00:30:38,071
- Both sides?
- LEPAGE: Yup.
491
00:30:38,705 --> 00:30:40,524
Shift change is such a crucial time
492
00:30:40,607 --> 00:30:44,178
because we're taking work
that's halfway done.
493
00:30:44,845 --> 00:30:47,214
And we have to be very, very specific
494
00:30:47,347 --> 00:30:51,112
about what's been done
and what the other people are taking over.
495
00:30:52,252 --> 00:30:54,154
When I came on to my shift,
496
00:30:54,288 --> 00:30:56,818
I asked how far they got
on the deice boots.
497
00:30:57,724 --> 00:31:00,911
NARRATOR: The mechanics find
that many of the screws are stripped.
498
00:31:00,994 --> 00:31:03,447
Getting them out
takes longer than expected.
499
00:31:03,530 --> 00:31:05,616
DILLON: I found out they were still trying
500
00:31:05,699 --> 00:31:09,102
to remove the leading edge
on the right side.
501
00:31:10,003 --> 00:31:13,607
It was looking like they weren't going
to get both sides done.
502
00:31:14,842 --> 00:31:17,313
NARRATOR:
Then, a crucial decision is made.
503
00:31:19,546 --> 00:31:21,782
Have you started on the left side yet?
504
00:31:21,882 --> 00:31:23,050
No.
505
00:31:23,851 --> 00:31:25,986
(BEEPING)
506
00:31:26,620 --> 00:31:31,058
NARRATOR: The crew that started work
on the deice boots went home at 10:30.
507
00:31:32,492 --> 00:31:34,945
There was no way
we were going to get both sides done,
508
00:31:35,028 --> 00:31:38,165
so I decided to just do
the right side that night.
509
00:31:40,400 --> 00:31:43,754
NARRATOR: Investigators learn
that the supervisor of the midnight shift
510
00:31:43,837 --> 00:31:46,907
decided there wasn't enough time
to do both sides.
511
00:31:47,508 --> 00:31:50,777
Guys, forget the left side for tonight
512
00:31:50,911 --> 00:31:53,088
and let's get this plane out of here.
513
00:31:57,050 --> 00:32:00,254
So the guys,
they spent most of their shift
514
00:32:00,387 --> 00:32:03,023
replacing the right side boot.
515
00:32:06,093 --> 00:32:07,478
NARRATOR: A few hours later,
516
00:32:07,561 --> 00:32:09,647
mechanics finish changing the deice boot
517
00:32:09,730 --> 00:32:12,699
and reinstall the right side leading edge.
518
00:32:16,570 --> 00:32:20,041
So the mechanics didn't do any work
at all on the left side?
519
00:32:21,108 --> 00:32:22,776
No. We didn't touch it.
520
00:32:27,181 --> 00:32:30,517
NARRATOR: After having changed
just the right deice boot,
521
00:32:30,651 --> 00:32:35,222
airplane 701 is rolled out to the gate
for the first flight of the day.
522
00:32:40,561 --> 00:32:44,164
Three hours later,
the left leading edge rips off the tail
523
00:32:44,298 --> 00:32:48,268
causing the aircraft to plummet
almost 12,000 feet to the ground.
524
00:32:48,936 --> 00:32:51,071
(EXPLOSION BOOMS)
525
00:32:56,777 --> 00:33:00,480
Back in Washington,
NTSB investigators try to piece together
526
00:33:00,614 --> 00:33:02,800
the information they've gathered so far.
527
00:33:02,883 --> 00:33:04,051
BRENNER: Dillon...
528
00:33:05,319 --> 00:33:06,854
...and LePage.
529
00:33:08,522 --> 00:33:11,191
The individual mechanics, the supervisors,
530
00:33:11,325 --> 00:33:13,511
in general I thought
we had good cooperation.
531
00:33:13,594 --> 00:33:15,479
They did describe what they were doing?
532
00:33:15,562 --> 00:33:17,504
I think they, they were credible.
533
00:33:17,598 --> 00:33:19,517
I believe they were trying to help.
534
00:33:19,600 --> 00:33:20,718
Where was Anderson?
535
00:33:21,401 --> 00:33:22,486
LEPAGE: We had about 10 hours...
536
00:33:22,569 --> 00:33:24,355
DILLON: No way we were going
to get both sides...
537
00:33:24,438 --> 00:33:26,791
ANDERSON:
I had some time to lend a hand.
538
00:33:28,342 --> 00:33:29,727
BRENNER: The second shift.
