1 00:00:01,751 --> 00:00:04,671 Narrator: FRENCH INVESTIGATORS FACE AN UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGE. 2 00:00:04,754 --> 00:00:07,006 Man: I'LL TELL YOU EVERYTHING I CAN. 3 00:00:07,090 --> 00:00:09,592 Narrator: THE WORLD'S FASTEST PASSENGER PLANE 4 00:00:09,676 --> 00:00:12,011 HAS CRASHED ON TAKEOFF. 5 00:00:12,095 --> 00:00:14,055 Man: THEY KNEW THAT THEY WERE GOING TO DIE. 6 00:00:14,139 --> 00:00:15,098 Pilot: NO TIME! 7 00:00:15,181 --> 00:00:20,353 Man: WHEN ONE FALTERED AND FELL TO THE GROUND, 8 00:00:20,437 --> 00:00:21,604 IT SHOOK THE WORLD. 9 00:00:21,688 --> 00:00:22,981 Narrator: WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED 10 00:00:23,064 --> 00:00:25,108 THE FIRST FATAL CRASH OF CONCORDE? 11 00:00:25,191 --> 00:00:27,110 Man: LOOKS LIKE THEY WERE BLEEDING FUEL. 12 00:00:27,193 --> 00:00:27,861 Narrator: THE SEARCH FOR AN ANSWER 13 00:00:27,944 --> 00:00:30,780 UNCOVERS THREE CRITICAL CLUES: 14 00:00:30,864 --> 00:00:34,117 A RUPTURED TIRE, 15 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:36,286 A SHATTERED FUEL TANK, 16 00:00:36,369 --> 00:00:38,246 AND A MYSTERIOUS STRIP OF METAL. 17 00:00:38,329 --> 00:00:38,955 Man: IT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE ANYTHING 18 00:00:39,038 --> 00:00:40,290 THAT CAME FROM AN AIRCRAFT. 19 00:00:40,373 --> 00:00:45,211 Narrator: BUT CAN INVESTIGATORS COMPLETE THE PUZZLE? 20 00:00:45,295 --> 00:00:48,465 Man: WE JUST COULDN'T TIE IT ALL TOGETHER. 21 00:00:48,548 --> 00:00:50,717 Man: THE EVIDENCE WAS NOT TALKING TO US. 22 00:00:54,971 --> 00:00:57,474 Flight attendant: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE ARE STARTING OUR APPROACH. 23 00:00:57,557 --> 00:00:58,683 Pilot: WE LOST BOTH ENGINES! 24 00:00:58,767 --> 00:00:59,601 Flight attendant: PUT THE MASK OVER YOUR NOSE. 25 00:00:59,684 --> 00:01:00,769 EMERGENCY DESCENT. 26 00:01:00,852 --> 00:01:01,770 Pilot: MAYDAY, MAYDAY. 27 00:01:01,853 --> 00:01:03,772 Flight attendant: BRACE FOR IMPACT! 28 00:01:03,855 --> 00:01:04,939 Controller: I THINK I LOST ONE. 29 00:01:05,023 --> 00:01:05,273 Man: INVESTIGATION STARTING... 30 00:01:07,567 --> 00:01:09,027 Man: HE'S GONNA CRASH! 31 00:01:19,204 --> 00:01:22,165 Narrator: CHARLES DE GAULLE AIRPORT, PARIS, 32 00:01:22,248 --> 00:01:24,918 ONE OF THE BUSIEST AIRPORTS IN EUROPE 33 00:01:25,001 --> 00:01:26,669 AND THE ONLY PLACE IN FRANCE TO CATCH SIGHT 34 00:01:26,753 --> 00:01:30,757 OF THE WORLD'S MOST PRESTIGIOUS PASSENGER PLANE-- 35 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:34,636 CONCORDE. 36 00:01:34,719 --> 00:01:37,597 Man: IT'S REALLY A WONDERFUL MACHINE. 37 00:01:37,680 --> 00:01:40,391 IT'S BEEN DESCRIBED AS A BEAUTIFUL WHITE BIRD. 38 00:01:40,475 --> 00:01:44,646 IT'S BEEN DESCRIBED AS THE WHITE ROCKET. 39 00:01:44,729 --> 00:01:48,066 IT'S FANTASTIC. 40 00:01:48,149 --> 00:01:51,528 Man: CONCORDE FLYING WAS A REAL SHOW. 41 00:01:51,611 --> 00:01:52,695 I MEAN, EVERYBODY WAS WATCHING, 42 00:01:52,779 --> 00:01:57,575 SO IT WAS SPECTACULAR. 43 00:01:57,659 --> 00:02:02,831 IT WAS NOISY AND IT WAS LIKE GOING TO AN AIR SHOW. 44 00:02:02,914 --> 00:02:04,958 Narrator: CONCORDE IS A TECHNOLOGICAL MARVEL. 45 00:02:05,041 --> 00:02:08,211 THE WORLD'S ONLY SUPERSONIC AIRLINER, 46 00:02:08,294 --> 00:02:11,923 IT CAN FLY AT MORE THAN TWICE THE SPEED OF SOUND, 47 00:02:12,006 --> 00:02:16,261 AT ALTITUDES THAT BRUSH THE EDGE OF SPACE. 48 00:02:16,344 --> 00:02:21,599 Bob Macintosh: WE TALK ABOUT FLYING ABOVE 55,000 FEET 49 00:02:21,683 --> 00:02:24,060 INTO A DEEP, DEEP BLUE SKY. 50 00:02:24,143 --> 00:02:29,691 IT'S A VERY, VERY SPECIAL AIRCRAFT. 51 00:02:29,774 --> 00:02:31,401 Narrator: IT TAKES AN EXCEPTIONAL CREW 52 00:02:31,484 --> 00:02:34,404 TO FLY THIS REMARKABLE PLANE. 53 00:02:34,487 --> 00:02:36,197 Controller: AIR FRANCE 4590, 54 00:02:36,281 --> 00:02:38,950 DO YOU WANT WHISKEY TEN OR ROMEO? 55 00:02:39,033 --> 00:02:39,993 Jean Marcot: I NEED ALL THE RUNWAY, EH? 56 00:02:40,076 --> 00:02:42,495 Controller: OK. TAXI FOR ROMEO, 57 00:02:42,579 --> 00:02:45,540 AIR FRANCE 4590. 58 00:02:45,623 --> 00:02:46,916 Narrator: TODAY, CAPTAIN CHRISTIAN MARTY 59 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:49,627 WILL BE FLYING THE CONCORDE. 60 00:02:49,711 --> 00:02:52,755 Christian Marty: CLEAR ON THE RIGHT? 61 00:02:52,839 --> 00:02:54,257 Marcot: ON THE RIGHT IS CLEAR. 62 00:02:54,340 --> 00:02:56,092 Narrator: FIRST OFFICER JEAN MARCOT 63 00:02:56,175 --> 00:02:58,511 WILL MONITOR THE INSTRUMENTS. 64 00:02:58,595 --> 00:03:00,555 Marcot: NOSE DROOP AT FIVE. 65 00:03:02,181 --> 00:03:02,891 Narrator: THE CREW LOWERS THE PLANE'S 66 00:03:02,974 --> 00:03:06,853 SLEEK AERODYNAMIC NOSE FOR TAXI. 67 00:03:06,936 --> 00:03:08,771 THOUGH CRUCIAL FOR SUPERSONIC FLIGHT, 68 00:03:08,855 --> 00:03:10,523 THE LONG BEAK MAKES IT DIFFICULT 69 00:03:10,607 --> 00:03:14,611 FOR THE CREW TO SEE WHERE THEY'RE GOING ON THE GROUND. 70 00:03:14,694 --> 00:03:17,739 Marty: I'LL GET A BIT OF SPEED BEFORE TURNING THE BRAKES. 71 00:03:17,822 --> 00:03:21,117 Narrator: WITH MORE THAN 23,000 FLIGHT HOURS BETWEEN THEM, 72 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:23,953 CAPTAIN MARTY AND FIRST OFFICER MARCOT 73 00:03:24,037 --> 00:03:27,790 ARE AMONG THE WORLD'S MOST ELITE PILOTS. 74 00:03:27,874 --> 00:03:32,045 JEAN-LOUIS CHATELAIN WAS ALSO A MEMBER OF THAT EXCLUSIVE CLUB. 75 00:03:32,128 --> 00:03:34,797 Jean-Louis Chatelain: MANY, MANY PILOTS ALL OVER THE WORLD 76 00:03:34,881 --> 00:03:36,966 WOULD HAVE LOVED TO FLY THE CONCORDE, 77 00:03:37,050 --> 00:03:38,843 BUT THERE WERE ONLY A FEW OF THEM 78 00:03:38,927 --> 00:03:41,512 AND WE WERE ONLY A FEW, HAPPY FEW, 79 00:03:41,596 --> 00:03:45,350 TO BE ELECTED ON FLYING THE CONCORDE. 80 00:03:45,433 --> 00:03:49,896 Narrator: THE JET'S MAIDEN FLIGHT WAS MADE IN 1969-- 81 00:03:49,979 --> 00:03:52,440 THE RESULT OF A HISTORIC AVIATION PARTNERSHIP 82 00:03:52,523 --> 00:03:56,653 BETWEEN BRITAIN AND FRANCE. 83 00:03:56,736 --> 00:04:00,531 A UNIQUE DELTA WING GIVES CONCORDE ITS SIGNATURE LOOK, 84 00:04:00,615 --> 00:04:05,995 WHILE HELPING TO REDUCE DRAG AT SUPERSONIC SPEEDS. 85 00:04:06,079 --> 00:04:08,998 BUT THE DESIGN EXACTS A HIGH COST AT LOW SPEEDS, 86 00:04:09,082 --> 00:04:11,793 MAKING IT HARDER FOR CONCORDE TO GAIN THE LIFT NECESSARY 87 00:04:11,876 --> 00:04:13,503 TO GET OFF THE GROUND. 88 00:04:13,586 --> 00:04:14,337 Chatelain: DELTA WING IS BIG, 89 00:04:14,420 --> 00:04:16,673 IT'S TREMENDOUS DRAG ON THE WING, 90 00:04:16,756 --> 00:04:18,925 SO YOU HAVE TO COUNTER THE DRAG 91 00:04:19,008 --> 00:04:21,094 WITH A PRETTY HIGH LEVEL OF THRUST. 92 00:04:23,137 --> 00:04:24,847 Marty: HOW MUCH FUEL HAVE WE USED? 93 00:04:24,931 --> 00:04:26,891 Narrator: FLIGHT ENGINEER GILLES JARDINAUD 94 00:04:26,975 --> 00:04:29,602 KEEPS A VIGILANT EYE ON FUEL CONSUMPTION. 95 00:04:29,686 --> 00:04:31,521 Gilles Jardinaud: WE'VE GOT 800 KILOS. 96 00:04:31,604 --> 00:04:34,023 Narrator: CONCORDE BURNS THROUGH IT AT AN ASTONISHING RATE. 97 00:04:34,107 --> 00:04:37,026 IN THE SHORT TAXI TO THE RUNWAY, 98 00:04:37,110 --> 00:04:39,779 THE PLANE'S FOUR ENGINES HAVE ALREADY USED AS MUCH FUEL 99 00:04:39,862 --> 00:04:42,198 AS THE AVERAGE CAR USES IN SIX MONTHS. 100 00:04:46,452 --> 00:04:50,206 BOOKING A SEAT ON THE FAMED JET REQUIRES DEEP POCKETS. 101 00:04:50,289 --> 00:04:54,460 THE RETURN FARE TO NEW YORK COSTS MORE THAN $9,000. 102 00:04:54,544 --> 00:04:56,045 Chatelain: IT WAS NOT SOMETHING UNAFFORDABLE 103 00:04:56,129 --> 00:04:58,047 FOR THOSE PEOPLE WE HAD ON BOARD. 