All language subtitles for Air.Disasters.S05E04.Tragedy.on.the.Potomac.1080p.PMTP.WEB-DL.AAC2.0.H.264-maldini_track3_[eng]

Man: We're in real trouble.

Woman:
Why? What's happening?

Narrator:
Moments after takeoff...

Man: The aircraft
began to shake and rattle.

Pilot: We're going down, Larry.
Larry: I know it!

Narrator: A 737 plunges
into the frozen Potomac River.

Man: I thought I was going to
die in that airplane that day.

Narrator: A Washington news team
captures breathtaking video.

Man: It's not fair.

This woman's gonna die
right in front of us.

Narrator:
The images shock the Nation.

With limited evidence
to go on...

Man: That don't seem right.

Man: The recorder doesn't tell
you anything about the engines.

Man: Forward.

Narrator: Investigators need
to try something new.

Man: Come up. Forward.

Man: Lose the crew voices.

Narrator: They turn to
an ingenious plan

to solve the mystery
of Air Florida flight 90.

Man: He should have
trusted his instincts.

Flight Attendant:
Ladies and gentlemen,
we are starting our approach.

Pilot: We lost both engines!

Flight Attendant:
Put the mask over your nose.

Emergency descent.

Pilot: Mayday, mayday.

Flight Attendant:
Brace for impact!

Controller: I think I lost one.

Man: Investigation starting...

Man: He's gonna crash!

Narrator:
January the 13th, 1982.

Planes at Washington's
National Airport are snowed in.

Bob Macintosh:
The weather conditions

that day in Washington, D.C.,

and particularly out
at National Airport

were very difficult.

It was snowing, and it was cold.

It was down around
24 degrees Fahrenheit.

It was a rather miserable day,

and as the day progressed,
the snow increased.

Narrator: It's 2:15 p.m.

The 74 passengers
on board Air Florida flight 90

should be in the air by now.

But their plane
is still at the gate.

Man: We should have rebooked
when we saw the weather.

Woman:
We might still make it.

Narrator: Joe Stiley is
a businessman and private pilot.

He and his secretary Nikki Felch

are traveling to Florida
on business.

Joe Stiley: By and large,

everybody realized
that it was one of those days.

It was a snowy day.

The chances of getting out
were 50/50, maybe.

Narrator: Airport crews are
working to clear the snow.

For now, no one
takes off or lands.

Richard Marchi:
You know, in Washington,

National Airport
only has one runway.

And so they don't
have the option

of removing snow on one runway
while they're using the other

and then switching back and
forth the way many airports do.

When they need to close
the one runway,

the airport's closed.

Narrator: Flight 90 is commanded
by Captain Larry Wheaton.

Larry Wheaton:
60 degrees in Tampa,

and we're stuck in a snowstorm.

Man: Definitely be good
to get home.

Narrator: His First Officer
is Roger Pettit.

Florida is home for both men.

Macintosh:
We know passengers hate delays.

They just hate them.

Well, the pilots hate them, too.

And the air traffic system
hates them

because it's just a massive
inconvenience for everyone.

Narrator:
Also on board, Bert Hamilton,

a purchasing manager
from Maryland.

He's heading to Tampa
on business.

Priscilla Tirado
is moving to Florida

to start a new life
with her husband Jose

and their infant son.

Stiley:
It's just de-icing fluid.

Felch: I guess we need it.

Narrator: 2:45 p.m.

The plane gets de-iced.

If they can keep their wings
clear of snow and ice,

the pilots
should be able to take off

as soon as the airport re-opens.

After an hour and a quarter...

Controller: Tower.

Narrator: National Airport
finally reopens.

Controller:
Reopening now. Copy that.

Ok. Showtime.

Narrator: Controllers now face
a massive logistical puzzle.

Controller: Eastern 1-3-3,
taxi into position and hold.

Pilot: Eastern 1-3-3
position and hold.

Narrator:
There are more than 20 planes

waiting to take off or land.

Marchi: There would have been
a lot of people talking at once

trying to figure out, you know,
when am I going to get released,

when am I going to go?

Controller: 1-6-2-5,
turn left, taxi, and hold.

Winds are 0-1-0 at 1-0.

Macintosh:
That's the kind of thing

that creates a lot of anxiety in
the air traffic control tower.

Pilot:
804, are we clear to land?

Controller:
Stand by, please, 804.

