All language subtitles for Air.Disasters.S08E04.Sideswiped.1080p.PMTP.WEB-DL.AAC2.0.H.264-maldini_track4_[eng]

Narrator:
A 737 VANISHES FROM RADAR

OVER ONE OF THE MOST REMOTE
JUNGLES ON EARTH.

THE CRASH PUSHES INVESTIGATORS
TO THE LIMIT.

Man: ON THE FIRST DAY,
WE HAD EIGHT SNAKE BITES,

THREE BROKEN LEGS,
AND ONE CARDIAC ARREST.

Man: IT'S THE WORST ACCIDENT
IN THE HISTORY OF PANAMA.

Man: COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT
JUST DON'T FALL OUT OF THE SKY.

Narrator: DARK THEORIES EMERGE.

Man: DRUG-RUNNING AIRPLANES
OUT THERE.

Man: WHAT ABOUT A BOMB?

Woman: THEY SAW
A BIG BALL OF FIRE.

Man: IT WAS HIGHLY SUSPICIOUS.

Narrator: AN ENTIRE NATION
IS DEMANDING ANSWERS.

Man: WE HAD THIS
MASSIVE SPREAD OF PARTS

THAT MADE NO LOGICAL SENSE.

Narrator: ONLY ONE STUNNING
CONCLUSION CAN EXPLAIN IT.

Man: IT WAS A BIG SURPRISE
TO EVERYBODY.

Pilot: COME ON!

Co-pilot:
I'M TRYING, CAPTAIN.

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: TOCUMEN INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT IN PANAMA CITY.

Rafael Chial: V-1.

Narrator: COPA AIRLINES
FLIGHT 201 TAKES OFF

FOR A SHORT FLIGHT
TO CALI, COLOMBIA.

Chial: ROTATE.

GEAR UP.

Narrator: CAPTAIN RAFAEL CHIAL
IS COPA'S MOST SENIOR PILOT.

TODAY HE'S MONITORING
THE INSTRUMENTS.

Cesareo Tejada:
SET THRUST TO CLIMB.

Narrator:
FIRST OFFICER CESAREO TEJADA
IS FLYING THE PLANE.

40 PASSENGERS ARE ON BOARD,

MOSTLY BUSINESS TRAVELERS
HEADING HOME TO COLOMBIA.

THE FLIGHT USUALLY
TAKES ABOUT AN HOUR.

BUT TONIGHT THERE'S A HITCH
THAT COULD ADD SOME TIME.

Chial: WE'VE GOT SOME HEAVY
WEATHER MOVING IN FROM THE GULF.

Narrator: FLIGHT 201 IS
HEADING STRAIGHT FOR A STORM.

Phil Ragan:
IN PANAMA, OUT OVER THE WATER,

8 TO 10 MILES OUT,
BECAUSE THE GULF'S THERE,

THERE'S A LOT OF CONVECTIVE
ACTIVITY AND THUNDERSTORMS.

Graciela Ocana: THE WEATHER
WAS UNUSUALLY TERRIBLE.

IT WAS A STORM, BIG, BIG STORM.

Tejada:
IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO

HAVE TO TAKE
THE LONG WAY AROUND.

Chial: MM-HMM.

Ragan: IF YOU FLY
THROUGH A POWERFUL THUNDERSTORM,

THERE'S UP AND DOWN DRAFTS.

IT CAN OVERCOME THE AIRPLANE,
SO YOU DON'T FLY THROUGH THEM.

Tejada:
IT LOOKS CLEAR TO THE EAST.

Narrator:
THE PILOTS NEED TO FIND A WAY

TO FLY AROUND THE BAD WEATHER.

Chial: AGREED. I WILL LET THEM
KNOW WHAT WE ARE DOING.

Ragan: YOU LOOK AT THE WEATHER,
AND YOU DECIDE IF YOU CAN DO IT.

IF YOU CAN'T, YOU ASK FOR A
VECTOR AROUND THE THUNDERSTORMS.

Chial: PANAMA CENTER, COPA 201.

WE'D LIKE TO GET AROUND
THIS WEATHER.

REQUESTING
A NEW HEADING FOR 0-9-0.

Controller:
COPA 201, COPY THAT.

YOU'RE CLEARED
ON A HEADING ZERO-NINER-ZERO.

Chial:
CLEARED, HEADING 0-9-0.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
WE'RE GONNA TAKE A SHORT DETOUR

TO AVOID SOME BUMPY WEATHER.

IT MAY DELAY OUR ARRIVAL
IN CALI.

I WILL KEEP YOU POSTED.

Narrator: THE NEW FLIGHT PATH
WILL TAKE THE 737 EAST,

AROUND THE STORM,

BEFORE HEADING SOUTH AGAIN
TO CALI.

Chial: PANAMA CENTER, COPA 201.

Narrator: IT'S BEEN
12 MINUTES SINCE TAKEOFF.

Chial: LEVEL AT 2-5-0.

Narrator:
THE CAPTAIN TELLS CONTROLLERS

HE'S REACHED CRUISING ALTITUDE
AT 25,000 FEET.

MINUTES LATER,
THE PLANE DISAPPEARS FROM RADAR.

THE CONTROLLER TRIES THE RADIO
BUT GETS NO RESPONSE.

Ragan: IF YOU'RE
CLOSE TO THUNDERSTORMS

AND IN A LOT OF RAIN,
THERE'LL BE STATIC ON THE RADIO,

AND SOMETIMES YOU MAY
NOT BE ABLE TO TALK TO THEM

FOR, FOR A FEW MINUTES.

Narrator: GRACIELA OCANA IS ONE
OF THE CONTROLLERS ON DUTY.

Ocana: THE FLIGHT
WAS LEAVING PANAMA AIRSPACE,

ENTERING COLOMBIA AIRSPACE.

HOPEFULLY IT'S JUST INTERFERENCE
FROM THE STORM.

WHEN THE SIGNAL
DISAPPEARED IN THE RADAR,

I WAS WONDERING WHAT HAPPENED.

Narrator:
THE PLANE'S LAST KNOWN LOCATION

WAS OVER PANAMA'S
REMOTE DARIEN GAP.

Ocana: THEIR LAST RADAR RETURN
WAS HERE, OVER DARIEN JUNGLE.

Narrator: THE PLANE HAS VANISHED

OVER AN ALMOST
IMPENETRABLE JUNGLE.

IF COPA 201 CRASHED HERE,

JUST GETTING TO THE CRASH SITE
WILL BE A HUGE STRUGGLE.

OCANA REPORTS THE MISSING FLIGHT
TO AVIATION AUTHORITIES.

Ocana: HEY, HAVE YOU HAD
ANY RADIO CONTACT WITH COPA 201?

Narrator: THEN COMES
THE NEWS SHE'S BEEN DREADING.

Ocana: EARLY IN THE MORNING,

I RECEIVED A CALL
FROM A RADIO STATION IN DARIEN.

ANY SURVIVORS?

Narrator:
WITNESSES ON THE GROUND

HAVE REPORTED
A TERRIFYING SIGHT.

Ocana: DURING THE NIGHT,

THEY SAW A BIG BALL OF FIRE
FALLING FROM THE SKY.

WE HAD TO FIND OUT
WHERE THE AIRCRAFT WAS

AND IF THERE WAS
ANYONE ALIVE THEY COULD SAVE.

Narrator: THE NEXT DAY,

SEARCHERS MAKE THEIR WAY
TO THE CRASH SITE,

BUT ALL 47 OF THE PEOPLE
ON BOARD ARE DEAD.

Ocana: EVEN IF IT'S ONE PERSON,

IT'S A BIG LOSS, AND IT'S
A PLANE FULL OF PASSENGERS.

IT'S REALLY TERRIBLE.

Narrator: IN PANAMA CITY,
AIR CRASH INVESTIGATORS

SET UP A COMMAND POST
AT A LOCAL FLIGHT SCHOOL.

