1 00:00:03,737 --> 00:00:06,906 Narrator: Tragic accident or calculated murder? 2 00:00:06,973 --> 00:00:09,743 Man: Now let's see the elevations. 3 00:00:09,809 --> 00:00:13,146 Narrator: Investigators reopen a 55-year-old mystery. 4 00:00:13,213 --> 00:00:16,149 Man: This was a major world event. 5 00:00:16,216 --> 00:00:19,419 Man: We're going down. Brace! Brace! 6 00:00:19,486 --> 00:00:21,187 Narrator: What caused a crash 7 00:00:21,254 --> 00:00:23,323 that killed the U.N. Secretary general? 8 00:00:26,025 --> 00:00:28,228 Man: It was devastating. 9 00:00:28,294 --> 00:00:31,931 Man: This gentleman was a champion of world peace. 10 00:00:31,998 --> 00:00:34,401 Narrator: How did a top-secret peace mission in Africa 11 00:00:34,467 --> 00:00:35,935 end in death? 12 00:00:36,002 --> 00:00:38,304 Man: It's tough to see how they could have screwed this up. 13 00:00:38,371 --> 00:00:40,640 Man: Certain people believe it's just not possible 14 00:00:40,707 --> 00:00:44,043 that Dag Hammarskjold was killed in a common accident. 15 00:00:44,110 --> 00:00:46,913 It had to be something more. 16 00:00:46,980 --> 00:00:49,082 Narrator: Controversial theories abound. 17 00:00:49,149 --> 00:00:52,452 Man: Dag Hammarskjold was murdered. Period. 18 00:00:52,519 --> 00:00:56,222 Narrator: But the truth may finally be within reach. 19 00:00:56,289 --> 00:00:59,793 Man: As an investigator, I don't want to close any doors. 20 00:01:02,228 --> 00:01:04,364 Flight attendant: Ladies and gentlemen, we are starting our approach. 21 00:01:04,431 --> 00:01:05,698 Pilot: We lost both engines! 22 00:01:05,765 --> 00:01:07,033 Flight attendant: Put the mask over your nose. 23 00:01:07,100 --> 00:01:07,967 Emergency descent. 24 00:01:08,034 --> 00:01:09,035 Pilot: Mayday, mayday. 25 00:01:09,102 --> 00:01:10,670 Flight attendant: Brace for impact! 26 00:01:10,737 --> 00:01:12,038 Controller: I think I lost one. 27 00:01:12,105 --> 00:01:15,175 Man: Investigation starting into this tragedy... 28 00:01:15,241 --> 00:01:16,609 Man: He's gonna crash! 29 00:01:31,291 --> 00:01:34,561 Narrator: Swedish air crash investigator Sven Hammarberg 30 00:01:34,627 --> 00:01:36,996 is entering a world of intrigue 31 00:01:37,063 --> 00:01:42,202 and deadly cold war conspiracies. 32 00:01:42,268 --> 00:01:44,737 A special commission reporting to the U.N. 33 00:01:44,804 --> 00:01:46,339 Needs him to determine 34 00:01:46,406 --> 00:01:52,212 whether a 1961 air disaster was an accident or an assassination. 35 00:01:52,278 --> 00:01:55,048 Sven Hammarberg: The commission knew that I had some experience 36 00:01:55,114 --> 00:01:58,551 in that field of old aircraft accidents, 37 00:01:58,618 --> 00:02:02,288 so they called me. 38 00:02:02,355 --> 00:02:04,257 Narrator: The pressure is on to get to the bottom 39 00:02:04,324 --> 00:02:08,127 of an aviation mystery that's as controversial today 40 00:02:08,194 --> 00:02:11,397 as it was 55 years ago. 41 00:02:11,464 --> 00:02:13,399 Henning Melber: There's a wide range of things 42 00:02:13,466 --> 00:02:17,904 that have never, ever been adequately considered. 43 00:02:17,971 --> 00:02:21,274 They might not bring the ultimate truth, 44 00:02:21,341 --> 00:02:25,245 but it requires to look carefully again. 45 00:02:25,311 --> 00:02:27,280 Narrator: Hammarberg studies the events 46 00:02:27,347 --> 00:02:29,148 from the night of the fateful flight. 