Original subtitles

Narrator: ON A SIMPLE TEST FLIGHT, THE CREW LOSES CONTROL.

Captain: IT'S PITCHING UP ALL THE TIME.

IT'S PITCHING UP.

Narrator: IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT...

First Officer: WHAT DO YOU THINK? WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO?

Captain: I, I DON'T KNOW.

Narrator: ...A PACKED AIRBUS GOES MISSING

OVER THE ATLANTIC OCEAN.

AT AN AIR SHOW IN FRANCE,

A DEMONSTRATION FLIGHT ENDS IN DISASTER.

WHEN THERE'S NEW TECHNOLOGY ON BOARD,

HOW DO PILOTS AND PLANES GET THEIR SIGNALS CROSSED?

Man: WHY ISN'T THE AIRPLANE RESPONDING?

WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO?

Captain: FLAPS UP! FLAPS UP!

Man: IT'S A DIAGNOSTIC PROCESS

THAT YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME WITH.

First Officer: BUT WHAT'S HAPPENING?

Narrator: THE INVESTIGATIONS LEAD TO A TROUBLING QUESTION.

Man: WAS IT THE PILOT, OR WAS IT THE PLANE?

WE NEED TO KNOW.

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: BASEL-MULHOUSE AIRPORT, FRANCE.

A BRAND-NEW MODEL OF PLANE

IS ABOUT TO BE INTRODUCED TO THE WORLD.

Michel Asseline: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

HELLO AND WELCOME ABOARD THIS AIRBUS A320,

WHICH WAS PUT INTO SERVICE JUST TWO DAYS AGO.

Narrator: THE AIRBUS A320 IS THE FIRST CIVIL AIRCRAFT

TO USE FLY-BY-WIRE TECHNOLOGY.

AIR FRANCE HAS ASSIGNED CAPTAIN MICHEL ASSELINE,

THE HEAD PILOT OF TRAINING FOR THE A320,

TO PROMOTE A REVOLUTION IN THE COCKPIT.

FLY-BY-WIRE TECHNOLOGY

CHANGES THE WAY PILOTS OPERATE THEIR PLANES.

First officer: GEAR UP.

Peter Mellor: ON THE FLY-BY-WIRE SYSTEM,

THE PILOT ESSENTIALLY FLIES THE COMPUTER

AND THE COMPUTER FLIES THE AIRCRAFT.

Narrator: WITH THIS NEW SYSTEM, PILOTS NO LONGER

MANUALLY CONTROL FLIGHT SURFACES LIKE RUDDERS AND ELEVATORS.

THEY NOW FLY THE PLANE BY SENDING COMMANDS

THROUGH THE PLANE'S ELECTRONIC SYSTEM.

John Nance: AIRBUS' PHILOSOPHY WAS WE'LL

GET RID OF MOST OF HUMAN ERROR

BY GETTING RID OF THE HUMAN

INPUT TO THE GREATEST EXTENT

THAT WE CAN.

Narrator: ON ITS DEBUT FLIGHT, THERE'S A LOT ON THE LINE

FOR THE AIRBUS A320 AND CAPTAIN ASSELINE.

First officer: AIR CHARTER 296, WE'D LIKE TO ROLL, PLEASE.

Controller: ACF 296Q, CLEAR FOR TAKEOFF.

Asseline: WE TRIED TO DEMONSTRATE

THE CAPABILITY OF THIS AIRCRAFT.

TO SAY WE WANTED TO SHOW OFF, NOT EXACTLY.

WE WANTED TO MAKE A GOOD JOB,

AND WE WERE SURE TO MAKE A GOOD JOB.

Narrator: THE AIRBUS AND 130 GUESTS AND JOURNALISTS

ARE HEADING TO HABSHEIM AIRFIELD.

[SPEAKING FRENCH]

Jean-Claude Boetsch, translated: AS I GOT ON THE PLANE,

I THOUGHT, GREAT,

THIS IS GOING TO BE AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE,

AND IT REALLY WAS.

[SPEAKING FRENCH]

Narrator: EAGER CROWDS HAVE GATHERED AT AN AIR SHOW

TO SEE THE AIRBUS FOR THE FIRST TIME.

Controller: AIR CHARTER 296.

Asseline: HABSHEIM, HELLO.

WE'RE COMING INTO VIEW OF THE AIRFIELD FOR THE FLYOVER.

Controller: YES, I CAN SEE YOU. YOU'RE CLEARED.

Narrator: TO SHOWCASE THE PLANE, CAPTAIN ASSELINE IS PLANNING

A LOW-ALTITUDE NOSE-HIGH FLYBY AT ALPHA MAX.

THIS IS THE SLOWEST A PLANE CAN FLY AT THIS ANGLE

WITHOUT THE RISK OF STALLING.

Asseline: UH, WE'LL DO THE FLYOVER AT 100,

UH, LANDING GEAR OUT, AND YOU JUST LEAVE IT UP TO ME.

I'LL GIVE IT ALPHA MAX.

I'VE DONE IT 20 TIMES.

*

First officer: OKAY, WE'RE GOING IN FOR LOW-ALTITUDE,

LOW-SPEED FLYOVER.

Computer: 200.

Narrator: THE AIRBUS REACHES THE PLANNED ALTITUDE

FOR THE ALPHA MAX MANEUVER.

First officer: OKAY, YOU'RE AT 100 FEET THERE.

Computer: 100.

First officer: WATCH IT. WATCH IT.

Narrator: ASSELINE MUST KEEP THE PLANE IN A STABLE POSITION,

WITH THE NOSE UP.

Asseline: OKAY, I'M OKAY THERE. DISCONNECT AUTO THROTTLE.

Narrator: NORMALLY, THE SAFETY FEATURE WOULD AUTOMATICALLY

SPEED UP A PLANE MOVING TOO SLOWLY,

BUT THE PILOT DISABLES THIS PROTECTION.

BEFORE HE'S FINISHED THE MANEUVER,

ASSELINE IS STUNNED TO FIND TREES DIRECTLY IN HIS PATH.

Asseline: I HAD NO IDEA THAT AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY

WAS A FOREST.

FOR ME, IT WAS BUSHES ONLY, OR SOMETHING.

Computer: 30.

Narrator: ASSELINE TRIES TO PULL UP,

BUT THE PLANE KEEPS DROPPING.

Asseline: MERDE!

[SPEAKING FRENCH]

Boetsch: I STARTED TO SEE TREE BRANCHES THROUGH THE WINDOW.

I WAS ASTONISHED.