539
00:33:29,810 --> 00:33:33,197
NARRATOR: Investigators are almost certain
that the screws were removed
540
00:33:33,280 --> 00:33:36,869
from the top of the left side leading edge
and never replaced.
541
00:33:40,020 --> 00:33:43,844
But maintenance workers insist
they only worked on the right side.
542
00:33:44,324 --> 00:33:46,293
Investigators are puzzled.
543
00:33:47,928 --> 00:33:50,046
So the second shift started the job.
544
00:33:50,297 --> 00:33:52,768
These guys,
they started on the right side.
545
00:33:52,866 --> 00:33:55,602
Their inspector, he helped them.
546
00:33:56,403 --> 00:33:58,022
BRENNER:
It's always dangerous when you change
547
00:33:58,105 --> 00:33:59,190
from one shift to another shift.
548
00:33:59,273 --> 00:34:01,759
And that's why there are
very strict procedures about that.
549
00:34:01,842 --> 00:34:03,477
They were bypassing them.
550
00:34:04,144 --> 00:34:08,515
The inspector jumped in
to get this airplane moving.
551
00:34:09,583 --> 00:34:11,118
That was all disturbing.
552
00:34:12,085 --> 00:34:14,262
Did he ever say what he did up there?
553
00:34:15,722 --> 00:34:17,781
Yeah, that's great.
Let me see that.
554
00:34:20,194 --> 00:34:22,842
"Helped the mechanics
remove the deice boots."
555
00:34:24,665 --> 00:34:25,866
What does that mean?
556
00:34:28,168 --> 00:34:30,637
{\an8}(AIRPLANE DRONING)
557
00:34:34,875 --> 00:34:36,961
{\an8}NARRATOR:
Malcolm Brenner returns to Houston
558
00:34:37,044 --> 00:34:39,263
{\an8}to try to determine precisely what work
559
00:34:39,346 --> 00:34:42,316
Inspector Anderson performed
on the doomed plane.
560
00:34:43,383 --> 00:34:45,469
"Helped mechanics remove deice boots."
561
00:34:45,552 --> 00:34:46,871
It's a very simple statement.
562
00:34:46,954 --> 00:34:49,774
It's not specific as to
what was taken off the aircraft,
563
00:34:49,857 --> 00:34:52,276
what was done, where the maintenance stood
564
00:34:52,359 --> 00:34:54,418
at that time of the shift turnover.
565
00:34:57,331 --> 00:35:00,000
"Helped the mechanics
remove the deice boots."
566
00:35:00,934 --> 00:35:01,935
What did you do?
567
00:35:02,069 --> 00:35:05,364
Well, it wasn't that busy,
so I offered to help the guys.
568
00:35:05,973 --> 00:35:09,076
BRENNER: The inspector went up
on, on the man lift
569
00:35:09,209 --> 00:35:10,594
and started helping the mechanics.
570
00:35:10,677 --> 00:35:11,795
That's not his job.
571
00:35:12,446 --> 00:35:14,899
He said he wasn't too busy,
and they needed help.
572
00:35:14,982 --> 00:35:16,834
They were going to turn this around.
573
00:35:16,917 --> 00:35:18,151
It wasn't his role.
574
00:35:18,785 --> 00:35:20,080
It wasn't a good idea.
575
00:35:20,621 --> 00:35:22,289
(SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING)
576
00:35:28,629 --> 00:35:31,832
So which side did you work on, Troy?
Just the right?
577
00:35:34,134 --> 00:35:35,269
Both.
578
00:35:38,472 --> 00:35:41,708
Look. When I left,
the plan was to do both sides.
579
00:35:50,317 --> 00:35:53,754
BRENNER: For me, the most disturbing
was the inspector.
580
00:35:53,887 --> 00:35:56,407
He was up there, and he was the one
who actually took the screws off.
581
00:35:56,490 --> 00:35:58,225
(DRILL WHIRRING)
582
00:35:58,358 --> 00:36:00,644
Part of the philosophy
of maintenance is that,
583
00:36:00,727 --> 00:36:04,815
you have one group that does the work,
and then you have another group...
584
00:36:04,898 --> 00:36:06,951
...the best of the best,
the cream of the cream,
585
00:36:07,034 --> 00:36:08,753
who are then inspecting the work.
586
00:36:08,836 --> 00:36:10,287
And their function is to sign off
587
00:36:10,370 --> 00:36:12,656
and make sure that this work
is being done properly.
588
00:36:12,739 --> 00:36:15,175
(DRILL WHIRRING)
589
00:36:16,777 --> 00:36:18,307
He had a bag of 40 screws.