47 00:02:33,820 --> 00:02:37,991 A united nations transport plane, the Albertina, 48 00:02:38,057 --> 00:02:42,195 is on a vital mission in central Africa. 49 00:02:42,262 --> 00:02:46,199 Pilot: Estimate Abeam Ndola at 2347, 50 00:02:46,266 --> 00:02:50,270 arrival time 00:20. 51 00:02:50,336 --> 00:02:53,106 Narrator: The destination is Ndola airport 52 00:02:53,172 --> 00:02:56,042 in the British colony of northern Rhodesia. 53 00:02:56,109 --> 00:02:57,210 Controller: Roger. 54 00:02:57,277 --> 00:03:00,580 Ndola weather, wind 1-2-0 at seven knots, 55 00:03:00,647 --> 00:03:04,784 visibility five to ten miles with a slight smoke haze. 56 00:03:04,851 --> 00:03:08,154 Narrator: Controllers and local dignitaries anxiously await 57 00:03:08,221 --> 00:03:13,326 the arrival of one of the most important people in the world. 58 00:03:13,393 --> 00:03:17,130 Controller: Set altimeter to 30.15. 59 00:03:17,196 --> 00:03:18,998 Pilot: Roger. 60 00:03:19,065 --> 00:03:22,101 Request descent clearance at 5-7. 61 00:03:22,168 --> 00:03:23,303 Controller: Roger at 5-7. 62 00:03:23,369 --> 00:03:27,173 Cleared to descend to 6,000 feet. 63 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:29,342 Narrator: On board the dc-6 64 00:03:29,409 --> 00:03:33,179 is U.N. Secretary general Dag Hammarskjold. 65 00:03:33,246 --> 00:03:35,348 Dag Hammarskjold: At least they're willing to talk. 66 00:03:35,415 --> 00:03:38,585 What else do we know about their latest demands? 67 00:03:38,651 --> 00:03:40,787 Narrator: He's flying in from the Congo 68 00:03:40,853 --> 00:03:44,557 to hold high-level peace talks with a rebel leader. 69 00:03:44,624 --> 00:03:46,159 Melber: Hammarskjold, 70 00:03:46,225 --> 00:03:49,462 and most likely members of his entourage on board, 71 00:03:49,529 --> 00:03:54,167 were pretty aware that this is a difficult mission. 72 00:03:54,233 --> 00:03:58,371 It was a secretary general for whom a physical risk 73 00:03:58,438 --> 00:04:01,374 was an integral part of his job. 74 00:04:03,276 --> 00:04:05,244 Pilot: Alright. 75 00:04:05,311 --> 00:04:06,879 Descending to 6,000. 76 00:04:06,946 --> 00:04:08,348 Nil traffic ahead. 77 00:04:08,414 --> 00:04:10,149 Co-pilot: 6,000. Yes, sir. 78 00:04:10,216 --> 00:04:14,721 Narrator: The captain is 35-year-old per Hallonquist. 79 00:04:14,787 --> 00:04:15,922 Co-pilot: Our visibility should be pretty good 80 00:04:15,989 --> 00:04:18,124 once we get down there. 81 00:04:18,191 --> 00:04:20,360 Narrator: 29-year-old lars Litton 82 00:04:20,426 --> 00:04:22,595 is Hallonquist's first officer. 83 00:04:22,662 --> 00:04:24,864 Robert Macintosh: The life of flying a transport airplane 84 00:04:24,931 --> 00:04:28,001 in the Congo during the 1960s, 85 00:04:28,067 --> 00:04:30,703 during the decolonization era, 86 00:04:30,770 --> 00:04:34,574 was indeed a fantastic challenge for everyone. 87 00:04:34,641 --> 00:04:38,378 Narrator: Former pilot and NTSB investigator Robert Macintosh 88 00:04:38,444 --> 00:04:43,116 flew transport missions for the U.N. Throughout the '60s. 89 00:04:43,182 --> 00:04:44,550 Macintosh: During my time in the Congo, 90 00:04:44,617 --> 00:04:45,818 I was probably a lucky guy 91 00:04:45,885 --> 00:04:48,054 because there were mercenaries around, 92 00:04:48,121 --> 00:04:49,756 and I never found any bullet holes 93 00:04:49,822 --> 00:04:52,225 in the aircraft that I was flying. 94 00:04:52,291 --> 00:04:53,693 Lars Litton: 7,000. 