Original subtitles

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.