Original subtitles

Pilot: DAMN IT. I CAN'T SEE THE RUNWAY. YOU?

Co-pilot: I DO NOT HAVE THE RUNWAY.

Pilot: WHAT THE HELL?

Narrator: A FLIGHT FROM BELFAST...

Man: HANG ON!

Narrator: ...ENDS IN DISASTER.

Man: IT'S A TIME OF GREAT SADNESS.

Narrator: THE WRECKAGE PROVIDES A BAFFLING CLUE.

Man: YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

HOW DID THEY MANAGE TO FLIP OVER?

IT'S NOT A NORMAL THING FOR AN AIRPLANE TO LAND UPSIDE DOWN.

Narrator: THE SEARCH FOR ANSWERS LEADS TO A STARTLING DISCOVERY.

Man: WAIT A MINUTE. THAT CAN'T BE RIGHT.

IT'S LIKE PEELING AN ONION, YOU KNOW?

YOU CUT AWAY ONE LAYER

AND THERE'S ANOTHER LAYER UNDERNEATH IT.

Narrator: IS AIRLINE SAFETY SLIPPING THROUGH THE CRACKS?

Man: I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'D CALL THIS MESS.

IT CAME AS QUITE A SHOCK TO THE INVESTIGATION.

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: THE CITY OF CORK ON THE SOUTHERN COAST OF IRELAND,

A PLACE FAMOUS FOR ITS DEEP-WATER HARBOR

AND ITS FOGGY WEATHER.

TODAY, THAT WEATHER HAS PUT MANX2 FLIGHT 7100

ON A HOLDING PATTERN.

Co-pilot: IF THE FOG DOESN'T CLEAR,

WE COULD HEAD FOR OUR ALTERNATE, LAND AT WATERFORD.

Narrator: THE COMMUTER FLIGHT FROM BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND,

WAS SUPPOSED TO LAND IN CORK AT 9 A.M.

Pilot: MAYBE KERRY.

Narrator: 30 MINUTES LATER, IT'S STILL CIRCLING THE AIRPORT.

Sean Patrick: CORK FACES OUT TO THE ATLANTIC,

SO FOG IS VERY COMMON,

AND FOG WILL ROLL IN AND IT WILL ROLL OUT,

SOMETIMES AT NO NOTICE.

SOMETIMES IT MAY LAST FOR FOUR HOURS.

OTHER TIMES IT MAY LAST FOR TWO OR THREE DAYS.

Laurence Wilson: IN OUR PART OF THE WORLD WE HAVE A SAYING,

IT WAS LIKE PEA SOUP BECAUSE IT WAS VERY, VERY THICK.

I HOPE WE LAND SOON. I'VE GOT WORK TO DO.

Narrator: THERE ARE TEN PASSENGERS WAITING TO LAND THIS MORNING,

INCLUDING LAURENCE WILSON,

TRAVELING TO CORK FOR THE DAY ON BUSINESS.

Wilson: I WAS GOING TO CORK TO DO FORKLIFT TRUCK TRAINING.

I HAD BEEN IN THAT SAME LOCATION

DOING THE SAME COURSE SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE,

SO IT WAS SORT OF REALLY OLD HAT TO COME DOWN.

I'D DONE IT BEFORE.

Narrator: TODAY'S FLIGHT IS ABOARD A FAIRCHILD METRO 3.

Wilson: IT'S A VERY SMALL PLANE.

I'M SIX FOOT.

I COULDN'T HAVE STOOD UP INSIDE IT.

Narrator: THE 19-PASSENGER TURBOPROP

IS DESIGNED FOR SHORT, LOW-COST FLIGHTS.

Gerry Byrne: THE AIRLINE IN QUESTION WAS SERVING BELFAST TO CORK,

WHICH IS A ROUTE THAT WOULDN'T,

WOULDN'T BE ECONOMICALLY JUSTIFIED IN A JET

LIKE A 737 OR AN AIRBUS.

Narrator: FLYING THE PLANE TODAY

IS FIRST OFFICER ANDREW CANTLE OF ENGLAND.

WHILE HE CONCENTRATES ON CIRCLING OVER CORK,

SPANISH CAPTAIN JORDI SOLA LOPEZ

IS CHECKING THE WEATHER AT NEARBY AIRPORTS.

Controller: SURFACE WIND IS CALM.

VISIBILITY IS 900 METERS IN FOG.

Lopez: ALL COPY. THANKS VERY MUCH.

AND THE WEATHER, IS IT IMPROVING IN CORK?

Sam Stoterau: OFTENTIMES THESE AIRCRAFT ARE CREWED BY TWO PILOTS.

Narrator: SAM STOTERAU IS A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR

ON THE METRO 3.

Stoterau: THE PILOT FLYING IS RESPONSIBLE

FOR AIRCRAFT FLIGHT PATH CONTROL,

CONFIGURATION CHANGES, ET CETERA.

THE PILOT MONITORING

IS GOING TO BE FOCUSING HIS ATTENTION OUTSIDE AND INSIDE

LOOKING FOR THE AIRPORT ENVIRONMENT,

THE RUNWAY ENVIRONMENT.

Controller: OKAY.

ANOTHER SMALL IMPROVEMENT AT RUNWAY 1-7.

Narrator: AT 9:35, THE CONTROLLER TELLS THE CAPTAIN

THE FOG HAS LIFTED SLIGHTLY.

Controller: VISIBILITY AT TOUCHDOWN ZONE IS 500 METERS.

Lopez: OKAY.

IN THAT CASE, ANY CHANCE TO PERFORM ONE APPROACH THERE?

Controller: YOU ARE CLEAR TO LAND RUNWAY 1-7.

Lopez: CLEAR TO LAND, RUNWAY 1-7.

Narrator: AFTER 30 MINUTES CIRCLING THE AIRPORT,

THE CREW MUST NOW SHIFT FOCUS

TO THE COMPLEX TASK OF GETTING THEIR PLANE ON THE GROUND.

Wilson: WE'RE GOOD.

I'VE LANDED IN WORSE.

THERE WAS ONLY THE ONE LADY ON THE PLANE,

AND I WAS JUST TALKING AS IF I HAD EXPERIENCE.

I HAD NO EXPERIENCE AT ALL.

I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF REASSURE HER

THAT EVERYTHING WAS GOING TO BE OKAY.

Cantle: GLIDE SLOPE IS COMING IN.

Narrator: THE PILOT CONFIRMS

THE PLANE IS LINING UP WITH THE RUNWAY...

Lopez: OKAY. GLIDE SLOPE COMING IN.

Narrator: ...AND THEY'RE DESCENDING AT THE CORRECT SPEED.

Cantle: SPEED'S OKAY.

Stoterau: YOU'RE USING YOUR HEADING INDICATOR,

YOUR HORIZONTAL SITUATION INDICATOR AND OTHER INDICTORS,

LIKE THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR,

TO PUT THE AIRCRAFT FLIGHT PATH WHERE IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE.

Lopez: I TOOK CONTROL OF THE POWER. OKAY?

Narrator: THE CAPTAIN TELLS THE FIRST OFFICER

HE'LL ADJUST THE ENGINE POWER DURING THE LANDING.

Cantle: THAT'S FINE, YEAH.

Lopez: ALL DAY LIGHTS ARE ON, LANDING GEAR IS DOWN.

