Original subtitles

Narrator: FRENCH INVESTIGATORS FACE AN UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGE.

Man: I'LL TELL YOU EVERYTHING I CAN.

Narrator: THE WORLD'S FASTEST PASSENGER PLANE

HAS CRASHED ON TAKEOFF.

Man: THEY KNEW THAT THEY WERE GOING TO DIE.

Pilot: NO TIME!

Man: WHEN ONE FALTERED AND FELL TO THE GROUND,

IT SHOOK THE WORLD.

Narrator: WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED

THE FIRST FATAL CRASH OF CONCORDE?

Man: LOOKS LIKE THEY WERE BLEEDING FUEL.

Narrator: THE SEARCH FOR AN ANSWER

UNCOVERS THREE CRITICAL CLUES:

A RUPTURED TIRE,

A SHATTERED FUEL TANK,

AND A MYSTERIOUS STRIP OF METAL.

Man: IT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE ANYTHING

THAT CAME FROM AN AIRCRAFT.

Narrator: BUT CAN INVESTIGATORS COMPLETE THE PUZZLE?

Man: WE JUST COULDN'T TIE IT ALL TOGETHER.

Man: THE EVIDENCE WAS NOT TALKING TO US.

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: CHARLES DE GAULLE AIRPORT, PARIS,

ONE OF THE BUSIEST AIRPORTS IN EUROPE

AND THE ONLY PLACE IN FRANCE TO CATCH SIGHT

OF THE WORLD'S MOST PRESTIGIOUS PASSENGER PLANE--

CONCORDE.

Man: IT'S REALLY A WONDERFUL MACHINE.

IT'S BEEN DESCRIBED AS A BEAUTIFUL WHITE BIRD.

IT'S BEEN DESCRIBED AS THE WHITE ROCKET.

IT'S FANTASTIC.

Man: CONCORDE FLYING WAS A REAL SHOW.

I MEAN, EVERYBODY WAS WATCHING,

SO IT WAS SPECTACULAR.

IT WAS NOISY AND IT WAS LIKE GOING TO AN AIR SHOW.

Narrator: CONCORDE IS A TECHNOLOGICAL MARVEL.

THE WORLD'S ONLY SUPERSONIC AIRLINER,

IT CAN FLY AT MORE THAN TWICE THE SPEED OF SOUND,

AT ALTITUDES THAT BRUSH THE EDGE OF SPACE.

Bob Macintosh: WE TALK ABOUT FLYING ABOVE 55,000 FEET

INTO A DEEP, DEEP BLUE SKY.

IT'S A VERY, VERY SPECIAL AIRCRAFT.

Narrator: IT TAKES AN EXCEPTIONAL CREW

TO FLY THIS REMARKABLE PLANE.

Controller: AIR FRANCE 4590,

DO YOU WANT WHISKEY TEN OR ROMEO?

Jean Marcot: I NEED ALL THE RUNWAY, EH?

Controller: OK. TAXI FOR ROMEO,

AIR FRANCE 4590.

Narrator: TODAY, CAPTAIN CHRISTIAN MARTY

WILL BE FLYING THE CONCORDE.

Christian Marty: CLEAR ON THE RIGHT?

Marcot: ON THE RIGHT IS CLEAR.

Narrator: FIRST OFFICER JEAN MARCOT

WILL MONITOR THE INSTRUMENTS.

Marcot: NOSE DROOP AT FIVE.

Narrator: THE CREW LOWERS THE PLANE'S

SLEEK AERODYNAMIC NOSE FOR TAXI.

THOUGH CRUCIAL FOR SUPERSONIC FLIGHT,

THE LONG BEAK MAKES IT DIFFICULT

FOR THE CREW TO SEE WHERE THEY'RE GOING ON THE GROUND.

Marty: I'LL GET A BIT OF SPEED BEFORE TURNING THE BRAKES.

Narrator: WITH MORE THAN 23,000 FLIGHT HOURS BETWEEN THEM,

CAPTAIN MARTY AND FIRST OFFICER MARCOT

ARE AMONG THE WORLD'S MOST ELITE PILOTS.

JEAN-LOUIS CHATELAIN WAS ALSO A MEMBER OF THAT EXCLUSIVE CLUB.

Jean-Louis Chatelain: MANY, MANY PILOTS ALL OVER THE WORLD

WOULD HAVE LOVED TO FLY THE CONCORDE,

BUT THERE WERE ONLY A FEW OF THEM

AND WE WERE ONLY A FEW, HAPPY FEW,

TO BE ELECTED ON FLYING THE CONCORDE.

Narrator: THE JET'S MAIDEN FLIGHT WAS MADE IN 1969--

THE RESULT OF A HISTORIC AVIATION PARTNERSHIP

BETWEEN BRITAIN AND FRANCE.

A UNIQUE DELTA WING GIVES CONCORDE ITS SIGNATURE LOOK,

WHILE HELPING TO REDUCE DRAG AT SUPERSONIC SPEEDS.

BUT THE DESIGN EXACTS A HIGH COST AT LOW SPEEDS,

MAKING IT HARDER FOR CONCORDE TO GAIN THE LIFT NECESSARY

TO GET OFF THE GROUND.

Chatelain: DELTA WING IS BIG,

IT'S TREMENDOUS DRAG ON THE WING,

SO YOU HAVE TO COUNTER THE DRAG

WITH A PRETTY HIGH LEVEL OF THRUST.

Marty: HOW MUCH FUEL HAVE WE USED?

Narrator: FLIGHT ENGINEER GILLES JARDINAUD

KEEPS A VIGILANT EYE ON FUEL CONSUMPTION.

Gilles Jardinaud: WE'VE GOT 800 KILOS.

Narrator: CONCORDE BURNS THROUGH IT AT AN ASTONISHING RATE.

IN THE SHORT TAXI TO THE RUNWAY,

THE PLANE'S FOUR ENGINES HAVE ALREADY USED AS MUCH FUEL

AS THE AVERAGE CAR USES IN SIX MONTHS.

BOOKING A SEAT ON THE FAMED JET REQUIRES DEEP POCKETS.

THE RETURN FARE TO NEW YORK COSTS MORE THAN $9,000.

Chatelain: IT WAS NOT SOMETHING UNAFFORDABLE

FOR THOSE PEOPLE WE HAD ON BOARD.

SOME OF THEM WOULD TELL YOU

THEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HOW MUCH THEY WERE PAYING.

Controller: AIR FRANCE 4590, RUNWAY 2-6-RIGHT.

CLEAR FOR TAKEOFF.

Marcot: 4590, CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF, 2-6-RIGHT.

