Original subtitles

Controller: ALPHA LIMA WHISKEY 301,

SANTO DOMINGO, COME IN, PLEASE.

Narrator: A BOEING 757 DISAPPEARS FROM RADAR

WITH 189 PEOPLE ON BOARD.

Controller: ...SANTO DOMINGO, COME IN, PLEASE.

Narrator: THE PLANE'S WRECKAGE IS SOON FOUND AT SEA.

THERE ARE NO SURVIVORS TO SAY WHAT HAPPENED.

Man: THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE FIRST MAJOR LOSS

OF A BOEING 757 AIRCRAFT.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS FIND NO CLUES IN THE WRECKAGE.

ONLY THE PLANE'S BLACK BOX CAN TELL THEM WHAT HAPPENED.

THE TAPE RAISES A PERPLEXING QUESTION.

Controller: 301, SANTO DOMINGO, COME IN, PLEASE.

Pilot: MY AIRSPEED INDICATOR IS NOT WORKING.

WHAT'S HAPPENING?! WHAT'S HAPPENING?!

Narrator: HOW HAD THE FAILURE OF ONE SINGLE INSTRUMENT...

Co-pilot: SIR, PULL UP!

Narrator: ...CAUSED THE CRASH OF ONE OF THE WORLD'S

MOST SOPHISTICATED JETLINERS?

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: GREGORIO LUPERON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT,

PUERTO PLATA, THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.

FEBRUARY 6, 1996.

THE SMALL CARIBBEAN ISLAND IS A POPULAR WINTER GETAWAY.

A GROUP OF GERMAN TOURISTS HAS BEEN DELAYED.

THERE ARE MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE JET

THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO TAKE THEM BACK TO FRANKFURT.

THE AIRLINE HAS ARRANGED TO LEASE ANOTHER PLANE

FOR THE FLIGHT.

THE REPLACEMENT JET IS OWNED

BY TURKISH CHARTER COMPANY BIRGENAIR.

THEY HAVE A 757 THAT'S BEEN SITTING ON THE TARMAC

FOR ALMOST THREE WEEKS.

BUT IT TAKES SEVERAL HOURS TO GET THE PLANE READY TO GO

AND TO GET THE TURKISH CREW ON BOARD.

BY 10:15 PM, THE PLANE AND MOST OF ITS CREW ARE AT THE GATE.

MORE THAN FOUR HOURS AFTER THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO TAKE OFF,

THE FIRST OF THE PASSENGERS BEGIN BOARDING THE PLANE.

THEY HAVE A 9-HOUR FLIGHT TO FRANKFURT AHEAD OF THEM.

Co-Pilot: PUERTO PLATA, ALPHA LIMA WHISKEY, 301...

Narrator: SHORTLY AFTER 11:30, BIRGENAIR FLIGHT 301

IS GIVEN PERMISSION TO LEAVE THE GATE.

Controller: PUSH BACK GRANTED.

Narrator: MOMENTS LATER, IT TAXIS TO THE THRESHOLD OF THE RUNWAY.

Co-Pilot: CABIN CREW, TAKE YOUR SEATS--READY FOR TAKEOFF.

CABIN ANNOUNCEMENT IS COMPLETED.

EXTERIOR LIGHTS.

Narrator: FIRST OFFICER AYKUT GERGIN IS NEW TO THE 757,

WITH FEWER THAN 75 HOURS IN THE PLANE,

ALL IN THE LAST THREE MONTHS.

Pilot: THANK YOU.

READY FOR TAKEOFF.

Narrator: IN CONTRAST, CAPTAIN AHMET ERDEM

IS ONE OF BIRGENAIR'S MOST SENIOR PILOTS.

HE'S LOGGED THOUSANDS OF HOURS IN THIS TYPE OF PLANE.

Aykut Gergin: ALPHA LIMA WHISKEY 301, READY FOR TAKEOFF.

Controller: 301 CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF, RUNWAY 08.

Gergin: CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF, RUNWAY 08, 301, THANK YOU.

Co-pilot: A GOOD FLIGHT.

Ahmet Erdem: A GOOD FLIGHT.

Gergin: GOOD FLIGHT.

Narrator: MUHLIS EVRENESOGLU IS ON THIS FLIGHT

AS A RELIEF PILOT.

LIKE FIRST OFFICER GERGIN,

HE'S BEEN FLYING THE 757 FOR LESS THAN THREE MONTHS.

AS THE PLANE ACCELERATES TO TAKEOFF SPEED,

A LIGHT RAIN BEGINS TO FALL.

Gergin: POWER'S SET.

Erdem: OKAY, CHECK.

Narrator: FIRST OFFICER AYKUT GERGIN

WATCHES HIS AIRSPEED INDICATOR FOR A ROUTINE INSTRUMENT CHECK.

Man: AS THE AIRPLANE'S ACCELERATING TO TAKEOFF SPEED,

THE FIRST OFFICER CALLS 80 KNOTS.

Gergin: 80 KNOTS.

Erdem: CHECK.

John Cox: THE CAPTAIN, IN THEORY, SHOULD VERIFY

THAT HIS AIRSPEED INDICATOR ALSO READS 80 KNOTS.

Erdem: MY AIRSPEED INDICATOR'S NOT WORKING.

Narrator: THE CAPTAIN'S AIRSPEED SHOULD READ THE SAME

AS HIS FIRST OFFICER'S.

Gergin: 120.

Narrator: BUT THE READINGS DON'T MATCH.

Erdem: IS YOURS WORKING?

Gergin: YES, SIR.

Erdem: YOU TELL ME.

Narrator: ERDEM WANTS HIS FIRST OFFICER TO TELL HIM

WHEN THE PLANE HITS TAKEOFF SPEED.

Gergin: V-1.

Narrator: AT 150 KNOTS, THE PLANE HITS V-1,

THE POINT OF NO RETURN.

Gergin: ROTATE.

Narrator: THE CAPTAIN MUST PULL BACK ON HIS COLUMN

AND GET THE PLANE IN THE AIR.

Erdem: POSITIVE CLIMB, GEAR UP.

Gergin: POSITIVE CLIMB.

GEAR IS UP.

Narrator: AT 11:42, THE PLANE TAKES OFF.

SECONDS LATER, CAPTAIN ERDEM'S AIRSPEED INDICATOR

COMES TO LIFE.

Erdem: IS IT POSSIBLE TO TURN OFF THE WIPERS?

Gergin: OKAY, WIPERS OFF.

Erdem: CLIMB THRUST.

Gergin: CLIMB THRUST.

Narrator: FIRST OFFICER GERGIN REDUCES POWER TO THE ENGINES

FOR A GRADUAL CLIMB TO CRUISING ALTITUDE.

Controller: 301, AIRBORNE 45,

SWITCH OVER, SANTO DOMINGO, 1243.

Gergin: 1243, BYE-BYE, SIR.

Narrator: CLIMBING THROUGH 2,500 FEET...

Gergin: SANTO DOMINGO, GOOD EVENING.

Narrator: FIRST OFFICER GERGIN ESTABLISHES CONTACT

WITH THE ISLAND'S MAIN TOWER IN SANTO DOMINGO.

Controller: ALPHA LIMA WHISKEY 301, CLIMB AND MAINTAIN 280.

Erdem: CENTER AUTOPILOT ON, PLEASE.

Gergin: CENTER AUTOPILOT HAS COMMAND.