PANAMA'S DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF
CIVIL AVIATION, JORGE RODRIGUEZ,

IS UNDER ENORMOUS PRESSURE
TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENED.

THE LOSS
OF SUCH A LARGE AIRCRAFT

HAS LEFT HIS COUNTRY IN SHOCK.

Jorge Rodriguez: AT THAT TIME,

IT WAS THE FIRST BIG ACCIDENT
OF AN AIR CARRIER OF PANAMA.

WE LOST 47 PEOPLE ON BOARD,
ALL DEAD.

Narrator: THE BAD WEATHER
LEADS TO IMMEDIATE SPECULATION

THAT THE COPA PILOTS MAY HAVE
BEEN OVERCOME BY A DEADLY STORM.

Rodriguez:
THEY REPORTED NASTY WEATHER

IN THE GULF OF PANAMA
AT THAT TIME.

I WANT ANY WEATHER DATA
FOR THIS ENTIRE AREA.

Narrator:
IN THE DARIEN PROVINCE,

PANAMANIAN FIREMEN SAY A PRAYER

FOR THE 40 PASSENGERS
AND 7 CREW MEMBERS

WHO DIED ABOARD FLIGHT 201.

THE SEARCH
TO UNDERSTAND WHY THEY DIED

BRINGS NTSB INVESTIGATOR
TOM HAUETER TO PANAMA CITY.

Tom Haueter: THERE'S A LOT
OF PRESSURE ON THE NTSB

IN ALL INVESTIGATIONS

TO DETERMINE
THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT.

THAT'S WHAT WE DO,

SO CERTAINLY WE WANT TO KNOW
WHAT HAPPENED,

WHY, AND WE WANT
TO PREVENT ANOTHER ACCIDENT.

THAT'S OUR MAIN MISSION.

Haueter: TOM HAUETER, NTSB.
HOW ARE YOU DOING?

Narrator: BUT THERE IS
ADDED PRESSURE ON HAUETER

BECAUSE OF THE TYPE OF PLANE
INVOLVED IN THE TRAGEDY--

A BOEING 737.

Haueter:
I'D REALLY LIKE TO GET A LOOK

AT THE RUDDER ON THIS ONE.

Narrator: THE RUDDER
IS A CRITICAL CONTROL SURFACE

IN THE TAIL
THAT HELPS TO TURN THE PLANE.

THE NTSB SUSPECTS A RUDDER
FAILURE CAUSED THE RECENT CRASH

OF ANOTHER 737,
UNITED AIRLINES FLIGHT 585.

Haueter: WE HAD PREVIOUSLY
HAD AN ACCIDENT WITH A 737

IN COLORADO SPRINGS.

IT WAS ON APPROACH
WHEN IT SUDDENLY ROLLED OVER...

AND DOVE INTO THE GROUND AT
HIGH SPEED, KILLING ALL ABOARD.

Narrator: A POSSIBLE CONNECTION
BETWEEN THE TWO CRASHES

MAKES IT CRITICAL TO FIGURE OUT
WHAT BROUGHT DOWN FLIGHT 201.

Haueter: BECAUSE THAT WAS
AN UNSOLVED ACCIDENT,

WE WERE VERY ANXIOUS TO KNOW IS
THERE OTHER EVIDENCE OUT THERE

THAT WOULD
HELP US SOLVE THAT CASE.

Narrator: IF RUDDER FAILURE
BROUGHT DOWN BOTH FLIGHTS,

THERE COULD BE A FATAL FLAW
IN EVERY 737,

THE MOST POPULAR
COMMERCIAL AIRLINER IN THE SKY.

PASSENGERS ALL OVER THE WORLD
COULD BE AT RISK.

IN PANAMA'S DARIEN PROVINCE,

INVESTIGATORS BEGIN
THE PAINSTAKING TASK

OF TRYING TO FIND ALL
THE WRECKAGE OF COPA FLIGHT 201.

THE DENSE VEGETATION
MAKES IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE

TO SPOT SMALL PIECES
FROM THE AIR.

THE TEAM MUST SEARCH ON FOOT
WITH THE HELP OF LOCAL GUIDES.

Haueter: IT WASN'T LAID OUT
AS WE NORMALLY SEE IN A CRASH

WHERE THE AIRPLANE COMES IN,
AND, YOU KNOW,

HERE'S THE NOSE, HERE'S THE
CENTER SECTION, HERE'S THE TAIL.

IT TURNED OUT THERE WERE,
LIKE, PARTS ALL OVER,

AND SO WE WERE TRYING
TO DETERMINE WHERE THEY WERE,

AND SO IT BECAME
JUST A MAJOR SEARCH.

Narrator: THEY NEED TO FIND AS
MUCH OF THE PLANE AS THEY CAN,

BUT THEY QUICKLY REALIZE IT'S
GOING TO BE A DAUNTING TASK.

Haueter: THE DARIEN JUNGLE IS
PROBABLY THE REMOTEST SECTION

OF LATIN AMERICA
YOU CAN THINK OF.

THE PAN AMERICAN HIGHWAY DOES
NOT GO THROUGH THERE.

THERE ARE NO ROADS.
THERE IS JUST NOTHING.

Calvin Walbert: IT'S LIKE ONE OF
THE WORST JUNGLES IN THE WORLD.

I PROBABLY SAW INSECTS

THAT NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
HASN'T EVEN SEEN YET.

IT WAS JUST VERY TOUGH.

Haueter: ON THE FIRST DAY,
WE HAD EIGHT SNAKE BITES,

THREE BROKEN LEGS,
AND ONE CARDIAC ARREST.

Narrator: AS THEY WORK,

THEY MAP THE LOCATION
OF EVERY FRAGMENT OF THE PLANE.

TRACKING WHERE EACH PIECE LANDED

COULD HOLD CLUES
ABOUT WHY THE PLANE CRASHED.

MOST OF THE PIECES ARE SMALL,

BUT A TRAIL
OF SCORCHED VEGETATION

LEADS TO THE FIRST
LARGE PIECE OF THE PLANE.

Walbert: THERE WAS A LARGE
CLEARED-OUT AREA THAT ACTUALLY,

THERE WAS A LOT OF FIRE
THAT TOOK PLACE FROM THE FUEL.

Haueter: THIS IS THE CENTER
SECTION OF THE WING.

THE MAIN LANDING GEAR
IS RIGHT THERE BELOW YOU.

THE OTHER PIECE
IS JUST DOWN THE HILL.

Narrator:
IT'S AN IMPORTANT FIND,

BUT MANY MORE PARTS
ARE STILL MISSING,

INCLUDING THE RUDDER
AND THE COCKPIT.

THE WRECKAGE IS SPREAD ACROSS
MORE THAN 100 SQUARE MILES.

FOR INVESTIGATORS,
THE EXPANSE OF THE AREA

IS A CRITICAL CLUE ITSELF.

Haueter: CLEARLY, THERE HAD BEEN
SOME TYPE OF HIGH-SPEED EVENT

WHERE THE AIRPLANE HAD BROKEN UP

AND BASICALLY JUST
RAINED PARTS DOWN ON THE JUNGLE.

THE CAUSE OF THE BREAKUP
WE DIDN'T KNOW,

SO WE HAVE TO
TAKE A LOOK AT THE WRECKAGE

AND TRY TO DETERMINE HOW ALL
THESE PIECES OF THE PUZZLE FIT.

Narrator:
THE CRASH SITE'S PROXIMITY

TO THE COLOMBIAN BORDER
SUGGESTS AN OBVIOUS THEORY.

Rodriguez:
IT'S AN AIR CORRIDOR FOR DRUGS.

IT'S A BUSY ONE.