95 00:04:53,760 --> 00:04:55,028 Per Hallonquist: Alright. 96 00:04:55,094 --> 00:04:58,564 Give me 2,000 rpm and 20 inches. 97 00:04:58,631 --> 00:04:59,966 Litton: Minimum descent altitude? 98 00:05:00,033 --> 00:05:01,401 Hallonquist: That's 5,000 feet, 99 00:05:01,467 --> 00:05:05,138 but we'll have the runway in sight long before then. 100 00:05:05,204 --> 00:05:07,106 Narrator: The flight left the Congolese capital, 101 00:05:07,173 --> 00:05:08,274 Leopoldville, 102 00:05:08,341 --> 00:05:11,144 a little more than six hours ago. 103 00:05:11,210 --> 00:05:15,782 For security reasons, it's flown an indirect route to Ndola. 104 00:05:15,848 --> 00:05:19,686 Melber: They made arrangements in the route of the plane 105 00:05:19,752 --> 00:05:23,456 to avoid any unpleasant surprises. 106 00:05:23,523 --> 00:05:26,826 Hammarskjold: Number one, we need to extend the ceasefire. 107 00:05:26,893 --> 00:05:29,362 We can't be seen as being the enemy here. 108 00:05:29,429 --> 00:05:33,433 Narrator: To prevent an ambush, no flight plan has been filed, 109 00:05:33,499 --> 00:05:35,668 and the pilots have maintained radio silence 110 00:05:35,735 --> 00:05:39,305 for most of the flight. 111 00:05:39,372 --> 00:05:41,874 The mission is a closely guarded secret. 112 00:05:46,512 --> 00:05:50,116 Controller: Are you proceeding to Salisbury after Ndola? 113 00:05:50,183 --> 00:05:52,118 Hallonquist: Negative. 114 00:05:52,185 --> 00:05:53,953 Narrator: Even at this late stage, 115 00:05:54,020 --> 00:05:57,457 the crew needs to be secretive about the mission. 116 00:05:57,523 --> 00:05:59,659 Controller: Are you staying in Ndola? 117 00:05:59,726 --> 00:06:03,062 Narrator: They don't know who might be listening in. 118 00:06:03,129 --> 00:06:06,332 Hallonquist: Negative. 119 00:06:06,399 --> 00:06:07,333 Controller: Due to parking difficulties, 120 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:10,169 we'd like to know your intentions. 121 00:06:10,236 --> 00:06:13,339 Hallonquist: We will give them on the ground. 122 00:06:13,406 --> 00:06:15,341 Controller: Roger. 123 00:06:15,408 --> 00:06:18,678 Macintosh: The security of the airport 124 00:06:18,745 --> 00:06:20,646 and of the flying environment 125 00:06:20,713 --> 00:06:22,648 was sometimes in question. 126 00:06:22,715 --> 00:06:27,386 There were, there were opportunities for counter forces 127 00:06:27,453 --> 00:06:31,257 to perhaps shoot at aircraft that were on final approach. 128 00:06:31,324 --> 00:06:32,892 Hallonquist: Pre-descent checklist, please. 129 00:06:35,094 --> 00:06:38,064 Litton: Anti-collision lights? 130 00:06:38,131 --> 00:06:40,032 Hallonquist: On. 131 00:06:40,099 --> 00:06:41,934 Litton: Cylinder head check? 132 00:06:42,001 --> 00:06:43,503 Okay. 133 00:06:43,569 --> 00:06:44,771 Speed to 1-8-0 knots. 134 00:06:48,207 --> 00:06:52,178 Man: Go ask the pilots how much longer till we land. 135 00:06:52,245 --> 00:06:55,214 Narrator: The secretary general and his delegation 136 00:06:55,281 --> 00:06:57,550 should be on the ground in about ten minutes. 137 00:07:01,754 --> 00:07:03,856 Hallonquist: Your lights in sight. 138 00:07:03,923 --> 00:07:06,292 Overhead Ndola. 139 00:07:06,359 --> 00:07:08,127 Descending. 140 00:07:08,194 --> 00:07:10,963 Controller: Roger. Report reaching 6,000 feet. 141 00:07:11,030 --> 00:07:12,331 Hallonquist: Roger. 