Original subtitles

Narrator: AN AIRLINER IS CRIPPLED AFTER TAKEOFF

FROM NEW YORK'S LaGUARDIA AIRPORT.

Pilot: BRACE FOR IMPACT.

Narrator: ANOTHER CATASTROPHIC FAILURE

STRIKES HIGH ABOVE THE CANADIAN PRAIRIES.

Officer: WE JUST LOST BOTH ENGINES.

Man: I'M TALKING TO A DEAD MAN.

Narrator: AND A VIOLENT THUNDERSTORM WREAKS HAVOC

ON A BOEING 737 OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO.

Man: EVERYTHING WENT BLACK.

ALL THE ALARMS JUST START SOUNDING.

Narrator: THREE PLANES HEADED FOR DISASTER.

Man: AND NO ONE'S GONNA BE ABLE TO REACH UP AND GRAB YOU

AND BRING YOU SAFELY BACK.

Pilot: WHERE DO I PUT THIS THING DOWN?

Flight attendant: STAY DOWN!

Narrator: THE SURVIVAL OF THE PASSENGERS LIES IN THE HANDS

OF THE MEN AND WOMEN IN THE COCKPIT.

Pilot: I GUESS I'LL JUST SLIP IT.

HERE WE GO.

Pilot: THIS IS IT.

Pilot: WE'RE GONNA BE IN THE HUDSON.

Flight attendant: BRACE FOR LANDING.

*

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 INTO THIS TRAGEDY...

Man: HE'S GONNA CRASH!

*

Narrator: CAPTAIN CHESLEY SULLENBERGER

IS AN EXPERIENCED PILOT WITH U.S. AIRWAYS.

TODAY HE'S ON BOARD FLIGHT 1549.

Chesley Sullenberger: CLEAR TO PUSH.

Narrator: THE 57-YEAR-OLD COMMANDER HAS SERVED

AS A COMMERCIAL PILOT FOR OVER 29 YEARS.

Sullenberger: YOUR BRAKES, YOUR AIRCRAFT.

Narrator: FIRST OFFICER JEFFREY SKILES IS 49.

HE'S FRESH OUT OF PILOT TRAINING.

Controller: 28, BRAKES RELEASED.

Jeffrey Skiles: SPOT 28 FOR CACTUS 1549.

Narrator: 150 PASSENGERS ARE ON BOARD AN AIRBUS A320

DEPARTING NEW YORK'S LaGUARDIA AIRPORT.

Patrick Harten: CACTUS 1549, RUNWAY 4, CLEAR FOR TAKEOFF.

Sullenberger: CACTUS 1549 CLEAR FOR TAKEOFF.

Narrator: FIRST OFFICER SKILES IS AT THE CONTROLS

DURING TAKEOFF.

THIS FLIGHT TO CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA,

MARKS THE FINAL LEG

OF A FOUR-DAY SEQUENCE OF FLIGHTS FOR BOTH MEN.

Skiles: WE MADE OUR STANDARD CALL-OUTS.

IT WAS JUST A NORMAL TAKEOFF,

NORMAL PROCEDURES ON THE CLIMB OUT.

THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING AT ALL

TO INDICATE THAT THIS WOULD BE ANY DIFFERENT

THAN ANY OTHER TAKEOFF IN MY ENTIRE CAREER.

GEAR UP, PLEASE.

Sullenberger: GEAR UP.

Narrator: PATRICK HARTEN IS ONE OF THE CONTROLLERS

HANDLING TRAFFIC OUT OF LaGUARDIA TODAY.

HE HAS ONE OF THE MOST STRESSFUL JOBS IN THE WORLD.

Harten: WHEN I SIT DOWN IN FRONT OF A RADAR,

I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERY PERSON

ON EVERY AIRPLANE UNDER MY CONTROL.

CACTUS 1549, NEW YORK DEPARTURE, RADAR CONTACT.

CLIMB AND MAINTAIN 1,500.

Narrator: THE FLIGHT WILL CLIMB NORTHEAST OUT OF LaGUARDIA

AND THEN BEGIN A SLOW TURN SOUTH TOWARDS CHARLOTTE.

Harten: IT WAS JUST A NORMAL DEPARTURE,

JUST ANOTHER FLIGHT THAT I'VE HANDLED A MILLION TIMES.

Narrator: RIDING THE THRUST OF TWO GENERAL ELECTRIC ENGINES,

THE AIRCRAFT POWERS INTO THE SKY.

Sullenberger: CACTUS 1549, 700, CLIMBING 5,000.

Narrator: FLIGHT 1549 IS TRAVELING

AT ALMOST 250 MILES PER HOUR.

IT'S BEEN IN THE AIR FOR JUST A MINUTE AND A HALF.

Skiles: I CAUGHT SOMETHING OUT OF THE CORNER OF MY EYE,

AND SLIGHTLY TO OUR RIGHT

BUT STILL AHEAD OF US WAS A LINE OF...

Sullenberger: BIRDS.

Skiles: ...AND THEY WERE VERY, VERY CLOSE,

TOO CLOSE FOR US TO MANEUVER AROUND.

WHOA!

AND THAT FAST, WE WERE JUST ON TOP OF THEM.

Narrator: CLAY PRESLEY IS ONE OF 150 PASSENGERS

ON BOARD FLIGHT 1549.

Clay Presley: YOU CAN JUST FEEL

THE POWER OF THE PLANE GOING FORWARD,

AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, THERE WAS THIS GIGANTIC BOOM.

IT SEEMED LIKE IT STOPPED IN MIDAIR,

LIKE YOU HIT A BRICK WALL.

Passenger: OH, MY GOD! THE ENGINE'S ON FIRE!

Presley: AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN,

SOMEBODY SAID, "THE LEFT ENGINE'S ON FIRE!"

Skiles: UH-OH.

BEFORE WE COULD EVEN ASSESS THE SITUATION...

Sullenberger: WE'VE GOT ONE ROLL,

BOTH OF THEM ROLLING BACK.

Skiles: ...BOTH ENGINES ROLLED BACK TO IDLE.

Sullenberger: IGNITION START.

Narrator: SULLENBERGER TAKES CONTROL OF THE STRUGGLING PLANE.

Sullenberger: MY AIRCRAFT.

Skiles: YOUR AIRCRAFT.

Sullenberger: GET THE QRH, LOSS OF THRUST IN BOTH ENGINES.

Narrator: THE QRH, OR QUICK REFERENCE HANDBOOK,

IS A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO DEALING WITH EMERGENCIES.

Sullenberger: MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY.

THIS IS CACTUS 1549.

HIT BIRDS, WE'VE LOST THRUST IN BOTH ENGINES.

WE'RE TURNING BACK TOWARDS LaGUARDIA.

Harten: OKAY, YOU NEED TO RETURN TO LaGUARDIA.

TURN LEFT, HEADING 2-2-0.

Sullenberger: 2-2-0.

Skiles: WHAT I'M THINKING IS,

YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST GONNA HAVE TO RESTART AN ENGINE.

THRUST LEVERS, CONFIRM IDLE.

Narrator: FOLLOWING THE HANDBOOK,

FIRST OFFICER SKILES EXECUTES AN ENGINE RESTART ATTEMPT.

Sullenberger: IDLE.