[EXPLOSION]

Woman: OH, NO. Woman: OH, NO!

Man: OH, NO! OH, NO! OH, NO! OH, NO!

*

Narrator: INCREDIBLY, THE FUSELAGE IS STILL IN ONE PIECE.

Asseline: I BROKE MY SEAT,

JUST BECAUSE I WAS HOLDING VERY FIRMLY.

I BROKE MY SEAT, AND I COULD SEE A LOT OF FLAMES ALL OVER.

THERE WAS ABOUT 20-METER-HIGH FLAMES AROUND THE COCKPIT.

Narrator: EVERYONE HAS SURVIVED THE IMPACT,

BUT IN THE PANIC, A WOMAN AND TWO CHILDREN

ARE OVERCOME BY SMOKE, AND THEY DIE.

*

Mellor: THE CRASH COULD NOT POSSIBLY HAVE COME

AT A WORSE TIME FOR AIRBUS.

THEY WERE TRYING OUT THIS NEW CONCEPT,

WHICH THEY HAD TOUTED VERY WIDELY

AS A NEW LEVEL OF SAFETY FOR CIVIL FLIGHT,

AND HERE'S A PILOT GOING AND CRASHING ONE.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS FROM BEA,

FRANCE'S ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION BUREAU,

FACE A WHOLE NEW CHALLENGE.

THE A320'S FLY-BY-WIRE SYSTEM

HAS ALTERED THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PILOT AND PLANE.

IT GIVES COMPUTERS THE ABILITY TO OVERRIDE HUMAN INPUTS

TO CORRECT PILOT ERROR.

IS THAT WHAT HAPPENED AT HABSHEIM?

Claude Bechet: WAS IT THE PILOT, OR WAS IT THE PLANE?

WE NEED TO KNOW.

Narrator: CAPTAIN ASSELINE COMES IN FOR QUESTIONING.

Asseline: MY INTENTION WAS, UH,

TO CARRY OUT A FLYOVER AT SLOW SPEED.

UH, LANDING CONFIGURATION.

UM, WE DECELERATE OVER THE AIRSTRIP

AND, UH, AND WE GO TO ALPHA MAX.

Narrator: ASSELINE PLANNED TO FLY PAST THE SPECTATORS

AT 100 FEET.

BUT INVESTIGATORS LEARN THIS HEIGHT

VIOLATES NATIONAL SAFETY STANDARDS.

Bechet: HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT 500 FEET,

AS A MATTER OF FACT,

BUT THERE HAD, AT THAT TIME,

A TENDENCY FOR PILOTS WHO WERE MAKING AIR SHOWS LIKE THAT,

TO GO A LITTLE BIT LOWER AND SOMETIMES MUCH LOWER.

Narrator: TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED

WHEN THE A320 FLEW SO LOW,

INVESTIGATORS HAVE A RARE PIECE OF EVIDENCE,

A VIDEO OF THE ACCIDENT.

Bechet: IT WAS THE FIRST TIME

WE HAD A, A VIDEO OF AN ACCIDENT, YOU KNOW?

NORMALLY AN ACCIDENT HAPPENS IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE.

Narrator: THE INVESTIGATORS DISCOVER THAT THE A320

WAS FLYING EVEN LOWER THAN THE PLANNED 100 FEET.

Bechet: THAT AIRPLANE WAS FLYING

AT APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND.

NO AIRPLANE OF THAT SIZE OR OF ANY OTHER SIZE

SHOULD MAKE A FLIGHT PASS THAT LOW.

Narrator: WHY WAS THE CAPTAIN FLYING SO CLOSE TO THE GROUND?

Asseline: I BELIEVED I WAS AT 100 FEET.

Narrator: CAPTAIN ASSELINE INSISTS

HIS INSTRUMENTS FAILED HIM,

BUT INVESTIGATORS ARE SKEPTICAL.

ASSELINE HAD MORE THAN ONE INSTRUMENT

TO GIVE HIM ALTITUDE INFORMATION.

Asseline: SOME PEOPLE SAID, BUT YOU COULD HAVE HEARD

THE RADIO ALTIMETER SAYING, 30, 30.

NO, BECAUSE AT THAT TIME,

THIS AIRCRAFT WAS VERY, VERY NOISY,

AND THE RADIO ALTIMETER WARNINGS OR THE RADIO ALTIMETER CALLOUTS,

THEY WERE NOT GOING THROUGH THE HEADSET.

Narrator: CAPTAIN ASSELINE DOESN'T KNOW HOW LOW HE'S FLYING

UNTIL IT'S ALMOST TOO LATE.

Bechet: WHAT DID YOU DO WHEN YOU SAW THE TREES?

Asseline: I DID WHAT ANY PILOT WOULD DO.

I TRIED TO CLIMB OVER THEM.

Computer: 30.

First officer: IT CAN'T BE!

Computer: 30.

Narrator: THE BLACK BOX DATA SHOWS THAT CAPTAIN ASSELINE

INCREASED THRUST AND PULLED BACK ON HIS SIDE STICK.

THE SIDE STICK CONTROLS THE PLANE'S ELEVATOR.

PULLING BACK ON IT SHOULD HAVE RAISED THE ELEVATOR

AND PITCHED THE PLANE UPWARDS.

BUT INVESTIGATORS CAN SEE THAT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENED.

Bechet: THE ELEVATOR MOVED DOWN.

Narrator: ASSELINE WANTED TO CLIMB,

BUT THE PLANE CONTINUED TO DROP.

WHY DIDN'T THE PLANE RESPOND AS THE PILOT EXPECTED?

IS THERE A SERIOUS FLAW IN THE A320'S FLY-BY-WIRE SYSTEM?

Computer: 30.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS WONDER-- WAS THE A320'S FLIGHT SYSTEM

CONFUSED BY THE LOW-SPEED, LOW-LEVEL ALPHA MAX MANEUVER?

HAD THE PLANE'S FLY-BY-WIRE SYSTEMS INITIATED LANDING MODE?

INVESTIGATORS TURN TO THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER.

BUT THE A320'S SYSTEMS ARE SO ADVANCED

THAT THE RECORDER CAN'T TRACK ALL OF THE PLANE'S FUNCTIONS.

Bechet: SO, WAS THE PLANE IN LANDING MODE OR NOT?

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS CONDUCT THEIR OWN TEST FLIGHT

TO REPLICATE THE A320'S TRAJECTORY AT THE AIR SHOW.

Bechet: WE REPLAYED THE ACCIDENT EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS,

BUT ON THE LONGEST RUNWAY IN TOULOUSE.