Haueter: THE DARIEN JUNGLE

IS RIGHT ON THE BORDER
BETWEEN PANAMA AND COLOMBIA,

AND THERE WAS A FAIR AMOUNT
OF DRUG ACTIVITY

COMING BACK AND FORTH
ACROSS THE JUNGLE.

Narrator: THE REMOTE JUNGLE
OF THE DARIEN GAP

IS A HAVEN FOR DRUG CARTELS

FLYING CONTRABAND NORTH
FROM SECRET AIRSTRIPS.

Rodriguez: AT THAT TIME,
WE DON'T GOT NO RADAR

THAT IS GONNA PATROL THE ROUTE
OF THE DRUG SMUGGLER.

Narrator: DRUG RUNNERS
USUALLY FLY AT NIGHT,

WHEN THEY'RE LESS LIKELY
TO BE SPOTTED.

Chial: PANAMA CENTER, COPA 201.

WE'D LIKE TO GET AROUND
THIS WEATHER.

REQUESTING
A NEW HEADING FOR 0-9-0.

Narrator:
UNLIKE COMMERCIAL CREWS,

SMUGGLERS AVOID RADAR DETECTION

BY SWITCHING OFF
THE PLANE'S RADAR TRANSPONDER,

AND THEY OBVIOUSLY NEVER CHECK
IN WITH AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL.

Ocana: IF HE DOES NOT REPORT,

WHO WILL KNOW
THAT THEY ARE THERE?

IT'S REALLY DANGEROUS,

ESPECIALLY IF THERE
IS NOT GOOD VISIBILITY.

Chial:
CLEARED, HEADING 0-9-0.

WE'LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN WE
GET CLEAR OF THIS WEATHER.

Narrator: PERHAPS
THE UNSUSPECTING PILOTS

SUDDENLY CROSSED PATHS
WITH DRUG RUNNERS.

Chial: PLANE!

Narrator: IT WOULD HAVE BEEN
THE LAST THING THEY EVER SAW.

Haueter:
WE THOUGHT OF, YOU KNOW,

DRUG-RUNNING AIRPLANES
OUT THERE,

SOMETHING ELSE
GOING ON OUT THERE.

EVERYTHING
WAS OPEN FOR CONSIDERATION.

Narrator: IF FLIGHT 201
DID HIT ANOTHER AIRCRAFT,

INVESTIGATORS
SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIND

SOME TRACE OF THE SECOND PLANE

AMONG THE WRECKAGE
THEY'RE PULLING FROM THE JUNGLE.

Haueter: IF A RED AIRPLANE
HITS A BLUE AIRPLANE,

THE PAINT'S GONNA TRANSFER.

YOU'RE GONNA GET A LITTLE
BIT OF ONE ON THE OTHER.

Narrator: THEY SCRUTINIZE
EACH PIECE CAREFULLY,

HUNTING FOR ANY SPECK OF PAINT

THAT COULD HAVE COME
FROM A COVERT DRUG PLANE.

BUT THEY COME UP EMPTY.

EVEN MORE TELLING,

THERE IS NO WRECKAGE THAT COULD
HAVE COME FROM A SECOND PLANE.

Haueter: WE DIDN'T FIND
ANY OTHER WRECKAGES, OLD OR NEW,

AND LOOKING AT THE WRECKAGE WE
FOUND FROM THE COPA AIRPLANE,

WE DIDN'T FIND ANY EVIDENCE
OF A MIDAIR COLLISION.

Narrator: BUT THERE IS YET
ANOTHER POSSIBILITY.

Rodriguez: WHAT ABOUT A BOMB?

Narrator: FLIGHT 201
WAS BOUND FOR CALI, COLOMBIA,

HOME OF A VIOLENT DRUG CARTEL.

INVESTIGATORS KNOW
THAT A BOMB ON BOARD

COULD EXPLAIN THE EYEWITNESS
REPORTS OF FIRE IN THE SKY.

Haueter:
CERTAINLY WE WERE INTERESTED

IN THE POSSIBILITY
OF AN EXPLOSION.

WE BROUGHT
AN FAA EXPLOSIVE EXPERT WITH US.

IS IT POSSIBLE A BOMB WENT OFF

AND CAUSED THE BREAKUP
OF THE AIRPLANE?

IS IT POSSIBLE
FOR SOMETHING ELSE?

WE NEEDED TO TAKE A LOOK
AT EVERYTHING.

Walbert: COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT
JUST DON'T FALL OUT OF THE SKY,

SO THOSE INDIVIDUALS
PUTTING THE TEAM TOGETHER

FELT THAT
IT WAS HIGHLY SUSPICIOUS

AND MIGHT BE SOMETHING
IN MY AREA OF EXPERTISE.

Narrator:
EXPLOSIVES EXPERT CALVIN WALBERT

BEGINS HIS SEARCH FOR EVIDENCE
OF AN ONBOARD BOMB.

Walbert: THERE'S A TREMENDOUS
AMOUNT OF PRESSURE

BECAUSE EVERYBODY
WANTS THAT ANSWER YESTERDAY.

Narrator: HE'S LOOKING
FOR SIGNATURE BLAST MARKS

CAUSED BY THE SUPERHEATED GASES
FROM AN EXPLOSION.

Walbert: THERE'S INDICATORS
THAT YOU LOOK FOR

THAT WILL TELL YOU THAT THIS IS
CAUSED FROM AN EXPLOSIVE EVENT.

IT'S NOT CAUSED
FROM JUST, YOU KNOW,

A FIRE OR FUEL ERUPTING
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

Narrator: IF THERE WERE A BOMB,
THE TELLTALE MARKS

WILL MOST LIKELY
BE FOUND ON METAL DEBRIS.

Walbert: ON SOMETHING
LIKE AIRCRAFT ALUMINUM,

YOU WOULD BE LOOKING
FOR PITTING AND CRATERING,

KIND OF LIKE
THE SURFACE OF THE MOON.

Narrator: HE CAREFULLY
EXAMINES EACH PIECE.

HE FINDS BURN MARKS,
EVIDENCE OF A FIRE,

BUT THERE'S NO SIGN
OF AN EXPLOSIVE DETONATION.

THE BOMB THEORY
IS LOOKING LESS LIKELY,

BUT IT CAN'T BE
RULED OUT COMPLETELY

UNTIL THEY CARRY OUT
ONE FINAL TEST.

THE DEAD ARE AIRLIFTED
TO PANAMA CITY,

WHERE THE BODIES WILL BE X-RAYED
TO CHECK FOR EMBEDDED SHRAPNEL.

Walbert:
I'M LOOKING FOR SOMETHING

THAT WOULD BE FOREIGN
TO THAT HUMAN REMAINS

THAT IS NOT PART
OF THE AIRCRAFT, UM,

THAT IS NOT PART OF
THEIR PERSONAL EFFECTS,

THAT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD
INDICATE THAT IT WAS A BOMB.

Man on radio:
BASE CAMP, COME IN.

Narrator: THEN A CALL
FROM THE JUNGLE SEARCH TEAM

BRINGS SOME
MUCH-NEEDED GOOD NEWS.

Man: WE'VE GOT THE BLACK BOXES.

Narrator: THE EXHAUSTING EFFORT
HAS PAID OFF.

THEY'VE FOUND FLIGHT 201'S
BLACK BOXES.

THIS COULD BE THE BREAKTHROUGH
INVESTIGATORS NEED.

Rodriguez: AT LEAST WE GOT
SOMETHING TO ANALYZE

WHAT WAS
THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT.

WITHOUT THOSE BOXES,
YOU'RE BLIND.

YOU DON'T GOT NOTHING.

Narrator:
THERE'S NO LAB IN PANAMA

EQUIPPED TO ANALYZE
THE RECORDERS,

SO THEY'RE SENT TO THE NATIONAL
TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD

IN WASHINGTON.

Haueter: WE WERE ANXIOUS TO LOOK
AT THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER.

THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER
WAS ONLY,

THE ONLY DATA WE HAD
FROM THE FLIGHT ITSELF

UP TO THE TIME
OF THE BREAKUP.

Narrator:
NTSB TECHNICIANS WORK QUICKLY

TO DOWNLOAD THE INFORMATION
STORED ON THE TWO RECORDERS.

THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER
TRACKS INFORMATION

LIKE AIR SPEED AND HEADING.

THE VOICE RECORDER CAPTURES

THE SOUND OF THE PILOTS'
CONVERSATION IN THE COCKPIT.

Haueter: WE WERE HOPING
WITH THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER

WE'D GET MORE INFORMATION

IN TERMS OF
WHAT THE CREW IS SAYING,

WHAT WAS HAPPENING
RIGHT AT THE TIME OF IMPACT.

Narrator: THE FLIGHT DATA
RECORDER IS IN GOOD CONDITION,

BUT THE SAME CAN'T BE SAID
FOR THE VOICE RECORDER.

Rodriguez: IT WAS
A BIG SURPRISE TO EVERYBODY.

Narrator: SOMEHOW, THE TAPE
HAS SNAPPED AND COME UNSPOOLED.

Rodriguez: MY GOD. WHAT A MESS.

THE SURPRISE WAS
THE TAPE WAS BROKE COMPLETELY,

LIKE BLACK SPAGHETTI.

Haueter: YOU JUST HAD A BALL
OF MYLAR TAPE.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS WON'T
KNOW WHAT ANSWERS THE TAPE HOLDS

UNTIL THEY CAN
SOMEHOW REPAIR IT.

Rodriguez:
IF THE PEOPLE FROM THE NTSB

CANNOT PUT THAT TAPE TO WORK,
THERE WAS NO WAY.

Narrator: BATTLING 120-DEGREE
HEAT IN THE PANAMANIAN JUNGLE,

INVESTIGATORS STRUGGLE
TO LEARN WHAT THEY CAN

FROM THE WRECKAGE
OF COPA FLIGHT 201.

ANOTHER BIG FIND
COULD BE A CRUCIAL LEAD

IN AN ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATION.

THEY'VE RECOVERED A KEY PART
FROM THE PLANE'S RUDDER,

THE POWER CONTROL UNIT.

Haueter: THE POWER CONTROL UNIT
IS A HYDRAULIC RAM, IF YOU WILL,

THAT MOVES THE RUDDER
BACK AND FORTH.

Narrator: IT'S THE SAME PART

INVESTIGATORS
SUSPECT MAY HAVE FAILED

DURING THE RECENT CRASH
OF A UNITED AIRLINES 737.

Haueter: IF THERE'S
A FAILURE MODE OUT THERE

THAT'S AFFECTING
THOUSANDS OF AIRPLANES,

WE WANT TO DOCUMENT WHAT
HAPPENED, WORK WITH THE FAA,

THE MANUFACTURERS,
TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM

SO THE ACCIDENT
CAN'T HAPPEN AGAIN.

Narrator: IF THEY FIND EVIDENCE

THAT THE CRITICAL COMPONENT
MALFUNCTIONED,

IT WILL HAVE REPERCUSSIONS

THROUGHOUT
THE ENTIRE AIRLINE INDUSTRY.

Rodriguez: BOEING COMPANY
WILL STOP ALL THOSE AIRPLANES.

THEY WILL NOT BE FLYING
IF THAT WAS THE ISSUE.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS
TEST THE MECHANISM.

THEY NEED TO KNOW
IF IT JAMMED IN FLIGHT,

A FAILURE THAT COULD EASILY
PUT A 737 INTO A SUDDEN DIVE.

BUT IT'S ONE MORE DEAD END.

Haueter: THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE
OF PREEXISTING DAMAGE.

IT APPEARED TO BE
WORKING NORMALLY

UP TO THE TIME OF IMPACT.

Narrator: THE TEAM HOPES
THE PLANE'S ENGINES

WILL PROVIDE A BETTER LEAD.

IN RARE CASES, TURBINE ENGINES

HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO OVERHEAT
AND CATCH FIRE.

Rodriguez: IF YOU GOT A FIRE
IN THE ENGINE,

THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS
THAT YOU CAN LOOK AT.

Narrator: IF THERE WAS
AN ENGINE FIRE ON FLIGHT 201,

INVESTIGATORS SHOULD BE ABLE
TO FIND BLACK SCORCH MARKS

ON FAN BLADES
AND OTHER INTERNAL PARTS,

BUT, AGAIN, THEIR INSPECTION
TURNS UP NOTHING.

Rodriguez: THE ENGINES,
THERE WASN'T A PROBLEM AT ALL

IN THAT FLIGHT.

Narrator: THE ENGINES
WERE WORKING NORMALLY

WHEN THE PLANE BROKE APART.

INVESTIGATORS ARE STILL
NO CLOSER TO UNDERSTANDING

WHAT HAPPENED IN THE SKIES
OVER PANAMA.

MEDICAL X-RAYS ELIMINATE
YET ANOTHER THEORY.

Haueter: ALL OF THE VICTIMS'
REMAINS WERE X-RAYED

TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY EVIDENCE
OF AN EXPLOSION.

Narrator: THE IMAGES SHOW
NO SIGN OF ANY FOREIGN DEBRIS

THAT COULD HAVE COME
FROM AN EXPLOSION ON BOARD.

Walbert: THERE WAS NOTHING
THAT I SAW OR THAT I OBSERVED

THAT WOULD INDICATE TO ME

THAT THERE WAS A DEVICE
ON BOARD COPA FLIGHT 201.

Chial: ALTITUDE.

PULL UP! PULL UP!

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS NOW
BELIEVE THE FLAMES WITNESSES SAW

IGNITED
AFTER THE PLANE BROKE APART.

IT WASN'T A BOMB.

THERE'S ENORMOUS PRESSURE
ON THE INVESTIGATION.

PANAMANIANS WANT TO KNOW

WHAT CAUSED THEIR NATION'S
DEADLIEST AIR DISASTER.

Ocana:
HOW, HOW COULD THAT HAPPEN?

WE COULD NOT IMAGINE.

WE NEEDED THE ANSWER.

Narrator: IN WASHINGTON,
THERE'S RENEWED HOPE

OF FINDING ANSWERS
IN THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER.

TECHNICIANS HAVE MANAGED
TO REPAIR THE BROKEN TAPE.

Haueter:
WELL, IT TOOK A LOT OF EFFORT,

BUT THEY SLOWLY,
YOU KNOW, FOUND AN END

AND STRAIGHTENED IT OUT,

ROLLED IT BACK UP,
GOT IT ON A REEL.

Narrator:
RODRIGUEZ CAN FINALLY LISTEN

TO THE SOUNDS
CAPTURED IN THE COCKPIT.

Controller: COPA 4129,
YOU ARE CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF.

Narrator: BUT WHAT HE HEARS
REVEALS A STUNNING NEW PROBLEM.

Captain:
CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF, 4129.

OKAY, HERE WE GO.

Narrator: THE RECORDING
IS NOT FROM THIS FLIGHT.

IT'S FROM A FLIGHT DAYS EARLIER.

IT SEEMS THAT THE TAPE
WAS ALREADY BROKEN

WHEN FLIGHT 201 TOOK OFF.

Rodriguez: THAT TAPE WAS BROKE

ABOUT SEVEN DAYS
BEFORE THAT ACCIDENT,

AND THAT WAS THE REASON THAT THE
RECORDER WASN'T WORKING AT ALL.

Ragan: IT'S VERY UNUSUAL
THAT IT DOES NOT OPERATE.

I FLEW THE AIRPLANE
FOR MANY YEARS.

I DON'T RECALL EVER HAVING THE
COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER NOT WORK.

