Original subtitles

Narrator: A LUXURY JET ON ITS MAIDEN VOYAGE

IS JOLTED IN MIDAIR.

Co-pilot: DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.

Pilot: DO WE HAVE A WING TIP?

Narrator: THE PLANE HAS LOST PART OF ITS WING.

Man: IT BECAME CLEAR THAT WE WERE IN VERY, VERY BIG TROUBLE.

Pilot: WE'RE GOING DOWN.

Narrator: THE CREW STRUGGLES TO LAND THE BADLY DAMAGED PLANE.

Pilot: NOVEMBER 600 X-RAY LIMA, DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.

Narrator: BUT THE TROUBLE ISN'T OVER WHEN THEY HIT THE GROUND.

THE CREW IS DETAINED AND QUESTIONED BY POLICE.

SOMEHOW, THIS SMALL PLANE HAS TRIGGERED THE WORST CRISIS

IN BRAZILIAN AVIATION HISTORY.

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: SEPTEMBER 29, 2006, SAO JOSE DOS CAMPOS, BRAZIL.

Man: THREE, TWO, ONE!

WOO-HOO!

Narrator: IT'S A BIG DAY AT EMBRAER HEADQUARTERS.

THE BRAZILIAN AVIATION FIRM HAS JUST SOLD

A BRAND NEW PRIVATE JET TO EXCELAIRE,

A U.S. CHARTER COMPANY.

THE PRICE TAG--$25 MILLION.

Joe Sharkey: IT'S A BEAUTIFUL AIRPLANE,

AND IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL LITTLE CEREMONY

THAT EMBRAER HAD IN THE HANGAR JUST BEFORE WE GOT ON THE PLANE.

AND THE GUYS FROM EXCELAIRE WERE PARTICULARLY PROUD.

Narrator: THE LEGACY IS A MODIFIED REGIONAL JET...

THE CABIN REDESIGNED FOR COMFORT.

IT CAN SEAT UP TO 13 PEOPLE.

AND IN ITS FIRST FOUR YEARS OF SERVICE, EMBRAER HAS DELIVERED

ALMOST 100 OF THESE SLEEK BUSINESS JETS.

EXCELAIRE WILL USE THE JET TO FLY CUSTOMERS AROUND THE WORLD.

BUT FIRST, THE COMPANY HAS TO GET THE PLANE

UP TO THE UNITED STATES.

JOSEPH LEPORE AND JAN PALADINO WILL BE AT THE CONTROLS

FOR THE JET'S MAIDEN VOYAGE.

THEY'VE BEEN DOWN IN BRAZIL FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS,

GETTING FAMILIAR WITH THE NEW PLANE.

JOE SHARKEY IS A REPORTER FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES.

HE'S BEEN OFFERED A FREE RIDE HOME.

Sharkey: WE WERE DELIVERING AN AIRPLANE, BASICALLY,

AND MY ROLE WAS HITCHHIKER, AND THEY KINDLY INVITED ME ALONG.

Narrator: THE LEGACY JET IS HEADING TO MANAUS IN NORTHERN BRAZIL,

A STOPOVER ON ITS WAY TO NEW YORK.

HALF AN HOUR AFTER TAKEOFF,

THE LEGACY IS FLYING OVER THE HEART OF BRAZIL.

THE COUNTRYSIDE STRETCHES OUT BELOW.

THE VIEW OUT THE WINDOW IS SPECTACULAR.

Sharkey: I GLANCED OUT, AND I WAS AMAZED.

JUST TO THE HORIZON, NOTHING BUT TREETOPS.

AND I JUST REMEMBER HOW PRETTY IT SEEMED.

Narrator: AT 10 MINUTES TO 4:00 IN THE AFTERNOON,

THE LEGACY JET MAKES CONTACT WITH CONTROLLERS

AT THE BRASILIA AREA CONTROL CENTER,

STILL NEARLY 65 MILES AWAY.

Jan Paladino: BRASILIA, NOVEMBER 600 X-RAY LIMA,

FLIGHT LEVEL 370, GOOD AFTERNOON.

[CONTROLLERS DIRECTING PLANES]

Narrator: 75% OF THE COUNTRY'S AIR TRAFFIC

IS HANDLED BY THE CONTROLLERS IN THIS ROOM.

[SPEAKING PORTUGUESE]

Wellington Rodrigues, translated: THE TRAFFIC VOLUME

IS LARGER THAN IN ANY OTHER CONTROL CENTER IN THE COUNTRY.

Narrator: ONE OF THE MANY PLANES THEY'LL BE DEALING WITH TODAY

IS THE LEGACY JET.

EVERY FLIGHT THAT'S HANDLED BY BRASILIA ACC

APPEARS ON COMPUTER SCREENS AS A SMALL CIRCLE,

MOVING IN THE DIRECTION OF THE PLANE.

THE COMPUTER ALSO DISPLAYS

THE PLANE'S ACTUAL AND PLANNED ALTITUDES.

Controller: NOVEMBER 600 X-RAY LIMA.

SQUAWK IDENT.

Paladino: ROGER.

Narrator: PALADINO SENDS OUT A SIGNAL.

CONTROLLERS USE IT TO CONFIRM THAT THE DATA ON THEIR SCREEN

IS COMING FROM THE PLANE THEY THINK IT IS.

Controller: RADAR SURVEILLANCE.

Narrator: AN HOUR LATER, THE FLIGHT HAS SETTLED

INTO A FAMILIAR ROUTINE.

Sharkey: THE MOOD SORT OF SETTLED DOWN,

EVERYBODY WAS WORKING,

AND IT WAS JUST A VERY, VERY CALM AND PEACEFUL TIME.

AND I WAS TRANSCRIBING NOTES FROM ONE OF THE INTERVIEWS

FROM THE EMBRAER TOUR.

Paladino: BRASILIA, NOVEMBER 600 X-RAY LIMA.

Narrator: BUT IN THE COCKPIT, PALADINO IS HAVING TROUBLE

GETTING BACK IN TOUCH

WITH AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS IN BRASILIA.

Paladino: BRASILIA, NOVEMBER 600 X-RAY LIMA.

Narrator: HE CAN'T RAISE CONTROLLERS

ON THE FREQUENCY HE USED ALMOST AN HOUR AGO.

HE TRIES OTHER CHANNELS.

Paladino: BRASILIA, NOVEMBER 600 X-RAY LIMA.

BRASILIA, NOVEMBER 600 X-RAY LIMA.

Controller: NOVEMBER 600 X-RAY LIMA.

Narrator: AFTER 12 ATTEMPTS,

PALADINO FINALLY GETS IN TOUCH WITH BRASILIA ACC,

THIS TIME WITH A DIFFERENT CONTROLLER

WHO PROVIDES RADIO FREQUENCIES FOR FUTURE CONTACT.

Controller: CONTACT 123.32.

[STATIC, INAUDIBLE NUMBERS]

Paladino: I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T GET THE LAST TWO.

SORRY, SAY FREQUENCY ONE MORE TIME

FOR NOVEMBER 600 X-RAY LIMA.

