Original subtitles

Man: OH, GOD!

Narrator: PASSENGERS FIGHT FOR THEIR LIVES

INSIDE A BURNING PLANE AT DALLAS/FORT WORTH AIRPORT.

Pilot: HEY, HEY, WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE?

Narrator: A BRAND NEW L-1011 CRASHES IN A REMOTE SWAMP

IN THE FLORIDA EVERGLADES.

Man: ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE.

Automation: TERRAIN, TERRAIN.

Pilot: WHY IS THAT GOING OFF?

Narrator: AND A SUKHOI SUPERJET 100

SLAMS INTO A MOUNTAIN SOUTH OF JAKARTA.

Man: WHY WAS THE PLANE SO FAR OFF COURSE?

Narrator: THREE DEVASTATING DISASTERS.

INVESTIGATORS ARE BAFFLED BY THE EVIDENCE THEY UNCOVER.

Man: TAKE A LOOK AT THIS!

REALLY GROUND DOWN.

Woman: GENTLEMEN, HOW'S IT GOING IN HERE?

Man: IS THAT THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT?

AND WHAT IS SHE DOING IN THERE NOW?

Man: WE WERE AMAZED AT THE LACK OF DISCIPLINE IN THE COCKPIT.

Captain: GET DOWN THERE AND SEE IF THAT DAMN THING...

Officer: IT WON'T COME OUT, BOB.

Narrator: ALL THREE CRASHES TRIGGERED BY AN IDENTICAL CAUSE:

A FATAL DISTRACTION.

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: IT'S ANOTHER HECTIC MORNING

AT DALLAS/FORT WORTH INTERNATIONAL,

THE THIRD BUSIEST AIRPORT IN AMERICA.

Controller: 1056, FLY HEADING ONE-EIGHT-FIVE,

RUNWAY ONE-EIGHT-LEFT, CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF.

Narrator: CONTROLLERS HERE HANDLE MORE THAN 670,000

TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS EVERY YEAR.

Controller: 1141, PUSH OFF OF 15.

LET'S GO TAIL STRAIGHT BACK, PREPARE TO TAXI.

CALL ME WHEN YOU'RE READY.

Wilson Kirkland: OKAY.

Larry Davis: BRAKES OFF AND TAIL STRAIGHT BACK.

Kirkland: ROGER.

Narrator: THE PILOTS OF DELTA AIRLINES FLIGHT 1141

PREPARE THEIR BOEING 727 FOR A FLIGHT TO SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

Crewmember: CLEAR TO START ENGINES.

Steven Judd: BEACON? Kirkland: IT'S ON.

Judd: PARKING BRAKE? Kirkland: IT'S OFF.

Narrator: CAPTAIN LARRY DAVIS

AND FIRST OFFICER WILSON KIRKLAND

ARE BOTH VETERAN DELTA PILOTS.

Judd: START VALVE CLOSED?

Narrator: FLIGHT ENGINEER STEVEN JUDD

IS THE NEWEST MEMBER OF THE TEAM.

Controller: DELTA 1141, GIVE ME A RIGHT TURN,

BRING IT BETWEEN SOUTH RAMP AND 30, HOLD SHORT OF INNER.

Kirkland: 1141, ROGER.

Paul Verheyden: EXCUSE ME. CAN I HAVE A COFFEE?

Dixie Dunn: I'M SORRY, YOU'LL HAVE TO WAIT

UNTIL WE'RE IN THE AIR.

Narrator: PAUL VERHEYDEN IS AN ARCHITECT

FLYING TO UTAH ON BUSINESS.

Verheyden: I HAD A PROJECT JUST OUTSIDE SALT LAKE CITY.

I HAD TO GO UP THERE TO MAKE SOME FIELD SURVEYS.

BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, A ROUTINE TRIP.

Narrator: THE PLANE IS READY FOR DEPARTURE,

BUT THE 727'S PROGRESS ONTO THE TAXIWAY

IS STALLED BY OTHER PASSING PLANES.

Judd: HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET OUT OF HERE

WHILE WE STILL HAVE TEETH IN OUR MOUTHS.

Kirkland: GROWING GRAY AT THE SOUTH RAMP.

[CHUCKLES]

Narrator: DIXIE DUNN IS A SENIOR FLIGHT ATTENDANT

WITH MORE THAN 30 YEARS' EXPERIENCE.

Dunn: GENTLEMEN, HOW'S IT GOING IN HERE?

Davis: WE'RE GONNA GO ALL THE WAY DOWN THERE,

AND ONCE ALL THOSE PLANES ARE GONE, WE CAN GO, TOO.

Controller: 1141, COME SOUTH ON THE INNER UNTIL TAXIWAY 21,

THEN MOVE TO THE OUTER, HOLD SHORT AT 19.

Kirkland: 1141, ROGER.

Narrator: THE 727 IS FINALLY CLEARED TO TAXI

TOWARD THE RUNWAY.

BUT NOW THERE'S A LONG LINE-UP OF PLANES AHEAD OF THEM.

Dunn: SO, WHAT ELSE ARE WE GONNA TALK ABOUT?

Kirkland: WELL, WE COULD DISCUSS THE DATING HABITS

OF OUR FLIGHT ATTENDANTS.

Dunn: OH!

Kirkland: THAT WAY WE HAVE IT ON THE RECORDER,

YOU KNOW, IN CASE WE CRASH.

[CHUCKLING]

Judd: GOOD MORNING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

WE ARE NUMBER FOUR FOR DEPARTURE.

FLIGHT ATTENDANTS, PREPARE THE CABIN, PLEASE.

Dunn: WE ARE READY.

Kirkland: THANK YOU.

Narrator: AS THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER JUGGLES MANY PLANES,

HE SEES AN OPPORTUNITY TO CLEAR THE LOGJAM.

Controller: 1141, TAXI TO POSITION

RUNWAY ONE-EIGHT-LEFT AND HOLD.

Kirkland: OKAY, 1141'S POSITION AND HOLD.

Narrator: IT'S AN UNEXPECTED BUT WELCOME CHANGE OF PLANS.

DELTA 1141 IS BUMPED TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE.

Judd: SHOULDER HARNESS? Kirkland: THEY'RE ON.

Judd: FLAPS? Officer: 15-15, GREEN LIGHT.

Judd: FLIGHT CONTROL?

Kirkland: TOPS AND BOTTOMS CHECKED.

Judd: NAV INSTRUMENTS? Kirkland: THEY'RE SET.

Judd: TAKEOFF BRIEFING.

Kirkland: IS COMPLETE.

Verheyden: UGH. FINALLY.

Controller: DELTA 1141, FLY HEADING ONE-EIGHT-FIVE,

RUNWAY ONE-EIGHT-LEFT, CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF.

Kirkland: 1141, ONE-EIGHT-FIVE, CLEARED TO GO.