142 00:07:12,398 --> 00:07:15,668 Controller: Okay. They're 10 minutes away. 143 00:07:15,735 --> 00:07:18,337 Narrator: Because of the unusual flight path, 144 00:07:18,404 --> 00:07:21,340 the plane now needs to fly past Ndola airport 145 00:07:21,407 --> 00:07:25,945 and circle back to touch down on its only runway. 146 00:07:26,012 --> 00:07:29,081 Macintosh: Ndola was a bit, we say, out in the sticks, 147 00:07:29,148 --> 00:07:34,921 with a little control tower and with some surrounding hills. 148 00:07:34,987 --> 00:07:38,925 And certainly at night it was extremely difficult 149 00:07:38,991 --> 00:07:40,760 to make approaches there. 150 00:07:40,827 --> 00:07:42,495 Litton: 180 knots, sir. 151 00:07:42,562 --> 00:07:45,665 Hallonquist: Speed is good. Thank you. 152 00:07:45,731 --> 00:07:49,302 Macintosh: You certainly have to be extremely vigilant 153 00:07:49,368 --> 00:07:53,105 to the hazards around such a small airport. 154 00:07:53,172 --> 00:07:56,175 Narrator: The crew begins the final swooping left-hand turn 155 00:07:56,242 --> 00:07:58,978 that will line them up with the runway below. 156 00:08:06,586 --> 00:08:11,157 The mission to Ndola is about to begin-- 157 00:08:11,224 --> 00:08:16,028 a mission that could change the fate of nations. 158 00:08:16,095 --> 00:08:19,465 Newscaster: The united nations security council meeting again 159 00:08:19,532 --> 00:08:23,236 to deal with the difficult and dangerous Congo situation. 160 00:08:23,302 --> 00:08:24,570 It was resolved to call upon Belgium 161 00:08:24,637 --> 00:08:26,072 to withdraw her troops from... 162 00:08:26,138 --> 00:08:29,008 Melber: The Congo in the early '60s 163 00:08:29,075 --> 00:08:32,645 was of utmost priority in the cold war. 164 00:08:32,712 --> 00:08:37,483 It was of top geostrategic importance. 165 00:08:37,550 --> 00:08:41,687 Narrator: The Congo recently won its independence from Belgium. 166 00:08:41,754 --> 00:08:44,824 But the new nation's southern region of Katanga 167 00:08:44,891 --> 00:08:48,394 has declared itself an independent state. 168 00:08:48,461 --> 00:08:51,631 A bloody civil war has erupted. 169 00:08:51,697 --> 00:08:55,201 And with the world's richest uranium mine in Katanga, 170 00:08:55,268 --> 00:08:58,738 world powers, including the U.S. And the Soviet Union, 171 00:08:58,804 --> 00:09:03,109 are backing opposing factions. 172 00:09:03,175 --> 00:09:07,079 The risk of a global catastrophe is very real. 173 00:09:07,146 --> 00:09:11,617 Melber: One needs to recall that the nuclear bombs 174 00:09:11,684 --> 00:09:15,588 that were thrown on Hiroshima and Nagasaki 175 00:09:15,655 --> 00:09:19,425 were supplied with uranium from Katanga. 176 00:09:19,492 --> 00:09:22,595 Narrator: Hammarskjold hopes to resolve the deadly conflict 177 00:09:22,662 --> 00:09:26,532 and help reunite the Congo. 178 00:09:26,599 --> 00:09:28,801 But on the ground in Ndola, 179 00:09:28,868 --> 00:09:32,471 controllers are growing concerned. 180 00:09:32,538 --> 00:09:34,206 Controller: Albertina, Ndola tower. 181 00:09:34,273 --> 00:09:36,442 Do you read? 182 00:09:36,509 --> 00:09:40,246 Narrator: The secretary general's plane is overdue. 183 00:09:40,313 --> 00:09:41,948 Macintosh: Where did the aircraft go? 184 00:09:42,014 --> 00:09:44,784 Why, why have we not seen it? 185 00:09:44,850 --> 00:09:46,619 Controller: Albertina, Ndola tower. 186 00:09:46,686 --> 00:09:47,920 Please acknowledge. 