1 00:00:02,068 --> 00:00:05,238 NARRATOR: In 1979, chaos when the FAA grounds 2 00:00:05,305 --> 00:00:07,107 every DC-10 in America. 3 00:00:07,173 --> 00:00:09,976 You can imagine if one of your real workhorse airplanes 4 00:00:10,043 --> 00:00:11,611 is grounded, it's a terrible situation. 5 00:00:11,678 --> 00:00:12,612 NARRATOR: The reason. 6 00:00:12,679 --> 00:00:13,813 Look at this. 7 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:17,050 NARRATOR: American Airlines Flight 191. 8 00:00:17,117 --> 00:00:18,051 - I'm losing it. - Go right. 9 00:00:18,118 --> 00:00:19,419 Go right. Come on. 10 00:00:19,486 --> 00:00:20,587 Come on. 11 00:00:20,653 --> 00:00:25,325 It only got about 300 feet above the ground. 12 00:00:25,392 --> 00:00:26,526 What do you got? 13 00:00:26,593 --> 00:00:28,228 NARRATOR: As investigators search for evidence. 14 00:00:28,294 --> 00:00:29,462 It's one of the bushing bolts. 15 00:00:29,529 --> 00:00:31,631 NARRATOR: In the worst air disaster in US history. 16 00:00:31,698 --> 00:00:32,766 Split right in two. 17 00:00:32,832 --> 00:00:34,968 There's the bolt. This is a fracture point. 18 00:00:35,034 --> 00:00:36,803 NARRATOR: They face intense media pressure 19 00:00:36,870 --> 00:00:38,405 to identify the cause. 20 00:00:38,471 --> 00:00:41,074 Some very crucial photographs showed the aircraft 21 00:00:41,141 --> 00:00:43,076 on its final, fatal plunge. 22 00:00:43,143 --> 00:00:45,578 NARRATOR: The shocking images may finally explain. 23 00:00:45,645 --> 00:00:47,547 We need to see those slabs. 24 00:00:47,614 --> 00:00:50,750 NARRATOR: Why 271 people died seconds 25 00:00:50,817 --> 00:00:53,920 after leaving the ground. 26 00:00:53,987 --> 00:00:56,256 WOMAN 1: and gentlemen, we are starting our approach. 27 00:00:56,322 --> 00:00:58,191 MAN 1: We lost both engines. 28 00:00:58,258 --> 00:00:59,692 Emergency descent. MAN 2: Mayday. 29 00:00:59,759 --> 00:01:00,693 Mayday. 30 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:06,065 WOMAN 2: Brace for impact. 31 00:01:06,132 --> 00:01:13,139 MAN 3: He's gonna crash. 32 00:01:33,026 --> 00:01:35,228 Any updates on the weather? 33 00:01:35,295 --> 00:01:37,831 Surface wind 20 degrees at 22 knots. 34 00:01:37,897 --> 00:01:40,934 Nothing but blue skies. 35 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:42,302 NARRATOR: On a Friday afternoon, 36 00:01:42,368 --> 00:01:45,972 the seasoned crew of American Airlines Flight 191. 37 00:01:46,039 --> 00:01:47,207 Rudder set. 38 00:01:47,273 --> 00:01:48,741 NARRATOR: Makes final preparations for takeoff. 39 00:01:48,808 --> 00:01:49,742 Spoilers. 40 00:01:49,809 --> 00:01:50,777 Armed. 41 00:01:50,844 --> 00:01:54,814 NARRATOR: From Chicago's O'Hare Airport. 42 00:01:54,881 --> 00:01:56,583 Captain Walter Lux was scheduled 43 00:01:56,649 --> 00:02:01,521 to have the weekend off, but is covering for a friend. 44 00:02:01,588 --> 00:02:03,556 This crew was a very experienced crew. 45 00:02:03,623 --> 00:02:07,427 The captain had approximately 22,000 hours 46 00:02:07,494 --> 00:02:11,798 of flying time, of which about 3,000 hours were in the DC-10. 47 00:02:11,865 --> 00:02:13,867 So he was a very, very experienced 48 00:02:13,933 --> 00:02:16,236 pilot in the aircraft. 49 00:02:16,302 --> 00:02:18,471 NARRATOR: The DC-10's three-engine layout 50 00:02:18,538 --> 00:02:20,306 makes it one of the most recognizable 51 00:02:20,373 --> 00:02:24,577 passenger jets on the runway. 52 00:02:24,644 --> 00:02:28,615 They're being flown by almost every major airline. 53 00:02:28,681 --> 00:02:31,885 The DC-10 was a very popular airplane. 54 00:02:31,951 --> 00:02:34,020 It was one of the first jumbo jets. 55 00:02:34,087 --> 00:02:37,857 So the airlines were able to put twice as many people 56 00:02:37,924 --> 00:02:39,826 on board the airplane and only feed 57 00:02:39,893 --> 00:02:41,227 three engines instead of four. 58 00:02:41,294 --> 00:02:43,596 So it was much more economical for them 59 00:02:43,663 --> 00:02:45,098 because they could eliminate a lot of flights 60 00:02:45,164 --> 00:02:48,134 and still carry the same number of passengers. 61 00:02:48,201 --> 00:02:50,737 American 191, good afternoon. 62 00:02:50,803 --> 00:02:53,640 Taxiing to position on runway 32. 63 00:02:53,706 --> 00:02:55,141 Right and hold. 64 00:02:55,208 --> 00:02:56,676 American 191, thank you. 65 00:02:56,743 --> 00:02:59,612 Taxi and hold, runway 32 right. 66 00:02:59,679 --> 00:03:03,783 Flaps and slats to 10. 67 00:03:03,850 --> 00:03:05,552 Takeoff and landing are the most 68 00:03:05,618 --> 00:03:10,456 crucial and most difficult and busiest times in the cockpit. 69 00:03:10,523 --> 00:03:13,092 NARRATOR: It's the Friday before Memorial Day. 70 00:03:13,159 --> 00:03:15,795 There are 258 passengers on board 71 00:03:15,862 --> 00:03:21,401 for the flight to Los Angeles. 72 00:03:21,467 --> 00:03:24,804 On this flight, a live feed from a video camera mounted 73 00:03:24,871 --> 00:03:27,473 in the cockpit allows passengers to watch 74 00:03:27,540 --> 00:03:31,311 the takeoff from the cabin. 75 00:03:31,377 --> 00:03:34,247 It's a new feature for American Airlines. 76 00:03:34,314 --> 00:03:37,817 It was simply showing the runway and what 77 00:03:37,884 --> 00:03:39,953 the pilots were seeing as you took off 78 00:03:40,019 --> 00:03:41,487 or as you came in for a landing. 79 00:03:41,554 --> 00:03:48,461 So it was just like a movie for the passengers. 80 00:03:48,528 --> 00:03:52,765 American 191, you are cleared for takeoff. 81 00:03:52,832 --> 00:03:55,335 American 191, underway. 82 00:03:55,401 --> 00:03:56,336 You have control. 83 00:03:56,402 --> 00:03:57,470 I have control. 84 00:03:57,537 --> 00:03:59,672 Runway clear? 85 00:03:59,739 --> 00:04:00,673 Clear. 86 00:04:00,740 --> 00:04:01,674 OK. 87 00:04:01,741 --> 00:04:02,976 Setting takeoff thrust. 88 00:04:03,042 --> 00:04:06,512 Here we go. 89 00:04:06,579 --> 00:04:08,281 Replied takeoff power. 90 00:04:08,348 --> 00:04:12,518 You've got three engines pushing you down the runway. 91 00:04:12,585 --> 00:04:14,721 NARRATOR: Sharing the pilot's view from the cockpit 92 00:04:14,787 --> 00:04:20,293 is a thrill for many on board. 93 00:04:20,360 --> 00:04:26,265 At 3:04 PM, the plane is seconds away from lifting off. 94 00:04:26,332 --> 00:04:27,266 V1. 95 00:04:27,333 --> 00:04:30,737 You accelerate to V1, which is 96 00:04:30,803 --> 00:04:35,174 the speed beyond which you can no longer abort the takeoff. 97 00:04:35,241 --> 00:04:36,409 So you have to keep going. 98 00:04:36,476 --> 00:04:40,113 You have to take off no matter what happens. 99 00:04:40,179 --> 00:04:43,583 Rotate. 100 00:04:43,650 --> 00:04:46,452 A few seconds later, you reach rotation speed. 101 00:04:46,519 --> 00:04:49,055 This is when the pilot would lift the nose. 102 00:04:49,122 --> 00:04:56,095 The front wheel would come off the runway. 103 00:05:00,433 --> 00:05:01,634 Damn. 104 00:05:01,701 --> 00:05:03,369 There's the turbulence. 105 00:05:03,436 --> 00:05:05,238 Not too rough. 106 00:05:05,304 --> 00:05:12,311 Did you see that? 107 00:05:13,379 --> 00:05:14,614 I've lost power to my sight. 108 00:05:14,681 --> 00:05:17,884 NARRATOR: The captain's instruments suddenly go dead. 109 00:05:17,950 --> 00:05:19,452 It looks like we've lost number one. 110 00:05:19,519 --> 00:05:21,821 NARRATOR: And he's lost power from the left engine, 111 00:05:21,888 --> 00:05:24,824 but the plane is already airborne. 112 00:05:24,891 --> 00:05:25,992 You have to keep going. 113 00:05:26,059 --> 00:05:28,161 You have to climb out. 114 00:05:28,227 --> 00:05:29,796 And if there's something wrong with the airplane, 115 00:05:29,862 --> 00:05:32,031 even if the problems are critical, 116 00:05:32,098 --> 00:05:34,200 your best hope is to keep going, 117 00:05:34,267 --> 00:05:37,537 to climb, contact ATC, and come around 118 00:05:37,603 --> 00:05:41,841 and land somehow, somewhere. 119 00:05:41,908 --> 00:05:43,176 Look at this. 120 00:05:43,242 --> 00:05:47,947 Look at this. 121 00:05:48,014 --> 00:05:48,948 Equipment. 122 00:05:49,015 --> 00:05:50,283 I need equipment. 123 00:05:50,349 --> 00:05:53,653 He blew an engine. 124 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:55,621 NARRATOR: The DC-10 should be able to climb 125 00:05:55,688 --> 00:05:58,024 with only two engines. 