Skiles: THE PROCEDURE IS TO TRY TO RESTART THE ENGINES,

AND I, I ALWAYS HAD FAITH WE COULD DO THAT.

AIRSPEED OPTIMUM RELIGHT, 300 KNOTS.

WE DON'T HAVE THAT.

Sullenberger: WE DON'T.

Harten: HEY, CACTUS 1549, IF WE CAN GET IT FOR YOU,

YOU WANT TO TRY AND LAND ON RUNWAY 13.

Sullenberger: WE'RE UNABLE.

Harten: THE CONVERSATIONS WITH CAPTAIN SULLENBERGER

WERE VERY SHORT AND TO THE POINT,

WHICH WAS VERY APPROPRIATE FOR THE EMERGENCY.

HE HAD HIS HANDS FULL FLYING THE AIRPLANE,

SO MY JOB IS JUST TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT OPTION.

ALL RIGHT, CACTUS 1549,

IT'S GONNA TO BE TRAFFIC FOR RUNWAY 31.

Sullenberger: UNABLE.

Narrator: HARTEN STILL WANTS THE JET TO RETURN

TO LaGUARDIA AIRPORT,

BUT FLIGHT 1549 IS NOW JUST 1,400 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND.

Harten: CACTUS 1549, RUNWAY 4'S AVAILABLE

IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A LEFT, TRAFFIC RUNWAY 4.

Sullenberger: I'M NOT SURE WE CAN MAKE ANY RUNWAY.

WHAT'S TO OUR RIGHT?

ANYTHING IN NEW JERSEY? TETERBORO?

Harten: OKAY, YEAH, UH, OFF TO YOUR RIGHT SIDE

IS TETERBORO AIRPORT.

DO YOU WANT TO TRY TO GO TO TETERBORO?

Sullenberger: YES.

Narrator: TETERBORO IS A SMALL AIRPORT

ON THE NEW JERSEY SIDE OF THE HUDSON RIVER,

BUT IT'S SEVERAL MILES AWAY, AND WITHOUT THEIR ENGINES,

FLIGHT 1549 IS DROPPING FAST.

Skiles: I LOOKED AT IT, AND I STOPPED,

AND I WAS KIND OF CONCERNED

THAT HE WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO TRY FOR IT.

I DIDN'T THINK WE COULD MAKE IT.

Narrator: CAPTAIN SULLENBERGER NEEDS TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO.

IF THE PLANE'S ENGINES DON'T RESTART,

HE WON'T MAKE IT TO TETERBORO.

Sullenberger: GO AHEAD. TRY NUMBER ONE.

Narrator: WHILE THE CREW STRUGGLES TO RESTART

THE ENGINES ON THEIR STRICKEN PLANE...

Skiles: NO RELIGHT.

Narrator: ...CONTROLLER PATRICK HARTEN

IS STILL TRYING TO FIND THEM A RUNWAY.

Harten: HEY, CACTUS 1549, YOU CAN LAND RUNWAY 1 AT TETERBORO.

Sullenberger: CAN'T DO IT.

WE'RE GONNA BE IN THE HUDSON.

Harten: I'M SORRY. SAY AGAIN, CACTUS?

I COULD HEAR HIM,

BUT MY MIND REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO COMPREHEND THOSE WORDS.

Sullenberger: WE'RE GONNA BE IN THE HUDSON.

Harten: THAT WAS A DEATH SENTENCE FOR HIM,

AND I DIDN'T WANT TO ACCEPT THE FACT THAT IT WAS OVER

AND THERE WERE NO MORE OPTIONS LEFT.

Presley: SO, YOU'RE SITTING THERE VERY QUIETLY.

PEOPLE ARE ANXIOUSLY WAITING FOR INFORMATION,

AND THEY WANTED REASSURANCE THAT THINGS WERE GONNA BE OKAY.

YOU COULD HEAR THE MICROPHONE COME ON.

Sullenberger: THIS IS THE CAPTAIN.

Narrator: CAPTAIN SULLENBERGER PREPARES THE PASSENGERS

FOR WHAT'S AHEAD.

Presley: WE'RE HOPING HE WAS GONNA SAY,

"I'VE GOT THIS UNDER CONTROL,

WE'RE GONNA BE OKAY, WE'RE GONNA MAKE IT,

WE'RE GONNA TURN AROUND AND GO BACK AND LAND."

THAT'S WHAT YOU WERE HOPING TO HEAR.

Sullenberger: BRACE FOR IMPACT.

Presley: WHAT DOES HE MEAN, BRACE FOR IMPACT?

AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT REGISTERED--

I THINK HE'S SAYING WE'RE GONNA CRASH.

Sullenberger: OKAY.

LET'S GO.

PUT THE FLAPS OUT.

Skiles: AND I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, GREAT.

THE HUDSON RIVER WAS OUR BEST OPPORTUNITY.

IT WAS REALLY THE ONLY THING IN SIGHT

WHERE WE COULD LAND THIS AIRPLANE.

GOT FLAPS OUT, 250 FEET IN THE AIR.

I STARTED CALLING OUT AIR SPEEDS AND ALTITUDES...

170 KNOTS.

...TO GIVE HIM A SITUATIONAL AWARENESS OF WHAT WAS GOING ON.

GOT FLAPS TWO. YOU WANT MORE?

Sullenberger: NO, LET'S STAY AT TWO.

Narrator: BELOW 300 FEET,

PATRICK HARTEN'S RADAR CAN'T SEE THE PLANE.

FLIGHT 1549 DISAPPEARS.

Harten: WHEN THE AIRCRAFT DISAPPEARED OFF MY RADAR,

I JUST ASSUMED THAT THERE WEREN'T GONNA BE ANY SURVIVORS.

Narrator: IN THE CABIN, THE PASSENGERS PREPARE FOR DISASTER.

Flight attendant: HEADS DOWN!

Passenger: BE READY AT THE DOORS!

Flight attendant: STAY DOWN!

Presley: THE FOLKS AT THE DOOR SAYS, "WE'RE READY."

Flight attendant: BRACE.

Presley: AND I WAS JUST SCARED TO DEATH.

Automation: PULL UP.

Sullenberger: WE'RE GOING TO BRACE.

Automation: PULL UP. TERRAIN.

*

Skiles: IT LOOKED LIKE THE AIRPLANE WAS GOING

RIGHT FOR THE BOTTOM OF THE HUDSON RIVER.

ALL WE SAW WAS WATER CASCADING OVER THE WINDSHIELD.

Presley: IT WAS LIKE A TORNADO.

PIECES OF THE PLANE WERE BEING TORN APART.

SOME PEOPLE WERE THROWN AROUND PRETTY GOOD.

Skiles: THEN THE AIRPLANE POPPED UP,

AND IT WAS JUST SORT OF GENTLY ROCKING IN THE WAVES.

Presley: WE ALL JUST SAT THERE.

WE WERE ALL IN SHOCK, AND WE WERE WAITING FOR WHAT'S NEXT.

Narrator: U.S. AIRWAYS FLIGHT 1549 WAS IN THE AIR

FOR JUST FIVE MINUTES AND EIGHT SECONDS.

HAVING MADE A REMARKABLE LANDING,

THE PASSENGERS AND CREW NOW FACE A NEW DANGER.