104 00:04:58,131 --> 00:04:59,382 SOME OF THEM WOULD TELL YOU 105 00:04:59,465 --> 00:05:02,135 THEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HOW MUCH THEY WERE PAYING. 106 00:05:04,303 --> 00:05:07,557 Controller: AIR FRANCE 4590, RUNWAY 2-6-RIGHT. 107 00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:09,642 CLEAR FOR TAKEOFF. 108 00:05:09,726 --> 00:05:14,522 Marcot: 4590, CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF, 2-6-RIGHT. 109 00:05:14,605 --> 00:05:17,608 Narrator: THE TOWER CONTROLLER TODAY IS GILLES LOGELIN. 110 00:05:17,692 --> 00:05:21,404 Gilles Logelin: I WAS STATIONED IN THE SOUTHERN CONTROL TOWER, 111 00:05:21,487 --> 00:05:27,326 WHICH HAS A VERY GOOD VIEW OVER THE TWO RUNWAYS THAT WE USE. 112 00:05:27,410 --> 00:05:28,244 THIS DAY WAS THE SAME AS USUAL. 113 00:05:28,327 --> 00:05:31,581 I GAVE HIM THE TAKEOFF CLEARANCE. 114 00:05:31,664 --> 00:05:32,915 Marty: EVERYBODY READY? 115 00:05:32,999 --> 00:05:33,833 Marcot: YES. 116 00:05:39,213 --> 00:05:43,009 Narrator: CONCORDE'S TAKEOFF SPEED IS 228 MILES PER HOUR-- 117 00:05:43,092 --> 00:05:46,304 46 MILES FASTER THAN A 747. 118 00:05:56,564 --> 00:05:58,608 Jardinaud: FOUR GREENS. 119 00:05:58,691 --> 00:06:01,110 Narrator: THE PLANE'S FOUR AFTERBURNERS IGNITE, 120 00:06:01,194 --> 00:06:02,111 GIVING THE ENGINES THE BOOST THEY NEED 121 00:06:02,195 --> 00:06:05,573 TO ACHIEVE THAT INCREDIBLE SPEED. 122 00:06:05,656 --> 00:06:09,243 Macintosh: AS IT PASSES YOU, YOU FEEL IT AND YOU HEAR IT 123 00:06:09,327 --> 00:06:12,205 BECAUSE IT IS LOUD AND STRONG, 124 00:06:12,288 --> 00:06:14,082 AND IT'S JUST A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT 125 00:06:14,165 --> 00:06:16,959 TO THE SPECTATOR AND THE AVIATOR. 126 00:06:20,046 --> 00:06:21,380 Marcot: V-1. 127 00:06:21,464 --> 00:06:22,840 Narrator: THE FIRST OFFICER TELLS THE CAPTAIN 128 00:06:22,924 --> 00:06:26,511 THEY'VE REACHED V-1, OR DECISION SPEED. 129 00:06:26,594 --> 00:06:29,472 THEY'RE NOW GOING TOO QUICKLY TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. 130 00:06:29,555 --> 00:06:31,557 Chatelain: YOU CANNOT STOP ANYMORE. 131 00:06:31,641 --> 00:06:32,725 YOU HAVE TO GO ON. 132 00:06:32,809 --> 00:06:34,644 YOU HAVE TO CONTINUE TAKEOFF WHATEVER HAPPENS. 133 00:06:42,610 --> 00:06:43,653 Marcot: WATCH OUT! 134 00:06:43,736 --> 00:06:48,991 Narrator: SUDDENLY, THE PLANE BEGINS VEERING LEFT. 135 00:06:49,075 --> 00:06:50,409 Jardinaud: STOP! 136 00:06:50,493 --> 00:06:51,494 Narrator: THE FLIGHT ENGINEER 137 00:06:51,577 --> 00:06:54,330 URGES THE CAPTAIN TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF, 138 00:06:54,413 --> 00:06:56,124 BUT IT'S TOO LATE TO STOP. 139 00:06:57,583 --> 00:07:03,589 CAPTAIN MARTY LIFTS THE SUPERSONIC JET INTO THE AIR. 140 00:07:03,673 --> 00:07:07,176 GILLES LOGELIN REALIZES HE'S NOW WATCHING A DISASTER. 141 00:07:09,512 --> 00:07:11,681 Logelin: THIS WAS A VERY UNEXPECTED SITUATION 142 00:07:11,764 --> 00:07:16,686 TO SEE FLAMES ON AN AIRCRAFT THAT IS DEPARTING ON THE RUNWAY. 143 00:07:16,769 --> 00:07:17,728 WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO LOSE, 144 00:07:17,812 --> 00:07:20,189 SO IMMEDIATELY I PUSHED THE RED BUTTON, 145 00:07:20,273 --> 00:07:21,732 WHICH IS A BUTTON FOR ALERT. 146 00:07:25,820 --> 00:07:28,531 4590, YOU HAVE FLAMES BEHIND YOU. 147 00:07:28,614 --> 00:07:29,490 Marcot: ROGER. 148 00:07:31,033 --> 00:07:33,161 Narrator: THE PLANE IS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. 149 00:07:35,454 --> 00:07:38,416 Jardinaud: FAILURE, ENGINE TWO. 150 00:07:38,499 --> 00:07:39,542 Marcot: ENGINE FIRE PROCEDURE. 151 00:07:39,625 --> 00:07:43,087 Narrator: CAPTAIN MARTY STRUGGLES FOR CONTROL 152 00:07:43,171 --> 00:07:46,257 AS THE ENGINEER SHUTS DOWN THE BURNING ENGINE 153 00:07:46,340 --> 00:07:48,509 AND ACTIVATES A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. 154 00:07:48,593 --> 00:07:49,969 Marcot: WATCH THE AIRSPEED. 155 00:07:50,052 --> 00:07:53,723 Narrator: THE PLANE'S AIRSPEED IS NOW DANGEROUSLY LOW. 156 00:07:53,806 --> 00:07:56,100 Marcot: THE AIRSPEED! THE AIRSPEED! 157 00:07:56,184 --> 00:07:58,102 Chatelain: SOMETHING IS HAPPENING... 158 00:08:02,023 --> 00:08:06,736 Chatelain: SOMETHING THAT IS NOT COVERED BY TRAINING, 159 00:08:06,819 --> 00:08:12,617 SOMETHING THAT IN A PILOT CAREER YOU DON'T WANT TO FACE. 160 00:08:12,700 --> 00:08:16,245 Narrator: LOGELIN SCRAMBLES TO CLEAR OTHER PLANES 161 00:08:16,329 --> 00:08:18,164 FROM CONCORDE'S PATH. 162 00:08:18,247 --> 00:08:20,750 Logelin: I WANTED TO CLEAR THE TRAFFIC 163 00:08:20,833 --> 00:08:21,709 TO LET IN ANY OPTION POSSIBLE. 164 00:08:26,172 --> 00:08:28,049 Narrator: FIRST OFFICER MARCOT 165 00:08:28,132 --> 00:08:30,760 WANTS TO HEAD FOR A NEARBY AIRPORT. 166 00:08:30,843 --> 00:08:34,263 Marcot: LE BOURGET. LE BOURGET! 167 00:08:34,347 --> 00:08:35,514 Narrator: BUT THE CREW CAN'T OUTFLY THE FIRE 168 00:08:35,598 --> 00:08:39,101 THAT IS RAPIDLY CONSUMING THEIR PLANE. 169 00:08:48,694 --> 00:08:51,405 SHOCKING IMAGES OF THE UNFOLDING DISASTER 170 00:08:51,489 --> 00:08:54,283 ARE CAPTURED BY AMATEUR VIDEO. 171 00:08:54,367 --> 00:08:57,620 IN THE CABIN, PANIC AND TERROR. 172 00:09:01,666 --> 00:09:02,750 Marty: NO TIME! 173 00:09:02,833 --> 00:09:06,921 Narrator: THE SUPERSONIC MARVEL OF MODERN AVIATION... 174 00:09:07,004 --> 00:09:08,172 Marty: NO! 175 00:09:12,468 --> 00:09:15,137 Narrator: SLAMS INTO AN AIRPORT HOTEL. 176 00:09:15,221 --> 00:09:16,347 Logelin: MON DIEU. 177 00:09:16,430 --> 00:09:22,812 I COULD SEE KIND OF A BIG, LIKE A BIG MUSHROOM OF SMOKE. 178 00:09:22,895 --> 00:09:24,981 I THINK, UNTIL THE VERY LAST MOMENT, 179 00:09:25,064 --> 00:09:31,737 I WAS THINKING THAT SOMETHING WOULD SAVE THE SITUATION. 180 00:09:31,821 --> 00:09:32,863 I REMEMBER THAT I JUST SAT DOWN 181 00:09:32,947 --> 00:09:36,951 ON THE CARPET FLOOR OF THE CONTROL TOWER UP THERE, 182 00:09:37,034 --> 00:09:38,536 AND I CRIED. 183 00:09:41,580 --> 00:09:47,128 Narrator: ALL 109 PASSENGERS AND CREW ON BOARD CONCORDE ARE DEAD. 184 00:09:47,211 --> 00:09:49,463 FOUR MORE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED ON THE GROUND. 185 00:09:49,547 --> 00:09:52,466 Chatelain: HOW CAN I SAY MORE ON THIS? 186 00:09:52,550 --> 00:09:54,010 WE WERE TOTALLY SHOCKED. 187 00:09:54,093 --> 00:09:54,719 THAT'S IT. THAT'S IT. 188 00:09:59,181 --> 00:10:01,142 Macintosh: IT HAD BEEN SUCH A SPECIAL THING 189 00:10:01,225 --> 00:10:04,103 IN THE PLACE OF AVIATION 190 00:10:04,186 --> 00:10:07,273 THAT WHEN ONE FALTERED AND FELL TO THE GROUND, 191 00:10:07,356 --> 00:10:09,025 IT SHOOK THE WORLD. 192 00:10:09,108 --> 00:10:10,234 IT REALLY DID. 193 00:10:11,444 --> 00:10:14,447 Narrator: UNTIL JULY OF 2000, 194 00:10:14,530 --> 00:10:18,034 CONCORDE HAD A REMARKABLE SAFETY RECORD-- 195 00:10:18,117 --> 00:10:24,540 31 YEARS OF SUPERSONIC FLIGHT AND NOT A SINGLE FATAL CRASH. 196 00:10:26,292 --> 00:10:27,543 Alain Bouillard, translated: THIS PLANE 197 00:10:27,626 --> 00:10:29,420 WAS SIMPLY MAGNIFICENT, 198 00:10:29,503 --> 00:10:31,756 AND IT WAS A SHOCK FOR EVERYONE. 199 00:10:31,839 --> 00:10:34,300 Narrator: ALAIN BOUILLARD WILL LEAD THE CRASH INVESTIGATION. 200 00:10:34,383 --> 00:10:37,011 HE TAKES ON A CHALLENGE 201 00:10:37,094 --> 00:10:38,804 NO INVESTIGATOR BEFORE HIM HAS FACED: 202 00:10:38,888 --> 00:10:41,557 FIGURING OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO THE TECHNOLOGICAL WONDER 203 00:10:41,640 --> 00:10:45,227 THAT HAD SEEMED IMMUNE TO DISASTER. 204 00:10:47,813 --> 00:10:52,568 THE FUEL-LADEN CONCORDE HAS IGNITED AN INFERNO. 