590
00:36:18,812 --> 00:36:21,031
And he left the bag of 40 screws
that he took out
591
00:36:21,114 --> 00:36:23,650
on the man lift for the oncoming shift.
592
00:36:27,654 --> 00:36:30,125
- Have you started the left side yet?
- No.
593
00:36:31,058 --> 00:36:35,411
I spoke with the second shift supervisor.
We decided to skip the left side.
594
00:36:36,897 --> 00:36:39,984
So he asked the supervisor,
"Have you done any work on the left side?"
595
00:36:40,067 --> 00:36:44,271
The supervisor looked up and said,
"No. No, not that I know of."
596
00:36:46,406 --> 00:36:51,545
Guys, forget the left side for tonight
and let's get this plane out of here.
597
00:36:54,314 --> 00:36:56,066
NARRATOR: No one on the midnight shift
598
00:36:56,149 --> 00:36:59,914
knew that Anderson had started
pulling screws from the left side.
599
00:37:02,389 --> 00:37:04,684
BRENNER: The work records weren't done.
600
00:37:04,791 --> 00:37:07,278
And the procedures,
even though they're in place
601
00:37:07,361 --> 00:37:10,009
and should have worked,
they weren't followed.
602
00:37:10,564 --> 00:37:12,716
BRENNER: Did you give your mechanics
the paperwork to fill out on the job?
603
00:37:12,799 --> 00:37:13,867
No.
604
00:37:14,568 --> 00:37:17,863
Sometimes the paperwork
takes longer than the job itself.
605
00:37:19,139 --> 00:37:20,424
BRENNER: On a shift turnover,
606
00:37:20,507 --> 00:37:22,026
that's one of the critical things
that you have.
607
00:37:22,109 --> 00:37:26,109
You have a written record that
anyone can go back to. It wasn't done.
608
00:37:26,513 --> 00:37:28,632
NARRATOR: None of the mechanics
from the evening shift
609
00:37:28,715 --> 00:37:31,469
{\an8}filled in the cards
which detail the work they've done
610
00:37:31,552 --> 00:37:32,886
{\an8}for the next shift.
611
00:37:34,855 --> 00:37:36,173
VON THADEN: Paperwork is never fun.
612
00:37:36,256 --> 00:37:38,776
And then when you're describing
something you've already done,
613
00:37:38,859 --> 00:37:41,512
people don't necessarily want to do that.
I've already done it. I did it.
614
00:37:41,595 --> 00:37:45,049
I don't necessarily want to go back
and write it down that I did it.
615
00:37:45,132 --> 00:37:47,284
And we asked the supervisor
why wasn't it done
616
00:37:47,367 --> 00:37:49,820
and he said, well, it's a simple procedure
617
00:37:49,903 --> 00:37:51,655
and sometimes it's not worth doing.
618
00:37:51,738 --> 00:37:54,291
If you take out a bunch of screws,
you wouldn't issue the work card.
619
00:37:54,374 --> 00:37:57,010
It's more trouble than, than to do it.
620
00:37:57,411 --> 00:37:58,812
That was disturbing.
621
00:38:01,348 --> 00:38:05,407
NARRATOR: And Inspector Troy Anderson
was vague about the work he did.
622
00:38:05,786 --> 00:38:07,738
His write-up
didn't really describe the fact
623
00:38:07,821 --> 00:38:10,174
that he took the screws out on the left.
624
00:38:11,358 --> 00:38:15,395
He did not see his role as a mechanic
on that aircraft.
625
00:38:15,529 --> 00:38:17,431
So I think perhaps,
626
00:38:17,564 --> 00:38:20,851
he didn't take writing on those cards
as seriously as he should have
627
00:38:20,934 --> 00:38:23,640
because that was
the mechanic's job to do that.
628
00:38:28,642 --> 00:38:33,780
NARRATOR: A failure in routine maintenance
caused the crash of Flight 25-74.
629
00:38:34,648 --> 00:38:37,034
But there is still one lingering question.
630
00:38:37,117 --> 00:38:38,819
Captured on the right.
631
00:38:38,952 --> 00:38:41,305
NARRATOR: The plane flew
more than 800 kilometers
632
00:38:41,388 --> 00:38:43,423
before the leading edge tore off.
633
00:38:43,557 --> 00:38:46,734
{\an8}It is pretty amazing that the,
that the horizontal tail
634
00:38:46,827 --> 00:38:49,196
{\an8}stayed intact for that first flight.
635
00:38:50,163 --> 00:38:51,982
NARRATOR:
The deadly failure came near the end
636
00:38:52,065 --> 00:38:54,242
of the crew's second flight that day.