Marchi: You've got 40 or 50
airplanes on the ground,

and they're all trying to be
the first one out.

Controller: Eastern 1-5-5-1,
keep it at reduced...

Macintosh:
That puts an extra strain

on both
the ground handling folks

and also up
in the control tower.

Controller: Ok, palm 90,
you'll be following in line

behind apple DC-9.

Roger Pettit: Palm 90.

Behind that apple, I guess.

Narrator:
Captain Wheaton will take off

behind a New York Air DC-9.

As the Air Florida 737
taxis to the runway,

Flight Attendant Kelly Duncan
makes a final cabin check.

Controller:
Apple 5-8 cleared for takeoff.

Traffic's three
south of the runway.

Pilot: Apple 58 takeoff.

Pettit: I think we might get
to go here in a minute.

Ought to get to work.

Stabilizer trim set at 5.3.

Wheaton: Set.

Pettit:
EPR all the way to 2-0-4.

Wheaton: Set.

Controller:
556 cleared to land.

Pilot:
Cleared to land 556.

Controller: Palm 90
taxi into position

and be ready
for an immediate takeoff.

Pettit: Palm 90.

Wheaton:
Ladies and gentlemen,

we've just been cleared
on the runway for takeoff.

Flight Attendants,
please be seated.

Stiley: We got something over
the loudspeaker from the crew

indicating that we were
scheduled for departure.

Felch: I thought we might
never get out of here.

Controller:
Palm 90 cleared for takeoff.

Pettit: Palm 90
cleared for takeoff.

Wheaton: Your throttles.
Pettit: Ok.

Narrator:
Today, First Officer Pettit

will be flying the plane.

Captain Wheaton will monitor
their instruments.

The engines spool up quickly.

Wheaton: Ooh.

Whoo! Really cold here.
Real cold.

Narrator:
The plane soon has enough power

to accelerate down the runway.

They can't get airborne
until they reach takeoff speed--

139 knots.

Pettit: Look at that thing.

That don't seem right.
Does it?

Wheaton:
Yes, it is. There's 80.

Pettit: Oh. Maybe it is right.

Wheaton: 120.

Narrator:
Joe Stiley is a pilot

who's familiar
with this airport.

He can tell that
something's wrong.

Stiley: I got real nervous
about halfway down the runway.

Wheaton: V-1.

Narrator:
When the plane lifts off,

Stiley's sense of doom
gets worse.

Stiley: When we got airborne,
almost instantly it was clear

that that aircraft
was not flying normally.

And I turned to Nikki
and I said...

We're in real trouble.

Felch: Why?
What's happening?

Stiley: All of the dishes, cups,
glasses that were in the galley

started to rattle, shake,
and make a very loud noise.

And the aircraft
began to shake and rattle.

Narrator:
The stick shaker activates,

warning the pilots
the plane is losing lift.

Wheaton: Easy!

Narrator:
Captain Wheaton urges Pettit

to push the nose
of the plane down--

a key step for regaining lift.

Wheaton: Forward. Forward.

Narrator: Joe Stiley
prepares for the worst.

Stiley: Just do what I do.

I put my head down,

and I saw people around me
staring at me,

and then a couple of them
took the example that I gave.

Wheaton: Come on.
Forward. Forward.

Barely climb.

Narrator: Less than a minute
after takeoff,

Air Florida flight 90
is falling to the ground.

Stiley: Stay down.
Keep your head down.

Narrator:
The crew increases engine power,

but it's too late.

Pettit: Larry!
We're going down, Larry!

Wheaton: I know it!

Narrator:
The plane hits a bridge

over the Potomac River.

Stiley: It felt like almost
like we rotated 90 degrees,

like we were in a somersault
or something like that.

And then we hit the water.

And that was
a real, real impact,

much greater
than the one with the bridge.

And I felt myself blacking out.

I thought I was gonna die
in that airplane that day.

Narrator: Air Florida flight 90
is sinking beneath the ice

of Washington's Potomac River.

Stiley:
When I regained consciousness,

I was actually sitting
upright in my seat

and the water was starting to
come into my mouth and nose.

I had a broken foot,
broken ankle on both sides.

So I got my leg loose,

then I did the same thing
to Nikki's right leg.

I got her out.
She had a similar problem.

And I just pulled her
by the hand

and started heading aft

and went over
the seats behind me.