Erdem: THANK YOU.

Narrator: ONE MINUTE, 30 SECONDS INTO THE FLIGHT,

THE AUTOPILOT TAKES OVER.

ONBOARD COMPUTERS NOW MAKE ALL THE CALCULATIONS AND ADJUSTMENTS

NECESSARY TO KEEP THE PLANE CLIMBING SAFELY.

[ALARM BEEPS]

ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, THE COMPUTER REPORTS A PROBLEM.

Erdem: RUDDER RATIO, MACH AIRSPEED TRIM?

Narrator: TWO DIFFERENT ALERTS WARN THE PILOTS

THAT THE PLANE IS TRAVELING FAR TOO FAST.

BUT THE FIRST OFFICER'S AIRSPEED INDICATOR

SHOWS THE PLANE CLIMBING AT A NORMAL SPEED, 220 KNOTS.

Erdem: SOMETHING'S WRONG HERE.

Narrator: UNAWARE THAT THERE ARE ANY PROBLEMS,

THE CONTROLLER DIRECTS BIRGENAIR FLIGHT 301 TO CONTINUE CLIMBING.

Controller: ALPHA LIMA WHISKEY 301, REPORT POKEG.

Gergin: OKAY, 280, I'LL CALL YOU OVER POKEG.

301.

Erdem: OKAY, THERE IS SOMETHING CRAZY, DO YOU SEE IT?

Narrator: IN THE COCKPIT, THE SITUATION GETS MORE CONFUSING.

THE FIRST OFFICER'S AIRSPEED INDICATOR

SHOWS THAT THE PLANE IS FLYING MUCH TOO SLOWLY.

Gergin: MINE SHOWS ONLY 200 NOW, AND DECREASING, SIR.

Narrator: BUT THE CAPTAIN'S GAUGE SHOWS THE PLANE FLYING

FAR TOO FAST--325 KNOTS.

Erdem: BOTH OF THEM ARE WRONG.

WHAT CAN WE DO?

LET'S CHECK THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS.

Muhlis Evrenesoglu: YES, SIR.

Narrator: AS THE FIRST WARNING IS ELIMINATED,

A MORE PERSISTENT WARNING REPLACES IT.

[ALARM SOUNDS]

THE OVER-SPEED WARNING TELLS THE CREW

THAT THEY ARE APPROACHING 350 KNOTS--THE MAXIMUM SPEED

AT WHICH THE PLANE WAS DESIGNED TO FLY AT THIS ALTITUDE.

Erdem: OKAY, IT'S NO MATTER.

LET'S PULL THE AIRSPEED, LET'S SEE.

Narrator: RESETTING THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS TURNS OFF THE ALARM,

BUT IT DOESN'T FIX THE PROBLEM.

CAPTAIN ERDEM'S AIRSPEED INDICATOR

STILL SHOWS HE'S FLYING MUCH TOO FAST.

Gergin: NOW IT'S 350, YES?

Narrator: CONFUSED BY THE CONFLICTING INFORMATION,

CAPTAIN ERDEM DECIDES TO DO WHAT THE PLANE WANTS--

HE SLOWS DOWN.

Erdem: OK, LET'S TAKE THAT LIKE THIS.

[EQUIPMENT RATTLING AND SHAKING]

Narrator: ...WITH TERRIFYING RESULTS.

Erdem: GOD! GOD!

Narrator: THE 757 IS SENDING OUT WARNINGS

THAT ARE CONFUSING THE CREW.

BEWILDERED, THE CREW STRUGGLES TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.

THE LIVES OF 189 PEOPLE

DEPEND ON THEIR GETTING THE ANSWER RIGHT.

Narrator: SHORTLY AFTER TAKING OFF FROM THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC,

BIRGENAIR FLIGHT 301 IS IN TROUBLE.

Erdem: GOD! GOD! GOD!

[EQUIPMENT RATTLING]

Narrator: THE COCKPIT IS FILLED WITH AN OMINOUS SOUND--

THE STICK SHAKER ALERT.

Cox: A STICK SHAKER WARNING IS A WARNING OF IMMINENT STALL.

IT MEANS THAT THE AIRPLANE IS ABOUT TO ATTAIN A SPEED SO LOW

THAT IT CANNOT SUSTAIN FLIGHT.

Narrator: THE ALERT IS SO SERIOUS

THAT IT ACTUALLY SHAKES THE PILOTS' CONTROL COLUMNS.

COMBINED WITH A LOUD RATTLING, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO IGNORE.

TO ADD TO THE CREW'S CONFUSION,

THE PLANE BEGINS TO VIBRATE AND DIP WILDLY.

[SCREAMING]

Robert Macintosh Jr.: I'M SURE EVERY PASSENGER ON THE AIRPLANE

KNEW SOMETHING WAS UNUSUAL,

BECAUSE THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO--STARTED TO SHAKE

IN A VERY VIOLENT MANEUVER.

Narrator: IT'S NOT THE ONLY PROBLEM THE CREW IS FACING.

Evrenesoglu: A.D.I.!

Cox: THE ATTITUDE DEVIATION INDICATOR IS BASICALLY

A ROUND GAUGE THAT, ON THIS AIRPLANE IS A SCREEN,

BUT IT'S BLUE ON THE TOP AND BROWN ON THE BOTTOM,

AND IT SHOWS NOT ONLY THE PITCH OF THE AIRPLANE, BUT ALSO ROLL.

Narrator: ON THE GAUGE, BLUE REPRESENTS SKY.

THE MORE BLUE, THE STEEPER THE CLIMB.

RIGHT NOW IT'S SHOWING THAT THE PLANE'S NOSE

IS POINTING DANGEROUSLY HIGH.

THEN, MORE THAN 7,000 FEET ABOVE THE OCEAN,

THE PLANE ROLLS HARD TO THE RIGHT

AND BEGINS TO PLUMMET FROM THE SKY.

Cox: FROM THE TIME THAT THE STICK SHAKER ACTIVATES,

IT IS NOW GOING TO REQUIRE PROPER ACTION

FROM THE FLIGHT CREW TO SORT THIS OUT,

OR THEY WILL END UP LOSING CONTROL OF IT.

THE WINDOW OF DECISIONS IS CLOSING ON THEM,

FOR IF THEY LET IT STALL COMPLETELY,

MAINTAINING CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE

WILL PROVE TO BE VERY DIFFICULT.

Narrator: CAPTAIN ERDEM STRUGGLES DESPERATELY

TO GET HIS PLANE TO CLIMB.

Gergin: NOSE DOWN!

Narrator: HE HAS JUST A FEW THOUSAND FEET

TO PULL THE MASSIVE AIRLINER OUT OF A DEADLY STALL.

THE LESS EXPERIENCED PILOTS UTTER PRAYERS

AND OFFER SUGGESTIONS.

Gergin: THRUST.

Evrenesoglu: A.D.I.!

Controller: 301, SQUAWK 377.

Gergin: STAND BY!

Narrator: AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL IS STILL UNAWARE

THAT FLIGHT 301 IS IN GRAVE DANGER.

Erdem: NOT CLIMBING!

WHAT AM I TO DO?

Gergin: YOU CAN LEVEL OFF, OUR ALTITUDE'S OKAY.

Narrator: THE PLANE IS FALLING FAST.

Gergin: OKAY, 5,000 FEET.