187 00:09:47,987 --> 00:09:49,288 Macintosh: "Where are you? 188 00:09:49,355 --> 00:09:51,590 Why am I not hearing from you?" 189 00:09:51,657 --> 00:09:52,992 That would have been very present 190 00:09:53,059 --> 00:09:56,796 in the minds of the controller at that point in time. 191 00:09:56,862 --> 00:09:58,798 Narrator: The controller contacts other airports 192 00:09:58,864 --> 00:10:01,300 in the region. 193 00:10:01,367 --> 00:10:03,569 Controller: Salisbury, Ndola airport. 194 00:10:03,636 --> 00:10:06,238 Have you had any word from the U.N. Albertina? 195 00:10:06,305 --> 00:10:07,873 Controller: Nothing at all. 196 00:10:07,940 --> 00:10:10,443 Narrator: Perhaps the Albertina's secret mission 197 00:10:10,509 --> 00:10:13,679 has taken it to a different destination at the last minute. 198 00:10:16,549 --> 00:10:18,884 Controller: Lusaka, Ndola airport. 199 00:10:18,951 --> 00:10:21,487 Have you had any contact with the U.N. Flight? 200 00:10:21,554 --> 00:10:24,056 Controller: Negative. No contact here. 201 00:10:26,125 --> 00:10:27,727 Narrator: The plane carrying 202 00:10:27,793 --> 00:10:32,431 one of the most important men on the planet is missing. 203 00:10:32,498 --> 00:10:35,901 It's a mystery that will haunt Ndola and the world 204 00:10:35,968 --> 00:10:38,037 for decades to come. 205 00:10:45,544 --> 00:10:46,812 By dawn, 206 00:10:46,879 --> 00:10:49,281 news of the U.N. Secretary general's disappearance 207 00:10:49,348 --> 00:10:51,684 is spreading fast. 208 00:10:51,751 --> 00:10:54,020 Clyde Sanger: We heard that he was missing, 209 00:10:54,086 --> 00:10:56,956 so what were we to do? 210 00:10:57,023 --> 00:10:59,959 We weren't going to sit around Ndola. 211 00:11:00,026 --> 00:11:03,095 Narrator: Clyde Sanger covered Hammarskjold's mission in Africa 212 00:11:03,162 --> 00:11:05,831 for the guardian newspaper. 213 00:11:05,898 --> 00:11:08,768 Sanger: A number of journalists got together 214 00:11:08,834 --> 00:11:12,538 and chartered a plane and flew over the area 215 00:11:12,605 --> 00:11:16,075 and spotted where the plane had come down. 216 00:11:16,142 --> 00:11:19,979 Narrator: On the side of a hill nine miles west of the airport, 217 00:11:20,046 --> 00:11:23,315 journalists spot a gash in the trees. 218 00:11:23,382 --> 00:11:24,850 Sanger: And it was quite broad. 219 00:11:24,917 --> 00:11:27,787 It had cut through a lot of trees, 220 00:11:27,853 --> 00:11:33,092 and it was an open space like that, with stumps of trees. 221 00:11:33,159 --> 00:11:36,362 Narrator: Whatever went wrong in the skies above, 222 00:11:36,429 --> 00:11:39,131 the flight clearly ended with a violent impact... 223 00:11:42,068 --> 00:11:43,969 Followed by intense fire. 224 00:11:47,473 --> 00:11:49,975 When local authorities arrive, 225 00:11:50,042 --> 00:11:55,681 they find bodies surrounded by badly scorched wreckage. 226 00:11:55,748 --> 00:11:57,483 Sanger: Northern Rhodesian police said, 227 00:11:57,550 --> 00:12:00,119 "No, stay back, stay back," 228 00:12:00,186 --> 00:12:04,290 and so we had only a distant view. 229 00:12:04,356 --> 00:12:07,760 They had found quite a large fuselage in one place, 230 00:12:07,827 --> 00:12:10,563 which we could see, 231 00:12:10,629 --> 00:12:12,131 and we were told afterwards 232 00:12:12,198 --> 00:12:14,133 that Dag Hammarskjold was killed. 233 00:12:16,135 --> 00:12:17,336 Newscaster: For over eight years, 234 00:12:17,403 --> 00:12:19,939 Dag Hammarskjold spoke for and personified 235 00:12:20,005 --> 00:12:22,441 the united nations organization. 