Narrator:
Of the 79 people on board,

six escape
from the shattered wreckage

and reach the surface.

Stiley: I knew
I was out of the aircraft

when it ceased to be
totally black.

Narrator: The plane has left
a trail of destruction

on Washington's
14th street Bridge.

Four people were killed
in their cars.

Four more were seriously injured

as the 737 slid from the bridge
into the river below.

The fate of the passengers
and crew is still unknown.

Word of the disaster

soon reaches news cameraman
Chester Panzer.

Chester Panzer:
The assignment desk

called on the radio and said,

"we heard something about
a small plane crash

at National Airport."

Man on radio:
Come in, Chester. Are you there?

There's been a crash
at National Airport.

We want you to check it out.

Panzer: I started
speeding down the highway.

Narrator: By the time panzer
arrives at the crash site,

rescue teams
are already at work,

including a helicopter
from the U.S. Park Police.

Panzer: We grabbed our gear
out of the trunk.

We could hear a helicopter
faintly in the distance...

Connected our umbilical cable
for the camera

to the recording deck.

We could see a flashing light.

And I started rolling.

And the first thing I saw

was someone being loaded
into an ambulance.

Narrator:
It's Burt Hamilton,

the purchasing manager
from Maryland.

He's the first passenger rescued
from the Potomac River.

The rest of the survivors are
still battling the icy waters.

Flight Attendant Kelly Duncan
reaches for the rescue line.

Beside her, wearing a life vest,
is secretary Nikki Felch.

Priscilla Tirado
has lost her baby

and can see no sign
of her husband.

She clings to businessman
and private pilot Joe Stiley.

Stiley: Once I surfaced there,
I looked around,

and that airplane was gone,

except for this little piece
of it that I was holding on to.

Narrator:
Barely visible to the camera

is one last survivor,

Arland Williams.

He's badly tangled
in the wreckage

and urges the others
to take the lifeline first.

Stiley: There was a fellow

who was strapped into his seat
right in front of us

who couldn't get out

because a bunch of cables
and things like that

had gotten around him,

and he was just wired
in place there.

And then I turned to Nikki
and I said,

"I'm all broken up,
and I know I can't swim.

My legs aren't working."

Panzer: There was
a big gaping hole in the ice

with big cracks,

and it looked like
someone had taken a baseball

and thrown it through a window.

Stiley: I looked up,

and there were probably,
it seemed like 10,000 people

up on that bridge
and along the sides of it,

looking at us.

And we were out there
freezing to death.

All those people
standing up there,

and nobody could do anything.

Narrator:
The river is near freezing

and filled with thick ice.

It's too dangerous
for rescuers to enter the water.

Panzer keeps rolling

as the helicopter lifts
a second person from the river.

It's Flight Attendant
Kelly Duncan.

Panzer: She was holding on,

and the helicopter
was just flying her in.

Narrator:
In the numbing cold,

Joe Stiley does his best to help
two other passengers,

Nikki Felch
and Priscilla Tirado.

Stiley: I had Priscilla in kind
of an arm lock on this side.

And I had Nikki on this side.

But this arm
wasn't working very well.

And the helicopter began to
pull us away into the water.

I lost Nikki almost instantly

because this whole arm
just was dysfunctional.

And I had Priscilla
under that arm

for about halfway
across the river,

and we started
running into the broken ice.

I was coming up
into those ice packs,

one pack after another,

and all my ribs
ended up being broken.

At some point during that,
I lost my grip on Priscilla

and left her laying there
on top of a block of ice.

Narrator:
Joe is pulled to safety,

but Priscilla Tirado
is now stranded and alone.

The helicopter
drops Priscilla a life ring.

Stiley:
I watched her be towed off.

I saw her lose her grip
on the lifeline.

Panzer: That's when it hit me

that this woman was going to
drown in front of me.

She was in the open water,

and she's being pushed
under the water

by the helicopter wash.

Narrator: Then one bystander
decides to take action.

Panzer: He didn't think about
how cold the water was,

didn't think
what it would do to him.

Narrator: It's a Federal
Government employee

named Lenny Skutnik.

Panzer: He really was a hero

in that he had
enough guts to do it

and just didn't think about
the consequences.

Stiley: Lenny reacted.

Nobody else did.

They were probably
all standing around.

I wanted to react,
but I couldn't.