Narrator: THE FIRST FUNERAL

IS FOR ONE
OF THE FIVE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS.

MANY MOURNERS ARE ASKING THE
SAME QUESTION AS INVESTIGATORS--

WHY DID THIS TRAGEDY HAPPEN?

Ocana: IT WAS LIKE A NIGHTMARE
THAT YOU WISH YOU COULD WAKE UP.

YOU DO NOT EXPECT
THAT TO HAPPEN,

EVEN LESS IN YOUR COUNTRY.

Narrator:
THE FLIGHT DATA IS FINALLY

IN THE HANDS
OF INVESTIGATORS.

IT PAINTS A TERRIFYING PICTURE.

FLIGHT 201 SUDDENLY WENT
INTO A CATASTROPHIC DIVE.

Chial: PULL UP!

Rodriguez: THE AIRPLANE STARTED
COMING DOWN FROM 25,000 FEET.

Tejada: AH! UGH!

Rodriguez:
UNTIL IT DISINTEGRATED AT 9,195.

10,000 FEET A MINUTE.

Narrator:
THE EXTREME SPEED OF THE DIVE

SOLVES THE MYSTERY
OF THE MIDAIR BREAKUP.

Haueter: IT'S NOT DESIGNED
FOR FLYING INVERTED

AT SPEEDS APPROACHING
THE SPEED OF SOUND,

AND SO WE'RE TRYING
TO UNDERSTAND HOW IT GOT

FROM A LEVEL FLIGHT

TO BE INVERTED
COMING DOWN AT HIGH SPEED.

THAT FEW SECONDS IS REALLY
THE FOCUS OF THE INVESTIGATION.

Narrator: THE FIERCE WEATHER
OVER THE GULF OF PANAMA

MAY HAVE BEEN
A KEY FACTOR IN THE CRASH.

Ocana: WE HAD REPORTS
THAT THE STORM EXTENDED

MORE THAN 100 MILES
FROM EAST TO WEST.

Narrator: IF THE COPA CREW
FLEW INTO A SEVERE STORM,

THERE'S A CHANCE
THE PILOTS WERE CONFUSED

BY WHAT EXPERTS CALL
SPATIAL DISORIENTATION.

Tejada: THIS IS SOMETHING ELSE.

DO YOU HAVE VISUAL REFERENCE
ON YOUR SIDE?

Chial: NO.

Ragan: FLYING IN WEATHER
AT NIGHT IN THUNDERSTORMS

CAN BE TOTALLY DISORIENTING.

Haueter: YOU CAN'T REALLY TRUST
YOUR OWN SENSES.

THE INNER EAR WILL NOT LEAD YOU

TO THE RIGHT CONCLUSION
NECESSARILY.

THE G-FORCES YOU'RE FEELING
MAY LEAD YOU TO THINK

YOU'RE TURNING LEFT
WHEN YOU'RE TURNING RIGHT.

Chial: ALTITUDE.

Tejada: WHAT IN GOD'S NAME?

Chial: PULL UP! PULL UP!

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS
USE RADAR INFORMATION

CAPTURED IN THE TOWER
TO PLOT FLIGHT 201's PATH.

THEY WANT TO COMPARE IT
TO THE PATH OF THE STORM.

Haueter: WE COULD GO BACK
AND LOOK AT THE WEATHER DATA

AND THE LONG-RANGE RADAR DATA.

WE KNEW WHERE THE STORM WAS.

WE KNEW WHERE THE AIRPLANE WAS
BY THE IMPACT,

AND SO WE COULD
PIECE TOGETHER THEIR FLIGHT PATH

AND WHERE THEY'RE GOING.

Narrator:
THE RESULTS ARE CONCLUSIVE.

FLIGHT 201 WASN'T
ANYWHERE NEAR THE STORM.

Rodriguez: I SAY THAT
THE WEATHER WASN'T AN ISSUE

IN THAT ACCIDENT.

Narrator: AGAIN
INVESTIGATORS CAN'T EXPLAIN

WHAT HAPPENED
TO COPA FLIGHT 201.

THEY NEED A DIFFERENT APPROACH.

Haueter: THE DATA WE HAD,
THE TAKEOFF, THE CLIMB OUT,

YOU KNOW, THE CRUISE,

EVERYTHING JUST LOOKED
LIKE A NORMAL FLIGHT.

Narrator: THEY DELVE DEEPER

INTO THE LAST TWO MINUTES
OF FLIGHT DATA

AND DISCOVER SOME
VERY UNUSUAL FLIGHT MANEUVERS.

Haueter: OKAY,
LOOKS LIKE THEY TURNED RIGHT

AND THEN LEFT
AND THEN RIGHT AGAIN

UNTIL THEY SPIRALED INTO A DIVE.

IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.

Narrator: THE FLIGHT DATA
SEEMS COMPLETELY BAFFLING,

BUT IT STILL COULD HOLD THE KEY

TO EXPLAINING
WHY 47 PEOPLE DIED ON COPA 201.

INVESTIGATORS ZERO IN

ON THE FINAL TWO MINUTES
OF THE FLIGHT.

Haueter: LET'S HAVE A LOOK
AT THIS THING.

Narrator: THEY CREATE AN
ANIMATION OF THE FLIGHT DATA...

Haueter: EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL.
THAT WAS ABRUPT.

Narrator:
HOPING IT WILL SHED SOME LIGHT

ON HOW THE 737 COULD HAVE MADE
SUCH STRANGE MANEUVERS.

Haueter: SHOULD BE CORRECTING.
IT'S NOT CORRECTING.

WHOA! WHAT THE HECK'S GOING ON?

Narrator: BUT IT ONLY
ADDS TO THE MYSTERY.

Haueter: WE WOULD START
SEEING THE AIRCRAFT,

YOU KNOW,
ROLL OVER INTO A BANK ANGLE,

THEN SUDDENLY SNAP BACK
TO LEVEL OR VICE VERSA.

Narrator:
THE STRANGE MOTION IS UNLIKE

ANYTHING AN AIRLINER
USUALLY DOES DURING FLIGHT.

Haueter:
IT WAS TRYING TO UNDERSTAND

HOW CAN THE AIRPLANE
MANEUVER THE WAY IT'S DOING,

AND THAT WAS CAUSING
QUITE A BIT OF PROBLEMS

BECAUSE WE COULDN'T MAKE IT FIT.

Ragan: THE AIRCRAFT
IS NORMALLY FLOWN VERY GENTLE,

AS IF YOUR GRANDMOTHER'S
IN THE BACK

AND SHE DOES NOT LIKE TO FLY

BECAUSE YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE
A HAPPY CUSTOMER

AND MAKE THEM COME BACK
AND FLY WITH YOU AGAIN.

Narrator: COULD THE PILOTS
HAVE BEEN INCAPACITATED

BY DRUGS OR A MEDICAL EMERGENCY?

Haueter:
WE'VE GOT TO FIND THAT COCKPIT.

Narrator: THERE'S NO WAY
TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION

UNLESS THEY CAN FIND
THE PILOTS' BODIES

AND CARRY OUT FORENSIC TESTS.

Rodriguez: SO THAT WAS ONE

OF THE MAIN PART
OF THE INVESTIGATION

WAS WE HAVE TO GET THE COCKPIT.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS
PREPARE FOR THE HUNT.

BEFORE GOING INTO THE JUNGLE,

THEY EXAMINED A 737
JUST LIKE THE ONE THAT CRASHED.

Haueter: I THOUGHT, IF WE'RE
HUNTING AROUND THE JUNGLE

LOOKING FOR PARTS AND PIECES,

IT MIGHT BE NICE TO SEE
WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE INTACT

SO IF WE CAME ACROSS THEM
IN THE JUNGLE,

WE'D HAVE AN IDEA
OF WHAT WE WERE REALLY SEEING.