Narrator: CAPTAIN ERDEM IS TRYING TO FLY A PLANE

THAT'S BECOME VIRTUALLY UNCONTROLLABLE.

[SCREAMING]

Erdem: THRUST LEVERS! THRUST!

Narrator: GERGIN PUSHES THE THROTTLES TO FULL POWER,

BUT IT DOESN'T HELP.

[GRUNTS]

THE PLANE SPIRALS TOWARD THE SEA.

Evrenesoglu: SIR, PULL UP!

Erdem: OH, WHAT'S HAPPENING?!

AHHH!

Controller: ALPHA LIMA WHISKEY 301, SANTO DOMINGO,

COME IN, PLEASE.

ALPHA LIMA WHISKEY 301,

SANTO DOMINGO, COME IN, PLEASE.

Narrator: LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF,

BIRGENAIR FLIGHT 301 VANISHES FROM RADAR.

Controller: ...COME IN, PLEASE.

Narrator: THE DOMINICAN NAVY BEGINS SEARCHING

FOR THE MISSING PLANE AND ITS PASSENGERS.

[SPEAKING SPANISH]

Anthony Jiminian, translated: EN ROUTE, I WAS ALWAYS THINKING OF WHAT I WOULD FIND.

I THOUGHT I WOULD FIND PEOPLE SCREAMING,

PEOPLE YELLING, ASKING FOR HELP.

Narrator: THEY DISCOVER SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT.

THE STRONG SMELL OF JET FUEL HANGS OVER THE WATER.

PIECES OF WRECKAGE FLOAT ON THE WAVES.

Jiminian: I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, THERE IS NO ONE ALIVE HERE.

WE DIDN'T SEE ANY SURVIVORS, AND WE DIDN'T SEE BODIES.

I REALLY THOUGHT THE PLANE HAD DISINTEGRATED ON IMPACT.

Narrator: WITHIN HOURS, MORE THAN JUST WRECKAGE

BEGINS FLOATING TO THE SURFACE.

AMERICAN AND DOMINICAN RESCUE SHIPS SCOUR AN AREA

OF MORE THAN 500 SQUARE MILES FOR SURVIVORS.

NONE ARE FOUND.

NOW IT'S UP TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC'S

AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION BUREAU

TO FIND OUT WHAT CAUSED THIS ACCIDENT.

[SPEAKING SPANISH]

Man, translated: WE ESTABLISHED A BASE CAMP

AT A HOTEL ON THE CABARETE BEACH,

WHICH WAS DIRECTLY SOUTH OF THE ACCIDENT SITE.

Narrator: NEARBY, EVIDENCE OF THE DISASTER

REACHES DOMINICAN SHORES.

EVEN THE SMALLEST PIECE COULD BE A VALUABLE CLUE

AS TO WHAT CAUSED THE CRASH.

THE USA'S NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD

AGREES TO ASSIST THE DOMINICANS WITH THEIR INVESTIGATION.

Enmanuel Souffront: WELCOME TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.

I'M ENMANUEL SOUFFRONT.

Narrator: THEY SEND AN INVESTIGATOR TO PUERTO PLATA.

Macintosh: WE COULD SEE THAT THIS WAS GOING TO TAKE

SOME INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THE EVENT.

Narrator: ROBERT MACINTOSH WILL ALSO PROVIDE SUPPORT

FROM THE NTSB's WASHINGTON OFFICES.

Macintosh: ANY SIGNAL FROM THE RECORDERS?

THIS PARTICULAR ACCIDENT WAS THE FIRST MAJOR LOSS

OF A BOEING 757 IN THE WATER.

THERE WAS ADDED URGENCY, BECAUSE THE AIRCRAFT

WAS GOING INTO THE LIVERY OF MANY AMERICAN-OPERATED AIRLINES,

AND ON THE MARKET FOR THE WORLDWIDE PASSENGER SERVICE.

Narrator: LIKE ALL COMMERCIAL AIRLINERS,

THE BOEING 757 CARRIES A COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER

THAT RECORDS ALL THE SOUNDS IN THE COCKPIT

AND A FLIGHT DATA RECORDER THAT RECORDS A WEALTH OF INFORMATION

ABOUT THE PLANE'S OPERATION DURING FLIGHT.

Controller: SANTO DOMINGO, GOOD EVENING.

Maintosh: WE'VE GOT UNDERWATER LOCATOR BEACONS ON THESE RECORDERS.

THEY WORK FOR 30 DAYS UPON IMMERSION.

Narrator: BUT THE OCEAN WHERE THE PLANE CRASHED

IS OVER 7,200 FEET DEEP.

Souffront, translated: WE NEEDED TO LOCATE THEM BEFORE THE SIGNALS FADED,

AND WE ALSO NEEDED TO REMOVE THEM

BEFORE THE DATA WAS DAMAGED BY SALT WATER.

SO WE WERE IN A RACE AGAINST TIME.

Narrator: THE NTSB ENLISTS THE HELP OF THE U.S. NAVY,

WHO EMPLOY A SUBMERSIBLE CALLED THE CURV.

IT'S ESSENTIALLY A REMOTE-CONTROLLED SUBMARINE,

WHICH CAN WORK AT DEPTHS NO MANNED SUBMARINE COULD HANDLE.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS STUDY THE RADAR RECORDS,

ALONG WITH THE CONVERSATION

BETWEEN THE GROUND CONTROLLERS AND THE CREW.

Souffront: I HAVE THE RECORDING FROM THE CONTROL TOWER.

Gergin: SANTO DOMINGO, GOOD EVENING.

ALPHA LIMA WHISKEY, 301, CLIMBING WITH YOU.

Controller: ALPHA LIMA WHISKEY 301, CLIMB AND MAINTAIN 280.

Gergin: OKAY, 280.

Narrator: THE EXCHANGE BETWEEN THE CONTROLLER AND FLIGHT 301

IS NORMAL.

THE INVESTIGATORS DETECT NO SIGNS OF TROUBLE.

Souffront: LAST COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THEM

WAS ONLY DISRUPTED WITH A STANDBY.

Controller: 301, SQUAWK 377.

Gergin: STAND BY.

Souffront: AS YOU HEARD, THERE'S NO REASON

WHY THIS PLANE WENT DOWN.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS COMB THROUGH THE WRECKAGE

THEY'VE RECOVERED.

PIECES OF THE CABIN, LIFE VESTS, EVEN PART OF THE LANDING GEAR

HAVE ALL BEEN FOUND.

EVERY PIECE OF DEBRIS IS STUDIED

FOR SIGNS OF AN EXPLOSION OR FIRE.

THE CRASH WAS SO POWERFUL,

IT HAS COMPRESSED COFFEE CANS INTO FLAT PIECES OF TIN.

THE WRECKAGE TELLS INVESTIGATORS THAT THE CRASH

OF BIRGENAIR FLIGHT 301 WAS SUDDEN AND VIOLENT.

BUT THEY FIND NO EVIDENCE THAT THERE WAS AN EXPLOSION ON BOARD.

MAJOR SOUFFRONT LOOKS INTO THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE PLANE,

WHICH WAS CALLED INTO SERVICE AT THE LAST MINUTE,

MAY NOT HAVE BEEN READY FOR THE FLIGHT.

Macintosh: IT HAD BEEN ON THE GROUND FOR SOME TIME

IN PUERTO PLATA, AND THAT BECAME INTERESTING TO US.