Narrator: Skutnik's bravery
saves Priscilla's life.

But her husband and baby
are among the dead.

Panzer: And the paramedic

reaches out and grabs
Nikki Felch

and just grabs a hold of her,

hoists her up onto the skid
the best he can.

And he's not even secured
into the helicopter.

He's basically
balancing himself,

so that's pretty amazing.

Narrator:
It's now been 45 minutes

since flight 90
plunged into the icy river--

too long for anyone to survive
in the freezing water.

Panzer: Nikki Felch
was the last one

to be pulled out of the water.

Narrator: Only five people
make it out alive.

Police Officer: We'll have
a press conference later.

The press has to
move back now, too.

Narrator: Within hours,

NTSB Investigators
are on the job.

As they begin their work,

much of Washington is paralyzed
by the fierce winter storm.

They immediately wonder

if the bad weather could have
caused the devastating accident.

John Macidull: Of course
the weather was a consideration

because people were getting laid
off from work early in D.C.,

and I was one of them that day.

I went across that same bridge
about an hour before.

I made a comment in my carpool
and said, "was that an airplane?

Who's flying in this weather?"
Was my comment at the time.

Narrator: Flight 90 has crashed

less than a mile
from the runway.

The location tells investigators

the plane didn't gain
much altitude,

but little else.

Macidull: All we knew

was that it seemed to have hit
in a flat attitude,

which would indicate
some problem with control.

But we didn't know
what exactly caused it.

Narrator: At the airport,

they gather as much information
as they can...

Controller:
It was quite a day.

It was snowing
pretty hard at times.

Narrator: About how the weather
affected the flight.

Controller: So we were closed
for about an hour and a quarter

while they cleared the snow
off the runway.

Macidull: The first thing
you look at is the weather.

Environmental conditions

are always one of
the prime considerations

when looking at initial causes
of any accident.

Narrator: Investigators learn

that flight 90 was delayed
for more than an hour

while the airport was closed.

Wheaton: 60 degrees in Tampa,
and we're stuck in a snowstorm.

Pettit: Definitely
be good to get home.

Narrator: If ice and snow

built up on flight 90's wings
during the delay,

it could have prevented
the plane from climbing.

Ice and snow

can interrupt the flow of air
over the plane's wings,

decreasing lift.

Macintosh: The importance
of de-icing the aircraft

is very paramount.

Even a small amount
of contamination

can affect
the performance of a wing,

whether it's a light aircraft
or a heavy aircraft.

Narrator:
They examine de-icing records

from the day of the crash.

Macintosh: They were
very, very interested

in how efficient
that de-icing had been.

Narrator:
Air Florida's procedures

called for a powerful
de-icing solution--

one designed
for very cold days.

Marchi: Basically what happens
is that the de-icing fluid

dissolves the snow and ice
sort of into a mixture.

So when it's first put on
at sort of full strength,

it's doing quite a good job.

Narrator: Records reveal

that the de-icing fluid
sprayed on flight 90

was not full strength.

Macintosh: They homed in

on the issue
of the equipment itself,

the mixture that was used,

the procedures
that were followed.

Narrator: De-icing fluid
has to be adjusted

according to
the outside temperature.

Stiley:
It's just de-icing fluid.

Narrator: If the mixture
wasn't strong enough,

it might have allowed ice
to re-form on the wings.

Macintosh: Do you want to pass
me that weather data, please?

Narrator:
Investigators study temperatures

recorded at the airport
during the long shutdown.

They find that the fluid used
should have worked.

Macintosh: We figured
they'd go right behind...

Narrator:
Though it wasn't full strength,

the mixture was strong enough

for the temperatures recorded
on the day of the crash.

Macintosh:
It's sloppy work,

but it shouldn't have
caused the crash.

Other aircraft did depart,

which means that things
were successful

in other...in other jet ways.

What was wrong with
this particular aircraft

that caused a crash?

Narrator:
Investigators need hard evidence

to figure out what brought down
Air Florida flight 90.

But most of it
is still underwater.

Macintosh: In this case,
the wreckage was in the river,

and the river was a murky one.

It was a frozen one.

Consequently, the recovery
was extremely difficult.

The tail came up,
other pieces came up,

but it's an exhausting process.

Engines are knocked loose
from the aircraft,

and parts are here and there
and scattered.

So it's quite difficult
to put everything together.