236 00:12:22,508 --> 00:12:24,043 An economist from Sweden, 237 00:12:24,110 --> 00:12:25,744 he took over from secretary general... 238 00:12:25,811 --> 00:12:28,481 Macintosh: The secretary general had been a very famous guy, 239 00:12:28,547 --> 00:12:30,950 a champion of world peace, 240 00:12:31,016 --> 00:12:33,586 so this was a major world event. 241 00:12:33,652 --> 00:12:34,920 John F. Kennedy: I know that I'm speaking 242 00:12:34,987 --> 00:12:37,990 for all of my fellow Americans, 243 00:12:38,057 --> 00:12:42,128 expressing our deep sense of shock and loss 244 00:12:42,194 --> 00:12:43,395 in the untimely death 245 00:12:43,462 --> 00:12:45,097 of the secretary general of the united nations, 246 00:12:45,164 --> 00:12:47,766 Mr. Dag Hammarskjold. 247 00:12:47,833 --> 00:12:51,137 Narrator: With the loss of Dag Hammarskjold and his delegation, 248 00:12:51,203 --> 00:12:54,573 prospects for peace in the Congo fade. 249 00:12:54,640 --> 00:12:56,475 Regional power brokers have no interest 250 00:12:56,542 --> 00:13:01,080 in following through on the secretary general's mission. 251 00:13:01,147 --> 00:13:05,351 Macintosh: His mission to continue to attempt to reunite 252 00:13:05,417 --> 00:13:07,386 the province that he was concerned with, 253 00:13:07,453 --> 00:13:09,421 Katanga province, 254 00:13:09,488 --> 00:13:13,092 was counter to the interests of a lot of people. 255 00:13:13,159 --> 00:13:15,027 Melber: I think it's pretty obvious 256 00:13:15,094 --> 00:13:17,963 that there were a plethora of interests out there 257 00:13:18,030 --> 00:13:22,701 who were not really mourning the death of Hammarskjold. 258 00:13:22,768 --> 00:13:25,804 Narrator: The cold war politics surrounding the flight to Ndola 259 00:13:25,871 --> 00:13:27,339 lead many to speculate 260 00:13:27,406 --> 00:13:31,210 that the secretary general's plane was shot down. 261 00:13:31,277 --> 00:13:35,814 Melber: Was there anyone who wanted to see Hammarskjold dead? 262 00:13:35,881 --> 00:13:39,985 Where do you want me to start and where to end? 263 00:13:40,052 --> 00:13:43,155 Narrator: The world may soon learn more about the crash 264 00:13:43,222 --> 00:13:44,990 from a surprising source. 265 00:13:45,057 --> 00:13:49,528 Incredibly, there is a sole survivor. 266 00:13:49,595 --> 00:13:51,330 Against all odds, 267 00:13:51,397 --> 00:13:54,567 a 36-year-old U.N. Security officer 268 00:13:54,633 --> 00:13:58,037 lived through the heavy impact and raging fire. 269 00:14:00,806 --> 00:14:04,810 Harold Julian is in critical condition. 270 00:14:04,877 --> 00:14:07,446 But if he can recover and tell his story, 271 00:14:07,513 --> 00:14:09,281 he might provide valuable evidence. 272 00:14:13,352 --> 00:14:16,455 While they wait to hear what Julian will say, 273 00:14:16,522 --> 00:14:18,924 Rhodesian government investigators begin searching 274 00:14:18,991 --> 00:14:22,995 for clues in the wreckage. 275 00:14:23,062 --> 00:14:25,497 They face a daunting task. 276 00:14:27,800 --> 00:14:32,071 About 80% of the fuselage is completely melted. 277 00:14:32,137 --> 00:14:33,739 Macintosh: Every air safety investigator 278 00:14:33,806 --> 00:14:36,308 has a given set of things that he's really looking for. 279 00:14:36,375 --> 00:14:38,911 He wants to find out if the whole airplane is there. 