637
00:38:55,135 --> 00:38:56,187
RODOSOVICH: Pushing this descent.
638
00:38:56,270 --> 00:38:58,035
Making like the space shuttle.
639
00:38:58,672 --> 00:39:00,908
NARRATOR: Why didn't it happen sooner?
640
00:39:01,175 --> 00:39:02,876
(THUDDING)
641
00:39:03,010 --> 00:39:04,077
(RATTLING)
642
00:39:10,217 --> 00:39:14,288
Investigators pore over the recorded data
from both flights.
643
00:39:14,421 --> 00:39:18,258
They compare flight parameters
like speed, heading, altitude
644
00:39:18,392 --> 00:39:21,528
in search of anything
that might provide an answer.
645
00:39:23,430 --> 00:39:25,349
It was a question of, you know, how,
646
00:39:25,432 --> 00:39:28,569
how much the forces,
uh, would have changed.
647
00:39:29,670 --> 00:39:33,259
NARRATOR: They zero in
on the plane's airspeed during descent.
648
00:39:33,540 --> 00:39:39,613
Just before its fatal dive,
Flight 25-74 hit a speed of 260 knots.
649
00:39:41,181 --> 00:39:44,702
Though safe under normal conditions,
that's close to top speed
650
00:39:44,785 --> 00:39:48,188
and 44 knots faster
than the previous descent.
651
00:39:50,824 --> 00:39:52,059
They conduct a study
652
00:39:52,192 --> 00:39:55,395
to confirm suspicions
that those 44 extra knots
653
00:39:55,529 --> 00:39:57,664
were enough to trigger disaster.
654
00:40:03,036 --> 00:40:06,306
The leading edge stays on at 216 knots,
655
00:40:06,440 --> 00:40:09,610
the plane's maximum speed
during the first flight.
656
00:40:11,311 --> 00:40:13,731
RITTER: The aerodynamic forces
never quite rose
657
00:40:13,814 --> 00:40:16,817
to the level that
they did on the accident flight.
658
00:40:16,950 --> 00:40:19,520
NARRATOR: But an increase of 44 knots
659
00:40:19,653 --> 00:40:23,183
drastically increases the amount
of drag on the leading edge.
660
00:40:24,124 --> 00:40:27,160
Once the plane got up
near its maximum speed...
661
00:40:27,895 --> 00:40:30,307
...it had this failure waiting to happen.
662
00:40:34,668 --> 00:40:38,963
NARRATOR: The tragic significance
of First Officer Rodosovich's last words
663
00:40:39,072 --> 00:40:41,208
is now clear to investigators.
664
00:40:42,442 --> 00:40:43,494
Pushing this descent.
665
00:40:43,577 --> 00:40:45,479
Making like the space shuttle.
666
00:40:45,612 --> 00:40:49,816
NARRATOR: His high speed descent
sealed the fate of Flight 25-74.
667
00:40:49,950 --> 00:40:53,554
The airplane broke apart
at the highest speed
668
00:40:53,687 --> 00:40:57,393
that it reached since the maintenance
was done the night before.
669
00:41:00,761 --> 00:41:04,115
The aerodynamic forces were very high
and so eventually they were enough
670
00:41:04,198 --> 00:41:08,551
to bend the leading edge radius downward
because it wasn't attached anymore
671
00:41:08,635 --> 00:41:10,621
on the top of the horizontal tail.
672
00:41:10,704 --> 00:41:14,558
And they bent it downward to the point
where finally the oncoming air
673
00:41:14,641 --> 00:41:16,494
was powerful enough to break it off.
674
00:41:16,577 --> 00:41:19,813
NARRATOR:
At 260 knots, the leading edge rips off.
675
00:41:23,150 --> 00:41:25,856
When that part failed,
the plane was unflyable.
676
00:41:26,453 --> 00:41:28,571
COCKPIT COMPUTER:
High speed. High...
677
00:41:30,057 --> 00:41:31,999
I mean, the force was so violent.
678
00:41:32,726 --> 00:41:34,609
COCKPIT COMPUTER:
Engine. Engine.
679
00:41:36,096 --> 00:41:37,414
On the cockpit voice recording,
680
00:41:37,497 --> 00:41:39,483
the pilots don't say anything
after it happens.
681
00:41:39,566 --> 00:41:41,668
They were probably incapacitated.
682
00:41:41,802 --> 00:41:42,903
It's that violent.
683
00:41:43,904 --> 00:41:45,589
NARRATOR:
The massive negative G-force
684
00:41:45,672 --> 00:41:49,660
would have instantly sent blood rushing
to the brains of the passengers and crew
685
00:41:49,743 --> 00:41:51,345
rendering them unconscious.