THE ICE-COLD WATER OF THE HUDSON IS POURING INTO THE CABIN.

THE CREW OF FLIGHT 1549 HAS JUST PERFORMED

AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT AVIATION FEAT,

BUT THEY STILL HAVE MORE WORK TO DO.

CAPTAIN SULLENBERGER HEADS FOR THE CABIN,

WHILE FIRST OFFICER SKILES SHUTS DOWN THE PLANE.

Skiles: I STAYED BEHIND AND DID THE EVACUATION CHECKLIST,

AND SO IT WAS PROBABLY ABOUT 45 SECONDS

BEFORE I ACTUALLY WENT BACK MYSELF IN THE CABIN

AFTER WE LANDED.

Narrator: THE $75 MILLION PLANE

IS QUICKLY FILLING WITH FREEZING WATER.

Presley: THAT WATER WAS COLD.

PEOPLE SAID, GET THE DOORS OPEN. GET THE DOORS OPEN.

Narrator: PASSENGERS NEAREST THE EXITS OPEN THE DOORS QUICKLY

WHILE SULLENBERGER AND THE CABIN CREW

BEGIN MANAGING THE EVACUATION.

Presley: AND SO I WORKED MY WAY OUT ONTO THE WING

JUST A FEW STEPS TO START WITH.

Narrator: SKILES HEADS BACK TO HELP THE CREW IN THE CABIN

GET THE PASSENGERS OUT OF THE SINKING PLANE.

Skiles: SULLY AND I WERE GETTING SEAT CUSHIONS AND LIFE VESTS

AND WERE PASSING THEM OUT.

COME FORWARD!

IS THERE ANYBODY HERE?

WE WERE VERY CONFIDENT THERE WAS NOBODY LEFT ON THE AIRPLANE,

BUT WHAT WAS GOING ON OUT ON THE WINGS,

YOU KNOW, WE JUST HAD NO IDEA.

Narrator: CAPTAIN SULLENBERGER AND FIRST OFFICER SKILES

ARE THE LAST ONES OFF THE PLANE.

Man: I JUST SAW THE BIG SPLASH

WHEN THE PLANE JUST BOUNCED OVER THE WATER.

Man: A SMALL COMMERCIAL AIRLINE CRASHED INTO THE WATER.

Woman: THEY'VE BEEN IN THE WATER MORE THAN TEN MINUTES ALREADY.

Narrator: EMERGENCY SERVICES SCRAMBLE TO EVACUATE

THE PASSENGERS FROM THE SINKING PLANE.

THE RESCUE IS BROADCAST LIVE ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.

THE ENTIRE NATION LOOKS ON AS PASSENGERS AND CREW

OF FLIGHT 1549 ARE BROUGHT TO SAFETY.

Mayor Bloomberg: A U.S. AIRWAYS PILOT

MADE AN INCREDIBLY SKILLFUL EMERGENCY LANDING

IN THE HUDSON RIVER.

Narrator: AUTHORITIES COMPARE A LIST OF 155 RESCUED PEOPLE

WITH THE MANIFEST, AND MIRACULOUSLY, NO ONE IS MISSING.

FOR INVESTIGATORS

FROM THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD, OR NTSB,

IT'S AN UNUSUAL SITUATION.

NORMALLY, THEIR MAIN TASK IS TO UNCOVER THE CAUSE OF A CRASH.

WITH FLIGHT 1549, THE CAUSE SEEMS OBVIOUS.

Sullenberger: BIRDS.

Skiles: WHOA!

Narrator: THE ORIGINAL MAYDAY CALL WAS CLEAR.

Sullenberger: MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY.

THIS IS CACTUS 1549. HIT BIRDS.

Robert Benzon: I THINK EVERYBODY REALIZED

THAT A BIRD STRIKE HAD OCCURRED.

WHAT PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW WAS WHAT KIND OF BIRDS

BROUGHT THE AIRCRAFT DOWN,

WHETHER IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A COMBINATION

OF A BIRD STRIKE PLUS SOMETHING ELSE,

WHETHER THE CREW ACTED AND FLEW THE AIRCRAFT

AS THEY SHOULD HAVE.

Narrator: TESTS CONFIRM THAT CANADIAN GEESE

INGESTED INTO FLIGHT 1549

RIPPED APART THE ENGINE'S COMPRESSORS.

METAL SHARDS FROM THESE BROKEN COMPRESSORS

WERE SUCKED DEEP INTO THE CORES OF BOTH ENGINES,

SHUTTING THEM DOWN.

Sullenberger: WE'VE LOST THRUST IN BOTH ENGINES.

WE'RE TURNING BACK TOWARDS LaGUARDIA.

Narrator: DESPITE THE SAFE OUTCOME

OF CAPTAIN SULLENBERGER'S HEROIC LANDING,

THERE'S ONE QUESTION THAT NAGS INVESTIGATORS.

Sullenberger: WE'RE GONNA BE IN THE HUDSON.

Narrator: DID SULLENBERGER REALLY HAVE TO LAND THE AIRBUS

IN THE HUDSON RIVER?

Sullenberger: THIS IS THE CAPTAIN.

Narrator: OR COULD HE HAVE MADE IT TO A RUNWAY?

Sullenberger: BRACE FOR IMPACT.

Narrator: USING A FLIGHT SIMULATOR, INVESTIGATORS STUDY

CHESLEY SULLENBERGER AND JEFFREY SKILES' ACTIONS

IN THE MOMENTS AFTER THEIR PLANE COLLIDED WITH BIRDS.

Sullenberger: IGNITION.

Katherine Wilson: WE WANTED TO KNOW,

DID THE PILOTS DO THE RIGHT THING?

WAS THERE ENOUGH ENERGY TO MAKE IT BACK TO LaGUARDIA?

WHEN WE TOOK INTO CONSIDERATION THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS

THAT CAPTAIN SULLENBERGER WENT THROUGH,

WE REALIZED THAT IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE

TO MAKE IT BACK TO THE AIRPORT.

Sullenberger: WE'RE GONNA BE IN THE HUDSON.

Narrator: PUTTING THE PLANE IN THE HUDSON WAS THE RIGHT CALL.

SULLENBERGER DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH ALTITUDE

TO GLIDE TO EITHER LaGUARDIA OR TETERBORO AIRPORTS.

Wilson: WE HAD A VERY EXPERIENCED FLIGHT CREW

WITH VERY GOOD TRAINING.

Narrator: THE ACCIDENT ACCELERATES

THE DEVELOPMENT OF AVIAN RADAR,

A TECHNOLOGY THAT COULD HELP PILOTS EVADE FLOCKS OF BIRDS.

IT'S A TOOL THAT MAY HAVE PREVENTED

THE CRISIS OVER THE HUDSON.

BUT IT'S THE SUPREME PILOTING SKILLS

IN THE COCKPIT OF FLIGHT 1549 THAT SAVED LIVES IN THE END.

Sullenberger: MY AIRCRAFT.

Skiles: ALL YOUR TRAINING THAT YOU'VE DONE,

IT ALL JUST COMES BACK TO YOU WHEN YOU NEED IT.

Benzon: WELL, AT THE SAFETY BOARD,

WE DON'T REALLY DEAL IN MIRACLES VERY OFTEN,

BUT THIS EVENT HAD A LOT OF THINGS THAT CAME TOGETHER

AT THE RIGHT TIME AND THE RIGHT PLACE,

AND SO A LOT OF US ARE THINKING,

"WELL, MAYBE WE DO HAVE A MIRACLE HERE."