Narrator: THE TOWER CONTROLLER TODAY IS GILLES LOGELIN.

Gilles Logelin: I WAS STATIONED IN THE SOUTHERN CONTROL TOWER,

WHICH HAS A VERY GOOD VIEW OVER THE TWO RUNWAYS THAT WE USE.

THIS DAY WAS THE SAME AS USUAL.

I GAVE HIM THE TAKEOFF CLEARANCE.

Marty: EVERYBODY READY?

Marcot: YES.

Narrator: CONCORDE'S TAKEOFF SPEED IS 228 MILES PER HOUR--

46 MILES FASTER THAN A 747.

Jardinaud: FOUR GREENS.

Narrator: THE PLANE'S FOUR AFTERBURNERS IGNITE,

GIVING THE ENGINES THE BOOST THEY NEED

TO ACHIEVE THAT INCREDIBLE SPEED.

Macintosh: AS IT PASSES YOU, YOU FEEL IT AND YOU HEAR IT

BECAUSE IT IS LOUD AND STRONG,

AND IT'S JUST A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT

TO THE SPECTATOR AND THE AVIATOR.

Marcot: V-1.

Narrator: THE FIRST OFFICER TELLS THE CAPTAIN

THEY'VE REACHED V-1, OR DECISION SPEED.

THEY'RE NOW GOING TOO QUICKLY TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF.

Chatelain: YOU CANNOT STOP ANYMORE.

YOU HAVE TO GO ON.

YOU HAVE TO CONTINUE TAKEOFF WHATEVER HAPPENS.

Marcot: WATCH OUT!

Narrator: SUDDENLY, THE PLANE BEGINS VEERING LEFT.

Jardinaud: STOP!

Narrator: THE FLIGHT ENGINEER

URGES THE CAPTAIN TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF,

BUT IT'S TOO LATE TO STOP.

CAPTAIN MARTY LIFTS THE SUPERSONIC JET INTO THE AIR.

GILLES LOGELIN REALIZES HE'S NOW WATCHING A DISASTER.

Logelin: THIS WAS A VERY UNEXPECTED SITUATION

TO SEE FLAMES ON AN AIRCRAFT THAT IS DEPARTING ON THE RUNWAY.

WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO LOSE,

SO IMMEDIATELY I PUSHED THE RED BUTTON,

WHICH IS A BUTTON FOR ALERT.

4590, YOU HAVE FLAMES BEHIND YOU.

Marcot: ROGER.

Narrator: THE PLANE IS ENGULFED IN FLAMES.

Jardinaud: FAILURE, ENGINE TWO.

Marcot: ENGINE FIRE PROCEDURE.

Narrator: CAPTAIN MARTY STRUGGLES FOR CONTROL

AS THE ENGINEER SHUTS DOWN THE BURNING ENGINE

AND ACTIVATES A FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

Marcot: WATCH THE AIRSPEED.

Narrator: THE PLANE'S AIRSPEED IS NOW DANGEROUSLY LOW.

Marcot: THE AIRSPEED! THE AIRSPEED!

Chatelain: SOMETHING IS HAPPENING...

Chatelain: SOMETHING THAT IS NOT COVERED BY TRAINING,

SOMETHING THAT IN A PILOT CAREER YOU DON'T WANT TO FACE.

Narrator: LOGELIN SCRAMBLES TO CLEAR OTHER PLANES

FROM CONCORDE'S PATH.

Logelin: I WANTED TO CLEAR THE TRAFFIC

TO LET IN ANY OPTION POSSIBLE.

Narrator: FIRST OFFICER MARCOT

WANTS TO HEAD FOR A NEARBY AIRPORT.

Marcot: LE BOURGET. LE BOURGET!

Narrator: BUT THE CREW CAN'T OUTFLY THE FIRE

THAT IS RAPIDLY CONSUMING THEIR PLANE.

SHOCKING IMAGES OF THE UNFOLDING DISASTER

ARE CAPTURED BY AMATEUR VIDEO.

IN THE CABIN, PANIC AND TERROR.

Marty: NO TIME!

Narrator: THE SUPERSONIC MARVEL OF MODERN AVIATION...

Marty: NO!

Narrator: SLAMS INTO AN AIRPORT HOTEL.

Logelin: MON DIEU.

I COULD SEE KIND OF A BIG, LIKE A BIG MUSHROOM OF SMOKE.

I THINK, UNTIL THE VERY LAST MOMENT,

I WAS THINKING THAT SOMETHING WOULD SAVE THE SITUATION.

I REMEMBER THAT I JUST SAT DOWN

ON THE CARPET FLOOR OF THE CONTROL TOWER UP THERE,

AND I CRIED.

Narrator: ALL 109 PASSENGERS AND CREW ON BOARD CONCORDE ARE DEAD.

FOUR MORE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED ON THE GROUND.

Chatelain: HOW CAN I SAY MORE ON THIS?

WE WERE TOTALLY SHOCKED.

THAT'S IT. THAT'S IT.

Macintosh: IT HAD BEEN SUCH A SPECIAL THING

IN THE PLACE OF AVIATION

THAT WHEN ONE FALTERED AND FELL TO THE GROUND,

IT SHOOK THE WORLD.

IT REALLY DID.

Narrator: UNTIL JULY OF 2000,

CONCORDE HAD A REMARKABLE SAFETY RECORD--

31 YEARS OF SUPERSONIC FLIGHT AND NOT A SINGLE FATAL CRASH.

Alain Bouillard, translated: THIS PLANE

WAS SIMPLY MAGNIFICENT,

AND IT WAS A SHOCK FOR EVERYONE.

Narrator: ALAIN BOUILLARD WILL LEAD THE CRASH INVESTIGATION.

HE TAKES ON A CHALLENGE

NO INVESTIGATOR BEFORE HIM HAS FACED:

FIGURING OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO THE TECHNOLOGICAL WONDER

THAT HAD SEEMED IMMUNE TO DISASTER.

THE FUEL-LADEN CONCORDE HAS IGNITED AN INFERNO.

INVESTIGATORS ARE ANXIOUS TO SEARCH THE WRECKAGE FOR CLUES,

BUT FIRST, FIREFIGHTERS MUST PUT OUT THE CATASTROPHIC FIRE.

Bouillard: THE PROBLEM

WAS THE INTENSE HEAT AT THE CRASH SITE,

WHICH MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE RESCUE SERVICES

TO RECOVER THE FLIGHT RECORDERS.

Narrator: KNOWING THE EYES OF THE WORLD ARE WATCHING,

BOUILLARD AND HIS TEAM PRESS AHEAD WITH THE INVESTIGATION.