205 00:10:52,651 --> 00:10:55,863 INVESTIGATORS ARE ANXIOUS TO SEARCH THE WRECKAGE FOR CLUES, 206 00:10:55,946 --> 00:10:58,824 BUT FIRST, FIREFIGHTERS MUST PUT OUT THE CATASTROPHIC FIRE. 207 00:11:02,328 --> 00:11:03,871 Bouillard: THE PROBLEM 208 00:11:03,954 --> 00:11:06,540 WAS THE INTENSE HEAT AT THE CRASH SITE, 209 00:11:06,624 --> 00:11:08,668 WHICH MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE RESCUE SERVICES 210 00:11:08,751 --> 00:11:11,295 TO RECOVER THE FLIGHT RECORDERS. 211 00:11:14,965 --> 00:11:17,635 Narrator: KNOWING THE EYES OF THE WORLD ARE WATCHING, 212 00:11:17,718 --> 00:11:20,930 BOUILLARD AND HIS TEAM PRESS AHEAD WITH THE INVESTIGATION. 213 00:11:21,013 --> 00:11:22,556 THEY SPEAK TO AS MANY WITNESSES AS POSSIBLE. 214 00:11:22,640 --> 00:11:25,976 Logelin: I'LL TELL YOU EVERYTHING I CAN. 215 00:11:26,060 --> 00:11:28,396 Narrator: FEW SAW MORE THAN CONTROLLER GILLES LOGELIN. 216 00:11:28,479 --> 00:11:31,023 Logelin: AFTER AN ACCIDENT, 217 00:11:31,107 --> 00:11:36,445 YOU REMEMBER EVERY SINGLE SECOND OF THE PROCESS. 218 00:11:36,529 --> 00:11:40,199 I SAW THE FLAMES JUST BEFORE THEY TOOK OFF. 219 00:11:46,372 --> 00:11:49,291 Narrator: LOGELIN TELLS THEM HE SAW INTENSE FLAMES 220 00:11:49,375 --> 00:11:52,169 SHOOTING FROM THE PLANE'S LEFT SIDE BEFORE IT LIFTED OFF. 221 00:11:55,256 --> 00:11:58,259 OTHER WITNESSES REPORT HEARING THE SOUND OF AN EXPLOSION 222 00:11:58,342 --> 00:12:00,344 WHILE CONCORDE WAS SPEEDING DOWN THE RUNWAY. 223 00:12:04,056 --> 00:12:08,727 LESS THAN 90 SECONDS LATER, THE PLANE FELL FROM THE SKY. 224 00:12:13,941 --> 00:12:15,943 ALL BOUILLARD KNOWS FOR SURE 225 00:12:16,026 --> 00:12:17,611 IS THAT SOMETHING CAUSED THE FIRE 226 00:12:17,695 --> 00:12:21,323 WHILE CONCORDE WAS STILL ON THE GROUND. 227 00:12:21,407 --> 00:12:24,410 Bouillard: WE BECAME INTERESTED IN THE RUNWAY 228 00:12:24,493 --> 00:12:26,579 BECAUSE THE EVENT HAPPENED 229 00:12:26,662 --> 00:12:28,831 DURING THE ACCELERATION FOR TAKEOFF. 230 00:12:31,584 --> 00:12:34,462 Narrator: BOUILLARD IMMEDIATELY DISPATCHES A TEAM TO THE RUNWAY 231 00:12:34,545 --> 00:12:37,756 TO SEARCH FOR CLUES. 232 00:12:37,840 --> 00:12:40,634 Yann Torres: LOOKS LIKE THEY WERE BLEEDING FUEL. 233 00:12:40,718 --> 00:12:41,969 Narrator: CONCORDE HAS LEFT A TRAIL 234 00:12:42,052 --> 00:12:46,932 OF BURNT AND BLACKENED JET FUEL ALONG THE RUNWAY. 235 00:12:47,016 --> 00:12:49,435 THERE'S ALSO SOME SCATTERED DEBRIS-- 236 00:12:49,518 --> 00:12:50,436 VITAL CLUES THAT FELL FROM THE PLANE 237 00:12:50,519 --> 00:12:52,855 AT THE VERY START OF THE CRISIS. 238 00:12:56,484 --> 00:12:57,651 Torres, translated: FIRST OF ALL, 239 00:12:57,735 --> 00:12:59,236 IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THERE WERE TRACES OF FIRE 240 00:12:59,320 --> 00:13:02,364 THAT WERE STILL VISIBLE ON THE RUNWAY, 241 00:13:02,448 --> 00:13:05,826 AS WELL AS TRACES OF FUEL AND MANY AIRPLANE PARTS. 242 00:13:05,910 --> 00:13:07,703 SO WE HAD TO COLLECT ALL THESE PARTS 243 00:13:07,786 --> 00:13:11,373 TO PRESERVE THEM FOR THE INVESTIGATION. 244 00:13:11,457 --> 00:13:14,210 Narrator: MEANWHILE, IN A HANGAR NEAR THE AIRPORT, 245 00:13:14,293 --> 00:13:16,629 INVESTIGATORS SORT THROUGH SCORCHED WRECKAGE 246 00:13:16,712 --> 00:13:18,380 FROM THE CRASH SITE. 247 00:13:18,464 --> 00:13:20,382 THE PLANE'S TWO BLACK BOXES 248 00:13:20,466 --> 00:13:24,220 HAVE BEEN RECOVERED FROM THE BURNED AND TWISTED DEBRIS. 249 00:13:24,303 --> 00:13:25,930 BUT IT'S TOO SOON TO SAY 250 00:13:26,013 --> 00:13:29,016 IF THE DATA ON THE RECORDERS HAS SURVIVED THE FIRE. 251 00:13:29,099 --> 00:13:33,896 Torres: THERE WAS A HUGE AMOUNT OF FUEL ON BOARD, 252 00:13:33,979 --> 00:13:37,858 SO THE BOXES WERE EXPOSED TO INTENSE FLAMES, 253 00:13:37,942 --> 00:13:41,403 WHICH IS THE WORST POSSIBLE THING FOR FLIGHT RECORDERS. 254 00:13:43,239 --> 00:13:45,908 Narrator: CONCORDE'S BLACK BOXES ARE DESIGNED TO WITHSTAND 255 00:13:45,991 --> 00:13:47,701 ONLY 30 MINUTES OF INTENSE HEAT. 256 00:13:47,785 --> 00:13:50,955 INVESTIGATORS RUSH THEM TO THE LAB 257 00:13:51,038 --> 00:13:53,332 AND HOPE FOR THE BEST. 258 00:13:53,415 --> 00:13:55,793 Bouillard: PIECES OF TIRE... 259 00:13:55,876 --> 00:13:56,919 Narrator: THE RUNWAY SEARCH 260 00:13:57,002 --> 00:13:59,463 HAS TURNED UP A BAFFLING ASSORTMENT OF DEBRIS, 261 00:13:59,547 --> 00:14:02,841 INCLUDING A TWISTED METAL STRIP THAT NO ONE CAN IDENTIFY. 262 00:14:02,925 --> 00:14:04,885 Bouillard: WHAT DO WE MAKE OF THIS? 263 00:14:08,389 --> 00:14:10,849 WE WERE DEALING WITH A VERY COMPLICATED PLANE 264 00:14:10,933 --> 00:14:14,603 THAT HAD BEEN COMPLETELY DESTROYED BY FIRE. 265 00:14:14,687 --> 00:14:17,773 THERE WERE VERY FEW PIECES LEFT. 266 00:14:17,856 --> 00:14:23,487 I KNOW THIS IS A PIECE OF THE FUEL TANK. 267 00:14:23,571 --> 00:14:28,450 Torres: AMONG THE FIRST PIECES RECOVERED FROM THE SITE 268 00:14:28,534 --> 00:14:30,578 WAS A PART THAT WAS QUICKLY IDENTIFIED 269 00:14:30,661 --> 00:14:32,746 AS BEING FROM ONE OF THE FUEL TANKS. 270 00:14:37,334 --> 00:14:41,130 Narrator: CONCORDE HAS 13 FUEL TANKS-- 271 00:14:41,213 --> 00:14:43,132 ONE IN THE TAIL SECTION 272 00:14:43,215 --> 00:14:44,633 AND 12 MORE THAT COMBINE TO FILL 273 00:14:44,717 --> 00:14:49,263 ALMOST THE ENTIRE DELTA WING. 274 00:14:49,346 --> 00:14:51,974 FINDING A FRAGMENT OF A FUEL TANK ON THE RUNWAY 275 00:14:52,057 --> 00:14:53,559 IS AN IMPORTANT CLUE. 276 00:14:56,854 --> 00:14:59,148 Marcot: V-1. 277 00:14:59,231 --> 00:15:01,400 Narrator: IT MEANS AT LEAST ONE OF THE PLANE'S 13 TANKS... 278 00:15:01,483 --> 00:15:03,444 Marcot: WATCH OUT! 279 00:15:03,527 --> 00:15:05,321 Narrator: ...RUPTURED DURING TAKEOFF. 280 00:15:08,866 --> 00:15:11,785 BOUILLARD STUDIES VIDEO OF CONCORDE'S LAST MOMENTS, 281 00:15:11,869 --> 00:15:13,996 SHOT BY A PASSING TRUCK DRIVER. 282 00:15:14,079 --> 00:15:17,625 Bouillard: IT MUST HAVE BEEN A MASSIVE FUEL LEAK. 283 00:15:17,708 --> 00:15:20,544 THAT'S THE ONLY WAY TO EXPLAIN A FIRE LIKE THAT. 284 00:15:20,628 --> 00:15:21,754 Narrator: THE LONG PLUME OF FLAMES 285 00:15:21,837 --> 00:15:24,590 CONFIRMS A LARGE LEAK FROM THE FUEL TANK 286 00:15:24,673 --> 00:15:27,926 IS THE LIKELY SOURCE OF THE FIRE. 287 00:15:28,010 --> 00:15:31,639 Bouillard: THE SCALE OF THE LEAK MIXED WITH THE SURROUNDING AIR 288 00:15:31,722 --> 00:15:33,515 IS AN EXTREMELY VOLATILE MIX, 289 00:15:33,599 --> 00:15:36,852 EXTREMELY FLAMMABLE. 290 00:15:36,935 --> 00:15:40,022 Narrator: BUT BOUILLARD STILL HAS NO IDEA 291 00:15:40,105 --> 00:15:44,485 WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED SUCH A MASSIVE LEAK. 292 00:15:44,568 --> 00:15:47,363 FORTUNATELY, TECHNICIANS HAVE MANAGED TO SALVAGE 293 00:15:47,446 --> 00:15:48,697 THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDING. 294 00:15:48,781 --> 00:15:52,201 Bouillard: OK, LET'S GET GOING. 295 00:15:52,284 --> 00:15:53,369 Narrator: BOUILLARD HOPES 296 00:15:53,452 --> 00:15:55,204 THE PILOTS' CONVERSATION IN THE COCKPIT 297 00:15:55,287 --> 00:15:59,958 WILL SHED SOME LIGHT ON THE PUZZLING COLLECTION OF LEADS. 298 00:16:00,042 --> 00:16:01,835 Marty: EVERYBODY READY? 299 00:16:01,919 --> 00:16:02,961 Marcot: YES. 300 00:16:03,045 --> 00:16:05,214 Narrator: EVERYTHING SEEMS NORMAL 301 00:16:05,297 --> 00:16:07,841 AS THE PILOTS PREPARE FOR TAKEOFF. 302 00:16:07,925 --> 00:16:09,885 Jardinaud: FOUR GREEN. 303 00:16:09,968 --> 00:16:11,720 Marcot: V-1. 304 00:16:11,804 --> 00:16:12,554 Narrator: BUT JUST BEFORE LIFTOFF, 305 00:16:12,638 --> 00:16:15,099 THERE'S A LOUD NOISE. 306 00:16:15,182 --> 00:16:16,266 Marcot: WATCH OUT! 307 00:16:16,350 --> 00:16:18,602 Bouillard: THAT SOUNDED LIKE SOME KIND OF EXPLOSION. 308 00:16:18,686 --> 00:16:20,729 PLEASE GO BACK AGAIN. 