Narrator: CAPTAIN SULLENBERGER AND FIRST OFFICER SKILES

ARE CELEBRATED AS AVIATION HEROES,

BUT BOTH PILOTS ARE QUICK TO DEFLECT ANY PRAISE.

John Nance: THESE GENTLEMEN WILL LOOK YOU IN THE EYE

AND SAY, "I'M NOT A HERO."

WELL, YEAH, THEY ARE,

AND YET THEY DON'T THINK OF THEMSELVES THAT WAY.

THEY NEVER STOPPED FLYING THE AIRPLANE.

THEY DIDN'T GIVE UP.

THAT TO ME IS HEROISM.

Narrator: A CANADIAN FLIGHT CREW FACES A DISASTROUS SITUATION.

Bob Pearson: HOW COME I HAVE NO INSTRUMENTS?

David Miller: NOBODY CAN PREDICT

EVERYTHING THAT MAY GO WRONG WITH AN AIRCRAFT.

Pearson: OKAY, CHECKLIST.

Miller: IF THE CHECKLIST DOES NOT COVER

THE SITUATION YOU'RE IN,

THEN IT'S GONNA NEED A LITTLE BIT OF FREE THINKING

FROM THE CREW'S POINT OF VIEW.

Pearson: I GUESS I'LL JUST SLIP IT.

Narrator: SOMETIMES THAT MEANS COMMITTING

TO AN UNTHINKABLE EMERGENCY LANDING.

HIGH ABOVE THE CANADIAN PRAIRIE,

AIR CANADA FLIGHT 143 CARRYING 61 PASSENGERS

IS JUST PAST THE HALFWAY MARK

FROM MONTREAL TO EDMONTON, ALBERTA.

THE CAPTAIN ON THIS FLIGHT IS BOB PEARSON.

HE'S 48 YEARS OLD,

AND HE'S SPENT MORE THAN 15,000 HOURS IN THE AIR.

HIS FIRST OFFICER IS MAURICE QUINTAL,

WHO HAS MORE THAN 7,000 HOURS OF FLYING TIME.

Pearson: WE HAD, UH, DEPARTED HEADING NORTHWEST,

A NICE, CLEAR SUNNY DAY.

WE HAD A FLIGHT PLAN OF 39,000 FEET.

Narrator: THE CREW MAY HAVE ACCUMULATED

A LOT OF HOURS IN THE AIR, BUT VERY FEW IN THIS PLANE.

IT'S BOEING'S LATEST AND MOST ADVANCED WIDE-BODY JET, THE 767.

THE PLANE HAS ONLY 150 HOURS ON IT.

Maurice Quintal: THIS WAS A NEW AIRCRAFT

FOR BOTH THE CAPTAIN AND I.

AT THE TIME, I HAD 75 HOURS ON THAT AIRPLANE,

SO EVERYTHING WAS NEW FOR ME.

Narrator: PILOTS AND MAINTENANCE CREWS ARE BOTH

STILL GETTING TO KNOW THIS AIRLINER.

ONE OF THE PASSENGERS ON BOARD

IS OFF-DUTY AIR CANADA MAINTENANCE ENGINEER RICK DION.

HE'S ORIENTING HIMSELF TO THE NEW AIRCRAFT.

*

[ALARM BEEPING]

Quintal: FUEL PRESSURE?

WHY WOULD THAT BE?

Pearson: WHOA.

Narrator: A WARNING ALERTS THE CREW TO CRITICALLY LOW PRESSURE

AT ONE OF THE PLANE'S FUEL PUMPS.

Quintal: SOMETHING'S WRONG WITH THE FUEL PUMP.

Narrator: THE LOW PRESSURE WARNING COULD MEAN

THAT ONE OF THE PUMPS NEEDS MAINTENANCE,

BUT IT COULD ALSO BE A MORE SERIOUS ISSUE,

A LACK OF FUEL TO BE PUMPED.

Pearson: LEFT FORWARD FUEL PUMP.

I HOPE IT'S JUST A BLOODY PUMP FAILING, I CAN TELL YOU THAT.

Narrator: THEN, ANOTHER LOW FUEL PRESSURE WARNING SOUNDS,

THIS ONE FROM ANOTHER FUEL PUMP ON THE PLANE'S LEFT SIDE.

[ALARM BEEPING]

Pearson: THIS SEEMED QUITE ABNORMAL

THAT TWO PUMPS WOULD FAIL IN A BRAND-NEW AIRPLANE.

WE HAD SOME KIND OF A PROBLEM THAT WE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND.

Rick Dion: YOU MIGHT BE LOW ON THE LEFT TANK.

Narrator: CAPTAIN PEARSON KNOWS

THAT IF THE LEFT TANK IS RUNNING LOW,

THE RIGHT TANK MAY BE LOW AS WELL.

[BEEPING]

Pearson: WHAT WAS THAT?

Narrator: AND THEN, A FUEL WARNING SOUNDS,

CONFIRMING THAT FLIGHT 143 IS, IN FACT, RUNNING OUT OF FUEL.

WITHOUT POWER FROM THE ENGINES, THE EMERGENCY WORSENS.

[ALARM BEEPING]

Pearson: HOW COME I HAVE NO INSTRUMENTS?

OUR BEAUTIFUL COLORED ENGINE AND FLIGHT INSTRUMENT DISPLAYS

SIMPLY WENT BLACK.

Narrator: THE CREW IS STILL MORE THAN 700 MILES AWAY

FROM THEIR ORIGINAL DESTINATION--EDMONTON, ALBERTA.

THEY CONTACT THE CLOSEST AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER

TO HELP THEM FIND THE NEAREST LANDING STRIP.

Quintal: WINNIPEG CENTER, AIR CANADA 143.

Ron Hewett: AIR CANADA 143, GO AHEAD.

Quintal: WE JUST LOST BOTH ENGINES.

Hewett: WHEN BOTH ENGINES, UH, SHUT OFF, UH,

I THINK YOU SAID, HOLY...

I'M TALKING TO A DEAD MAN.

UH, 143, WE HAVE YOU AT 45 MILES FROM GIMLI.

Quintal: THAT IS A LONG RUNWAY.

Pearson: UH, IS THERE EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT AT GIMLI?

Narrator: THE CLOSEST OPTION FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING

IS A DECOMMISSIONED AIR FORCE BASE IN GIMLI, MANITOBA.

Hewett: NEGATIVE EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT AT ALL,

JUST ONE RUNWAY AVAILABLE, I BELIEVE,

AND, UH, NO CONTROL TOWER AND NO INFORMATION ON IT.

Narrator: IT'S A HIGHLY DANGEROUS MOVE.

THERE'S NO CONTROL TOWER AT GIMLI

AND NO EMERGENCY SERVICES.

Pearson: WE'RE GONNA GO THERE.

WE WERE TRAINED IN THE SIMULATOR

TO HANDLE A SINGLE ENGINE FAILURE.

WE HAD NEVER PRACTICED TOTAL ENGINE FAILURES.