WHY WOULD--WHY WOULD AN OPERATING COMPANY

HAVE AN AIRCRAFT SITTING THERE?

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS DISCOVER THAT THE PLANE

WASN'T ON THE GROUND FOR REPAIRS.

BASED ON MAINTENANCE RECORDS,

THE PLANE APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN MECHANICALLY SOUND.

BIRGENAIR SIMPLY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH PASSENGERS

TO JUSTIFY THE FLIGHT FINANCIALLY.

SO THEY KEPT THE PLANE AND THE CREW IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

FOR ALMOST THREE WEEKS.

THE PLANE'S MAINTENANCE RECORDS TURN OUT TO BE ONE MORE

IN A SERIES OF EMPTY LEADS.

THE CURV ARRIVES IN PUERTO PLATA HARBOR.

ON FEBRUARY 28th, MORE THAN THREE WEEKS AFTER THE CRASH,

IT SLIPS BELOW THE WAVES,

LOOKING FOR THE REMAINS OF THE BIRGENAIR JET.

IT TAKES THE ROBOTIC SUBMARINE TWO HOURS JUST TO DESCEND

THE 7,200 FEET TO THE OCEAN FLOOR.

FROM THERE, IT SENDS BACK IMAGES OF THE WRECK OF FLIGHT 301.

Michael Unzicker: THE COCKPIT PRETTY MUCH WAS SITTING UPRIGHT,

AND IT WAS PRETTY MUCH THE NOSE OF THE PLANE, YOU KNOW.

AND YOU COULD SEE THE FRONT PART OF IT,

IT WAS OBVIOUSLY BANGED UP AND CRACKED AND FRAGMENTED.

Narrator: THE FLIGHT'S BLACK BOXES ARE THE TOP PRIORITY.

THE CURV QUICKLY PICKS UP THE SIGNAL

FROM A PINGER ON ONE OF THE UNITS.

OPERATORS MUST NOW MANEUVER THE SUB TOWARD THE SOUND.

THEY HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE BOXES

TO PICK THEM UP WITH THE ROBOTIC ARM.

IT TAKES JUST 90 MINUTES TO FIND THE FIRST BLACK BOX.

Unzicker: THE FIRST ONE WAS SITTING OUT IN THE OPEN, OKAY.

IT WAS WHERE THEY COULD SEE IT,

AND THEY PICKED THE FIRST BOX UP.

THEY GRABBED A HOLD OF IT,

AND THEY JUST KIND OF TUGGED THE ARM UP IN PLACE,

YOU KNOW, SO THAT THEY WOULDN'T LOSE IT.

Narrator: THE SECOND BLACK BOX IS ALSO HEARD.

BUT AFTER ALMOST TWO HOURS,

THE CURV'S CAMERAS STILL CAN'T SEE IT.

Unzicker: YOU KNOW, THEY KNEW IT WAS RIGHT THERE,

AND THEY WERE SEARCHING AROUND A DEBRIS PILE,

AND THEN THEY DID FIND THE SECOND BOX UNDER SOME DEBRIS.

Narrator: FLIGHT 301'S FLIGHT DATA RECORDER

AND COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER ARE BROUGHT TO THE SURFACE

AND SENT TO THE NTSB LABS IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

INVESTIGATORS SOON UNCOVER A STUNNING MISCOMMUNICATION

BETWEEN A SEASONED PILOT AND HIS PLANE.

Narrator: TO UNRAVEL THE MYSTERY OF BIRGENAIR FLIGHT 301,

INVESTIGATORS ARE COUNTING ON DATA

FROM THE PLANE'S BLACK BOXES.

Macintosh: THAT FLIGHT DATA RECORDER WAS OUR KEY.

SO THE TECHNICIANS GOT BUSY AND GAVE US PLOTS,

VISUAL PLOTS OF WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH ENGINES AND AIRSPEEDS

AND SO ON, TO ALLOW US TO TRY AND UNDERSTAND WHY THAT AIRCRAFT

SLOWED DOWN AND THEN SIMPLY DEPARTED CONTROLLED FLIGHT

AND ENTERED THE OCEAN.

THE TOP IS THE PITCH,

YOU'VE GOT THE AIRSPEED AND THE ALTITUDE.

BUT CHECK OUT THE TIMELINE, 44.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS IMMEDIATELY NOTICE

SOMETHING UNUSUAL ABOUT THE FLIGHT.

Macintosh: 15 DEGREES PITCH, NOSE UP?

SEEMS HIGH.

Souffront: HE'S ALMOST THE MAXIMUM.

Macintosh: AND THEN IT STAYS THAT WAY.

Narrator: THE PLANE BEGAN CLIMBING NORMALLY.

Erdem: CENTER AUTOPILOT ON, PLEASE.

Narrator: BUT INVESTIGATORS NOTICE

THAT SHORTLY AFTER THE AUTOPILOT WAS SWITCHED ON,

THE PLANE'S NOSE PITCHED UPWARD.

THEY ALSO SEE THAT THE PLANE'S AIRSPEED

SEEMS MUCH HIGHER THAN IT SHOULD BE.

Souffront: 350 KNOTS--IT CAN'T BE RIGHT.

Macintosh: THIS BROUGHT US TO THE QUESTION OF

PERHAPS WE SHOULD BE LOOKING OVER ON THE OTHER SIDE,

AT THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER,

AND SEE WHAT KIND OF INFORMATION WAS COMING FROM THERE.

CAN YOU CUE THAT UP AND PLAY IT?

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS SOON START FILLING IN

THE MISSING PIECES OF THE PUZZLE.

Gergin: 80 KNOTS.

Erdem: MY AIRSPEED INDICATOR'S NOT WORKING.

Narrator: THEY LEARN THAT CAPTAIN ERDEM

NOTICED THAT HIS AIRSPEED INDICATOR WASN'T WORKING.

Erdem: IS YOURS WORKING?

Gergin: YES, SIR.

Erdem: YOU TELL ME.

Gergin: V-1.

ROTATE.

Narrator: BUT ERDEM DIDN'T THINK THE PROBLEM

WAS SERIOUS ENOUGH TO ABORT HIS TAKEOFF.

THE TAPE REVEALS THAT ONCE THEY WERE AIRBORNE,

THE CREW QUICKLY BECAME OVERWHELMED

BY A SERIES OF WARNINGS.

Erdem: RUDDER RATIO, MACH AIRSPEED TRIM?

Narrator: TO INVESTIGATORS, THE CAPTAIN BECAME INCREASINGLY BEWILDERED

BY THE MESSAGES HE WAS GETTING FROM HIS PLANE.

Gergin: MINE SHOWS ONLY 200 NOW, AND DECREASING, SIR.

Erdem: BOTH OF THEM ARE WRONG.

WHAT CAN WE DO?

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS DON'T KNOW WHY

THE CAPTAIN'S AIRSPEED INDICATOR WASN'T WORKING.

THEY DO NOTICE THAT THE CAPTAIN'S GAUGE

CAME BACK TO LIFE AS THE PLANE STARTED TO CLIMB.

Erdem: OKAY, IT'S NO MATTER.

LET'S PULL THE AIRSPEED, LET'S SEE.

Narrator: IT'S A TELLING DISCOVERY,

WHICH LEADS INVESTIGATORS TO FOCUS THEIR ATTENTION

ON THE DEVICE THAT FEEDS THE GAUGE'S AIRSPEED INFORMATION--

THE PITOT TUBE.