309 00:16:25,484 --> 00:16:26,860 Marcot: WATCH OUT! 310 00:16:26,944 --> 00:16:29,113 Jardinaud: STOP! 311 00:16:29,196 --> 00:16:32,241 Logelin: 4590, YOU HAVE FLAMES BEHIND YOU. 312 00:16:32,324 --> 00:16:33,742 Marcot: ROGER. 313 00:16:33,826 --> 00:16:36,829 Jardinaud: FAILURE, ENGINE TWO. 314 00:16:36,912 --> 00:16:37,746 Bouillard: THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER SHOWED 315 00:16:37,830 --> 00:16:40,082 THE CREW ONLY BECAME AWARE 316 00:16:40,165 --> 00:16:43,502 OF THE FIRE AT THE REAR OF THE AIRCRAFT 317 00:16:43,585 --> 00:16:48,424 WHEN THE CONTROL TOWER WARNED THEM ABOUT IT. 318 00:16:48,507 --> 00:16:49,758 Narrator: BOUILLARD THINKS HE KNOWS 319 00:16:49,842 --> 00:16:52,594 THE MOMENT THE FIRE BEGAN, 320 00:16:52,678 --> 00:16:54,763 BUT HE STILL DOESN'T KNOW WHAT CAUSED IT. 321 00:16:58,183 --> 00:17:00,853 Macintosh: I WOULD LOVE TO GET A LOOK AT THAT RUNWAY DEBRIS. 322 00:17:00,936 --> 00:17:01,979 Narrator: BECAUSE CONCORDE 323 00:17:02,062 --> 00:17:04,106 INCLUDES PARTS THAT ARE AMERICAN MADE, 324 00:17:04,189 --> 00:17:06,442 THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD 325 00:17:06,525 --> 00:17:09,987 SENDS BOB MACINTOSH TO JOIN THE TEAM. 326 00:17:10,070 --> 00:17:13,115 Bob Macintosh: IT'S UNIQUE THAT A FRENCH AIRPLANE ON FRENCH SOIL 327 00:17:13,198 --> 00:17:16,785 WOULD HAVE A UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVE, 328 00:17:16,869 --> 00:17:17,911 BUT THE AIRCRAFT WAS EQUIPPED 329 00:17:17,995 --> 00:17:20,956 WITH UNITED STATES MANUFACTURED AND DESIGNED TIRES. 330 00:17:21,039 --> 00:17:24,126 Narrator: AMONG THE DEBRIS FOUND ON THE RUNWAY 331 00:17:24,209 --> 00:17:27,129 ARE LARGE TORN PIECES OF AIRCRAFT TIRE-- 332 00:17:27,212 --> 00:17:30,466 SOME WEIGHING MORE THAN NINE POUNDS. 333 00:17:30,549 --> 00:17:32,968 Macintosh: LOOKS LIKE A BLOWOUT. 334 00:17:33,051 --> 00:17:35,220 Narrator: TO SUPPORT THE HUGE WEIGHT OF THE PLANE 335 00:17:35,304 --> 00:17:38,307 AND WITHSTAND THE HEAT GENERATED DURING TAKEOFF, 336 00:17:38,390 --> 00:17:41,810 CONCORDE'S TIRES ARE REINFORCED WITH A STRONG RUBBER BELT 337 00:17:41,894 --> 00:17:44,897 AND FILLED WITH HIGH-PRESSURE NITROGEN. 338 00:17:44,980 --> 00:17:47,608 Macintosh: AIRPLANE TIRES IN GENERAL 339 00:17:47,691 --> 00:17:51,653 CERTAINLY ARE DIFFERENT THAN THOSE IN AN AUTOMOBILE. 340 00:17:51,737 --> 00:17:53,989 THEY HAVE TO WITHSTAND A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WEIGHT-- 341 00:17:54,072 --> 00:18:00,788 FOR INSTANCE THE CONCORDE, 135,000 TONS. 342 00:18:00,871 --> 00:18:04,750 THESE ARE HEAVY, HEAVY DUTY TIRES. 343 00:18:04,833 --> 00:18:05,793 Narrator: WHEN CONCORDE TIRES RUPTURE, 344 00:18:05,876 --> 00:18:09,087 THEY CAN ACT LIKE SMALL BOMBS. 345 00:18:09,171 --> 00:18:12,841 Bouillard: MAYBE A PIECE OF THE TIRE FLEW UP 346 00:18:12,925 --> 00:18:15,302 AND BURST THE FUEL TANK HERE IN THE WING. 347 00:18:18,972 --> 00:18:20,182 Marcot: WATCH OUT! 348 00:18:20,265 --> 00:18:25,521 Macintosh: THE FORCE WITH WHICH A TIRE MIGHT EXPLODE 349 00:18:25,604 --> 00:18:28,941 IS NOT SIMPLY GOING TO BE A BLOWOUT. 350 00:18:29,024 --> 00:18:33,445 THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF STRUCTURE AND RUBBER BELT AROUND THE TIRE 351 00:18:33,529 --> 00:18:36,615 THAT'S PROBABLY GOING TO SEPARATE, 352 00:18:36,698 --> 00:18:39,243 AND THAT'S, OF COURSE, A POTENTIAL FOR DAMAGE. 353 00:18:41,954 --> 00:18:43,205 Narrator: A LOOK AT CONCORDE'S HISTORY 354 00:18:43,288 --> 00:18:45,874 TURNS UP SIX INCIDENTS OF A TIRE RUPTURING 355 00:18:45,958 --> 00:18:49,211 AND DAMAGING A FUEL TANK. 356 00:18:49,294 --> 00:18:52,005 Torres: WE UNCOVERED MANY INCIDENTS 357 00:18:52,089 --> 00:18:53,882 WHERE TIRES WERE PUNCTURED OR DESTROYED 358 00:18:53,966 --> 00:18:57,427 AND, IN SOME CASES, THE RIMS AS WELL. 359 00:18:58,804 --> 00:19:03,016 Narrator: THE MOST SERIOUS INCIDENT WAS IN 1979, 360 00:19:03,100 --> 00:19:05,310 WHEN A RUPTURED TIRE DAMAGED A FUEL TANK SO SEVERELY 361 00:19:05,394 --> 00:19:09,731 THAT THE CREW WAS FORCED TO LAND SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. 362 00:19:09,815 --> 00:19:11,400 TO PREVENT A REOCCURRENCE, 363 00:19:11,483 --> 00:19:13,068 AUTHORITIES MANDATED THAT CONCORDE TIRES 364 00:19:13,151 --> 00:19:17,948 BE REPLACED MUCH MORE FREQUENTLY. 365 00:19:18,031 --> 00:19:19,783 SO WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED A RELATIVELY NEW TIRE 366 00:19:19,867 --> 00:19:23,078 TO RUPTURE ON TAKEOFF? 367 00:19:23,161 --> 00:19:24,913 INVESTIGATORS TAKE A CLOSER LOOK 368 00:19:24,997 --> 00:19:27,666 AT THE METAL DEBRIS FOUND ON THE RUNWAY. 369 00:19:27,749 --> 00:19:33,589 Bouillard: MAYBE SOMETHING CUT INTO THE TIRE, 370 00:19:33,672 --> 00:19:36,466 SOMETHING LIKE THIS. 371 00:19:38,427 --> 00:19:42,431 Torres: THE SHAPE OF THE METAL STRIP THAT WE FOUND 372 00:19:42,514 --> 00:19:46,393 WAS EXACTLY THE SAME SHAPE AS THE TIRE DEBRIS. 373 00:19:46,476 --> 00:19:49,688 Macintosh: THERE WERE A LOT OF THEORIES FLYING AROUND 374 00:19:49,771 --> 00:19:51,398 IN THE FIRST TWO OR THREE DAYS 375 00:19:51,481 --> 00:19:54,776 AS TO CAUSE AND EFFECT OF THE TIRE, 376 00:19:54,860 --> 00:19:57,070 OF THE METAL STRIP, 377 00:19:57,154 --> 00:19:58,614 AND OF THE FUEL THAT WAS LIBERATED 378 00:19:58,697 --> 00:20:01,283 FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE AIRPLANE. 379 00:20:01,366 --> 00:20:03,118 Bouillard: I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THIS IS 380 00:20:03,201 --> 00:20:05,913 AND WHERE IT CAME FROM. 381 00:20:05,996 --> 00:20:10,500 OH. AND FIND OUT HOW MUCH A FULLY LOADED CONCORDE WEIGHS. 382 00:20:10,584 --> 00:20:12,628 THERE'S SOMETHING I WANT TO TRY. 383 00:20:13,795 --> 00:20:14,671 Reporter: THIS WAS THE SCENE 384 00:20:14,755 --> 00:20:17,049 AFTER JULY'S CONCORDE CRASH NEAR PARIS. 385 00:20:17,132 --> 00:20:19,968 Narrator: NEWS OF THE DOWNED CONCORDE 386 00:20:20,052 --> 00:20:21,094 HAS STUNNED TRAVELERS 387 00:20:21,178 --> 00:20:24,014 AND AVIATION INSIDERS AROUND THE WORLD. 388 00:20:24,097 --> 00:20:26,516 THE FRENCH TRANSPORTATION MINISTRY 389 00:20:26,600 --> 00:20:29,478 GROUNDS THE NATION'S ENTIRE FLEET. 390 00:20:29,561 --> 00:20:31,021 BRITISH AIRWAYS SOON FOLLOWS SUIT. 391 00:20:31,104 --> 00:20:32,397 Reporter: IN LONDON ON FRIDAY, 392 00:20:32,481 --> 00:20:36,568 BRITISH AIRWAYS' FLEET OF CONCORDES REMAINED GROUNDED 393 00:20:36,652 --> 00:20:38,487 AND DEPENDING ON THE INVESTIGATION'S FINDINGS, 394 00:20:38,570 --> 00:20:40,155 THEY MAY NEVER FLY AGAIN. 395 00:20:40,238 --> 00:20:41,198 Macintosh: THAT WAS A MAJOR BLOW, 396 00:20:41,281 --> 00:20:45,994 PARTICULARLY TO THE UK OPERATOR, BRITISH AIRWAYS. 397 00:20:46,078 --> 00:20:48,956 AIR FRANCE HAD EXPECTED IT, I THINK, ALL ALONG. 398 00:20:49,039 --> 00:20:51,166 Narrator: WHETHER THE PRIDE OF FRENCH AND BRITISH AVIATION 399 00:20:51,250 --> 00:20:52,918 WILL EVER FLY AGAIN 400 00:20:53,001 --> 00:20:54,086 NOW DEPENDS ENTIRELY 401 00:20:54,169 --> 00:20:57,673 ON WHAT BOUILLARD AND HIS TEAM CAN UNCOVER. 402 00:20:57,756 --> 00:20:59,925 Torres: THERE WAS LOTS OF MEDIA PRESSURE 403 00:21:00,008 --> 00:21:01,843 BECAUSE IT WAS A FAMOUS PLANE. 404 00:21:01,927 --> 00:21:03,303 IT WAS THE ONLY SUPERSONIC AIRCRAFT, 405 00:21:03,387 --> 00:21:07,849 AND IT WAS THE CONCORDE'S FIRST FATAL ACCIDENT. 406 00:21:07,933 --> 00:21:09,351 Narrator: FACING ENORMOUS PRESSURE, 407 00:21:09,434 --> 00:21:11,019 THEY FOCUS ON THE MYSTERIOUS STRIP OF METAL 408 00:21:11,103 --> 00:21:14,022 FOUND NEAR THE TOP OF THE RUNWAY. 