Original subtitles

Narrator: A 737 CRUISING ABOVE THE INDONESIAN JUNGLE

SUDDENLY PLUMMETS FROM THE SKY.

Controller: GERMANWINGS, THIS IS MARSEILLE.

COME IN, PLEASE.

Narrator: AN AIRBUS A320 CRASHES INTO THE FRENCH ALPS.

Man: THAT MUST BE HORRIBLE,

KNOWING THAT THEY WERE GOING TO DIE.

Narrator: MALAYSIA AIRLINES 370

VANISHES OVER THE GULF OF THAILAND.

Man: WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE LOST TRACK OF SOMETHING

AS BIG AS A TRIPLE SEVEN?

Narrator: AT FIRST,

THESE ACCIDENTS MAKE NO SENSE TO INVESTIGATORS.

Man: WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?

Narrator: THE FINDINGS SHOCK THE INDUSTRY.

Man: THE ONLY WAY THAT THIS AIRPLANE

COULD MAINTAIN A NOSE-DOWN ATTITUDE

WAS IF SOMEBODY HAD FLOWN IT INTO THAT POSITION.

Man: HUMAN BEINGS ARE COMPLEX ENTITIES.

YOU'LL HAVE A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF THEM

WHO WILL DO THINGS THAT ARE COMPLETELY OFF-BASE

AND UNEXPECTED AND REPREHENSIBLE.

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: AFTER A ROUTINE TAKEOFF FROM JAKARTA, INDONESIA,

SILK AIR FLIGHT 185 REACHES CRUISING ALTITUDE.

Tsu Way Ming: GOOD AFTERNOON, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

THIS IS YOUR CAPTAIN.

MY NAME IS TSU WAY MING.

ON THE FLIGHT DECK THIS AFTERNOON WITH ME

IS FIRST OFFICER DUNCAN WARD.

Narrator: THE BOEING 737

IS CARRYING 97 PASSENGERS AND 7 CREW

TO THE AIRLINE'S HOME BASE, SINGAPORE.

THE FLIGHT SHOULD TAKE ABOUT 80 MINUTES,

HEADING NORTH OVER THE RAINFORESTS OF SUMATRA

TO SINGAPORE'S

CHANGI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

Tsu: WE'LL BE CRUISING TODAY AT 35,000 FEET.

Peter MacMillan: TSU WAY MING

WAS AN EXPERIENCED SINGAPORE AIR FORCE PILOT.

HE'D BEEN IN THEIR AEROBATIC TEAM.

HE WAS ALWAYS LISTED AS AN ABOVE-AVERAGE PILOT.

Narrator: TODAY'S FIRST OFFICER IS 23-YEAR-OLD DUNCAN WARD.

THE NEW ZEALAND-BORN PILOT HAS BEEN FLYING WITH SILK AIR

FOR A LITTLE MORE THAN A YEAR.

Derek Ward: DUNCAN INITIALLY FOUND FLYING

AT THE AGE OF ABOUT 14.

SUDDENLY HE HAD A PURPOSE IN LIFE.

I THINK THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE IT.

Narrator: THIRTY MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF,

JAKARTA AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL

MAKES ITS LAST SCHEDULED RADIO CALL TO FLIGHT 185.

Controller: SILK AIR 185, MAINTAIN 350.

AT PARDI, CONTACT SINGAPORE 134.4.

Ward: SILK AIR 185, ROGER.

134.4 BEFORE PARDI.

Narrator: MOMENTS LATER, WHILE CRUISING AT 35,000 FEET,

THE PLANE UNEXPECTEDLY BANKS SHARPLY.

[YELLING]

MacMillan: THE CABIN CREW

WERE PROBABLY SERVING LUNCH AT THE TIME

WITH CARTS IN THE AISLES.

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HORRIFIC.

THE AIRCRAFT WOULD HAVE BEEN INVERTED.

ANYTHING UNSECURED WOULD HAVE ENDED UP ON THE CEILING.

[SCREAMING]

Ward: WHAT HAPPENS TO ALL OF THE PEOPLE

WHO MIGHT BE STANDING UP?

TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT BUCKLED IN?

IT DOESN'T BEAR CAREFUL EXAMINATION.

IT'S TOO HORRIBLE.

Narrator: ALL 104 PASSENGERS AND CREW HAVE BEEN KILLED.

THE 737 IS SUBMERGED

BENEATH THE MURKY, MUDDY WATERS OF INDONESIA'S MUSI RIVER.

Ward: IT WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT AS A FATHER WAS SO HORRENDOUS

THAT IT JUST HAS AN ENORMOUS PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECT ON YOU.

[WHIRRING]

Narrator: INDONESIAN INVESTIGATOR SANTOSO SAYOGO

TAKES CHARGE OF THE TEAM

FROM INDONESIA'S NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY COMMITTEE.

Santoso Sayogo: EMPTY THOSE BAGS.

PUT IT WITH THE OTHER BAGS FOR PROCESSING.

Sayogo: WHAT WE DID IS TO GO TO THE CRASH SITE, OBSERVE,

AND THEN RECORD AND PRESERVE ANYTHING THAT WE CAN USE

FOR THE LATER INVESTIGATION.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS NEED TO FIND OUT WHY SILK AIR 185

FELL FROM THE SKY ON A CALM, CLEAR DAY

WITHOUT ANY SIGN OF TROUBLE.

BECAUSE THE 737 IS AMERICAN-MADE,

U.S. AIR ACCIDENT INVESTIGATOR GREG FEITH IS CALLED IN.

Sayogo: IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU.

Greg Feith: ONE OF OUR PRIMARY CONCERNS

WAS TRYING TO GET THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER

AND THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER

BECAUSE THAT WAS REALLY GONNA HELP

IN ESTABLISHING THE COURSE OF THE INVESTIGATION,

WHAT DIRECTIONS, WHAT ELEMENTS

THAT WE REALLY NEEDED TO FOCUS OUR ENERGIES ON.

Narrator: SEARCHING THE MUSI RIVER

FOR THE TWO BLACK BOXES

IS A PHYSICAL ORDEAL.

Feith: THE VISIBILITY IN THE WATER

WAS BASICALLY SIX INCHES IN FRONT OF YOUR FACE.

THEY HAD TO SWIM DOWN AND FEEL ON THE BOTTOM IN THE MUD

WHAT THEY THOUGHT WERE PIECES,

GRAB 'EM, AND BRING 'EM TO THE SURFACE.

Narrator: ON DAY FIVE OF THE INVESTIGATION,

A MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH.

THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER, OR FDR,

IS FINALLY LOCATED IN THE RIVER'S MUCK.

Sayogo: I CAN CONFIRM.

IT IS THE FDR.