A PITOT TUBE IS AN AIRSPEED SENSOR.

A PIPE OPEN AT ONE END THAT RESPONDS TO AIR PRESSURE.

WHEN THE PLANE TRAVELS FORWARD,

AN INCREASE IN AIR PRESSURE INSIDE THE PITOT TUBE

CAUSES THE AIRSPEED INDICATOR'S NEEDLE TO MOVE.

Erdem: MY AIRSPEED INDICATOR'S NOT WORKING.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS SUSPECT THAT THE PITOT TUBE,

WHICH FED THE CAPTAIN'S AIRSPEED INDICATOR ON THE BIRGENAIR JET,

WAS SOMEHOW BLOCKED.

BUT THEY DON'T KNOW WHY.

MAJOR SOUFFRONT HAS A THEORY.

SOUFFRONT SUSPECTS THAT MECHANICS MAY HAVE TAPED OVER

THE PITOT TUBES DURING MAINTENANCE.

IT'S A COMMON PROCEDURE, BUT IF THE TAPE WASN'T REMOVED,

IT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE DEADLY ACCIDENT.

Souffront: ...WAS LEFT ON ACCIDENTALLY?

Technician: NO, SIR, THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO BE TAPED.

WE NEVER DID ANYTHING WITH THE PITOTS.

Souffront: DID YOU PUT THE PITOT COVERS BACK ON THEM

WHEN THE MAINTENANCE WAS FINISHED?

Technician: IT DIDN'T HAVE ANY COVERS WITH IT.

WE DIDN'T TAKE ANY OFF, AND WE DIDN'T PUT ANY ON.

Souffront: AND THAT'S WHEN WE DISCOVERED THAT THE PITOTS

HAD NOT BEEN COVERED

FOR THE 25 DAYS THAT THE AIRCRAFT REMAINED PARKED

AT THE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IN PUERTO PLATA.

Narrator: A PITOT COVER SLIPS OVER THE END OF THE TUBE.

REGULATIONS STATE THAT THESE COVERS MUST BE INSTALLED

ANY TIME A PLANE WILL BE ON THE GROUND

FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.

A PROMINENT FLAG IS MEANT TO REMIND PILOTS AND TECHNICIANS

TO REMOVE THEM AGAIN BEFORE TAKEOFF.

INVESTIGATORS FIND THAT THE BIRGENAIR PITOT TUBES

WERE NEVER COVERED,

AND SOMEHOW THE UNCOVERED TUBES HAD BECOME BLOCKED.

RECOVERING THE TUBE FROM THE OCEAN FLOOR IS THE ONLY WAY

FOR INVESTIGATORS TO ANSWER A PRESSING QUESTION--

WHAT BLOCKED THE PITOT TUBES?

Macintosh: NOBODY KNOWS FOR SURE.

THE EVIDENCE IS 7,000 FEET DOWN IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN.

Narrator: BUT EVEN IF THE PITOT TUBES WERE BLOCKED,

HOW COULD IT HAVE CAUSED THE CRASH OF A MODERN JET,

AND THE DEATHS OF 189 PEOPLE?

Macintosh: IT'S NOT LIKE A CAR,

WHERE YOU HAVE ONLY ONE SPEEDOMETER.

IN THIS KIND OF AN AIRCRAFT,

YOU HAVE A TOTAL OF THREE AIRSPEED INDICATORS,

AND THERE'S A FLIGHT DATA COMPUTER,

WHICH IS COMPUTING THE VELOCITY IN RELATION TO THE GROUND.

Narrator: USING INFORMATION FROM THE BLACK BOXES,

THE NTSB PIECES TOGETHER A REAL-TIME ANIMATION

FROM LIFTOFF TO THE FINAL MOMENTS OF FLIGHT 301.

Macintosh: THIS IS THE INDICATOR.

THE CAPTAIN ACTUALLY REALIZED THAT HIS SPEED INDICATOR

WAS NOT WORKING.

Erdem: IS YOURS WORKING?

Gergin: YES, SIR.

Narrator: THE BIG QUESTION FOR INVESTIGATORS

IS HOW COULD ONE FAULTY AIRSPEED SOURCE RESULT IN A CRASH?

Macintosh: HE REALIZED IT AT A TIME WHEN HE COULD HAVE ABORTED,

COULD HAVE TURNED BACK.

BUT HE CHOSE TO CONTINUE.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS ANALYZE THE CAPTAIN'S EVERY MOVE

AND FIND THAT HE ALLOWED A SMALL ERROR TO ESCALATE

AND ULTIMATELY OVERWHELM HIM.

MOMENTS AFTER LIFTOFF,

CAPTAIN ERDEM'S AIRSPEED INDICATOR APPEARS TO BE WORKING.

Macintosh: THAT MEANS IT'S AT ODDS...

Narrator: BUT INVESTIGATORS SUSPECT THE GAUGE IS RESPONDING

TO CHANGES IN ALTITUDE.

Erdem: CLIMB THRUST.

Narrator: AS THE PLANE CLIMBS THROUGH THE THINNING ATMOSPHERE,

THE AIR TRAPPED INSIDE THE TUBE EXPANDS,

CAUSING A BUILDUP OF PRESSURE.

INSIDE THE COCKPIT,

THIS CAUSES THE AIRSPEED INDICATOR NEEDLE TO DEFLECT.

EVEN THOUGH ALTITUDE IS CAUSING THE INCREASE IN PRESSURE,

THE SENSORS MISTAKENLY READ IT AS AN INCREASE IN AIRSPEED.

Macintosh: SO AT THIS POINT, THE TAKEOFF IS...

Narrator: CAPTAIN ERDEM MAY HAVE HAD FIVE SEPARATE SOURCES

OF AIRSPEED DATA TO RELY ON.

BUT INVESTIGATORS NOTICE THAT WHEN THE TROUBLE STARTED,

HE WASN'T FLYING THE PLANE...

Erdem: CENTER AUTOPILOT ON, PLEASE.

Gergin: CENTER AUTOPILOT HAS COMMAND.

Erdem: THANK YOU.

Narrator: ...THE AUTOPILOT WAS.

AND UNLESS THE CREW RECONFIGURES IT,

THE AUTOPILOT GETS ITS AIRSPEED INFORMATION

FROM ONLY ONE SOURCE.

Macintosh: REMEMBER, THE AUTOPILOT GETS ITS DATA

ONLY FROM THE CAPTAIN'S PITOT TUBE, THE ONE THAT WAS BLOCKED.

Narrator: THE DATA SHOWS THAT THE TROUBLE

ON BIRGENAIR FLIGHT 301 BEGAN WHEN THE AUTOPILOT TOOK OVER.

Macintosh: RIGHT AFTER THE AUTOPILOT IS ENGAGED,

THE PLANE'S NOSE BEGINS TO RISE.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS SUSPECT THAT THE CREW DIDN'T REALIZE

THAT THE BLOCKED PITOT TUBE

WAS FEEDING THE AUTOPILOT FAULTY INFORMATION.

THE COMPUTER REGISTERED THAT THE PLANE WAS TRAVELING TOO FAST

AND RAISED THE NOSE TO SLOW IT DOWN.

Macintosh: IT SOON RISES TO 15 DEGREES.

THEN IT STAYS THERE.