Narrator: BUT AS THE PLANE GETS CLOSER TO THE GIMLI RUNWAY,

BOB PEARSON REALIZES HE'S MUCH TOO HIGH ABOVE IT

TO LAND SAFELY.

Quintal: WE'RE TOO CLOSE, HUH?

IT'S GOING TO BE TOO STEEP, TOO FAST.

Pearson: YEAH, I KNOW.

IN A NORMAL APPROACH,

WE HAVE, UH, LEADING EDGE AND TRAILING EDGE FLAPS,

WHICH ALLOW US TO SLOW THE AIRPLANE DOWN

AND FLY AT A SLOWER SPEED SAFELY.

WE DID NOT HAVE THOSE FLAPS,

AS THEY RUN OFF THE MAIN HYDRAULIC SYSTEM.

Narrator: IF HE COMES DOWN AT A NORMAL DESCENT RATE,

HE'LL MISS THE LANDING STRIP, BUT IF HE COMES DOWN STEEPLY,

HIS PLANE WILL GATHER A DANGEROUS AMOUNT OF SPEED.

HE WON'T BE ABLE TO STOP BEFORE THE END OF THE RUNWAY.

Pearson: WELL, I GUESS I'LL JUST SLIP IT.

Narrator: PEARSON DECIDES TO TRY A MANEUVER CALLED A SIDESLIP,

PRACTICALLY UNHEARD OF ON COMMERCIAL AIRLINERS

BUT SOMETIMES USED BY GLIDER PILOTS.

EVEN THOUGH BOB PEARSON

HAS A LOT OF EXPERIENCE FLYING GLIDERS,

HE HAS NEVER PERFORMED THIS MANEUVER.

Pearson: I'M JUST GONNA SLIP IT DOWN

TILL WE'RE ALMOST DOWN AT THE RUNWAY,

THEN I'LL STRAIGHTEN IT OUT.

Quintal: OKAY.

Narrator: SIDESLIPPING INVOLVES

WHAT'S KNOWN AS CROSSING THE CONTROLS.

Pearson: HERE WE GO.

Narrator: PEARSON FORCES THE AIRCRAFT

INTO A SIDEWAYS FREEFALL, USING HIS RUDDERS AND AILERONS

TO TIP THE WINGS IN ONE DIRECTION

BUT TURN THE AIRCRAFT IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION,

PUSHING IT SIDEWAYS INTO THE ONCOMING AIR.

THE 767 LOSES ALTITUDE QUICKLY.

Quintal: THE BANK ANGLE WAS QUITE HIGH.

IF IT WAS AWKWARD FOR ME,

I CAN IMAGINE FOR THE PASSENGERS,

IT MUST REALLY HAVE FELT ODD.

Narrator: AS FLIGHT 143 PLUMMETS TOWARDS

A FORMER CANADIAN AIR FORCE BASE IN GIMLI, MANITOBA,

CAPTAIN BOB PEARSON FOCUSES ON THE THRESHOLD OF THE RUNWAY.

IF HE CAN'T STRAIGHTEN OUT THE PLANE

AND LINE UP WITH THE RUNWAY, HE WON'T GET A SECOND CHANCE.

Pearson: I GOT TUNNEL VISION, UH,

LIKE I'VE NEVER HAD IT BEFORE.

IT WAS JUST OUR SPEED AND OUR RELATIONSHIP

WITH THE THRESHOLD OF THE RUNWAY.

Narrator: BUT ONLY HUNDREDS OF FEET FROM THE GROUND,

PEARSON'S PROBLEMS MULTIPLY.

THE GIMLI LANDING STRIP HAS BEEN CONVERTED

INTO A DRAG-RACING STRIP.

TODAY IS SATURDAY, AND IT'S NOT JUST RACE DAY.

IT'S FAMILY DAY.

TWO CHILDREN HAVE DECIDED TO PEDAL THE LENGTH OF THE RUNWAY.

THEY DON'T HEAR THE PLANE COMING TOWARD THEM.

WITHOUT ENGINES, IT'S SILENT.

AND ONE THING THE 767 DOESN'T HAVE IS A HORN.

Flight attendant: BRACE! BRACE FOR LANDING!

*

Pearson: THE NOSE HIT WITH QUITE A BANG ON THE RUNWAY.

IT SOUNDED LIKE A SHOTGUN GOING OFF AT OUR FEET.

Narrator: THE FRONT LANDING GEAR GIVES OUT IMMEDIATELY

AFTER FLIGHT 143 TOUCHES DOWN.

PEARSON BRAKES HARD. TWO TIRES BLOW OUT.

THE BOTTOM OF THE RIGHT ENGINE SCRAPES THE RUNWAY.

Pearson: AND I LOOKED UP, AND I COULD SEE TWO BOYS ON BICYCLES.

AND I CAN STILL REMEMBER THE LOOK OF TERROR ON THEIR FACES,

SO THEY WERE CLOSE ENOUGH FOR ME TO SEE THAT.

Narrator: SKIDDING DOWN THE RUNWAY

AT MORE THAN 200 MILES AN HOUR...

Quintal: SMOKE, BOB.

Narrator: ...THE PLANE PLOWS INTO A GUARDRAIL

INSTALLED DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE RUNWAY.

Pearson: PASSENGER EVACUATION CHECKLIST.

Quintal: PASSENGER CHECKLIST.

Narrator: 17 MINUTES AFTER RUNNING OUT OF FUEL,

AIR CANADA FLIGHT 143 COMES TO A FINAL STOP ON THE GROUND.

Quintal: CHECKLIST COMPLETE.

Pearson: TIME TO GET OUT OF HERE.

*

ALL THE PASSENGERS ON BOARD SURVIVE THE INCIDENT.

Hewett: I HEARD ON THE WEST RADAR FREQUENCY,

HE'S DOWN OKAY, HE'S IN ONE PIECE,

AND THAT'S WHEN OUR CHEER WENT UP.

[LAUGHS]

I SAID, OKAY!

BECAUSE ALL OF THESE PEOPLE

WERE GONNA SLEEP IN THEIR OWN BED THAT NIGHT.

Reporter: AIR CANADA FLIGHT 143 GLIDED SILENTLY, APPARENTLY...

Narrator: THE EVENT MAKES

INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES IMMEDIATELY.

PEOPLE ARE ALREADY ASKING HOW ONE OF THE MOST SOPHISTICATED

PASSENGER PLANES IN THE WORLD COULD HAVE RUN OUT OF FUEL.

FEDERAL INVESTIGATOR BILL TAYLOR

WONDERS IF FUEL ON BOARD FLIGHT 143

COULD HAVE LEAKED OUT DURING THE FLIGHT.

Bill Taylor: I EVEN WENT SO FAR AS TO GO

INTO WHAT THEY CALL THE DRY BAY OF THE AIRCRAFT.

I HAD A LOOK AROUND WITH THE FLASHLIGHT

AND CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS

NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL HAVING BEEN LOST IN THERE.

Narrator: WITH NO EVIDENCE OF A FUEL LEAK,

THIS LEAVES INVESTIGATORS WITH ONLY ONE CONCLUSION.

THE PLANE TOOK OFF WITHOUT ENOUGH FUEL.

THEY NEED TO FIND OUT WHY.

IN 1983, AIR CANADA'S 767 WAS THE FIRST PLANE

TO HAVE METRIC FUEL GAUGES.