SLIGHTLY DAMAGED, BUT IT DOESN'T LOOK TOO BAD.

Feith: WE SENT THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER TO OUR LABORATORIES

AT THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD

BECAUSE THE INDONESIANS DIDN'T HAVE A LAB FACILITY LIKE THAT.

Narrator: WHILE DIVERS CONTINUE DESPERATELY SEARCHING

FOR THE OTHER BLACK BOX,

THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER, OR CVR,

SILK AIR FLIGHT TRAINER PETER MacMILLAN

BEGINS ANALYZING INDONESIAN RADAR RETURNS

AND DISCOVERS THE PLANE TOOK A BIZARRE AND DRAMATIC DIVE.

MacMillan: GOOD LORD.

TAKE A LOOK AT THIS.

Narrator: THE FIRST 35 MINUTES ARE COMPLETELY NORMAL.

BUT THE LAST 30 SECONDS OF THE RADAR PLOT

PAINT A TERRIFYING PICTURE.

MacMillan: THE AIRCRAFT DISAPPEARED FROM RADAR RETURNS

WHEN IT WENT BELOW 20,000 FEET.

BUT WHEN THE AIRCRAFT LEFT 35,000 FEET

TO BELOW 20,000 FEET,

IT GAVE AN APPROXIMATE RATE OF DESCENT

OF OVER 30,000 FEET PER MINUTE.

THE MAXIMUM RATE OF DESCENT IS NORMALLY IN THE ORDER

OF 5, 6, 7,000 FEET PER MINUTE.

SO THIS WAS A DESCENT OF GREAT MAGNITUDE.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS CAN ONLY WONDER

WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE COCKPIT--

SOMETHING ONLY THE CVR, STILL BURIED IN THE MUD,

CAN TELL THEM.

Sayogo: WE ARE NOT VERY OPTIMISTIC

BECAUSE OF THE SITUATIONS AT THAT TIME.

Narrator: THEN, ON THE FINAL DAY OF THE DREDGING OPERATION...

Sayogo: ANYTHING TO REPORT?

Man on radio, garbled: THE RECORDERS ARE FOUND.

Sayogo: SAY AGAIN.

Man on radio: RECORDER FOUND.

MacMillan: THE CVR WAS FOUND UNDER 27 FEET OF MUD

UNDER THE BOTTOM OF THE MUSI RIVER.

IT WAS VERY FORTUNATE.

Narrator: IT WILL TAKE TIME TO EXTRACT THE CVR'S INFORMATION.

IN THE MEANTIME, INVESTIGATORS HAVE RECEIVED

A PRINTOUT OF THE PLANE'S AIRSPEED, ALTITUDE, DIRECTION

AND DOZENS OF OTHER PARAMETERS FROM THE FDR.

Sayogo: WHAT HAPPENED HERE?

THEY TOLD ME THAT THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER

WAS STOPPED IN THE AIR.

Narrator: FOR THE FIRST 34 MINUTES AND 14 SECONDS,

ALL THE FLIGHT PARAMETERS ARE NORMAL.

THEN, THE FDR STOPS WORKING.

AND THEN THE PLANE STARTS TO PLUMMET.

INVESTIGATORS ARE BAFFLED.

MacMillan: READY WHEN YOU ARE.

Narrator: THE MYSTERY ONLY GROWS DEEPER

WHEN INVESTIGATORS LISTEN TO THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER.

Tsu: SOME WATER?

MacMillan: THE LAST NOISE THAT WE HEARD ON THE CVR RECORDING

WAS THE SNAP AS TSU'S SHOULDER HARNESS

HIT THE FLOOR.

Sayogo: AFTER THAT, THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER STOPPED.

THAT'S IT?

Narrator: JUST LIKE THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER,

THE CVR STOPS ABRUPTLY,

BUT SIX MINUTES SOONER THAN THE FDR.

Sayogo: THAT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE.

Feith: SO THE QUESTION WAS, WHY DID THEY STOP?

DID SOMETHING HAPPEN IN THE AIR TO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

THAT CAUSED THE POWER TO SHUT OFF?

Narrator: TO TEST THE PLANE'S POWER SYSTEMS,

TECHNICIANS OVERLOAD THE CVR'S ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT

TO SEE WHAT IT TAKES TO TRIP THE BREAKER.

Technician: OKAY. READY?

ONE, TWO, THREE, OVERLOAD.

[POP]

Narrator: THEY DISCOVER THAT A POWER SURGE

CAN CAUSE A CIRCUIT BREAKER TO POP WITH A DISTINCT SOUND.

Sayogo: WE CAN CLEARLY HEAR THE SIGNATURE VOICE

OF THE CIRCUIT BREAKER POP OUT.

Narrator: BUT WHEN THEY LISTEN TO THE FINAL SECONDS

OF THE SILK AIR RECORDING,

THERE IS NO SIGNATURE SOUND.

Feith: THAT TOLD US

THAT THE ELECTRONIC DEVICE DID NOT FAIL FROM AN OVERLOAD

WHERE YOU GET A SURGE IN POWER

THAT COULD HAVE POPPED THE CIRCUIT BREAKER.

Narrator: IF THERE WAS NO POWER SURGE

AND NO OTHER FAULT WITH THE 737'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,

HOW COULD THE FDR AND CVR FAIL?

INVESTIGATORS FACE A DISTURBING POSSIBILITY.

Sayogo: YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS.

Feith: I DO.

Narrator: THE BLACK BOXES DIDN'T FAIL.

SO WERE THEY TURNED OFF ON PURPOSE?

INVESTIGATORS CONFRONT THE TERRIBLE POSSIBILITY

THAT ONE OF THE PILOTS ON SILK AIR 185

CRASHED THE PLANE.

THEY USE A BOEING FLIGHT SIMULATOR

TO EXAMINE THEIR TROUBLING THEORY.

Sayogo: OKAY.

LET'S INPUT SILK AIR FLIGHT 185.

Feith: WE TOOK THE DATA

THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET FROM THE RADAR INFORMATION,

AND WE FED IT INTO THIS MOTION SIMULATOR

TO TRY AND UNDERSTAND BETTERTHE FLIGHT PATH OF THE AIRPLANE

DURING ITS SPIRALING DESCENT INTO THE MUSI RIVER.

Narrator: THEY TEST MORE THAN 20 DIFFERENT SCENARIOS

AND FIND THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY

TO MAKE A 737 DROP AS STEEPLY AND QUICKLY

AS SILK AIR 185.

Sayogo: THIS TIME, NO FAILURE.

SUSTAIN PILOT INPUT ONLY.