POWER SET. ENGINE INSTRUMENTS LOOK GOOD.

AIRSPEED'S COMING UP ON BOTH SIDES.

80 KNOTS.

V-R.

V-2.

Davis: SOMETHING'S WRONG!

Kirkland: WE GOT ENGINE FAILURE.

Davis: COME ON.

FULL POWER!

WE'RE NOT GONNA MAKE IT!

[SCREAMING]

[SCREAMING]

[COUGHING]

Narrator: AS THE CABIN FILLS WITH SMOKE AND FIRE,

108 PEOPLE STRUGGLE TO GET OUT OF THE PLANE ALIVE.

Verheyden: OH, GOD!

IT WAS SO DARK, SO BLACK AND SO THICK,

I COULD NOT BREATHE.

[COUGHING]

I WAS ON MY LAST BREATH.

FLASHING THROUGH MY MIND WAS MY WIFE AND TWO KIDS,

AND THIS IS IT.

[SIREN]

Narrator: INCREDIBLY, 94 PEOPLE MAKE IT OFF THE PLANE ALIVE,

INCLUDING THE PILOTS AND PAUL VERHEYDEN.

Verheyden: I LOOKED BACK,

AND I COULD SEE THE PLANE WAS BURNING UP.

Narrator: FLIGHT ATTENDANT DIXIE DUNN AND 13 OTHERS

ARE NOT SO LUCKY.

[FIRE EXTINGUISHER WHOOSHES]

[COUGH]

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS FROM

THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD

ARE QUICK TO ARRIVE.

Jim Cash: IT IS A LONG RUNWAY.

THERE WAS NO WEATHER AT THE TIME.

THERE'S, WAS NO REASON HE SHOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN OFF.

SO WE KNEW THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG

WITH EITHER THE AIRPLANE OR CONFIGURATION.

NOW WE'RE GETTING SOMEWHERE.

Narrator: SOON AFTER THE CRASH, THE BLACK BOXES ARE RECOVERED.

Cash: MAKE SURE YOU GET THOSE TO D.C. ASAP.

Narrator: WITH THE RECORDERS ON THEIR WAY FOR ANALYSIS,

INVESTIGATORS HUNT FOR CLUES ON SITE.

Cash: TAKE A LOOK AT THIS!

THE BACK OF THE WING HERE, IT REALLY GROUND DOWN.

THE SKID SHOE LOOKS LIKE IT HIT THE GROUND, TOO.

Jim Ritter: ON THE BOEING 727,

IT HAS A TAIL SKID IN THE VERY AFT PART OF THE FUSELAGE,

AND IT'S A LITTLE METAL SHOE THAT RIDES BELOW THE FUSELAGE

IN CASE THE AIRPLANE'S NOSE IS ROTATED UP TOO HIGH,

YOU WOULD ACTUALLY HIT THIS TAIL SKID

BEFORE YOU WOULD HIT THE BOTTOM OF THE FUSELAGE.

Cash: LET'S FIND OUT WHERE IT HIT.

FIRST IMPACT WITH THE SKID SHOE, RIGHT THERE.

MARK AND MEASURE, PLEASE.

Ritter: TO STRIKE THE TAIL SKID, WE KNEW THAT THE AIRPLANE

WAS AT A 10-DEGREE NOSE-UP PITCH ATTITUDE

AT THAT POINT ALONG THE RUNWAY.

Narrator: TEN DEGREES NOSE-UP IS ENOUGH ANGLE

TO GET A 727 AIRBORNE SAFELY.

BUT THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

THE QUESTION IS WHY.

Cash: OKAY, SO THE PLANE IS GOING DOWN THE RUNWAY.

IT CAN'T GET IN THE AIR.

ITS TAIL STARTS TO DRAG AND THE RIGHT WING HITS THE GROUND.

Narrator: THEY TRY TO ELIMINATE AS MANY POSSIBLE CAUSES

FOR THE FAILED TAKEOFF AS THEY CAN.

Cash: WHAT WAS THE WEIGHT OF THE PLANE?

Don Smith: THE ACTUAL WEIGHT WAS 157,683 POUNDS.

WELL BELOW MAXIMUM.

Cash: LET'S CHECK THE FUEL LOGS.

Narrator: IF THE 727 WAS FUELED IMPROPERLY,

IT MAY HAVE BEEN DANGEROUSLY UNBALANCED ON TAKEOFF.

Cash: SO WHAT HAVE WE GOT?

Smith: IT'S ALL FINE, NO IMBALANCE IN THE FUEL TANKS.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS ELIMINATE EACH OF THEIR

INITIAL THEORIES ON THE CRASH ONE BY ONE.

THE FAILED TAKEOFF OF 1141 REMAINS A MYSTERY.

INVESTIGATORS FACE INTENSE PRESSURE

TO FIND OUT WHY DELTA FLIGHT 1141 CRASHED ON TAKEOFF.

BUT THEN A DETAIL FROM THE CRASH SITE GRABS THEIR ATTENTION.

Cash: HEY.

TAKE A LOOK AT THAT PHOTO.

Investigator: IT LOOKS LIKE THE FLAPS.

Cash: WEREN'T EXTENDED.

Narrator: ALL COMMERCIAL AIRLINERS MUST HAVE

THEIR WING FLAPS EXTENDED FOR TAKEOFF.

WITHOUT THE FLAPS, THE WINGS CANNOT GENERATE ENOUGH LIFT

TO CARRY THE PLANE SKYWARD.

THE INVESTIGATORS SHOULD BE ABLE TO TELL

IF THE PLANE'S FLAPS WERE ACTUALLY EXTENDED ON TAKEOFF

BY REVIEWING THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER.

Cash: IS THIS IT?

Narrator: BUT THEY DISCOVER IT'S AN OLDER MODEL.

TO THEIR FRUSTRATION, IT'S CAPTURED VERY LITTLE DATA.

Cash: THERE'S NO INFORMATION REGARDING THE FLAPS AT ALL.

OKAY, YOU READY?

Narrator: MAYBE THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER

WILL PROVIDE THE ANSWERS THEY NEED.

Controller: 1141, PREPARE TO TAXI.

CALL ME WHEN YOU'RE READY.

Kirkland: OKAY.

Davis: BRAKES OFF AND TAIL STRAIGHT BACK.

Kirkland: ROGER.

Cash: WHEN WE FINALLY LISTENED TO THE VOICE RECORDER

THAT AFTERNOON...

Judd: HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET OUT OF HERE

WHILE WE STILL HAVE TEETH IN OUR MOUTHS.

Cash: THERE WAS SOME EXTRANEOUS CONVERSATIONS

ON THEIR LONG TAXI OUT.

Davis: I FORGOT TO GET MY PAYCHECK.

DID YOU GET YOURS?

Kirkland: YEAH, I GOT MINE.