Narrator:
A week after the crash,

investigators get a break.

Flight 90's
black box flight recorders

have been recovered
from the bottom of the river,

and they appear to be undamaged.

In 1982,

the flight data recorder,
or FDR,

captures only
a handful of parameters

about the performance
of the plane.

But it's enough to give NTSB
Investigator John Macidull

a vital clue.

Macidull: Let me know
when that's ready.

It told us the altitude
and the time.

And so you knew how long
it rolled down the runway

before it lifted off.

Narrator: Flight 90 takes
45 seconds to get airborne--

15 seconds longer than usual.

Macidull:
The takeoff was very slow.

Pettit: That don't seem right.
Does it?

Macintosh: It took
a long time to accelerate.

Macidull:
It's got to be something
about their engine power.

Narrator: The plane
eventually had enough power

to reach lift-off speed.

Wheaton: V-1.

Narrator: But it did not have
enough power to climb.

Macintosh: It didn't climb
in a normal way.

So obviously
there was something wrong

with the amount of the power.

Narrator:
It's an intriguing clue.

But the FDR doesn't have
enough information

to reveal what the problem was.

Macidull:
The recorder doesn't tell you
anything about the engines,

or what their rpm is
or what they're doing.

Narrator: Macidull hopes
the cockpit voice recorder

will provide some answers.

Recording of Pettit:
Boy, this is bad.

It's probably
the worst snow I've seen.

Narrator:
The pilots of flight 90

comment on the wintry conditions

as they taxi in line
behind a DC-9.

Pettit: It's been a while
since we were de-iced.

Wheaton: Tell you what...

My windshield will be de-iced.
Don't know about my wing.

Narrator: Macidull listens
as Wheaton and Pettit

discuss removing ice
from their plane's wings.

Pettit: All we really need is
the inside of the wings anyway.

The wingtips are gonna shuck
all that other stuff.

Narrator: They know that
returning to the gate

to be de-iced again
would mean another long delay.

Macintosh:
If you have to leave the line,

you're gonna come back
and have to rejoin a big line

of aircraft awaiting departure,

so that's one of the issues that
weighs on a captain's decision

as to whether to depart
the line-up or not.

Wheaton:
Gonna get your wing now.

Narrator: It seems
the captain comes up

with an unconventional
strategy to de-ice

without losing
his place in line.

He maneuvers his plane
into the exhaust

streaming from the DC-9
in front of them.

Macintosh: They pulled up
in back of another aircraft,

a DC-9,

thinking that they might be able
to warm up and blow off

their aircraft.

Narrator: The DC-9's engines

expel a 60-mile-an-hour
blast of 300-degree heat.

Pettit: Did they get yours?

Can you see your wingtip?

Wheaton:
I got a little bit on mine.

Pettit: A little?

This wing's got about a quarter
to a half an inch on it,

all the way.

Narrator:
It's a disturbing conversation--

one that suggests
these pilots were experimenting

with an unofficial procedure.

But so far,
Macidull has heard nothing

that explains
a loss of engine power.

Wheaton: Your throttles.
Pettit: Ok.

Narrator: Then he hears
something chilling.

Pettit: Whoa.

Look at that thing.

Narrator: While the plane
is speeding down the runway,

the first officer
tells the captain

that he suspects
there's a problem.

Pettit: That don't seem right.
Does it?

Wheaton:
Yes, it is. There's 80.

Narrator: But the captain
convinces him nothing is wrong.

Pettit:
Ah. Maybe it is right.

Macidull: I think he felt

that they weren't
accelerating very quickly.

You can feel acceleration
in your back.

You know, when you're
an experienced pilot, you know,

you've done this
a thousand times.

And if you're not
moving as quickly as...

It's really a feel thing.
Something's not right.

Yeah.

He should have trusted
his instincts.

Yeah, let me hear that again.

Narrator: Investigators wonder

if the pilots made
any other mistakes.

Controller:
Palm 90 taxi into position

and be ready for
an immediate takeoff.

Pettit: I think we might get
to go here in a minute.

Ought to get to work.

Narrator: The amount of power
or thrust needed for takeoff

is different for every flight.

It has to be adjusted
for the weight of the plane,

the length of the runway,
and the weather conditions.

Pettit:
Stabilizer trim set at 5.3.

Wheaton: Set.