Narrator: THE METICULOUS SEARCH
FINALLY PAYS OFF.

Rodriguez: WE FOUND THE COCKPIT
IN THE BASE OF A BIG TREE,

LIKE IT HIT THE TREE
AND STOPPED THERE.

Narrator: IN PANAMA CITY,
PATHOLOGISTS EXAMINE THE BODIES.

Haueter: DOING THE AUTOPSIES,

WE FOUND NO EVIDENCE
OF A HEART SEIZURE AT THAT TIME

OR ANY MEDICAL EVENT
WITH EITHER OF THE PILOTS

AT THE TIME OF THE IMPACT.

Narrator:
TOXICOLOGY TESTS ALSO CONFIRM

THAT NEITHER PILOT
WAS IMPAIRED BY DRUGS.

THERE MUST BE
ANOTHER EXPLANATION

FOR THE BIZARRE MANEUVERS.

Haueter: WE'RE TRYING
TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED HERE

TO CAUSE THE UPSET.

IT WAS QUITE A MYSTERY
FOR A LONG TIME.

Narrator:
WITH LITTLE ELSE TO GO ON,

INVESTIGATORS FOCUS
ON THE COCKPIT DEBRIS.

IT PROVIDES
SOME INTRIGUING DETAILS

ABOUT THE LAST MOMENTS
OF THE FLIGHT.

Haueter: WE STARTED TO,
YOU KNOW, PIECE TOGETHER

WHAT MAY HAVE BEEN GOING ON
IN THE COCKPIT

AT THE TIME THIS HAPPENED.

Chial: THE DELICIOUS FOOD
MAKES UP FOR THE LONG HOURS.

Haueter: THE FIRST OFFICER
IS FLYING THE AIRPLANE.

THE CAPTAIN
IS BACK FROM THE CONTROLS.

HE'S HAVING HIS MEAL.

EVERYTHING SEEMS LIKE
A VERY NORMAL FLIGHT

WHEN THINGS STARTED GOING WRONG.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS
STUDY THE FLIGHT INSTRUMENTS

AND COCKPIT CONTROLS THAT PILOTS
RELY ON TO FLY THE PLANE.

THE POSITION OF A SWITCH
RAISES AN IMMEDIATE RED FLAG.

THE VERTICAL GYRO SWITCH AFFECTS

THE MOST IMPORTANT FLIGHT
INSTRUMENT IN THE COCKPIT,

THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR.

Chial: V-1. ROTATE.

Narrator: EACH PILOT
HAS HIS OWN ATTITUDE INDICATOR.

IT SHOWS HIM
HOW THE PLANE IS POSITIONED

WITH RESPECT TO THE HORIZON.

Haueter: THE PILOT'S ATTITUDE
INDICATOR IS LIKE A BALL.

IT SHOWS BANK ANGLE.
IT SHOWS PITCH.

Ragan: IT'S THE SOLE CONTROL
OF THE AIRCRAFT,

AND, WITHOUT IT,
IT WOULD BE VERY, VERY DIFFICULT

TO FLY THE AIRPLANE.

Narrator:
EACH ATTITUDE INDICATOR

IS CONNECTED TO ITS OWN SENSOR,
CALLED A VERTICAL GYRO OR VG.

THE GYROS CONSTANTLY MEASURE
THE PLANE'S ATTITUDE.

IF THE GYROS DON'T MATCH,
THE PILOTS GET A WARNING.

Haueter: NORMALLY, YOU'LL HAVE
THE CAPTAIN'S ATTITUDE INDICATOR

POWERED BY ONE GYRO

AND THE FIRST OFFICER'S
ATTITUDE INDICATOR

POWERED BY ANOTHER GYRO.

Narrator: IF THERE'S
A PROBLEM WITH ONE GYRO,

THE PILOTS
CAN SWITCH BOTH INDICATORS

ONTO ONE OR THE OTHER.

Haueter: IF ONE GYRO GOES BAD,

YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE THE PILOT
LOOKING AT BAD DATA,

SO YOU SWITCH THEM BOTH OVER
TO THE GOOD DATA.

Narrator: IT APPEARS
THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED.

THE GYRO CONTROL SWITCH
HAS BEEN POSITIONED

TO FEED BOTH INDICATORS
FROM VG-1, THE CAPTAIN'S GYRO.

Haueter: LOOKS LIKE
THEY WERE HAVING TROUBLE

WITH THE FIRST OFFICER'S GYRO.

BOTH OF THEM WERE READING DATA
FROM THE SAME GYRO SOURCE,

WHICH MAKES YOU THINK
THAT AT SOME POINT,

EITHER IT WAS SELECTED THAT WAY,

OR THEY DIDN'T REALIZE
IT HAD BEEN SELECTED THAT WAY,

BUT THEY'RE BOTH FEEDING DATA

FROM THE SAME SOURCE,
WHICH IS UNUSUAL.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS
COULD BE ON THE VERGE

OF AN IMPORTANT BREAKTHROUGH,

BUT THEY WON'T KNOW FOR SURE
UNTIL THEY CAN

TEST THE FLIGHT INSTRUMENTS
FOR A MALFUNCTION.

Haueter: WE BASICALLY REMOVED

ALL THE COMPONENTS
FROM THE COCKPIT

AND SHIPPED THOSE BACK
TO THE U.S. FOR EXAMINATION.

Narrator:
THIS COULD BE THEIR LAST CHANCE

TO UNDERSTAND
WHAT HAPPENED TO FLIGHT 201.

INVESTIGATORS NEED TO KNOW
IF A FAULTY COCKPIT INSTRUMENT

WAS GIVING THE CREW
OF FLIGHT 201 MISLEADING DATA

ABOUT THE POSITION
OF THEIR PLANE.

Haueter: OKAY, FIRE IT UP.

WHAT WE WANTED TO LOOK AT WAS,
IS THERE ANYTHING HERE

THAT WOULD SHOW US
WHAT HAPPENED?

IS THERE A FAILURE OF THE GYROS?

OR MAYBE THE FAILURE IS
ACTUALLY THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR.

Narrator: THEY TEST THE DISPLAYS
AND THE GYROS THAT FEED THEM.

Haueter: WELL,
THIS ONE SEEMS TO WORK FINE.

Narrator:
THEY FIND NOTHING WRONG

WITH THE FIRST OFFICER'S
INSTRUMENT.

Haueter:
LET ME SEE THE OTHER ONE.

Narrator:
AND THEY RUN THE SAME TEST

ON THE CAPTAIN'S
ATTITUDE INDICATOR.

AT FIRST, THE CAPTAIN'S
INSTRUMENT SEEMS FINE, TOO.

Haueter:
WE PUT THEM ON A BENCH.

WE COULD POWER THEM UP.
THEY ACTUALLY WORKED QUITE WELL.

Narrator:
THEN THEY NOTICE SOMETHING ODD.

Haueter: HANG ON.
IT SEEMS TO BE STUCK.

Narrator: OCCASIONALLY,

THE DISPLAY
MOMENTARILY FREEZES IN PLACE.

THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR
STOPS MOVING,

EVEN THOUGH THE GYRO FEEDING IT
IS STILL IN MOTION.

Haueter: YEAH, THERE IT GOES.
NOW IT'S WORKING.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS NEED TO
KNOW WHAT'S CAUSING THE FAILURE.

THEY TEST EVERY WIRE CONNECTING
THE DISPLAY TO THE GYRO.

Haueter: HUH, NO WONDER.

Narrator:
FINALLY, THEY FIND THE CULPRIT.

Haueter: THIS WIRE
IS HANGING BY A THREAD.

WE FOUND BASICALLY A BREAK
IN THE WIRE, INTERMITTENT.

IT WAS CLOSE ENOUGH

THAT SOMETIMES IT WOULD TOUCH
AND SOMETIMES IT WOULDN'T.