Cash: THEY SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON THE FLIGHT,

NOT TALKING ABOUT PAYCHECKS.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS ARE DISTURBED

BY THE CASUAL CONVERSATION IN THE COCKPIT.

Dunn: GENTLEMEN, HOW'S IT GOING IN HERE?

Cash: IS THAT THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT?

AND WHAT IS SHE DOING IN THERE NOW?

Kirkland: WHAT KIND OF BIRDS ARE THOSE?

Davis: EGRETS OR WHATEVER YOU CALL 'EM.

Dunn: THEY'RE COUSINS TO THE ONES BY THE SEA.

Cash: SITTING IN THE COCKPIT TALKING ABOUT BIRDS.

Ron Schleede: THE PILOTS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE

NON-PERTINENT CONVERSATIONS FROM TAXI, TAKEOFF,

UP TO 10,000 FEET.

WE WERE PRETTY AMAZED AT THE LACK OF DISCIPLINE

IN THE COCKPIT DURING TAXI PRIOR TO TAKEOFF.

Kirkland: WELL, WE COULD DISCUSS THE DATING HABITS

OF OUR FLIGHT ATTENDANTS.

Dunn: OH!

[CHUCKLING]

Narrator: SO FAR, THEY'VE HEARD NOTHING

ABOUT THE FLAP CONFIGURATION.

BUT WHAT THEY HEAR NEXT IS A STUNNING REVELATION.

Controller: 1141, TAXI TO POSITION

RUNWAY ONE-EIGHT-LEFT AND HOLD.

Kirkland: OKAY, 1141'S POSITION AND HOLD.

Cash: HOLD UP A MINUTE. STOP.

HERE'S WHERE THE CONTROLLER BUMPS THEM INTO FIRST POSITION.

THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO RUSH TO GET AIRBORNE.

Smith: IN THE COURSE OF ABOUT 90 SECONDS,

THEY WERE TO FINISH THE TAXI CHECKLIST,

DO THE BEFORE-TAKEOFF CHECKLIST, AND TAKE OFF.

THAT'S A RUSH.

Cash: PLAY IT.

Narrator: WERE THE PILOTS FIRST SO DISTRACTED AND THEN SO RUSHED

THAT THEY OVERLOOKED AN ESSENTIAL ITEM

ON THEIR CHECKLIST: EXTENDING THE FLAPS?

Judd: SHOULDER HARNESS? Kirkland: THEY'RE ON.

Judd: FLAPS. Kirkland: 15-15, GREEN LIGHT.

Cash: WAIT, STOP.

CLEAR AS DAY, FLAPS EXTENDED TO 15 FOR TAKEOFF.

WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?

Cash: YOU COULD GO RIGHT DOWN THE CHECKLIST,

AND THEY, THEY GOT THEM ALL.

Narrator: WHEN ASKED, THE CREW MAINTAINED

THE FLAPS WERE EXTENDED, BUT INVESTIGATORS NEED PROOF.

Cash: LET'S DIG UP THE JACKSCREWS.

Narrator: A DEVICE CALLED A JACKSCREW

IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE FLAP SYSTEM.

AS IT TURNS, IT MOVES A NUT THAT EXTENDS OR RETRACTS THE FLAPS.

Cash: IF THE FLAPS WERE EXTENDED,

THIS NUT WOULD HAVE BEEN HERE.

THAT SEALS IT.

THOSE FLAPS WERE NEVER EXTENDED.

Narrator: IT'S THE CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE THEY NEED.

THE FLAPS WERE NOT EXTENDED BEFORE TAKEOFF.

Cash: SO WHY DID THE PILOTS THINK THEY WERE EXTENDED?

Narrator: THE TEAM RETURNS TO THE COCKPIT RECORDING,

HOPING TO HEAR SOMETHING THAT MIGHT EXPLAIN THE DISCREPANCY.

Judd: SHOULDER HARNESS? Kirkland: THEY'RE ON.

Judd: FLAPS. Kirkland: 15-15, GREEN LIGHT.

Cash: THAT WAS FAST.

IS HE, IS HE CHECKING OR JUST ANSWERING?

Judd: FLAPS. Kirkland: 15-15, GREEN LIGHT.

Cash: THERE WAS LESS THAN ONE SECOND

BETWEEN THE FLAPS CALL AND HIS RESPONSE.

THERE'S NO WAY HE HAD TIME TO CHECK

AND SEE IF THE FLAPS WERE ACTUALLY OUT.

Ritter: IT WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY DIFFICULT

TO ACTUALLY MOVE THE FLAP LEVER

FROM, SAY, ZERO TO 15-DEGREE DETENT THAT RAPIDLY.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS FINALLY KNOW

WHAT CAUSED THE CRASH OF THE BOEING 727.

DISTRACTING CONVERSATION

RESULTED IN A RUSHED CHECKLIST...

Judd: SHOULDER HARNESS? Kirkland: THEY'RE ON.

Judd: FLAPS. Kirkland: 15-15, GREEN LIGHT.

Narrator: LED THE PILOTS TO BELIEVE THEIR PLANE WAS READY

FOR TAKEOFF WHEN IT WAS ANYTHING BUT.

Davis: SOMETHING'S WRONG!

[SCREAMING]

Ritter: YOU HAVE TO BE TOTALLY FOCUSED ON THE TASK AT HAND.

IF YOU'RE DOING THE CHECKLIST

IN THE MIDDLE OF OTHER CONVERSATIONS

THAT AREN'T RELATED TO OPERATING THE AIRPLANE,

THEN IT'S EASY TO GET DISTRACTED AND IT'S EASY TO MISS THINGS.

Narrator: BOTH PILOTS LOSE THEIR JOBS.

Schleede: THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM THIS ACCIDENT

ON COCKPIT DISCIPLINE, PROPER TRAINING,

PROPER LEADERSHIP BY THE CAPTAIN,

A LOT OF IMPORTANT THINGS CAME OUT OF THIS ACCIDENT.

Narrator: NOW CREWMEMBERS MUST VISUALLY CONFIRM THE EXECUTION

OF ALL CHECKLIST ITEMS TO HELP ENSURE THAT NONE ARE MISSED.

Verheyden: 29 YEARS LATER,

IT'S LIKE IT WAS YESTERDAY IT HAPPENED,

AND IT STILL CAUSES ME TOAPPRECIATE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY

TO SURVIVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

Narrator: WHILE THE RULES PROHIBIT

NON-ESSENTIAL CONVERSATION IN THE COCKPIT BELOW 10,000 FEET,

THEY DON'T ALWAYS PREVENT PILOTS FROM BECOMING DISTRACTED.

Bob Loft: PUT IT IN THE WRONG WAY, HUH?

Albert Stockstill: THE ALTITUDE? WHAT?

Loft: HEY, HEY, WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE?