YES, THE WEATHER IS MUCH BETTER HERE.

Wilson: I WAS ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE OF THE PLANE

LOOKING OUT JUST BEHIND THE WING,

AND I REMEMBER I COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING,

NO RUNWAY, NOTHING AT ALL.

Lopez: OKAY. MINIMUM.

CONTINUE.

Narrator: THE PLANE DESCENDS THROUGH ITS MINIMUM, OR DECISION, ALTITUDE.

Stoterau: IT'S CALLED DECISION ALTITUDE

BECAUSE THAT'S THE ALTITUDE

THAT IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THE RUNWAY ENVIRONMENT IN SIGHT,

THE DECISION TO GO MISSED IS MADE.

Narrator: THE CAPTAIN PULLS THE THRUST LEVERS BACK

TO REDUCE POWER.

UNEXPECTEDLY, THE PLANE ROLLS HARD TO THE LEFT.

Lopez: WHAT THE HELL?

GO AROUND!

Cantle: GO AROUND!

Wilson: HANG ON!

I REMEMBER LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW

AND SEEING GRASS ABOUT TEN FOOT BELOW ME.

WELL, I KNEW THAT WASN'T GOOD.

I THOUGHT I WAS GONE, I DID.

FOR A MINUTE OR TWO I THOUGHT I WAS GONE.

I THOUGHT, THIS IS IT.

I'M, I'M OUT OF HERE.

THAT'S ALLS ABOUT IT.

Narrator: A SUDDEN ALARM WARNS CONTROLLER SEAN PATRICK

HE MAY BE FACING A DISASTER.

THE RADIO IN THE TOWER

HAS PICKED UP AN EMERGENCY BEACON FROM THE PLANE.

Controller: MANX 7100, CONTACT THE TOWER.

Patrick: WE DIDN'T REALIZE THERE WAS A PROBLEM

UNTIL THE EMERGENCY LOCATOR TRANSMITTER WENT OFF.

Controller: MANX 7100.

Narrator: WITH THE AIRPORT SHROUDED IN FOG,

HE CAN'T SEE A THING.

Patrick: MIGHT BE NOTHING.

A HEAVY LANDING CAN TRIGGER THAT ALARM.

THERE'S A MINUTE THERE WHERE YOU'RE IN LIMBO.

YOU'RE WAITING FOR THE CRASH CREWS TO RAMP UP,

FOR THEM TO ACTUALLY DEPLOY, SO YOU'RE JUST THERE WAITING.

TOWER TO FIRE CREW.

CAN YOU SEE THE PLANE YET?

YOU'RE HOPING FOR THE BEST BUT PREPARING FOR THE WORST.

THE GROUND CONTROLLER INSTRUCTED THE FIRE CREWS

TO DEPLOY TO THE THRESHOLD OF RUNWAY 1-7,

AND THEY THEN ENTERED THE RUNWAY AND COMMENCED A SEARCH PATTERN.

Man: CRASH, CRASH, CRASH!

Patrick: AND THEN THEY CALLED "CRASH, CRASH, CRASH"

ON THE GROUND FREQUENCY, AND THIS WAS...

IT WAS ONLY AT THIS STAGE THAT WE BECAME AWARE

THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD ACTUALLY CRASHED ON LANDING.

Narrator: MANX2 FLIGHT 7100 HAS SLAMMED INTO THE MUD

BESIDE RUNWAY 1-7.

RESCUE WORKERS QUICKLY DOUSE THE FLAMES

AND GET TO WORK FREEING THE SURVIVORS.

Wilson: I REMEMBER DAYLIGHT COMING INTO THE PLANE,

BUT EVERYTHING WAS SO CRUSHED AND STUFF.

THEN THEY COME TO ME AND THEY HAD TO PULL...

PRISE THE TWO CHAIRS,

THE ONE IN FRONT AND THE ONE BEHIND,

TO TRY AND GET ME OUT.

THEY HAD TO REACH IN WITH A PENKNIFE

AND REACH DOWN IN AND CUT THE SEATBELT

TO ACTUALLY GET ME RELEASED.

AND I GOT STANDING UP IN THE PART OF THE PLANE

WHICH WASN'T THAT BADLY CRUSHED.

I ONLY REALIZED THEN THAT THE PLANE WAS UPSIDE DOWN.

I WAS STANDING ON THE ROOF, AND I LOOKED UP,

AND THE CHAIRS WERE UP ABOVE ME.

Narrator: OF THE 12 PEOPLE ON BOARD,

SIX HAVE BEEN KILLED, INCLUDING BOTH PILOTS.

Patrick: IT'S A, IT'S A HUGE, SIGNIFICANT EVENT

THAT NO CONTROLLER EVER IMAGINES WILL HAPPEN,

BUT NO MATTER HOW HARROWING IT IS FOR THEM,

IT'S NOTHING COMPARED TO WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED

TO THE PEOPLE ON BOARD,

AND OUR SYMPATHY WOULD LIE WITH THOSE AND THEIR FAMILIES.

Brian Cowen: IT'S A TIME OF GREAT SADNESS FOR ALL WHO HAVE DIED.

THEIR FAMILIES ARE GRIEVING,

AND WE NEED TO MAINTAIN TIME AND SPACE FOR THEM.

Narrator: THIS IS IRELAND'S DEADLIEST CRASH IN NEARLY 45 YEARS.

CORK AIRPORT IS NOTORIOUS FOR ITS FOG.

MANY PEOPLE ARE SPECULATING THE POOR WEATHER IS TO BLAME.

Byrne: A LOT OF FLIGHTS ARE CANCELED

IN AND OUT OF CORK EVERY YEAR BECAUSE OF THE CONDITIONS.

THERE WAS QUITE SOME CONTROVERSY ABOUT THE DECISION

TO BUILD THE AIRPORT THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

Narrator: THAT CONTROVERSY IS SURE TO BE REIGNITED

AS NEWS CREWS DESCEND ON THE SMALL AIRPORT

AND BEGIN BROADCASTING IMAGES OF THE AFTERMATH.

Man: CERTAINLY THE AIRPORT WILL NOT BE OPERATIONAL

FOR A GOOD PERIOD OF TIME

WHILE THEY CONDUCT THEIR INVESTIGATION.

Byrne: THE MANX2 CRASH AT CORK WAS A MAJOR NEWS STORY.

QUESTIONS WERE ASKED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF FLYING,

SO IT MUSTN'T HAVE BEEN A VERY EASY THING

FOR THE IRISH INVESTIGATORS TO APPROACH THIS.

Narrator: IRELAND'S AIR ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION UNIT

IS IMMEDIATELY UNDER PRESSURE TO FIND OUT WHAT WENT WRONG.

Reporter: PICTURES FROM THE SCENE IN CORK

SHOW THE AIRCRAFT WINGS WERE SHORN OFF

AND THE ENTIRE FRONT HALF OF THE FUSELAGE WAS CRUSHED.

Narrator: NEWS THAT MANX2 FLIGHT 7100 CRASHED IN DENSE FOG

PROVIDES AN IMMEDIATE SUSPECT.

INVESTIGATORS ASK CONTROLLERS TO TELL THEM MORE

ABOUT THE WEATHER THE PILOTS WERE FACING...