OKAY, POWER TO FLIGHT IDLE.

NOW PUT IT INTO ALPHA MAX.

THAT'S IT. GENTLY.

ALTITUDE 40 FEET.

35 FEET.

HOLD IT THERE.

Narrator: THE AIRBUS IS NOW IN ALPHA MAX,

FLYING VERY SLOWLY WITH ITS NOSE UP.

Bechet: OKAY, NOW FULL THRUST.

DID YOU FEEL THAT?

ALPHA PROTECTION.

Narrator: THE COMPUTERS HAVE LAUNCHED ALPHA PROTECTION

TO STOP THE PLANE FROM STALLING.

NOW INVESTIGATORS KNOW WHAT HAPPENED ON FLIGHT 296.

FLYING SLOWLY IN A NOSE-HIGH POSITION

REDUCES AIRFLOW OVER THE WINGS,

AND THIS CAN CAUSE A PLANE TO LOSE LIFT AND STALL.

TO AVOID STALLING, THE COMPUTER IS PROGRAMMED

TO BRING THE NOSE DOWN TO INCREASE AIRFLOW.

THE COMPUTER DID OVERRIDE THE CAPTAIN,

NOT TO LAND THE PLANE BUT TO AVOID A STALL.

THE CAPTAIN DIDN'T REALIZE

THAT THE PLANE HAD LAUNCHED ALPHA PROTECTION.

IN TURN, THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH TIME FOR THE PILOT

TO OVERRIDE THE ALPHA PROTECTION AND CLIMB.

[EXPLOSION]

Bechet: THE CONCLUSION OF MY REPORT WAS THAT THE AIRPLANE

WAS TOO LOW, TOO SLOW, AND WITH NOT ENOUGH POWER.

Narrator: THE CONFUSION IN THE COCKPIT

COMPELLED AIRBUS TO IMPROVE TRAINING AND SAFETY PROCEDURES,

AND GUEST PASSENGERS ARE BARRED

FROM ALL FUTURE DEMONSTRATION FLIGHTS.

DESPITE THE CRASH, THE A320 WOULD GO ON TO BECOME

ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT IN HISTORY,

SELLING OVER 750 PLANES IN ITS FIRST 10 YEARS,

AND FLY-BY-WIRE TECHNOLOGY WAS SAFELY ADOPTED

BY A NEW GENERATION OF PASSENGER AIRCRAFT.

Norbert Kaeppel: FLAPS UP!

Narrator: BUT LEARNING TO WORK

WITH THESE COMPLEX FLIGHT SYSTEMS

REMAINS A CONSTANT AND SOMETIMES TRAGIC PROCESS.

Engineer: OH, GOD!

Nance: WE HAVE TO HAVE PILOTS WHO UNDERSTAND

THE LIMITATIONS AND THE MODES OF THE ELECTRONICS

THAT THEY ARE USING TO ACTUALLY FLY THE AIRPLANE,

AND THAT MEANS WE DON'T OVER-TRUST THEM,

THEY DON'T OVER-TRUST US.

Narrator: AT PERPIGNAN AIRPORT IN SOUTHERN FRANCE,

THE CREW OF XL AIRWAYS GERMANY FLIGHT 888

IS PREPARING FOR AN ACCEPTANCE FLIGHT.

Kaeppel: GENTLEMEN, GOOD AFTERNOON.

FIND ANY PROBLEMS UNDER THE HOOD?

Narrator: XL AIRWAYS GERMANY HAS BEEN LEASING THE A320

FROM AIR NEW ZEALAND.

Engineer: EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD.

Narrator: BEFORE XL CAN RETURN THE PLANE,

IT MUST DEMONSTRATE IT'S IN PERFECT WORKING CONDITION

BEFORE AIR NEW ZEALAND WILL ACCEPT IT FOR ITS OWN FLEET.

John Cox: IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO RETURNING A CAR OFF LEASE,

WHERE THE DEALERSHIP WILL TAKE THE CAR,

THEY'LL LET MAINTENANCE LOOK AT IT,

MAKE SURE THAT IT HASN'T BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT,

THAT IT HASN'T BEEN ABUSED IN SOME WAY,

AND THAT THE SYSTEMS ACTUALLY WORK AS DESIGNED.

Kaeppel: BETTER BUCKLE UP.

Narrator: CAPTAIN NORBERT KAEPPEL IS GOING TO PUT

THE A320'S AUTOMATED SYSTEMS TO THE TEST.

Cox: IT IS DIFFERENT THAN A LOT OF CONVENTIONAL AIRPLANES

IN THAT YOU FLY IT THROUGH A COMPUTER,

BUT THE HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS OF THE AIRPLANE

ARE VERY, VERY GOOD.

Narrator: THE CAPTAIN AND HIS FIRST OFFICER

ARE JOINED BY A PILOT AND AVIATION OFFICIAL

FROM AIR NEW ZEALAND AND THREE ENGINEERS.

Controller: TRIPLE 8 TANGO CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF RUNWAY 33.

First officer: CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF RUNWAY 33.

Kaeppel: OKAY, GENTS.

HERE WE GO.

First officer: CLIMBING FLIGHT LEVEL 1-8-0.

Narrator: THE FLIGHT PLAN CALLS FOR A TWO-AND-A-HALF HOUR TRIP

THAT REACHES THE WEST COAST OF FRANCE

BEFORE LOOPING BACK TO PERPIGNAN.

THE ROUTE SHOULD PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY

TO CONDUCT SOME 35 TESTS.

Official: HANDS OFF NOW.

Narrator: A SHARP TURN TRIGGERS THE SYSTEM

THAT PREVENTS THE A320 FROM BANKING TOO STEEPLY.

Official: YEP. YES. VOILA. IT'S ALL GOOD.

Narrator: NOW THE CAPTAIN WILL BRING THE PLANE

CLOSE TO A STALL.

Official: HERE WE NEED TO GO SLOW WITH RECOVERY.

Cox: THIS TEST, UH, REQUIRES THAT THE AIRPLANE BE SLOWED

WELL BELOW NORMAL SPEED

TO LET THE AUTOMATED PROTECTIONS ACTIVATE.

Official: GET YOUR POWER AT IDLE.

ADJUST PITCH. FLAPS FULL.

Narrator: BUT INSTEAD OF BRINGING THE NOSE DOWN

TO PREVENT A STALL...

[ALARM BUZZING]

Kaeppel: AH!

IT'S PITCHING UP ALL THE TIME.

IT'S PITCHING UP.