126 00:05:58,091 --> 00:06:00,960 These multi-engine planes are specifically designed to take 127 00:06:01,027 --> 00:06:03,496 off with one engine out. 128 00:06:03,563 --> 00:06:06,065 They're designed to climb out at a brisk rate of speed 129 00:06:06,132 --> 00:06:08,301 and to climb to a safe altitude with one 130 00:06:08,367 --> 00:06:10,203 of the engines missing. 131 00:06:10,269 --> 00:06:11,537 NARRATOR: Pilots are trained to cope 132 00:06:11,604 --> 00:06:13,973 with this kind of emergency. 133 00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:17,110 First, they need to get as far from the ground as they can. 134 00:06:17,176 --> 00:06:18,678 Altitude is critical. 135 00:06:18,745 --> 00:06:20,113 There's a saying that pilots have. 136 00:06:20,179 --> 00:06:22,415 The three things you need are altitude, 137 00:06:22,482 --> 00:06:24,517 airspeed, and an idea. 138 00:06:24,584 --> 00:06:27,887 NARRATOR: They put their plane into a steeper climb. 139 00:06:27,954 --> 00:06:33,192 Forward speed drops. 140 00:06:33,259 --> 00:06:35,428 If you have room to play with, 141 00:06:35,495 --> 00:06:37,196 if you have the altitude, now you 142 00:06:37,263 --> 00:06:39,799 can look around and try to figure out what went wrong 143 00:06:39,866 --> 00:06:43,002 and try to institute some corrective measures. 144 00:06:43,069 --> 00:06:44,337 American 191, heavy. 145 00:06:44,403 --> 00:06:45,638 You want to come back? 146 00:06:45,705 --> 00:06:47,573 And to what runway? 147 00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:48,775 - We're banking. - Go right. 148 00:06:48,841 --> 00:06:50,042 Go right. 149 00:06:50,109 --> 00:06:52,145 NARRATOR: The plane is banking sharply to the left. 150 00:06:52,211 --> 00:06:55,548 It's only 325 feet from the ground. 151 00:06:55,615 --> 00:06:58,918 They were applying full right aileron because the left wing 152 00:06:58,985 --> 00:07:00,219 was going down. 153 00:07:00,286 --> 00:07:02,688 And by applying full right aileron, what you're doing 154 00:07:02,755 --> 00:07:06,359 is trying to lift that wing back up that has gone down. 155 00:07:06,425 --> 00:07:10,696 You might try to turn the ailerons the other way harder. 156 00:07:10,763 --> 00:07:14,100 And if that still doesn't work, something's clearly wrong. 157 00:07:14,167 --> 00:07:15,101 I can't hold it. 158 00:07:15,168 --> 00:07:16,836 American 191, heavy. 159 00:07:16,903 --> 00:07:18,171 Do you copy? 160 00:07:18,237 --> 00:07:19,939 He's not talking to me. 161 00:07:20,006 --> 00:07:21,541 NARRATOR: Losing power from one engine 162 00:07:21,607 --> 00:07:24,377 should not be causing the plane to bank. 163 00:07:24,443 --> 00:07:30,683 Passengers have a frightening view of the ground below. 164 00:07:30,750 --> 00:07:32,785 What's going on? 165 00:07:32,852 --> 00:07:35,321 NARRATOR: The pilots can't get the altitude they need, 166 00:07:35,388 --> 00:07:37,490 and they're banking further and further to the left. 167 00:07:37,557 --> 00:07:38,624 - I'm losing it. - Go right. 168 00:07:38,691 --> 00:07:39,625 Go right. 169 00:07:39,692 --> 00:07:40,626 Come on. 170 00:07:40,693 --> 00:07:42,261 Come on. 171 00:07:42,328 --> 00:07:43,262 300 feet. 172 00:07:43,329 --> 00:07:45,932 We're losing altitude. 173 00:07:45,998 --> 00:07:48,000 NARRATOR: The cockpit camera gives passengers 174 00:07:48,067 --> 00:07:51,971 a glimpse of their fate. 175 00:07:52,038 --> 00:07:56,742 But they are not the only ones whose lives are in danger. 176 00:07:56,809 --> 00:07:58,878 A trailer park just north of the airport 177 00:07:58,945 --> 00:08:00,913 is home to thousands of people. 178 00:08:00,980 --> 00:08:02,215 Oh, God. 179 00:08:02,281 --> 00:08:08,487 NARRATOR: And the plane is heading straight for it. 180 00:08:08,554 --> 00:08:10,723 Witnesses on the ground can clearly see 181 00:08:10,790 --> 00:08:17,330 Flight 191 flying on its side. 182 00:08:18,331 --> 00:08:19,398 We're still turning. 183 00:08:19,465 --> 00:08:20,399 Level, baby. 184 00:08:20,466 --> 00:08:23,169 Level. 185 00:08:23,236 --> 00:08:25,037 Brace, brace, brace. 186 00:08:25,104 --> 00:08:27,540 Brace, brace, brace. 187 00:08:27,607 --> 00:08:30,409 Well, certainly it would be a very, very scary thing. 188 00:08:30,476 --> 00:08:37,483 And you would certainly know that you were about to die. 189 00:08:39,852 --> 00:08:41,153 We're losing it. Go right. 190 00:08:41,220 --> 00:08:42,154 Go right. 191 00:08:42,221 --> 00:08:43,256 Go right. 192 00:08:43,322 --> 00:08:49,695 There he goes. 193 00:08:49,762 --> 00:08:52,465 The DC-10 crashes into an airport hangar 194 00:08:52,531 --> 00:08:55,001 at the edge of the airport. 195 00:08:55,067 --> 00:08:58,104 The full load of fuel instantly ignites. 196 00:08:58,170 --> 00:09:01,440 DC-10 with 271 souls on board has gone down 197 00:09:01,507 --> 00:09:03,409 northwest of runway 32 right. 198 00:09:03,476 --> 00:09:05,778 It only got about 300 feet above the ground. 199 00:09:05,845 --> 00:09:09,081 And it traveled maybe 4,600 feet or so 200 00:09:09,148 --> 00:09:10,850 beyond the end of the runway before it 201 00:09:10,917 --> 00:09:17,924 crashed into a field. 202 00:09:23,996 --> 00:09:25,331 As soon as we pulled out of the station, 203 00:09:25,398 --> 00:09:27,033 we could see the column of smoke. 204 00:09:27,099 --> 00:09:30,102 And of course, as we got closer and closer, it was heavier. 205 00:09:30,169 --> 00:09:34,206 And you could see how big the site was. 206 00:09:34,273 --> 00:09:36,108 NARRATOR: Less than a minute after takeoff, 207 00:09:36,175 --> 00:09:39,512 there was almost nothing left of Flight 191. 208 00:09:39,578 --> 00:09:41,781 Everything was smoldering. 209 00:09:41,847 --> 00:09:45,017 And I remember seeing pieces of the aircraft 210 00:09:45,084 --> 00:09:47,620 that were very recognizable, such as the landing gear. 211 00:09:47,687 --> 00:09:52,325 And I remember seeing one of the engines also. 212 00:09:52,391 --> 00:09:57,330 NARRATOR: Rescuers find a horrifying scene. 213 00:09:57,396 --> 00:10:01,500 We saw-- what was recognizable is torsos, 214 00:10:01,567 --> 00:10:04,370 body parts. 215 00:10:04,437 --> 00:10:06,138 It just brought back the human element. 216 00:10:06,205 --> 00:10:08,774 And you realized and thought about the people 217 00:10:08,841 --> 00:10:11,978 who were on board. 218 00:10:12,044 --> 00:10:14,113 NARRATOR: As they begin assessing the full scope 219 00:10:14,180 --> 00:10:16,582 of the disaster, they have very little 220 00:10:16,649 --> 00:10:21,988 hope that anyone survived. 221 00:10:22,054 --> 00:10:24,957 American Airlines Flight 191 has crashed 222 00:10:25,024 --> 00:10:27,426 just short of the trailer park beside Chicago's 223 00:10:27,493 --> 00:10:30,229 O'Hare Airport. 224 00:10:30,296 --> 00:10:37,036 The DC-10 has also obliterated a hangar beyond the runway. 225 00:10:38,037 --> 00:10:39,572 There were some distinct odors. 226 00:10:39,638 --> 00:10:40,706 Jet fuel. 227 00:10:40,773 --> 00:10:44,276 Certainly, that was the overpowering odor. 228 00:10:44,343 --> 00:10:50,082 And then the eerie quiet I remember. 229 00:10:50,149 --> 00:10:51,984 NARRATOR: Once the fire is under control, 230 00:10:52,051 --> 00:10:54,587 the search for survivors can begin. 231 00:10:54,653 --> 00:10:56,322 But as you walk the scene, it was 232 00:10:56,389 --> 00:11:00,459 pretty obvious pretty quickly that there were no survivors. 233 00:11:00,526 --> 00:11:03,529 It was very, very frustrating to realize that no matter 234 00:11:03,596 --> 00:11:05,664 what your training was, there was nobody there 235 00:11:05,731 --> 00:11:07,633 that you could help. 236 00:11:07,700 --> 00:11:13,472 NARRATOR: All 271 people on board are dead. 237 00:11:13,539 --> 00:11:19,578 Two workers inside the hangar have also been killed. 238 00:11:19,645 --> 00:11:26,619 It's the worst aviation disaster in US history. 239 00:11:35,761 --> 00:11:39,899 A lot of people saw this happen. 240 00:11:39,965 --> 00:11:42,268 Let's see what they can tell us. 241 00:11:42,334 --> 00:11:43,602 NARRATOR: The National Transportation 242 00:11:43,669 --> 00:11:45,504 Safety Board must now figure out 243 00:11:45,571 --> 00:11:50,276 what went wrong on Flight 191. 244 00:11:50,342 --> 00:11:53,179 REPORTER: This is a Breaking News Special Report. 245 00:11:53,245 --> 00:11:54,480 Good evening. 246 00:11:54,547 --> 00:11:57,216 An American Airlines DC-10 crashed just after takeoff 247 00:11:57,283 --> 00:12:01,087 this afternoon from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. 