409 00:21:14,106 --> 00:21:14,856 Macintosh: IT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE ANYTHING 410 00:21:14,940 --> 00:21:17,192 THAT CAME FROM AN AIRCRAFT TO ME. 411 00:21:17,275 --> 00:21:20,821 IT WAS BENT IN SUCH A SHAPE THAT IT WAS REALLY STRANGE, 412 00:21:20,904 --> 00:21:23,198 AND WE WERE ALL WONDERING IF IT WAS SOMETHING 413 00:21:23,281 --> 00:21:26,368 THAT PERHAPS HAD FALLEN OFF A RUNWAY SWEEPER 414 00:21:26,451 --> 00:21:29,746 OR IF IT HAD FALLEN OUT OF A CONSTRUCTION TRUCK, 415 00:21:29,830 --> 00:21:31,373 A BAGGAGE CART 416 00:21:31,456 --> 00:21:36,837 THAT WAS BEING TOWED AROUND THE AIRPORT SOMEPLACE. 417 00:21:36,920 --> 00:21:37,921 Narrator: BUT EVIDENCE SOON POINTS THEM 418 00:21:38,005 --> 00:21:38,964 IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION. 419 00:21:39,047 --> 00:21:40,382 METALLURGICAL TESTS 420 00:21:40,465 --> 00:21:44,553 REVEAL THE STRIP IS MADE OF LIGHTWEIGHT TITANIUM, 421 00:21:44,636 --> 00:21:48,140 A METAL FREQUENTLY USED IN AIRCRAFT PARTS. 422 00:21:48,223 --> 00:21:51,226 Torres: IT ALSO HAD A NUMBER OF RIVETS ON ITS SURFACE, 423 00:21:51,309 --> 00:21:54,312 AND THIS MADE US THINK IT WAS USED IN AVIATION. 424 00:22:00,485 --> 00:22:04,239 Narrator: A REDDISH-ORANGE SUBSTANCE ON ONE SIDE 425 00:22:04,322 --> 00:22:06,158 ALSO POINTS TO THE POSSIBILITY 426 00:22:06,241 --> 00:22:07,325 THAT THE PART MAY HAVE FALLEN OFF AN AIRPLANE. 427 00:22:12,456 --> 00:22:14,458 LAB TESTS REVEAL 428 00:22:14,541 --> 00:22:18,628 IT'S A KIND OF ADHESIVE OFTEN USED IN AVIATION REPAIRS. 429 00:22:18,712 --> 00:22:23,258 Macintosh: THE MATCHING OF THE DEBRIS ON THE RUNWAY 430 00:22:23,341 --> 00:22:27,346 WITH THE DAMAGES THAT WERE OBSERVED IN THE TAKEOFF RUN 431 00:22:27,429 --> 00:22:32,976 WAS SOMETHING THAT REQUIRED A LOT OF ANALYSIS. 432 00:22:33,060 --> 00:22:35,937 Narrator: SOMEHOW A PIECE OF METAL FROM AN AIRCRAFT 433 00:22:36,021 --> 00:22:37,939 BECAME A DEADLY HAZARD ON THE RUNWAY. 434 00:22:38,023 --> 00:22:39,232 Bouillard: NEXT, PLEASE. 435 00:22:39,316 --> 00:22:41,902 Narrator: INVESTIGATORS NEED TO KNOW WHICH PLANE IT CAME FROM 436 00:22:41,985 --> 00:22:45,864 AND HOW IT ENDED UP THERE. 437 00:22:45,947 --> 00:22:47,282 Bouillard: NEXT. 438 00:22:47,365 --> 00:22:49,284 Macintosh: THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PRESSURE 439 00:22:49,367 --> 00:22:50,660 IN THE BEA. 440 00:22:50,744 --> 00:22:53,538 Bouillard: NEXT. NEXT. 441 00:22:53,622 --> 00:22:54,414 NEXT. 442 00:22:54,498 --> 00:22:56,208 Macintosh: ...TO GET TO THE BOTTOM 443 00:22:56,291 --> 00:22:59,795 OF WHERE THAT STRIP HAD COME FROM. 444 00:22:59,878 --> 00:23:04,466 Bouillard: IT'S PRETTY CLEAR THIS ISN'T FROM THE CONCORDE. 445 00:23:04,549 --> 00:23:07,302 WE NEED TO COME AT THIS FROM ANOTHER WAY. 446 00:23:07,385 --> 00:23:09,554 Macintosh: I SPENT MORE THAN TWO WEEKS 447 00:23:09,638 --> 00:23:11,723 AT THE SCENE OF THE INVESTIGATION, 448 00:23:11,807 --> 00:23:15,644 AND WE STILL DIDN'T KNOW WHERE IT HAD COME FROM. 449 00:23:15,727 --> 00:23:18,313 Narrator: PAINSTAKING RESEARCH RULES OUT THE POSSIBILITY 450 00:23:18,396 --> 00:23:21,316 THAT THE METAL STRIP FELL FROM CONCORDE, 451 00:23:21,399 --> 00:23:23,735 BUT THERE ARE DOZENS OF OTHER PLANES TO CONSIDER. 452 00:23:23,819 --> 00:23:27,030 BOUILLARD NEEDS TO NARROW DOWN THE SEARCH. 453 00:23:27,114 --> 00:23:30,200 Bouillard: WHAT I NEED IS A LIST OF EVERY SINGLE PLANE 454 00:23:30,283 --> 00:23:33,995 THAT USED THE RUNWAY BEFORE THE CONCORDE TOOK OFF. 455 00:23:38,667 --> 00:23:41,586 Narrator: A BUSY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT LIKE CHARLES DE GAULLE 456 00:23:41,670 --> 00:23:45,924 HAS HUNDREDS OF FLIGHTS ARRIVING AND DEPARTING EVERY DAY. 457 00:23:47,050 --> 00:23:50,846 Torres: METAL PARTS ARE OFTEN FOUND ON THE RUNWAY. 458 00:23:50,929 --> 00:23:53,765 PLANES CAN LOSE SMALL PARTS THAT ARE IN NEED OF REPAIR, 459 00:23:53,849 --> 00:23:56,476 OR SOMETIMES INSPECTION DOORS AREN'T CLOSED PROPERLY 460 00:23:56,560 --> 00:23:57,853 AND THEY BREAK AWAY FROM THE PLANE 461 00:23:57,936 --> 00:24:00,188 AND FALL ON THE RUNWAY. 462 00:24:00,272 --> 00:24:02,983 Narrator: BUT THE AIRPORT'S RUNWAYS 463 00:24:03,066 --> 00:24:04,860 ARE INSPECTED SEVERAL TIMES A DAY 464 00:24:04,943 --> 00:24:08,029 AND CLEARED OF DEBRIS. 465 00:24:08,113 --> 00:24:11,533 Bouillard: OK, IT WASN'T THERE IN THE MORNING. 466 00:24:11,616 --> 00:24:15,662 THAT LEAVES THE PLANES THAT TOOK OFF AFTER 1300. 467 00:24:20,292 --> 00:24:22,419 WE SEARCHED BY ELIMINATION. 468 00:24:22,502 --> 00:24:24,296 WE KNEW THAT IT WAS A STRIP OF METAL 469 00:24:24,379 --> 00:24:27,883 THAT DIDN'T COME FROM THE CONCORDE, 470 00:24:27,966 --> 00:24:31,136 IT DIDN'T BELONG TO ANY GROUND VEHICLES. 471 00:24:31,219 --> 00:24:33,430 SO WE LOOKED AT THE PLANES 472 00:24:33,513 --> 00:24:37,684 THAT HAD TAKEN OFF BEFORE THE CONCORDE. 473 00:24:37,767 --> 00:24:40,353 Narrator: KNOWING THE TIME OF THE LAST RUNWAY INSPECTION 474 00:24:40,437 --> 00:24:42,564 ALLOWS BOUILLARD TO NARROW THE SEARCH 475 00:24:42,647 --> 00:24:44,482 FOR JUST TWO TYPES OF PLANES. 476 00:24:44,566 --> 00:24:45,567 Bouillard: THAT'S MORE LIKE IT. 477 00:24:45,650 --> 00:24:53,742 THAT PART IS EITHER FROM A 747 OR A DC-10. 478 00:24:53,825 --> 00:24:54,701 LET'S FIGURE OUT WHICH. 479 00:25:03,210 --> 00:25:05,462 Narrator: INVESTIGATORS PORE OVER SCHEMATICS 480 00:25:05,545 --> 00:25:06,504 OF THE TWO PLANES, 481 00:25:06,588 --> 00:25:08,590 SEARCHING FOR THE SUSPICIOUS PART. 482 00:25:08,673 --> 00:25:10,467 Bouillard: THIS ISN'T IT. 483 00:25:10,550 --> 00:25:12,761 Narrator: FINALLY, THEY SPOT SOMETHING. 484 00:25:12,844 --> 00:25:14,095 Bouillard: WHAT IS THIS? 485 00:25:14,179 --> 00:25:16,223 Narrator: THE METAL STRIP LOOKS LIKE IT COULD HAVE COME 486 00:25:16,306 --> 00:25:18,558 FROM THE ENGINE OF A DC-10-- 487 00:25:18,642 --> 00:25:20,810 SOMETHING CALLED A WEAR STRIP. 488 00:25:20,894 --> 00:25:23,855 THE STRIP ACTS AS A BUFFER FOR MOVING PARTS INSIDE THE ENGINE, 489 00:25:23,939 --> 00:25:28,318 BUT THEY'RE NOT ESSENTIAL FOR THE SAFE OPERATION OF THE PLANE. 490 00:25:28,401 --> 00:25:30,862 Macintosh: CERTAINLY THERE WAS A GREAT DEAL OF ANTICIPATION. 491 00:25:30,946 --> 00:25:34,115 COULD THIS BE REALLY FROM A DC-10 492 00:25:34,199 --> 00:25:38,119 AND COULD IT BE FROM THE ENGINE PORTION? 493 00:25:38,203 --> 00:25:39,955 Narrator: INVESTIGATORS CAN'T ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS 494 00:25:40,038 --> 00:25:41,373 SOON ENOUGH, 495 00:25:41,456 --> 00:25:43,458 AS THE ENTIRE WORLD WAITS TO LEARN 496 00:25:43,541 --> 00:25:46,836 WHY COMMERCIAL AVIATION'S GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT 497 00:25:46,920 --> 00:25:48,713 WENT DOWN IN FLAMES. 498 00:25:52,926 --> 00:25:53,969 AT CHARLES DE GAULLE AIRPORT, 499 00:25:54,052 --> 00:25:58,265 THE CONCORDE INVESTIGATION CATCHES A LUCKY BREAK. 500 00:25:58,348 --> 00:26:00,642 AN INVESTIGATOR NOTICES SOMETHING ODD 501 00:26:00,725 --> 00:26:02,602 ON AN ENGINE OF A DC-10 502 00:26:02,686 --> 00:26:06,523 THAT FLIES REGULARLY BETWEEN PARIS AND THE U.S. 503 00:26:06,606 --> 00:26:09,526 BUT HE ONLY SEES THE PLANE FOR A MOMENT BEFORE IT TAKES OFF. 504 00:26:09,609 --> 00:26:11,486 Macintosh: HE GOT A QUICK GLIMPSE, 505 00:26:11,569 --> 00:26:13,571 BUT HE HAD ENOUGH OF A GLIMPSE TO SAY, 506 00:26:13,655 --> 00:26:15,740 "I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG THERE, 507 00:26:15,824 --> 00:26:17,659 AND I SEE AN ANOMALY 508 00:26:17,742 --> 00:26:22,455 THAT TELLS ME MAYBE THAT STRIP CAME FROM THERE." 509 00:26:22,539 --> 00:26:23,456 Narrator: FLIGHT RECORDS REVEAL 510 00:26:23,540 --> 00:26:28,878 THAT VERY DC-10 TOOK OFF FROM RUNWAY 26-RIGHT 511 00:26:28,962 --> 00:26:30,880 JUST MINUTES BEFORE THE DOOMED CONCORDE. 