Narrator: Investigators
hear the first officer

set a target or bug to
remind him what that amount is.

Pettit:
EPR all the way to 2-0-4.

Wheaton: Set.

Narrator:
Perhaps the first officer

set his target too low
for the plane's takeoff weight.

If he did,

it could explain why the plane
gained speed so slowly.

Wheaton: V-1.

Narrator: And why it didn't have
enough power to climb.

Macidull: The engines
could have been running,

but not with enough power or
thrust to maintain the airspeed

required to get the lift
that you needed

to stay off the ground.

Narrator:
The weight of the plane

was recorded before the flight.

Investigators use this
to calculate

how much power flight 90 needed
to get safely off the ground.

Macidull:
Everything checks out.

They weren't overweight.

Come on.
I've got an idea.

Narrator:
With little data from the FDR,

Macidull comes up
with an unusual way

to analyze the power
coming from flight 90's engines.

Macidull: I don't recall it ever
being used in any other accident

or available
for any other accident.

Narrator: He hopes to figure out

how much power
the engines were providing

by analyzing
the sound they made.

Jet engines contain turbines
that make different sounds

depending on how quickly
they're spinning.

When the engine
needs more power,

the turbine spins faster

and the frequency
of the sound changes.

Macidull: You ready to go?

Man: Yeah.

Narrator: The sound
of flight 90's engines

should tell Macidull how much
power they were generating.

And thanks to
the unique design of the 737,

with its engines
mounted close to the cockpit,

he already has a recording
of the sound he needs.

Macidull: It's unique in that
the sound of the engines

is recorded in the background
on the cockpit voice recorder.

Narrator: They play back
the cockpit voice recorder

in a soundproof room.

Wheaton: 120.

V-1.

Macintosh: In this case,

those engines
immediately under the wings

and slightly forward
of the wings

allowed them to get good,

if I could use the word,
"voice prints"

on the sounds that were coming
from the engines.

Wheaton: Easy!

Macidull: We did
a digital sound analysis

of the cockpit voice recorder

which can eliminate
all other noises

except that frequency
of the engines

on the cockpit voice recorder.

Macidull: Can you take
the stick shaker out?

Wheaton:
Forward. Forward.

Come up.

Macidull:
Lose the crew voices.

Wheaton:
Forward. Forward.

Narrator:
The technician eliminates

the other sounds in the cockpit
one by one,

until all that's left
is the sound of the engines.

Macintosh: It's a pretty
scientific and detailed issue

to look at
blade passing frequencies

and outside noise

and compare it
to a normal takeoff,

but all this was done

by the flight recorder
specialists and technicians.

Macidull:
Can you turn that up a bit?

Narrator:
The results are dramatic.

Macidull: Those engines
sure ain't at full power.

The sound analysis indicated

that the engines
were running at a speed

that would produce
about 70% power.

What this means, basically,

is that the aircraft
was taking off

with about
one and a half engines.

Narrator: Investigators now know
that the Boeing 737's engines

weren't running at full power
during takeoff.

What they don't know is why.

A key piece of wreckage
may hold the answer.

It's the engine pressure
ratio gauge, or EPR,

which is connected to a sensor
at the front of the engine.

It measures
the increasing pressure

of air passing through
the engine to calculate thrust.

Wheaton: You have throttles.
Pettit: Ok.

Narrator: The gauge tells pilots

when they have
enough power to climb.

If it was malfunctioning,

it might have given the crew
a faulty reading.

Macidull: It's a real-time
physical indicator of thrust.

Narrator: The first officer
had doubts about the EPR gauge.

Pettit:
Wow, look at that thing.

That don't seem right.
Does it?

Narrator: But the captain
made the mistake

of focusing only on his speed.

Wheaton:
Yes, it is. There's 80.

Pettit: Ah.
Maybe it is right.

Narrator: A close examination
of the EPR gauge

reveals something strange.

Macidull:
That can't be right.

Narrator:
The needle of the gauge

is frozen in its final position,

and it's displaying
an impossible reading.

Macidull: They indicated
the engines were producing

more power than the engines
were capable of producing.

That was a huge red flag.

Wheaton: You have throttles.

Narrator: It now seems likely

that the gauge was showing
the wrong reading

throughout the short flight.

The question is why?

Macidull: The pilots
were seeing more power

than they were getting.

So what would have caused that?

Here, at 2.9...