248 00:12:01,153 --> 00:12:03,122 This is the kind of accident which unfortunately really 249 00:12:03,189 --> 00:12:05,791 grabs the imagination of the public 250 00:12:05,858 --> 00:12:09,261 and can do so much to cast a stain 251 00:12:09,328 --> 00:12:12,698 on the reputation of an airline, of an aircraft, 252 00:12:12,765 --> 00:12:14,467 on air travel in general. 253 00:12:14,533 --> 00:12:18,104 NARRATOR: Thousands of people fly aboard DC-10s every day. 254 00:12:18,170 --> 00:12:21,307 If there's a flaw in the plane, investigators need to find it 255 00:12:21,373 --> 00:12:24,043 before more people are killed. 256 00:12:24,110 --> 00:12:26,011 The stakes were very high for the NTSB 257 00:12:26,078 --> 00:12:28,247 to get this investigation right. 258 00:12:28,314 --> 00:12:31,484 The airlines wanted the public to understand that this was 259 00:12:31,550 --> 00:12:34,153 fundamentally a safe aircraft. 260 00:12:34,220 --> 00:12:35,387 NARRATOR: They are eager to hear 261 00:12:35,454 --> 00:12:38,924 from the many people who saw the crash, especially 262 00:12:38,991 --> 00:12:41,527 those with the best view. 263 00:12:41,594 --> 00:12:45,498 Controllers in the tower. 264 00:12:45,564 --> 00:12:46,832 Look at this. 265 00:12:46,899 --> 00:12:49,969 Look at this. 266 00:12:50,035 --> 00:12:51,203 NARRATOR: The controllers revealed 267 00:12:51,270 --> 00:12:55,608 that Flight 191's left engine didn't simply fail. 268 00:12:55,674 --> 00:12:59,945 The engine fell off the plane just after they lifted off. 269 00:13:00,012 --> 00:13:02,214 I saw it fall. 270 00:13:02,281 --> 00:13:03,482 If you were sitting on the left hand 271 00:13:03,549 --> 00:13:05,017 side of the airplane, what you would have seen 272 00:13:05,084 --> 00:13:06,819 was the number one engine on the left side 273 00:13:06,886 --> 00:13:13,025 rotated up, and flipped back, and disappeared behind you. 274 00:13:13,092 --> 00:13:14,793 Did you see that? 275 00:13:14,860 --> 00:13:16,495 That's the last thing an airline 276 00:13:16,562 --> 00:13:18,330 passenger wants to see. 277 00:13:18,397 --> 00:13:20,199 These engines are actually designed 278 00:13:20,266 --> 00:13:23,569 to go back up over the wing in case of failure, 279 00:13:23,636 --> 00:13:25,704 so that they will miss the tail as they go by 280 00:13:25,771 --> 00:13:27,540 and not cause damage to the tail section. 281 00:13:27,606 --> 00:13:29,608 They will go over the tail. 282 00:13:29,675 --> 00:13:32,678 NARRATOR: The engine has landed nearly 2,500 feet from the end 283 00:13:32,745 --> 00:13:35,915 of runway 32 right. 284 00:13:35,981 --> 00:13:38,284 The team scours the tarmac for any pieces 285 00:13:38,350 --> 00:13:40,119 that came from the plane. 286 00:13:40,186 --> 00:13:42,821 How does a DC-10 lose an engine? 287 00:13:42,888 --> 00:13:44,423 NARRATOR: The smallest piece of evidence 288 00:13:44,490 --> 00:13:46,625 can be of vital importance. 289 00:13:46,692 --> 00:13:49,595 I've never seen anything like this. 290 00:13:49,662 --> 00:13:52,031 That is not supposed to happen. 291 00:13:52,097 --> 00:13:54,767 The engineering is supposed to be so robust 292 00:13:54,833 --> 00:13:57,169 that that will not occur. 293 00:13:57,236 --> 00:14:00,139 So when that happens, you'll have the undivided attention 294 00:14:00,206 --> 00:14:02,341 of everybody involved in the investigation 295 00:14:02,408 --> 00:14:04,510 because that's a big deal. 296 00:14:04,577 --> 00:14:07,012 NARRATOR: In the entire history of commercial aviation, 297 00:14:07,079 --> 00:14:10,683 there have only been a handful of similar incidents. 298 00:14:10,749 --> 00:14:15,921 But concerns over the safety of the DC-10 are not new. 299 00:14:15,988 --> 00:14:18,490 This is the third major accident for the plane 300 00:14:18,557 --> 00:14:20,492 in the last five years. 301 00:14:20,559 --> 00:14:22,361 There were a series of fatal accidents 302 00:14:22,428 --> 00:14:25,364 that were very high profile in the news. 303 00:14:25,431 --> 00:14:27,600 And the name DC-10 kept appearing time 304 00:14:27,666 --> 00:14:30,803 and again in headlines led the public to wonder what was 305 00:14:30,869 --> 00:14:33,939 going on with this airplane. 306 00:14:34,006 --> 00:14:38,377 NARRATOR: In 1972, American Airlines Flight 96 307 00:14:38,444 --> 00:14:40,446 lost its rear cargo door shortly 308 00:14:40,512 --> 00:14:44,149 after takeoff from Detroit. 309 00:14:44,216 --> 00:14:46,952 The DC-10 was at almost 12,000 feet 310 00:14:47,019 --> 00:14:50,789 when the door blew out, causing an explosive decompression 311 00:14:50,856 --> 00:14:54,493 that severed essential control cables. 312 00:14:54,560 --> 00:14:56,929 The pilots were able to make a successful emergency 313 00:14:56,996 --> 00:15:04,003 landing, saving all on board. 314 00:15:05,537 --> 00:15:09,408 Two years later, the 346 people aboard Turkish Airlines 315 00:15:09,475 --> 00:15:15,648 Flight 981 were not so lucky. 316 00:15:15,714 --> 00:15:18,217 They all died when their DC-10 crashed 317 00:15:18,284 --> 00:15:20,519 into a forest in France after suffering 318 00:15:20,586 --> 00:15:24,990 a similar cargo door failure. 319 00:15:25,057 --> 00:15:26,892 Public confidence in the airplane 320 00:15:26,959 --> 00:15:28,961 was fairly low at this point. 321 00:15:29,028 --> 00:15:31,897 And a lot of people would not fly on that airplane. 322 00:15:31,964 --> 00:15:35,401 They would book another trip or book another airline to stay 323 00:15:35,467 --> 00:15:36,702 away from the airplane. 324 00:15:36,769 --> 00:15:39,405 They say if it's a DC-10, put me on another flight. 325 00:15:39,471 --> 00:15:41,307 I don't particularly like flying DC-10s, 326 00:15:41,373 --> 00:15:43,409 but you know, it's the only flight we can take, 327 00:15:43,475 --> 00:15:45,477 so we take it. 328 00:15:45,544 --> 00:15:46,879 NARRATOR: Investigators desperately 329 00:15:46,945 --> 00:15:48,914 need to know how an engine fell off 330 00:15:48,981 --> 00:15:52,951 a plane carrying 271 people. 331 00:15:53,018 --> 00:15:54,887 They searched the charred debris for the plane's 332 00:15:54,953 --> 00:15:57,323 flight recorders. 333 00:15:57,389 --> 00:15:59,325 You've got a plane that is destroyed on impact 334 00:15:59,391 --> 00:16:03,562 as this plane was, the data from the recorders 335 00:16:03,629 --> 00:16:06,799 can be essential because that really is your only source 336 00:16:06,865 --> 00:16:08,200 of information. 337 00:16:08,267 --> 00:16:12,237 NARRATOR: The team is able to recover both black boxes. 338 00:16:12,304 --> 00:16:14,606 But the recorders are heavily damaged, 339 00:16:14,673 --> 00:16:19,011 it will take time to analyze the data. 340 00:16:19,078 --> 00:16:20,012 What you got? 341 00:16:20,079 --> 00:16:21,180 NARRATOR: The investigative team 342 00:16:21,246 --> 00:16:22,614 soon makes another discovery. 343 00:16:22,681 --> 00:16:24,750 It's one of the bushing bolts. 344 00:16:24,817 --> 00:16:26,185 Split right in two. 345 00:16:26,251 --> 00:16:30,356 NARRATOR: It could prove to be crucial. 346 00:16:30,422 --> 00:16:34,026 They found a bolt that had broken. 347 00:16:34,093 --> 00:16:35,861 And the question that was raised 348 00:16:35,928 --> 00:16:39,231 was did this bolt break before the accident and cause it, 349 00:16:39,298 --> 00:16:43,035 or did it break as a result of the accident? 350 00:16:43,102 --> 00:16:45,404 NARRATOR: The left and right engines of a DC-10 351 00:16:45,471 --> 00:16:47,206 are mounted to the wings through a rigging 352 00:16:47,272 --> 00:16:50,743 system known as the pylon. 353 00:16:50,809 --> 00:16:53,178 The bolt found on the runway is one of the few 354 00:16:53,245 --> 00:16:59,084 holding it in place. 355 00:16:59,151 --> 00:17:00,819 The badly damaged bolt was found 356 00:17:00,886 --> 00:17:03,155 closer to the start of the runway, 357 00:17:03,222 --> 00:17:05,357 suggesting that it may have been the first thing 358 00:17:05,424 --> 00:17:10,896 to come off the plane. 359 00:17:10,963 --> 00:17:12,631 So what do you think? 360 00:17:12,698 --> 00:17:14,199 NARRATOR: The investigative team believes 361 00:17:14,266 --> 00:17:17,269 they have found the culprit. 362 00:17:17,336 --> 00:17:18,604 This would explain it. 363 00:17:18,670 --> 00:17:20,806 NARRATOR: The NTSB is under immense pressure 364 00:17:20,873 --> 00:17:23,675 to explain how an engine could simply fall off 365 00:17:23,742 --> 00:17:31,850 a widely used passenger jet. 366 00:17:31,917 --> 00:17:33,652 Two days after the crash, they hold 367 00:17:33,719 --> 00:17:36,688 a news conference to announce that they found the cause. 