Patrick: SEAN PATRICK. HOW CAN I HELP?

Narrator: ...AND HOW IT AFFECTED THE FLIGHT.

Patrick: THE CONTROLLER WILL BE A CRUCIAL PART

OF ANY INVESTIGATION.

THEY CAN ADVISE EXACTLY WHAT INFORMATION THEY GAVE,

WHAT THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE LIKE AT THE TIME,

AND WHAT WAS ACTUALLY SAID.

Narrator: THEY IMMEDIATELY HEAR SOMETHING TROUBLING.

Patrick: THEY'D ALREADY DONE TWO, TWO GO-AROUNDS.

THEY ATTEMPTED A THIRD.

Narrator: THE PILOTS HAD ALREADY TRIED LANDING TWICE

BEFORE THEY CRASHED.

Stoterau: A GO-AROUND, OR A MISSED APPROACH PROCEDURE,

IS ANYTIME AN AIRCRAFT ARRIVES

AT THE BOTTOM OF THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD

AND IS UNABLE TO CONTINUE THE LANDING ATTEMPT,

THEY WILL POWER UP AND RECONFIGURE FOR A CLIMB

AND CLIMB AWAY.

Lopez: CLEAR TO LAND, RUNWAY 1-7.

Narrator: THE PILOTS ATTEMPT THEIR FIRST LANDING

JUST AFTER 9 A.M.

THEY TRY TO LINE UP WITH RUNWAY 1-7

AND DESCEND TO ABOUT 100 FEET FROM THE GROUND.

BUT ALL THEY CAN SEE IS THE FOG.

Lopez: DAMN IT. I CAN'T SEE THE RUNWAY. YOU?

Cantle: NEGATIVE. I DO NOT HAVE THE RUNWAY.

Narrator: PILOTS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO LAND

UNLESS THEY CAN CLEARLY SEE THE RUNWAY.

Lopez: GO AROUND.

Cantle: ROGER.

GO AROUND.

Narrator: TEN MINUTES LATER,

THE CREW DECIDES TO TRY A DIFFERENT TACTIC.

Lopez: ANY POSSIBILITY OF PROCEEDING TO RUNWAY 3-5?

MAYBE ON THE OTHER SIDE THE SUN WON'T BE SHINING ON US.

Narrator: THEY ASK IF THEY CAN CIRCLE AROUND TO A RUNWAY

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AIRPORT.

THEY HOPE THEY'LL BE ABLE TO SEE MORE CLEARLY

WITH THE SUN AT THEIR BACK.

Cantle: IT DOESN'T SEEM MUCH BETTER.

Narrator: THIS TIME THEY DESCEND TO JUST 91 FEET FROM THE GROUND,

LOWER THAN A TEN-STORY BUILDING.

BUT THEY STILL CAN'T SEE THE RUNWAY.

Cantle: GO AROUND.

Wilson: WHOA!

IT REALLY COME UP VERY, VERY STEEP UP OUT OF THE FOG,

AND THAT WAS THE ONLY TIME THAT I WOULD SAY

ALL THE PASSENGERS REALLY GOT EXCITED

BECAUSE WE ALL WENT "WHOA"

BECAUSE OF THE STEEPNESS THAT HE PULLED IT UP OUT.

Narrator: CONTROLLERS DON'T KNOW WHAT WENT WRONG

ON THE THIRD LANDING ATTEMPT.

Controller: VISIBILITY AT TOUCHDOWN ZONE IS 500 METERS.

Narrator: ONLY THAT THE PILOTS OPTED TO TRY RUNWAY 1-7 AGAIN,

INSTEAD OF DIVERTING TO A DIFFERENT AIRPORT.

Lopez: OKAY.

IN THAT CASE, ANY CHANCE TO PERFORM ONE APPROACH THERE?

Controller: YOU ARE CLEAR TO LAND RUNWAY 1-7.

Stoterau: AFTER MAKING A SECOND GO-AROUND

THERE'S SIGNIFICANT STRESSES

AND INTERNAL PRESSURES THAT EXIST

BECAUSE THERE'S NOW TWO ATTEMPTS THAT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL,

SO OFTENTIMES PILOTS WILL FEEL INTERNAL PRESSURE

TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.

Lopez: GO AROUND! Cantle: GO AROUND!

Liddy: GRAHAM LIDDY.

Narrator: ON RUNWAY 1-7,

ENGINEERING LEAD GRAHAM LIDDY SURVEYS THE CRASH SITE.

MOST OF THE PLANE HAS COME TO REST

UPSIDE DOWN AT THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY.

FOR LIDDY, THE FIRST QUESTION IS OBVIOUS.

Liddy: IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

HOW DID THEY MANAGE TO FLIP OVER?

IT WAS IMMEDIATELY OBVIOUS THAT THE AIRPLANE

TRAVELED A LONG DISTANCE IN AN INVERTED POSITION,

AND THAT IMMEDIATELY STARTS TO SUGGEST

THAT CONTROL WAS ACTUALLY LOST.

IT'S NOT A NORMAL THING FOR AN AIRPLANE TO LAND UPSIDE DOWN.

Narrator: LIDDY AND HIS TEAM ARE DESPERATE FOR ANY INFORMATION

THAT MIGHT EXPLAIN WHY THE LANDING

WENT SO HORRIBLY WRONG.

THEIR BEST HOPE-- THE PLANE'S FLIGHT RECORDERS.

THEY CAPTURE WHAT THE PILOTS DO AND SAY IN THE COCKPIT.

Liddy: WE WERE VERY ANXIOUS TO GET THIS INFORMATION

AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

Narrator: BUT PATIENCE IS REQUIRED.

IT'S TOO SOON TO SAY EXACTLY HOW LONG IT MIGHT TAKE

TO RETRIEVE THE CRUCIAL DATA FROM THE RECORDERS.

Liddy: INVARIABLY, THE DATA FROM THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER

AND THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER

TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO DOWNLOAD AND TO BE...

TO ANALYZE.

OKAY.

NO ONE TOUCHES ANYTHING UNTIL WE RECORD EXACTLY WHERE IT IS.

Narrator: MEANWHILE, HE FOCUSES ON THE WRECKAGE

STREWN ALONG THE RUNWAY.

Liddy: THE BIG ISSUE IS NEVER TO SPECULATE.

IT'S TO GO AND EVALUATE THE EVIDENCE

AND THEN COME UP WITH AN ANALYSIS

OF WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED.

Narrator: THE TRAIL OF AIRCRAFT DEBRIS STRETCHES ALMOST 600 FEET,

FROM THE POINT THE PLANE FIRST TOUCHED DOWN

TO WHERE THE MAIN FUSELAGE CAME TO REST IN THE MUD.

EACH SMALL PIECE ALONG THAT TRAIL

COULD BE AN IMPORTANT CLUE.

Liddy: A LOT OF USEFUL INFORMATION

ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THOSE EVENTS

OR THE SEQUENCE OF THOSE EVENTS

CAN BE DERIVED FROM THE MARKS THAT THE AIRCRAFT MAKES

WHEN IT MAKES INITIAL CONTACT WITH THE GROUND.

Lopez: WHAT THE HELL?

Wilson: HANG ON!

Liddy: COCKPIT SIGN THERE, PLEASE.

WIPER BLADE, PLEASE.