INVESTIGATORS DISCOVER THAT THE GROUND CREW MADE A MISTAKE

CALCULATING THE PROPER AMOUNT OF FUEL FOR THE AIRPLANE.

Taylor: SO, DID YOU CONVERT TO POUNDS OR TO KILOGRAMS?

Man: NOW I DON'T KNOW WHAT I DID.

Narrator: IT TURNS OUT THEY USED POUNDS INSTEAD OF KILOGRAMS.

BECAUSE A POUND IS LESS THAN HALF A KILOGRAM,

THE PLANE GOT LESS THAN HALF THE FUEL IT REQUIRED.

TWO DAYS AFTER THE LANDING AT GIMLI, AIR CANADA'S 767

WAS BACK IN THE AIR ON ITS WAY TO WINNIPEG FOR REPAIRS.

THE PLANE IS GIVEN A NICKNAME THAT BOB PEARSON EARNED FOR IT--

THE GIMLI GLIDER.

Pearson: AS MUCH AS I'VE TRAINED FOR ALL THOSE YEARS,

THERE'S ALWAYS THAT QUESTION ABOUT HOW YOU'RE GONNA PERFORM

WHEN THE CHIPS ARE DOWN.

*

Narrator: AFTER THE INCIDENT AT GIMLI,

PILOT TRAINING FOR COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE

IS PUT INTO EFFECT.

Miller: I WAS FLYING AT THE TIME,

AND THE COMPANY INTRODUCED A RANGE OF TRAINING SESSIONS

IN THE SIMULATOR FLYING AN AIRCRAFT WITH NO ENGINES,

FLYING IT LIKE A GLIDER,

TRYING TO APPRECIATE ITS PERFORMANCE

WITH NO THRUST AT ALL.

Narrator: BUT ARE TRAINING EFFORTS ENOUGH

TO PREVENT A TWIN-ENGINE FAILURE

FROM TURNING INTO A CATASTROPHIC INCIDENT FIVE YEARS LATER?

Dionisio Lopez: MAYDAY, MAYDAY. TACA 110. WE LOST AN ENGINE!

Carlos Dardano: BOTH ENGINES.

Lopez: BOTH ENGINES, SIR!

Dardano: OKAY, WHERE DO I PUT THIS THING DOWN?

[ALARM BEEPING]

[THUNDER]

Narrator: EL SALVADORAN TACA AIRLINES FLIGHT 110

FLIES ABOVE THE GULF OF MEXICO.

THE PLANE IS CARRYING 38 PASSENGERS

HEADED FOR NEW ORLEANS.

Lee Burmeister: GRACIAS.

Narrator: 30 MILES FROM ITS DESTINATION,

THE PLANE BEGINS ITS FINAL DESCENT.

IT WON'T BE A ROUTINE LANDING

FOR CAPTAIN CARLOS DARDANO AND HIS CREW.

THERE'S A VIOLENT HAILSTORM

BETWEEN THE PLANE AND THE AIRPORT.

Dardano: IT FEEL LIKE YOU HIT A WALL.

THERE WAS SEVERE TURBULENCE IN THE COCKPIT

WITH A LOT OF NOISE WITH ICE HITTING THE AIRPLANE.

Donald Eick: WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE EQUIVALENT

OF AN ATOMIC BOMB GOING OFF.

[THUNDER]

A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF ENERGY.

Burmeister: IT WAS AWFUL. LOTS AND LOTS OF LIGHTNING.

AND THE, THE PLANE WAS HAVING A PRETTY ROUGH TRIP.

WE WERE, WE WERE GETTING TUMBLED AROUND PRETTY GOOD.

Narrator: CAPTAIN CARLOS DARDANO WAS BORN TO FLY.

AT JUST 29,

HE IS THE THIRD GENERATION IN A FAMILY OF PILOTS.

Dardano: SINCE I WAS A LITTLE CHILD,

I REMEMBER THAT I WAS DREAMING ON BEING A PILOT

AND BEING AROUND AIRPLANES ALL THE TIME.

Narrator: CAPTAIN DARDANO HAS OVERCOME TREMENDOUS OBSTACLES

TO EARN HIS WINGS.

SIX YEARS EARLIER, IN 1982, HE WAS FLYING

FOR A SMALL GENERAL AVIATION COMPANY IN EL SALVADOR.

Dardano: I WAS DOING A LITTLE AERO-TAXI BUSINESS

AROUND THE COUNTRY.

Narrator: EL SALVADOR WAS CONSUMED BY A CIVIL WAR,

AND DARDANO FOUND HIMSELF CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE.

Dardano: I WAS SHOT BY GUERRILLAS IN THE FACE.

Narrator: BADLY WOUNDED,

HE MANAGED TO FLY HIS PASSENGERS TO SAFETY.

Dardano: AND I FLEW 20 MINUTES BACK TO THE MAIN AIRPORT.

Narrator: THE BRUSH WITH DEATH COST HIM HIS LEFT EYE.

Dardano: I WAS SHOT OVER HERE. THE BULLET WENT THROUGH.

Narrator: BUT DARDANO DID NOT GIVE UP ON HIS DREAM.

DESPITE HIS IMPAIRED VISION,

HE WENT ON TO BECOME A CERTIFIED COMMERCIAL PILOT.

Lopez: ANTI-ICE, ON.

Narrator: FIRST OFFICER DIONISIO LOPEZ

HAS MORE THAN 12,000 FLIGHT HOURS.

HE AND DARDANO HAVE FLOWN TOGETHER MANY TIMES.

Controller: TACA 110, RUNWAY 28,

DESCEND AT PILOT'S DISCRETION. MAINTAIN 4,000.

Lopez: TACA 110, 4,000.

Narrator: CAPTAIN ARTURO SOLEY IS A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR

WITH TACA AIRLINES.

HE'S ON BOARD TODAY TO OBSERVE THE PERFORMANCE

OF THE NEW 737-300.

Dardano: THIS HAIL IS GOING TO SCRATCH THE PAINT.

ASK THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS TO TAKE THEIR SEATS.

Lopez: FLIGHT ATTENDANTS, PLEASE TAKE YOUR SEATS.

Narrator: SUDDENLY, LESS THAN 17,000 FEET FROM THE GROUND,

THE FLIGHT BECOMES MORE TERRIFYING.

*

Dardano: EVERYTHING WENT BLACK.

ALL THE ALARMS JUST START SOUNDING IN THE COCKPIT.

ALL THE INSTRUMENTS WENT OUT.

SO, I HIT THE THROTTLES A COUPLE OF TIMES

TRYING TO JUST GO TO BASICS, CONTROL THE AIRPLANE.

WE LOST POWER ON THE ENGINES.

THEN I FIND OUT THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY POWER.

I'VE GOT NOTHING.

Narrator: THE PLANE HAS ENOUGH SPEED TO GLIDE,

BUT NOT FOR LONG.

IT'S RAPIDLY LOSING ALTITUDE.

Lopez: WE ARE DROPPING AT 1,500 FEET PER MINUTE.

Dardano: WELL, WE KNEW WE DIDN'T HAVE MUCH TIME.

LOPEZ, WATCH THE GAUGES.

Narrator: WITHOUT ENGINES, THE ODDS OF SURVIVAL

ARE DROPPING WITH EVERY PASSING SECOND.