Narrator: THE LEGACY LOSES RADIO CONTACT AGAIN.

Paladino: BRASILIA, NOVEMBER 600 X-RAY LIMA.

Narrator: AS THE PILOTS TRY TO RESTORE COMMUNICATION WITH BRASILIA,

THE PLANE CONTINUES TO POWER THROUGH THE SKY.

IT'S JUST MINUTES BEFORE 5:00.

[LOUD BANG]

Sharkey: SUDDENLY THERE WAS THE LOUDEST BANG

I HAVE EVER HEARD IN MY LIFE.

THE CONCUSSION ITSELF SEEMED TO AFFECT EVERY ATOM IN MY BODY.

[LOUD BANG]

Joseph Lepore: WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?

Paladino: JUST FLY THE AIRPLANE, DUDE.

Lepore: DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. SIT DOWN BACK THERE!

Narrator: NO ONE'S SURE WHAT'S HAPPENED TO THE JET.

BUT WHEN JOE SHARKEY LOOKS OUT THE WINDOW,

HE'S STUNNED BY WHAT HE SEES.

Sharkey: THE END OF THE WING WAS CHOPPED OFF,

AND IT WAS SERRATED.

IT LOOKED LIKE IT HAD BEEN CHEWED OFF.

IT BECAME CLEAR THAT WE WERE IN VERY, VERY BIG TROUBLE.

Narrator: EXCELAIRE VICE PRESIDENT RALPH MICHIELLI

RUSHES TO THE WINDOW FOR A LOOK AT THE DAMAGE.

Sharkey: I SAID TO RALPH, "HOW BAD IS IT?"

AND HE LOOKED AT ME, AND HE SAID, "IT'S BAD."

Narrator: WITH MORE EXPERIENCE FLYING THIS TYPE OF PLANE,

CO-PILOT PALADINO TAKES OVER CONTROL OF THE LIMPING JET.

Paladino: JUST LET ME FLY THE THING, DUDE, ALRIGHT?

WE'RE DESCENDING, I WANT TO GET DOWN.

Lepore: OKAY, IT'S YOURS, IT'S YOURS.

Narrator: THE CREW STILL CAN'T MAKE CONTACT WITH CONTROLLERS.

Lepore: NOVEMBER 600 X-RAY LIMA, DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.

DO WE HAVE A WING TIP?

Ralph Michielli: NO!

Lepore: DAMN IT.

Narrator: THE ENTIRE TIP OF THE LEGACY'S WING IS BREAKING UP.

THAT AFFECTS AIRFLOW AND IS MAKING THE PLANE

HARD TO CONTROL.

Lepore: HOW YOU DOING? OK?

Narrator: AS THE PLANE BEGINS TO DESCEND, PASSENGERS IN THE BACK

ARE WORRIED THAT THE DAMAGED WING IS GETTING WORSE.

Sharkey: OUR MAIN CONCERN WAS THAT WING.

IT HAD TAKEN SUCH A HIT THAT THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE WING

WAS OBVIOUSLY IN QUESTION.

THE LEADING EDGE WAS SEPARATING.

Narrator: WITH SO MUCH DAMAGE TO THE WING,

THE PILOTS CAN'T TURN SHARPLY.

TOO MUCH STRESS COULD RIP THE WING RIGHT OFF.

Sharkey: WE WERE IN A POSITION WHERE WE REALIZED

WE WERE GOING TO DIE.

I THOUGHT OF MY WIFE, AND I THOUGHT, WELL, OK,

ONE THING I CAN DO IS I CAN WRITE A NOTE TO MY WIFE,

WHICH I DID.

I TOOK OUT MY REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK, AND I WROTE, YOU KNOW,

A SHORT NOTE SAYING THAT I LOVED HER,

AND THAT--WELL, YOU KNOW, JUST SAYING WHAT I COULD.

Narrator: THE AMAZON IS A BAD PLACE TO HAVE TO LAND A PLANE.

IT'S A DENSE JUNGLE FOR AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE.

Sharkey: THERE'S NOTHING DOWN THERE BUT TREES,

AND I THOUGHT, WHERE ARE THEY GONNA PUT THIS AIRPLANE DOWN?

Lepore: PLEASE ANSWER, NOVEMBER 600 X-RAY LIMA.

Narrator: THE CREW OF THE LEGACY JET SEARCHES DESPERATELY

FOR A PLACE TO LAND THEIR CRIPPLED PLANE.

CAPTAIN JOSEPH LEPORE FINDS A SMALL MILITARY BASE

ON HIS CHART.

Lepore: NOVEMBER 600 X-RAY LIMA, WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY.

Controller: STATE YOUR EMERGENCY.

Lepore: NOVEMBER 600 X-RAY LIMA, DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.

WE NEED TO LAND AT SIERRA BRAVO CHARLIE CHARLIE.

IS THAT YOUR AIRPORT?

Controller: AFFIRMATIVE.

Lepore: DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG YOUR RUNWAY IS?

Controller: 2,600 METERS.

Lepore: STANDBY. 2,600, IS THAT ALRIGHT?

Paladino: THAT'S 8,000 FEET.

Lepore: OK, WE'RE COMING IN, WE'RE DECLARING AN EMERGENCY,

THIS IS NOVEMBER 600 X-RAY LIMA.

Paladino: DID YOU SEE SOMETHING?

Lepore: SOMETHING HIT US.

Narrator: 8,500 FEET IS MORE THAN LONG ENOUGH

TO LAND THE LEGACY.

BUT THE CREW DOESN'T KNOW HOW THE PLANE WILL RESPOND

WHEN IT TOUCHES DOWN.

Sharkey: THE CANOPY OF GREEN,

THERE WAS A SLASH OF BROWN ABOUT TWO MILES AWAY.

I HEARD JOE SAY, "THERE'S AN AIRPORT."

Lepore: SIERRA BRAVO, WE SEE YOU, WE'RE COMING IN.

Narrator: FINDING AN AIRPORT WAS A STROKE OF LUCK,

BUT THE CREW'S TROUBLES ARE FAR FROM OVER.

NOW THEY HAVE TO GET THE DAMAGED JET SAFELY ON THE GROUND.

PALADINO AND LEPORE CAN'T CONFIGURE THEIR PLANE

FOR A ROUTINE LANDING.

Paladino: HOLD THAT IN PLACE, DUMP THE FLAPS AT THE TOP OF THE FLARE.

ALRIGHT, GIVE ME NINE ON THE FLARE.

Lepore: NINE.

Narrator: EXTENDING FLAPS INCREASES THE SIZE OF THE WING.

SINCE A BIGGER WING CAN GENERATE MORE LIFT,

PILOTS CAN SLOW DOWN TO LAND.

Lepore: YOU GOOD? Paladino: YEAH, I'M GOOD.

Narrator: WITH ALL THE DAMAGE THEY'VE SUSTAINED,

THE CREW DOESN'T WANT TO PUT TOO MUCH PRESSURE ON THEIR WING.

THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO EXTEND THEIR FLAPS

UNTIL THE LAST MOMENT.