Narrator:
THE DISCOVERY GIVES NEW MEANING

TO THE BIZARRE ROLLING MOTION

CAPTURED
BY THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER.

THE CAPTAIN'S INSTRUMENT
AND THE FLIGHT RECORDER

ARE BOTH FED BY THE SAME GYRO.

Haueter:
THE WAY THE AIRPLANE IS WIRED

IS WHAT THE CAPTAIN IS SEEING
ON HIS ATTITUDE INDICATOR

IS WHAT'S BEING RECORDED
ON THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER.

Narrator: SINCE THE CAPTAIN'S
GYRO WAS BROKEN,

IT WAS SENDING FAULTY ROLL DATA
TO THE RECORDER.

COPA 201 DIDN'T REALLY MAKE ANY
QUICK ROLLING MANEUVERS AT ALL.

Haueter: OKAY, LET'S SEE
WHAT THE PLANE WAS REALLY DOING.

Narrator: BY CAREFULLY ANALYZING
OTHER PARAMETERS

ON THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER,

THEY MANAGE TO CALCULATE
ITS ACTUAL MOVEMENTS

AND REVEAL
THE PLANE'S TRUE MOTION.

Haueter: MAKING A VISUAL OF IT
WHERE YOU COULD SEE

WHAT THE DATA'S SHOWING
AND WHAT THE AIRPLANE'S DOING,

THAT VISUAL IS
EXTRAORDINARILY HELPFUL.

Narrator: THE RED IMAGE SHOWS

THE BAD DATA
THE PILOTS WERE SEEING,

WHILE THE SOLID IMAGE SHOWS HOW
COPA 201 WAS ACTUALLY FLYING.

Haueter: THEY'RE TRYING
TO LEVEL THE PLANE,

BUT THEY'RE MAKING IT WORSE.

YOU HAVE THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR
HERE STUCK.

NOW, BUT THE AIRPLANE'S
GOING THE OTHER DIRECTION,

AND SUDDENLY THE ATTITUDE
INDICATOR GETS POWER TO IT,

UNSTICKS, IT GOES BACK
AND MIMICS THE AIRPLANE AGAIN.

Narrator: THE PILOTS' ABILITY
TO TROUBLESHOOT THE PROBLEM

WAS LIKELY COMPLICATED

BY THE INTERMITTENT NATURE
OF THE FAILURE.

Chial: GO RIGHT.
YOU NEED TO GO RIGHT.

Tejada:
I AM! WHAT'S IT DOING?

Ragan:
IF THEY'RE TOTALLY CONFUSED

BY THEIR ATTITUDE INDICATOR,

THEY ARE MAKING
IMPROPER CONTROL INPUTS.

Haueter: WHEN IT STICKS,

THE PILOT'S TRYING
TO CORRECT THAT PROBLEM,

AND SO HE'S TRYING TO GET
THE AIRPLANE LEVEL AGAIN,

AND WHAT HE DOESN'T REALIZE
IS THAT ALL HE'S DOING

IS MAKING THE PROBLEM WORSE
IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.

HE'S LOOKING AT AN INSTRUMENT
PROVIDING BAD DATA

AND UNFORTUNATELY,
IN THE PERIOD OF TIME,

HE LOST CONTROL
OF THE AIRCRAFT.

Narrator: THE PLANE
ROLLS SO FAR TO THE RIGHT,

IT BECOMES UNRECOVERABLE.

THOUGH THE PILOTS DON'T KNOW IT,

THEY'RE NOW FALLING
FROM THE SKY.

Haueter:
ONCE IT GOT TO THIS POINT,

THEY DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE.

Narrator:
BUT A PUZZLING QUESTION REMAINS.

IT WAS THE CAPTAIN'S GYRO
THAT FAILED IN FLIGHT

AND STARTED SENDING BAD DATA,

SO WHY DID THE PILOTS SELECT IT?

Haueter: SO THE QUESTION IS

WHY THEY BELIEVED THE CAPTAIN'S
GYRO WAS THE GOOD ONE.

WHY WAS IT SWITCHED
TO THAT POSITION?

Narrator:
BECAUSE OF THAT MISTAKE,

BOTH PILOTS WERE SEEING
THE WRONG INFORMATION.

Haueter: THE ACCIDENT
WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED

HAD THEY BEEN ON VG-2.

Narrator:
WHAT COULD HAVE LED THE PILOTS

TO MAKE SUCH A FATAL ERROR?

Haueter: YOU WANT TO KNOW

HOW ARE THEY TRAINED
FOR UNUSUAL EVENTS?

WHAT'S THEIR LEVEL OF SKILL?

HOW WOULD THEY HANDLE
UNUSUAL SITUATIONS?

ARE THEY TRAINED
FOR GYRO FAILURES?

OKAY, LET'S START.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS GO INTO
THE TYPE OF FLIGHT SIMULATOR

THE COPA CREW USED
FOR THEIR 737 TRAINING.

Haueter: CLIMB TO 25,000
AND TURN RIGHT.

Narrator: THEY RECREATE
THE FLIGHT OF COPA 201...

Haueter:
NOW TRIGGER THE FAILURE.

Narrator:
INCLUDING THE MALFUNCTION

OF THE CAPTAIN'S
ATTITUDE INDICATOR.

Haueter:
NOW, HOW'D YOU MAKE THE SWITCH?

WAIT A MINUTE.
LET ME SEE THAT.

THAT IS NOT THE SAME SWITCH
THAT WAS ON COPA 201.

Narrator:
TWO DIFFERENT CONFIGURATIONS

FOR ONE SMALL CONTROL SWITCH

HAS OVERWHELMING IMPLICATIONS
FOR THE INVESTIGATION.

Haueter:
THIS IS THE GYRO SWITCH

FROM THE SIMULATOR
WHERE THE CAPTAIN WAS TRAINED.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

AND THIS IS THE GYRO SWITCH
FROM COPA 201.

NOW CAN WE GET A CLOSE-UP,
PLEASE?

ALL RIGHT.
NOW LET'S SEE BOTH.

WOW. THAT'S COMPLETELY
DIFFERENT.

THE COCKPITS IN THE SIMULATOR
WERE DISSIMILAR,

AND SO IT WAS POSSIBLE
TO GET CONFUSED,

THINKING YOU WERE GOING
TO INDEPENDENT GYRO SOURCE

WHEN YOU WEREN'T.

Narrator: IN THE SIMULATOR,
FLIPPING THE TOGGLE TO THE LEFT

SWITCHES THE CAPTAIN'S
INSTRUMENT TO AN AUXILIARY GYRO,

INDEPENDENT OF THE OTHER TWO.

ON FLIGHT 201,
FLIPPING THE SWITCH TO THE LEFT

PUTS BOTH INSTRUMENTS ON THE
CAPTAIN'S MALFUNCTIONING GYRO.

Chial: PANAMA CENTER, COPA 201.
LEVEL AT 2-5-0.

Controller: ROGER THAT, 201.

Narrator:
WITH NO VOICE RECORDING

FROM THE COCKPIT OF COPA 201,

INVESTIGATORS WILL
NEVER KNOW FOR CERTAIN

WHO FLIPPED THE SWITCH
THE WRONG WAY,

BUT THEY FINALLY
COLLECTED ENOUGH EVIDENCE

TO BUILD A COMPELLING THEORY

OF HOW THE FLIGHT
WENT SO HORRIBLY WRONG.

Chial: TURNING RIGHT,
HEADING 1-6-0.

Narrator: AFTER DIVERTING
AROUND THE STORM,

THE CREW OF COPA FLIGHT 201

NEEDS TO TURN RIGHT
TO GET BACK ON COURSE.

Chial: THE DELICIOUS FOOD
MAKES UP FOR THE LONG HOURS.