Dardano: COMMUNICATE TO NEW ORLEANS.

GET US OUT OF THIS STORM AND ONTO A RUNWAY.

Lopez: MAYDAY. MAYDAY. TACA 110.

WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STORM, SIR.

WE NEED VECTORS TO THE RUNWAY NOW, SIR.

WE LOST AN ENGINE.

Dardano: BOTH ENGINES.

Lopez: BOTH ENGINES, SIR. BOTH ENGINES.

Controller: UNDERSTAND, BOTH ENGINES, TACA 110, ROGER.

Narrator: THE CONTROLLER KNOWS HE NEEDS TO GET

THE RAPIDLY FALLING PLANE

ON THE GROUND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE,

EVEN IF IT MEANS SENDING IT TO ANOTHER AIRPORT.

Controller: TACA 110, ROGER. TURN LEFT HEADING 2-8-0.

VECTORS TO NAVY CALLENDER RUNWAY 22.

Narrator: FLIGHT 110 IS STILL 20 MILES FROM NEW ORLEANS.

THE STRICKEN PLANE HAS A BETTER CHANCE OF LANDING

AT A U.S. NAVAL BASE 16 MILES AWAY.

BUT THE PLANE WILL NOT MAKE IT TO ANY AIRPORT

UNLESS THE CREW GETS AT LEAST ONE OF THE ENGINES STARTED.

Lopez: 28...29...30.

HIT IT.

[WHIRRING]

Narrator: ONLY 5,000 FEET FROM THE GROUND,

THE LEFT ENGINE IGNITES.

Lopez: SPEED.

[EXHALES]

Dardano: OKAY, GOOD JOB.

START WORKING ON THE OTHER ONE.

THE PLANE CAN FLY WITH ONLY ONE ENGINE,

BUT TWO ENGINES WOULD BE SAFER.

Lopez: OKAY, WE HAVE ONE ENGINE BACK ON.

REQUEST VECTORS TO NEW ORLEANS.

Controller: UH, TACA 110, WILCO. FLY HEADING TWO-NINER-ZERO.

VECTOR AROUND THE THUNDERSTORMS TO YOUR RIGHT.

[WHIRRING]

THEN, THE SECOND ENGINE COMES BACK ONLINE.

Arturo Soley: AND HERE COMES THE OTHER ONE.

Lopez: SPEED.

Dardano: ALL RIGHT.

Soley: AND YOU GOT BOTH OF THEM NOW.

Narrator: WITH BOTH ENGINES BACK,

IT APPEARS THE CRISIS IS OVER.

Lopez: OKAY, SIR. WE HAVE BOTH ENGINES BACK NOW.

WE ARE GOING TO GO DOWN TO 3-1-0.

*

Dardano: LOOK, I DON'T FEEL ANY POWER.

WHY DON'T I FEEL ANY POWER?

THE SUCKER IS NOT STARTING.

Narrator: THE ENGINES APPEAR TO BE RUNNING,

BUT THEY'RE NOT PROVIDING ANY THRUST.

THEN, THE GAUGES SHOW THAT THE ENGINES ARE OVERHEATING.

THEY'RE BURNING UP FROM THE INSIDE.

THE RISK OF BOTH ENGINES EXPLODING

AND SETTING THE PLANE ON FIRE NOW LEAVES DARDANO NO CHOICE.

HE MUST DO SOMETHING NO PILOT WOULD EVER WANT TO DO--

SHUT DOWN BOTH ENGINES FOR GOOD.

Dardano: I DON'T HAVE ANY POWER IN THE ENGINES.

Narrator: THE PLANE IS QUICKLY CLOSING IN ON 3,000 FEET.

AT THE RATE IT'S DROPPING, IT WON'T MAKE IT TO THE RUNWAY.

Dardano: OKAY, WHERE DO I PUT THIS THING DOWN?

WE KNEW THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY POSSIBILITY

TO RESTART THE ENGINES,

AND WE HAD TO START LOOKING FOR SOMEPLACE TO LAND.

Narrator: CAPTAIN DARDANO HAS LESS THAN THREE MINUTES

TO FIND A PLACE TO LAND HIS CRIPPLED 737.

Controller: TACA 110, DO YOU HAVE VISUAL REFERENCE

OF THE GROUND AT THIS TIME?

Dardano: YES, SIR.

I WAS SEEING JUST SWAMPY LAND ALL OVER THE PLACE.

Narrator: NEW ORLEANS IS SURROUNDED BY CANALS AND LAKES.

THE CITY IS PROTECTED BY A SYSTEM OF LEVEES,

MAN-MADE BARRIERS DESIGNED TO PREVENT FLOODING.

IT'S NO PLACE TO TRY TO LAND A 737.

THE CREW ONLY HAS ONE OPTION LEFT.

Lopez: I GUESS I'M GONNA HAVE TO MAKE A DITCHING HERE, SIR.

Narrator: THEY MUST TAKE THEIR CHANCES

AND PUT THE PLANE DOWN ON WATER.

Controller: TACA 110, ROGER. WHATEVER YOU NEED TO DO, SIR.

Dardano: AND THAT WAS ABOUT THE LAST COMMUNICATION

WITH THE TOWER.

THEN WE WERE LIKE 1,500 FEET WHEN THAT WAS GOING ON.

OKAY.

THERE.

Lopez: PUT IT DOWN SOFTLY.

Burmeister: IT WAS A DOOMSDAY KIND OF FEELING,

AND THIS WAS IT.

Narrator: THE 737 CAN ONLY STAY IN THE AIR FOR ANOTHER MINUTE.

AS DARDANO LOOKS FOR A SAFE STRETCH OF CANAL

TO DROP THE PLANE IN, ANOTHER OPTION APPEARS.

Lopez: LOOK! LOOK AT THAT ONE OVER THERE.

Dardano: AND THEN LOPEZ SAW THE LEVEE PARALLEL TO THE CANAL

THAT WE WERE MAKING THE APPROACH ON.

CAN WE PUT IT DOWN ON THE GRASS?

Lopez: YES, BOSS.

Narrator: THE LEVEE IS MUCH SHORTER AND NARROWER

THAN A RUNWAY,

BUT IT'S A SAFER CHOICE THAN THE WATER.

Lopez: THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING TO GO IN?

Dardano: YOU GOT IT, MY FRIEND.

Narrator: BUT THEY WILL HAVE TO ACT FAST TO GET THERE.

Dardano: THE LEVEE WAS PARALLEL TO MY RIGHT.

Narrator: TO HAVE ANY HOPE OF LANDING ON THE LEVEE,

HE NEEDS TO MAKE A SUDDEN AND DRAMATIC COURSE CORRECTION.

THAT REQUIRES PERFORMING THE SAME RISKY MANEUVER

BOB PEARSON USED OVER GIMLI, A SIDESLIP.

Dardano: SO, WE JUST HAD TO DO A SIDESLIP TO GET INTO POSITION

TO MAKE A PERFECT LANDING.

[SPEAKING SPANISH]

Burmeister: OH, GOD!

I WAS IN DISBELIEF THAT THIS WAS HAPPENING.

*

OH, GOD. OH, GOD.