Engineer: DOES THAT SEEM RIGHT TO YOU GUYS?

Official: STICK FORWARD.

Engineer: OH, GOD!

OH, GOD!

Computer: PULL UP.

Kaeppel: DAMN IT!

Computer: PULL UP.

TERRAIN.

Controller: TRIPLE 8 TANGO, CONTACT TOWER.

Narrator: ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST ADVANCED

AND POPULAR AIRCRAFT HAS FALLEN FROM THE SKY.

INVESTIGATORS NEED TO FIND THE CAUSE BEFORE IT HAPPENS AGAIN.

XL AIRWAYS GERMANY FLIGHT 888 HAS CRASHED

OFF THE COAST OF FRANCE.

THERE ARE NO SURVIVORS.

THREE DAYS AFTER THE CRASH,

DIVE TEAMS RECOVER THE BLACK BOXES.

FRANCE'S ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION BUREAU IS RESPONSIBLE

FOR FINDING OUT WHAT WENT WRONG.

Sebastien David: IT WENT DOWN RIGHT HERE.

Narrator: BECAUSE THE XL CREW

WAS TESTING THE AIRBUS FLIGHT SYSTEMS,

INVESTIGATORS FACE A MASSIVE PUZZLE.

David: WE DID NOT HAVE ANY REFERENCE

FOR THAT KIND OF FLIGHT.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS TRACK THE SEQUENCE OF TESTS

CAPTURED ON THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER.

David: LET'S HEAR THIS.

Man: OKAY. WE CAN DO THE VHF-3.

David: NAVIGATION SYSTEMS.

Official: OKAY, THAT'S GOOD.

WE NEED TO GO SLOW WITH RECOVERY.

GET YOUR POWER AT IDLE.

ADJUST PITCH.

FLAPS FULL.

Narrator: IN THE FINAL TEST HE CONDUCTED,

THE CAPTAIN REDUCED SPEED

TO BRING THE PLANE CLOSE TO A STALL.

WHEN THE AIRBUS SLOWS DOWN TOO MUCH,

THE FLIGHT CONTROL COMPUTER

SHOULD AUTOMATICALLY BOOST SPEED

TO PREVENT THE PLANE FROM LOSING LIFT.

IT SHOULD ALSO CORRECT THE PLANE'S PITCH,

IN THIS INSTANCE, LOWERING THE NOSE.

THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT THE AIRBUS DID

AT THE HABSHEIM DEMONSTRATION FLIGHT.

ON THE XL FLIGHT, THE CAPTAIN WAITS

FOR THE AUTOMATIC STALL PROTECTION TO START,

BUT THE PLANE DOESN'T RESPOND THE WAY HE EXPECTS.

Kaeppel: IT'S PITCHING UP ALL THE TIME.

IT'S PITCHING UP.

David: WHY DIDN'T THE STALL PROTECTION KICK IN?

Investigator: MONSIEUR DAVID,

I HAVE THE ANGLE OF ATTACK SENSOR DATA.

Narrator: STALL PROTECTION IS

ONE OF AIRBUS' CRITICAL SAFETY FEATURES.

INVESTIGATORS DISCOVER A SERIOUS SYSTEM MALFUNCTION.

David: THAT'S ODD.

Narrator: PARTWAY THROUGH THE FLIGHT,

THE ANGLE OF ATTACK SENSORS FAILED.

David: WE KNOW THEY WERE DESCENDING HERE,

BUT THE SENSORS STILL SHOW A CLIMB.

Narrator: ANGLE OF ATTACK SENSORS

ARE MOUNTED ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE PLANE.

DURING FLIGHT, THEIR PIVOTING MOTION

HELPS THE COMPUTER MONITOR AND AUTOMATICALLY ADJUST

THE ANGLE OF THE PLANE.

FLIGHT DATA SHOWS THE SENSORS DIDN'T FAIL

UNTIL 22 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF.

WHAT COULD HAVE STOPPED THE SENSORS

FROM WORKING AT THAT POINT?

David: WE NEED TO GET A LOOK AT THOSE SENSORS.

Narrator: LEAD INVESTIGATOR SEBASTIEN DAVID HAS AN IDEA.

AT HIGH ALTITUDES,

THE AIR OUTSIDE THE PLANE IS EXTREMELY COLD.

David: CAN THE SENSORS FREEZE?

Narrator: IF THERE WAS ICE IN THE SENSOR MECHANISM,

IT MIGHT HAVE FROZEN THEM IN PLACE,

SENDING THE PLANE'S COMPUTER FAULTY DATA.

Kaeppel: IT'S PITCHING UP.

Narrator: DID RAINWATER FROM A SEVERE STORM

FLOOD THE SENSORS AND THEN FREEZE?

Investigator: IT WOULD HAVE TO GET ALL THE WAY IN HERE.

Narrator: BUT REPORTS REVEAL

THE PLANE DIDN'T ENCOUNTER ANY BAD WEATHER.

David: THE WEATHER WAS NICE THAT DAY.

Narrator: IF WATER GOT INSIDE THE SENSORS,

IT HAPPENED ON THE GROUND.

INVESTIGATORS STUDY MAINTENANCE RECORDS

AND LEARN THE PLANE HAD JUST RECEIVED A NEW PAINT JOB.

PROPER PROCEDURES WERE FOLLOWED,

AND THE SENSORS WERE COVERED FOR THE PAINTING PROCESS.

BUT THE SENSORS WERE LEFT UNCOVERED

DURING THE CLEANING PROCESS.

NORMALLY, MAINTENANCE WORKERS USE A CLEAN CLOTH

TO REMOVE ANY DUST AFTERWARDS,

BUT THIS TIME, THEY RINSE THE PLANE WITH A HOSE.

David: THE PAINTING OPERATIONS

HAD TAKEN A LITTLE BIT OF A DELAY.

TO RINSE THE AIRCRAFT WAS FASTER.

Narrator: SPRAYING UNCOVERED SENSORS

WITH A HIGH-PRESSURE HOSE

MIGHT EXPLAIN HOW WATER GOT SO DEEP INSIDE,

BUT THE INVESTIGATORS NEED PROOF.

THEY MOUNT A SENSOR IN A TEST RIG

AND RECREATE THE CLEANING PROCEDURE.

Investigator: OKAY, HIT IT.

Narrator: NEXT, THEY PLACE THE SENSOR IN A FREEZER

AND DUPLICATE THE FRIGID TEMPERATURES

FOUND AT 32,000 FEET.

Man: I THINK WE DEFINITELY GOT SOME ICE IN THERE.