Narrator: RECORDING THE LOCATION OF EVERY PIECE OF WRECKAGE

CAN BE A TIME-CONSUMING TASK.

LIDDY DECIDES HE NEEDS SOME HIGH-TECH HELP.

Liddy: HOW QUICKLY CAN YOU GET ME A LASER SCANNER?

THE LASER SCAN IS A FACILITY

WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY SCAN THE ENTIRE AREA

AND PRODUCE A THREE-DIMENSIONAL PICTURE OF THE ACCIDENT SITE,

AND IT RECORDS ALL THE POSITIONS OF THESE PIECES OF WRECKAGE.

THANK YOU.

Narrator: UNTIL HE CAN FINISH HIS WORK,

THE RUNWAY AT CORK REMAINS CLOSED.

Liddy: THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF PRESSURE

TO GET THE AIRPORT BACK INTO OPERATION AGAIN.

THAT'S A PRESSURE YOU JUST HAVE TO ACCEPT.

Narrator: BUT IT'S NOT THE ONLY PRESSURE LIDDY FACES.

HE'S ALL TOO AWARE THAT TRAVELERS ACROSS IRELAND

ARE NERVOUSLY WAITING TO HEAR

WHAT CAUSED THE ISLAND'S DEADLIEST AIR DISASTER

IN DECADES.

Liddy: RIGHT ABOUT THERE, SIR.

Narrator: THE 3D SCANNER HAS ARRIVED,

AND GRAHAM LIDDY CAN GET TO WORK SURVEYING THE MANX2 CRASH SITE.

THE SPINNING HEAD USES LASER LIGHT

TO CAPTURE THE EXACT POSITION OF EVERY PIECE OF WRECKAGE

AS WELL AS THE CONTOURS OF THE RUNWAY.

IT CREATES A VIRTUAL CRASH SITE

THAT INVESTIGATORS CAN REVISIT DOWN THE ROAD.

Liddy: YOU MAY NOT NEED IT ALL,

BUT AT LEAST YOU HAVE IT CAPTURED NOW

AND YOU'RE NOT FACED WITH THE EMBARRASSING SITUATION

OF, WELL, WE'VE MOVED IT ALL, WE'VE DESTROYED THIS,

AND WE'VE RESTORED THE RUNWAY,

AND ALL THESE MARKS ARE NOW GONE.

Narrator: WITH THE SCAN COMPLETE,

THE WRECKAGE IS TAKEN TO A HANGAR FOR FURTHER STUDY.

EVERY SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE CHECKED FOR SIGNS OF MECHANICAL FAILURE.

THEY FOCUS FIRST ON THE CONTROL SURFACES

ON THE WINGS AND TAIL THAT PILOTS USE TO CONTROL THE PLANE.

Liddy: THIS PARTICULAR AIRCRAFT,

ALL THE CONTROL SYSTEMS ARE CABLE OPERATED,

AS IS NORMAL OF AN AIRPLANE OF THIS SIZE AND VINTAGE.

Cantle: WHAT THE HELL?

Lopez: YOU NEED TO GO RIGHT.

Cantle: I AM!

Narrator: IF ANY OF THE CABLES BREAK MID FLIGHT,

IT CAN LEAD TO A CATASTROPHIC LOSS OF CONTROL.

THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED THREE AND A HALF YEARS EARLIER

AND HALF A WORLD AWAY IN TAHITI.

A TWIN OTTER CLIMBS OUT AFTER TAKEOFF

FROM THE ISLAND OF MOOREA.

AT 400 FEET, A BADLY WORN CONTROL CABLE SUDDENLY SNAPS.

THERE'S NOTHING THE PILOT CAN DO

AS HIS PLANE SPEEDS TOWARDS THE OCEAN.

THE IMPACT KILLS ALL 20 PEOPLE ON BOARD.

Liddy: DO YOU HAVE THOSE CABLES MATCHED?

Narrator: IN CORK, INVESTIGATORS SOON DISCOVER

THAT NOT ALL THE METRO 3'S CABLES ARE INTACT.

SOME ARE BROKEN, RAISING THE CRITICAL QUESTION--

DID THEY WEAR OUT AND SNAP JUST AS THE PLANE WAS ABOUT TO LAND?

THE TEAM STUDIES THE CABLES CAREFULLY

TO SEE IF THEY CAN FIGURE OUT WHY THEY BROKE.

Liddy: THERE'S A DISTINCTIVE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A CUT CABLE

AND A CABLE THAT HAS ACTUALLY FRACTURED.

Narrator: THEY FIND NO EVIDENCE OF METAL FATIGUE

AND NO SIGN THE CABLES WORE DOWN GRADUALLY THROUGH THE YEARS.

Liddy: SO WE WERE ABLE TO DETERMINE

THAT IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE

THE SEPARATION OF THE CABLE WASN'T CAUSED

BY A MECHANICAL FAILURE OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS CONCLUDE THE CABLES WERE CUT

DURING RESCUE OPERATIONS.

THEY HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CRASH.

Liddy: THEY HAD TO CUT INTO THE BELLY OF THE AIRCRAFT

IN THE COCKPIT FLOOR AREA,

WHICH IS UNFORTUNATELY AN AREA

THROUGH WHICH ALL THE CONTROL CABLES RUN

IN THIS PARTICULAR KIND OF AIRPLANE.

Narrator: THE FINDING RULES OUT ONE POTENTIAL CAUSE,

BUT LEAVES INVESTIGATORS WITH NO NEW LEADS

AS THEY ENDURE INTENSE PRESSURE TO EXPLAIN THE CRASH.

Byrne: IT'S A VERY, VERY DEMANDING, VERY SPECIALIZED ROLE,

AND IT'S VITAL THAT IT IS DONE PROPERLY.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS HOPE THE RESULTS OF THE 3D LASER SCAN

WILL GIVE THEM THE BREAKTHROUGH THEY SO DESPERATELY NEED.

Liddy: BRING UP THE CRASH SITE.

Narrator: THE SCAN LETS INVESTIGATORS SEE

THE EXACT POSITION OF THE PLANE AS IT CAREENED DOWN THE RUNWAY.

Liddy: WE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO DETERMINE ALL THESE MARKS

WITH A PRECISION OF MILLIMETERS.

Narrator: ALMOST IMMEDIATELY,

THE STRATEGY BEGINS TO PAY DIVIDENDS.

Liddy: WE KNOW THE FIRST BIT OF DEBRIS

CAME FROM THE RIGHT WINGTIP.

WE FOUND NAVIGATION LIGHT GLASS

FROM THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF THE AIRPLANE,

THAT'S GREEN GLASS, TO THE LEFT OF THE CENTER LINE.

Narrator: AIRCRAFT WINGS HAVE COLOR-CODED NAVIGATION LIGHTS--

RED ON THE LEFT, GREEN ON THE RIGHT--

SO OTHER PLANES CAN TELL WHICH DIRECTION THEY'RE FLYING.

Lopez: WHAT THE HELL?

Cantle: GO AROUND!

Liddy: IT GAVE US AN INITIAL CLUE

THAT THE WINGTIP WAS ATTACHED TO THE AIRCRAFT

AT THE POINT OF INITIAL GROUND CONTACT,

AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS SEVERELY ROLLED THE RIGHT.