368 00:17:36,755 --> 00:17:39,725 A broken bolt. 369 00:17:39,792 --> 00:17:42,528 There is the bolt. There is a nut 370 00:17:42,594 --> 00:17:44,329 still attached to part of the bolt. 371 00:17:44,396 --> 00:17:46,131 This is the fracture point. 372 00:17:46,198 --> 00:17:48,867 Well, I arrived at the scene of the investigation. 373 00:17:48,934 --> 00:17:50,636 And it was a press conference going 374 00:17:50,702 --> 00:17:54,072 on at that time, in which the vice-chairman of the Safety 375 00:17:54,139 --> 00:17:56,108 Board was speaking. 376 00:17:56,175 --> 00:17:58,410 And he had just concluded. 377 00:17:58,477 --> 00:18:02,247 NARRATOR: Michael Marks is a metallurgist with the NTSB. 378 00:18:02,314 --> 00:18:04,383 What did you guys say about the bolt? 379 00:18:04,450 --> 00:18:05,751 We said this is it. 380 00:18:05,818 --> 00:18:07,319 This is why the engine came off. 381 00:18:07,386 --> 00:18:09,555 NARRATOR: He's an expert in fractures and failures 382 00:18:09,621 --> 00:18:11,256 of airplane parts. 383 00:18:11,323 --> 00:18:14,760 It was related to me that he had indicated that a bolt that 384 00:18:14,827 --> 00:18:16,962 was found on the runway was involved 385 00:18:17,029 --> 00:18:18,530 in the engine separation. 386 00:18:18,597 --> 00:18:20,065 Tell me you have more evidence than that. 387 00:18:20,132 --> 00:18:22,601 When I visually looked at it, I could see nothing 388 00:18:22,668 --> 00:18:24,603 on the bolt that would indicate anything out 389 00:18:24,670 --> 00:18:26,972 of the ordinary, which all I could do is say, 390 00:18:27,039 --> 00:18:30,409 this bolt didn't have any preexisting cracking on it 391 00:18:30,476 --> 00:18:33,512 or have anything that would indicate that it had 392 00:18:33,579 --> 00:18:35,047 a weakness in the structure. 393 00:18:35,113 --> 00:18:39,318 This thing broke when it hit the runway, not before. 394 00:18:39,384 --> 00:18:43,021 So not exactly our smoking gun. 395 00:18:43,088 --> 00:18:44,890 We need more information. 396 00:18:44,957 --> 00:18:47,493 And to announce that you basically 397 00:18:47,559 --> 00:18:51,597 have some kind of cause for that engine separation 398 00:18:51,663 --> 00:18:53,832 without really looking at it, it 399 00:18:53,899 --> 00:18:56,201 was not a good idea to come out with this 400 00:18:56,268 --> 00:18:58,403 at that particular time. 401 00:18:58,470 --> 00:19:02,241 And so more caution was needed. 402 00:19:02,307 --> 00:19:03,242 OK, look. 403 00:19:03,308 --> 00:19:04,776 We've got to forget about the media 404 00:19:04,843 --> 00:19:06,478 and focus on the evidence. 405 00:19:06,545 --> 00:19:08,580 It turned out that it didn't cause the accident. 406 00:19:08,647 --> 00:19:10,282 But going in, you don't know what 407 00:19:10,349 --> 00:19:11,850 is going to turn out to be important 408 00:19:11,917 --> 00:19:13,552 and what's just a red herring. 409 00:19:13,619 --> 00:19:15,454 NARRATOR: The confusion at the press conference 410 00:19:15,521 --> 00:19:17,823 only increases the pressure. 411 00:19:17,890 --> 00:19:23,695 There is no room for any more mistakes. 412 00:19:23,762 --> 00:19:27,432 For now, the team can only study the wreckage for clues. 413 00:19:27,499 --> 00:19:29,301 They hope there is enough left to the plane 414 00:19:29,368 --> 00:19:32,037 to help them make sense of what happened. 415 00:19:32,104 --> 00:19:34,039 Hold on, let me see that. 416 00:19:34,106 --> 00:19:35,040 OK. 417 00:19:35,107 --> 00:19:36,275 Good. 418 00:19:36,341 --> 00:19:38,343 Anything from the main crash site goes over here. 419 00:19:38,410 --> 00:19:42,614 Anything from the runway, any engine or wing parts, 420 00:19:42,681 --> 00:19:45,551 goes to that side. 421 00:19:45,617 --> 00:19:47,019 Well, my first priorities would 422 00:19:47,085 --> 00:19:50,789 be to look at the actual parts, the actual separation. 423 00:19:50,856 --> 00:19:57,729 Where is it that this thing broke? 424 00:19:58,764 --> 00:20:00,933 This is definitely part of the pylon. 425 00:20:00,999 --> 00:20:03,068 I've never seen one break like that. 426 00:20:03,135 --> 00:20:05,237 NARRATOR: The pylons are mounted under the wings. 427 00:20:05,304 --> 00:20:07,272 Each one is strong enough to suspend 428 00:20:07,339 --> 00:20:09,708 an 11,600-pound engine. 429 00:20:09,775 --> 00:20:14,112 The pylon is designed very well, I mean, strength-wise. 430 00:20:14,179 --> 00:20:16,882 So it basically could take a lot of load. 431 00:20:16,949 --> 00:20:19,685 Much more load than you would normally see in the course 432 00:20:19,751 --> 00:20:22,921 of the airplane life. 433 00:20:22,988 --> 00:20:24,456 NARRATOR: The pylon gets its strength 434 00:20:24,523 --> 00:20:26,224 from two internal bulkheads. 435 00:20:26,291 --> 00:20:28,827 One forward and one aft. 436 00:20:28,894 --> 00:20:32,130 These bulkheads also provide secure points of attachment, 437 00:20:32,197 --> 00:20:36,835 ensuring that the engines are firmly fixed to the wings. 438 00:20:36,902 --> 00:20:39,905 It's also designed to have multiple load 439 00:20:39,972 --> 00:20:45,544 paths, so that it's what they call failsafe design. 440 00:20:45,611 --> 00:20:47,613 NARRATOR: It seems incredible that a pylon, 441 00:20:47,679 --> 00:20:51,450 one of the strongest parts of the plane, could have broken. 442 00:20:51,516 --> 00:20:54,886 Conceivably, the failsafe design is flawed. 443 00:20:54,953 --> 00:20:57,556 If so, it could just be a matter of time 444 00:20:57,623 --> 00:21:01,159 before another pylon breaks in mid-air. 445 00:21:01,226 --> 00:21:02,995 Any idea what happened to it? 446 00:21:03,061 --> 00:21:04,930 I need to see the rest of the pylon. 447 00:21:04,997 --> 00:21:06,932 NARRATOR: As some investigators search the wreckage 448 00:21:06,999 --> 00:21:09,901 near the airport for the rest of the broken pylon, 449 00:21:09,968 --> 00:21:11,603 others are finally able to listen 450 00:21:11,670 --> 00:21:14,806 to the cockpit voice recorder. 451 00:21:14,873 --> 00:21:16,708 It should reveal if the pilot had 452 00:21:16,775 --> 00:21:21,246 any indications of a problem as they were taking off. 453 00:21:21,313 --> 00:21:22,614 OK. 454 00:21:22,681 --> 00:21:25,617 Go ahead. 455 00:21:25,684 --> 00:21:26,918 PILOT: American 191, thank you. 456 00:21:26,985 --> 00:21:29,054 Taxi and hold, runway 32 right. 457 00:21:29,121 --> 00:21:30,455 Flaps and slats to 10. 458 00:21:30,522 --> 00:21:35,427 NARRATOR: The taxi and takeoff rule are perfectly routine. 459 00:21:35,494 --> 00:21:37,629 American 191 underway. 460 00:21:37,696 --> 00:21:39,297 NARRATOR: There is no indication the pilots 461 00:21:39,364 --> 00:21:40,932 were having any problems. 462 00:21:40,999 --> 00:21:41,900 PILOT: OK. 463 00:21:41,967 --> 00:21:43,602 Setting takeoff thrust. 464 00:21:43,669 --> 00:21:49,207 Here we go. 465 00:21:49,274 --> 00:21:52,511 Sounds pretty routine so far. 466 00:21:52,577 --> 00:21:56,815 PILOT: V1, rotate. 467 00:21:56,882 --> 00:22:02,320 Damn. 468 00:22:02,387 --> 00:22:03,455 Is that it? 469 00:22:03,522 --> 00:22:05,190 Well, the tricky things about this accident 470 00:22:05,257 --> 00:22:08,560 for investigators was that the nature of the damage 471 00:22:08,627 --> 00:22:11,229 was such that the cockpit voice recorder itself 472 00:22:11,296 --> 00:22:13,131 was rendered inoperable. 473 00:22:13,198 --> 00:22:15,901 So that was a big loss of clues. 474 00:22:15,967 --> 00:22:17,002 NARRATOR: The voice recorder was 475 00:22:17,069 --> 00:22:20,305 powered by the left engine. 476 00:22:20,372 --> 00:22:21,573 Damn. 477 00:22:21,640 --> 00:22:24,743 NARRATOR: Once it fell off, the recording stopped. 478 00:22:24,810 --> 00:22:26,211 Thanks. 479 00:22:26,278 --> 00:22:30,515 About the last thing they heard on there was just damn. 480 00:22:30,582 --> 00:22:32,818 And that was the end of the recording. 481 00:22:32,884 --> 00:22:36,988 And that told them absolutely nothing. 482 00:22:37,055 --> 00:22:39,057 NARRATOR: They may never know what happened in the cockpit 483 00:22:39,124 --> 00:22:43,495 after the engine fell off. 484 00:22:43,562 --> 00:22:47,065 The flight data recorder is also nearly useless. 485 00:22:47,132 --> 00:22:50,068 Because of the extreme way the plane was flying, 486 00:22:50,135 --> 00:22:52,037 a lot of the data makes no sense. 487 00:22:52,104 --> 00:22:54,740 This isn't going to help us. 488 00:22:54,806 --> 00:22:57,442 NARRATOR: At the hangar, there has been some progress. 489 00:22:57,509 --> 00:23:00,746 Investigators have recovered all the pieces of the pylon. 