IT WON'T BUDGE.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS REALIZE THE A320 WAS FLYING

WITH FROZEN SENSORS.

Investigator: OKAY.

Narrator: THEY CAN FINALLY BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND

WHAT HAPPENED ON BOARD FLIGHT 888.

Cox: THE FLIGHT CONTROL COMPUTERS CAN ONLY RESPOND

TO DATA AND INPUTS THAT THEY GET.

BECAUSE THE ANGLE-OF-ATTACK VANES COULDN'T MOVE,

THEY COULD NOT THEN ACTIVATE THE LOW-SPEED PROTECTIONS

THAT THE CREW WAS EXPECTING.

Kaeppel: IT'S PITCHING UP ALL THE TIME.

Narrator: WITH STALL PROTECTION FAILING TO ACTIVATE,

THE CAPTAIN TRIES TO FLY OUT OF THE SITUATION.

Official: STICK FORWARD.

Narrator: HE INCREASES POWER AND USES HIS SIDE STICK

TO BRING THE NOSE DOWN TO INCREASE AIRFLOW AND LIFT.

IT'S A TEXTBOOK MANEUVER TO PREVENT STALLING.

THE A320 DOESN'T RESPOND.

Engineer: DOES THAT SEEM RIGHT TO YOU GUYS?

Narrator: THE PLANE CONTINUES TO PITCH UP

UNTIL IT LOSES LIFT AND FALLS.

WHY DIDN'T THE PLANE RESPOND TO THE PILOT'S EFFORTS?

INVESTIGATORS USE A COMPUTER SIMULATION

TO GET A FULLER PICTURE OF WHAT WENT WRONG.

David: PAUSE IT!

Narrator: THEY NOTICE A WARNING ON THE COCKPIT FLIGHT DISPLAY.

David: THERE. WHAT IS THAT?

Narrator: THE WARNING IS TELLING THE PILOT TO MANUALLY ADJUST

THE ELEVATOR TRIM FOR A MORE DRAMATIC CHANGE OF PITCH.

INVESTIGATORS DETERMINE THAT BECAUSE COMPUTERS

CAN'T MAKE SENSE OF THE FAULTY DATA

COMING FROM THE FROZEN SENSORS,

THE AUTOPILOT SWITCHES TO A MODE REQUIRING MORE MANUAL INPUT.

BUT THE CREW DOESN'T NOTICE.

Cox: THE AIRPLANE, BY DESIGN, WHEN IT STARTS GETTING DATA

THAT IT CANNOT FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WITH,

REVERTED AND SAID, "ALL RIGHT, SOMETHING IS, IS WRONG.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT.

THIS IS UP TO THE PILOTS TO SORT OUT."

Official: STICK FORWARD.

Narrator: FOCUSED ON THE SIDE STICK,

THE CAPTAIN LIKELY ASSUMES THE AUTOPILOT IS ADJUSTING THE TRIM.

David: THE PLANE GAVE THE PILOTS CONTROL RIGHT HERE.

THEY TRIED TO UPRIGHT

A NOSE-DOWN INPUT ON THE SIDE STICK,

BUT THEIR EFFORTS WERE NOT SUFFICIENT.

Kaeppel: FLAPS UP, FLAPS UP!

Cox: NOW THE PILOTS FIND THEMSELVES

IN A VERY, VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION.

THE AIRPLANE'S NOT ACCELERATING. THE NOSE IS COMING UP.

IT'S VERY HARD TO GET IT TO COME DOWN.

AND THEY'RE AT LOW ALTITUDE.

David: THE TWO CREW MEMBERS TRIED EVERYTHING TO RECOVER

AND TO TAKE THE CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT,

BUT THEY DID NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION.

Cox: THEN THEY WERE IN A STALL RECOVERY SITUATION

WITHOUT A LOT OF ALTITUDE TO WORK WITH.

Narrator: FLYING WITH FAULTY SENSORS,

BAFFLED BY THE PLANE'S LACK OF RESPONSE...

Engineer: OH, GOD! OH, GOD!

Narrator: ...THE CREW COULD NOT SAVE THEMSELVES

OR THEIR FOUR PASSENGERS FROM THE CATASTROPHIC STALL.

Kaeppel: DAMN IT!

Narrator: THE ACCIDENT'S FINAL REPORT SPECIFICALLY RECOMMENDS

MORE TRAINING FOR STALL RECOVERY.

Cox: IMPROVED TRAINING FOR LOSS-OF-CONTROL EVENTS

IS SOMETHING THAT ALL PILOTS NEED.

LOSS OF CONTROL IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF FATALITIES

IN ALL ASPECTS OF AVIATION.

AND SO WE NEED TO TAKE THESE LESSONS AND LEARN THEM WELL

BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA BE DOING THESE FLIGHTS AGAIN.

Narrator: MONTHS LATER, FRENCH INVESTIGATORS ARE FACED

WITH ANOTHER MYSTERIOUS ACCIDENT.

David Robert: DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING?

Narrator: A FLIGHT CROSSING THE ATLANTIC OCEAN

NEVER REACHES ITS DESTINATION.

AIR FRANCE FLIGHT 447 IS CROSSING THE ATLANTIC OCEAN

ON AN 11-HOUR FLIGHT FROM RIO DE JANEIRO TO PARIS.

THERE ARE 216 PASSENGERS ON BOARD THE AIRBUS A330.

58-YEAR-OLD CAPTAIN MARC DUBOIS IS IN COMMAND.

Controller: AIR FRANCE 447.

Marc Dubois: AIR FRANCE 447. GO AHEAD.

Narrator: HE IS ONE OF AIR FRANCE'S

MOST SENIOR CAPTAINS.

HIS FIRST OFFICER IS 32-YEAR-OLD PIERRE-CEDRIC BONIN.

Pierre-Cedric Bonin: WE ARE ARRIVING AT INTOL.

Narrator: AND 37-YEAR-OLD DAVID ROBERT

IS THE RELIEF PILOT.

Controller: MAINTAIN FLIGHT LEVEL 3-5-0.

Dubois: OKAY, WILL DO.

Narrator: AT 1:49 A.M.,

THE A330 LEAVES BRAZILIAN RADAR SURVEILLANCE

AND IS NEVER HEARD FROM AGAIN.

Controller: AIR FRANCE 447, THIS IS DAKAR.

DO YOU COPY? COME IN, AIR FRANCE 447.

[PHONE RINGS]

DAKAR FOR AIR FRANCE. HAVE YOU HEARD FROM AF447? OVER.