THEY SPEAK TO AS MANY WITNESSES AS POSSIBLE.

Logelin: I'LL TELL YOU EVERYTHING I CAN.

Narrator: FEW SAW MORE THAN CONTROLLER GILLES LOGELIN.

Logelin: AFTER AN ACCIDENT,

YOU REMEMBER EVERY SINGLE SECOND OF THE PROCESS.

I SAW THE FLAMES JUST BEFORE THEY TOOK OFF.

Narrator: LOGELIN TELLS THEM HE SAW INTENSE FLAMES

SHOOTING FROM THE PLANE'S LEFT SIDE BEFORE IT LIFTED OFF.

OTHER WITNESSES REPORT HEARING THE SOUND OF AN EXPLOSION

WHILE CONCORDE WAS SPEEDING DOWN THE RUNWAY.

LESS THAN 90 SECONDS LATER, THE PLANE FELL FROM THE SKY.

ALL BOUILLARD KNOWS FOR SURE

IS THAT SOMETHING CAUSED THE FIRE

WHILE CONCORDE WAS STILL ON THE GROUND.

Bouillard: WE BECAME INTERESTED IN THE RUNWAY

BECAUSE THE EVENT HAPPENED

DURING THE ACCELERATION FOR TAKEOFF.

Narrator: BOUILLARD IMMEDIATELY DISPATCHES A TEAM TO THE RUNWAY

TO SEARCH FOR CLUES.

Yann Torres: LOOKS LIKE THEY WERE BLEEDING FUEL.

Narrator: CONCORDE HAS LEFT A TRAIL

OF BURNT AND BLACKENED JET FUEL ALONG THE RUNWAY.

THERE'S ALSO SOME SCATTERED DEBRIS--

VITAL CLUES THAT FELL FROM THE PLANE

AT THE VERY START OF THE CRISIS.

Torres, translated: FIRST OF ALL,

IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THERE WERE TRACES OF FIRE

THAT WERE STILL VISIBLE ON THE RUNWAY,

AS WELL AS TRACES OF FUEL AND MANY AIRPLANE PARTS.

SO WE HAD TO COLLECT ALL THESE PARTS

TO PRESERVE THEM FOR THE INVESTIGATION.

Narrator: MEANWHILE, IN A HANGAR NEAR THE AIRPORT,

INVESTIGATORS SORT THROUGH SCORCHED WRECKAGE

FROM THE CRASH SITE.

THE PLANE'S TWO BLACK BOXES

HAVE BEEN RECOVERED FROM THE BURNED AND TWISTED DEBRIS.

BUT IT'S TOO SOON TO SAY

IF THE DATA ON THE RECORDERS HAS SURVIVED THE FIRE.

Torres: THERE WAS A HUGE AMOUNT OF FUEL ON BOARD,

SO THE BOXES WERE EXPOSED TO INTENSE FLAMES,

WHICH IS THE WORST POSSIBLE THING FOR FLIGHT RECORDERS.

Narrator: CONCORDE'S BLACK BOXES ARE DESIGNED TO WITHSTAND

ONLY 30 MINUTES OF INTENSE HEAT.

INVESTIGATORS RUSH THEM TO THE LAB

AND HOPE FOR THE BEST.

Bouillard: PIECES OF TIRE...

Narrator: THE RUNWAY SEARCH

HAS TURNED UP A BAFFLING ASSORTMENT OF DEBRIS,

INCLUDING A TWISTED METAL STRIP THAT NO ONE CAN IDENTIFY.

Bouillard: WHAT DO WE MAKE OF THIS?

WE WERE DEALING WITH A VERY COMPLICATED PLANE

THAT HAD BEEN COMPLETELY DESTROYED BY FIRE.

THERE WERE VERY FEW PIECES LEFT.

I KNOW THIS IS A PIECE OF THE FUEL TANK.

Torres: AMONG THE FIRST PIECES RECOVERED FROM THE SITE

WAS A PART THAT WAS QUICKLY IDENTIFIED

AS BEING FROM ONE OF THE FUEL TANKS.

Narrator: CONCORDE HAS 13 FUEL TANKS--

ONE IN THE TAIL SECTION

AND 12 MORE THAT COMBINE TO FILL

ALMOST THE ENTIRE DELTA WING.

FINDING A FRAGMENT OF A FUEL TANK ON THE RUNWAY

IS AN IMPORTANT CLUE.

Marcot: V-1.

Narrator: IT MEANS AT LEAST ONE OF THE PLANE'S 13 TANKS...

Marcot: WATCH OUT!

Narrator: ...RUPTURED DURING TAKEOFF.

BOUILLARD STUDIES VIDEO OF CONCORDE'S LAST MOMENTS,

SHOT BY A PASSING TRUCK DRIVER.

Bouillard: IT MUST HAVE BEEN A MASSIVE FUEL LEAK.

THAT'S THE ONLY WAY TO EXPLAIN A FIRE LIKE THAT.

Narrator: THE LONG PLUME OF FLAMES

CONFIRMS A LARGE LEAK FROM THE FUEL TANK

IS THE LIKELY SOURCE OF THE FIRE.

Bouillard: THE SCALE OF THE LEAK MIXED WITH THE SURROUNDING AIR

IS AN EXTREMELY VOLATILE MIX,

EXTREMELY FLAMMABLE.

Narrator: BUT BOUILLARD STILL HAS NO IDEA

WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED SUCH A MASSIVE LEAK.

FORTUNATELY, TECHNICIANS HAVE MANAGED TO SALVAGE

THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDING.

Bouillard: OK, LET'S GET GOING.

Narrator: BOUILLARD HOPES

THE PILOTS' CONVERSATION IN THE COCKPIT

WILL SHED SOME LIGHT ON THE PUZZLING COLLECTION OF LEADS.

Marty: EVERYBODY READY?

Marcot: YES.

Narrator: EVERYTHING SEEMS NORMAL

AS THE PILOTS PREPARE FOR TAKEOFF.

Jardinaud: FOUR GREEN.

Marcot: V-1.

Narrator: BUT JUST BEFORE LIFTOFF,

THERE'S A LOUD NOISE.

Marcot: WATCH OUT!

Bouillard: THAT SOUNDED LIKE SOME KIND OF EXPLOSION.

PLEASE GO BACK AGAIN.

Marcot: WATCH OUT!

Jardinaud: STOP!

Logelin: 4590, YOU HAVE FLAMES BEHIND YOU.

Marcot: ROGER.

Jardinaud: FAILURE, ENGINE TWO.