490 00:23:00,812 --> 00:23:03,415 Michael Marks may now be a step closer to figuring 491 00:23:03,482 --> 00:23:06,818 out why it broke apart. 492 00:23:06,885 --> 00:23:12,023 Now I had an indication that maybe this is the area that we 493 00:23:12,090 --> 00:23:13,592 really should be looking at. 494 00:23:13,658 --> 00:23:15,927 So in doing that, you needed to get more 495 00:23:15,994 --> 00:23:18,263 detailed inspections of it. 496 00:23:18,330 --> 00:23:19,931 You needed to get it to the laboratory 497 00:23:19,998 --> 00:23:22,100 back in Washington, DC. 498 00:23:22,167 --> 00:23:24,903 NARRATOR: Investigators also examine the plane's history 499 00:23:24,970 --> 00:23:29,007 for anything that might relate to this catastrophic failure. 500 00:23:29,074 --> 00:23:32,477 John Goglia spent nine years as a senior maintenance expert 501 00:23:32,544 --> 00:23:34,312 for the NTSB. 502 00:23:34,379 --> 00:23:36,581 Instantly, if we know we had an engine falling off, 503 00:23:36,648 --> 00:23:38,717 you're going to go right for the maintenance records. 504 00:23:38,784 --> 00:23:42,687 You're going to go right to the history of the airplane. 505 00:23:42,754 --> 00:23:45,123 They had the engine out at the end of March. 506 00:23:45,190 --> 00:23:48,493 NARRATOR: Eight weeks before the accident, the left engine 507 00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:51,029 was removed for servicing. 508 00:23:51,096 --> 00:23:52,964 Any time that you have an airplane that's 509 00:23:53,031 --> 00:23:56,501 been into maintenance just before a crash, that raises 510 00:23:56,568 --> 00:23:58,069 all sorts of warning flags. 511 00:23:58,136 --> 00:24:00,872 All sorts. 512 00:24:00,939 --> 00:24:05,076 Let's go down to Tulsa. 513 00:24:05,143 --> 00:24:06,411 See what they did. 514 00:24:06,478 --> 00:24:08,246 If you have an investigation that involves maintenance, 515 00:24:08,313 --> 00:24:09,948 if you don't go inside the hangar, 516 00:24:10,015 --> 00:24:12,317 you don't follow that trail, you're 517 00:24:12,384 --> 00:24:16,988 going to miss some issues. 518 00:24:17,055 --> 00:24:19,491 NARRATOR: Why the pylon broke is not the only question 519 00:24:19,558 --> 00:24:21,226 that needs to be answered. 520 00:24:21,293 --> 00:24:23,094 Damn. 521 00:24:23,161 --> 00:24:25,630 I've lost power to my sight. 522 00:24:25,697 --> 00:24:27,199 Looks like we've lost number one. 523 00:24:27,265 --> 00:24:30,969 NARRATOR: Two of the DC-10's three engines kept working. 524 00:24:31,036 --> 00:24:33,538 The plane had the power it needed to keep climbing 525 00:24:33,605 --> 00:24:36,141 and then get back to the airport. 526 00:24:36,208 --> 00:24:39,978 In fact, you could lose a second engine shortly after 527 00:24:40,045 --> 00:24:41,546 lift-off and you would still be able 528 00:24:41,613 --> 00:24:43,982 to power the aircraft around. 529 00:24:44,049 --> 00:24:46,151 NARRATOR: But somehow, experienced pilots 530 00:24:46,218 --> 00:24:52,190 weren't able to fly this plane after losing just one engine. 531 00:24:52,257 --> 00:24:58,463 With 270 people dead after an engine fell off a plane, 532 00:24:58,530 --> 00:25:03,101 the FAA makes a drastic decision. 533 00:25:03,168 --> 00:25:08,306 On June 6th 1979, the agency grounds every DC-10 534 00:25:08,373 --> 00:25:10,775 in the United States. 535 00:25:10,842 --> 00:25:13,778 138 planes in total. 536 00:25:13,845 --> 00:25:16,248 Well, you can imagine if one of your real workhorse 537 00:25:16,314 --> 00:25:19,017 airplanes is grounded, disrupting flights, 538 00:25:19,084 --> 00:25:21,453 inconveniencing passengers, generating headlines, 539 00:25:21,519 --> 00:25:22,821 it's a terrible situation. 540 00:25:22,888 --> 00:25:26,124 You spend $100 million for an airplane, 541 00:25:26,191 --> 00:25:30,729 you can't leave it sitting around very long. 542 00:25:30,795 --> 00:25:32,797 It's costing you a lot of money every day to have 543 00:25:32,864 --> 00:25:35,100 that airplane on the ground. 544 00:25:35,166 --> 00:25:37,702 NARRATOR: All foreign-based DC-10s are banned 545 00:25:37,769 --> 00:25:42,707 from entering us airspace. 546 00:25:42,774 --> 00:25:44,776 The pressure on investigators mounts 547 00:25:44,843 --> 00:25:47,512 as the effects of America's worst air disaster 548 00:25:47,579 --> 00:25:53,885 spread across the globe. 549 00:25:53,952 --> 00:25:56,922 Investigator Michael Marks believes the shattered pieces 550 00:25:56,988 --> 00:25:59,424 from the engine pylon may explain why 551 00:25:59,491 --> 00:26:04,729 Flight 191 fell from the sky. 552 00:26:04,796 --> 00:26:07,198 Hey, look for yourself. 553 00:26:07,265 --> 00:26:11,803 Did that had to happen before the crash? 554 00:26:11,870 --> 00:26:13,738 I just don't know why. 555 00:26:13,805 --> 00:26:17,575 We're looking at that bulkhead in detail. 556 00:26:17,642 --> 00:26:20,278 There was one very puzzling thing. 557 00:26:20,345 --> 00:26:21,846 NARRATOR: A close examination reveals 558 00:26:21,913 --> 00:26:23,682 a crack in the metal that clearly 559 00:26:23,748 --> 00:26:26,985 developed slowly over time. 560 00:26:27,052 --> 00:26:30,288 It's a telltale sign that the pylon bulkhead was already 561 00:26:30,355 --> 00:26:32,023 damaged before the crash. 562 00:26:32,090 --> 00:26:39,097 You can see where it's spread, all along there. 563 00:26:40,532 --> 00:26:41,833 NARRATOR: The crack that Michael 564 00:26:41,900 --> 00:26:45,937 Marks finds runs along the top edge of the aft bulkhead. 565 00:26:46,004 --> 00:26:50,342 The cracks were consistent with a fatigue phenomenon 566 00:26:50,408 --> 00:26:55,280 or a cyclic behavior, a crack extending from repeated loads. 567 00:26:55,347 --> 00:26:58,583 Each time the load occurs, you then have 568 00:26:58,650 --> 00:27:00,685 an extension of the crack. 569 00:27:00,752 --> 00:27:02,354 NARRATOR: The microscopic examination 570 00:27:02,420 --> 00:27:04,189 gives Marks another clue. 571 00:27:04,255 --> 00:27:07,392 A dent on the pylon bulkhead at exactly the point 572 00:27:07,459 --> 00:27:08,893 where the crack began. 573 00:27:08,960 --> 00:27:10,395 There was also a deformation that 574 00:27:10,462 --> 00:27:12,030 was on one of the fractures. 575 00:27:12,097 --> 00:27:14,599 At that time, I was not absolutely sure 576 00:27:14,666 --> 00:27:18,603 what it all meant because it just showed a deformation. 577 00:27:18,670 --> 00:27:20,271 It looks like something hit the pylon. 578 00:27:20,338 --> 00:27:21,973 I'm just not sure what or when. 579 00:27:22,040 --> 00:27:22,974 OK. 580 00:27:23,041 --> 00:27:25,877 I'll see what I can find. 581 00:27:25,944 --> 00:27:27,245 Take notes on everything. 582 00:27:27,312 --> 00:27:28,246 Got it. 583 00:27:28,313 --> 00:27:30,015 The information is available. 584 00:27:30,081 --> 00:27:31,082 It's on the hangar floor. 585 00:27:31,149 --> 00:27:32,650 It's in the minds of those people. 586 00:27:32,717 --> 00:27:36,421 We just have to ferret it out. 587 00:27:36,488 --> 00:27:38,089 NARRATOR: Investigators arranged 588 00:27:38,156 --> 00:27:41,793 to watch as another DC-10 undergoes the same maintenance 589 00:27:41,860 --> 00:27:44,095 that was performed on Flight 191 590 00:27:44,162 --> 00:27:46,831 just weeks before the crash. 591 00:27:46,898 --> 00:27:50,135 Can you take me up and show me how the engines mount? 592 00:27:50,201 --> 00:27:52,837 We're going to talk to the people involved. 593 00:27:52,904 --> 00:27:55,106 Most likely, it's going to be the maintenance personnel. 594 00:27:55,173 --> 00:27:57,842 And we're going to ask them pointed questions 595 00:27:57,909 --> 00:27:59,978 on what have you done? 596 00:28:00,045 --> 00:28:01,780 Have you done this job before? 597 00:28:01,846 --> 00:28:03,948 What kind of problems did you encounter? 598 00:28:04,015 --> 00:28:06,184 Did you follow the paperwork to the letter 599 00:28:06,251 --> 00:28:09,521 religiously, step one, step two, step three? 600 00:28:09,587 --> 00:28:12,023 They found procedures that were not in the manual. 601 00:28:12,090 --> 00:28:14,459 They found procedures that the manufacturer 602 00:28:14,526 --> 00:28:16,528 didn't recommend be performed. 603 00:28:16,594 --> 00:28:19,064 NARRATOR: To save time, the airline has modified 604 00:28:19,130 --> 00:28:20,465 a key maintenance procedure. 