[BEEPING]

[BEEPING]

♪

Narrator: A NEW STATE-OF-THE-ARTL-1011 TRISTAR

IS NEARING THE END OF A 3-HOUR, 15-MINUTE FLIGHT

FROM NEW YORK TO MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

30-YEAR VETERAN CAPTAIN BOB LOFT

IS COMMANDING EASTERN AIRLINES FLIGHT 401.

IT'S A THREE-PERSON CREW.

ANOTHER OFF-DUTY MAINTENANCE EMPLOYEE

SITS IN WITH THE PILOTS AND FLIGHT ENGINEER.

Loft: WELCOME TO MIAMI.

THE TEMPERATURE'S IN THE LOW SEVENTIES,

AND IT'S A BEAUTIFUL NIGHT OUT THERE TONIGHT.

Narrator: THERE ARE 176 PEOPLE ON BOARD TONIGHT'S FLIGHT.

RON AND LILY INFANTINO HAVE BEEN MARRIED FOR ONLY 20 DAYS.

Loft: GO AHEAD AND THROW 'EM OUT.

Narrator: ON APPROACH,

FIRST OFFICER ALBERT STOCKSTILL FLIES THE PLANE.

FLIGHT ENGINEER DON REPO PERFORMS A LANDING CHECKLIST.

Don Repo: RADAR.

Loft: UP, OFF.

Repo: HYDRAULIC PANELS CHECKED.

Stockstill: 35, 33.

Repo: GEAR DOWN.

Loft: BERT, IS THAT HANDLE IN?

Stockstill: NO NOSE GEAR.

Narrator: THE LIGHT INDICATING THAT THE NOSE GEAR IS LOCKED

HASN'T LIT UP.

Loft: I'M GONNA RAISE IT BACK UP.

Narrator: CAPTAIN LOFT KNOWS THAT IF THE GEAR

ISN'T ALL THE WAY DOWN, THE LANDING WILL BE DISASTROUS.

HE TRIES AGAIN.

STILL NO LIGHT.

BUT IS THE NOSE GEAR TRULY BROKEN,

OR IS THE BULB MERELY BURNT OUT?

LOFT NEEDS TO FIND OUT WHICH.

Loft: UH, TOWER, THIS IS EASTERN 401.

LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO CIRCLE.

WE DON'T HAVE A LIGHT ON OUR NOSE GEAR YET.

Controller: EASTERN 401, ROGER.

PULL UP, CLIMB STRAIGHT AHEAD TO 2,000.

Narrator: AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL DIRECTS FLIGHT 401 TO CLIMB

AND CIRCLE AWAY FROM THE AIRPORT UNTIL THE PROBLEM IS SOLVED.

Stockstill: DO YOU WANT ME TO FLY IT, BOB?

Loft: PUT THE AUTOPILOT ON HERE.

Stockstill: ALRIGHT.

Narrator: STOCKSTILL PROGRAMS THE AUTOPILOT

TO FLY AT 2,000 FEET.

Repo: DO YOU WANT ME TO TEST THE LIGHTS, OR NO?

Loft: YEAH, CHECK IT.

Narrator: FLIGHT ENGINEER REPO PERFORMS A TEST

THAT LIGHTS UP EVERY WARNING LIGHT IN THE COCKPIT.

THE NOSE GEAR INDICATOR LIGHT FAILS THE TEST.

Loft: NOW SEE IF YOU CAN GET THAT LIGHT OUT.

Stockstill: ALRIGHT.

Narrator: LOFT DECIDES TO REMOVE THE BULB FOR A CLOSER LOOK.

Stockstill: HAVE YOU GOT A HANDKERCHIEF OR SOMETHING

SO I CAN GET A LITTLE BETTER GRIP ON THIS?

Man: PULL DOWN AND TURN TO YOUR RIGHT.

Stockstill: ANYTHING I CAN DO IT WITH?

Man: NOW TURN TO YOUR LEFT ONE TIME.

Loft: HEY, HEY, GET DOWN THERE

AND SEE IF THAT DAMN NOSE WHEEL IS DOWN.

Narrator: CAPTAIN LOFT ORDERS THE FLIGHT ENGINEER

INTO THE ELECTRONICS BAY UNDERNEATH THE COCKPIT.

THE ROOM, NICKNAMED THE HELL HOLE,

HAS A WINDOW FROM WHICH

THE FRONT LANDING GEAR CAN BE VIEWED.

Stockstill: THIS WON'T COME OUT, BOB.

IF I HAD A PAIR OF PLIERS,

I COULD CUSHION IT WITH THAT KLEENEX.

Repo: I CAN GIVE YOU A PAIR OF PLIERS,

BUT IF YOU FORCE IT, YOU'LL BREAK IT, JUST BELIEVE ME.

Loft: DAMN! SCREWING AROUND

WITH A 20-CENT PIECE OF LIGHT EQUIPMENT.

Narrator: AS THE CREW STRUGGLES TO REMOVE THE BULB,

IN THE CABIN, PASSENGER RICHARD PRAGLUSKI

NOTICES SOMETHING THE PILOTS HAVEN'T.

THE PLANE IS GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER TO THE SWAMP BELOW.

Richard Pragluski: HE WAS STILL FAIRLY HIGH OFF THE GROUND.

SO I WASN'T OVERLY CONCERNED.

Narrator: CAPTAIN LOFT ASSUMES THE FLIGHT ENGINEER

DOWN IN THE HELL HOLE WILL SOON CONFIRM THE NOSE GEAR IS LOCKED.

HE WANTS TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT.

Loft: TOWER, THIS IS EASTERN 401.

OKAY, UH, WE'D LIKE TO TURN AROUND AND COME BACK IN.

Controller: EASTERN 401, TURN LEFT HEADING ONE-EIGHT-ZERO.

Narrator: SUDDENLY, THE PILOTS MAKE AN ALARMING OBSERVATION.

Stockstill: WE DID SOMETHING TO THE ALTITUDE?

Loft: WHAT?

Stockstill: WE'RE STILL AT 2,000, RIGHT?

Loft: HEY, HEY, WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE?

[BEEPING]

[BEEPING]

[SCREAMS]

Ron Infantino: I SEE THE LIGHTS IN THE CABIN

JUST FLICKERING ON AND OFF,

AND IT WAS A VIOLENT,

I MEAN, A VIOLENT WHIPPING SENSATION.

THEN ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE.

[SCREAMING]

Pragluski: I REMEMBER THE FLASH.

I REMEMBER THAT I TRIED BREATHING,

AND I COULD NOT GET MY BREATH.

AND THAT'S THE LAST THING I REMEMBER

UNTIL I GOT UP IN THE SWAMP.

[PEOPLE MOANING]

Narrator: THOSE WHO SURVIVE THE IMPACT

FIND THEMSELVES IN A LIVING NIGHTMARE.

BOTH PILOTS AND THE FLIGHT ENGINEER ARE KILLED.

RON INFANTINO WAS KNOCKED OUT BY THE CRASH.