Narrator: Investigators begin
to suspect that the weather

may have played a role
in the accident after all.

They focus on the EPR sensor
at the front of the engine.

If the tiny sensor
was blocked with ice and snow,

it might have sent
incorrect data to the cockpit.

Macidull: I think we're
gonna need another plane.

Narrator:
Macidull has no hard evidence

that the sensor was blocked,

but he decides
to follow a hunch.

Macidull:
I got ahold of another 737

because I already suspected the
engine pressure ratio gauges.

Narrator:
He uses a piece of tape

to simulate the effect of ice
blocking the engine sensor.

He recreates
the actions of the pilots

on the day of the flight.

Macidull:
Ok. Start her up.

Narrator: And he records
the sound of the engines

from inside the cockpit.

Macidull: Keep throttling up.

Narrator: He increases power

until the engine gauges
match the target

set by the crew of flight 90.

Macidull: Got it.

Narrator: Blocking the sensors
on the test flight

should create the same reduction
in engine performance

as on flight 90.

Both engines
should sound identical.

Macidull: Ok.
Let's see what we've got.

Narrator: Macidull compares
the sound of his test flight

to the engine noise captured
during flight 90's takeoff.

Macidull:
That's a perfect match.

I concluded that both engines
were blocked with something,

probably ice.

But they were blocked.

And the pilots were reading what
was required for engine thrust,

but that's not what
they were getting.

Narrator:
Investigators are convinced:

The crew failed to give
the engines more power

because the iced-over sensor
led them to believe

they already had enough.

By the time they realized
their mistake,

there was no way
to stop the crash.

Macidull:
They did apply full power,

but that was only about
five seconds before impact.

It was too late.

Narrator: The 737
has an engine anti-icing system

that uses heat to keep
the sensor clear of ice.

Pettit:
Stabilizer trim set at 5.3.

Wheaton: Set.

Pettit:
EPR all the way to 2-0-4.

Wheaton: Set.

Pettit: Anti-ice.

Wheaton: Off.

Ladies and gentlemen,

we've just been cleared
on the runway for takeoff.

Macidull: Unbelievable.

One of the worst snowstorms,

and they have
their anti-ice turned off.

Macintosh: The investigators
found that to be astounding--

that they had replied to
anti-ice, engine anti-ice,

with a rote answer of "off"

and that both people
accepted that.

Narrator: It seems
the two Florida-based pilots

were following their usual
warm-weather routine.

Wheaton: Off.

Macintosh: They were in
the Florida mindset.

They weren't in the cold weather
scenario mindset at that moment

when that callout and reply
were made in the cockpit.

Narrator: But Macidull
still has a question.

A 737 is designed to take off
with just one working engine.

Even with the reduced power,

flight 90 should have been able
to get off the ground.

Macidull:
There was still a problem

because the aircraft
was designed

to take off with one engine

after it reaches
a certain speed,

which it did.

So there had to be something
besides the engine power.

Narrator: Investigators
study the pilots' records.

They learn Captain Wheaton
has a history of mistakes.

Macintosh:
Hmm. What have we here?

Captain Wheaton--

look at all
the unsatisfactorys.

Narrator: He's been reported
more than once

for failing
to follow procedures,

especially during
takeoffs and landings.

Macintosh: "Unsatisfactory
adherence to regulations,

checklist usage pre-flight
unsatisfactory,

flight procedures
unsatisfactory."

Narrator: The captain's history
of poor decision-making

helps explain his unusual
maneuver on the taxiway...

Wheaton: I'm gonna get
your wing now.

Narrator: Using the exhaust
of a nearby plane

to try to blow snow
off their wings.

The results are disastrous.

Macintosh: What they really did

was get some warm air on a part
of the leading edge of the wing,

and any snow
that was clinging to it

ran back as water
and re-froze as ice.

Pettit: Did they get yours?
Can you see your wingtip?

Wheaton:
I got a little bit on mine.

Pettit: A little?

This wing's got about a quarter
to a half an inch on it,

all the way.

Macintosh: Consequently,

they did a lot more harm
to their aircraft.

Narrator: Investigators believe
the ice on the wings

degraded the plane's performance
only slightly.

When combined with
low engine power, though,

it was enough to rob the pilots

of the lift
they needed to climb.

The only remaining question:

Why was the crew willing to take
such a dangerous risk?