605 00:28:20,532 --> 00:28:21,466 OK. 606 00:28:21,533 --> 00:28:24,002 Bring her up. 607 00:28:24,069 --> 00:28:27,605 A wing mounted engine on a DC-10 as a 24-hour adventure, 608 00:28:27,672 --> 00:28:29,741 which is extremely long. 609 00:28:29,808 --> 00:28:31,409 So there's a lot of pressure on getting 610 00:28:31,476 --> 00:28:33,812 whatever is broken repaired and getting 611 00:28:33,878 --> 00:28:35,947 the airplane back in the sky. 612 00:28:36,014 --> 00:28:37,649 NARRATOR: The normal procedure for servicing 613 00:28:37,715 --> 00:28:40,151 an engine involves removing it from the pylon 614 00:28:40,218 --> 00:28:43,388 and leaving the pylon attached to the wing. 615 00:28:43,455 --> 00:28:46,858 There are hundreds of connections to be undone. 616 00:28:46,925 --> 00:28:49,427 Procedures from the manufacturer would deem to be 617 00:28:49,494 --> 00:28:53,498 too time-consuming, and they could do it faster, 618 00:28:53,565 --> 00:28:54,632 better, cheaper. 619 00:28:54,699 --> 00:28:57,302 So they were deviating from the procedures. 620 00:28:57,368 --> 00:28:58,803 NARRATOR: The quicker way involves 621 00:28:58,870 --> 00:29:01,539 taking out just three bolts. 622 00:29:01,606 --> 00:29:04,242 The engine is removed from the wing while still 623 00:29:04,309 --> 00:29:05,977 attached to the pylon. 624 00:29:06,044 --> 00:29:08,947 It saves about 200 man hours of labor. 625 00:29:09,013 --> 00:29:10,281 It was easier. 626 00:29:10,348 --> 00:29:13,585 The attach points from the pylon to the wing 627 00:29:13,651 --> 00:29:14,819 were accessible. 628 00:29:14,886 --> 00:29:17,522 The attach points from the engine to the pylon 629 00:29:17,589 --> 00:29:19,157 were much more difficult to take 630 00:29:19,224 --> 00:29:20,792 apart and put back together. 631 00:29:20,859 --> 00:29:22,393 Removing is not the issue. 632 00:29:22,460 --> 00:29:24,028 It's the attempt to reinstall-- - Whoa. 633 00:29:24,095 --> 00:29:25,029 Stop 634 00:29:25,096 --> 00:29:26,664 Is where the problem comes from. 635 00:29:26,731 --> 00:29:28,399 Left a bit. 636 00:29:28,466 --> 00:29:29,567 Now up. 637 00:29:29,634 --> 00:29:31,402 NARRATOR: Maneuvering the pylon into position 638 00:29:31,469 --> 00:29:34,772 with an engine attached to it is a tricky procedure. 639 00:29:34,839 --> 00:29:38,042 Trying to put the engine in the pylon back together, 640 00:29:38,109 --> 00:29:40,311 some 13,000 pounds for the engine 641 00:29:40,378 --> 00:29:43,314 and 2,000 pounds for the pylon, it's not easy. 642 00:29:43,381 --> 00:29:44,983 They were using the forklift. 643 00:29:45,049 --> 00:29:48,119 And this forklift is not very manageable. 644 00:29:48,186 --> 00:29:50,688 It cannot be finely controlled as far 645 00:29:50,755 --> 00:29:52,290 as the altitude is concerned. 646 00:29:52,357 --> 00:29:54,592 The minimum movement on the forklift 647 00:29:54,659 --> 00:29:57,595 was something on the order of a quarter of an inch. 648 00:29:57,662 --> 00:29:59,597 And we're talking about trying to fit something 649 00:29:59,664 --> 00:30:01,432 together that might be in the order 650 00:30:01,499 --> 00:30:03,268 of thousandths of an inch. 651 00:30:03,334 --> 00:30:04,269 Whoa, stop. 652 00:30:04,335 --> 00:30:05,370 Stop. 653 00:30:05,436 --> 00:30:07,772 So you get just slightly the wrong angle, 654 00:30:07,839 --> 00:30:09,707 and you get too much pressure on it, 655 00:30:09,774 --> 00:30:12,443 and you're going to crack those fittings. 656 00:30:12,510 --> 00:30:15,413 I'm sure they didn't realize how quickly 657 00:30:15,480 --> 00:30:19,284 they could get in trouble doing it the way they were doing it. 658 00:30:19,350 --> 00:30:20,718 I think I know what happened. 659 00:30:20,785 --> 00:30:22,420 NARRATOR: A possible explanation surfaces-- 660 00:30:22,487 --> 00:30:23,521 Take her down. 661 00:30:23,588 --> 00:30:25,256 NARRATOR: For the mysterious dent found 662 00:30:25,323 --> 00:30:28,693 on the pylon from Flight 191. 663 00:30:28,760 --> 00:30:32,797 The team in Tulsa calls Marks. 664 00:30:32,864 --> 00:30:34,199 What you got? 665 00:30:34,265 --> 00:30:36,301 NARRATOR: They describe how the maintenance crew struggled 666 00:30:36,367 --> 00:30:39,337 to fit the pylon attachment into the mounting bracket 667 00:30:39,404 --> 00:30:40,638 or clevis. 668 00:30:40,705 --> 00:30:42,240 And then it all came together, 669 00:30:42,307 --> 00:30:47,445 just like a bolt of lightning. 670 00:30:47,512 --> 00:30:50,782 The clevis itself had produced this deformation 671 00:30:50,848 --> 00:30:53,251 that was on the fracture. 672 00:30:53,318 --> 00:30:56,254 NARRATOR: Marks concludes that on the accident plane, 673 00:30:56,321 --> 00:30:58,356 the clevis must have slammed into the top 674 00:30:58,423 --> 00:31:02,827 of the pylon bulkhead as the engine was being reattached. 675 00:31:02,894 --> 00:31:05,029 The impact could have started the crack 676 00:31:05,096 --> 00:31:10,501 that led to the pylon's failure and to the crash itself. 677 00:31:10,568 --> 00:31:13,338 The maintenance people that did this operation which 678 00:31:13,404 --> 00:31:15,139 cracked the pylon probably didn't 679 00:31:15,206 --> 00:31:18,276 hear anything, a bang or crack or anything like that. 680 00:31:18,343 --> 00:31:19,277 OK. 681 00:31:19,344 --> 00:31:20,278 Bring her up. 682 00:31:20,345 --> 00:31:21,813 We call it working around. 683 00:31:21,879 --> 00:31:23,081 So they worked around the manual 684 00:31:23,147 --> 00:31:24,482 to get the job done quicker. 685 00:31:24,549 --> 00:31:28,653 But the process never gets the proper vetting, if you will. 686 00:31:28,720 --> 00:31:31,522 Review from engineering and from the manufacturer. 687 00:31:31,589 --> 00:31:34,692 And sometimes, those alternate methods 688 00:31:34,759 --> 00:31:38,997 have unintended consequences. 689 00:31:39,063 --> 00:31:40,498 NARRATOR: Over the next eight weeks, 690 00:31:40,565 --> 00:31:43,201 each time the plane took off, the stress 691 00:31:43,268 --> 00:31:45,270 that the massive engine put on the pylon 692 00:31:45,336 --> 00:31:48,206 made the crash grow larger. 693 00:31:48,273 --> 00:31:51,242 The engine is not only imparting a thrust load, 694 00:31:51,309 --> 00:31:54,879 but it's also imparting a sideways load. 695 00:31:54,946 --> 00:31:56,581 So each time you have this load, 696 00:31:56,648 --> 00:31:58,883 it breaks a little bit more, and more, and more. 697 00:31:58,950 --> 00:32:00,451 NARRATOR: It was only a matter of time 698 00:32:00,518 --> 00:32:04,122 before the pylon snapped, and the engine fell off. 699 00:32:04,188 --> 00:32:06,524 So the process was flawed, and the people 700 00:32:06,591 --> 00:32:08,793 made adjustments to a flawed process 701 00:32:08,860 --> 00:32:10,028 to try to make it work. 702 00:32:10,094 --> 00:32:14,065 And collectively, that is a recipe for disaster. 703 00:32:14,132 --> 00:32:15,133 How long have you been putting 704 00:32:15,199 --> 00:32:16,934 the engines on this way? 705 00:32:17,001 --> 00:32:19,137 Not sure, but every airline does it. 706 00:32:19,203 --> 00:32:21,105 NARRATOR: Even more worrying, the mechanics 707 00:32:21,172 --> 00:32:25,076 at American Airlines are not the only ones cutting corners. 708 00:32:25,143 --> 00:32:27,011 The airlines shared processes. 709 00:32:27,078 --> 00:32:28,813 And since this engine change was 710 00:32:28,880 --> 00:32:31,883 so time-consuming and costly, they were all looking 711 00:32:31,949 --> 00:32:33,818 for a better way of doing it. 712 00:32:33,885 --> 00:32:35,853 Faster, better, cheaper way to do it. 713 00:32:35,920 --> 00:32:39,557 And so when one would discover it, 714 00:32:39,624 --> 00:32:41,893 a process to use that maybe made 715 00:32:41,959 --> 00:32:44,395 the engine change go quicker, the others 716 00:32:44,462 --> 00:32:45,730 were very quick to adopt it. 717 00:32:45,797 --> 00:32:47,699 And that's exactly what we see here. 718 00:32:47,765 --> 00:32:54,439 We need to get the entire fleet inspected for this. 719 00:32:55,640 --> 00:32:57,342 NARRATOR: It is now clear why the engine fell 720 00:32:57,408 --> 00:32:59,377 from the plane, but what happened 721 00:32:59,444 --> 00:33:03,348 after that is still a mystery. 722 00:33:03,414 --> 00:33:05,817 Flight 191 could have landed safely 723 00:33:05,883 --> 00:33:09,854 with one missing engine. 724 00:33:09,921 --> 00:33:16,494 Instead, 273 people died in a horrific crash. 725 00:33:17,495 --> 00:33:18,996 The plane was completely flyable. 726 00:33:19,063 --> 00:33:19,997 It was in bad shape. 727 00:33:20,064 --> 00:33:21,065 It had lost an engine. 728 00:33:21,132 --> 00:33:23,801 It had lost several critical systems. 729 00:33:23,868 --> 00:33:25,303 But it was still airworthy. 