HIS NEW WIFE, LILY, WAS NOWHERE TO BE SEEN.

MIRACULOUSLY, 77 PEOPLE SURVIVE,

MANY SUFFERING HORRIFIC INJURIES.

99 PEOPLE ARE KILLED.

LILY INFANTINO IS AMONG THE VICTIMS.

Infantino: SHE WAS JUST A WONDERFUL PERSON.

I WAS 27 YEARS OLD, AND SHE WAS THE SAME AGE,

AND, UH, IT WAS ACTUALLY MY FIRST LOVE.

Narrator: SOON IT WILL BE UP TO INVESTIGATORS TO FIND OUT

WHY FLIGHT 401 CRASHED INTO THE EVERGLADES.

THE CRASH OF EASTERN AIRLINES FLIGHT 401

INTO THE FLORIDA EVERGLADES IS HEADLINE NEWS AROUND THE WORLD.

THERE'S TREMENDOUS PRESSURE ON INVESTIGATORS

FROM THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD

TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED.

Sarah Elder: IT WAS AN ENORMOUS PUZZLE,

BECAUSE THIS WAS THE NEWEST, THE MOST SOPHISTICATED,

THE BEST OF THE AIRLINERS

THAT APPARENTLY WAS IN PERFECT WORKING CONDITION.

Narrator: THE CONDITION OF THE NOSE

AND THE LONG TRAIL OF DEBRIS SUGGESTS TO INVESTIGATORS

THAT THE PLANE'S DESCENT WAS SLOW AND GRADUAL

BEFORE IT HIT THE SWAMP.

WHILE RECOVERY TEAMS PULL PIECES OF WRECKAGE FROM THE CRASH SITE,

INVESTIGATORS FROM THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD

SIFT THROUGH AND DOCUMENT THE DEBRIS.

BY EXAMINING PHOTOGRAPHS

OF THE COCKPIT INSTRUMENTS' FINAL SETTINGS,

THEY DISCOVER THAT THE AUTOPILOT WAS SET

TO MAINTAIN AN ALTITUDE OF 2,000 FEET.

Loft: PUT THE AUTOPILOT ON HERE.

Stockstill: ALRIGHT.

Narrator: SO WHY DID THE PLANE COME DOWN?

COULD THE AUTOPILOT HAVE MALFUNCTIONED?

THE PLANE'S AUTOPILOT COMPUTER SURPRISINGLY SURVIVED THE CRASH.

TO TEST IT, INVESTIGATORS INSTALL THE AUTOPILOT

ON A DIFFERENT TRISTAR

AND FLY THE IDENTICAL ROUTE AS FLIGHT 401.

THIS TIME, THE AUTOPILOT HOLDS THE PLANE AT 2,000 FEET.

SO WHY HADN'T IT ON THE NIGHT OF THE ACCIDENT?

WITH AUTOPILOT MALFUNCTION

SHELVED AS A POSSIBLE CAUSE OF THE CRASH,

INVESTIGATORS TURN TO THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER

FOR ANY NEW LEAD.

Loft: UH, TOWER, THIS IS EASTERN 401.

LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO CIRCLE.

WE DON'T HAVE A LIGHT ON OUR NOSE GEAR YET.

Narrator: AS THEY CONTINUE TO LISTEN,

THEY DISCOVER AN IMPORTANT CLUE.

[CHIME]

Investigator: DO YOU HEAR THAT?

Narrator: THE ALTITUDE WARNINGS WENT OFF IN THE COCKPIT

MOMENTS BEFORE THE CRASH.

[CHIME]

Investigator: HOW DID THEY MISS IT?

Narrator: BUT FOR SOME REASON, THE ALARM IS IGNORED.

INVESTIGATORS REVIEW ALL THE COCKPIT TRANSCRIPTS AND AUDIO

TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHY THE CREW MISSED THE ALARM.

Stockstill: I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL'S HOLDING

THAT DAMN THING IN THERE.

Loft: PUT IT IN THE WRONG WAY, HUH?

Stockstill: IT LOOKS SQUARE TO ME.

Narrator: JUST BEFORE THE ALARM SOUNDED,

THE PILOTS WERE COMPLETELY ABSORBED WITH SOMETHING ELSE--

THE LANDING GEAR LIGHT.

Loft: IT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING.

Narrator: THE PILOTS DIDN'T HEAR A PERFECTLY AUDIBLE ALARM...

[CHIME]

BECAUSE THEY WERE FOCUSED ENTIRELY

ON SOLVING ANOTHER PROBLEM.

John Nance: THAT CHIME, WHICH IS CLEARLY HEARD

ON THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER,

WAS NOT REGISTERING IN THE MINDS

OF ALL THE MEN ON THAT FLIGHT DECK,

NOT BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T TRYING TO PAY ATTENTION,

BUT BECAUSE THEY WERE TUNNELED IN ON THIS ONE PROBLEM.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS WONDER, HOW COULD THE CREW

GET SO DISTRACTED THAT THEY CRASHED THE PLANE?

Nance: THEY HAD TO LOOK AT THE HUMAN BEINGS.

THEY HAD TO LOOK AT THE INTERACTION.

THEY HAD TO LOOK AT WHY NO ONE WAS PAYING ATTENTION

TO THE AIRPLANE AS IT BEGAN TO CREEP OUT OF 2,000 FEET.

Loft: HEY, HEY, WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE?

Nance: THAT WAS SCARY TERRITORY IN 1972.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS SUSPECT THAT THE EASTERN CREW

WAS SO CONFIDENT IN THEIR AUTOPILOT...

Loft: PUT THE AUTOPILOT ON HERE.

Stockstill: ALRIGHT.

Narrator: THAT THEY DIDN'T MONITOR THEIR INSTRUMENTS

AS CLOSELY AS THEY SHOULD HAVE.

ONCE THE AUTOPILOT WAS ON, THEY BECAME SO CONSUMED

WITH FIXING A LIGHT BULB,

NEITHER PILOT PAID ATTENTION TO ACTUALLY FLYING THE PLANE.

Loft: NOW SEE IF YOU CAN GET THAT LIGHT OUT.

Stockstill: ALRIGHT.

[CHIME]

Narrator: BUT ONE VITAL QUESTION REMAINS.

Investigator: WE'VE STILL GOTTA FIND OUT

WHY THAT PLANE WENT DOWN.

Narrator: TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PILOTS WERE DISCUSSING

AT THE PRECISE MOMENT THE PLANE STARTED TO DESCEND,

INVESTIGATORS MATCH UP THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER

WITH THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER.

THEY MAKE A STARTLING DISCOVERY.

AT 11:37 AND EIGHT SECONDS, THE PLANE BEGINS TO DROP,

THE SAME TIME THE CAPTAIN GAVE INSTRUCTIONS

TO THE FLIGHT ENGINEER

TO CHECK THE LANDING GEAR IN THE HELL HOLE.