THEY'LL HAVE TO FLY FASTER THAN USUAL.

Sharkey: WHEN YOU LAND UNDER THOSE SORT OF CIRCUMSTANCES,

YOU'RE LANDING FASTER THAN YOU NORMALLY WOULD,

AND YOU GET A REAL APPRECIATION OF JUST HOW FAST

AN AIRPLANE IS ACTUALLY MOVING, BECAUSE YOU'RE, YOU KNOW,

YOU'RE COMING DOWN LIKE GANG BUSTERS.

I SEE THESE TREES NOW, YOU KNOW, AT GROUND LEVEL, JUST, SORT OF,

IT LOOKED ALMOST LIKE A MOVIE

WITH ONE OF THOSE MOVING BACKGROUNDS.

AND I'M THINKING, I HOPE THIS RUNWAY DOESN'T RUN OUT.

Narrator: PALADINO HITS THE BRAKES HARD.

Lepore: GOOD, GOOD.

YOU GOT IT.

HOLD IT.

Narrator: THEN, FINALLY, THE PLANE BEGINS TO SLOW.

Paladino: WOO!

OH, MAN!

Lepore: GOOD JOB. OH, MAN!

Sharkey: AND THEN FINALLY WE JUST DID COME TO A HALT,

AND THERE'S THAT BEAUTIFUL SILENCE THAT OCCURS

WHEN THE ENGINES ARE SHUT DOWN

AND EVERYTHING WAS JUST QUIET AGAIN.

Narrator: FOR MORE THAN 25 MINUTES,

THE BUSINESS JET HAD FLOWN WITH PART OF ITS WING TORN OFF.

THERE IS ALSO DAMAGE TO THE PLANE'S TAIL.

SOMEHOW, HIGH OVER THE RAIN FOREST,

SOMETHING TORE INTO THE PLANE.

THE CREW'S FLYING WILL SOON BE ANALYZED

AND DEBATED THROUGHOUT BRAZIL.

THE VERDICT AGAINST THEM WILL BE HARSH.

Controller: N-600-XL.

Narrator: THE EMERGENCY ON BOARD THE LEGACY JET

HAS THROWN BRASILIA ACC INTO TURMOIL.

BUT IT'S NOT THE ONLY PROBLEM CONTROLLERS ARE FACING--

A BOEING 737 WITH 154 PEOPLE ON BOARD, GOL FLIGHT 1907,

SHOULD BE ON RADAR IN BRASILIA....

BUT IT HASN'T SHOWN UP.

Controller 1: MANAUS, THERE ISN'T ANY GOL.

THERE ISN'T ANY GOL WITH US HERE.

Controller 2: IT'S ON ITS WAY.

Narrator: THEY CHECK ITS STATUS WITH CONTROLLERS IN MANAUS

WHO WERE LAST IN CONTACT WITH THE PLANE.

Rodrigues: ANXIETY WAS HIGH,

AND CONTROLLERS WERE CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT TO SAY.

THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING.

Narrator: DEEP IN THE AMAZON, THOSE WHO WERE ON THE EXCELAIRE JET

ARE ALSO STRUGGLING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENED.

Lepore: WE HIT SOMETHING, MAN, THAT'S ALL I KNOW.

Sharkey: MAYBE IT WAS A CONDOR?

Lepore: [LAUGHS] IT WAS 37,000 FEET.

Sharkey: WELL, MAYBE IT WAS A MILITARY JET.

Paladino: NO, I THINK A PLANE MUST HAVE EXPLODED,

AND WE FLEW THROUGH THE DEBRIS FIELD.

Lepore: NAW, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE IMPACT.

Narrator: AS THEY TRY TO PIECE TOGETHER THE DAY'S STRANGE EVENTS,

THE GROUP GETS SOME SHOCKING NEWS.

A GOL FLIGHT HAS CRASHED.

IT'S THE PLANE THAT'S BEEN MISSING.

Lepore: WHAT?

Sharkey: IT WAS LIKE A THUNDERCLAP--

THE WORLD CHANGED IMMEDIATELY.

AND JOE AND JAN WERE JUST STRICKEN.

I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER SEEN TWO MORE ANGUISHED MEN IN MY LIFE.

Narrator: THE GOL FLIGHT CRASHED RIGHT WHERE THE LEGACY

LOST A PIECE OF ITS WING.

IT CAN'T BE A COINCIDENCE.

[HELICOPTER]

APPROXIMATELY 65 MILES FROM THE MILITARY BASE,

THE WRECKAGE OF GOL FLIGHT 1907 HAS BEEN FOUND.

THE SHATTERED REMAINS OF THE PLANE LITTER THE JUNGLE FLOOR.

THE NEWS HITS CONTROLLERS IN BRASILIA EXTREMELY HARD.

Leila Suwwan: THEY HAD JUST REALIZED THAT THE WORST THING

THAT COULD HAPPEN IN THEIR CONTROL HAPPENED.

PEOPLE WERE CRYING.

A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD TO BE DRAGGED OUT OF THE ROOM.

THINGS WERE NOT UNDER CONTROL IN THE ROOM.

Narrator: OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS,

TROOPS PORE OVER THE SCENE OF THE GOL CRASH.

THE DENSE JUNGLE SLOWS THEIR PROGRESS.

A MAKESHIFT HELICOPTER LANDING PAD IS CARVED OUT OF THE JUNGLE.

IT'S BECOMING INCREASINGLY CLEAR THAT NO ONE HAS SURVIVED.

154 PEOPLE ARE KILLED.

AT THE TIME, IT'S THE WORST CRASH

IN THE HISTORY OF BRAZILIAN AVIATION.

COLONEL RUFINO FERREIRA IS IN CHARGE OF THE INVESTIGATION

INTO THE GOL CRASH.

[SPEAKING PORTUGUESE]

Rufino Ferreira, translated: AN INVESTIGATOR ALWAYS HAS TO KEEP AN OPEN MIND.

YOU CAN'T START WITH ANY PRECONCEIVED IDEAS.

WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE LOCATION OF THE ACCIDENT,

THE ONLY THING WE KNEW FOR SURE WAS THAT WE HAD FOUND THE PLANE

THAT WAS MISSING.

Narrator: THE WRECKAGE OF THE GOL JET IS SPREAD OVER A MILE.

THE WIDESPREAD DEBRIS TELLS INVESTIGATORS

THAT THE PLANE RIPPED APART BEFORE CRASHING TO THE GROUND.

Ferreira: THE AIRCRAFT DISINTEGRATED DURING THE FALL.

IT HIT THE GROUND IN PIECES.

THERE WAS PRACTICALLY NO DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE IMPACT

WITH THE GROUND.

THE PLANE HAD ALREADY FALLEN APART.

Narrator: ON OCTOBER 2, JUST THREE DAYS AFTER THE CRASH,

THE PLANE'S FLIGHT DATA RECORDER IS FOUND.

MOST OF THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER IS ALSO RECOVERED--

EXCEPT FOR ONE CRITICAL PART.