Narrator: IT TAKES AN EXTRAORDINARY EFFORT,

BUT BY ROLLING THE PLANE SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT

AND ACCELERATING TO TOP SPEED,

THE TEST PILOT CAN MATCH THE SILK AIR PROFILE.

Feith: THE ONLY WAY THAT THIS AIRPLANE

COULD MAINTAIN A NOSE-DOWN ATTITUDE

IN A HIGH-SPEED DIVE

WAS IF SOMEBODY HAD FLOWN IT INTO THAT POSITION.

Narrator: IT'S A SHOCKING CONCLUSION.

ONE OF THE PILOTS CRASHED THE PLANE ON PURPOSE,

KILLING EVERYONE ON BOARD.

BUT NOW INVESTIGATORS MUST FIND OUT WHO.

WAS IT THE CAPTAIN OR THE FIRST OFFICER?

Tsu: SOME WATER?

Narrator: THE LAST CONVERSATION ON THE CVR

INDICATES THAT FIRST OFFICER WARD WAS ALONE

SHORTLY BEFORE THE PLANE WENT INTO A DIVE.

Controller: SILK AIR 185, MAINTAIN...

Narrator: FIVE MINUTES LATER, WARD WAS STILL ON HEADSETS.

Ward: SILK AIR 185, ROGER.

134.4, BEFORE PARDI.

Narrator: AND TWO MINUTES AFTER THAT,

THE PLANE FELL INTO A DIVE.

Evan Byrne: TELL ME A BIT ABOUT DUNCAN.

THROUGHOUT OUR INVESTIGATION, WE WERE LOOKING AT BOTH PILOTS,

THEIR PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND, THEIR PERSONAL BACKGROUND,

WHAT ACTIVITIES THEY WERE PERFORMING

IN THE DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.

AND DID HE SEEM AT ALL DEPRESSED IN RECENT WEEKS?

Narrator: THERE'S NOTHING

IN DUNCAN WARD'S PERSONAL OR PROFESSIONAL RECORD

TO RAISE ANY CONCERN.

TSU WAY MING WAS A MARRIED FATHER

OF THREE SCHOOL-AGE BOYS.

Tsu: GOOD AFTERNOON, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

THIS IS YOUR CAPTAIN. MY NAME IS TSU WAY MING.

Narrator: AT SILK AIR,

THE FORMER AIR FORCE TOP GUN WAS ON THE FAST TRACK.

BUT HIS PERSONAL FINANCES WERE A DISASTER.

Byrne: WE LEARNED THAT THE CAPTAIN

WAS UNDER SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL STRESS

ABOUT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

Narrator: THE TROUBLE STEMMED

FROM HIGH-RISK ONLINE SECURITIES TRADING.

OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS,

MING HAD LOST MORE THAN A MILLION DOLLARS.

Byrne: SHORTLY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT,

FOR THE SECOND TIME IN 1997,

CAPTAIN TSU'S TRADING PRIVILEGES IN THE SINGAPORE STOCK MARKET

WAS SUSPENDED BECAUSE OF DEBTS THAT HE'D ACCUMULATED.

Narrator: ON THE MORNING OF THE FLIGHT,

TSU WAY MING HAD PROMISED TO REPAY THE DEBT

AS SOON AS HE GOT BACK TO SINGAPORE.

THOUGH CIRCUMSTANTIAL, INVESTIGATORS ARE CONVINCED

THE EVIDENCE POINTS TO ONLY ONE POSSIBLE SCENARIO:

TSU WAY MING IS RESPONSIBLE

FOR THE MURDER OF 97 PASSENGERS AND 6 CREW.

BUT HOW EXACTLY DID HE MANAGE TO CARRY OUT

SUCH A HORRENDOUS CRIME?

WITHOUT THE CVR,

NO ONE CAN KNOW FOR CERTAIN WHAT HAPPENED ABOARD FLIGHT 185.

BUT INVESTIGATORS HAVE A LIKELY SCENARIO.

Tsu: I'M BACK FOR A WHILE.

FINISH YOUR LUNCH.

Ward: IF HE WAS GOING BACK,

HIS RIGHT HAND WOULD HAVE PROBABLY BEEN WITHIN INCHES

OF THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER CIRCUIT BREAKER.

Ward: SILK AIR 185.

ROGER, 134.4 BEFORE PARDI.

Narrator: MING NEEDS TO GET WARD OUT OF THE COCKPIT.

Tsu: DUNCAN, THERE'S A PROBLEM IN THE GALLEY.

MacMillan: HE COULD EASILY HAVE SAID TO DUNCAN WARD,

THE GIRLS WANT TO SEE YOU IN THE BACK.

THERE MAY BE A LEAKY TAP OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

Ward: ALL THE PERSON REMAINING IN THE COCKPIT HAS TO DO

IS TO LOCK THE DOOR.

[KNOCKING]

Feith: THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER

WAS NO LONGER RECORDING.

THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER WAS NO LONGER RECORDING.

Narrator: SECONDS AFTER DISABLING THE FDR,

MING PUTS THE 737 INTO A HARD RIGHT ROLL.

MacMillan: HE PLACES IT IN AN INVERTED DIVE

APPROXIMATELY 80 DEGREES NOSE DOWN,

AND HE HAD TO USE CONSIDERABLE FORCE ON THE CONTROL COLUMN

TO KEEP IT THERE.

Narrator: DUNCAN WARD HAS NO HOPE OF SAVING THE PLANE.

Ward: I KNOW THAT HE WOULD HAVE DONE WHATEVER HE COULD.

Narrator: IN LESS THAN SIXTY SECONDS,

CAPTAIN TSU WAY MING

TAKES HIS 97 PASSENGERS AND 6 CREW MEMBERS

TO THEIR DEATHS.

Todd Curtis: THE SYSTEMS THAT ARE IN PLACE TO CHOOSE PILOTS

IS A HEAVILY REGULATED SYSTEM.

BUT LIKE ANY SYSTEM INVOLVING HUMAN BEINGS,

ON OCCASION, HUMAN BEINGS SLIP THROUGH THE SYSTEM.

Controller: GERMANWINGS, THIS IS MARSEILLE.

COME IN, PLEASE!

Man: AAH!

Romain Bevillard: WHAT'S GOING ON?

Patrick Sondenheimer: OPEN THIS DAMN DOOR!

Computer: PULL UP.

TOO LOW. TERRAIN.

Narrator: IT'S A SUNNY MORNING AT BARCELONA AIRPORT IN SPAIN.

Sondenheimer: AFTER-START CHECKLIST.

ANTI-ICE.

Andreas Lubitz: ANTI-ICE OFF.

Sondenheimer: RUDDER TRIM.

Lubitz: RUDDER TRIM IS ZERO.

Narrator: THE CREW OF GERMANWINGS FLIGHT 9525

IS PREPARING FOR DEPARTURE.