Loft: HEY, HEY, GET DOWN THERE

AND SEE IF THAT DAMN NOSE WHEEL IS DOWN.

Narrator: THEY BELIEVE THAT WHEN CAPTAIN LOFT TURNED AROUND,

HE ACCIDENTALLY BUMPED HIS CONTROL WHEEL

WITH JUST ENOUGH PRESSURE

TO DISENGAGE THE AUTOPILOT'S ALTITUDE CONTROL.

WITHOUT THE CREW REALIZING IT,

A SIMPLE NUDGE OF THE CONTROL WHEEL

STARTED A GRADUAL DESCENT.

Elder: IT WAS DETERMINED THAT OCCASIONALLY

WITH JUST A SOFT BUMP, AUTOPILOT DISENGAGED.

Narrator: THE CONSEQUENCE IS CATASTROPHIC.

THE NTSB COMES TO A SOBERING CONCLUSION:

THE PLANE CRASH WAS DUE TO PILOT ERROR.

THE CREW WAS DISTRACTED.

THEY MISHANDLED THE PLANE'S SOPHISTICATED AUTOMATION,

AND THEY HADN'T BEEN PROPERLY TRAINED.

Nance: THE PROBLEM WAS THAT WE DID NOT TEACH BOB LOFT

OR STOCKSTILL OR ANY OF THESE FOLKS AT THE TIME

THAT WHEN SOMETHING GOES WRONG,

THE COMMANDER'S FIRST RESPONSIBILITY

IS TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL.

Narrator: THE OUTCOME OF THIS ACCIDENT ALTERS THE WAY

IN WHICH PILOTS ARE TRAINED TO HANDLE THEIR INTERACTIONS

AT ALL STAGES OF FLIGHT.

EVEN WHEN THERE ARE SOPHISTICATED AUTOMATED SYSTEMS

THAT CONTROL THE PLANE,

PILOTS MUST NOT LOSE FOCUS ON KEY PRIORITIES.

Alexander Yablontsev: FANTASTIC.

IT'S REALLY STATE OF THE ART.

Narrator: BUT DISTRACTIONS COME IN MANY FORMS.

AND IN JUST THE BLINK OF AN EYE...

Automation: TERRAIN.

TERRAIN, TERRAIN, TERRAIN.

Alexander Kotchetkov: WHY IS THAT GOING OFF?

Narrator: A SLIGHT DISTRACTION CAN TURN INTO A DISASTER.

AT HALIM PERDANAKUSUMA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

IN JAKARTA, INDONESIA,

A DEMONSTRATION FLIGHT IS ALMOST READY FOR DEPARTURE.

36 INVITED GUESTS ARE GETTING THE GOLD STAR TREATMENT

ON BOARD A BRAND NEW RUSSIAN AIRCRAFT.

THE PLANE IS A SUKHOI SUPERJET 100.

Phil Derner: WELL, SUKHOI IS AN AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURER

THAT'S KNOWN FOR MAKING MILITARY AIRCRAFT.

RUSSIA HADN'T REALLY DOVE INTO COMMERCIAL AIRLINERS,

AND THIS WAS THEIR FIRST,

SO IT WAS KIND OF A BIG DEAL FOR THEM.

Narrator: THIS AFTERNOON'S FLIGHT

IS PART OF A SIX-COUNTRY TOUR

INTRODUCING THE NEW PLANE TO THE ASIAN MARKET.

THE PASSENGERS ARE A MIX OF POTENTIAL BUYERS

FROM MAJOR AIRLINES

AND JOURNALISTS WHO CAN CREATE SOME BUZZ.

Derner: RUSSIA HAS KIND OF A POOR REPUTATION FOR SAFETY,

SO A LOT IS AT STAKE.

THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THEIR REPUTATION.

Kotchetkov: FLAPS 15.

Yablontsev: FLAPS 15, CHECK.

Narrator: CAPTAIN ALEXANDER YABLONTSEV

IS SUKHOI'S CHIEF TEST PILOT.

Kotchetkov: TRANSPONDER?

Yablontsev: SET.

Narrator: HE HAS MORE HOURS IN THE SUPERJET

THAN ANY OTHER PILOT.

Kotchetkov: BEFORE TAKEOFF, THE CHECKLIST IS COMPLETE.

Narrator: FIRST OFFICER ALEXANDER KOTCHETKOV

IS ALSO A SEASONED TEST PILOT.

IN THE CABIN, AN ENGINEER AND NAVIGATOR

MONITOR THE PLANE'S PERFORMANCE.

Controller: SUKHOI 36801, CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF.

Yablontsev: HERE WE GO.

♪

Narrator: THE PLAN IS TO MAKE A QUICK 30-MINUTE FLIGHT

SOUTH TO THE RURAL AREA OF BOGOR,

THEN RETURN BACK TO THE AIRPORT.

Yablontsev: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

SUKHOI WELCOMES YOU ON BOARD OF THE SUPERJET 100.

Guest: THAT'S A VERY SMOOTH ASCENT.

Narrator: A POTENTIAL CUSTOMER FROM A MAJOR INDONESIAN AIRLINE

IS A GUEST IN THE COCKPIT TODAY.

Derner: IN A DEMONSTRATION FLIGHT,

THEY'RE NOT OPERATING UNDER THE SAME EXACT RULES

AS AN AIRLINE FLIGHT.

IT'S NOT ABNORMAL AT ALL TO INVITE ONE OF THE FOLKS UP

AND JUST GIVE THEM THAT SPECIAL EXPERIENCE.

Narrator: THEY FLY THE FIRST PORTION OF THE LOOP

AT AN ALTITUDE OF 10,000 FEET

AWAY FROM THE BUSY COMMERCIAL ROUTES.

Flight Attendant: CHAMPAGNE, SIR?

Narrator: MIDWAY THROUGH THE FLIGHT,

YABLONTSEV CHANGES COURSE.

Yablontsev: LET'S GET DOWN TO 6,000

SO WE CAN START TO TURN BACK.

Kotchetkov: JAKARTA CONTROL, SUKHOI 36801,

REQUESTING DESCENT TO 6,000.

Controller: SUKHOI 36801, CLEARED TO 6,000 FEET.

Yablontsev: EVERYTHING IS EXACTLY WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE.

VERY PILOT-FRIENDLY.

Guest: IMPRESSIVE FLIGHT DECK.

I COULD CERTAINLY GET USED TO THIS.

Yablontsev: ALRIGHT, THEN.

LET'S DO THE FULL ORBIT BEFORE WE RETURN.

Narrator: THE CAPTAIN DECIDES TO PROLONG THE FLIGHT

BY FLYING AN EXTRA 360-DEGREE ORBIT, OR LOOP,

BEFORE HEADING BACK TO JAKARTA.

Kotchetkov: JAKARTA CONTROL, SUKHOI 36801,

REQUESTING RIGHT ORBIT AT 6,000.