Narrator: RAISING THE NOSE WORKS LIKE AN AIR BRAKE--

IT SLOWS THE PLANE BY CREATING DRAG.

THE AUTOPILOT IS PROGRAMMED TO NEVER BRING THE NOSE

HIGHER THAN ABOUT 15 DEGREES.

ANY HIGHER AND THE PLANE WOULD SLOW DOWN TOO MUCH AND STALL.

Macintosh: THE AUTOPILOT'S A PRETTY SMART GUY.

HE ALREADY KNOWS HE'S GOT ALL THE POWER THAT HE'S GONNA GET

FOR THE CLIMB.

THE ONLY THING FOR THE AUTOPILOT TO DO IS RAISE THE NOSE.

AND IT RAISED THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE

TO ITS LIMITS OF AUTHORITY.

Narrator: BUT THE AUTOPILOT WAS REACTING TO FAULTY INFORMATION.

MOMENTS LATER, IT SENT OUT TWO DIFFERENT WARNINGS...

Erdem: RUDDER RATIO, MACH AIRSPEED TRIM?

Narrator: ...THAT THE PLANE WAS TRAVELING TOO FAST

TO BE CONTROLLED SAFELY.

Cox: AND THE AIRPLANE BEGINS PICKING UP WARNINGS,

RUDDER RATIO, A VARIETY OF THINGS

THAT THE AIRPLANE IS SENSING PROBLEMS.

Erdem: OK, THERE IS SOMETHING CRAZY HERE. DO YOU SEE IT?

Gergin: YES, THERE IS SOMETHING CRAZY.

MINE SHOWS ONLY 200 NOW, AND DECREASING, SIR.

Erdem: BOTH OF THEM ARE WRONG.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS REALIZE THAT CAPTAIN ERDEM

WRONGLY CONCLUDED THAT BOTH AIRSPEED INDICATORS

WERE MALFUNCTIONING.

IN FACT, HIS FIRST OFFICER'S GAUGE WAS ALWAYS CORRECT--

THE PLANE WAS TRAVELING MUCH TOO SLOWLY.

Erdem: WHAT CAN WE DO?

Macintosh: CAPTAIN ERDEM NO LONGER KNOWS

WHICH INSTRUMENTS TO TRUST.

Erdem: LET'S CHECK THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS.

Macintosh: AS THEY SAW THESE CAUTION LIGHTS,

THEY DECIDED THEY WERE GOING TO START PULLING

SOME CIRCUIT BREAKERS.

NOW, THAT WOULD BE RATHER STRANGE.

Cox: THE ACTIONS OF TRYING TO RESET CIRCUIT BREAKERS

IS SOMETHING THAT PILOTS OF OLDER GENERATIONS' AIRCRAFT

HAVE LEARNED VIA EXPERIENCE OF SOMETIMES BEING ABLE

TO GET AN ERRANT SYSTEM BACK FUNCTIONAL.

Narrator: RESETTING THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS SILENCED THE ALARMS.

Macintosh: BUT THAT NEEDLE CONTINUED TO CLIMB

AROUND THE CLOCK FACE

UNTIL IT ACTIVATED THE OVER-SPEED WARNING.

[ALARM BEEPING]

Narrator: THE AUTOPILOT SYSTEM SENT YET ANOTHER WARNING

THAT THE PLANE WAS TRAVELING TOO FAST.

BUT THE REALITY WAS JUST THE OPPOSITE.

THE PLANE WAS SLOWING DOWN.

Macintosh: AT THIS POINT, THE OVER-SPEED INDICATOR IS ON.

THEY'RE GOING TOO SLOW, THEY THINK THEY'RE GOING TOO FAST,

AND CONFUSION HAS SET IN.

Erdem: LET'S PULL THE AIRSPEED, LET'S SEE.

Narrator: THAT'S WHEN CAPTAIN ERDEM MADE THE GRAVEST ERROR OF ALL.

Macintosh: YOU CAN SEE THAT HE NOW PULLS BACK ON HIS THROTTLES.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS REALIZE

THAT AT THE PLANE'S ALREADY SLOW SPEED...

[SCREAMING]

...PULLING BACK ON THE THROTTLES WAS DISASTROUS.

THE CREW GOT THE MOST SEVERE WARNING

THAT A PLANE CAN SEND OUT.

Macintosh: AND THAT'S WHEN HE GETS THE STICK SHAKER.

Erdem: GOD! GOD!

Macintosh: HE'S GOT A TACTILE SENSE COMING THROUGH

HIS FLIGHT CONTROLS THAT LITERALLY SHAKES THE STICK

AND SAYS, YOU'VE GOT TO LOWER THIS NOSE.

Narrator: IN A MATTER OF SECONDS, CAPTAIN ERDEM WAS FIRST WARNED

THAT HIS PLANE WAS TRAVELING TOO FAST,

AND THEN THAT IT WAS TRAVELING DANGEROUSLY SLOWLY.

Cox: THEY'RE IN DIRECT OPPOSITION OF EACH OTHER,

AND TWO WARNINGS THAT YOU WOULD NEVER EXPECT TO GET

ONE RIGHT BEHIND THE OTHER.

Narrator: THE AUTOPILOT IS PROGRAMMED TO ALWAYS DISCONNECT

WHEN THE STICK SHAKER ACTIVATES.

IT'S UP TO THE PILOT TO GET THE PLANE OUT OF A STALL.

Macintosh: ONCE THE AUTOPILOT REACHED ITS LIMITS OF AUTHORITY,

IT SAID, "I'VE DONE ALL I CAN DO, I'M OUT OF HERE."

Narrator: WHEN THE AUTOPILOT DISENGAGED,

CAPTAIN ERDEM SUDDENLY FOUND HIMSELF IN CONTROL OF THE PLANE

AT THE MOMENT OF HIS GREATEST CONFUSION.

Macintosh: IF YOU WATCH THE PLANE AT THE TOP OF THE SCREEN...

Narrator: THE COCKPIT RECORDINGS LEAD INVESTIGATORS

TO A STUNNING CONCLUSION--

CAPTAIN ERDEM MAY NOT HAVE RECOGNIZED THAT HIS PLANE

WAS ABOUT TO STALL,

BUT THE RELIEF PILOT BEHIND HIM DID.

Evrenesoglu: A.D.I.!

Macintosh: THIS ADDITIONAL PILOT INTERVENED TO SAY,

"A.D.I.! A.D.I."

IN OTHER WORDS, LOOK AT THAT A.D.I.,

AND PUT YOURSELF WHERE YOU WOULD NORMALLY SEE

THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT

FIVE DEGREES NOSE HIGH, TEN DEGREES.

Cox: SO WHEN THE RESERVE PILOT SAYS, "A.D.I.,"

HE IS ATTEMPTING TO FOCUS THE CAPTAIN'S ATTENTION

TO ROLL AND PITCH, WHICH ARE BECOMING PROBLEMATIC.

Narrator: THE RELIEF PILOT WANTED CAPTAIN ERDEM

TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE PLANE'S NOSE

WAS PITCHED DANGEROUSLY SKYWARD.

INVESTIGATORS CAN HEAR FIRST OFFICER GERGIN

TRYING TO CONVEY THE SAME MESSAGE.

Gergin: NOSE DOWN!

Cox: AT THIS POINT, THE FIRST OFFICER'S ACTUALLY

TRYING TO LEAD THE CAPTAIN TO SOME SOLUTIONS,

BUT NOT ACTUALLY TAKE CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE.