Bouillard: THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER SHOWED

THE CREW ONLY BECAME AWARE

OF THE FIRE AT THE REAR OF THE AIRCRAFT

WHEN THE CONTROL TOWER WARNED THEM ABOUT IT.

Narrator: BOUILLARD THINKS HE KNOWS

THE MOMENT THE FIRE BEGAN,

BUT HE STILL DOESN'T KNOW WHAT CAUSED IT.

Macintosh: I WOULD LOVE TO GET A LOOK AT THAT RUNWAY DEBRIS.

Narrator: BECAUSE CONCORDE

INCLUDES PARTS THAT ARE AMERICAN MADE,

THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD

SENDS BOB MACINTOSH TO JOIN THE TEAM.

Bob Macintosh: IT'S UNIQUE THAT A FRENCH AIRPLANE ON FRENCH SOIL

WOULD HAVE A UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVE,

BUT THE AIRCRAFT WAS EQUIPPED

WITH UNITED STATES MANUFACTURED AND DESIGNED TIRES.

Narrator: AMONG THE DEBRIS FOUND ON THE RUNWAY

ARE LARGE TORN PIECES OF AIRCRAFT TIRE--

SOME WEIGHING MORE THAN NINE POUNDS.

Macintosh: LOOKS LIKE A BLOWOUT.

Narrator: TO SUPPORT THE HUGE WEIGHT OF THE PLANE

AND WITHSTAND THE HEAT GENERATED DURING TAKEOFF,

CONCORDE'S TIRES ARE REINFORCED WITH A STRONG RUBBER BELT

AND FILLED WITH HIGH-PRESSURE NITROGEN.

Macintosh: AIRPLANE TIRES IN GENERAL

CERTAINLY ARE DIFFERENT THAN THOSE IN AN AUTOMOBILE.

THEY HAVE TO WITHSTAND A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WEIGHT--

FOR INSTANCE THE CONCORDE, 135,000 TONS.

THESE ARE HEAVY, HEAVY DUTY TIRES.

Narrator: WHEN CONCORDE TIRES RUPTURE,

THEY CAN ACT LIKE SMALL BOMBS.

Bouillard: MAYBE A PIECE OF THE TIRE FLEW UP

AND BURST THE FUEL TANK HERE IN THE WING.

Marcot: WATCH OUT!

Macintosh: THE FORCE WITH WHICH A TIRE MIGHT EXPLODE

IS NOT SIMPLY GOING TO BE A BLOWOUT.

THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF STRUCTURE AND RUBBER BELT AROUND THE TIRE

THAT'S PROBABLY GOING TO SEPARATE,

AND THAT'S, OF COURSE, A POTENTIAL FOR DAMAGE.

Narrator: A LOOK AT CONCORDE'S HISTORY

TURNS UP SIX INCIDENTS OF A TIRE RUPTURING

AND DAMAGING A FUEL TANK.

Torres: WE UNCOVERED MANY INCIDENTS

WHERE TIRES WERE PUNCTURED OR DESTROYED

AND, IN SOME CASES, THE RIMS AS WELL.

Narrator: THE MOST SERIOUS INCIDENT WAS IN 1979,

WHEN A RUPTURED TIRE DAMAGED A FUEL TANK SO SEVERELY

THAT THE CREW WAS FORCED TO LAND SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF.

TO PREVENT A REOCCURRENCE,

AUTHORITIES MANDATED THAT CONCORDE TIRES

BE REPLACED MUCH MORE FREQUENTLY.

SO WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED A RELATIVELY NEW TIRE

TO RUPTURE ON TAKEOFF?

INVESTIGATORS TAKE A CLOSER LOOK

AT THE METAL DEBRIS FOUND ON THE RUNWAY.

Bouillard: MAYBE SOMETHING CUT INTO THE TIRE,

SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

Torres: THE SHAPE OF THE METAL STRIP THAT WE FOUND

WAS EXACTLY THE SAME SHAPE AS THE TIRE DEBRIS.

Macintosh: THERE WERE A LOT OF THEORIES FLYING AROUND

IN THE FIRST TWO OR THREE DAYS

AS TO CAUSE AND EFFECT OF THE TIRE,

OF THE METAL STRIP,

AND OF THE FUEL THAT WAS LIBERATED

FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE AIRPLANE.

Bouillard: I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THIS IS

AND WHERE IT CAME FROM.

OH. AND FIND OUT HOW MUCH A FULLY LOADED CONCORDE WEIGHS.

THERE'S SOMETHING I WANT TO TRY.

Reporter: THIS WAS THE SCENE

AFTER JULY'S CONCORDE CRASH NEAR PARIS.

Narrator: NEWS OF THE DOWNED CONCORDE

HAS STUNNED TRAVELERS

AND AVIATION INSIDERS AROUND THE WORLD.

THE FRENCH TRANSPORTATION MINISTRY

GROUNDS THE NATION'S ENTIRE FLEET.

BRITISH AIRWAYS SOON FOLLOWS SUIT.

Reporter: IN LONDON ON FRIDAY,

BRITISH AIRWAYS' FLEET OF CONCORDES REMAINED GROUNDED

AND DEPENDING ON THE INVESTIGATION'S FINDINGS,

THEY MAY NEVER FLY AGAIN.

Macintosh: THAT WAS A MAJOR BLOW,

PARTICULARLY TO THE UK OPERATOR, BRITISH AIRWAYS.

AIR FRANCE HAD EXPECTED IT, I THINK, ALL ALONG.

Narrator: WHETHER THE PRIDE OF FRENCH AND BRITISH AVIATION

WILL EVER FLY AGAIN

NOW DEPENDS ENTIRELY

ON WHAT BOUILLARD AND HIS TEAM CAN UNCOVER.

Torres: THERE WAS LOTS OF MEDIA PRESSURE

BECAUSE IT WAS A FAMOUS PLANE.

IT WAS THE ONLY SUPERSONIC AIRCRAFT,

AND IT WAS THE CONCORDE'S FIRST FATAL ACCIDENT.

Narrator: FACING ENORMOUS PRESSURE,

THEY FOCUS ON THE MYSTERIOUS STRIP OF METAL

FOUND NEAR THE TOP OF THE RUNWAY.

Macintosh: IT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE ANYTHING

THAT CAME FROM AN AIRCRAFT TO ME.

IT WAS BENT IN SUCH A SHAPE THAT IT WAS REALLY STRANGE,

AND WE WERE ALL WONDERING IF IT WAS SOMETHING

THAT PERHAPS HAD FALLEN OFF A RUNWAY SWEEPER

OR IF IT HAD FALLEN OUT OF A CONSTRUCTION TRUCK,

A BAGGAGE CART

THAT WAS BEING TOWED AROUND THE AIRPORT SOMEPLACE.