Derner: IT WAS JUST THEM HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF FUN.

Controller: SUKHOI 36801, RIGHT ORBIT APPROVED.

Narrator: TO TURN THE PLANE, YABLONTSEV WILL NEED TO INPUT

A SERIES OF COMPASS HEADINGS

INTO THE AUTOPILOT AT DIFFERENT TIMES.

THE MANEUVER IS SO SMOOTH

PASSENGERS HARDLY FEEL IT IN THE CABIN.

Flight Attendant: WOULD YOU CARE FOR SOME RUSSIAN CAVIAR?

Kotchetkov: DO YOU WANT TO DO ANOTHER ORBIT

OR SHALL WE BEGIN THE APPROACH?

Yablontsev: UH, LET'S START THE APPROACH.

Narrator: AS THE FIRST OFFICER CHECKS HIS NAVIGATION CHART...

Automation: TERRAIN, TERRAIN.

Narrator: AN AUTOMATED WARNING BEGINS TO SOUND.

Automation: TERRAIN, TERRAIN.

Kotchetkov: WHY IS THAT GOING OFF?

Automation: TERRAIN, TERRAIN.

Yablontsev: MAYBE THE DATABASE.

Automation: TERRAIN, TERRAIN.

Narrator: MOMENTS LATER, AT THE CONTROL CENTER,

THE SUKHOI SUPERJET VANISHES FROM RADAR.

Controller: WHERE'D YOU GO?

SUKHOI 36801, PLEASE COME IN.

Narrator: FOUR CALLS LATER, THERE'S STILL NO REPLY.

THE PLANE SHOULD HAVE LANDED BY NOW.

Controller: SUKHOI 36801 IS OFF RADAR.

Narrator: AUTHORITIES DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.

THE FEAR IS THAT THE PLANE WENT DOWN

IN THE JAGGED PEAKS OF INDONESIA'S MOUNT SALAK,

SOUTH OF BOGOR.

18 HOURS AFTER THE PLANE VANISHED,

A HELICOPTER PILOT SPOTS AIRCRAFT DEBRIS

SPILLING THOUSANDS OF FEET DOWN A CLIFF FACE.

IT'S ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGING LOCATIONS

INDONESIAN CRASH INVESTIGATORS HAVE EVER FACED.

Investigator: CRASH SITE.

Narrator: A GROUP OF CRASH INVESTIGATORS AND MARINES

MUST TREK UP INDONESIA'S TREACHEROUS MOUNT SALAK

TO FIND THE WRECKAGE OF A SUKHOI SUPERJET.

Ony Wibowo: KEEP MOVING, GUYS.

Narrator: IT TAKES NINE HOURS,

BUT FINALLY THEY REACH THE CRASH SITE.

WHAT THEY FIND IS OVERWHELMING.

Wibowo, translated: WHEN I REACHED THE SITE,

THE SITUATION WAS QUITE SCARY.

THERE WAS LOTS OF SMOKE AND WRECKAGE AND DEBRIS EVERYWHERE.

IT WAS SUCH A SAD THING TO WITNESS.

Narrator: IN THE TANGLED WRECKAGE,

THERE'S NO HOPE OF SURVIVORS.

TO BEGIN FINDING OUT WHAT CAUSED THIS CRASH,

INVESTIGATORS INTERVIEW AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS.

THEY LEARN THAT THE PLANE WAS SUPPOSED TO FLY SOUTH

TOWARDS BOGOR AND THEN TURN NORTH BACK TO JAKARTA.

Controller: WELL, THEY WERE JUST SUPPOSED TO DO A 30-MINUTE LOOP.

Narrator: BUT INSTEAD, IT LOOPED BACK SOUTH AGAIN

AND HIT A MOUNTAIN.

Mardjono Siswosuwarno: HOW DID THEY END UP OVER HERE?

IT MAKES NO SENSE.

Narrator: THEY CONSIDER TWO STARK POSSIBILITIES:

EITHER THE SUKHOI'S NAVIGATION SYSTEMS FAILED

OR THE PILOTS MADE A DEADLY ERROR.

INVESTIGATORS WONDER IF THE CREW WAS WELL BRIEFED

BEFORE THE FATAL FLIGHT.

THEY CHECK IN WITH THE GROUND-HANDLING AGENT.

Siswosuwarno: CAN YOU TELL ME

HOW THE BRIEFING WITH THE PILOTS WENT?

Agent: IT WENT FINE,

EXCEPT THE PILOTS NEVER SHOWED UP.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS ARE SHOCKED TO LEARN

THAT ONLY THE CHIEF NAVIGATOR ATTENDED THE BRIEFING.

THEY ALSO DISCOVER MOUNT SALAK IS NOT MARKED

ON THE NAVIGATION CHART,

AND THE AGENT NEVER MENTIONED IT IN THE DISCUSSION.

IT APPEARS THE PILOTS OF THE RUSSIAN DEMONSTRATION FLIGHT

AREN'T ALERTED TO THE PRESENCE OF A HIGH MOUNTAIN

NEAR THEIR ROUTE.

BUT INVESTIGATORS WONDER,

WHY DIDN'T THE PILOTS SEE IT DURING THE FLIGHT?

EVERYONE WANTS THE ANSWER.

FINALLY, THE AIRCRAFT'S BLACK BOXES ARE READY FOR ANALYSIS.

INVESTIGATORS FOCUS IN ON THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER FIRST.

IT SHOWS THE PLANE'S EXACT ROUTE.

Siswosuwarno: AS HE'S GOING SOUTHWEST,

HE'S ON A HEADING OF 240 DEGREES.

Narrator: IT ALSO SHOWS ALL COMPASS HEADINGS

ENTERED BY THE PILOTS.

Siswosuwarno: AS HE STARTS TO LOOP DOWN,

HE CHANGES TO 333 DEGREES.

Narrator: THAT WOULD TURN THE PLANE BACK TOWARDS JAKARTA.

BUT THEN, INVESTIGATORS DISCOVER SOMETHING THEY CAN'T EXPLAIN.

Wibowo: THE LAST INPUT WAS 174 HEADING SOUTH,

OVER HERE, RIGHT HERE.

HE SHOULD HAVE PUT IN ANOTHERINPUT HEADING BACK TO THE NORTH.

Narrator: A COMPASS HEADING OF 174 DEGREES

TOOK THE PLANE SOUTH INTO A MOUNTAIN.

THE PILOT NEEDED TO INPUT AT LEAST ONE MORE HEADING

TO TURN THE PLANE

BACK TOWARDS THE AIRPORT.

Siswosuwarno: THIS IS WHERE SOMETHING WENT WRONG,

RIGHT HERE.

READY?

Narrator: TO LEARN MORE, INVESTIGATORS SYNCHRONIZE

THE AUDIO FROM THE COCKPIT TO THE FLIGHT DATA

TO CREATE A COMPREHENSIVE TIMELINE.