280 00:14:38,978 --> 00:14:40,412 Is there something missing? 281 00:14:40,479 --> 00:14:42,748 He's looking for the tail, he's looking for the wingtips, 282 00:14:42,815 --> 00:14:45,084 he's looking for the power plants, et cetera. 283 00:14:45,150 --> 00:14:48,721 All those basic things are elemental. 284 00:14:48,787 --> 00:14:50,556 Investigator: That's it, guys. 285 00:14:50,623 --> 00:14:52,625 Slow and meticulous. 286 00:14:58,330 --> 00:15:00,532 Narrator: Amidst the burned wreckage 287 00:15:00,599 --> 00:15:03,102 there are also personal effects... 288 00:15:07,273 --> 00:15:10,342 Poignant reminders of lives cut short. 289 00:15:13,112 --> 00:15:18,984 Even these can help investigators learn more. 290 00:15:19,051 --> 00:15:21,620 Wrist watches damaged by the sudden impact 291 00:15:21,687 --> 00:15:24,089 reveal the exact time of the crash. 292 00:15:26,125 --> 00:15:29,161 Investigator: 12:13. 293 00:15:29,228 --> 00:15:31,730 Narrator: The secretary general's plane hit the ground 294 00:15:31,797 --> 00:15:36,368 three minutes after its last radio transmission. 295 00:15:36,435 --> 00:15:38,704 Macintosh: What happened in those three minutes? 296 00:15:38,771 --> 00:15:40,806 Where were they in those three minutes? 297 00:15:40,873 --> 00:15:41,874 Do we have witnesses? 298 00:15:41,940 --> 00:15:43,709 Do we have a direction? 299 00:15:43,776 --> 00:15:45,144 What can we tell happened there? 300 00:15:45,210 --> 00:15:49,048 And indeed was there a possibility of some interdiction 301 00:15:49,114 --> 00:15:51,450 from an outside force? 302 00:15:51,517 --> 00:15:53,519 Perhaps ground fire, 303 00:15:53,585 --> 00:15:55,788 somebody trying to shoot down the airplane, 304 00:15:55,854 --> 00:15:57,056 or from the air. 305 00:15:59,858 --> 00:16:01,627 Hallonquist: Your lights in sight. 306 00:16:01,694 --> 00:16:03,996 Overhead Ndola. Descending. 307 00:16:04,063 --> 00:16:06,398 Narrator: Critical questions about the flight's final moments 308 00:16:06,465 --> 00:16:11,036 will not be answered by a voice or data recorder. 309 00:16:11,103 --> 00:16:13,939 The dc-6 was not equipped with either. 310 00:16:19,311 --> 00:16:22,614 The only chance of getting a firsthand account 311 00:16:22,681 --> 00:16:24,183 about what happened 312 00:16:24,249 --> 00:16:27,252 rests with the badly injured U.N. Security officer. 313 00:16:29,188 --> 00:16:33,125 Harold Julian: Dag said... 314 00:16:33,192 --> 00:16:35,427 Go back. 315 00:16:35,494 --> 00:16:41,033 Narrator: Harold Julian's few brief words are astounding. 316 00:16:41,100 --> 00:16:44,069 Julian: It blew up. 317 00:16:44,136 --> 00:16:45,904 Narrator: He suggests 318 00:16:45,971 --> 00:16:48,173 that the plane blew up before it crashed. 319 00:16:50,809 --> 00:16:52,444 Hammarskjold: We need to go back! 320 00:16:52,511 --> 00:17:01,120 ♪ 321 00:17:01,186 --> 00:17:05,991 Julian: Then there was the crash. 322 00:17:06,058 --> 00:17:07,159 Hammarberg: He was not in good shape 323 00:17:07,226 --> 00:17:08,994 after the accident. 324 00:17:09,061 --> 00:17:14,199 He had heavy medicine and so on, 325 00:17:14,266 --> 00:17:16,602 so, um, it's hard to, 326 00:17:16,668 --> 00:17:21,006 to measure the value of his statement. 327 00:17:21,073 --> 00:17:23,809 Narrator: Investigators hope Julian will provide more details 328 00:17:23,876 --> 00:17:25,677 after he recovers, 329 00:17:25,744 --> 00:17:27,980 but he never does. 330 00:17:28,046 --> 00:17:30,949 He dies five days after the accident. 