Narrator: BUT EVIDENCE SOON POINTS THEM

IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.

METALLURGICAL TESTS

REVEAL THE STRIP IS MADE OF LIGHTWEIGHT TITANIUM,

A METAL FREQUENTLY USED IN AIRCRAFT PARTS.

Torres: IT ALSO HAD A NUMBER OF RIVETS ON ITS SURFACE,

AND THIS MADE US THINK IT WAS USED IN AVIATION.

Narrator: A REDDISH-ORANGE SUBSTANCE ON ONE SIDE

ALSO POINTS TO THE POSSIBILITY

THAT THE PART MAY HAVE FALLEN OFF AN AIRPLANE.

LAB TESTS REVEAL

IT'S A KIND OF ADHESIVE OFTEN USED IN AVIATION REPAIRS.

Macintosh: THE MATCHING OF THE DEBRIS ON THE RUNWAY

WITH THE DAMAGES THAT WERE OBSERVED IN THE TAKEOFF RUN

WAS SOMETHING THAT REQUIRED A LOT OF ANALYSIS.

Narrator: SOMEHOW A PIECE OF METAL FROM AN AIRCRAFT

BECAME A DEADLY HAZARD ON THE RUNWAY.

Bouillard: NEXT, PLEASE.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS NEED TO KNOW WHICH PLANE IT CAME FROM

AND HOW IT ENDED UP THERE.

Bouillard: NEXT.

Macintosh: THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PRESSURE

IN THE BEA.

Bouillard: NEXT. NEXT.

NEXT.

Macintosh: ...TO GET TO THE BOTTOM

OF WHERE THAT STRIP HAD COME FROM.

Bouillard: IT'S PRETTY CLEAR THIS ISN'T FROM THE CONCORDE.

WE NEED TO COME AT THIS FROM ANOTHER WAY.

Macintosh: I SPENT MORE THAN TWO WEEKS

AT THE SCENE OF THE INVESTIGATION,

AND WE STILL DIDN'T KNOW WHERE IT HAD COME FROM.

Narrator: PAINSTAKING RESEARCH RULES OUT THE POSSIBILITY

THAT THE METAL STRIP FELL FROM CONCORDE,

BUT THERE ARE DOZENS OF OTHER PLANES TO CONSIDER.

BOUILLARD NEEDS TO NARROW DOWN THE SEARCH.

Bouillard: WHAT I NEED IS A LIST OF EVERY SINGLE PLANE

THAT USED THE RUNWAY BEFORE THE CONCORDE TOOK OFF.

Narrator: A BUSY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT LIKE CHARLES DE GAULLE

HAS HUNDREDS OF FLIGHTS ARRIVING AND DEPARTING EVERY DAY.

Torres: METAL PARTS ARE OFTEN FOUND ON THE RUNWAY.

PLANES CAN LOSE SMALL PARTS THAT ARE IN NEED OF REPAIR,

OR SOMETIMES INSPECTION DOORS AREN'T CLOSED PROPERLY

AND THEY BREAK AWAY FROM THE PLANE

AND FALL ON THE RUNWAY.

Narrator: BUT THE AIRPORT'S RUNWAYS

ARE INSPECTED SEVERAL TIMES A DAY

AND CLEARED OF DEBRIS.

Bouillard: OK, IT WASN'T THERE IN THE MORNING.

THAT LEAVES THE PLANES THAT TOOK OFF AFTER 1300.

WE SEARCHED BY ELIMINATION.

WE KNEW THAT IT WAS A STRIP OF METAL

THAT DIDN'T COME FROM THE CONCORDE,

IT DIDN'T BELONG TO ANY GROUND VEHICLES.

SO WE LOOKED AT THE PLANES

THAT HAD TAKEN OFF BEFORE THE CONCORDE.

Narrator: KNOWING THE TIME OF THE LAST RUNWAY INSPECTION

ALLOWS BOUILLARD TO NARROW THE SEARCH

FOR JUST TWO TYPES OF PLANES.

Bouillard: THAT'S MORE LIKE IT.

THAT PART IS EITHER FROM A 747 OR A DC-10.

LET'S FIGURE OUT WHICH.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS PORE OVER SCHEMATICS

OF THE TWO PLANES,

SEARCHING FOR THE SUSPICIOUS PART.

Bouillard: THIS ISN'T IT.

Narrator: FINALLY, THEY SPOT SOMETHING.

Bouillard: WHAT IS THIS?

Narrator: THE METAL STRIP LOOKS LIKE IT COULD HAVE COME

FROM THE ENGINE OF A DC-10--

SOMETHING CALLED A WEAR STRIP.

THE STRIP ACTS AS A BUFFER FOR MOVING PARTS INSIDE THE ENGINE,

BUT THEY'RE NOT ESSENTIAL FOR THE SAFE OPERATION OF THE PLANE.

Macintosh: CERTAINLY THERE WAS A GREAT DEAL OF ANTICIPATION.

COULD THIS BE REALLY FROM A DC-10

AND COULD IT BE FROM THE ENGINE PORTION?

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS CAN'T ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS

SOON ENOUGH,

AS THE ENTIRE WORLD WAITS TO LEARN

WHY COMMERCIAL AVIATION'S GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT

WENT DOWN IN FLAMES.

AT CHARLES DE GAULLE AIRPORT,

THE CONCORDE INVESTIGATION CATCHES A LUCKY BREAK.

AN INVESTIGATOR NOTICES SOMETHING ODD

ON AN ENGINE OF A DC-10

THAT FLIES REGULARLY BETWEEN PARIS AND THE U.S.

BUT HE ONLY SEES THE PLANE FOR A MOMENT BEFORE IT TAKES OFF.

Macintosh: HE GOT A QUICK GLIMPSE,

BUT HE HAD ENOUGH OF A GLIMPSE TO SAY,

"I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG THERE,

AND I SEE AN ANOMALY

THAT TELLS ME MAYBE THAT STRIP CAME FROM THERE."

Narrator: FLIGHT RECORDS REVEAL

THAT VERY DC-10 TOOK OFF FROM RUNWAY 26-RIGHT

JUST MINUTES BEFORE THE DOOMED CONCORDE.

COULD IT BE THE PLANE THEY'RE HUNTING FOR?

Bouillard: YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT QUITE THE REAL THING,

BUT IT IS THE BEST WE'VE GOT.

Macintosh: WE DIDN'T HAVE THE METAL STRIP.