MOST OF THE 144 PASSENGERS ARE FROM GERMANY AND SPAIN.

ON BOARD THE FLIGHT TO DUSSELDORF

IS A GROUP OF GERMAN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

WHO'VE JUST FINISHED A CULTURAL EXCHANGE.

Flight attendant: SEAT FORWARD, PLEASE.

Boy: MAMA. Maria Radner: YEAH.

Narrator: SINGER MARIA RADNER

IS TRAVELING WITH HER HUSBAND AND YOUNG SON.

THE RISING OPERA STAR

JUST COMPLETED A STRING OF PERFORMANCES IN SPAIN.

[SPEAKING GERMAN]

Klaus Radner, translated: I WAS VERY PROUD OF MARIA.

IT MADE ME SO HAPPY THAT SHE HAD CHOSEN A PROFESSION

THAT SHE TRULY LOVED,

MAKING MUSIC

AND USING HER BEAUTIFUL VOICE TO BRING PEOPLE JOY.

[SPEAKING GERMAN]

Sondenheimer: FLIGHT ATTENDANTS,

PLEASE TAKE YOUR SEATS FOR TAKEOFF.

Narrator: CAPTAIN PATRICK SONDENHEIMER

IS A FORMER LUFTHANSA FIRST OFFICER

WHO RECENTLY TRANSFERRED TO GERMANWINGS.

Sondenheimer: YOU HAVE CONTROL?

Lubitz: I HAVE CONTROL.

Narrator: FIRST OFFICER ANDREAS LUBITZ,

WHO HAS BEEN WITH THE AIRLINE FOR JUST OVER A YEAR,

WILL HANDLE THE FLYING.

Hans Peter Graf: AS A CO-PILOT,

YOU'RE LEARNING EVERY HOUR, EVERY DAY ON EVERY FLIGHT.

Sondenheimer: V-1.

ROTATE.

Narrator: JUST AFTER 10 A.M.,

GERMANWINGS FLIGHT 9525 GETS AIRBORNE.

Lubitz: AUTOPILOT ON?

Sondenheimer: AUTOPILOT ON.

Narrator: THE PLANE IS BOUND FOR DUSSELDORF,

FLYING NORTHEAST OVER THE GULF OF LION

TOWARD THE FRENCH ALPS.

IT SHOULD LAND IN JUST OVER TWO HOURS.

27 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT,

THE PLANE REACHES ITS CRUISING ALTITUDE OF 38,000 FEET.

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL IN MARSEILLE

TRACKS THE PLANE AS IT CROSSES FRANCE.

Controller: GOOD MORNING, GERMANWINGS, DIRECT TO IRMAR.

Narrator: FOUR MINUTES LATER, THE CONTROLLER IN MARSEILLE

NOTICES FLIGHT 9525 IS DROPPING STEADILY.

IN JUST MINUTES, IT'S LOST 10,000 FEET.

Controller: GERMANWINGS, THIS IS MARSEILLE.

COME IN, PLEASE.

WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM HERE.

GERMANWINGS UNRESPONSIVE, DESCENDING RAPIDLY.

GERMANWINGS, COME IN. DO YOU READ ME?

Maria Radner: ARE WE LANDING ALREADY?

Flight attendant: IT SEEMS ODD.

WE SHOULDN'T BE.

Narrator: THE CONTROL CENTER IS NOW IN EMERGENCY MODE.

Controller: GERMANWINGS, THIS IS MARSEILLE.

COME IN, PLEASE.

Narrator: THE AIRBUS IS HURTLING DOWNWARDS

AT MAXIMUM OPERATING SPEED,

AN ASTONISHING 350 KNOTS.

Controller: GERMANWINGS, COME IN!

Narrator: THE PLANE HAS DROPPED BELOW 7,000 FEET.

[ALARM BEEPING]

Computer: PULL UP.

TOO LOW. TERRAIN.

Controller: WE'VE LOST CONTACT.

[SCREAMING]

Nicola Clark: THE FIRST HELICOPTERS

THAT FLEW OVER THE SITE

FOUND JUST SORT OF AN AIRCRAFT OBLITERATED

AND, YOU KNOW, JUST SHATTERED INTO SMALL BITS AND PIECES.

IT WAS PRETTY IMMEDIATE THAT THEY CONCLUDED

THAT THERE COULDN'T POSSIBLY HAVE BEEN ANY SURVIVORS.

Narrator: AMONG THE DEAD,

MARIA RADNER AND HER YOUNG FAMILY.

Klaus Radner, translated: YOU'RE OVERWHELMED BY IT.

YOU CANNOT THINK ABOUT ANYTHING

OTHER THAN THE DEATH OF YOUR CHILDREN.

Narrator: IT'S THE WORST AIR DISASTER

ON FRENCH SOIL IN MORE THAN THREE DECADES.

FRANCE'S ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION AGENCY, THE BEA,

COMBS THE SITE FOR THE BLACK BOXES.

AT THE SAME TIME,

INVESTIGATORS TURN TO THE RADAR DATA.

Bevillard: LET'S SEE HOW THIS PLANE WAS FLYING.

Narrator: THEY STUDY THE FLIGHT PATH,

NOTING ALTITUDE, TIME, AND DIRECTION.

WHAT THEY FIND IS A STRAIGHT CONTROLLED PATH DOWNWARDS.

Bevillard: COMPLETELY UNDER CONTROL

RIGHT UP UNTIL THE END.

HAVE WE GOT THROUGH TO MAINTENANCE YET?

Narrator: THEY WONDER IF A MECHANICAL FAILURE

MIGHT BE TO BLAME,

SOMETHING THE CREW COULD NOT CONTROL.

ONE THEORY FITS THE STRANGE FLIGHT PATH--

LOSS OF CABIN PRESSURE.

Controller: WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM HERE.

GERMANWINGS UNRESPONSIVE, DESCENDING RAPIDLY.

Graf: WHEN THE AIRPLANE DEPRESSURIZES

AND THE PILOTS DO NOT GET ENOUGH OXYGEN,

THEY WILL SUFFER FROM HYPOXIA.

IN OTHER WORDS, THEY WILL LOSE CONSCIOUSNESS

IN A VERY SHORT TIME DEPENDINGON THE ALTITUDE OF THE AIRPLANE.

AT FLIGHT LEVEL 380,

THEY WILL LOSE CONSCIOUSNESS WITHIN ABOUT 10 TO 15 SECONDS.

Controller: GERMANWINGS, COME IN!

Narrator: HYPOXIA WOULD EXPLAIN THE RADIO SILENCE.

Arnaud Desjardin: WE FOUND IT.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS WILL BE ABLE TO TEST THAT THEORY

BECAUSE AT LAST,

SEARCHERS HAVE FOUND THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER.