512 00:26:30,964 --> 00:26:33,591 COULD IT BE THE PLANE THEY'RE HUNTING FOR? 513 00:26:33,675 --> 00:26:37,262 Bouillard: YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT QUITE THE REAL THING, 514 00:26:37,345 --> 00:26:38,388 BUT IT IS THE BEST WE'VE GOT. 515 00:26:38,471 --> 00:26:40,682 Macintosh: WE DIDN'T HAVE THE METAL STRIP. 516 00:26:40,765 --> 00:26:43,435 IT WAS STILL IN THE POSSESSION OF THE FRENCH GENDARMES. 517 00:26:43,518 --> 00:26:46,229 Narrator: BOUILLARD GIVES MACINTOSH 518 00:26:46,313 --> 00:26:48,023 A MOCKUP OF THE ENGINE WEAR STRIP, 519 00:26:48,106 --> 00:26:49,649 HOPING IT WILL HELP DETERMINE 520 00:26:49,733 --> 00:26:52,861 WHETHER IT FELL FROM THE SUSPECT DC-10. 521 00:26:52,944 --> 00:26:54,195 Macintosh: WE WERE ALL GLUED TO THE PHONE 522 00:26:54,279 --> 00:26:57,782 AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHEN WE COULD LOOK AT THE AIRCRAFT, 523 00:26:57,866 --> 00:27:00,368 BECAUSE BY THIS TIME 524 00:27:00,452 --> 00:27:02,537 THAT PARTICULAR AIRCRAFT HAD LEFT CHARLES DE GAULLE 525 00:27:02,620 --> 00:27:06,791 AND WAS FLYING AROUND IN NORTH AMERICA. 526 00:27:07,959 --> 00:27:13,298 Narrator: MACINTOSH SOON TRACKS THE DC-10 TO HOUSTON. 527 00:27:13,381 --> 00:27:14,632 HE'LL NEED TO CATCH UP WITH IT THERE 528 00:27:14,716 --> 00:27:17,469 TO GET A CLOSE LOOK AT THE ENGINE. 529 00:27:17,552 --> 00:27:19,220 Macintosh: IT REALLY BECAME A CHALLENGE TO ME 530 00:27:19,304 --> 00:27:22,015 TO FIND THIS AIRCRAFT 531 00:27:22,098 --> 00:27:27,854 AND TO FIND THE SPECIFIC POINT WHERE THIS STRIP HAD COME FROM. 532 00:27:27,937 --> 00:27:29,397 Narrator: IF MACINTOSH CAN'T TRACK DOWN 533 00:27:29,481 --> 00:27:30,774 THE ORIGIN OF THE METAL STRIP, 534 00:27:30,857 --> 00:27:34,861 THE FULL STORY OF THE CONCORDE DISASTER MAY NEVER BE KNOWN. 535 00:27:38,656 --> 00:27:40,909 IN PARIS, ALAIN BOUILLARD FINALLY HAS A WORKING THEORY 536 00:27:40,992 --> 00:27:44,204 THAT MAY EXPLAIN ONE OF THE MOST SHOCKING AVIATION DISASTERS 537 00:27:44,287 --> 00:27:47,082 THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN. 538 00:27:47,165 --> 00:27:48,041 Bouillard: THIS WILL DO. 539 00:27:48,124 --> 00:27:49,876 LET'S SEE IF IT CAN SLICE OPEN THE TIRE. 540 00:27:52,462 --> 00:27:55,423 Narrator: INCREDIBLY, 541 00:27:55,507 --> 00:27:58,676 IT ALL COMES DOWN TO A THIN STRIP OF METAL 542 00:27:58,760 --> 00:28:00,762 THAT MAY HAVE FALLEN FROM A DC-10 543 00:28:00,845 --> 00:28:02,847 ONTO RUNWAY 26-RIGHT... 544 00:28:02,931 --> 00:28:04,057 Marcot: V-1. 545 00:28:04,140 --> 00:28:08,478 Narrator: WHERE IT RUPTURED A MASSIVE CONCORDE TIRE... 546 00:28:08,561 --> 00:28:09,020 Marcot: WATCH OUT! 547 00:28:09,104 --> 00:28:11,106 Jardinaud: STOP! 548 00:28:11,189 --> 00:28:14,401 Narrator: THAT FATALLY BURST A FUEL TANK. 549 00:28:14,484 --> 00:28:17,695 IT'S TIME TO TEST THAT THEORY. 550 00:28:17,779 --> 00:28:21,157 Torres: THE FIRST THING WE HAD TO DO 551 00:28:21,241 --> 00:28:23,660 WAS REPRODUCE A TIRE RUPTURE 552 00:28:23,743 --> 00:28:26,704 TO TRY TO EXPLAIN THE SIZE OF THE FRAGMENTS WE FOUND 553 00:28:26,788 --> 00:28:29,165 AND TO SEE IF IT WAS POSSIBLE FOR THIS METAL STRIP 554 00:28:29,249 --> 00:28:33,294 TO CAUSE THE TYPE OF DAMAGE WE SAW IN THE DEBRIS. 555 00:28:33,378 --> 00:28:34,337 Narrator: THEY CREATE AN EXACT REPLICA 556 00:28:34,421 --> 00:28:38,091 OF THE METAL STRIP THAT WAS FOUND ON THE RUNWAY 557 00:28:38,174 --> 00:28:39,843 AND PLACE IT UNDER A BRAND-NEW CONCORDE TIRE. 558 00:28:46,224 --> 00:28:48,726 A TWO-WHEEL TRAILER IS STACKED WITH HEAVY BLOCKS 559 00:28:48,810 --> 00:28:51,855 TO RECREATE THE LOAD ON CONCORDE'S TIRES-- 560 00:28:51,938 --> 00:28:55,108 25 TONS. 561 00:28:55,191 --> 00:28:58,445 THEY NEED TO KNOW IF DRIVING OVER THE NARROW STRIP OF METAL 562 00:28:58,528 --> 00:28:59,863 IS ENOUGH TO RIP OPEN A RUGGED CONCORDE TIRE. 563 00:29:08,204 --> 00:29:10,790 IN A DRAMATIC FASHION... 564 00:29:12,792 --> 00:29:14,669 THEY GET THEIR ANSWER. 565 00:29:14,752 --> 00:29:16,337 Torres: AMAZING. YOU CAN'T ASK FOR BETTER PROOF THAN THAT. 566 00:29:16,421 --> 00:29:19,090 THAT WAS FANTASTIC. 567 00:29:19,174 --> 00:29:20,049 C'ETAIT PARFAIT. 568 00:29:26,806 --> 00:29:30,143 Bouillard: THIS PLANE IS TOUGH ON TIRES, 569 00:29:30,226 --> 00:29:33,897 AND, IT SEEMS, FUEL TANKS. 570 00:29:33,980 --> 00:29:37,775 Narrator: BOUILLARD IS CONVINCED HE'S CRACKED THE CASE. 571 00:29:37,859 --> 00:29:38,693 HOPING TO CONFIRM HIS THEORY, 572 00:29:38,776 --> 00:29:41,112 INVESTIGATORS STUDY THE FRAGMENTS 573 00:29:41,196 --> 00:29:44,532 OF THE CONCORDE'S FUEL TANK. 574 00:29:44,616 --> 00:29:45,783 BUT THERE'S A PROBLEM. 575 00:29:45,867 --> 00:29:49,662 IF A PIECE OF FLYING DEBRIS RUPTURED THE TANK, 576 00:29:49,746 --> 00:29:54,083 THE TANK SHOULD BE BENT FROM THE OUTSIDE IN. 577 00:29:54,167 --> 00:29:56,002 BUT THE TANK FRAGMENT FROM THE RUNWAY 578 00:29:56,085 --> 00:30:00,298 IS BENT IN THE OPPOSITE WAY. 579 00:30:00,381 --> 00:30:03,760 IT LOOKS LIKE BOUILLARD'S THEORY IS FALLING APART. 580 00:30:03,843 --> 00:30:04,469 Bouillard: I DON'T GET IT. 581 00:30:04,552 --> 00:30:07,013 I JUST DON'T GET IT. 582 00:30:07,096 --> 00:30:10,225 IF THE TIRE DIDN'T RUPTURE THE FUEL TANK, 583 00:30:10,308 --> 00:30:12,060 THEN WHAT DID? 584 00:30:12,143 --> 00:30:13,728 Narrator: THE ENTIRE INVESTIGATION 585 00:30:13,811 --> 00:30:15,605 IS BACK AT SQUARE ONE. 586 00:30:15,688 --> 00:30:18,483 Bouillard: WE HAD ALL THESE ELEMENTS, 587 00:30:18,566 --> 00:30:20,693 BUT WE HAD TROUBLE MAKING THE CONNECTION 588 00:30:20,777 --> 00:30:24,405 BETWEEN THE TIRE FRAGMENTS, THE STRIP OF METAL, 589 00:30:24,489 --> 00:30:27,659 AND THE PIECES OF THE FUEL TANK. 590 00:30:27,742 --> 00:30:30,245 ALL THESE REMAINED ISOLATED ELEMENTS, 591 00:30:30,328 --> 00:30:33,081 AND WE COULDN'T FIND A WAY TO LINK THEM TOGETHER. 592 00:30:33,164 --> 00:30:35,583 WHAT ARE WE MISSING? 593 00:30:35,667 --> 00:30:38,920 I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS. 594 00:30:39,003 --> 00:30:41,631 Macintosh: THE ACTION THAT WOULD MAKE 595 00:30:41,714 --> 00:30:47,387 THIS PIECE OF FUEL TANK ESCAPE WAS UNIQUE. 596 00:30:47,470 --> 00:30:50,348 Narrator: BOUILLARD IS FACING AN UNPRECEDENTED MYSTERY. 597 00:30:50,431 --> 00:30:53,726 WHAT PUNCTURED THE CONCORDE'S FUEL TANK FROM THE INSIDE? 598 00:30:53,810 --> 00:30:55,853 IF HE FAILS TO SOLVE THE MYSTERY, 599 00:30:55,937 --> 00:31:01,192 THE LOSS OF 113 LIVES MAY NEVER BE EXPLAINED. 600 00:31:02,026 --> 00:31:03,444 THE BAFFLING EVIDENCE 601 00:31:03,528 --> 00:31:05,572 FROM THE CONCORDE'S RUPTURED FUEL TANK 602 00:31:05,655 --> 00:31:07,073 REMAINS A PUZZLING DILEMMA-- 603 00:31:07,156 --> 00:31:11,119 ONE THAT THREATENS TO DERAIL THE ENTIRE INVESTIGATION. 604 00:31:11,202 --> 00:31:13,288 Bouillard: PRETTY HEAVY LOAD OF FUEL. 605 00:31:13,371 --> 00:31:15,456 Narrator: ON THE DAY OF THE CRASH, 606 00:31:15,540 --> 00:31:19,294 ALL 12 FUEL TANKS INSIDE CONCORDE'S ENORMOUS DELTA WING 607 00:31:19,377 --> 00:31:21,879 HAD BEEN COMPLETELY FILLED. 608 00:31:21,963 --> 00:31:25,800 Torres: FOR ROUTES LIKE PARIS TO NEW YORK, 609 00:31:25,883 --> 00:31:26,968 THE CONCORDE'S FUEL TANKS 610 00:31:27,051 --> 00:31:30,888 NEEDED TO BE FILLED TO THEIR MAXIMUM CAPACITY. 611 00:31:30,972 --> 00:31:32,348 WITHOUT FULL TANKS, 612 00:31:32,432 --> 00:31:36,185 IT WOULDN'T HAVE THE RESERVES NEEDED TO CROSS THE ATLANTIC. 613 00:31:42,525 --> 00:31:47,155 Bouillard: THE ONLY THING IN THE FUEL TANK IS THE FUEL. 614 00:31:49,449 --> 00:31:53,745 MAYBE WHAT BURST THE TANK IS THE FUEL ITSELF. 