Ferreira: IN THIS ACCIDENT, THE IMPACT WAS SO STRONG

THAT THE MODULE SEPARATED FROM THE RECORDER.

Narrator: MODERN VOICE RECORDERS DON'T USE TAPE.

CONVERSATIONS ARE RECORDED DIGITALLY ONTO A MEMORY MODULE.

BUT THAT PART OF THE GOL CVR HAS BROKEN FREE.

WITHOUT IT, THE REST OF THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER

IS USELESS.

WHILE THE SEARCH FOR THE MODULE CONTINUES,

FERREIRA LOOKS AT THE INFORMATION

FROM THE 737'S FLIGHT DATA RECORDER.

HE LEARNS THAT THE PLANE WAS FLYING AT 37,000 FEET.

IT WAS ON COURSE AND FLYING LEVEL AT ITS ASSIGNED ALTITUDE.

THEN, WITHOUT WARNING, THE PLANE PITCHED OVER

AND PLUMMETED TOWARD THE GROUND.

WHATEVER HAPPENED, IT WAS SUDDEN AND CATASTROPHIC.

THE DATA RECORDER TELLS FERREIRA THAT THE PLANE SPUN 11 TIMES

BEFORE IT HIT THE GROUND.

COLONEL FERREIRA STUDIES AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL DATA

FROM THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT.

THERE IS NO SIGN OF THE GOL FLIGHT.

BUT THE READINGS FROM THE SMALLER LEGACY JET

CAPTURE HIS ATTENTION.

IT SEEMS TO BE FLYING ERRATICALLY.

INSTEAD OF KEEPING TO A SINGLE ALTITUDE,

THE RADAR SHOWS IT FLYING UP AND DOWN DANGEROUSLY.

PERHAPS THE PRIVATE JET PILOTS WERE TESTING OUT THEIR NEW PLANE

BY CLIMBING AND DESCENDING QUICKLY.

THEY MAY HAVE COLLIDED WITH THE GOL JET

AS A RESULT OF THEIR RECKLESS FLYING.

WHEN THAT INFORMATION LEAKS OUT TO THE COUNTRY'S NEWSPAPERS,

IT MAKES FRONT-PAGE NEWS.

Suwwan: THE POPULATION THOUGHT IT WAS UNJUST

THAT A SMALLER AIRCRAFT WAS ABLE TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING

WHILE THE LARGER AIRCRAFT WITH 154 PEOPLE

JUST FELL INTO THE AMAZON, AND EVERYONE DIED.

Narrator: NEITHER LEPORE NOR PALADINO ARE OFFICIALLY CHARGED,

BUT THEY ARE CONFINED TO A HOTEL ROOM IN BRAZIL

WHILE THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES.

[DOOR OPENS AND SHUTS]

FERREIRA INTERVIEWS THE TWO PILOTS

ABOUT WHAT THEY DID AND WHAT THEY SAW.

Lepore: LOOK, WE WERE PROCEEDING NORTHWEST ON COURSE TO MANAUS

AT 37,000 FEET.

OK, WE WERE ATTEMPTING TO CONTACT BRASILIA CONTROL...

Ferreira: WERE YOU CHANGING ALTITUDE?

Lepore and Paladino: NO!

Sharkey: I WAS ON THE PLANE.

HAD THE PLANE BEEN FLYING ERRATICALLY

OR DOING LOOP-DE-LOOPS OR WHATEVER IT WAS,

I THINK I WOULD HAVE HAD A PRETTY GOOD STORY

FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES.

Ferreira: DID YOU SAY YOU WERE FLYING AT 37,000 FEET?

Lepore: YES, THAT'S RIGHT, FLIGHT LEVEL 370.

WE NEVER MOVED FROM THAT.

Narrator: WHEN FERREIRA REVIEWS THE INFORMATION

FROM THE LEGACY'S FLIGHT DATA RECORDER,

HE CONFIRMS THE PILOT'S STORY.

ALTHOUGH THE GROUND RADAR SHOWS THE LEGACY FLYING WILDLY,

THE DATA FROM THE PLANE SHOWS

THAT IT DIDN'T CHANGE ALTITUDE AT ALL.

BUT THERE IS SOMETHING SHOCKING ABOUT THE LEGACY'S PATH.

THE BUSINESS JET WAS FLYING NORTH TO MANAUS,

THE GOL FLIGHT, SOUTH FROM MANAUS.

FERREIRA CAN SEE THAT BOTH PLANES WERE FLYING

AT THE SAME ALTITUDE, 37,000 FEET.

HE MAKES A HORRIFYING DISCOVERY.

FOR SOME REASON, THE TWO PLANES WERE ON A COLLISION COURSE.

AIR TRAFFIC IS TYPICALLY ROUTED ALONG SPECIFIC CORRIDORS

THROUGH THE SKY--

ESSENTIALLY, HIGHWAYS IN THE AIR.

BUT PLANES TRAVELING IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS

ARE SUPPOSED TO BE SEPARATED BY AT LEAST 1,000 FEET.

Hans-Peter Graf: THE AIRWAYS SYSTEM, FOR INSTANCE,

BETWEEN BRASILIA AND MANAUS, IS VERY SIMPLE.

IT MAKES AIRPLANES FLY NORTHBOUND

MAINTAINING EVEN LEVELS,

AND AIRPLANES FLYING SOUTHBOUND MAINTAINING ODD LEVELS.

Narrator: BUT SOMEHOW, THE LEGACY JET AND THE GOL 737

WERE TRAVELING DOWN THE SAME AERIAL HIGHWAY

IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS.

FOR MANY MINUTES, THEY WERE HEADING STRAIGHT FOR EACH OTHER.

IT SEEMS MORE AND MORE LIKELY THAT THE TWO PLANES COLLIDED.

[HELICOPTER]

FROM WRECKAGE AT THE CRASH SITE, INVESTIGATORS DISCOVER

THAT THE GOL'S LEFT WING IS SLICED CLEAN THROUGH.

THE PRECISE NATURE OF THE CUT

TELLS FERREIRA THAT THIS IS NOT DAMAGE

THAT WAS CAUSED BY IMPACT WITH THE GROUND.

Ferreira: THE DAMAGE ON THE LEFT WING CLEARLY SHOWS

THAT IT WAS CAUSED BY A COLLISION WITH ANOTHER PLANE.

Narrator: THE BADLY DAMAGED WING WOULD HAVE SENT THE 737

INTO A SPIRAL DIVE.

THE PILOTS WOULD HAVE HAD NO WAY OF CONTROLLING IT.

THE SUDDEN SPIRAL MOTION WOULD HAVE PULLED THE PLANE APART.

IT'S THE REASON THE WRECKAGE IS SPREAD OVER SUCH A WIDE AREA.

FERREIRA FINDS THE MOST CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE

OF A COLLISION ON THE LEGACY'S DAMAGED WING.

Ferreira: ON THE LEGACY, WE FOUND VERY SMALL TRACES

OF PAINT THAT CAME FROM THE GOL WING.

Narrator: TOGETHER, THE PLANES HAD A COMBINED SPEED

OF NEARLY 1,000 MILES AN HOUR.