IT WAS STILL IN THE POSSESSION OF THE FRENCH GENDARMES.

Narrator: BOUILLARD GIVES MACINTOSH

A MOCKUP OF THE ENGINE WEAR STRIP,

HOPING IT WILL HELP DETERMINE

WHETHER IT FELL FROM THE SUSPECT DC-10.

Macintosh: WE WERE ALL GLUED TO THE PHONE

AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHEN WE COULD LOOK AT THE AIRCRAFT,

BECAUSE BY THIS TIME

THAT PARTICULAR AIRCRAFT HAD LEFT CHARLES DE GAULLE

AND WAS FLYING AROUND IN NORTH AMERICA.

Narrator: MACINTOSH SOON TRACKS THE DC-10 TO HOUSTON.

HE'LL NEED TO CATCH UP WITH IT THERE

TO GET A CLOSE LOOK AT THE ENGINE.

Macintosh: IT REALLY BECAME A CHALLENGE TO ME

TO FIND THIS AIRCRAFT

AND TO FIND THE SPECIFIC POINT WHERE THIS STRIP HAD COME FROM.

Narrator: IF MACINTOSH CAN'T TRACK DOWN

THE ORIGIN OF THE METAL STRIP,

THE FULL STORY OF THE CONCORDE DISASTER MAY NEVER BE KNOWN.

IN PARIS, ALAIN BOUILLARD FINALLY HAS A WORKING THEORY

THAT MAY EXPLAIN ONE OF THE MOST SHOCKING AVIATION DISASTERS

THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN.

Bouillard: THIS WILL DO.

LET'S SEE IF IT CAN SLICE OPEN THE TIRE.

Narrator: INCREDIBLY,

IT ALL COMES DOWN TO A THIN STRIP OF METAL

THAT MAY HAVE FALLEN FROM A DC-10

ONTO RUNWAY 26-RIGHT...

Marcot: V-1.

Narrator: WHERE IT RUPTURED A MASSIVE CONCORDE TIRE...

Marcot: WATCH OUT!

Jardinaud: STOP!

Narrator: THAT FATALLY BURST A FUEL TANK.

IT'S TIME TO TEST THAT THEORY.

Torres: THE FIRST THING WE HAD TO DO

WAS REPRODUCE A TIRE RUPTURE

TO TRY TO EXPLAIN THE SIZE OF THE FRAGMENTS WE FOUND

AND TO SEE IF IT WAS POSSIBLE FOR THIS METAL STRIP

TO CAUSE THE TYPE OF DAMAGE WE SAW IN THE DEBRIS.

Narrator: THEY CREATE AN EXACT REPLICA

OF THE METAL STRIP THAT WAS FOUND ON THE RUNWAY

AND PLACE IT UNDER A BRAND-NEW CONCORDE TIRE.

A TWO-WHEEL TRAILER IS STACKED WITH HEAVY BLOCKS

TO RECREATE THE LOAD ON CONCORDE'S TIRES--

25 TONS.

THEY NEED TO KNOW IF DRIVING OVER THE NARROW STRIP OF METAL

IS ENOUGH TO RIP OPEN A RUGGED CONCORDE TIRE.

IN A DRAMATIC FASHION...

THEY GET THEIR ANSWER.

Torres: AMAZING. YOU CAN'T ASK FOR BETTER PROOF THAN THAT.

THAT WAS FANTASTIC.

C'ETAIT PARFAIT.

Bouillard: THIS PLANE IS TOUGH ON TIRES,

AND, IT SEEMS, FUEL TANKS.

Narrator: BOUILLARD IS CONVINCED HE'S CRACKED THE CASE.

HOPING TO CONFIRM HIS THEORY,

INVESTIGATORS STUDY THE FRAGMENTS

OF THE CONCORDE'S FUEL TANK.

BUT THERE'S A PROBLEM.

IF A PIECE OF FLYING DEBRIS RUPTURED THE TANK,

THE TANK SHOULD BE BENT FROM THE OUTSIDE IN.

BUT THE TANK FRAGMENT FROM THE RUNWAY

IS BENT IN THE OPPOSITE WAY.

IT LOOKS LIKE BOUILLARD'S THEORY IS FALLING APART.

Bouillard: I DON'T GET IT.

I JUST DON'T GET IT.

IF THE TIRE DIDN'T RUPTURE THE FUEL TANK,

THEN WHAT DID?

Narrator: THE ENTIRE INVESTIGATION

IS BACK AT SQUARE ONE.

Bouillard: WE HAD ALL THESE ELEMENTS,

BUT WE HAD TROUBLE MAKING THE CONNECTION

BETWEEN THE TIRE FRAGMENTS, THE STRIP OF METAL,

AND THE PIECES OF THE FUEL TANK.

ALL THESE REMAINED ISOLATED ELEMENTS,

AND WE COULDN'T FIND A WAY TO LINK THEM TOGETHER.

WHAT ARE WE MISSING?

I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS.

Macintosh: THE ACTION THAT WOULD MAKE

THIS PIECE OF FUEL TANK ESCAPE WAS UNIQUE.

Narrator: BOUILLARD IS FACING AN UNPRECEDENTED MYSTERY.

WHAT PUNCTURED THE CONCORDE'S FUEL TANK FROM THE INSIDE?

IF HE FAILS TO SOLVE THE MYSTERY,

THE LOSS OF 113 LIVES MAY NEVER BE EXPLAINED.

THE BAFFLING EVIDENCE

FROM THE CONCORDE'S RUPTURED FUEL TANK

REMAINS A PUZZLING DILEMMA--

ONE THAT THREATENS TO DERAIL THE ENTIRE INVESTIGATION.

Bouillard: PRETTY HEAVY LOAD OF FUEL.

Narrator: ON THE DAY OF THE CRASH,

ALL 12 FUEL TANKS INSIDE CONCORDE'S ENORMOUS DELTA WING

HAD BEEN COMPLETELY FILLED.

Torres: FOR ROUTES LIKE PARIS TO NEW YORK,

THE CONCORDE'S FUEL TANKS

NEEDED TO BE FILLED TO THEIR MAXIMUM CAPACITY.

WITHOUT FULL TANKS,

IT WOULDN'T HAVE THE RESERVES NEEDED TO CROSS THE ATLANTIC.

Bouillard: THE ONLY THING IN THE FUEL TANK IS THE FUEL.

MAYBE WHAT BURST THE TANK IS THE FUEL ITSELF.

Narrator: THE HEAVY FUEL LOAD

SUGGESTS AN UNCONVENTIONAL THEORY.