Narrator: WHAT THE 757 DESPERATELY NEEDED

WAS AIRFLOW OVER THE WINGS TO GENERATE LIFT.

THE ONLY WAY TO GET THAT WAS TO POINT THE NOSE DOWN AND DIVE.

WHAT PUZZLES INVESTIGATORS IS THAT THE FIRST OFFICER

HAD A CONTROL COLUMN IDENTICAL TO THE CAPTAIN'S.

HE COULD HAVE PUSHED IT AND BROUGHT THE NOSE DOWN HIMSELF.

HE MAY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SAVE THE PLANE.

[SCREAMING]

BUT HE DIDN'T.

INSTEAD, HE AND THE OTHER TURKISH CREW MEMBER

CONTINUED OFFERING SUGGESTIONS

TO THEIR MORE EXPERIENCED BUT OVERWHELMED CAPTAIN.

Erdem: NOT CLIMBING, WHAT AM I TO DO?

Gergin: YOU CAN LEVEL OFF, OUR ALTITUDE'S OKAY.

Narrator: THE RECORDING SHOWS THAT CAPTAIN ERDEM

IGNORED VALUABLE ADVICE THAT COULD HAVE SAVED THE PLANE.

Cox: AND IN THE BIRGENAIR CASE,

THERE'S A CASE OF A RELATIVELY JUNIOR FIRST OFFICER

LOOKING AT ONE OF THE MOST SENIOR CAPTAINS ON THE AIRLINE.

IT IS NOT CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE FOR HIM TO SAY,

"I'M GONNA TAKE THE AIRPLANE AWAY FROM YOU."

INSTEAD, HE TRIES TO ASSIST THE CAPTAIN, TO LEAD THE CAPTAIN,

BUT LEAVE THE CAPTAIN IN COMMAND.

OTHER CULTURES, OTHER TRAINING, OTHER AIRLINES

MAY VERY WELL HAVE REQUIRED THE FIRST OFFICER

TO PHYSICALLY TAKE CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE.

Macintosh: I THINK THE SOCIAL ATMOSPHERE IN THE COCKPIT

WILL PREVAIL TO REVERE AGE AND EXPERIENCE

TO THE POINT WHERE IT CAN KILL SOMEBODY.

AND IN THIS CASE, IT LOOKS LIKE IT DID.

Narrator: THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER REVEALS

THAT INSTEAD OF PUSHING THE NOSE DOWN,

CAPTAIN ERDEM TRIED TO GET MORE SPEED FROM HIS ENGINES.

Macintosh: AT THIS POINT, THE CREW GOES TO FULL POWER.

Erdem: THRUST LEVERS! THRUST!

Narrator: AT THE ANGLE THE PLANE WAS FALLING,

THE ENGINES COULDN'T GET ENOUGH AIR.

APPLYING FULL POWER WAS MORE THAN THEY COULD HANDLE.

THE LEFT ENGINE QUIT FIRST.

Macintosh: ...IN A STATE OF UTTER CONFUSION.

Narrator: WITH THE RIGHT SIDE AT FULL THROTTLE,

THE AIRLINER SWINGS AROUND

AS THOUGH ITS LEFT WING WERE CAUGHT ON A BRANCH.

Cox: THE AIRPLANE GOES INTO A CLASSIC FULL STALL,

WHERE THE NOSE DROPS, IT FALLS ON A WING,

WHICH IS NOW A VERY LIFE-THREATENING CONDITION.

Narrator: THE 757 ITSELF MAKES THE SITUATION WORSE.

LIKE MANY MODERN JETS, IT USES A SO-CALLED SWEPT WING DESIGN.

THE WINGS ANGLE SLIGHTLY BACKWARDS,

TO REDUCE DRAG AND INCREASE FUEL EFFICIENCY.

BUT THE DESIGN HAS A DOWN SIDE.

Cox: ONE OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF SWEPT WING JETS

IS THEY GET LESS AND LESS STABLE,

THEY'RE MUCH HARDER TO FLY AS THEY APPROACH STALL.

Evrenesoglu: SIR, PULL UP!

Erdem: WHAT'S HAPPENING?!

OH, WHAT'S HAPPENING?!

[SCREAMING]

Cox: TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF A SWEPT WING JET

WITH NO MORE ALTITUDE THAN THEY HAD IN THIS CONDITION

IS VERY, VERY PROBLEMATIC.

AND THEY ARE NOT SUCCESSFUL,

AND THE AIRPLANE GOES INTO THE WATER.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS NOW KNOW WHY BIRGENAIR FLIGHT 301 CRASHED.

WHAT THEY CAN'T UNDERSTAND

IS WHY THE FLIGHT EVER LEFT THE GROUND.

Gergin: 80 KNOTS.

Erdem: MY AIRSPEED INDICATOR'S NOT WORKING.

Narrator: AT 80 KNOTS,

IF THE PILOT AND CO-PILOT'S INSTRUMENTS DISAGREE,

TAKEOFF SHOULD BE ABORTED.

Gergin: V-1.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS ARE TROUBLED THAT THE CAPTAIN TOOK OFF

KNOWING HE HAD MALFUNCTIONING INSTRUMENTS.

Souffront: IF SOMETHING IS NOT FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY,

IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT IT IS, ONE SHOULD ABORT THE TAKEOFF

AT 80 KNOTS.

Cox: THIS DECISION ON THE PART OF THE CAPTAIN

HAS BEEN CRITICIZED, BUT THERE IS A VERY SHORT TIME WINDOW

FOR THIS DECISION TO BE MADE.

Narrator: MEMBERS OF THE INVESTIGATIVE TEAM IN PUERTO PLATA

TRY TO FIND ANY CLUES THAT MIGHT EXPLAIN

WHY CAPTAIN ERDEM DID NOT ABORT HIS TAKEOFF.

IT WAS RAINING THAT NIGHT.

PERHAPS HE WAS WORRIED THAT HE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO STOP

HIS SPEEDING PLANE IN TIME.

Cox: PROCEDURALLY, HE'S REQUIRED TO STOP.

BUT HIGH-SPEED ABORTED TAKEOFFS ARE SOMETHING

THAT ARE VERY SERIOUS, AND THAT FLIGHT CREWS TRAIN

TO AVOID HIGH-SPEED ABORTED TAKEOFFS, IF POSSIBLE.

Macintosh: AND WE CERTAINLY LOOKED AT THE PARAMETERS

OF THE RUNWAY, TO ENSURE THAT THERE WAS ADEQUATE RUNWAY

IN THAT PARTICULAR SITUATION.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS CONCLUDE THAT AT 80 KNOTS,

WHEN HE FIRST NOTICED THE PROBLEM,

CAPTAIN ERDEM HAD ENOUGH RUNWAY LEFT

TO BRING HIS PLANE TO A STOP.

HE COULD HAVE ABORTED HIS TAKEOFF.

THERE IS ALSO THE QUESTION OF THE HASTILY ASSEMBLED CREW.

INVESTIGATORS NOW WONDER

IF THE LAST-MINUTE NATURE OF THE CREW'S CALL

COULD HAVE INFLUENCED THEIR DECISION TO TAKE OFF.

Macintosh: BIRGENAIR STARTED WITH A CREW

THAT PROBABLY DIDN'T EXPECT TO FLY THAT NIGHT.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE ADEQUATE REST.