AT THAT SPEED, THE WING TIP OF THE SMALL JET

EASILY SLICED THROUGH THE 737.

COLONEL FERREIRA NOW UNDERSTANDS

WHAT CAUSED THE GOL JET TO CRASH.

BUT HE DOESN'T KNOW WHY.

HOW HAD THE TWO JETS ENDED UP IN THE EXACT SAME AIRSPACE

WITHOUT ANYBODY NOTICING?

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS IN BRAZIL NOW REALIZE

THAT THEY ARE DEALING WITH SOMETHING VERY UNUSUAL.

Suwwan: A MIDAIR COLLISION IS A VERY RARE EVENT IN AVIATION,

AND IT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED

WITH TWO VERY MODERN, NEW AIRCRAFTS.

Narrator: THE SITUATION BECOMES MORE COMPLICATED

WHEN INVESTIGATORS STUDY THE LEGACY'S FLIGHT PLAN.

ACCORDING TO THIS DOCUMENT, WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH THE GOL FLIGHT,

THE EXECUTIVE JET WASN'T EXPECTED TO BE AT 37,000 FEET.

THE LEGACY'S FLIGHT PLAN CALLED FOR THE JET TO FLY

AT 37,000 FEET ONLY UNTIL IT REACHED BRASILIA,

THEN DESCEND TO 36,000.

BUT THE COLLISION TOOK PLACE 528 MILES NORTHWEST OF BRASILIA,

WELL PAST THE POINT WHERE THE LEGACY WAS SUPPOSED TO DESCEND.

SO WHY HADN'T THE LEGACY FOLLOWED ITS FLIGHT PLAN?

Ferreira: THE FLIGHT PLAN CALLS FOR YOU TO DESCEND TO 360

AT BRASILIA.

WHY DIDN'T YOU?

Lepore: WE WEREN'T TOLD TO.

Paladino: BEFORE WE TOOK OFF, WE WERE CLEARED FOR 370

ALL THE WAY TO MANAUS.

THAT'S WHAT WE DID, SIR.

I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GETTING YOUR INFORMATION FROM.

Lepore: YEAH, WE FOLLOWED THE RULES.

WE WERE NOT TOLD TO DESCEND, AND WE DID NOT DESCEND.

Narrator: COLONEL FERREIRA NEEDS TO CHECK THE CREW'S STORY.

HE WANTS TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY WERE TOLD BY CONTROLLERS

WHEN THEY TOOK OFF FROM SAO JOSE DOS CAMPOS.

Controller: NOVEMBER 600 X-RAY LIMA,

ATC PERMISSION FOR MANAUS, FLIGHT LEVEL 370.

Narrator: THE LEGACY'S LAST INSTRUCTION

WAS TO FLY ALL THE WAY TO MANAUS AT 37,000 FEET.

THE PILOTS OBEYED THAT INSTRUCTION,

EVEN THOUGH IT DIFFERED FROM THEIR FLIGHT PLAN.

Graf: AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL ALWAYS CAN DEVIATE FROM THE FLIGHT PLAN,

BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEST KNOWLEDGE OF THE ACTUAL TRAFFIC SITUATION.

Narrator: LEAVING MANAUS, THE GOL JET WAS ALSO CLEARED

TO FLY AT 37,000 FEET.

BOTH PLANES WERE ASSIGNED THE SAME ALTITUDE

BY CONTROLLERS AT OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE COUNTRY.

Ferreira: ONCE WE WERE CERTAIN THAT BOTH PLANES WERE FLYING

AT THE SAME ALTITUDE, WE KNEW FOR SURE THERE WOULD BE

A LOT TO INVESTIGATE ON THE SIDE OF AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL.

Narrator: FERREIRA TURNS HIS ATTENTION TO CONVERSATIONS

BETWEEN CONTROLLERS IN BRASILIA AND THE LEGACY JET.

THE LEGACY'S COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER

GIVES INVESTIGATORS A REMARKABLY DETAILED LOOK

INTO WHAT HAPPENED ON THE PRIVATE JET.

THE BRAND NEW JET HAS A STATE-OF-THE-ART RECORDER

THAT CAPTURES TWO HOURS OF CONVERSATION.

Ferreira: THE CVR WAS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT COMPONENT

IN THE INVESTIGATION.

Controller: NOVEMBER 600 X-RAY...

Narrator: AT 10 MINUTES TO 4:00,

THE CREW IS TOLD TO CHANGE RADIO FREQUENCIES AND GET IN TOUCH

WITH THE CONTROLLER MONITORING THEIR FLIGHT.

Controller: CHANGE FREQUENCY TO 12505, SIR.

Paladino: DECIMAL ONE, I'M SORRY, 12505, GOOD DAY.

Controller: GOOD DAY.

Narrator: AT THIS POINT,

THE LEGACY JET IS APPROACHING BRASILIA.

BUT THE CREW NEVER RECEIVES ANY INSTRUCTIONS

REGARDING THEIR ALTITUDE.

Paladino: BRASILIA, NOVEMBER 600 X-RAY LIMA,

LEVEL 370, GOOD AFTERNOON.

Controller: NOVEMBER 600 X-RAY LIMA.

Graf: WHEN THE LEGACY OVERFLEW BRASILIA AT LEVEL 370,

ACCORDING TO THE FLIGHT PLAN, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DESCENDING

TO 360, BUT AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS SIMPLY FORGOT

TO GIVE THE ORDER TO THE LEGACY TO DESCEND TO 360.

Narrator: THE PILOTS WOULD HAVE ASSUMED THEY WERE MEANT TO STAY

AT 370--37,000 FEET.

Rodrigues: NO AIRPLANE SHOULD EVER CHANGE ALTITUDES

WITHOUT RECEIVING INSTRUCTIONS FROM AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL.

Narrator: TO DISCOVER WHY CONTROLLERS

DIDN'T GIVE THAT CRUCIAL INSTRUCTION,

COLONEL FERREIRA TAKES A CLOSER LOOK

AT THE TECHNOLOGY USED TO MONITOR THE TRAFFIC OVER BRAZIL.

Ferreira: SO CAN YOU CALL UP THE LEGACY JET SCREEN FOR ME?

Rodrigues: ON THE RADAR SCREEN WE SEE THE ALTITUDE, SPEED,

AND THE TRANSPONDER INFORMATION OF EACH PLANE.

Narrator: EACH FLIGHT HAS AN INDIVIDUAL CODE ASSIGNED TO IT

THAT HELPS CONTROLLERS TRACK IT.

Ferreira: SO HERE, THE NUMBER CHANGES TO 360.

Narrator: AS THE LEGACY JET PASSED OVER BRASILIA,

THE NUMBER ON THE RIGHT, THE PLANNED ALTITUDE, CHANGED.

THE COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM AUTOMATICALLY UPDATED IT.

ACCORDING TO THE FLIGHT PLAN, AT THIS POINT,

THE PLANE WAS SUPPOSED TO DESCEND TO 36,000 FEET--360.