Yablontsev: LET'S GET DOWN TO 6,000

SO WE CAN START TO TURN BACK.

Narrator: THE PLANE IS ABOUT 20 MILES SOUTH OF JAKARTA

WHEN THE FIRST OFFICER RADIOS AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL.

Kotchetkov: JAKARTA CONTROL, SUKHOI 36801.

REQUESTING DESCENT TO 6,000.

DARK CLOUD AHEAD.

Narrator: IT'S A CRUCIAL THREE WORDS.

Siswosuwarno: DARK CLOUDS.

THEY PROBABLY DON'T SEE THE MOUNTAIN IN FRONT OF THEM.

Yablontsev: ALRIGHT, THEN,

LET'S DO THE FULL ORBIT BEFORE WE RETURN.

Kotchetkov: JAKARTA CONTROL, SUKHOI 36801.

REQUESTING RIGHT ORBIT AT 6,000.

Controller: SUKHOI 36801, RIGHT ORBIT APPROVED.

Narrator: THE PILOT HAS NOW ADDED THE ORBIT, OR LOOP,

TO HIS FLIGHT PLAN.

BUT FOR THE AUTOPILOT TO EXECUTE THE LOOP,

HE NEEDS TO ADD ANOTHER COMPASS HEADING INTO THE COMPUTER.

Yablontsev: THE FLIGHT COMPUTER DOES ALL THE WORK FOR ME.

Siswosuwarno: I KNOW HE'S TRYING TO SHOWCASE THE PLANE,

BUT SHOULDN'T HE FOCUS ON FLYING THE ORBIT?

Yablontsev: EVERYTHING IS EXACTLY WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE.

ANOTHER GREAT FEATURE IS THE TAWS.

IT GIVES US EXCELLENT TERRAIN AWARENESS.

Siswosuwarno: NOW HE'S SHOWING OFF THE TAWS.

Narrator: TAWS, THE TERRAIN AWARENESS AND WARNING SYSTEM,

USES FLIGHT DATA AND GPS TO TRACK THE PLANE'S HEADING

AND ALERTS PILOTS WHEN THE PLANE IS AT RISK

OF COLLIDING WITH TERRAIN.

Ray Nurcahyo: THIS DISCUSSION TOOK ABOUT 38 SECONDS.

Yablontsev: IT HAS PREDICTIVE HAZARD WARNING,

AND, UH, IT'S REALLY STATE OF THE ART.

Siswosuwarno: NOW THE PLANE IS ABOUT A THIRD OF THE WAY

THROUGH THEIR 360-DEGREE TURN.

Yablontsev: BUT NO PROBLEM WITH THE TERRAIN AT THIS MOMENT.

Guest: YES, BECAUSE IT'S FLAT TERRAIN.

Nurcahyo: THE AIRCRAFT WAS HEADING TOWARDS JAKARTA.

THERE IS NO MOUNTAIN AHEAD.

IT WAS ONLY FLAT AREA AND THE SEA.

Narrator: THE PLANE CONTINUES TURNING SOUTH.

Guest: HOW IS THE FUEL CONSUMPTION?

Yablontsev: FANTASTIC.

Kotchetkov: AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE HARDLY BURNED ANY FUEL.

Siswosuwarno: WAIT, STOP.

HIS LAST INPUT WAS 174.

THAT WOULD TAKE THEM TOWARDS THE MOUNTAIN,

AND HE NEEDS TO KEEP TURNING.

BUT HE'S TALKING ABOUT THE ENGINES.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS' SUSPICIONS PROVE TO BE CORRECT.

THE CAPTAIN IS SO DISTRACTED, HE ONLY INPUTS ENOUGH HEADINGS

TO COMPLETE A HALF CIRCLE INSTEAD OF THE FULL 360 DEGREES.

Yablontsev: THE FLIGHT COMPUTER DOES ALL THE WORK FOR ME.

Siswosuwarno: HE SIMPLY FORGOT TO INPUT THE REST OF THE TURN.

Yablontsev: LET'S START THE APPROACH.

Narrator: THE PILOTS PREPARE FOR LANDING.

THE CAPTAIN THINKS HE'S ON COURSE FOR THE AIRPORT

WHEN, IN FACT, HE'S HEADING FOR DISASTER.

Automation: TERRAIN, TERRAIN.

TERRAIN, TERRAIN, TERRAIN.

PULL UP.

Siswosuwarno: THAT'S DEFINITELY THE TAWS.

Automation: PULL UP.

Narrator: THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER CONFIRMS

THAT THE WARNING SYSTEM SOUNDED WHEN IT NEEDED TO.

Siswosuwarno: WHY AREN'T THEY DOING ANYTHING

ABOUT THE TERRAIN WARNING?

Automation: TERRAIN, TERRAIN.

Kotchetkov: WHY IS THAT GOING OFF?

Yablontsev: MAYBE THE DATABASE.

Siswosuwarno: WAIT! THAT'S IT.

DATABASE, THE DATABASE.

Narrator: THE COMPUTER'S DATABASE IS LOADED

WITH TERRAIN INFORMATION,

BUT THE PILOTS THINK THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH IT.

Siswosuwarno: BUT THE CAPTAIN THINKS IT IS FAULTY,

AND HE HASN'T SEEN THE MOUNTAIN BECAUSE OF THE CLOUDS,

AND IT'S NOT ON HIS NAVIGATION CHART.

HE IS CONVINCED TAWS WARNING IS AN ERROR.

Automation: TERRAIN, TERRAIN. TERRAIN, TERRAIN.

Narrator: TO THE CAPTAIN,

THE POTENTIALLY LIFESAVING TAWS WARNING

IS NOTHING MORE THAN A HARSH, ANNOYING SOUND.

THE CRASH IS NOW INEVITABLE.

[YELLING]

IN THEIR FINAL REPORT, INVESTIGATORS CONCLUDE

THAT THE CREW DISREGARDED THE TAWS WARNING

BECAUSE THEY WERE UNAWARE OF THE NEARBY MOUNTAINS.

THEY WERE FLYING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION

DUE TO DISTRACTIONS IN THE COCKPIT.

IT'S A MISTAKE THAT COST THE LIVES OF 45 PEOPLE.

EVEN THOUGH THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION ESTABLISHED

THE STERILE COCKPIT RULE IN 1981...

Dunn: GENTLEMEN, HOW'S IT GOING IN HERE?

Narrator: ...SOMETIMES THIS RULE WAS BROKEN.

NOW, IT'S MORE STRICTLY ENFORCED.

Yablontsev: HERE WE GO.

Narrator: THE DECISION TO ENTER A COCKPIT

MUST BE MADE VERY CAREFULLY.

HISTORY HAS SHOWN JUST ONE SMALL DISTRACTION

CAN LEAD TO DISASTER.

♪