Man: NEGATIVE. HOLD FOR AIR FRANCE, PLEASE.

Narrator: BY MORNING, THE AIRLINE IS FORCED TO CONCLUDE

THAT AIR FRANCE 447 HAS ALMOST CERTAINLY CRASHED AT SEA.

IT'S ONE OF THE WORST ACCIDENTS

IN THE HISTORY OF COMMERCIAL AVIATION.

228 PEOPLE ARE PRESUMED DEAD.

David Learmount: IT WAS A REAL SHOCK TO THE WHOLE INDUSTRY

THAT, THAT A MODERN AIRCRAFT LIKE AN AIRBUS A330,

UH, OPERATED BY A WORLD-CLASS AIRLINE LIKE AIR FRANCE,

COULD JUST GO MISSING, WITHOUT A WORD.

Narrator: THE BEA, FRANCE'S ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION BUREAU,

IS CALLED IN TO SOLVE THE MYSTERY.

[SPEAKING FRENCH]

Alain Bouillard, translated: THE LOSS OF AN AIRPLANE

DURING CRUISE IS ALWAYS RARE.

[SPEAKING FRENCH]

WE'RE MORE USED TO EVENTS TAKING PLACE DURING TAKEOFF OR LANDING,

SO THIS EVENT RAISED A LOT OF QUESTIONS.

[SPEAKING FRENCH]

Narrator: ALL THE EVIDENCE AND ANSWERS

INVESTIGATORS ARE SEEKING

ARE LIKELY LYING ON THE BOTTOM OF THE ATLANTIC OCEAN,

SOMEWHERE BETWEEN RIO AND PARIS.

[SPEAKING FRENCH]

Bouillard: IF WE DIDN'T FIND THE FLIGHT RECORDERS,

WE WOULD NEVER UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS SCOUR THE OCEAN FLOOR FOR THE WRECKAGE

WHILE OTHER TEAM MEMBERS EXAMINE

THE ONLY HARD EVIDENCE THEY HAVE SO FAR...

Man: I WILL PULL UP ALL OF THE MESSAGES THEY SENT.

Narrator: ...THE 24 MAINTENANCE MESSAGES

SENT BY FLIGHT 447'S AIRCRAFT COMMUNICATION

ADDRESSING AND REPORTING SYSTEM, ACARS.

[SPEAKING FRENCH]

Leopold Sartorius, translated: TO HAVE ONLY THE MAINTENANCE

MESSAGES TO WORK WITH IS REALLY UNUSUAL.

WE HAD PARCELS OF INFORMATION THAT GAVE US, IN FACT,

VERY LITTLE INFORMATION.

Man: SEE? THIS IS THE PROBLEM WITH THE PITOT TUBES.

Narrator: ONE OF THE MAINTENANCE MESSAGES NOTES A FAILURE

IN THE DEVICE THAT MEASURES AIRSPEED, THE PITOT TUBE.

[SPEAKING FRENCH]

Sartorius: THE ACARS MESSAGES HAD GIVEN US

THE FIRST PIECE OF THE PUZZLE.

WE KNEW THAT THERE HAD BEEN A CLOGGING PROBLEM

IN THE PITOT TUBES.

Narrator: PITOT TUBES ARE SMALL CYLINDRICAL SENSORS

THAT SIT OUTSIDE THE BODY OF THE PLANE.

AS AIR RUSHES THROUGH THE TUBES, THEY CALCULATE AIRSPEED,

BUT SOMETIMES PITOT TUBES TEMPORARILY FAIL.

Sartorius: IN AN ENVIRONMENT WITH VERY DENSE ICE CRYSTALS,

ALL THE ICE CRYSTALS CLOG THE TUBE

AND STOP THE AIR FROM ENTERING.

Bouillard: THE TUBES WERE FREEZING ALL THE TIME.

Sartorius: ANNOYING, BUT CERTAINLY NOT DANGEROUS.

Learmount: IF YOU LOSE A PITOT TUBE,

YOU DON'T FALL OUT OF THE SKY.

Narrator: THE PILOTS KNEW ABOUT THE ISSUE

AND HOW TO RESPOND TO IT.

Bouillard: HERE. LOOK AT THIS.

THE COMPANY HAD NOTIFIED ITS PILOTS WITH AN OSV,

AN INFORMATION BULLETIN THAT DESCRIBED THE PHENOMENON

AND THE APPROPRIATE MEASURES TO TAKE.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS CONCLUDE THAT FROZEN PITOT TUBES

CANNOT EXPLAIN THE CRASH.

THERE IS MORE TO THIS STORY,

BUT THE CRITICAL BODY OF EVIDENCE

REMAINS BURIED BENEATH THE SEA AND MAY NEVER BE FOUND.

[SPEAKING FRENCH]

Bouillard: UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES,

IT WAS ESSENTIAL TO FIND THE RECORDERS

TO UNDERSTAND THE ACCIDENT AND EXPLAIN WHY IT HAPPENED.

[SPEAKING FRENCH]

Narrator: SEARCH TEAMS CROSS 6,500 SQUARE MILES OF OCEAN,

LISTENING FOR THE BEACON SIGNAL

COMING FROM THE AIRBUS BLACK BOXES.

INVESTIGATORS ARE RACING AGAINST TIME.

THE BEACONS CAN ONLY SEND A SIGNAL FOR 30 DAYS.

AFTER THAT, THEY WILL GO SILENT FOREVER.

30 DAYS OF SEARCHING DO NOT LOCATE THE BLACK BOXES

FROM AIR FRANCE 447,

BUT INVESTIGATORS HAVE RECOVERED SOME DEBRIS,

INCLUDING UNUSED LIFE JACKETS.

[SPEAKING FRENCH]

Bouillard: RECOVERING THE LIFE JACKETS

IN THEIR ORIGINAL PACKAGING

TOLD US THAT THE EVENT HAPPENED VERY QUICKLY.

[SPEAKING FRENCH]

THE PASSENGERS WEREN'T READY

FOR THE IMPACT WITH THE SURFACE OF THE WATER.

[SPEAKING FRENCH]

Narrator: A SECTION OF FLIGHT 447'S GALLEY

HAS ALSO BEEN RECOVERED.

Bouillard: IT LOOKS LIKE THE PRESSURE

WAS VERTICAL, LIKE THIS.

Learmount: THEY REALIZED THAT THE AIRPLANE

HAD NOT NOSE-DIVED INTO THE SEA.

IT WAS ALMOST CERTAIN THAT IT HAD BELLY-FLOPPED INTO THE SEA,

AND HOW THAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO A MODERN AIRLINER

NOBODY COULD THINK OF.