Graf: TO MY KNOWLEDGE,

ONLY BRAZILIAN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM

IS USING THIS KIND OF DESIGN.

IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD,

THIS UPDATE HAS TO BE DONE MANUALLY.

Narrator: THE COMPUTER CHANGED A SINGLE NUMBER,

WHICH LED TO A CRITICAL ERROR.

WITHOUT MUCH EXPERIENCE WITH THE COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM,

THE CONTROLLER MISTOOK THE NEW PLANNED ALTITUDE

FOR THE PLANE'S ACTUAL ALTITUDE.

POLICE INVESTIGATORS TALK WITH THE CONTROLLER WHO WAS ON DUTY

WHEN THE NUMBER CHANGED ON THE SCREEN.

Controller: IT WAS SHORTLY AFTER THAT, I WENT ON BREAK.

LUCIVANDO RELIEVED ME.

Narrator: HE TELLS POLICE ABOUT A CRITICAL MISTAKE ON HIS PART.

Controller: YOU HAVE FIVE AIRCRAFT.

THE LEGACY IS AT 360.

Narrator: BEFORE LEAVING, HE HANDED HIS FLIGHTS OFF

TO ANOTHER CONTROLLER,

TELLING HIM WHERE HE THOUGHT THE LEGACY WAS FLYING.

Controller: I BELIEVED IT WAS AT 360, AND THAT'S WHAT I TOLD HIM.

Rodrigues: WHEN THE NEW CONTROLLER TOOK OVER,

THE ONE BEING RELIEVED

GAVE HIM THE LEGACY'S ALTITUDE INFORMATION

ACCORDING TO THE FLIGHT PLAN--360.

Narrator: BUT THE JET WAS ACTUALLY FLYING 1,000 FEET HIGHER--

RIGHT IN THE PATH OF THE GOL FLIGHT.

COLONEL FERREIRA STUDIES TRANSCRIPTS OF CONVERSATIONS

ON BOARD THE LEGACY, AND FINDS THAT THE CREW

WAS HAVING THEIR OWN DIFFICULTIES DURING THE FLIGHT.

Michielli: HOW MUCH LONGER, GUYS?

Lepore: THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, RALPH.

Narrator: THE CREW SEEMS UNFAMILIAR

WITH SOME OF THE JET'S ADVANCED SYSTEMS.

Lepore: I'M STILL WORKING OUT THE KINKS

ON HOW TO WORK THIS FLIGHT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.

WHERE'S THE ONE THAT GIVES US TOTAL TIME?

Graf: MY IMPRESSION IS THAT THE PILOTS WERE TRYING TO LEARN

THEIR AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS DURING THE FLIGHT.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS ALSO UNCOVER A BREAKDOWN IN COMMUNICATIONS.

Paladino: BRASILIA, NOVEMBER 600 X-RAY LIMA,

FLIGHT LEVEL 370, GOOD AFTERNOON.

Controller: NOVEMBER 600 X-RAY LIMA, SQUAWK IDENT.

Narrator: AFTER A BRIEF CONVERSATION

BETWEEN THE LEGACY JET AND BRASILIA ACC,

COLONEL FERREIRA NOTICES SOMETHING EXTREMELY UNUSUAL--

FOR ALMOST AN HOUR,

THE LEGACY PILOTS DIDN'T TALK TO ANYONE ON THE GROUND.

Ferreira: THEY STAYED 57 MINUTES WITHOUT ATTEMPTING

ANY CONTACT WITH AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL,

WHICH SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF TIME.

AFTER 57 MINUTES, THEY TRIED TO CALL 12 TIMES WITHOUT SUCCESS.

Paladino: BRASILIA, NOVEMBER 600 X-RAY LIMA.

Narrator: PALADINO DID TRY TO GET HOLD OF GROUND CONTROL--

BUT HE COULDN'T GET THROUGH.

Paladino: BRASILIA, NOVEMBER 600 X-RAY LIMA.

Narrator: THEN, HE TRIED THE BACKUP FREQUENCIES

LISTED ON HIS NAVIGATION CHARTS.

Paladino: BRASILIA, NOVEMBER 600 X-RAY LIMA.

Controller: NOVEMBER 600 X-RAY LIMA.

Narrator: HIS ONLY CONTACT, A SINGLE GARBLED MESSAGE.

[INAUDIBLE RADIO CHATTER]

Graf: BOTH PILOTS AND AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER

SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE CONCERNED OF MAINTAINING TWO-WAY CONTACT

ALL THE TIME-- THIS IS THEIR DUTY.

Paladino: BRASILIA, NOVEMBER 600 X-RAY LIMA.

Narrator: IF PILOTS AND CONTROLLERS HAD SPOKEN,

THEY MIGHT HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THE LEGACY WAS FLYING NORTH

IN A CORRIDOR RESERVED FOR SOUTHBOUND TRAFFIC.

AS THE PUBLIC LEARNS ABOUT THE MISTAKES

IN THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER,

THERE IS GROWING PRESSURE TO MAKE SOME CHANGES.

Narrator: BRAZILIAN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL IS ONE OF THE LAST IN THE WORLD

TO BE RUN LARGELY BY THE COUNTRY'S MILITARY.

Suwwan: SINCE THEY'RE RUN BY THE MILITARY--

THEY'RE RUN BY BRAZILIAN AIR FORCE--

WE DID NOT HAVE COMPLETE ACCESS TO INFORMATION,

EXCEPT FOR WHAT WAS RELEASED.

Narrator: AS FINGERS ARE POINTED AT CONTROLLERS,

MANY OF THEM COME FORWARD

WITH STORIES OF OVERWORK AND POOR TRAINING.

Suwwan: THEY COMPLAINED THAT THEY WEREN'T WELL-TRAINED

IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE,

WHICH IS THE INTERNATIONAL AVIATION LANGUAGE.

ALSO, THEY HAD COMPLAINTS ABOUT THEIR EQUIPMENT.

Narrator: IN FACT, THE CONTROLLER WHO INCORRECTLY REPORTED

THE LEGACY'S ALTITUDE HAD BEEN ON THE JOB FOR ONLY A YEAR.

A VALUABLE PIECE OF THE PUZZLE IS STILL MISSING.

INVESTIGATORS STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED

DURING THE FINAL MINUTES OF THE GOL FLIGHT.

SOLDIERS HAVE BEEN SCOURING THE AMAZON JUNGLE

WITH METAL DETECTORS,

LOOKING FOR THE PLANE'S MISSING MEMORY MODULE.

ALMOST A MONTH AFTER THE CRASH, THEY FIND IT.

COLONEL FERREIRA HOPES TO HEAR SOME REASON WHY THE GOL CREW

WASN'T ABLE TO AVOID COLLIDING WITH AN ONCOMING JET.

Controller: GOL ONE-NINER-07.

CONTACT BRASILIA ACC ON 125.2.

A GOOD FLIGHT.

Narrator: THERE WERE NO ALARMS BEFORE THE COLLISION--

NO WARNING THAT THEY WERE FLYING STRAIGHT FOR ANOTHER JET.