NOW THE PLANE WOULD HAVE BEEN INVERTED BY THIS POINT.

YES, THAT LOOKS GOOD.

Narrator: USING THE POSITION OF OTHER PIECES OF DEBRIS,

INVESTIGATORS PLOT THE ENTIRE SEQUENCE OF THE CRASH.

Liddy: WELL, WE KNOW ONE THING.

THE PLANE WAS OUT OF CONTROL BEFORE IT HIT THE GROUND.

PART OF THE PROCESS OF AN ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION

IS TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED,

AND THEN WE GO ON TO THE NEXT STAGE,

WHICH IS TO FIND OUT WHY IT HAPPENED.

Narrator: THE BIZARRE WING-DOWN POSITION OF THE METRO 3

LEADS INVESTIGATORS TO SEARCH FOR DEFECTS

IN THE COCKPIT FLIGHT INSTRUMENTS--

IN PARTICULAR, THE DIALS AND GAUGES

THAT TELL PILOTS THE POSITION OF THEIR PLANE.

Lopez: YOU NEED TO GO RIGHT.

Cantle: I AM.

Narrator: IF ONE OF THE FLIGHT INSTRUMENTS MALFUNCTIONED,

IT MAY HAVE CONFUSED THE PILOTS,

WHICH COULD EXPLAIN THE SUDDEN ROLL.

Liddy: SO THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN CHECK ALL THAT OUT

IS ACTUALLY TAKE THOSE INSTRUMENTS OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT

AND SEND THEM AWAY FOR TESTING.

Narrator: BUT WHEN INVESTIGATORS EXAMINE THOSE INSTRUMENTS,

THEY ARE NO CLOSER TO SOLVING THE MYSTERY OF FLIGHT 7100.

Liddy: THERE WAS SOME IMPACT DAMAGE ON THIS INSTRUMENTATION,

ON THE AIRCRAFT, BUT WE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO VERIFY

THAT THE INSTRUMENTS ACTUALLY WERE WORKING OKAY.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS WILL NEED ANOTHER STRATEGY

IF THEY EVER HOPE TO UNDERSTAND WHY A PASSENGER PLANE

LOST CONTROL AND FELL FROM THE SKY.

Liddy: OKAY. LET'S HEAR IT.

Narrator: BLACK BOX DATA FROM FLIGHT 7100

IS FINALLY IN THE HANDS OF INVESTIGATORS,

BUT WILL IT GIVE THEM THE BREAKTHROUGH THEY'RE HOPING FOR?

Lopez: ALL COPY.

THANKS VERY MUCH.

AND THE WEATHER, IS IT IMPROVING IN CORK?

Narrator: THE VOICE RECORDER HAS CAPTURED THE PILOTS' CONVERSATION

IN THE CRUCIAL MOMENTS BEFORE THE CRASH.

Cantle: SPEED'S OKAY.

Narrator: LIDDY LISTENS

AS THE PILOTS DISCUSS THEIR LANDING PREPARATIONS.

AT THIS STAGE, EVERYTHING SEEMS NORMAL.

Lopez: I TOOK CONTROL OF THE POWER, OKAY?

Narrator: THEN, HE HEARS SOMETHING UNEXPECTED.

Cantle: YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S FINE, YEAH.

Liddy: THE CAPTAIN'S GONNA HANDLE THE POWER?

WHAT KIND OF PLAN IS THAT?

THEY'RE STARTING TO DEVIATE FROM STANDARD PROCEDURES

BY DOING THINGS LIKE,

LIKE SPLITTING COMMAND OF THE AIRCRAFT

OR CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT,

WHICH IS NOT A GOOD IDEA.

Narrator: NORMALLY, THE PILOT FLYING THE PLANE

WOULD BE THE ONE ADJUSTING THE ENGINE THROTTLES.

Stoterau: IF SOMEONE ELSE IS MAKING THOSE CHANGES,

THERE'S GOING TO BE A DELAY IN THE RESPONSE

FROM THE PILOT FLYING,

AN UNNECESSARY AND UNDESIRED RESPONSE.

Lopez: OKAY. MINIMUM.

Narrator: BUT IT'S NOT ONLY THAT DECISION THAT SEEMS OFF.

THERE'S ALSO SOMETHING ODD ABOUT THE SOUND OF THE ENGINES.

Liddy: THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER

CAN ALSO GIVE YOU A LOT OF INFORMATION

ABOUT THE ACCELERATION OF THE ENGINES,

THE ENGINES BEING POWERED UP, THE ENGINES BEING POWERED DOWN,

SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY GLEAN

QUITE AN AMOUNT OF INFORMATION ABOUT THAT.

Lopez: GO AROUND!

Cantle: GO AROUND!

Liddy: CAN YOU TRY AND JUST BRING UP THE ENGINE SOUNDS?

IT SOUNDS LIKE THOSE TWO ENGINES

WERE OPERATING AT DIFFERENT POWER LEVELS.

THE DIFFICULTY IN THIS SITUATION

IS THAT IT'S A TWIN-ENGINE AIRCRAFT,

SO THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER

WILL TELL YOU SOMETHING IS GOING ON,

BUT IT DOESN'T TELL YOU WHICH ENGINE IT ACTUALLY IS.

Narrator: SEARCHING FOR SOMETHING THAT COULD EXPLAIN

THE MYSTERIOUS SOUNDS COMING FROM THE ENGINES,

LIDDY STUDIES ENGINE PERFORMANCE DATA FROM THE FLIGHT RECORDER.

IT CONFIRMS HIS SUSPICION.

THE LEFT ENGINE WAS PRODUCING MORE POWER

THAN THE RIGHT ENGINE,

SOMETHING NOT UNCOMMON ON PROP PLANES LIKE THE METRO 3.

UNEVEN ENGINE THRUST DOES MAKE IT SLIGHTLY MORE DIFFICULT

TO KEEP THE PLANE FLYING LEVEL, ESPECIALLY AT LOW AIRSPEEDS.

IT'S ONE MORE THING FOR PILOTS TO THINK ABOUT

DURING A COMPLICATED LANDING.

Liddy: WAIT A MINUTE.

Narrator: LIDDY NOTICES SOMETHING EVEN MORE TROUBLING.

Liddy: IT LOOKS LIKE ENGINE NUMBER ONE WENT INTO REVERSE.

Narrator: TURBOPROP ENGINES USE THE ANGLE OR PITCH OF THE BLADES

TO CHANGE THE DIRECTION OF AIRFLOW.

Stoterau: THE PROPELLER HAS AN ANGLE,

AND THROUGH ROTATION TAKES A BITE OUT OF AIR

LIKE A, A SCREW.

WHEN SELECTING REVERSE, WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THE PROPELLER PITCH

IS IT'S FLATTENING OUT AND GOING INTO A NEGATIVE BLADE ANGLE,

CAUSING AIR TO BE PUSHED FORWARD INSTEAD OF AFT.

Liddy: THAT IS ONE THING YOU DON'T WANT TO HAPPEN IN FLIGHT

BECAUSE IT CAN ACTUALLY REDUCE THE AIRPLANE

TO BELOW ITS STALLING SPEED,

SO THE AIRPLANE WILL ACTUALLY STALL.

Narrator: THE DATA SUGGESTS...

Lopez: WHAT THE HELL?