Pettit: It's been a while
since we were de-iced.

Wheaton: I'll tell you what.

My windshield will be de-iced.
Don't know about my wing.

Narrator: Investigators believe
the inexperienced pilots

may have underestimated
the dangers they were facing.

Macidull: They were...
They were Florida.

Neither pilot was really
used to flying in snow

or, you know,
winter time conditions.

Pettit: All we really need is
the inside of the wings anyway.

The wingtips are going to shuck
all that other stuff.

Macintosh: The captain had--

I think it was eight takeoffs
in that kind of weather.

The first officer,

who was going to make
the takeoff as the pilot flying,

had two experiences.

So, regarding the ability
of the flight crew

to understand
all the ramifications

of the existing
environmental conditions,

they were literally unqualified.

Narrator: The pilots'
poor judgment and inexperience

proved to be
a deadly combination

when they confronted the vicious
snowstorm in Washington.

Macintosh: The captain
knew things were wrong.

He didn't want to stay there
in Washington.

He wanted to get out of town.

Wheaton: V-1.

Narrator:
The NTSB's John Macidull

has uncovered the precise
sequence of errors

that led to the fatal crash.

Wheaton: You have throttles.

Pettit: Ok.

Narrator: Pettit begins pushing
the thrust levers forward,

aiming for the target
of 2.04 EPR.

Because the EPR sensors
are blocked with ice,

the gauge shoots up quickly

and gives the crew
a false reading.

Pettit: Oh.

Wheaton: Ooh.

Narrator:
The Air Florida pilots

are unaccustomed
to winter flight.

Wheaton: Really cold here.
Real cold.

Narrator: And attribute
the unusual engine behavior

to the cold.

Macintosh: We hear the co-pilot
articulating concern.

Pettit: Look at that thing.

That don't seem right.
Does it?

Macintosh: And yet it's not
acted upon by the captain.

Wheaton: Yes, it is.
There's 80.

Marchi: The captain
should probably have said,

"hey, wait a minute.
Let's abort this takeoff,

and let's figure out what's
wrong with these engines."

Wheaton: V-1.

Narrator: Seconds after liftoff,
the stick shaker activates,

warning the pilots
that they are losing lift

and beginning to stall.

Wheaton: Easy.

Narrator: The first officer
tries to regain lift.

Wheaton: Forward. Forward.

Narrator:
But with ice on his wings,

it's impossible to recover.

Macidull: If they had applied
power about ten seconds earlier,

they could have
flown through it.

Pettit: We're going down, Larry.
Wheaton: I know it!

Macintosh: The accident occurred

because of accumulation
of numerous decisions

that were made by
this particular flight crew.

Stiley: It became apparent

that whoever was flying
that airplane

wasn't doing it properly,

and I knew that
halfway down that runway.

And I thought, "what a shame,

because we're all
gonna get killed,"

and most of us did.

Narrator: On January 13, 1982,

a series of errors by the pilots
of Air Florida flight 90

left 78 dead, five survivors...

And one hero.

For his brave rescue
of Priscilla Tirado,

Lenny Skutnik is honored

during President Ronald Reagan's
State of the Union address

and is given a standing ovation
from congress.

In honor of the man
who died during the rescue,

Washington's 14th street Bridge
is renamed

the Arland d. Williams, Jr.
Memorial Bridge.

The Air Florida disaster
was a wake-up call

for better flight safety
in winter conditions.

Macintosh: There were so many
things that the pilot community

was able to learn
from this accident.

Marchi:
After the Air Florida accident,

you simply do not take off

if you have any contaminant
on your wings.

It's almost unheard of
to try that.

Narrator: In the aftermath
of this accident,

northern airports
around the world

improve de-icing facilities

so that pilots can de-ice
near the runway,

just before takeoff.

Powerful technology
now clears runways faster,

helping airports
avoid long delays

after a heavy snowfall.

Marchi: Today we've got this
new multi-function equipment

that's got brooms
and blowers and plows

all in one big million-dollar
piece of equipment.

Narrator:
Since the Air Florida disaster,

pilots and regulators
better understand

the risk of winter flight.

Macintosh: Unfortunately
it took the Air Florida accident

to bring a lot of focus
on this issue.

Icing has been with us
since Lindbergh,

who iced up
as he went across the Atlantic.

And it will continue
to be with us

as we proceed in the future.