PILOTS RELY ON AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS

TO KEEP OTHER PLANES OUT OF THEIR PATH.

THEY SPEND MUCH OF THEIR TIME MONITORING THEIR INSTRUMENTS,

NOT THE SKIES AHEAD.

AT THE SPEED THEY WERE TRAVELING,

THEY'D ONLY HAVE TO LOOK AWAY FOR A FEW SECONDS

TO MISS AN APPROACHING PLANE.

Ferreira: THERE WERE NO ISSUES OF COMMUNICATION,

AND NO MISUNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE PILOTS

AND AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL.

[ALARM BEEPING]

Pilot: KEEP CALM!

Ferreira: THEY HAD NO IDEA WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED TO THEIR PLANE,

AND FOUGHT UNTIL THE END TO REGAIN CONTROL.

Narrator: FOR LESS THAN A MINUTE,

THE PILOTS STRUGGLE FOR CONTROL.

BUT THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO.

BUT WHY WERE THERE NO WARNINGS?

BOTH PLANES WERE EQUIPPED WITH A SAFETY FEATURE

DESIGNED TO PREVENT EXACTLY THIS TYPE OF ACCIDENT.

FERREIRA NOW NEEDS TO KNOW WHY THAT SYSTEM FAILED.

EARLIER IN THE INVESTIGATION, STRANGE RADAR IMAGES SUGGESTED

THAT THE LEGACY PILOTS WERE FLYING WILDLY OVER THE AMAZON.

NOW THOSE SUSPICIONS HAVE VANISHED.

BUT FERREIRA REVISITS THE FLUCTUATING RADAR DATA

TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEITHER PLANE KNEW THE OTHER WAS COMING.

Ferreira: YOU SEE THE ALTITUDE IS VERY SIGNIFICANT.

Narrator: TO UNDERSTAND THIS LAST PIECE OF THE PUZZLE,

COLONEL FERREIRA RETURNS TO THE RADAR DISPLAY

THAT AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS SAW THE DAY OF THE CRASH.

INSTEAD OF DISPLAYING JUST THE EXPECTED ALTITUDE

AND THE ACTUAL ALTITUDE, THE LETTER "Z" APPEARS BETWEEN THEM.

Graf: THE "Z" ON THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER'S SCREENS INDICATES

THAT THE AIRPLANE HE'S LOOKING AT HAS LOST ITS TRANSPONDER.

Narrator: MODERN COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT ARE EQUIPPED WITH TRANSPONDERS.

LIKE SMALL RADIO STATIONS, THEY BROADCAST INFORMATION

ON THE PLANE'S ALTITUDE AND FLIGHT NUMBER.

THIS INFORMATION IS RECEIVED BY COMPUTERS ON THE GROUND

AND INSTANTLY DISPLAYED ON THE SCREENS

OF AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS.

IN BRASILIA, IF THE TRANSPONDER FAILS,

SO-CALLED PRIMARY RADAR TAKES OVER AUTOMATICALLY.

SIGNALS ARE SENT OUT FROM THE GROUND

THAT HIT THE TARGET AND RETURN.

THOSE READINGS CAN BE WILDLY INACCURATE.

THOSE IMPRECISE READINGS EXPLAIN WHY THE LEGACY JET

APPEARED TO BE RISING AND FALLING.

INVESTIGATORS DISCOVER THAT THE TRANSPONDER WASN'T SENDING OUT

SIGNALS FOR MORE THAN 50 MINUTES BEFORE THE CRASH.

BUT CONTROLLERS DIDN'T NOTIFY THE PILOTS.

THAT MAY BE BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T NOTICE THE SUBTLE CHANGE.

Rodrigues: THE WAY IN WHICH THE INFORMATION IS DISPLAYED

TO THE CONTROLLER DOES NOT VISUALLY ALERT HIM

TO THE CHANGE.

THERE ARE NO FLASHING LIGHTS THAT WOULD TELL THE CONTROLLER

THAT THE PLANE HAS LOST ITS TRANSPONDER.

Narrator: THERE'S AN EVEN MORE CRITICAL ROLE

PLAYED BY THE TRANSPONDER.

IT DOESN'T JUST BEAM INFORMATION TO CONTROLLERS ON THE GROUND,

BUT TO OTHER PLANES AS WELL.

ALL COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT ARE EQUIPPED WITH A WARNING SYSTEM

CALLED TCAS, THE TRAFFIC COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM.

TCAS PICKS UP A SIGNAL FROM AN ONCOMING PLANE'S TRANSPONDER

AND ISSUES A WARNING IF IT'S TOO CLOSE.

IF EITHER PLANE'S TRANSPONDER IS OFF, THE SYSTEM WON'T WORK.

[LOUD CRASH]

Lepore: WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?

Narrator: FERREIRA DISCOVERS THAT THE LEGACY'S TRANSPONDER

WAS WORKING EARLY IN THE FLIGHT AND AFTER THE COLLISION.

BUT FOR MORE THAN 50 CRITICAL MINUTES, IT WAS SILENT.

HOW HAD A STATE-OF-THE-ART JET, JUST OFF THE FACTORY FLOOR,

DEVELOPED PROBLEMS WITH ITS TRANSPONDER?

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS EXAMINE

THE LEGACY JET'S TRANSPONDER UNIT.

THEY DISCOVER THAT THE SYSTEM WHICH CONTROLS IT

HAD A TROUBLED HISTORY.

IT HAD BEEN INSTALLED ON A DIFFERENT PLANE

BUT WAS REMOVED BECAUSE IT WASN'T WORKING.

IT WAS REPAIRED AND THEN PLACED ON THE JET

THAT WAS SOLD TO EXCELAIRE.

INVESTIGATORS HAVE THE SYSTEM TESTED.

BUT EVEN WITH ITS SUSPICIOUS PAST, AFTER THE CRASH,

THEY CAN FIND NO OBVIOUS PROBLEMS

WITH THE PLANE'S TRANSPONDER.

Ferreira: NOW, THIS IS THE LAYOUT NOW OF THE STANDARD ONE

ON THE LEGACY JET?

Narrator: COLONEL FERREIRA DOES NOTICE SOMETHING

POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ABOUT THE DESIGN OF THE LEGACY'S COCKPIT.

IF A PILOT USES THE BUILT-IN FOOTREST DURING FLIGHT,

HIS TOES CAN COME IN CONTACT

WITH THE BUTTONS ON THE TRANSPONDER.

Ferreira: SHOW ME WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IN STANDBY MODE.

Narrator: AND WHEN THE TRANSPONDER DOES GO INTO STANDBY,

IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT FOR A PILOT TO NOTICE.

Ferreira: THERE'S NO ALARM?

Narrator: A SMALL YELLOW WARNING LIGHT IS THE ONLY INDICATION

THAT THE TRANSPONDER ISN'T ON.

BUT THE PILOTS OF THE LEGACY JET DO NOT REMEMBER

USING THE PLANE'S FOOTREST.