Narrator: ...THE CAPTAIN BROUGHT THE POWER LEVERS BACK TOO FAR,

PUTTING THE MORE POWERFUL LEFT ENGINE INTO REVERSE.

Stoterau: IF ONE WERE TO DO THAT IN FLIGHT,

YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A FORWARD MOMENT ON THE RIGHT WING,

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE AN AFT MOMENT ON THE LEFT WING,

AND IN THIS CASE IT CAUSED A SEVERE ROLL TO THE LEFT.

Cantle: GO AROUND.

Narrator: THE CAPTAIN IMMEDIATELY TRIED TO CORRECT HIS MISTAKE

BY PUSHING THE THROTTLES FORWARD,

BUT, AGAIN, THE UNEVEN ENGINE THRUST CAUGHT HIM OFF GUARD.

Wilson: HANG ON!

Liddy: LEFT ENGINE POWERED UP FASTER,

PUSHED THEM OVER TO THE RIGHT.

THAT ROLL WAS... AND YAW WAS QUITE VICIOUS

AND ACTUALLY CAUSED THE AIRPLANE TO GO RIGHT OVER ON ITS SIDE.

Lopez: I TOOK CONTROL OF THE POWER.

Narrator: AFTER TWO ABORTED LANDINGS,

PERHAPS THE CAPTAIN WAS TRYING TO HELP THE FIRST OFFICER

DEAL WITH THE POWER IMBALANCE BY TAKING CONTROL OF THE THROTTLES.

Lopez: OKAY. MINIMUM.

Narrator: BUT IT ONLY MADE MATTERS WORSE.

Stoterau: IF THE FIRST OFFICER, WHO WAS THE PILOT FLYING,

HAD HAD CONTROL OF THE POWER LEVERS

AND THE YOKE, THE FLIGHT CONTROLS,

HE WOULD HAVE FELT AND KNOWN WHERE THE POWER LEVERS WERE AT.

Liddy: IT MAKES THE WHOLE TASK OF STEERING THE AIRCRAFT

MUCH MORE DIFFICULT

BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE CONTROL OVER THE POWER.

THESE GUYS MADE A LOT OF ROOKIE MISTAKES.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS ARE LEFT WITH A CHILLING PROSPECT--

THAT A STUNNINGLY BAD DECISION BY THE CREW OF FLIGHT 7100

MAY HAVE LED TO THE DEATHS OF FOUR PASSENGERS.

THEY NEED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT BOTH PILOTS.

HOW EXPERIENCED WERE THEY?

AND WHAT KIND OF TRAINING DID THEY BRING TO THE JOB?

Liddy: FOCUSING ON HOW THE CREW HANDLED THE SITUATION.

IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN WITHIN THEIR COMPETENCY

TO DEAL WITH IT IN A SATISFACTORY MANNER.

THEY DIDN'T. WHY?

BOTH PRETTY YOUNG.

NOT MUCH EXPERIENCE, EITHER.

Narrator: THEY SOON LEARN BOTH PILOTS

WERE NEW TO THEIR ROLES IN THE COCKPIT.

Stoterau: THE CAPTAIN HAD BEEN PROMOTED TO CAPTAIN

FOUR DAYS PREVIOUSLY,

AND THE FIRST OFFICER HAD BEEN HIRED THREE WEEKS PREVIOUSLY,

SO BOTH OF THEM HAD MINIMAL EXPERIENCE

IN THEIR RESPECTIVE DUTY POSITIONS.

Narrator: EVEN MORE TROUBLING, SOLA LOPEZ HADN'T FINISHED

ALL THE TRAINING REQUIRED TO CAPTAIN THIS PLANE.

AND FIRST OFFICER CANTLE

NEVER COMPLETED HIS FINAL CHECK FLIGHT,

A MUST FOR ANY PILOT.

Stoterau: FOR AN AIRLINE TO PAIR A NEW FIRST OFFICER

WITH A NEW CAPTAIN IS NOT STANDARD PRACTICE.

MOST AIRLINES HAVE

WHAT IS CALLED A GREEN-ON-GREEN PROHIBITION,

SO NEW CAPTAIN, NEW FIRST OFFICER

CANNOT BE PAIRED TOGETHER.

MOST OFTEN AIR CARRIERS WILL REQUIRE A CAPTAIN

TO HAVE 100 HOURS IN HIS DUTY POSITION

PRIOR TO SERVING WITH A NEWER FIRST OFFICER.

Liddy: WAS THERE ANYTHING UNUSUAL OR OUT OF THE ORDINARY?

Narrator: THE DISCOVERIES LEND NEW WEIGHT

TO SOME UNUSUAL DETAILS ABOUT THE FLIGHT

FROM SURVIVING PASSENGERS.

THE FLIGHT CREW SEEMED TO HAVE NO SUPPORT FROM THE AIRLINE.

THEY HAD TO DO EVERYTHING, EVEN ADJUST THE CABIN SEATS.

Liddy: SOME OF THE PASSENGERS ON THE FLIGHT

FELT THAT THIS WAS HIGHLY UNUSUAL.

THIS PLANE WAS FLYING AROUND THE CLOCK.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS LEARN THE PLANE WAS USED

TO TRANSPORT CARGO THE NIGHT BEFORE.

Byrne: THE FAIRCHILD METRO OPERATED BY MANX2

HAD AN ALTER EGO IN THE NIGHTTIME

WHEN IT OPERATED AS A MAIL PLANE

ON BEHALF OF THE BRITISH POST OFFICE, ROYAL MAIL,

AND THE SEATS WERE TAKEN OUT EVERY NIGHT.

Narrator: THE SEATS HAD TO BE REINSTALLED

FOR THE MORNING PASSENGER FLIGHT.

Cantle: OH, JUST A MOMENT, GENTLEMEN.

WE'LL BE RIGHT WITH YOU.

Lopez: WELCOME ABOARD.

DON'T WORRY. JUST A LITTLE LAST MINUTE ADJUSTMENT.

Cantle: THESE SAFETY CARDS CAN BE FOUND IN THE POCKETS

ON THE SEATBACKS IN FRONT OF YOU.

Narrator: WITH NO FLIGHT ATTENDANTS ON BOARD,

THE FIRST OFFICER HAD TO TAKE ON EXTRA DUTIES.

Cantle: THE SEATBELT IS FASTENED AND ADJUSTED LIKE THIS

AND UNFASTENED LIKE THIS.

Wilson: ONE OF THE PILOTS COME OUT

AND ACTUALLY DONE SOMETHING

AND SHOWED US HOW TO PUT ON THE BELTS

AND HOW TO PULL IT UP AND STUFF LIKE THAT THERE

AND SHOWED YOU THE EMERGENCY EXITS

AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

Cantle: SIT BACK, RELAX AND THANKS FOR CHOOSING MANX2.COM.

Liddy: WORKING ON THE SEATS, LOADING BAGS,

DOING THE SAFETY BRIEFING.

SEEMS LIKE THESE GUYS WERE DOING EVERYTHING.

QUESTION IS, HOW DID THAT AFFECT THEIR FLYING?

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS SCRUTINIZE THE PILOTS' ACTIVITIES

IN THE DAYS PRECEDING THE CRASH.