686
00:41:53,080 --> 00:41:56,083
COCKPIT COMPUTER:
One channel. Unit one channel.
687
00:41:57,751 --> 00:42:00,387
One channel.
Unit one channel.
688
00:42:04,424 --> 00:42:06,059
Unit one channel.
689
00:42:06,860 --> 00:42:08,495
Unit one channel.
690
00:42:10,130 --> 00:42:12,900
(EXPLOSION BOOMS)
691
00:42:16,503 --> 00:42:21,025
NARRATOR: The NTSB blames the accident
on the failure to reinsert all the screws
692
00:42:21,108 --> 00:42:23,579
holding the left leading edge to the tail.
693
00:42:26,713 --> 00:42:29,600
My heart reached out to the people
that had worked on the airplane
694
00:42:29,683 --> 00:42:32,154
because I knew that
this was a human error.
695
00:42:34,454 --> 00:42:37,558
And whoever had been involved
in that maintenance,
696
00:42:37,691 --> 00:42:42,162
I'm sure was going to feel very badly
about the situation.
697
00:42:43,530 --> 00:42:45,165
(DRILL WHIRRING)
698
00:42:46,033 --> 00:42:48,719
NARRATOR: The safety board
also takes the unprecedented step
699
00:42:48,802 --> 00:42:51,104
of faulting Continental Express
700
00:42:51,238 --> 00:42:54,768
for not making sure all
maintenance procedures were followed.
701
00:42:56,343 --> 00:42:59,279
In particular, the failure
to ensure the mechanics
702
00:42:59,413 --> 00:43:02,061
and inspectors completed
the proper paperwork.
703
00:43:02,449 --> 00:43:05,669
LEPAGE: Sometimes the paperwork
takes longer than the job itself.
704
00:43:05,752 --> 00:43:07,204
BRENNER: This was a preventable accident.
705
00:43:07,287 --> 00:43:09,573
If they had strictly followed
those procedures,
706
00:43:09,656 --> 00:43:11,951
this accident should not have happened.
707
00:43:12,826 --> 00:43:14,745
VON THADEN:
The Continental Express accident
708
00:43:14,828 --> 00:43:17,181
is such a watershed moment for accidents
709
00:43:17,264 --> 00:43:19,116
and accident investigation in particular
710
00:43:19,199 --> 00:43:21,051
because it's one of the first times
711
00:43:21,134 --> 00:43:24,571
that the culture of the organization
was mentioned
712
00:43:24,705 --> 00:43:26,840
in an accident investigation.
713
00:43:28,141 --> 00:43:31,011
NARRATOR:
Never before has the NTSB cited
714
00:43:31,144 --> 00:43:32,830
an airline's senior management
715
00:43:32,913 --> 00:43:35,916
for allowing a climate
where rules get bent.
716
00:43:38,151 --> 00:43:42,039
Leadership needs to understand
their accountability in these accidents
717
00:43:42,122 --> 00:43:45,242
and have more commitment
towards the people on the line
718
00:43:45,325 --> 00:43:48,561
so that they can do their jobs properly
and effectively.
719
00:43:49,596 --> 00:43:51,773
NARRATOR: As a result of the crash...
720
00:43:53,200 --> 00:43:55,453
...airlines now put much greater emphasis
721
00:43:55,536 --> 00:43:58,419
on making sure
all safety procedures are followed.
722
00:44:01,742 --> 00:44:05,801
They use computerized systems
to more precisely track mechanics' work.
723
00:44:06,480 --> 00:44:09,422
But better technology
is only part of the solution.
724
00:44:10,751 --> 00:44:14,928
One of the things we try and get people
on the front line to do is talk.
725
00:44:15,155 --> 00:44:19,493
We try and encourage them to speak up,
that there are no stupid questions.
726
00:44:19,626 --> 00:44:21,274
Every question is important.
727
00:44:23,197 --> 00:44:24,831
This is a case where...
728
00:44:25,966 --> 00:44:27,534
...small deviations...
729
00:44:29,670 --> 00:44:31,038
...by many people...
730
00:44:32,673 --> 00:44:35,042
...where cutting corners in small ways
731
00:44:35,175 --> 00:44:37,161
that appears small to each person,
732
00:44:37,244 --> 00:44:40,047
can accumulate to cause
this horrible accident.
733
00:44:40,981 --> 00:44:43,099
A horrible and preventable accident.
734
00:44:46,453 --> 00:44:49,756
(CLOSING THEME MUSIC PLAYING)