Narrator: FOR TWO YEARS, INVESTIGATORS WORK IN THE DARK.

THEN, IN APRIL 2011...

Sartorius: STOP, STOP THERE.

ZOOM IN ON THAT.

Narrator: ...OFF THE COAST OF BRAZIL,

SEVEN AND A HALF MILES NORTHEAST

OF THE PLANE'S LAST REPORTED POSITION,

AT A DEPTH OF MORE THAN 13,000 FEET,

THE WRECKAGE OF FLIGHT 447

AND THE TWO BLACK BOXES ARE FINALLY FOUND.

[APPLAUSE]

THE INVESTIGATORS FINALLY HAVE

THE HARD EVIDENCE THEY DESPERATELY NEED.

STARTING WITH THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER,

THEY CAREFULLY OPEN THE PROTECTIVE CASING,

LOOKING FOR THE MEMORY CARD INSIDE.

Sartorius: THIS ISN'T GOOD.

[SPEAKING FRENCH]

WE QUICKLY NOTICED THAT THERE WERE SMALL PARTS

THAT WERE BROKEN,

SO WE WEREN'T SURE THAT EVERYTHING WAS IN WORKING ORDER.

Narrator: IF TECHNICIANS CAN'T FIX THE BROKEN CVR,

THERE MAY BE NO WAY OF KNOWING

WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE COCKPIT BEFORE THE CRASH

OR WHO WAS FLYING THE PLANE.

Bouillard: HERE, LOOK AT THE FDR CARD.

Narrator: A CLOSE EXAMINATION OF THE SECOND BOX,

THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER, BRINGS BETTER NEWS.

Sartorius: IT'S FINE.

NO PROBLEMS.

[SPEAKING FRENCH]

THE MEMORY CARD WAS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION.

WE WERE ABLE TO READ THE DATA VERY QUICKLY.

Narrator: WHILE TECHNICIANS TRY TO REPAIR

THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER,

INVESTIGATORS CAREFULLY PLOT THE FLIGHT RECORDER DATA.

Sartorius: WE'RE CRUISING SAFELY AT 35,000 FEET.

Narrator: THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER REVEALS

THAT THE PITOT TUBES DID, IN FACT, FREEZE.

Sartorius: THE PITOT TUBES FREEZE HERE.

Narrator: THE FROZEN TUBES PRODUCE

ERRATIC AIRSPEED READINGS, TRIGGERING AN ALARM.

[ALARM]

Sartorius: AUTOPILOT SHUTS OFF,

AND THE PILOT TAKES CONTROL OF THE PLANE.

[ALARM]

Narrator: THE CREW HAS BEEN TAUGHT THAT A FROZEN PITOT TUBE

SHOULD CLEAR ITSELF IN LESS THAN A MINUTE.

Learmount: THE PITOTS ON THE AIRCRAFT,

THEY WERE ONLY SUBJECT TO THE CLOGGING FOR ABOUT 56 SECONDS,

AND AFTER THAT,

THE AIRSPEED READINGS WERE BACK TO NORMAL AGAIN.

Narrator: THE PILOT ONLY NEEDS TO HOLD THE PLANE STEADY,

AND THE PROBLEM WILL DISAPPEAR.

Sartorius: BUT HE DOES NOT HOLD STEADY.

Narrator: WHOEVER WAS FLYING THE PLANE

PULLED BACK AND PITCHED THE NOSE UP INSTEAD.

Sartorius: HE CLIMBS MORE THAN 2,500 FEET.

Learmount: IF YOU PULL THE NOSE OF AN AIRPLANE UP,

IT'S GOING UPHILL, IT'S GONNA SLOW DOWN.

Narrator: A SMALL ISSUE, FROZEN PITOT TUBES,

TURNS INTO AN EMERGENCY.

Sartorius: HERE, THEIR SPEED DROPPED MORE THAN 90 KNOTS

IN LESS THAN A MINUTE.

THIS TRIGGERED A STALL WARNING HERE.

Narrator: IN AN AERODYNAMIC STALL,

THE WINGS LOSE LIFT AND THE PLANE BEGINS TO DROP.

[SPEAKING FRENCH]

Bouillard: IT WAS THE PILOT'S ACTIONS THAT LED TO THE STALL.

Sartorius: THEY FELL AT MORE THAN 12,000 FEET PER MINUTE.

Narrator: INEXPLICABLY, THE PILOT CONTINUED TO PULL BACK

WHEN HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN PITCHING THE PLANE'S NOSE DOWN.

Learmount: THE MORE YOU RAISE THE NOSE,

THE MORE THE LIFT WILL BE DESTROYED,

AND THAT'S WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO AIR FRANCE 447.

Narrator: BUT WHY DID THE PILOT CONTINUE TO PULL BACK

AND PITCH THE NOSE UP, STALLING THE PLANE?

ONLY THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER CAN REVEAL WHAT WAS GOING ON

IN THE COCKPIT DURING THE STALL.

Controller: AIR FRANCE 447, GO AHEAD.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS HAVE REPAIRED

THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER

AND ARE ABOUT TO FINALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT CAUSED

THE WORST DISASTER IN AIR FRANCE'S HISTORY.

Bonin: DID YOU GET SOME SLEEP?

Robert: SO-SO.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS NOW KNOW MINUTES BEFORE THE CRASH,

THE CAPTAIN LEFT THE COCKPIT FOR HIS BREAK.

Bonin: EXCUSE ME?

Robert: YOU CAN POSSIBLY GO A BIT TO THE LEFT?

Narrator: FIRST OFFICER DAVID ROBERT

HAS RELIEVED THE MORE EXPERIENCED CAPTAIN.

Sartorius: THE CVR ALLOWED US TO UNDERSTAND

WHO WAS PILOTING THE PLANE,

WHO WAS MONITORING THE PARAMETERS.

[CRACKLING]

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS THEN HEAR THAT THE PLANE HITS

A COLUMN OF ICE CRYSTALS IN THE CLOUDS.

THERE IS TURBULENCE,

AND THE ICE CRYSTALS POUND THE PLANE,

BLOCKING THE PITOT TUBES.

Bouillard: AIRSPEED READINGS ARE NO LONGER VALID.

[ALARM BEEPING]

THAT IS THE AUTOPILOT DISCONNECTING.

Learmount: IT WARNS THE PILOTS VERY LOUDLY,

AND IT DEFINITELY WAS A SHOCK TO THESE PILOTS.