Bevillard: ARE WE READY?

THE CAPTAIN IS MIC ONE.

FIRST OFFICER IS MIC TWO.

Sondenheimer: 80 KNOTS.

Lubitz: CROSS CHECKED.

Sondenheimer: V-1. ROTATE.

Narrator: THE TAKEOFF SHOWS NO HINT OF ANY TROUBLE.

THEN THE CAPTAIN LEAVES THE COCKPIT FOR A BREAK.

Bevillard: YOU CAN HEAR NOISES

OF A PERSON GOING OUT OF THE COCKPIT.

AND FROM THIS POINT, THE COCKPIT GETS VERY QUIET.

Narrator: MOMENTS LATER, THE PLANE STARTS DESCENDING.

THE COCKPIT MICROPHONE

PICKS UP THE SOUND OF THE FIRST OFFICER BREATHING,

EVIDENCE THAT THE PLANE DID NOT SUFFER A FATAL DEPRESSURIZATION.

[BREATHING]

Controller: GERMANWINGS, THIS IS MARSEILLE.

COME IN, PLEASE.

Bevillard: HE'S NOT STARVED FOR OXYGEN.

NO LOSS OF CABIN PRESSURE.

WHY ISN'T HE ANSWERING ATC?

[BEEPING]

Narrator: TO UNLOCK THE DOOR,

THE FIRST OFFICER NEEDS TO FLICK A SWITCH.

[KNOCKING]

BUT THERE'S NO RESPONSE FROM LUBITZ.

Bevillard: WHY ISN'T HE UNLOCKING THE DOOR?

[POUNDING]

Sondenheimer: LUBITZ.

Narrator: THE PLANE IS NOW WELL INTO ITS DESCENT,

SPEEDING TOWARDS THE ALPS.

[BANGING]

THE SOUND OF THE BANGING GROWS LOUDER AND LOUDER.

Bevillard: HEARING THE BANGING ON THE DOOR IS,

IS QUITE DISTURBING

BECAUSE, UH, IT'S NOT WHAT YOU'RE USED TO LISTENING TO

WHEN YOU LISTEN TO CVRs.

Computer: PULL UP.

TOO LOW. TERRAIN.

TOO LOW.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS ARE FORCED TO CONSIDER

THE UNTHINKABLE.

Bevillard: PULL EVERYTHING WE'VE GOT ON LUBITZ.

I WONDER IF YOU HAD JUST A FEW MOMENTS

TO TALK ABOUT YOUR COLLEAGUE, MR. ANDREAS LUBITZ.

IS THERE A BETTER TIME THAT I CAN CALL?

Narrator: THE BEA'S JOB NOW

IS TO FIND OUT WHY A 27-YEAR-OLD PILOT

WITH A BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD OF HIM

WOULD LOCK HIS CAPTAIN OUT OF THE COCKPIT

AND DELIBERATELY CRASH THE PLANE.

POLICE SEARCH LUBITZ'S APARTMENT FOR CLUES.

Bevillard: OKAY.

LET'S SEE WHAT WE'VE GOT.

Narrator: THEY GO BACK SEVEN YEARS

TO LUBITZ'S BASIC TRAINING.

Bevillard: JUST TWO MONTHS INTO TRAINING HE BROKE IT OFF.

HE DIDN'T RETURN FOR NINE MONTHS.

IT WAS FOR MEDICAL REASONS.

DEPRESSION.

Narrator: THE RECORDS REVEAL

THAT LUBITZ SUFFERED SUCH A SEVERE DEPRESSION

HE WAS HOSPITALIZED.

Clark: TREATMENT INCLUDED ANTI-DEPRESSANT DRUGS,

PSYCHOTHERAPY,

AND IT EMERGED AS WELL

THAT HE HAD ACTUALLY HAD SUICIDAL THOUGHTS.

Narrator: HE LATER APPLIED TO RESUME HIS TRAINING

BUT NEEDED A NEW MEDICAL CERTIFICATE.

Bevillard: HE WAS STILL ON ANTI-DEPRESSANTS IN EARLY 2009.

HE HAD TO PROVIDE A DOCTOR'S NOTE.

Narrator: LUBITZ GOT THE CLEARANCE FROM HIS PSYCHIATRIST.

Clark: HE HAD A CERTIFICATION FROM HIS TREATING DOCTOR

THAT SAID THAT HE WAS FULLY RECOVERED.

Narrator: LUBITZ RECEIVED REGULAR MEDICAL EXAMS

FROM COMPANY DOCTORS.

HIS LAST CHECK-UP WAS SEVEN MONTHS BEFORE THE CRASH.

Desjardin: THE MEDICAL EXAMINERSTHAT SAW HIM

ALL THOUGHT HE WAS FIT TO FLY,

AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, HE FLEW SAFELY FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

Narrator: BUT DIGGING DEEPER INTO LUBITZ'S RECORDS,

INVESTIGATORS LEARN THAT IN THE MONTHS LEADING UP TO THE CRASH

HE SEEMED TO TAKE A TURN FOR THE WORSE.

Robert Bor: HE WAS CONVINCED

THAT PERHAPS HE WAS LOSING HIS EYESIGHT,

AND YET NOTHING WAS FOUND THAT WAS ABNORMAL ABOUT HIS EYESIGHT.

HE WAS BECOMING INCREASINGLY FRIGHTENED

TO THE POINT OF DESPERATION

THAT HIS CAREER WAS GOING TO BE DISRUPTED.

Clark: HE SAW SOMETHING LIKE 41 DIFFERENT DOCTORS,

COMPLAINING OF THE SAME SYMPTOMS AND SAME ISSUES.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS UNCOVER EVEN MORE DISTURBING EVIDENCE

IN LUBITZ'S APARTMENT.

Bevillard: WHAT HAVE WE GOT HERE?

Narrator: A RECENT DOCTOR'S NOTE

ADVISING THE DISTURBED PILOT NOT TO FLY.

Bevillard: THIS NOTE WAS ISSUED JUST DAYS BEFORE THE CRASH.

Bor: SOME OF HIS TREATING PHYSICIANS

HAD RECOMMENDED THAT HE STOP FLYING,

PERHAPS ENTER A HOSPITAL, A PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL.

Narrator: LUBITZ CONSULTED DOZENS OF DOCTORS.

WHY DID NONE OF THEM CONTACT THE AIRLINE

TO RAISE THE ALARM ABOUT THE PILOT'S SPIRALING MENTAL STATE?

Clark: IN THE GERMAN SYSTEM,

DOCTORS CAN POTENTIALLY FACE PROSECUTION

IF THEY BREACH THEIR PATIENT'S MEDICAL CONFIDENTIALITY.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS MAY HAVE MAPPED OUT

LUBITZ'S PSYCHOLOGICAL COLLAPSE.