Liddy: IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE A FULL UNDERSTANDING

OF HOW FOCUSED ON FLYING THE AIRCRAFT

THE FLIGHT CREW ACTUALLY ARE

AND WHETHER THEY'RE BEING TO A CERTAIN EXTENT DISTRACTED

BY PERIPHERAL DUTIES, SUCH AS FIXING SEATS,

GIVING SAFETY BRIEFS TO PASSENGERS.

Man: LOOKS LIKE NEITHER OF THEM WAS GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP.

Narrator: WITH ALL THEIR EXTRA DUTIES,

NEITHER PILOT HAS ENOUGH TIME TO REST BETWEEN SHIFTS.

IT'S A DANGEROUS VIOLATION OF AVIATION REGULATIONS.

Byrne: A PILOT THAT EXTENDS HIS WORKING DAY,

EVEN IF HE'S NOT FLYING, IS CLOCKING UP FATIGUE.

HE'S CLOCKING UP A SLEEP DEFICIT.

Lopez: DAMN IT. I CAN'T SEE THE RUNWAY. YOU?

Cantle: NEGATIVE. I DO NOT HAVE THE RUNWAY.

GO AROUND.

Narrator: FATIGUE COULD EXPLAIN WHY THE PILOTS WERE OVERWHELMED

BY A CHALLENGING LANDING AT A FOG-BOUND AIRPORT.

INVESTIGATORS ARE DESPERATE TO LEARN MORE

ABOUT THE OPERATION OF THE AIRLINE THEY WORKED FOR,

MANX2.

Liddy: IF YOU DON'T HIRE THE PILOTS, WHO DOES?

Narrator: WHAT THEY UNCOVER IS STUNNING.

MANX2 ISN'T AN AIRLINE AT ALL.

IT ONLY SELLS THE TICKETS.

Byrne: MANX2 WAS WHAT PEOPLE CALL A VIRTUAL AIRLINE.

THE AIRCRAFT WERE NOT UNDER THE DIRECT CONTROL OF MANX2.

MANX2 WAS A SHELL COMPANY,

WHICH BASICALLY JUST SOLD TICKETS ON THE FLIGHT.

Liddy: IT CAME AS QUITE A SHOCK TO THE INVESTIGATION,

SO THAT IMMEDIATELY ALERTS YOU TO THE FACT

THAT THERE'S SOMETHING A BIT NON-STANDARD GOING ON HERE.

HOW DOES MANX FIT INTO THE DAILY OPERATION OF THIS PLANE?

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS SUDDENLY REALIZE

THAT UNDERSTANDING THE FULL STORY

BEHIND WHAT WENT WRONG

NOW DEPENDS ON TRACING

A CONVOLUTED INTERNATIONAL PAPER TRAIL.

Liddy: THEY DON'T DO MAINTENANCE.

THAT'S FARMED OUT TO A COMPANY IN SPAIN.

IT'S LIKE PEELING AN ONION, YOU KNOW?

YOU CUT AWAY ONE LAYER AND THERE'S ANOTHER LAYER UNDERNEATH

AND YOU KEEP ON GOING,

AND IT, IT WAS A VERY DIFFICULT PROCESS

FOR THE INVESTIGATION,

AND IT TOOK A LONG TIME.

THE ONLY PLANE ON EARTH THAT NEVER BREAKS DOWN.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS PORE OVER THE LOGBOOKS PILOTS USE

TO KEEP TRACK OF MAINTENANCE PROBLEMS DURING FLIGHT.

Liddy: MORE THAN 100 HOURS OF FLIGHT

AND NOT SO MUCH AS A WORN GASKET.

NOTHING.

Narrator: ALMOST UNBELIEVABLY,

NOT A SINGLE RECENT MECHANICAL ISSUE HAS BEEN LOGGED.

Liddy: IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY UNUSUAL FOR AN AIRCRAFT

TO OPERATE FOR 106 HOURS WITHOUT HAVING SOME KIND OF DEFECT

THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTED IN THE MAINTENANCE LOG,

AND YET THE MAINTENANCE LOG AND THE TECH LOG

IS AS CLEAN AS A WHISTLE.

Narrator: THE HISTORY OF AVIATION IS LITTERED WITH EXAMPLES

OF POOR AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE LEADING TO DISASTER.

IN SEPTEMBER 1991, CONTINENTAL EXPRESS FLIGHT 2574

IS ON APPROACH TO HOUSTON, TEXAS.

IT'S CLEAR AND CALM

WHEN THE COMMUTER PLANE SUDDENLY PLUMMETS FROM THE SKY.

THE PILOTS HAVE LOST ALL CONTROL.

THE TWIN TURBOPROP SLAMS INTO A FARM BELOW.

ALL 14 PEOPLE ON BOARD ARE KILLED.

MECHANICS HAD NEGLECTED TO REPLACE A ROW OF SCREWS

ON THE PLANE'S HORIZONTAL STABILIZER THE NIGHT BEFORE.

WHEN THE PIECE CAME LOOSE IN FLIGHT,

THE PILOTS NEVER HAD A CHANCE.

INVESTIGATORS IN CORK HAVE UNCOVERED

MORE DISTURBING FACTS ABOUT MANX2.

Liddy: THAT'S NEVER A GOOD SIGN.

Narrator: THE AIRLINE HASN'T BEEN PAYING ITS CREWS ON TIME.

Byrne: THE SMALLER AIRLINES, LIKE MANX2,

ARE ALWAYS OPERATING ON THE MARGINS ECONOMICALLY.

THEY'RE ALWAYS STRUGGLING TO SURVIVE.

Liddy: THE PLANE IS OWNED BY A SPANISH BANK,

LEASED TO A SPANISH COMPANY,

WHICH THEN SUBLEASED IT TO ANOTHER COMPANY.

AND NONE OF THOSE COMPANIES...

ARE MANX2.

Byrne: IT WAS A FAIRLY COMPLICATED, CONVOLUTED ARRANGEMENT.

IT DIDN'T HAVE STRUCTURES THAT WOULD GUARANTEE CONFIDENCE,

SHALL WE SAY, IN ITS SAFETY.

Lopez: KERRY IS ABOUT 11 MINUTES AWAY.

Liddy: PLAY THAT AGAIN FOR US, PLEASE.

Narrator: THE SHOCKINGLY INADEQUATE MANAGEMENT OF MANX2,

ALONG WITH THE COMPANY'S FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES,

LEADS INVESTIGATORS TO SUSPECT THE YOUNG PILOTS

FELT EXTRA PRESSURE TO LAND IN CORK AS SCHEDULED

IN SPITE OF THE BAD WEATHER.

Cantle: IF THE FOG DOESN'T CLEAR WE COULD HEAD FOR...

HEAD FOR OUR ALTERNATE, LAND AT WATERFORD.

Stoterau: I THINK IT WOULD BE SAFE TO ASSUME

THAT THERE WERE CERTAIN IMPLIED PRESSURES FROM THE AIR CARRIER

THAT NOT MAKING IT TO THE DESTINATION WAS ILL-FAVORED.

I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THERE WERE PRESSURES FOR THEM

TO COMPLETE THE JOB REGARDLESS OF THE RISKS.

Lopez: WEATHER THERE IS WORSE THAN HERE.

MAYBE KERRY.

Narrator: THE PILOTS SEEM UNCERTAIN WHAT TO DO

IN THE FACE OF BAD WEATHER.