Lepore: I'M STILL WORKING OUT THE KINKS

ON HOW TO WORK THIS FLIGHT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS SUSPECT THAT ONE OF THE PILOTS

MAY HAVE TURNED THE TRANSPONDER OFF BY MISTAKE.

Ferreira: THE MOST PROBABLE SCENARIO IS THAT BY ACCIDENT,

ONE OF THE PILOTS TEMPORARILY TURNED OFF THE EQUIPMENT

AS HE TRIED TO FAMILIARIZE HIMSELF

WITH THE TECHNOLOGY ON BOARD.

Narrator: HOWEVER THE TRANSPONDER WENT OFF,

AT A CRITICAL MOMENT, THE CREW HAD NO LAST-DITCH SAFETY SYSTEM

TO WARN THEM THAT THEY WERE FLYING RIGHT AT A 737.

EVEN THOUGH THE TCAS SYSTEM ON THE GOL PLANE WAS WORKING,

THERE WAS NO SIGNAL FROM THE APPROACHING JET

FOR IT TO RECEIVE.

CLOSING IN ON EACH OTHER AT NEARLY 1,000 MILES AN HOUR,

THE PILOTS NEVER SAW EACH OTHER COMING.

[BANG]

THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE CRASH OF GOL FLIGHT 1907

UNCOVERED DANGEROUS PROBLEMS

WITH BRAZIL'S AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM.

Paladino: BRASILIA, NOVEMBER 600 X-RAY LIMA,

LEVEL 370, GOOD AFTERNOON.

Narrator: TWO PLANES WERE ASSIGNED TO FLY

AT THE SAME ALTITUDE, IN THE SAME AIRSPACE.

Controller: RADAR SURVEILLANCE.

Narrator: OVERWORKED AND INEXPERIENCED CONTROLLERS

IN BRASILIA NEGLECTED TO INSTRUCT THE LEGACY JET

TO DESCEND TO 36,000 FEET.

Controller: YOU HAVE FIVE AIRCRAFT.

THE LEGACY IS AT 360.

Narrator: THEN, THEY MISTOOK THE LEGACY'S PLANNED ALTITUDE

FOR ITS ACTUAL ALTITUDE.

TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, THE LEGACY PILOTS

WERE UNABLE TO MAKE CONTACT WITH CONTROLLERS ON THE GROUND.

AND SOMEHOW THE TRANSPONDER,

WHICH BROADCASTS THEIR LOCATION IN THE SKY, WENT SILENT...

...WHICH CONTROLLERS IN BRASILIA FAILED TO NOTICE.

[ALARMS BEEPING]

[SCREAMING]

[LOUD BANG]

Pilot: KEEP CALM!

Narrator: A MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR ATC SYSTEM

DESIGNED TO KEEP PLANES APART

HAD FAILED TO DETECT TWO PLANES ON A COLLISION COURSE.

Ferreira: ONE BY ONE, A SERIES OF HUMAN ERRORS OCCURRED,

AND ALL OF THE DEFENSE SYSTEMS THAT EXIST TO AVOID THESE ERRORS

WERE DEFEATED.

Narrator: A MONTH AFTER THE CRASH OF THE GOL PASSENGER PLANE,

CONTROLLERS BEGIN A WORK-TO-RULE CAMPAIGN.

THEY WANT TO DRAW ATTENTION TO PROBLEMS WITH THE SYSTEM.

Suwwan: ONCE THEY DID START WORKING TO THE RULES,

AND NOT STRETCHING THEM ANYMORE,

THIS TRIGGERED WHAT WE CALL THE AVIATION CRISIS IN BRAZIL.

AT A CERTAIN POINT, MAYBE 40% OF FLIGHTS IN ALL OF BRAZIL

HAD OVER AN HOUR DELAYS.

Narrator: FOLLOWING THE CRASH AND THE WORK SLOWDOWN,

CHANGES START BEING MADE.

Suwwan: THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF CHANGES IN BRAZILIAN AVIATION

AFTER THE ACCIDENT,

SPECIFICALLY WITH REGARDS TO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL.

THE AIR FORCE HAD TO ADMIT

THAT THEY HAD A SHORTAGE OF CONTROLLERS,

AND ALSO THERE'S A HIGHER DEGREE OF ACCOUNTABILITY.

Narrator: IN THE UNITED STATES, THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION

ISSUES TWO RECOMMENDATIONS AS A RESULT OF THE TRAGEDY.

PILOTS FLYING LEGACY JETS ARE WARNED OF THE POSSIBILITY

THAT PUTTING THEIR FEET UP IN THE COCKPIT

COULD ACCIDENTALLY TURN OFF THE TRANSPONDER.

AND MANUFACTURERS ARE TOLD THAT AN ALARM SHOULD SOUND

IF THE TCAS SYSTEM SHUTS OFF.

THE CONTROLLERS WHO WERE INVOLVED IN THE CRASH

ARE CHARGED WITH VARYING DEGREES OF MANSLAUGHTER.

BUT THOSE CRIMINAL CHARGES WORRY PEOPLE

WHO WERE CLOSELY INVOLVED WITH THE DISASTER.

Ferreira: AN INVESTIGATION LIKE OURS, WHICH FOCUSES ON PREVENTION,

SUFFERS HUGE SETBACKS WHEN THERE IS PRESSURE TO LAY CHARGES.

Suwwan: BY BLAMING PEOPLE, WE MIGHT BE CREATING A CULTURE

WHERE PEOPLE WILL NOT COME FORTH AND BE HONEST

ABOUT FAILURES AND MISTAKES.

AND WHEN WE TRY TO HIDE THAT,

THINGS GET SWEPT UNDER THE CARPET.

AND SOON ENOUGH, IT'LL COME OUT AGAIN.

Rodrigues: NO CONTROLLER LEAVES HIS HOME IN THE MORNING

THINKING HE'S GOING TO CRASH A PLANE.

AND SO THE CRIMINALIZATION ONLY INTERFERES WITH INVESTIGATION.

Narrator: MORE THAN TWO MONTHS AFTER THE CRASH,

THE CREW OF THE LEGACY JET IS FINALLY ALLOWED

TO RETURN TO THE UNITED STATES.

Sharkey: JOE AND JAN HAD BARELY GOT OUT OF THE COUNTRY.

THERE WAS AN ATTEMPT TO HOLD THEM UNDER,

WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A COBBLED TOGETHER INITIAL CRIMINAL CHARGE

OF QUOTE, "FAILING TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF BRAZILIAN SKIES."

Bob Sherry: WHILE WE ARE ALL GRATEFUL FOR THE SAFE RETURN

OF JOE AND JAN AND EVERYONE ABOARD THE LEGACY,

WE ARE ALL SADDENED BY THIS TRAGEDY

WHICH TOOK MANY INNOCENT LIVES.

Narrator: MORE THAN A YEAR AFTER THE ACCIDENT,

THE LEGACY JET THAT SURVIVED A MIDAIR COLLISION

WAS STILL AT THE AIRFIELD IN THE AMAZON--

ITS MAIDEN VOYAGE CUT SHORT

BY A TRAGIC SERIES OF TECHNOLOGICAL AND HUMAN ERRORS.