THEY GOT OUT TO THE AIRCRAFT, AND PERHAPS WERE RUSHED

IN SOME OF THEIR PLANNING.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE CREW,

WHO HAD BEEN KEPT IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

FOR MORE THAN TWO WEEKS,

WERE SIMPLY TOO EAGER TO GET HOME.

Gergin: 08, 310, THANK YOU.

Evrenesoglu: A GOOD FLIGHT.

Erdem: A GOOD FLIGHT.

Gergin: GOOD FLIGHT.

Souffront: THIS IS THE HOMESICK FACTOR, WHERE MINOR PROBLEMS

ARE IGNORED IN ORDER TO GET BACK HOME.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS WILL NEVER KNOW

WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH CAPTAIN ERDEM'S MIND

WHEN HE OPTED TO CONTINUE HIS TAKEOFF.

Cox: IN THIS CASE, THE AIRPLANE IS ACCELERATING RAPIDLY ENOUGH,

THE FIRST OFFICER RESPONDS...

Gergin: V-1.

Cox: ...WHICH IS THE COMMIT TO FLY SPEED, AND BY TRAINING,

NOW THE DECISION WINDOW HAS CLOSED, THEY NEED TO FLY.

Gergin: ROTATE.

Cox: AND IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER, THEY'RE AIRBORNE.

Narrator: ONCE THE PLANE WAS IN THE AIR,

ITS BLOCKED PITOT TUBES CAUSED CAPTAIN ERDEM

TO MAKE A SERIES OF CRITICAL MISTAKES.

BUT HOW WERE THE TUBES BLOCKED IN THE FIRST PLACE?

INVESTIGATORS KNOW THAT A BLOCKED PITOT TUBE

LED TO A SERIES OF CONFLICTING WARNINGS

THAT CONFOUNDED FLIGHT 301'S CAPTAIN.

NOW THEY WANT TO KNOW HOW THOSE SAME WARNINGS

WOULD AFFECT OTHER PILOTS.

Souffront: WE WENT TO A FLIGHT SIMULATOR,

AND IN THE SIMULATOR, WE TRIED TO RECREATE THE CONDITIONS

OF WHAT HAPPENED ON THE NIGHT OF FEBRUARY 6, 1996.

Macintosh: GENTLEMEN, STAND BY.

Narrator: THE SIMULATOR SHOWED INVESTIGATORS

THAT AN OVER-SPEED WARNING

FOLLOWED BY A STICK SHAKER WARNING

CAUSED EVEN THE MOST SEASONED PILOTS TO FREEZE.

THE CONTRADICTORY WARNINGS WERE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS.

Pilot: WHEN THE STICK SHAKER ACTIVATED,

IT WAS VERY UNNERVING.

IT'S REALLY OVERWHELMING.

Macintosh: THAT WOULD TELL ME THAT THAT MACH AIRSPEED WARNING HORN,

COMBINED WITH THE STICK SHAKER,

WAS A TREMENDOUSLY MIND-BOGGLING EXPERIENCE TO A LINE PILOT.

Narrator: AS A RESULT, THE FAA ISSUES A DIRECTIVE

THAT SIMULATOR TRAINING FOR ALL AIRLINE PILOTS

MUST INCLUDE A BLOCKED PITOT TUBE SCENARIO.

Cox: THE FLIGHT CREW WITHIN BIRGENAIR

WAS FACED WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF WARNINGS THAT KEPT COMING,

AND EACH WARNING ADDED COMPLEXITY TO THE ENVIRONMENT.

THERE'S A LOT OF WARNING LIGHTS GOING OFF.

THIS CAPTAIN IS IN A CONDITION

THAT IS DETERIORATING, NOW, VERY RAPIDLY.

SO THERE IS A DRAMATICALLY INCREASED DEMAND

ON THE CAPTAIN TO FLY THE AIRPLANE.

Narrator: THE FAA ASKS BOEING TO CHANGE SOME OF THOSE WARNINGS.

THOSE CHANGES INCLUDE THE ADDITION OF A NEW WARNING,

WHICH TELLS BOTH PILOTS THAT THEIR INSTRUMENTS DISAGREE.

AND THE ABILITY FOR PILOTS

TO MORE EASILY SILENCE TROUBLESOME ALARMS.

FINALLY, BOEING MODIFIES ITS PLANES

SO THAT PILOTS CAN EASILY CHOOSE

WHICH PITOT TUBE THE AUTOPILOT IS USING FOR AIRSPEED READINGS.

ALL TOLD, MORE THAN 1,400 BOEING PLANES WORLDWIDE

ARE AFFECTED BY THE NEW DIRECTIVES.

ONE FINAL QUESTION REMAINS--

WHAT HAD BLOCKED THE PLANE'S PITOT TUBES?

[SPEAKING SPANISH]

INVESTIGATORS CONDUCT AN EXTENSIVE SEARCH

FOR BIRGENAIR FLIGHT 301'S PITOT TUBES.

THEY ARE NEVER FOUND.

Narrator: BUT AT PUERTO PLATA'S AIRPORT,

THEY DON'T HAVE TO LOOK FAR TO FIND THE LIKELIEST SUSPECT.

IT'S NOT ICE, AND IT'S NOT DIRT.

IT'S AN INSECT WELL-KNOWN TO PILOTS

FLYING OUT OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.

IT'S CALLED THE MUD DAUBER WASP.

BUG EXPERTS TELL INVESTIGATORS

ABOUT AN EXTRAORDINARY CONNECTION

BETWEEN THE WASPS AND A PITOT TUBE.

[SPEAKING SPANISH]

Kelvin Guerrero, translated: WHEN A MUD DAUBER IS LOOKING

FOR AN AREA TO BUILD ITS NEST,

IT'S LOOKING FOR A SITE, A PLACE THAT'S MORE OR LESS TUBULAR.

WHEN THE MUD DAUBERS MAKE THEIR MUD NEST,

THE MUD, WHEN IT DRIES, HARDENS AND CONDENSES.

IT GETS HARD.

Narrator: MUD DAUBER WASPS ARE SQUATTERS

THAT MAKE THEIR NESTS IN AVAILABLE PLACES.

LIKE CREVICES IN HOMES, OR EVEN THE PITOT TUBES OF PLANES.

Guerrero: THAT THE PLANE WAS STOPPED FOR SO LONG,

25 DAYS, WAS ENOUGH TIME FOR ANY SPECIES OF THE MUD DAUBER

TO BUILD ITS NEST IN THE PITOT TUBES.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS CAN ONLY CONCLUDE

THAT MUD DAUBER WASPS BLOCKED THE UNCOVERED PITOT TUBES

THAT FED THE CAPTAIN'S AIRSPEED INDICATOR,

WHICH CAUSED IT TO MALFUNCTION.

Macintosh: THEY DIDN'T PUT COVERS ON THE PITOT TUBES.

SO AT SOME POINT IN TIME, EXTENDED TIME,

THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET SOMETHING LIKE A MUD DAUBER

IN THAT PITOT TUBE.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS HAVE THEIR ANSWER.

ON FEBRUARY 6, 1996,

A TINY INSECT LED TO A SERIES OF MISTAKES

THAT BROUGHT DOWN AN AIRPLANE AND CHANGED THE DESIGN

OF THE WORLD'S MOST SUCCESSFUL SERIES OF AIRLINERS.