Liddy: THEY REALLY DON'T WANT TO DIVERT.

Lopez: KERRY IS ABOUT 11 MINUTES AWAY.

Cantle: OKAY.

WELL, AT LEAST WE KNOW THAT THE WEATHER'S ALL RIGHT THERE,

SO WE'VE GOT IT, YOU KNOW, GOT IT AS A BACKUP.

Narrator: THE CREW CHECKS THE WEATHER AT A NUMBER OF NEARBY AIRPORTS

BUT SEEMS RELUCTANT TO LAND ANYWHERE BUT CORK.

Lopez: ALL COPY.

THANKS VERY MUCH.

AND THE WEATHER, IS IT IMPROVING IN CORK?

Controller: ANOTHER SMALL IMPROVEMENT AT RUNWAY 1-7.

Liddy: BAD IDEA, GUYS.

IF THEY LAND AT A STRANGE AIRPORT,

THEY HAVE NO INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT THEM.

THEY PROBABLY DON'T EVEN HAVE A CREDIT LINE TO BUY FUEL.

Narrator: LANDING AT AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT

COULD LEAVE THE PILOTS ON THE HOOK

FOR A RANGE OF EXPENSES, EVERYTHING FROM AIRPORT FEES

TO THE COST OF TRANSPORTING ALL THEIR TEN PASSENGERS

BY BUS OR TAXI BACK TO CORK.

Lopez: OKAY. MINIMUM.

CONTINUE.

Narrator: IT LOOKS MORE AND MORE

LIKE THE PILOTS' LACK OF SUPPORT FROM THE AIRLINE

FORCED THEIR HAND WHEN THEY DECIDED TO GO AHEAD

WITH THE FOG-BOUND LANDING AT CORK.

Liddy: THESE WERE TWO GUYS FLYING

AT THE VERY LONG END OF A VERY, VERY NARROW STICK

WITH VERY, VERY LITTLE SUPPORT.

Narrator: THE MANX2 CRASH INVESTIGATION

HAS REVEALED THERE IS NO SINGLE CAUSE BEHIND THE ACCIDENT.

INSTEAD, IT STEMMED FROM A DEADLY CHAIN

OF MISTAKES AND CIRCUMSTANCE--

HEAVY FOG THAT PUT

AN INEXPERIENCED AND OVERWORKED CREW UNDER EXTRA PRESSURE,

LEADING TO A PILOTING ERROR

THAT WAS COMPOUNDED BY POORLY MAINTAINED ENGINES.

Liddy: THE ENGINES WERE PRODUCING UNEVEN POWER

FOR MORE THAN 100 HOURS OF FLIGHT,

AND NOT ONE PILOT REPORTED IT.

Byrne: IT'S A FAIRLY MAJOR RED FLAG

IF MAINTENANCE ISSUES ARE NOT TO THE FORE.

Lopez: OKAY. MINIMUM.

Narrator: IF THE UNEVEN ENGINE POWER HAD BEEN REPORTED,

IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN FIXED,

BUT INVESTIGATORS FIND NO RECORD OF ANYONE TRYING.

Lopez: CONTINUE.

Byrne: THE FAULT WENT UNNOTICED,

OR, IF IT WAS NOTICED, IT WASN'T ATTENDED TO.

Narrator: IF THE METRO 3'S ENGINE POWER

HAD BEEN PROPERLY BALANCED...

Lopez: GO AROUND! Cantle: GO AROUND!

Narrator: ...THERE'S A CHANCE THEY COULD HAVE RECOVERED

AFTER THE CAPTAIN MISTAKENLY REDUCED THE THROTTLES TOO FAR.

INSTEAD, THE UNEVEN ENGINE THRUST

SENT THE PLANE INTO A SEVERE ROLL

THAT RESULTED IN THE CRASH.

THE INVESTIGATION HAS ALSO EXPOSED THE VIRTUAL AIRLINE

AT THE CENTER OF THE DISASTER.

OWNED BY SPANISH INTERESTS BUT OPERATING FROM THE ISLE OF MAN,

MANX2 HAS SOMEHOW SLIPPED THROUGH THE CRACKS

OF AVIATION OVERSIGHT.

Liddy: THE DAY-TO-DAY MANAGEMENT OF THE AIRPLANE

SEEMED TO FALL BETWEEN THE TICKET SELLER

AND THE AIRCRAFT OWNER,

AND IN ACTUAL FACT THE SPANISH AUTHORITIES STATED

THAT THEY WERE UNAWARE OF THIS REMOTE OPERATION.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'D CALL THIS MESS,

BUT IT'S NOT AN AIRLINE.

THE INVESTIGATION TEAM GENUINELY WAS APPALLED

WHEN WE ACTUALLY DISCOVERED WHAT WAS ACTUALLY GOING ON.

Narrator: THIS CRASH FOCUSES THE WORLD'S ATTENTION

ON A GROWING SAFETY THREAT--

MASSIVE HOLES IN THE REGULATIONS

THAT GOVERN SMALL COMMERCIAL AIRLINES IN EUROPE,

COMPANIES WHERE CREWS ARE GENERALLY YOUNGER,

LESS EXPERIENCED,

AND EXPECTED TO WORK LONG HOURS WITH LIMITED GROUND SUPPORT.

Stoterau: THERE'S A LOT OF BLAME AND FAULT

WITH THE CREW MEMBERS THEMSELVES.

HOWEVER, THE AIR CARRIER

HAS SIGNIFICANT FAULT IN THIS ACCIDENT AS WELL

BECAUSE THEY ALLOWED FOR THE SITUATION TO ARISE

WHERE YOU HAD TWO INEXPERIENCED CREW MEMBERS PAIRED TOGETHER

WITH A REAL LACK OF LEADERSHIP AND OVERALL OVERSIGHT

FROM THE PART OF THE COMPANY.

Narrator: IN DECEMBER 2012, MANX2 CEASED OPERATIONS,

AND THE COMPANY WAS LIQUIDATED.

THE FINAL REPORT LISTS A NUMBER OF FACTORS

CONTRIBUTING TO THE CRASH,

INCLUDING FATIGUE, PILOT ERROR, AND THE MALFUNCTIONING ENGINE.

Liddy: I HAVE A HUGE AMOUNT OF EMPATHY FOR THE PASSENGERS

IN THE BACK OF THE AIRPLANE.

Wilson: WE'RE GOOD.

I'VE LANDED IN WORSE.

Liddy: THEY WENT OUT AND THEY BOUGHT TICKETS

TO FLY ON A SCHEDULED AIRLINE SERVICE WITHIN EUROPE,

AND AS A RESULT THESE PASSENGERS,

FOUR OF THEM WERE KILLED

AND FOUR OF THEM WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED,

AND THAT SHOULD NEVER HAVE ACTUALLY HAPPENED.

Stoterau: THIS ACCIDENT WAS 100% PREVENTABLE.

Wilson: LOOKING INTO IT AND DISCOVERING WHAT WAS WRONG

IS GOOD,

BUT IT'S TEN TIMES BETTER IF THAT'S ACTED ON

AND SOMETHING PERMANENTLY DONE

TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS DOESN'T REPEAT ITSELF.

WE DON'T WANT HISTORY REPEATING ITSELF

WITH THIS TYPE OF ACCIDENT.