Tejada: WE'RE WELL CLEAR
OF THE STORM NOW.

Narrator:
AS THE PLANE LEVELS OUT,

AN ERROR FLAG
WARNS THERE'S A PROBLEM

WITH THE CAPTAIN'S
ATTITUDE INDICATOR.

THEY FALL BACK ON THEIR TRAINING

AND FLIP THE GYRO SWITCH
TO THE LEFT,

THINKING THEY'RE SWITCHING
TO THE AUXILIARY GYRO.

Haueter:
YOU MAY REVERT TO YOUR TRAINING

AND DO SOMETHING INAPPROPRIATE

BECAUSE THAT'S
WHAT YOU'RE TRAINED TO DO.

NOW THEY'RE BOTH
ON THE BAD GYRO,

AND NEITHER OF THEM
KNOWS ABOUT IT.

Tejada: THAT'S WEIRD.
WHY WON'T IT LEVEL?

Narrator: THE GYRO MALFUNCTION

CAUSES THE AUTOPILOT
TO SWITCH OFF.

FIRST OFFICER TEJADA
MUST NOW FLY MANUALLY.

HE TURNS HIS WHEEL
TO LEVEL THE WINGS.

HIS FROZEN INSTRUMENT
MAKES IT LOOK

LIKE THE PLANE ISN'T RESPONDING,

SO HE CONTINUES
TO TURN THE CONTROLS,

SENDING THE PLANE FURTHER
AND FURTHER TO THE LEFT.

Haueter:
HE'S TRYING TO CORRECT A PROBLEM

HE'S SEEING ON HIS INSTRUMENT.

HE'S TAUGHT, YOU KNOW,
FOLLOW YOUR INSTRUMENTS

AND BELIEVE
IN THE INSTRUMENTS.

HE'S ACTUALLY MAKING
THE PROBLEM A LOT WORSE.

Narrator: THE PILOTS HAVE NO WAY
OF SENSING THEIR ERROR.

IT'S TOO DARK
TO SEE ANYTHING OUTSIDE

THAT COULD HELP ORIENT THEM.

Rodriguez:
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT,

YOU DON'T HAVE THE HORIZON.

YOU LOSE THE HORIZON,
YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU ARE.

Narrator: AS THE SHORT CIRCUIT
CUTS IN AND OUT,

THE INSTRUMENT STARTS WORKING,
THEN SUDDENLY STOPS AGAIN.

Chial: GO RIGHT.
YOU NEED TO GO RIGHT.

Tejada:
I AM. WHAT'S IT DOING?

Haueter:
NOW HE SEES A LEFT BANK,

SO HE'S TRYING TO CORRECT IT
BY BANKING RIGHT.

Narrator: IN THE CABIN,
THERE'S LITTLE SIGN OF TROUBLE.

Haueter: THE BARREL ROLL MOVE
MANEUVER WAS FAIRLY SMOOTH.

THERE WAS ONE G, SO IT'S--

I DOUBT THE PASSENGERS REALLY
REALIZED THE IMPENDING DANGER

UNTIL THE AIRPLANE
WAS ESSENTIALLY INVERTED

AND STARTED TO COME THROUGH,

AND THEN IT WOULD HAVE
HAPPENED VERY QUICKLY.

Chial: ALTITUDE!

Tejada: WHAT IN GOD'S NAME?

Chial: PULL UP! PULL UP!

Narrator:
IN BETWEEN THE TWO PILOTS,

THERE'S A THIRD
STANDBY ATTITUDE INDICATOR,

FED BY ITS OWN INDEPENDENT GYRO.

BY COMPARING THE TWO
MAIN INDICATORS TO THE STANDBY,

PILOTS CAN QUICKLY DETERMINE

WHICH ONE OF THE MAIN INDICATORS
IS FAULTY.

Ragan:
THE STANDBY ATTITUDE INDICATOR

SHOULD HAVE GIVEN THEM
THE CORRECT INDICATION.

Narrator: WHY THE PILOTS
DIDN'T USE THE STANDBY

REMAINS A MYSTERY.

Haueter:
HAD THEY LOOKED AT THE STANDBY,

IT WOULD HAVE SAID THERE'S
SOMETHING REALLY WRONG HERE.

THAT JUST DIDN'T HAPPEN.

Narrator: BY THE TIME THE PILOTS
REALIZE THEY'RE IN A DIVE...

Chial: LEFT! LEFT! LEFT!

Tejada: I'M TRYING, CAPTAIN!

Narrator: IT'S TOO LATE.

Haueter: IT'D BE
EXTRAORDINARILY DISCONCERTING.

YOU'VE GONE
FROM A FEW DEGREES TO THE LEFT

TO MULTIPLE DEGREES
TO THE RIGHT.

IT WAS LIKE,
WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE?

Ragan: ONCE UNUSUAL ATTITUDES
GET OUT OF HAND,

THEY'RE MUCH MORE DIFFICULT
TO RECOVER FROM.

THIS AIRPLANE GOT SO NOSE LOW
AND AT SUCH A HIGH SPEED,

I CAN'T IMAGINE IN THE COCKPIT
WHAT WAS GOING ON.

Narrator: IN SECONDS,
MASSIVE G-FORCES

INCAPACITATE PASSENGERS
AND CREW.

Tejada:
I THINK I HAVE IT, CAPTAIN.

OH, GOD!

Haueter:
AS THE AIRPLANE GETS FASTER,

NOW COMPONENTS
ARE BEING OVERSTRESSED,

AND YOU'LL START BREAKING OFF
PARTS OF THE AIRCRAFT.

Rodriguez: IN THE DIVE,
THE AIRPLANE CAUGHT FIRE

BECAUSE OF RUPTURE OF THE TANK
AND EXPLODES.

Ocana: WE WERE SO SORRY THAT...

THAT THE END WAS THE WORST.

Rodriguez:
IT'S THE WORST ACCIDENT

IN THE HISTORY OF PANAMA,

AND I HOPE WE NEVER
GO THROUGH ONE AGAIN.

Narrator:
JORGE RODRIGUEZ SPENDS MONTHS

HELPING PREPARE
THE FINAL REPORT ON COPA 201

FOR PANAMA'S
CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY.

Rodriguez: IT'S VERY IMPORTANT
THAT YOU ANALYZE

AND FIND OUT WHAT WAS
THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT.

Narrator:
COPA AIRLINES RESPONDS

WITH A MAJOR OVERHAUL
OF ITS FLEET,

STANDARDIZING
THE LAYOUT OF COCKPIT CONTROLS.

Haueter:
THEIR FLEET IS FULLY HARMONIZED.

IT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
AIRLINE

THAN IT WAS AT THAT TIME.

Narrator:
COPA ALSO REVAMPS PILOT TRAINING

TO MAKE SURE
ITS CREWS ARE PREPARED

FOR ANY INSTRUMENT MALFUNCTION.

Ragan: I FLEW FOUR
AND A HALF YEARS WITH THEM,

AND THEIR TRAINING
IS THE BEST I'VE SEEN.

I REALLY RESPECT THEM FOR THAT.

Narrator: FOR THE AIRLINE
INDUSTRY, COPA 201 IS A REMINDER

OF HOW EVEN SMALL PROBLEMS
CAN RESULT IN CATASTROPHE.

Haueter: A MINOR FLAW
CAN RESULT IN A TRAGEDY,

AND SO WE HAVE TO ALWAYS
LOOK FOR THESE FLAWS.

WE HAVE TO TRAIN FOR THEM.

WE HAVE TO EVERY DAY CHALLENGE
OURSELVES TO BE THE BEST,

WHETHER IT'S THE GUY WHO MAKES
THE COMPONENT ON THE BENCH,

TO THE PEOPLE WHO MAINTAIN
THE AIRCRAFT, TO THE PILOTS.

IT TAKES EVERYBODY
WORKING TOGETHER.