730 00:33:25,370 --> 00:33:27,071 And it was still able to fly. 731 00:33:27,138 --> 00:33:33,478 What happened in that cockpit? 732 00:33:33,544 --> 00:33:35,146 NARRATOR: The crash of Flight 191 733 00:33:35,213 --> 00:33:40,051 has a devastating effect on the entire airline industry. 734 00:33:40,118 --> 00:33:42,954 It was a huge economic problem for the airlines 735 00:33:43,020 --> 00:33:46,357 because their major airplane was now on the ground, 736 00:33:46,424 --> 00:33:47,725 and they couldn't fly it. 737 00:33:47,792 --> 00:33:50,194 And of course, I think it had a big impact on the public 738 00:33:50,261 --> 00:33:51,195 as well. 739 00:33:51,262 --> 00:33:53,865 Have you seen this? 740 00:33:53,931 --> 00:33:55,233 NARRATOR: So why weren't the pilots 741 00:33:55,299 --> 00:34:01,806 able to save their plane after losing one engine? 742 00:34:01,873 --> 00:34:04,542 A chance photograph taken just before the crash 743 00:34:04,609 --> 00:34:09,647 may provide some answers. 744 00:34:09,714 --> 00:34:12,450 There was certainly one very famous photograph that was 745 00:34:12,517 --> 00:34:14,819 published in many newspapers of the aircraft 746 00:34:14,886 --> 00:34:17,121 in semi-inverted position, almost 747 00:34:17,188 --> 00:34:19,891 ready to strike the ground. 748 00:34:19,957 --> 00:34:26,998 Everyone saw this picture. 749 00:34:27,064 --> 00:34:29,300 I want you to track down all the pictures you can 750 00:34:29,367 --> 00:34:32,737 and get them blown up. 751 00:34:32,804 --> 00:34:35,006 I want to see those wings. 752 00:34:35,072 --> 00:34:36,974 You got it. 753 00:34:37,041 --> 00:34:39,977 These photographs that can do so much to horrify the public 754 00:34:40,044 --> 00:34:42,747 can have a real use for the accident investigators. 755 00:34:42,814 --> 00:34:45,349 NARRATOR: By examining photographs taken just prior 756 00:34:45,416 --> 00:34:47,685 to the crash, they might be able to tell 757 00:34:47,752 --> 00:34:50,721 whether the pilots made some mistake when they configured 758 00:34:50,788 --> 00:34:52,123 their plane for takeoff. 759 00:34:52,190 --> 00:34:54,525 Flaps and ailerons look fine. 760 00:34:54,592 --> 00:34:56,928 By blowing up and zooming in on the leading 761 00:34:56,994 --> 00:34:59,063 edge of the wing, the aircraft investigators 762 00:34:59,130 --> 00:35:01,799 were able to determine what was going on. 763 00:35:01,866 --> 00:35:04,535 Is that hydraulic fluid? 764 00:35:04,602 --> 00:35:06,337 NARRATOR: If the fluid leaked from the plane's 765 00:35:06,404 --> 00:35:09,207 hydraulic system, it might explain why the plane 766 00:35:09,273 --> 00:35:12,343 was so hard to control. 767 00:35:12,410 --> 00:35:15,046 Sometimes, the crucial element in air crash 768 00:35:15,112 --> 00:35:17,348 investigation can be some very small, 769 00:35:17,415 --> 00:35:20,084 subtle detail from which everything else can devolve. 770 00:35:20,151 --> 00:35:22,653 NARRATOR: Several of the DC-10's hydraulic lines 771 00:35:22,720 --> 00:35:25,823 run along the leading edge of the wing. 772 00:35:25,890 --> 00:35:27,158 Take a look at this. 773 00:35:27,225 --> 00:35:29,327 NARRATOR: It's the area that was damaged the most 774 00:35:29,393 --> 00:35:30,895 when the engine broke free. 775 00:35:30,962 --> 00:35:33,297 We need to see those slats. 776 00:35:33,364 --> 00:35:34,799 American 191, thank you. 777 00:35:34,866 --> 00:35:37,735 Taxi and hold runway 32 right. 778 00:35:37,802 --> 00:35:39,837 Flaps and slats to 10. 779 00:35:39,904 --> 00:35:42,907 NARRATOR: The plane's slats are extended before takeoff. 780 00:35:42,974 --> 00:35:45,142 They're essential for providing the lift needed 781 00:35:45,209 --> 00:35:47,345 to get the plane airborne. 782 00:35:47,411 --> 00:35:49,580 The slats are on the leading edge of the wing. 783 00:35:49,647 --> 00:35:53,551 And when you deploy the slats, they move out forward. 784 00:35:53,618 --> 00:35:55,853 So the air has a longer distance to go 785 00:35:55,920 --> 00:35:57,555 and therefore, is moving faster. 786 00:35:57,622 --> 00:36:00,324 And it creates more of a lift a vacuum above the wing. 787 00:36:00,391 --> 00:36:02,793 NARRATOR: If the hydraulic system controlling the slats 788 00:36:02,860 --> 00:36:08,199 failed, it could explain the plane's loss of control. 789 00:36:08,266 --> 00:36:10,968 Investigators discover that while all the slats 790 00:36:11,035 --> 00:36:13,337 in the right wing were extended for takeoff, 791 00:36:13,404 --> 00:36:15,606 some on the left wing were not. 792 00:36:15,673 --> 00:36:18,809 It's a configuration that's normally impossible. 793 00:36:18,876 --> 00:36:20,745 You have one wing that is flying 794 00:36:20,811 --> 00:36:22,246 and the other wing that isn't. 795 00:36:22,313 --> 00:36:23,714 And when you have a wing that's flying 796 00:36:23,781 --> 00:36:27,952 and one that isn't, the one that isn't flying dips, 797 00:36:28,019 --> 00:36:30,855 and the one that is flying continues to fly, 798 00:36:30,922 --> 00:36:33,691 which means the airplane goes into a roll. 799 00:36:33,758 --> 00:36:35,259 NARRATOR: They conclude that the engine 800 00:36:35,326 --> 00:36:37,495 hit the wing with enough force to rupture 801 00:36:37,562 --> 00:36:39,463 the hydraulic lines. 802 00:36:39,530 --> 00:36:42,466 The fluid keeping the slats extended on the left wing 803 00:36:42,533 --> 00:36:43,968 would have drained quickly. 804 00:36:44,035 --> 00:36:45,736 I can't hold it. 805 00:36:45,803 --> 00:36:48,339 NARRATOR: Without fluid, some slats on the left wing 806 00:36:48,406 --> 00:36:51,342 retracted, causing that wing to lose lift. 807 00:36:51,409 --> 00:36:54,345 The plane began to roll. 808 00:36:54,412 --> 00:36:56,847 The actual stalling speed was 124 809 00:36:56,914 --> 00:37:00,117 knots for the airplane at this weight and configuration. 810 00:37:00,184 --> 00:37:01,886 I'm losing it. 811 00:37:01,953 --> 00:37:03,788 The fact that the slat had retracted 812 00:37:03,854 --> 00:37:08,225 raised the stalling speed to 159 knots from 124 knots. 813 00:37:08,292 --> 00:37:09,927 So it was a huge difference. 814 00:37:09,994 --> 00:37:11,562 NARRATOR: Without the slats, they 815 00:37:11,629 --> 00:37:16,968 needed to be flying much faster than normal to avoid stalling. 816 00:37:17,034 --> 00:37:19,737 One final question remains. 817 00:37:19,804 --> 00:37:24,609 Why couldn't the pilots recover from the stalled wing? 818 00:37:24,675 --> 00:37:27,678 Investigators recreate the takeoff in a flight simulator 819 00:37:27,745 --> 00:37:29,046 to find out. 820 00:37:29,113 --> 00:37:30,381 OK, you all set? 821 00:37:30,448 --> 00:37:31,382 We're ready. 822 00:37:31,449 --> 00:37:38,456 Let's try one. 823 00:37:46,130 --> 00:37:50,534 V1. 824 00:37:50,601 --> 00:37:53,904 This crew had almost 5,000 hours in this aircraft. 825 00:37:53,971 --> 00:37:55,973 You couldn't ask for a more experienced 826 00:37:56,040 --> 00:37:57,074 crew in this airplane. 827 00:37:57,141 --> 00:37:59,644 And if anybody was going to be able to fly 828 00:37:59,710 --> 00:38:00,911 that airplane in that condition, 829 00:38:00,978 --> 00:38:07,985 it would have been this crew. 830 00:38:10,121 --> 00:38:12,356 NARRATOR: Immediately after the slats retract, 831 00:38:12,423 --> 00:38:16,460 there are dramatic warnings in the cockpit. 832 00:38:16,527 --> 00:38:17,995 There is a stall warning system 833 00:38:18,062 --> 00:38:20,631 that will advise the pilots when the airplane is 834 00:38:20,698 --> 00:38:21,632 about to stall. 835 00:38:21,699 --> 00:38:23,067 It's called a stick shaker. 836 00:38:23,134 --> 00:38:25,369 And when you're nearing the stall speed, 837 00:38:25,436 --> 00:38:28,372 your stick will actually start to shake to warn you of this. 838 00:38:28,439 --> 00:38:31,742 NARRATOR: The stick shaker does exactly as the name suggests. 839 00:38:31,809 --> 00:38:36,047 It vibrates the control column to get the pilot's attention. 840 00:38:36,113 --> 00:38:38,949 If you get a stall warning, you obviously lower the nose, 841 00:38:39,016 --> 00:38:43,754 and you apply for power, and you fly it out of the stall. 842 00:38:43,821 --> 00:38:47,224 If they had lowered the nose, let the airspeed increase, 843 00:38:47,291 --> 00:38:48,659 they actually would have been fine. 844 00:38:48,726 --> 00:38:50,294 The plane was recoverable. 845 00:38:50,361 --> 00:38:51,996 It was landable. 846 00:38:52,063 --> 00:38:53,497 NARRATOR: The simulator tests show 847 00:38:53,564 --> 00:38:56,000 that once the pilots are alerted to the problem, 848 00:38:56,067 --> 00:39:02,773 it is possible to recover. 