BUT WHAT EXACTLY WAS GOING ON IN THE COCKPIT

RIGHT BEFORE THE IMPACT?

INVESTIGATORS NEED THE SECOND BLACK BOX,

THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER,

TO CRACK THE MYSTERY.

AFTER A TEN-DAY SEARCH,

IT IS FINALLY RECOVERED FROM THE CRASH SITE.

INVESTIGATORS HOPE THE FDR

CAN PAINT A PICTURE OF WHAT THE FIRST OFFICER WAS DOING

IN THE FINAL MOMENTS OF THE FLIGHT.

Desjardin: 100 FEET.

RIGHT AFTER THE CAPTAIN LEFT,

HE SET THE ALTITUDE TO 100 FEET.

Narrator: ALONE IN THE COCKPIT,

LUBITZ DROPS THE ALTITUDE TO ITS LOWEST SETTING

AND CRANKS THE SPEED DIAL SEVERAL TIMES

UNTIL IT REACHES MAXIMUM OPERATING SPEED.

Desjardin: HE WAS CONSCIOUS TO THE VERY END.

HE WAS ACTIVELY CONTROLLING THE PLANE.

Sondenheimer: OPEN THE DOOR!

IT'S LOCKED.

SOMETHING'S WRONG.

[POUNDING]

OPEN THE DOOR!

LUBITZ, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

LET ME IN.

Narrator: THE CAPTAIN CAN SEE

HOW DANGEROUSLY LOW THE PLANE IS FLYING.

Sondenheimer: OPEN THE DOOR!

LUBITZ!

GET ME THE CRASH AXE.

OPEN THE DOOR!

COME ON!

OPEN THE DAMN DOOR!

COME ON.

Graf: THE CAPTAIN WAS OF COURSE DESPERATE

TO GET INTO THE COCKPIT,

AND HE KNEW THAT THIS, THIS END WAS CONTINUING.

Sondenheimer: OPEN THIS DAMN DOOR!

Graf: THE CABIN CREW WAS WATCHING THEM.

THAT MUST BE HORRIBLE FOR THEM,

KNOWING THAT THEY WERE GOING TO DIE.

Controller: GERMANWINGS, COME IN.

DO YOU READ ME?

[PASSENGERS YELLING]

♪

Graf: HE WANTED TO DO THAT ON PURPOSE,

AND HE HAD PLANNED IT, TO NOT ONLY KILL HIMSELF,

BUT 149 OTHER PEOPLE WITH HIM.

Maria Radner: I LOVE YOU.

Klaus Radner: EVERY NIGHT WHEN I GO TO SLEEP,

I SEE A PICTURE IN FRONT OF MY EYES.

THE THREE OF THEM ARE CRASHING INTO A MOUNTAIN.

THIS IMAGE NEVER GOES AWAY.

[SPEAKING GERMAN]

Narrator: THE CRASH OF FLIGHT 9525

RAISES HARD QUESTIONS

ABOUT THE SANCTITY OF DOCTOR-PATIENT CONFIDENTIALITY

AND WHETHER DOCTORS SHOULD ALERT AIRLINES WHEN NECESSARY.

THE ISSUE REMAINS UNRESOLVED.

Curtis: IT'S IMPORTANT, VITALLY IMPORTANT

FOR THE INVESTIGATIVE TEAM OF ANY ACCIDENT

TO RULE NOTHING IN OR RULE NOTHING OUT

UNTIL THE EVIDENCE POINTS IN A PARTICULAR DIRECTION.

Controller: MALAYSIA 370, DO YOU COPY?

Narrator: WHEN MALAYSIAN AIRLINES FLIGHT 370

VANISHES OVER THE GULF OF THAILAND...

Nance: WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE LOST TRACK OF SOMETHING

AS BIG AS A TRIPLE SEVEN?

Narrator: ...THE INVESTIGATION LEADS TO A CHILLING THEORY.

♪

Narrator: KUALA LUMPUR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, MALAYSIA.

MALAYSIA AIRLINES FLIGHT 370IS COMPLETING FINAL PREPARATIONS

FOR A NIGHT FLIGHT TO BEIJING.

Flight attendant: WOULD YOU FASTEN

YOUR SEATBELT NOW, PLEASE?

Narrator: 227 PASSENGERS ARE ON BOARD.

Fariq Abdul Hamid: FUEL PUMPS?

Narrator: IN THE COCKPIT...

Zaharie Ahmad Shah: CHECK.

Narrator: CAPTAIN ZAHARIE AHMAD SHAH IS IN COMMAND,

AN EXPERIENCED PILOT WHO'S BEEN WITH THE AIRLINE FOR 33 YEARS.

Hamid: FLAPS SET.

Narrator: FIRST OFFICER FARIQ ABDUL HAMID

IS FLYING A BOEING TRIPLE-SEVEN

WITHOUT AN INSTRUCTOR FOR THE FIRST TIME.

Hamid: BEFORE-TAKEOFF CHECKLIST COMPLETE.

WE'RE READY TO GO, CAPTAIN.

Shah: GOOD.

Controller: MALAYSIA 370, RUNWAY 3-2 RIGHT,

YOU ARE CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF.

Narrator: MALAYSIA 370'S FLIGHT PATH

WILL FOLLOW THE AIR CORRIDOR

THAT RUNS NORTHEAST OVER THE GULF OF THAILAND

BEFORE CONTINUING ON TO BEIJING.

THE TRIP TAKES ABOUT SIX HOURS.

Hamid: MALAYSIA 370, MAINTAINING LEVEL 350.

Narrator: TWENTY MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF,

THEY REACH CRUISING ALTITUDE,

35,000 FEET.

Nance: WHEN YOU GET A BIG JET UP TO ALTITUDE

AND YOU'VE GOT HER ON AUTOPILOT,YOU'VE LEVELED OFF,

YOU'VE RUN YOUR CRUISE CHECKLIST,

IT REALLY IS TIME NOW TO KIND OF THROW THE STRAPS OFF

AND RELAX A LITTLE BIT.

Narrator: AS THE PLANE CROSSES THE GULF OF THAILAND,

CONTROLLERS IN VIETNAM WILL TAKE OVER FROM CONTROLLERS

IN MALAYSIAN AIRSPACE.

THE CONTROLLER IN KUALA LUMPUR

MAKES ONE LAST TRANSMISSION AT 1:19 A.M.

Controller: 370, CONTACT HO CHI MINH 1-2-0 DECIMAL 9.

GOOD NIGHT.

Shah: GOOD NIGHT. MALAYSIAN 370.

Narrator: THE CREW IS EXPECTED

TO CONTACT VIETNAMESE CONTROLLERS

IN LESS THAN ONE MINUTE.