615 00:31:53,828 --> 00:31:55,663 Narrator: THE HEAVY FUEL LOAD 616 00:31:55,747 --> 00:31:59,042 SUGGESTS AN UNCONVENTIONAL THEORY. 617 00:31:59,125 --> 00:32:03,421 WHEN A HIGH-SPEED PROJECTILE HITS A CONTAINER FULL OF LIQUID, 618 00:32:03,504 --> 00:32:04,964 IT CAN SET OFF A TSUNAMI-LIKE WAVE 619 00:32:05,048 --> 00:32:07,050 POWERFUL ENOUGH TO RUPTURE THE CONTAINER 620 00:32:07,133 --> 00:32:10,762 AT A DIFFERENT POINT FROM WHERE IT WAS STRUCK. 621 00:32:10,845 --> 00:32:15,350 Torres: THE LIQUID WILL MOVE AROUND 622 00:32:15,433 --> 00:32:19,854 AND PUSH EVENLY ON EVERY PART OF THE TANK. 623 00:32:19,937 --> 00:32:21,564 AND IT'S THE WEAKEST PART OF THE TANK 624 00:32:21,648 --> 00:32:24,275 THAT WILL TEND TO RUPTURE. 625 00:32:24,359 --> 00:32:28,112 Bouillard: SET IT SO THE FUEL TANKS ARE COMPLETELY FULL. 626 00:32:28,196 --> 00:32:29,072 Narrator: HE HOPES A COMPUTER SIMULATION 627 00:32:29,155 --> 00:32:32,575 WILL SHOW IF THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED HERE. 628 00:32:32,659 --> 00:32:37,205 Bouillard: AND THE PIECE OF TIRE IS FIVE KILOGRAMS. 629 00:32:37,288 --> 00:32:39,082 THE SCENARIO THAT WE HAD IN MIND 630 00:32:39,165 --> 00:32:42,460 WAS ONLY POSSIBLE IF THE TANKS WERE FULL. 631 00:32:42,543 --> 00:32:45,713 OK. LET'S WATCH WHAT HAPPENS. 632 00:32:45,797 --> 00:32:48,883 Narrator: BOUILLARD KNOWS HIS THEORY MAY MEET RESISTANCE. 633 00:32:48,966 --> 00:32:51,260 THERE'S NO RECORD OF AN AIRCRAFT FUEL TANK 634 00:32:51,344 --> 00:32:53,388 EVER RUPTURING THIS WAY BEFORE. 635 00:32:53,471 --> 00:32:55,139 Bouillard: FIRE. 636 00:32:55,223 --> 00:32:58,142 Narrator: THE SIMULATION RECREATES THE EFFECT 637 00:32:58,226 --> 00:33:00,436 OF A PIECE OF TIRE HITTING THE FUEL TANK. 638 00:33:00,520 --> 00:33:02,814 FOR BOUILLARD, IT'S THE MOMENT OF TRUTH. 639 00:33:02,897 --> 00:33:05,692 Bouillard: LET'S TRY IT AGAIN. 640 00:33:05,775 --> 00:33:11,072 ONLY THIS TIME, AIM OVER TO THE LEFT. 641 00:33:11,155 --> 00:33:13,991 MAYBE WE'LL FIND A WEAK SPOT. 642 00:33:14,075 --> 00:33:16,452 Narrator: CONDITIONS HAVE TO BE JUST RIGHT. 643 00:33:16,536 --> 00:33:17,453 Bouillard: FIRE. 644 00:33:19,831 --> 00:33:21,666 Narrator: BUT WHEN THEY ARE... 645 00:33:23,626 --> 00:33:26,003 Bouillard: WE'VE GOT IT. 646 00:33:26,087 --> 00:33:27,004 WELL DONE. 647 00:33:27,088 --> 00:33:29,173 Narrator: FIRING A PIECE OF TIRE AT THE TANK 648 00:33:29,257 --> 00:33:33,845 CAN MAKE IT BURST FROM THE INSIDE OUT. 649 00:33:33,928 --> 00:33:40,601 Bouillard: WE WERE CONVINCED THIS WAS WHAT HAPPENED. 650 00:33:40,685 --> 00:33:42,562 Macintosh: IT WAS A REVELATION TO ALL OF US 651 00:33:42,645 --> 00:33:44,147 AND INDEED A VERY PLAUSIBLE EXPLANATION 652 00:33:44,230 --> 00:33:50,069 AS TO HOW THE MAJOR FUEL LIBERATION TOOK PLACE. 653 00:33:50,153 --> 00:33:51,738 Narrator: FINDING THE SOURCE OF THE DEADLY METAL STRIP 654 00:33:51,821 --> 00:33:55,783 IS NOW MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER. 655 00:33:55,867 --> 00:33:59,287 IN HOUSTON, BOB MACINTOSH PREPARES TO INSPECT THE DC-10 656 00:33:59,370 --> 00:34:03,541 THAT TOOK OFF FIVE MINUTES BEFORE CONCORDE. 657 00:34:03,624 --> 00:34:04,500 Macintosh: WE WERE MET BY THE SAFETY MANAGER 658 00:34:04,584 --> 00:34:07,962 OF CONTINENTAL AIRLINES. 659 00:34:08,045 --> 00:34:11,299 WE ALL REALIZED THAT WE HAD A PRETTY SERIOUS DUTY HERE 660 00:34:11,382 --> 00:34:14,469 AND THERE MIGHT BE SOME REAL REPERCUSSIONS 661 00:34:14,552 --> 00:34:18,556 COMING FROM THIS, WHAT WE WERE ABOUT TO DO. 662 00:34:18,639 --> 00:34:19,974 Narrator: MACINTOSH IMMEDIATELY SPOTS 663 00:34:20,057 --> 00:34:22,185 SOMETHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. 664 00:34:22,268 --> 00:34:23,394 THERE'S AN ODD GAP 665 00:34:23,478 --> 00:34:26,022 IN THE WEAR STRIPS ON THE DC-10'S ENGINE. 666 00:34:26,105 --> 00:34:29,817 Macintosh: GET ME A CLOSER LOOK AT THAT, WILL YA? 667 00:34:29,901 --> 00:34:33,321 WE HAD THE MECHANICS OPEN UP THE COWLING 668 00:34:33,404 --> 00:34:39,035 AND EXPOSE THE AREA WHERE THE STRIP WAS MISSING. 669 00:34:39,118 --> 00:34:41,746 Narrator: THE GAP SEEMS TO HAVE TRACES 670 00:34:41,829 --> 00:34:43,831 OF THE SAME REDDISH-ORANGE GLUE 671 00:34:43,915 --> 00:34:45,833 THAT WAS ON THE METAL PIECE FROM FRANCE, 672 00:34:45,917 --> 00:34:47,126 BUT MACINTOSH NEEDS TO BE SURE. 673 00:34:47,210 --> 00:34:51,047 Macintosh: IT OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T FIT RIGHT, 674 00:34:51,130 --> 00:34:53,633 AND THERE WAS AN ATTEMPT TO MAKE IT FIT BETTER 675 00:34:53,716 --> 00:34:56,719 BY USING THIS MASTIC OR GLUE MATERIAL. 676 00:35:00,932 --> 00:35:04,685 LET'S SEE IF THE LAB CAN MATCH THAT. 677 00:35:04,769 --> 00:35:06,687 Narrator: THERE ALSO SEEMED TO BE 678 00:35:06,771 --> 00:35:09,148 SOME EXTRA RIVET HOLES ON THE ENGINE. 679 00:35:09,232 --> 00:35:11,567 HE CHECKS CAREFULLY TO SEE IF THEY MATCH THE ONES 680 00:35:11,651 --> 00:35:14,362 PUNCHED INTO THE STRIP FOUND ON THE PARIS RUNWAY. 681 00:35:21,077 --> 00:35:23,287 Macintosh: WE HAVE A WINNER. 682 00:35:23,371 --> 00:35:24,121 Narrator: IT'S A PERFECT MATCH. 683 00:35:24,205 --> 00:35:26,541 Macintosh: WE FOUND THE CULPRIT. 684 00:35:26,624 --> 00:35:28,251 THERE WAS NO DOUBT IN OUR MINDS 685 00:35:28,334 --> 00:35:31,504 THAT THE STRIP HAD COME FROM THIS AIRCRAFT. 686 00:35:31,587 --> 00:35:36,592 SO THERE WERE SOME DIFFERENT EMOTIONS THERE AT THAT MOMENT. 687 00:35:41,681 --> 00:35:43,599 Narrator: MACINTOSH NEEDS TO KNOW 688 00:35:43,683 --> 00:35:46,352 HOW AN ENGINE PART COULD HAVE FALLEN OFF A PLANE 689 00:35:46,435 --> 00:35:47,603 FROM A MAJOR U.S. AIRLINE, 690 00:35:47,687 --> 00:35:51,399 CAUSING A FATAL TRAGEDY. 691 00:35:51,482 --> 00:35:55,069 HE COMBS THROUGH THE DC-10'S MAINTENANCE RECORDS 692 00:35:55,152 --> 00:35:57,488 AND LEARNS THE WEAR STRIP WAS REPLACED 693 00:35:57,572 --> 00:36:00,116 JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. 694 00:36:07,373 --> 00:36:11,252 THE HOLES DRILLED INTO THE STRIP DIDN'T LINE UP PROPERLY 695 00:36:11,335 --> 00:36:14,255 WITH THE HOLES ON THE ENGINE COWLING. 696 00:36:14,338 --> 00:36:16,841 SO THE MECHANIC DRILLED NEW ONES. 697 00:36:19,218 --> 00:36:22,763 THEN, HE ADDED SOME ADHESIVE TO FIX IT IN PLACE. 698 00:36:29,687 --> 00:36:33,232 LAB TESTS CONFIRM THE ADHESIVE USED ON THE DC-10 699 00:36:33,316 --> 00:36:36,319 IS IDENTICAL TO THAT FOUND ON THE DEBRIS 700 00:36:36,402 --> 00:36:38,571 FROM THE RUNWAY AT CHARLES DE GAULLE. 701 00:36:42,366 --> 00:36:46,078 Macintosh: THERE WAS NO INTENT TO VIOLATE A REGULATION. 702 00:36:46,162 --> 00:36:49,749 IT WAS JUST THE JOB WASN'T DONE TO A PROFESSIONAL LEVEL 703 00:36:49,832 --> 00:36:53,127 THAT YOU WOULD EXPECT 704 00:36:53,210 --> 00:36:56,088 FROM A FIRST LINE AIRLINE IN PARTICULAR. 705 00:36:57,465 --> 00:37:01,802 Narrator: THE PIECE STAYED IN PLACE FOR JUST 16 DAYS 706 00:37:01,886 --> 00:37:04,597 BEFORE DROPPING ONTO THE PARIS RUNWAY, 707 00:37:04,680 --> 00:37:07,183 FIVE MINUTES BEFORE CONCORDE TOOK OFF. 708 00:37:11,270 --> 00:37:13,856 BOUILLARD HAS ONE FINAL QUESTION. 709 00:37:13,940 --> 00:37:16,442 Marty: NO TIME! 710 00:37:16,525 --> 00:37:18,194 Narrator: WHY DIDN'T THE PILOTS ABORT THE TAKEOFF 711 00:37:18,277 --> 00:37:21,906 AND SAVE THE LIVES OF EVERYONE ON BOARD? 712 00:37:21,989 --> 00:37:23,449 Marty: NO! 713 00:37:30,164 --> 00:37:32,208 Narrator: TECHNICIANS HAVE MANAGED TO PIECE TOGETHER 714 00:37:32,291 --> 00:37:35,378 THE DATA FROM THE BURNT AND DAMAGED FLIGHT RECORDER. 715 00:37:37,088 --> 00:37:39,507 Marty: EVERYBODY READY? 716 00:37:39,590 --> 00:37:40,716 Marcot: YES. 717 00:37:49,475 --> 00:37:51,060 Bouillard: ENGINES ARE FINE. 718 00:37:51,143 --> 00:37:52,895 SPEED INCREASING. 