WHEN A HIGH-SPEED PROJECTILE HITS A CONTAINER FULL OF LIQUID,

IT CAN SET OFF A TSUNAMI-LIKE WAVE

POWERFUL ENOUGH TO RUPTURE THE CONTAINER

AT A DIFFERENT POINT FROM WHERE IT WAS STRUCK.

Torres: THE LIQUID WILL MOVE AROUND

AND PUSH EVENLY ON EVERY PART OF THE TANK.

AND IT'S THE WEAKEST PART OF THE TANK

THAT WILL TEND TO RUPTURE.

Bouillard: SET IT SO THE FUEL TANKS ARE COMPLETELY FULL.

Narrator: HE HOPES A COMPUTER SIMULATION

WILL SHOW IF THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED HERE.

Bouillard: AND THE PIECE OF TIRE IS FIVE KILOGRAMS.

THE SCENARIO THAT WE HAD IN MIND

WAS ONLY POSSIBLE IF THE TANKS WERE FULL.

OK. LET'S WATCH WHAT HAPPENS.

Narrator: BOUILLARD KNOWS HIS THEORY MAY MEET RESISTANCE.

THERE'S NO RECORD OF AN AIRCRAFT FUEL TANK

EVER RUPTURING THIS WAY BEFORE.

Bouillard: FIRE.

Narrator: THE SIMULATION RECREATES THE EFFECT

OF A PIECE OF TIRE HITTING THE FUEL TANK.

FOR BOUILLARD, IT'S THE MOMENT OF TRUTH.

Bouillard: LET'S TRY IT AGAIN.

ONLY THIS TIME, AIM OVER TO THE LEFT.

MAYBE WE'LL FIND A WEAK SPOT.

Narrator: CONDITIONS HAVE TO BE JUST RIGHT.

Bouillard: FIRE.

Narrator: BUT WHEN THEY ARE...

Bouillard: WE'VE GOT IT.

WELL DONE.

Narrator: FIRING A PIECE OF TIRE AT THE TANK

CAN MAKE IT BURST FROM THE INSIDE OUT.

Bouillard: WE WERE CONVINCED THIS WAS WHAT HAPPENED.

Macintosh: IT WAS A REVELATION TO ALL OF US

AND INDEED A VERY PLAUSIBLE EXPLANATION

AS TO HOW THE MAJOR FUEL LIBERATION TOOK PLACE.

Narrator: FINDING THE SOURCE OF THE DEADLY METAL STRIP

IS NOW MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER.

IN HOUSTON, BOB MACINTOSH PREPARES TO INSPECT THE DC-10

THAT TOOK OFF FIVE MINUTES BEFORE CONCORDE.

Macintosh: WE WERE MET BY THE SAFETY MANAGER

OF CONTINENTAL AIRLINES.

WE ALL REALIZED THAT WE HAD A PRETTY SERIOUS DUTY HERE

AND THERE MIGHT BE SOME REAL REPERCUSSIONS

COMING FROM THIS, WHAT WE WERE ABOUT TO DO.

Narrator: MACINTOSH IMMEDIATELY SPOTS

SOMETHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY.

THERE'S AN ODD GAP

IN THE WEAR STRIPS ON THE DC-10'S ENGINE.

Macintosh: GET ME A CLOSER LOOK AT THAT, WILL YA?

WE HAD THE MECHANICS OPEN UP THE COWLING

AND EXPOSE THE AREA WHERE THE STRIP WAS MISSING.

Narrator: THE GAP SEEMS TO HAVE TRACES

OF THE SAME REDDISH-ORANGE GLUE

THAT WAS ON THE METAL PIECE FROM FRANCE,

BUT MACINTOSH NEEDS TO BE SURE.

Macintosh: IT OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T FIT RIGHT,

AND THERE WAS AN ATTEMPT TO MAKE IT FIT BETTER

BY USING THIS MASTIC OR GLUE MATERIAL.

LET'S SEE IF THE LAB CAN MATCH THAT.

Narrator: THERE ALSO SEEMED TO BE

SOME EXTRA RIVET HOLES ON THE ENGINE.

HE CHECKS CAREFULLY TO SEE IF THEY MATCH THE ONES

PUNCHED INTO THE STRIP FOUND ON THE PARIS RUNWAY.

Macintosh: WE HAVE A WINNER.

Narrator: IT'S A PERFECT MATCH.

Macintosh: WE FOUND THE CULPRIT.

THERE WAS NO DOUBT IN OUR MINDS

THAT THE STRIP HAD COME FROM THIS AIRCRAFT.

SO THERE WERE SOME DIFFERENT EMOTIONS THERE AT THAT MOMENT.

Narrator: MACINTOSH NEEDS TO KNOW

HOW AN ENGINE PART COULD HAVE FALLEN OFF A PLANE

FROM A MAJOR U.S. AIRLINE,

CAUSING A FATAL TRAGEDY.

HE COMBS THROUGH THE DC-10'S MAINTENANCE RECORDS

AND LEARNS THE WEAR STRIP WAS REPLACED

JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.

THE HOLES DRILLED INTO THE STRIP DIDN'T LINE UP PROPERLY

WITH THE HOLES ON THE ENGINE COWLING.

SO THE MECHANIC DRILLED NEW ONES.

THEN, HE ADDED SOME ADHESIVE TO FIX IT IN PLACE.

LAB TESTS CONFIRM THE ADHESIVE USED ON THE DC-10

IS IDENTICAL TO THAT FOUND ON THE DEBRIS

FROM THE RUNWAY AT CHARLES DE GAULLE.

Macintosh: THERE WAS NO INTENT TO VIOLATE A REGULATION.

IT WAS JUST THE JOB WASN'T DONE TO A PROFESSIONAL LEVEL

THAT YOU WOULD EXPECT

FROM A FIRST LINE AIRLINE IN PARTICULAR.

Narrator: THE PIECE STAYED IN PLACE FOR JUST 16 DAYS

BEFORE DROPPING ONTO THE PARIS RUNWAY,

FIVE MINUTES BEFORE CONCORDE TOOK OFF.

BOUILLARD HAS ONE FINAL QUESTION.

Marty: NO TIME!

Narrator: WHY DIDN'T THE PILOTS ABORT THE TAKEOFF

AND SAVE THE LIVES OF EVERYONE ON BOARD?

Marty: NO!

Narrator: TECHNICIANS HAVE MANAGED TO PIECE TOGETHER

THE DATA FROM THE BURNT AND DAMAGED FLIGHT RECORDER.

Marty: EVERYBODY READY?

Marcot: YES.