BUT 19 MINUTES GO BY,

AND STILL NO WORD FROM FLIGHT 370.

Controller: MALAYSIA 370...

Narrator: CONTROLLERS IN VIETNAM AND MALAYSIA

TRY DESPERATELY TO REACH THE PLANE.

Controller: MALAYSIA 370, DO YOU COPY?

Narrator: THERE'S NO RESPONSE FROM THE COCKPIT

AND NO SIGN OF THE PLANE ON RADAR.

FLIGHT 370 HAS VANISHED WITHOUT A TRACE.

Man: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE MEDIA,

WE ARE DEEPLY SADDENED THIS MORNING

WITH THE NEWS ON MH-370.

Narrator: STUNNED FAMILY MEMBERS DEMAND ANSWERS FROM THE AIRLINE,

BUT FOR NOW, THE AIRLINE DOESN'T HAVE ANY.

FLIGHT 370 SEEMS TO HAVE JUST VANISHED INTO THIN AIR.

MALAYSIAN AUTHORITIES LAUNCH A MASSIVE SEARCH.

AUSTRALIA, THE U.S., AND CHINA JOIN THE HUNT.

THERE'S NO SIGN OF ANY WRECKAGE.

Man: GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

Narrator: BUT THREE DAYS AFTER THE PLANE'S DISAPPEARANCE,

THE MALAYSIAN MILITARY RELEASE THEIR RADAR DATA.

IT APPEARS THAT THREE MINUTES AFTER ITS LAST RADIO CALL,

FLIGHT 370 INEXPLICABLY MADE A SHARP TURN OFF-COURSE.

IT'S A STARTLING DEVELOPMENT

THAT FUELS A HOST OF THEORIES.

Nance: THE MOMENT THAT IT APPEARED

THAT THERE WAS A SHADOWY TRACE

OF THIS AIRPLANE MAKING A LEFT TURN

IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE LAST RADIO CALL

WITH AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL,

THE POSSIBILITY OF HIJACK JUMPS INTO YOUR FACE.

Hijacker: FLY THIS PLANE TO AUSTRALIA NOW!

Narrator: CREWS HAVE A NUMBER OF WAYS

TO SEND OUT A DISTRESS SIGNAL.

BUT AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS NEVER RECEIVED

ANY EMERGENCY CALL FROM FLIGHT 370.

FOR THE SAME REASON,

AN ONBOARD FIRE ALMOST CERTAINLY DID NOT HAPPEN.

[ALARM RINGING]

[COUGHING]

Nance: THE MAIN PROBLEM WITH THE FIRE SCENARIO

NOT SEEMING LIKELY TO ME

IS, THE NUMBER ONE THING, IS THAT THERE WAS NO RADIO CALL.

[ALARM SOUNDS]

Narrator: WITH AN ONBOARD EMERGENCY UNLIKELY,

AUTHORITIES FOCUS ON A DISTURBING LEAD.

Controller: 1-2-0 DECIMAL 9.

GOOD NIGHT.

Shah: GOOD NIGHT. MALAYSIAN 370.

Narrator: TWO MINUTES AFTER THE LAST VOICE COMMUNICATION

FROM THE COCKPIT,

FLIGHT 370'S TRANSPONDER CUTS OUT.

TRANSPONDERS TRANSMIT INFORMATION

LIKE FLIGHT NUMBER AND POSITION

TO CONTROLLERS ON THE GROUND.

EVEN MORE TROUBLING,

A FEW MINUTES AFTER THE TRANSPONDER CUTS OUT,

THE SIGNAL FROM THE ACARS SYSTEM ALSO SWITCHES OFF.

ACARS,

AIRCRAFT COMMUNICATIONS ADDRESSING AND REPORTING SYSTEM,

USES SATELLITES TO TRANSMIT TECHNICAL INFORMATION

BETWEEN THE GROUND AND THE AIRCRAFT IN FLIGHT

BUT DOES NOT PROVIDE CONSTANT LOCATION DATA.

Nance: TURNING OFF THE TRANSPONDER

IS EXTREMELY STRAIGHTFORWARD, EXTREMELY SIMPLE,

EVEN ON A SOPHISTICATED JET LIKE THE TRIPLE-SEVEN.

TURNING OFF AN ACARS IS NOT SO SIMPLE.

IT TAKES A LOT OF KNOWLEDGE.

Malcolm Brenner: THE ONLY PURPOSE OF THESE SYSTEMS

IS TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE GROUND,

AND THERE'S NO OBVIOUS ELECTRICAL CONNECTION

WHY BOTH WOULD BE GOING OUT OTHER THAN A HUMAN INVOLVEMENT.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS ARE FACED WITH A TERRIBLE QUESTION.

WAS ALL CONTACT FROM FLIGHT 370 CUT OFF INTENTIONALLY?

EXPERTS SUSPECT THAT SOMEONE ON BOARD FLIGHT 370

TURNED OFF THE PLANE'S TRANSPONDER AND ACARS SYSTEM,

WHICH TRANSMITS TECHNICAL INFORMATION

BETWEEN THE GROUND AND THE AIRCRAFT.

AND THEN THE INVESTIGATION TAKES ANOTHER DISTURBING TURN.

IN LONDON, INMARSAT,

THE COMPANY THAT RUNS THE ACARS SATELLITE NETWORK,

MAKES A STARTLING DISCOVERY.

EVEN AFTER THE PLANE DISAPPEARED FROM RADAR

AND ITS TRANSPONDER WAS SHUT OFF,

ITS ACARS COMPUTER CONTINUED TO ANSWER AUTOMATED PINGS

FROM A GROUND STATION EVERY HOUR UNTIL 8:19 A.M.

Chris McLaughlin: IT'S DONE THROUGH AN INVISIBLE HANDSHAKE

OR PING, UH, BETWEEN THE NETWORKAND THE UNIT ITSELF.

THE AIRCRAFT WAS CONTINUING TO SIGNAL A REQUEST FOR SERVICE,

NOT FOR MINUTES UP TO THE LOSS

BUT FOR OVER SEVEN HOURS

AFTER IT HAD DISAPPEARED FROM THE RADAR SYSTEM.

Narrator: IT'S A SHOCKING DISCOVERY.

FLIGHT 370 DID NOT CRASH IN THE GULF OF THAILAND

BUT WAS IN THE AIR FOR ANOTHER SEVEN HOURS.

Narrator: SUDDENLY, A SEARCH AREA

FOCUSED AROUND THE SOUTH CHINA SEA

COULD NOW SPRAWL FROM THE INDIAN OCEAN

TO THE SOUTH PACIFIC.

WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN HAPPENING ON BOARD ALL THAT TIME?