719 00:37:52,979 --> 00:37:55,272 Narrator: TOGETHER WITH THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER, 720 00:37:55,356 --> 00:37:56,440 IT PAINTS A VIVID PICTURE 721 00:37:56,524 --> 00:37:59,610 OF A SUDDEN EMERGENCY THAT ESCALATES RAPIDLY. 722 00:38:05,116 --> 00:38:06,867 Jardinaud: FOUR GREEN. 723 00:38:06,951 --> 00:38:08,494 Narrator: THE PLANE IS ROCKETING DOWN 724 00:38:08,577 --> 00:38:10,997 THE 2.5-MILE RUNWAY 725 00:38:11,080 --> 00:38:12,707 AT NEARLY 200 MILES AN HOUR. 726 00:38:17,837 --> 00:38:20,006 Marcot: WATCH OUT! 727 00:38:20,089 --> 00:38:21,465 Narrator: WHEN THE FUEL IGNITES, 728 00:38:21,549 --> 00:38:24,802 THE MASSIVE JET NEEDS MORE THAN A MILE TO STOP. 729 00:38:24,885 --> 00:38:28,055 BUT THERE'S ONLY A THOUSAND YARDS OF RUNWAY LEFT. 730 00:38:28,139 --> 00:38:31,600 THE PILOTS MUST PUT THE BURNING PLANE IN THE AIR. 731 00:38:31,684 --> 00:38:35,563 Bouillard: ABORTING THE TAKEOFF AT 180 KNOTS 732 00:38:35,646 --> 00:38:41,819 WOULD ALSO HAVE LED TO THE TOTAL DESTRUCTION OF THE AIRCRAFT. 733 00:38:41,902 --> 00:38:45,531 Narrator: TWO OF CONCORDE'S FOUR ENGINES ARE ON FIRE. 734 00:38:45,614 --> 00:38:47,616 Bouillard: THEY LOST ENGINE ONE AND TWO 735 00:38:47,700 --> 00:38:51,954 AT ALMOST THE SAME TIME. 736 00:38:52,038 --> 00:38:53,998 THE CREW FOUND THEMSELVES 737 00:38:54,081 --> 00:38:59,879 CONFRONTED WITH A PLANE THAT HAD LOST HALF ITS THRUST. 738 00:38:59,962 --> 00:39:01,047 Narrator: WITH ONLY TWO ENGINES WORKING, 739 00:39:01,130 --> 00:39:03,340 THE PLANE WON'T CLIMB. 740 00:39:06,093 --> 00:39:08,429 Marcot: WATCH THE AIRSPEED. 741 00:39:10,222 --> 00:39:12,933 THE AIRSPEED! THE AIRSPEED! 742 00:39:13,017 --> 00:39:16,520 Chatelain: HE'S TOTALLY SURPRISED BY WHAT'S HAPPENING. 743 00:39:16,604 --> 00:39:20,232 ALL THIS HAPPENED IN SOMETHING LIKE THREE SECONDS OF TIME, 744 00:39:20,316 --> 00:39:22,276 WHICH IS REALLY A SHORT TIME. 745 00:39:26,030 --> 00:39:28,157 Bouillard: WE ALL KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF SPEED 746 00:39:28,240 --> 00:39:29,658 FOR DELTA WING PLANES, 747 00:39:29,742 --> 00:39:35,039 AND SO THE AIRCRAFT FOUND ITSELF IN A VERY DIFFICULT POSITION. 748 00:39:39,043 --> 00:39:40,002 Marty: GEAR UP! 749 00:39:40,086 --> 00:39:42,505 Narrator: THE CREW TRIES TO RAISE THE LANDING GEAR 750 00:39:42,588 --> 00:39:44,423 TO REDUCE DRAG. 751 00:39:44,507 --> 00:39:45,466 Jardinaud: THE GEAR, JEAN! 752 00:39:45,549 --> 00:39:46,634 Marcot: I'M TRYING! 753 00:39:46,717 --> 00:39:50,221 Narrator: DUE TO THE DAMAGE, THE GEAR WON'T RETRACT. 754 00:39:50,304 --> 00:39:53,766 Torres: WHEN THE TIRE BURST, 755 00:39:53,849 --> 00:39:56,977 IT DAMAGED THE SENSORS ON THE LANDING GEAR DOORS. 756 00:39:57,061 --> 00:39:59,897 WITH THOSE DOORS IN THE WRONG POSITION, 757 00:39:59,980 --> 00:40:02,566 THE GEAR COULD NOT RETRACT. 758 00:40:02,650 --> 00:40:04,443 Narrator: THE DATA SHOWS THE CREW FOUGHT HARD 759 00:40:04,527 --> 00:40:08,823 TO KEEP THE PLANE FLYING RIGHT UP TO THE VERY END. 760 00:40:08,906 --> 00:40:11,117 Marcot: LE BOURGET. LE BOURGET! 761 00:40:11,200 --> 00:40:15,496 Narrator: BUT THE FIRE IS CONSUMING THEIR WING. 762 00:40:15,579 --> 00:40:17,998 Chatelain: AT ONE POINT, THEY KNEW THEY WERE GOING TO DIE. 763 00:40:18,082 --> 00:40:19,834 NO PANIC AT ALL TO THE VERY END. 764 00:40:19,917 --> 00:40:23,546 TO THE VERY END THEY TRIED TO FIND A SOLUTION. 765 00:40:23,629 --> 00:40:26,090 Narrator: INVESTIGATORS ESTIMATE THE RAGING INFERNO BURNED 766 00:40:26,173 --> 00:40:29,093 AT MORE THAN 2,000 DEGREES-- 767 00:40:29,176 --> 00:40:31,345 HOT ENOUGH TO MELT THE WING. 768 00:40:37,226 --> 00:40:38,894 Marty: NO TIME! 769 00:40:38,978 --> 00:40:39,854 NO! 770 00:40:43,941 --> 00:40:45,526 NO! 771 00:40:53,534 --> 00:40:58,873 Bouillard: THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. 772 00:40:58,956 --> 00:41:01,208 WE WERE CONVINCED 773 00:41:01,292 --> 00:41:03,210 THAT FROM THE MOMENT THE PLANE ROLLED OVER THE METAL STRIP, 774 00:41:03,294 --> 00:41:08,174 A CATASTROPHE WAS INEVITABLE. 775 00:41:08,257 --> 00:41:09,842 Narrator: THE ACCIDENT REPORT 776 00:41:09,925 --> 00:41:11,093 MAKES A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS 777 00:41:11,177 --> 00:41:13,220 TO MAKE CONCORDE SAFER. 778 00:41:13,304 --> 00:41:16,307 ENGINEERS DESIGN STRONGER TIRES 779 00:41:16,390 --> 00:41:18,851 THAT CAN BETTER WITHSTAND THE PLANE'S HIGH SPEED 780 00:41:18,934 --> 00:41:21,270 AND IMMENSE WEIGHT. 781 00:41:21,353 --> 00:41:26,650 FUEL TANKS ARE REINFORCED WITH KEVLAR TO PREVENT LEAKS. 782 00:41:26,734 --> 00:41:29,361 AIRPORT AUTHORITIES ALSO IMPLEMENT A BETTER SYSTEM 783 00:41:29,445 --> 00:41:33,657 FOR MONITORING RUNWAYS AND REMOVING DEBRIS. 784 00:41:33,741 --> 00:41:35,701 Chatelain: WHAT IS PUZZLING 785 00:41:35,784 --> 00:41:40,831 IS THAT YOU HAD A 200-GRAMS PIECE OF METAL ON THE RUNWAY. 786 00:41:40,915 --> 00:41:47,338 IT TURNS OUT TO TRIGGER ONE OF THE MOST CATASTROPHIC CRASHES 787 00:41:47,421 --> 00:41:50,799 IN AVIATION HISTORY. 788 00:41:50,883 --> 00:41:54,553 Narrator: A YEAR AFTER THE CRASH THAT TOOK 113 LIVES, 789 00:41:54,637 --> 00:41:57,932 AN OFFICIAL MEMORIAL SERVICE IS HELD. 790 00:41:58,015 --> 00:41:59,099 Logelin: I WAS WITH THEM, 791 00:41:59,183 --> 00:42:02,394 SO IN A WAY I'M KIND OF LINKED WITH THIS CRASH. 792 00:42:02,478 --> 00:42:04,772 IT WILL REMAIN THE EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE. 793 00:42:04,855 --> 00:42:08,609 I WOULD HAVE GIVEN EVERYTHING NOT TO BE THERE THIS DAY, 794 00:42:08,692 --> 00:42:10,861 BUT I AM THE ONE. 795 00:42:14,615 --> 00:42:16,951 Narrator: 15 MONTHS AFTER THE CRASH, 796 00:42:17,034 --> 00:42:20,579 THE CONCORDE FLEET IS FINALLY BACK IN THE AIR. 797 00:42:20,663 --> 00:42:24,625 SOON AFTER, ALAIN BOUILLARD SEIZES AN OPPORTUNITY 798 00:42:24,708 --> 00:42:28,837 TO TAKE A FLIGHT IN THE AIRCRAFT HE HELPED SAVE. 799 00:42:28,921 --> 00:42:30,422 Bouillard: I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY 800 00:42:30,506 --> 00:42:33,801 TO FLY AS A PASSENGER ON THE CONCORDE. 801 00:42:33,884 --> 00:42:40,474 I DISTINCTLY REMEMBER THE COLOR OF THE SKY AT 60,000 FEET 802 00:42:40,557 --> 00:42:43,894 AND THE SENSATION OF ACCELERATION AND SPEED. 803 00:42:49,024 --> 00:42:51,026 THESE ARE SENSATIONS THAT ARE VERY PARTICULAR, 804 00:42:51,110 --> 00:42:53,445 UNIQUE, 805 00:42:53,529 --> 00:42:57,950 THAT I HAVEN'T FELT SINCE AND THAT I MAY NEVER FEEL AGAIN. 806 00:42:58,033 --> 00:42:58,534 Narrator: THE RETURN OF THE WORLD'S 807 00:42:58,617 --> 00:43:00,744 ONLY SUPERSONIC PLANE 808 00:43:00,828 --> 00:43:03,330 DOESN'T LAST LONG. 809 00:43:03,414 --> 00:43:06,333 TWO YEARS LATER, WITH RISING FUEL COSTS AND FALLING PROFITS, 810 00:43:06,417 --> 00:43:08,877 AIR FRANCE AND BRITISH AIRWAYS 811 00:43:08,961 --> 00:43:12,381 DECIDE TO RETIRE CONCORDE FOREVER. 812 00:43:12,464 --> 00:43:16,677 IT MAKES ITS LAST FLIGHT ON NOVEMBER 26, 2003. 813 00:43:16,760 --> 00:43:19,346 Chatelain: FOR THE FIRST TIME IN AVIATION HISTORY, 814 00:43:19,430 --> 00:43:24,018 IT WAS KIND OF A STEP BACK. 815 00:43:24,101 --> 00:43:29,398 I MEAN, WE HAD SUPERSONIC TRANSPORTATION. 816 00:43:29,481 --> 00:43:32,735 WE HAVE NOT THAT ANYMORE. 817 00:43:32,818 --> 00:43:33,694 Macintosh: IT WAS A SAD DAY 818 00:43:33,777 --> 00:43:37,531 WHEN WE SAW THE RETIREMENT OF THE AIRCRAFT. 819 00:43:37,614 --> 00:43:39,366 ON THE OTHER HAND, 820 00:43:39,450 --> 00:43:43,620 RECOGNIZING THAT IT WAS 1965 TECHNOLOGY, 821 00:43:43,704 --> 00:43:46,915 IT PROBABLY WAS TIME TO RETIRE THE AIRCRAFT 822 00:43:46,999 --> 00:43:50,586 AND GO ON TO OTHER MORE MODERN THINGS.