Bouillard: ENGINES ARE FINE.

SPEED INCREASING.

Narrator: TOGETHER WITH THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER,

IT PAINTS A VIVID PICTURE

OF A SUDDEN EMERGENCY THAT ESCALATES RAPIDLY.

Jardinaud: FOUR GREEN.

Narrator: THE PLANE IS ROCKETING DOWN

THE 2.5-MILE RUNWAY

AT NEARLY 200 MILES AN HOUR.

Marcot: WATCH OUT!

Narrator: WHEN THE FUEL IGNITES,

THE MASSIVE JET NEEDS MORE THAN A MILE TO STOP.

BUT THERE'S ONLY A THOUSAND YARDS OF RUNWAY LEFT.

THE PILOTS MUST PUT THE BURNING PLANE IN THE AIR.

Bouillard: ABORTING THE TAKEOFF AT 180 KNOTS

WOULD ALSO HAVE LED TO THE TOTAL DESTRUCTION OF THE AIRCRAFT.

Narrator: TWO OF CONCORDE'S FOUR ENGINES ARE ON FIRE.

Bouillard: THEY LOST ENGINE ONE AND TWO

AT ALMOST THE SAME TIME.

THE CREW FOUND THEMSELVES

CONFRONTED WITH A PLANE THAT HAD LOST HALF ITS THRUST.

Narrator: WITH ONLY TWO ENGINES WORKING,

THE PLANE WON'T CLIMB.

Marcot: WATCH THE AIRSPEED.

THE AIRSPEED! THE AIRSPEED!

Chatelain: HE'S TOTALLY SURPRISED BY WHAT'S HAPPENING.

ALL THIS HAPPENED IN SOMETHING LIKE THREE SECONDS OF TIME,

WHICH IS REALLY A SHORT TIME.

Bouillard: WE ALL KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF SPEED

FOR DELTA WING PLANES,

AND SO THE AIRCRAFT FOUND ITSELF IN A VERY DIFFICULT POSITION.

Marty: GEAR UP!

Narrator: THE CREW TRIES TO RAISE THE LANDING GEAR

TO REDUCE DRAG.

Jardinaud: THE GEAR, JEAN!

Marcot: I'M TRYING!

Narrator: DUE TO THE DAMAGE, THE GEAR WON'T RETRACT.

Torres: WHEN THE TIRE BURST,

IT DAMAGED THE SENSORS ON THE LANDING GEAR DOORS.

WITH THOSE DOORS IN THE WRONG POSITION,

THE GEAR COULD NOT RETRACT.

Narrator: THE DATA SHOWS THE CREW FOUGHT HARD

TO KEEP THE PLANE FLYING RIGHT UP TO THE VERY END.

Marcot: LE BOURGET. LE BOURGET!

Narrator: BUT THE FIRE IS CONSUMING THEIR WING.

Chatelain: AT ONE POINT, THEY KNEW THEY WERE GOING TO DIE.

NO PANIC AT ALL TO THE VERY END.

TO THE VERY END THEY TRIED TO FIND A SOLUTION.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS ESTIMATE THE RAGING INFERNO BURNED

AT MORE THAN 2,000 DEGREES--

HOT ENOUGH TO MELT THE WING.

Marty: NO TIME!

NO!

NO!

Bouillard: THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO.

WE WERE CONVINCED

THAT FROM THE MOMENT THE PLANE ROLLED OVER THE METAL STRIP,

A CATASTROPHE WAS INEVITABLE.

Narrator: THE ACCIDENT REPORT

MAKES A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS

TO MAKE CONCORDE SAFER.

ENGINEERS DESIGN STRONGER TIRES

THAT CAN BETTER WITHSTAND THE PLANE'S HIGH SPEED

AND IMMENSE WEIGHT.

FUEL TANKS ARE REINFORCED WITH KEVLAR TO PREVENT LEAKS.

AIRPORT AUTHORITIES ALSO IMPLEMENT A BETTER SYSTEM

FOR MONITORING RUNWAYS AND REMOVING DEBRIS.

Chatelain: WHAT IS PUZZLING

IS THAT YOU HAD A 200-GRAMS PIECE OF METAL ON THE RUNWAY.

IT TURNS OUT TO TRIGGER ONE OF THE MOST CATASTROPHIC CRASHES

IN AVIATION HISTORY.

Narrator: A YEAR AFTER THE CRASH THAT TOOK 113 LIVES,

AN OFFICIAL MEMORIAL SERVICE IS HELD.

Logelin: I WAS WITH THEM,

SO IN A WAY I'M KIND OF LINKED WITH THIS CRASH.

IT WILL REMAIN THE EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE.

I WOULD HAVE GIVEN EVERYTHING NOT TO BE THERE THIS DAY,

BUT I AM THE ONE.

Narrator: 15 MONTHS AFTER THE CRASH,

THE CONCORDE FLEET IS FINALLY BACK IN THE AIR.

SOON AFTER, ALAIN BOUILLARD SEIZES AN OPPORTUNITY

TO TAKE A FLIGHT IN THE AIRCRAFT HE HELPED SAVE.

Bouillard: I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY

TO FLY AS A PASSENGER ON THE CONCORDE.

I DISTINCTLY REMEMBER THE COLOR OF THE SKY AT 60,000 FEET

AND THE SENSATION OF ACCELERATION AND SPEED.

THESE ARE SENSATIONS THAT ARE VERY PARTICULAR,

UNIQUE,

THAT I HAVEN'T FELT SINCE AND THAT I MAY NEVER FEEL AGAIN.

Narrator: THE RETURN OF THE WORLD'S

ONLY SUPERSONIC PLANE

DOESN'T LAST LONG.

TWO YEARS LATER, WITH RISING FUEL COSTS AND FALLING PROFITS,

AIR FRANCE AND BRITISH AIRWAYS

DECIDE TO RETIRE CONCORDE FOREVER.

IT MAKES ITS LAST FLIGHT ON NOVEMBER 26, 2003.

Chatelain: FOR THE FIRST TIME IN AVIATION HISTORY,

IT WAS KIND OF A STEP BACK.

I MEAN, WE HAD SUPERSONIC TRANSPORTATION.

WE HAVE NOT THAT ANYMORE.

Macintosh: IT WAS A SAD DAY

WHEN WE SAW THE RETIREMENT OF THE AIRCRAFT.

ON THE OTHER HAND,

RECOGNIZING THAT IT WAS 1965 TECHNOLOGY,

IT PROBABLY WAS TIME TO RETIRE THE AIRCRAFT

AND GO ON TO OTHER MORE MODERN THINGS.