849 00:39:02,840 --> 00:39:04,275 Why didn't they do that? 850 00:39:04,341 --> 00:39:06,444 NARRATOR: If the pilots on flight 191 851 00:39:06,510 --> 00:39:08,713 had known they were stalling, they could have 852 00:39:08,779 --> 00:39:12,083 been able to save their plane. 853 00:39:12,149 --> 00:39:19,123 It seems possible that somehow, they didn't know. 854 00:39:20,524 --> 00:39:24,128 Investigators study the cockpit warning system on the DC-10 855 00:39:24,195 --> 00:39:27,264 and make a crucial discovery. 856 00:39:27,331 --> 00:39:31,302 All the alarms are powered by the left engine. 857 00:39:31,368 --> 00:39:34,472 When the engine fell off, it severed hydraulic systems. 858 00:39:34,538 --> 00:39:36,774 It severed electrical systems. 859 00:39:36,841 --> 00:39:41,278 I've lost power to my sight. 860 00:39:41,345 --> 00:39:42,513 Looks like we've lost number one. 861 00:39:42,580 --> 00:39:45,182 It resulted in a loss of instrumentation 862 00:39:45,249 --> 00:39:47,418 and of warning devices. 863 00:39:47,485 --> 00:39:49,553 NARRATOR: As soon as the left engine came off, 864 00:39:49,620 --> 00:39:54,125 the warnings that could have saved the plane were disabled. 865 00:39:54,191 --> 00:39:56,894 They bring in a new test pilot to fly the simulation. 866 00:39:56,961 --> 00:39:58,629 OK. You're all set? 867 00:39:58,696 --> 00:39:59,830 NARRATOR: What they don't tell him-- 868 00:39:59,897 --> 00:40:01,265 We're ready. Let's try one. 869 00:40:01,332 --> 00:40:02,433 NARRATOR: Is that all the warnings 870 00:40:02,500 --> 00:40:08,973 have been disconnected. 871 00:40:09,039 --> 00:40:10,474 From that position in the cockpit, 872 00:40:10,541 --> 00:40:12,243 you can't see that left wing. 873 00:40:12,309 --> 00:40:15,479 And they didn't even know the engine was actually gone. 874 00:40:15,546 --> 00:40:17,515 They thought it had just stopped. 875 00:40:17,581 --> 00:40:19,717 It looks like we've lost number one. 876 00:40:19,784 --> 00:40:22,753 When pilots say lose an engine, we mean we lose engine power. 877 00:40:22,820 --> 00:40:29,460 This plane actually lost an engine. 878 00:40:29,527 --> 00:40:31,095 NARRATOR: Without warnings, the test 879 00:40:31,162 --> 00:40:34,498 pilot is in the same plight as the American Airlines crew. 880 00:40:34,565 --> 00:40:37,868 He has no idea his plane has stalled. 881 00:40:37,935 --> 00:40:40,204 If the stick shaker stall warning device 882 00:40:40,271 --> 00:40:42,540 had been functioning, it's very easy 883 00:40:42,606 --> 00:40:44,875 to imagine that the pilot flying the airplane 884 00:40:44,942 --> 00:40:46,143 would have put the nose down and would 885 00:40:46,210 --> 00:40:48,712 have avoided a stall. 886 00:40:48,779 --> 00:40:50,548 - We're banking. - Go right. 887 00:40:50,614 --> 00:40:51,782 Go right. 888 00:40:51,849 --> 00:40:53,651 NARRATOR: Since they don't know about the stall, 889 00:40:53,717 --> 00:40:58,689 they follow the procedure for an engine failure on takeoff. 890 00:40:58,756 --> 00:41:00,825 It sealed their fate. 891 00:41:00,891 --> 00:41:02,893 Pilots were taught at that point in time 892 00:41:02,960 --> 00:41:05,563 that if you lost an engine, the whole idea 893 00:41:05,629 --> 00:41:08,966 was to get more altitude faster and get away from the ground. 894 00:41:09,033 --> 00:41:11,669 So if you lost a second engine, you would have that much 895 00:41:11,735 --> 00:41:13,003 more altitude to play with. 896 00:41:13,070 --> 00:41:15,739 And so you were taught to pull back on the wheel 897 00:41:15,806 --> 00:41:18,943 and go back to the minimum safe flying speed 898 00:41:19,009 --> 00:41:20,611 to get away from the ground. 899 00:41:20,678 --> 00:41:22,880 Reduce speed 153 knots. 900 00:41:22,947 --> 00:41:25,349 Reducing speed to 153 knots. 901 00:41:25,416 --> 00:41:27,685 NARRATOR: Reducing speed by lifting the nose 902 00:41:27,751 --> 00:41:30,621 is the exact opposite of what pilots need to do when 903 00:41:30,688 --> 00:41:33,123 a plane is about to stall. 904 00:41:33,190 --> 00:41:37,328 It makes the stall worse and the roll more severe. 905 00:41:37,394 --> 00:41:40,097 Following the checklist for a single engine failure 906 00:41:40,164 --> 00:41:44,435 made what happened next inevitable and doomed everyone 907 00:41:44,501 --> 00:41:51,508 on board. 908 00:41:52,810 --> 00:41:55,045 If they didn't know they were stalling, 909 00:41:55,112 --> 00:41:56,780 they didn't stand a chance. 910 00:41:56,847 --> 00:41:59,516 The pilots flew the plane exactly 911 00:41:59,583 --> 00:42:02,453 as they'd been trained to do, exactly as procedure 912 00:42:02,519 --> 00:42:03,721 demanded that they fly it. 913 00:42:03,787 --> 00:42:05,990 The pilots were doing absolutely the right thing. 914 00:42:06,056 --> 00:42:08,325 There was absolutely nothing that he could have done. 915 00:42:08,392 --> 00:42:10,094 He was powerless. 916 00:42:10,160 --> 00:42:12,897 He was along for the ride. 917 00:42:12,963 --> 00:42:17,835 NARRATOR: The NTSB concludes the pilots were not at fault. 918 00:42:17,902 --> 00:42:20,337 They do, however, fault American Airlines' maintenance 919 00:42:20,404 --> 00:42:27,411 practices and the FAA for not enforcing proper procedures. 920 00:42:28,646 --> 00:42:31,382 The FAA mandates that stick shakers be installed 921 00:42:31,448 --> 00:42:34,618 on both pilots' control columns and that the warning 922 00:42:34,685 --> 00:42:38,689 system be powered by more than one engine. 923 00:42:38,756 --> 00:42:41,959 The plane's hydraulics are also redesigned with special plugs 924 00:42:42,026 --> 00:42:44,328 to prevent slats and other control surfaces 925 00:42:44,395 --> 00:42:47,364 from retracting if the lines are cut. 926 00:42:47,431 --> 00:42:49,099 When the airplanes were grounded 927 00:42:49,166 --> 00:42:51,101 as a result of this accident, we 928 00:42:51,168 --> 00:42:52,836 found a number of other airplanes 929 00:42:52,903 --> 00:42:55,272 with cracks in the fleet. 930 00:42:55,339 --> 00:42:57,107 NARRATOR: Inspectors find eight more 931 00:42:57,174 --> 00:43:00,577 DC-10s with damaged pylons. 932 00:43:00,644 --> 00:43:04,348 It was very scary when the inspections uncovered so many 933 00:43:04,415 --> 00:43:06,216 other airplanes with problems. 934 00:43:06,283 --> 00:43:08,519 That was very, very scary. 935 00:43:08,585 --> 00:43:10,754 Because every one of those had the potential 936 00:43:10,821 --> 00:43:12,356 of being another accident. 937 00:43:12,423 --> 00:43:15,025 And had we not done the grounding, 938 00:43:15,092 --> 00:43:17,728 then we may have had yet another accident 939 00:43:17,795 --> 00:43:22,666 before we realized the width and breadth of the problem. 940 00:43:22,733 --> 00:43:24,335 This kind of action never happened again. 941 00:43:24,401 --> 00:43:28,806 This engine never fell off this kind of airplane again. 942 00:43:28,872 --> 00:43:31,508 In the general sense though, it teaches us 943 00:43:31,575 --> 00:43:35,045 how to look at safety. 944 00:43:35,112 --> 00:43:37,081 It teaches us how to look at the culture 945 00:43:37,147 --> 00:43:40,451 of training and procedures in the air and procedures 946 00:43:40,517 --> 00:43:41,819 on the ground. - Whoa. 947 00:43:41,885 --> 00:43:42,820 Stop. 948 00:43:42,886 --> 00:43:45,756 Stop. 949 00:43:45,823 --> 00:43:49,226 NARRATOR: One final outcome of the Flight 191 disaster? 950 00:43:49,293 --> 00:43:52,496 Airlines reconsidered the idea of sending live video 951 00:43:52,563 --> 00:43:55,899 to passengers in the cabin. 952 00:43:55,966 --> 00:43:59,003 The passengers were able to see the airplane going 953 00:43:59,069 --> 00:44:01,405 into this dive and were able to see 954 00:44:01,472 --> 00:44:03,407 their own demise in effect. 955 00:44:03,474 --> 00:44:07,945 NARRATOR: The cockpit camera was abandoned. 956 00:44:08,012 --> 00:44:10,881 But the shocking photo of Flight 191's last 957 00:44:10,948 --> 00:44:12,483 moments remains. 958 00:44:12,549 --> 00:44:16,653 An image that both the airlines and the FAA likely wish 959 00:44:16,720 --> 00:44:21,759 could be erased. 960 00:44:21,825 --> 00:44:23,827 They would much rather have people think of air travel 961 00:44:23,894 --> 00:44:29,700 as cramped seats, bad food, luggage being lost, 962 00:44:29,767 --> 00:44:32,336 than with dying. 963 00:44:32,403 --> 00:44:34,204 Luggage being lost will make people grumble, 964 00:44:34,271 --> 00:44:37,341 but people dying will make people not fly.