Nance: WE NOW KNOW THAT IT WENT IN A CERTAIN DIRECTION.

WE KNOW THAT IT WENT THOUSANDS OF MILES OUT THERE.

IT FLEW FOR HOURS.

WHETHER ANYBODY WAS ALIVE OR NOT, WE DON'T KNOW.

Narrator: FURTHER INVESTIGATION

SHOWS THAT AFTER THE LAST RADIO CALL

AND FIRST TURN OFF COURSE,

THE PLANE MADE ANOTHER TWO TURNS IN THE NEXT 90 MINUTES,

TAKING THE PLANE WEST AND THEN SOUTH.

THOSE TURNS STRONGLY SUGGEST SOMEONE IN THE COCKPIT

DELIBERATELY FLEW THE PLANE OFF COURSE.

Brenner: SO THE APPEARANCE IS

THAT THIS IS A CAREFULLY THOUGHT-OUT EFFORT

TO EVADE DETECTION.

Nance: IN MY MIND, SOMEBODY DID THIS,

AND IT WAS A PILOT.

WHETHER IT WAS ONE OF THE TWO INDIVIDUALS UP FRONT

WHO WERE CHARGED WITH KEEPING THAT PLANE SAFE

OR WHETHER IT WAS SOMEBODY ELSE, WE DO NOT KNOW.

Hamid: FLAPS SET.

Nance: BETWEEN THE TWO PILOTS,

THE CAPTAIN AND THE FIRST OFFICER,

THE FIRST OFFICER WAS AN EXUBERANT

BRAND-NEW YOUNG PILOT

WHO WAS JUST GETTING READY TO GET MARRIED.

THERE ARE ABSOLUTELY NO EARMARKS THAT WOULD BE CONSISTENT

WITH EITHER A RELIGIOUS ZEALOT

OR SOMEBODY WHO WANTS TO END HIS LIFE,

LET ALONE THAT OF EVERYBODY ELSE ABOARD.

Narrator: IF THE FIRST OFFICER IS CLEARED OF SUSPICION,

THE CAPTAIN BECOMES THE PRIME SUSPECT.

Shah: COULD YOU GRAB ME A COFFEE WHILE I FINISH CHECKING THIS?

Hamid: YES, CAPTAIN.

Brenner: THE CAPTAIN OF THE FLIGHT HAS AN AUTHORITY.

HE IS THE PILOT IN COMMAND OF THE FLIGHT.

HE CAN DIRECT THE FIRST OFFICER TO GO BACK TO THE CABIN

FOR VARIOUS REASONS,

WHEREAS THE FIRST OFFICER CANNOT.

Hamid: BE RIGHT BACK.

Shah: THANKS.

Hamid: CAN I GET A COFFEE FOR THE CAPTAIN?

Narrator: ALONE IN THE COCKPIT,

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SIMPLE TO SWITCH OFF THE TRANSPONDER

AND CHANGE COURSE

TOWARDS AN AREA WITH LITTLE RADAR COVERAGE.

IF THE CAPTAIN OF FLIGHT 370 TOOK CONTROL OF THE COCKPIT

AND HIJACKED HIS OWN PLANE...

Hamid: CAPTAIN? [KNOCKING]

OPEN THE DOOR.

Narrator: ...THE CREW WOULD HAVE BEEN POWERLESS TO STOP HIM.

[KNOCKING]

Nance: AS FAR AS COMMUNICATION ON AN EMERGENCY BASIS

FROM THE CABIN CREW TO THE GROUND,

UH, YOU'RE ALMOST ALWAYS GOING TO BE UNSUCCESSFUL

WITH A CELL PHONE.

Hamid: HEY. CAPTAIN, OPEN UP IN THERE.

Nance: AND THERE REALLY IS NO METHOD

OF JUST PICKING UP THE PHONE,

BYPASSING THE COCKPIT AND CALLING THE GROUND.

YOU'RE PRETTY MUCH ALONG FOR THE RIDE.

Narrator: AND THE CAPTAIN HAS A POTENTIALLY DEADLY WEAPON

AT HIS COMMAND.

Hamid: CAPTAIN. OPEN THE DOOR.

Narrator: HE CAN CONTROL THE FLOW OF AIR INTO THE CABIN.

[HISS]

[KNOCKING] Hamid: CAPTAIN!

Brenner: THE MALAYSIAN FLIGHT WAS FLYING AT 35,000 FEET.

THIS IS HIGHER THAN MOUNT EVEREST,

AND WITHOUT OXYGEN

YOU CAN EXPECT 30 TO 60 SECONDS OF USEFUL CONSCIOUSNESS.

Flight attendant: PUT ON YOUR MASK.

PUT ON YOUR MASK.

Narrator: A LOSS OF OXYGEN IN THE CABIN

WOULD HAVE TRIGGERED THE RELEASE OF OXYGEN MASKS.

BUT PASSENGERS WOULD HAVE RUN OUT OF OXYGEN

IN ABOUT TWELVE MINUTES.

WITH THE CREW AND PASSENGERS SUBDUED,

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A SIMPLE TASK

FOR THE CAPTAIN TO FLY FLIGHT 370 INTO THE NIGHT,

POSSIBLY NEVER TO BE FOUND.

Brenner: THE WHOLE WORLD HAS AN INTEREST

IN WHAT HAPPENED HERE

AND FINDING OUT WHAT HAPPENED

SO WE CAN START TO PREVENT IT

AND SEE THAT IT NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN.

Narrator: THIS DISAPPEARANCE REMAINS

ONE OF THE GREATEST AVIATION MYSTERIES OF ALL TIME.

Brenner: THERE ARE SIX ACCIDENTS

OVER THE LAST 40 YEARS AROUND THE WORLD

THAT HAVE ASPECTS OF A DELIBERATE ACTION.

Narrator: COMPARED TO THE NUMBER OF SUICIDES

IN THE GENERAL POPULATION,

SUICIDAL PILOTS

ARE STATISTICALLY ALMOST NON-EXISTENT.

BUT EVERY NOW AND AGAIN,

THESE PILOTS EMERGE FROM OBSCURITY

TO INFLICT THEIR HORRIFIC PLANS ON INNOCENT PASSENGERS.

ALL THE INDUSTRY CAN DO IS REMAIN AS VIGILANT AS POSSIBLE.

Miller: SUICIDE IS SO RARE.

IT DOES HAPPEN,

AND ONCE IT HAPPENS,

THE INDUSTRY TRIES TO LEARN FROM IT

AND BRING IN MORE SCRUTINY OF INDIVIDUALS' PERFORMANCE,

BOTH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL,

TO TRY AND SEE THOSE WARNING SIGNS

AS QUICKLY AS THEY CAN AND DEAL WITH THEM.