AND IT WAS THEIR REACTION, UH, TO THIS WARNING

WHICH WAS THE KEY TO EVERYTHING ELSE THAT FOLLOWED.

Bonin: I HAVE THE CONTROLS.

Narrator: FINALLY, INVESTIGATORS KNOW WHICH PILOT

PUT THE PLANE INTO A STALL.

[ALARM BUZZING]

Robert: WHAT'S THAT?

Bouillard: FIRST OFFICER BONIN IS PULLING BACK

AND STALLING THE PLANE.

Narrator: NEITHER PILOT CAN FIGURE OUT

WHY THE WARNING IS SOUNDING.

Bouillard: OFFICER ROBERT DOESN'T UNDERSTAND

WHAT'S HAPPENING.

Learmount: HE SEES THE AIRPLANE GOING UP,

AND HE SEES THE AIRSPEED DROPPING,

AND, UH, HE SAYS, HEY, WATCH YOUR AIRSPEED.

Robert: WE'VE LOST THE, THE, THE SPEED.

Narrator: THE PILOTS NEED TO PUSH THE PLANE'S NOSE DOWN

TO GAIN SPEED,

BUT BONIN CONTINUES TO PULL BACK, LIFTING THE NOSE.

Bonin: OKAY. OKAY. OKAY. I'M GOING BACK DOWN.

Robert: ACCORDING TO ALL THREE, YOU'RE GOING UP,

SO GO BACK DOWN.

Narrator: THE PILOTS STRUGGLE TO UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION

AND REGAIN CONTROL OVER THEIR PLANE.

Bouillard: THEY'RE DOING EVERYTHING WRONG.

IT SHOULD BE OBVIOUS WHAT TO DO.

Narrator: DESPERATE TO SAVE HIS 216 PASSENGERS,

ROBERT SUMMONS THE CAPTAIN BACK FROM HIS BREAK.

BONIN INCREASES THRUST TO MAXIMUM POWER,

BUT IT'S NO USE.

Robert: DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING?

Bonin: I'M LOSING ALL CONTROL OF THE PLANE.

Sartorius: WHEN THEY GET HERE,

THEY ARE FALLING AT MORE THAN 6,200 FEET PER MINUTE.

Bouillard: SO, THEY STILL HAVE ABOUT TWO MINUTES LEFT

TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING.

Narrator: FIRST OFFICER ROBERT DECIDES TO TAKE CONTROL.

Robert: CONTROLS TO THE LEFT.

Narrator: HE TRIES TO PUSH THE NOSE OF THE PLANE DOWN,

THE KEY STEP FOR RECOVERING FROM A STALL.

BUT BONIN IS STILL PULLING BACK ON HIS CONTROLS.

[SPEAKING FRENCH]

Sartorius: THEY CAN USE THEIR SIDE STICKS AT THE SAME TIME.

IF BOTH GO IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS,

THEY HAVE A TENDENCY TO CANCEL EACH OTHER OUT.

Narrator: 90 SECONDS AFTER THE CRISIS BEGAN,

CAPTAIN MARC DUBOIS RETURNS.

Dubois: WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?

Robert: WE'VE LOST ALL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE.

WE DON'T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING. WE'VE TRIED EVERYTHING.

Learmount: BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T BELIEVING THE SITUATION

THAT THEY WERE NOW IN,

THEY JUST WENT BACK TO BASIC INSTINCT,

WHICH IS "I WANT TO GO UP.

I WANT TO STOP FALLING. LET'S PULL THE NOSE UP."

Robert: WHAT DO YOU THINK? WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO?

Dubois: I DON'T KNOW. IT'S GOING DOWN.

Bouillard: THE CAPTAIN DOESN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME

TO ASSESS THE SITUATION.

Bonin: WE'RE AT 9,000 FEET.

Robert: CLIMB, CLIMB, CLIMB, CLIMB.

Bonin: BUT I'VE BEEN AT MAXIMUM NOSE UP FOR A WHILE.

Narrator: FINALLY DUBOIS UNDERSTANDS.

FIRST OFFICER BONIN IS CAUSING THE STALL

BY PULLING THE NOSE UP.

Dubois: NO, NO, NO, DON'T CLIMB!

Bouillard: BY THE TIME THEY FIGURE IT OUT, IT'S TOO LATE.

Narrator: ROBERT CAN'T GET ENOUGH LIFT

TO RECOVER FROM THE STALL.

AT 2,000 FEET, SENSORS DETECT THE OCEAN'S SURFACE

AND TRIGGER NEW ALARMS.

Bonin: WE'RE GOING TO CRASH.

THIS CAN'T BE TRUE.

BUT WHAT'S HAPPENING?

Narrator: THE AIRCRAFT HITS THE WATER AT 125 MILES AN HOUR.

MORE THAN THREE YEARS AFTER THE ACCIDENT,

INVESTIGATORS ANNOUNCE THAT THE DOWNING OF FLIGHT 447

WAS CAUSED BY THE CREW'S FAILURE

TO UNDERSTAND AND RECTIFY THE SITUATION

AFTER THE PITOT TUBES FROZE.

Nance: WHEN EVERYTHING ELSE GOES AWAY,

IN TERMS OF YOUR ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING,

AND YOU'VE GOT A CHALLENGE, YOU GO BACK TO BASICS.

IF SOMEBODY HAD JUST SAID, YOU KNOW, "TO HECK WITH IT.

BOOM, LET'S PUT THE THROTTLES UP

AND LET'S USE THE SIDE STICK CONTROLLER.

GET OFF OF THAT ONE. I'LL TAKE IT OVER HERE,

AND WE'RE JUST GONNA FLY THROUGH THIS,"

THEY'D STILL BE WITH US.

Narrator: AIR FRANCE BRINGS IN NEW TRAINING PROCEDURES

TO TEACH CREWS HOW TO DEAL WITH UNRELIABLE AIRSPEED

AND HOW TO RECOVER FROM A STALL AT HIGH ALTITUDES.

THIS HELPS TO PREVENT SIMILAR ACCIDENTS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN.

Nance: THE PROGRESS

IN AIR SAFETY HAS BEEN

NOTHING SHORT OF ASTOUNDING.

WE DIDN'T REALIZE WHAT

HUMAN FACTORS WAS ALL ABOUT.

WE DIDN'T REALIZE

ABOUT COMMUNICATIONS,

AND ALL OF THESE THINGS

HAS TAKEN US NOW

TO THE POINT WHERE WE'RE ALMOST AT ZERO.

WE'RE SO CLOSE, WE CAN TASTE IT.