Narrator: WITH ONLY ONE EYE,

CAPTAIN DARDANO IS UNABLE TO GAUGE DEPTH

AS HE SPEEDS TOWARD THE NARROW RAIN-SOAKED STRIP OF GRASS.

Burmeister: I WAS PREPARED FOR THE PLANE TO BLOW UP AND EXPLODE

AND MENTALLY HAD SAID GOODBYE TO MY FAMILY.

Dardano: THIS IS IT.

Narrator: THERE'S A HIGH CEMENT WALL IN FRONT OF THE LEVEE

AND A STEEP EMBANKMENT ON THE LEFT.

THERE MAY NOT BE ENOUGH ROOM TO LAND.

Lopez: WATCH OUT FOR THE WING ON THAT SIDE.

Dardano: I SEE IT.

COME ON.

AQUI TE TENGO, BABY. AQUI TE TENGO.

*

WE TOUCHED DOWN WITH ONE WHEEL AND THE OTHER ONE.

Narrator: ON THE SOGGY GRASS, THE PLANE IS IN DANGER

OF SKIDDING OFF THE LEVEE INTO THE WATER.

Dardano: I WAS TRYING JUST TO CONTROL THE AIRPLANE,

NOT TO, TO HIT THE BRAKES AND NOT TO LOSE THE AIRPLANE

AT THE LAST MINUTE, YOU KNOW?

THE SPOILERS WERE OUT,

SO WE WERE JUST THINKING,

OKAY, WE MAKE IT. WE MAKE IT. WE MAKE IT.

[LAUGHTER]

Lopez: VERY GOOD!

Soley: VERY GOOD. VERY GOOD, CHARLIE.

VERY GOOD, MY FRIEND.

[APPLAUSE]

Burmeister: IT WAS A HARD LANDING,

BUT IT WAS A NICE, IT WAS A NICE LANDING,

JUST TO BE ALIVE.

Dardano: AND THAT WAS, I THINK, THE MOST BEAUTIFUL LANDING

THAT I EVER MADE.

[APPLAUSE]

Narrator: EVERYONE ON BOARD FLIGHT 110

SURVIVES THE TREACHEROUS EMERGENCY LANDING.

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY,

A 737 WITHOUT ENGINES HAS LANDED SAFELY OUTSIDE AN AIRPORT.

Nance: TO END UP WITH A JETLINER SITTING ON A LEVEE,

HAVING LANDED THERE, BEING PERFECTLY INTACT,

UH, IS ALMOST AN UNBELIEVABLE SIGHT.

IT'S BEYOND INCREDIBLE.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS NEED TO FIND OUT WHY THE ENGINES FAILED.

IF THE STORM CAUSED THEM TO SHUT DOWN,

THOUSANDS OF PLANES COULD BE AT RISK.

Al Weaver: IT'S CONSIDERED A VERY RARE OCCURRENCE

FOR ENGINES TO HAVE FLAMED OUT IN FLIGHT,

AND THEREFORE, THE CONCENTRATION WAS,

WHAT POSSIBILITY WOULD CAUSE THIS?

Lopez: ON.

*

Narrator: STUDY OF THE ENGINES REVEALS THAT RAIN AND HAIL

FROM AN INTENSE STORM CRIPPLED FLIGHT 110.

Investigator: THEY NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT HAIL

GETTING INTO THE CORE.

Narrator: ENGINE MAKERS FOLLOW FAA RULES TO MAKE SURE

THEY CAN WITHSTAND HEAVY PRECIPITATION,

BUT NEW ENGINE TESTING DONE IN THE WAKE OF THE INCIDENT

SHOWS THAT WHEN THE ENGINES WERE PULLED BACK

IN ANTICIPATION OF LANDING,

HEAVY RAIN AND HAIL CAUSED AN ENGINE FAILURE.

Nance: WE'D BEEN TESTING EVERYTHING IN ACCORDANCE

WITH THE NORMAL FAA METHODOLOGIES,

AT HIGH SPEED ON THE ENGINES,

BUT THESE GUYS WHERE IN DESCENT TO NEW ORLEANS.

Dardano: I DON'T HAVE ANY POWER IN THE ENGINES.

Nance: IT WAS WHEN THE ENGINE WENT DOWN TO IDLE,

THAT'S WHEN THE ENGINE COULDN'T HANDLE IT.

Narrator: IN THE WAKE OF THE INCIDENT,

THE ENGINE IS MODIFIED

TO BETTER DEFLECT HAIL AWAY FROM THE CORE,

AND BLEED DOORS ARE ADDED

TO DRAIN MORE WATER FROM THE ENGINE.

WITHIN A YEAR, 737-300s AROUND THE WORLD

ARE RETROFITTED WITH THE UPGRADES.

BUT IT'S CAPTAIN DARDANO'S PILOTING SKILL

THAT CAPTURES THE ATTENTION OF PILOTS AND AVIATION EXPERTS

AROUND THE WORLD.

Nance: THE DECISION-MAKING AT THE VERY END

WHEN THEY WERE GOING TO PUT IT IN THE CANAL

AND SAW AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUT IT ON DRY GROUND AND DID SO,

THAT WAS SUPERLATIVE.

IT WAS THE DECISION-MAKING.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS CREDIT THE CALM NERVES

AND DETERMINATION OF CAPTAIN DARDANO...

Lopez: WATCH OUT FOR THE WING ON THAT SIDE.

Dardano: I SEE IT.

Narrator: ...FOR AVOIDING WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN

A FATAL DISASTER.

*

CAPTAIN CARLOS DARDANO IS DUBBED A HERO IN THE MEDIA.

Reporter: PASSENGERS THAT DAY WERE OVERJOYED.

[SPEAKING SPANISH]

DARDANO AND HIS CREW KEPT THE CALM,

AND BECAUSE OF THAT,

45 PEOPLE WHO RODE THAT PLANE ARE ALIVE TODAY.

*

Miller: IN A CHALLENGING SITUATION...

Sullenberger: MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY.

THIS IS CACTUS 1549.

Miller: ...A PILOT WILL FALL BACK

ON HIS PROFESSIONAL TRAINING

AND DEAL WITH THE EMERGENCY THE BEST HE KNOWS HOW.

Sullenberger: WE'RE GONNA BE IN THE HUDSON.

Miller: IF THE OUTCOME IS FANTASTIC...

Pearson: I GUESS I'LL JUST SLIP IT.

Miller: ...YES, IT WILL BE LOOKED ON AS HEROIC.

Dardano: THIS IS IT.

Narrator: IT TAKES YEARS OF TRAINING

TO BECOME AN AIRLINE CAPTAIN,

BUT IT'S WHEN A CRISIS STRIKES

THAT A PILOT REALLY EARNS HIS STRIPES.

Sullenberger: PUT THE FLAPS OUT.

Narrator: THE ODDS OF FACING THE ULTIMATE TEST ARE MINISCULE,

BUT WHEN IT HAPPENS, PASSENGERS CAN ONLY HOPE

THAT IN THE LEFT SEAT OF THE COCKPIT

IS A HERO PILOT LIKE SULLENBERGER...

Sullenberger: MY AIRCRAFT.

Narrator: ...PEARSON...

Pearson: HERE WE GO.

Narrator: ...OR DARDANO.

Dardano: AQUI TE TENGO, BABY. AQUI TE TENGO.

*

[APPLAUSE]