331 00:17:31,016 --> 00:17:32,351 Investigator: Did it really blow up before the crash, 332 00:17:32,418 --> 00:17:35,120 like he says? 333 00:17:35,187 --> 00:17:37,322 Narrator: Could a missile or bomb have taken down 334 00:17:37,389 --> 00:17:39,057 the secretary general's plane? 335 00:17:42,194 --> 00:17:44,963 The separatist rebels do have a fighter jet 336 00:17:45,030 --> 00:17:47,833 capable of shooting down a dc-6. 337 00:17:51,904 --> 00:17:54,907 A french-made Fouga Magister has been attacking planes 338 00:17:54,973 --> 00:17:58,444 in the region. 339 00:17:58,510 --> 00:18:02,080 Hammarberg: The Fouga could have been waiting for the dc-6. 340 00:18:02,147 --> 00:18:04,416 They could have used force. 341 00:18:04,483 --> 00:18:06,752 Narrator: Investigators study the pilot's handbook 342 00:18:06,819 --> 00:18:09,388 for the Fouga. 343 00:18:09,455 --> 00:18:12,124 They discover that the fighter's maximum combat range 344 00:18:12,191 --> 00:18:17,095 is 419 kilometers, or 260 miles. 345 00:18:17,162 --> 00:18:20,065 It's a key finding, because the nearest fighter base 346 00:18:20,132 --> 00:18:24,403 is almost 260 miles away. 347 00:18:24,470 --> 00:18:26,004 Investigator: There's no way a fighter jet 348 00:18:26,071 --> 00:18:28,707 took off from this base, 349 00:18:28,774 --> 00:18:31,009 shot down a plane here, 350 00:18:31,076 --> 00:18:32,978 and then made it back to the base safely. 351 00:18:33,045 --> 00:18:34,980 Macintosh: The possibility of a Fouga fighter 352 00:18:35,047 --> 00:18:38,183 in the middle of the night finding this aircraft, 353 00:18:38,250 --> 00:18:41,253 shooting it down, returning to its base... 354 00:18:41,320 --> 00:18:43,121 It didn't fit the conditions that were there 355 00:18:43,188 --> 00:18:44,857 on that given night. 356 00:18:50,462 --> 00:18:53,932 Narrator: Investigators study the metal skin of the dc-6, 357 00:18:53,999 --> 00:18:57,035 looking for any evidence that it was ripped open 358 00:18:57,102 --> 00:18:59,304 by machine gun fire or a missile. 359 00:19:01,974 --> 00:19:03,609 They find none. 360 00:19:07,713 --> 00:19:09,047 Going a step further, 361 00:19:09,114 --> 00:19:11,250 they test ash from the crash site 362 00:19:11,316 --> 00:19:14,686 for the presence of explosives. 363 00:19:14,753 --> 00:19:17,589 Hammarberg: They tried to look for it. 364 00:19:17,656 --> 00:19:19,858 They, they divided the metal parts 365 00:19:19,925 --> 00:19:21,994 and small pieces and so on, 366 00:19:22,060 --> 00:19:25,898 and they didn't find anything in that way. 367 00:19:25,964 --> 00:19:27,399 Narrator: What's more, 368 00:19:27,466 --> 00:19:29,835 when investigators study key pieces of wreckage 369 00:19:29,902 --> 00:19:31,470 from the dc-6, 370 00:19:31,537 --> 00:19:33,071 everything points to a plane 371 00:19:33,138 --> 00:19:35,807 that was coming in for a routine landing. 372 00:19:35,874 --> 00:19:39,111 Investigator: Gear down, flaps out. 373 00:19:39,177 --> 00:19:40,779 These guys were getting ready to land. 374 00:19:44,049 --> 00:19:45,350 Hallonquist: Flaps 30. 375 00:19:45,417 --> 00:19:47,653 Litton: Flaps 30. 376 00:19:47,719 --> 00:19:50,155 Macintosh: The landing gear was down. 377 00:19:50,222 --> 00:19:52,291 The flaps were extended. 378 00:19:52,357 --> 00:19:56,995 Hallonquist: Okay. Speed down to 120 knots. 379 00:19:57,062 --> 00:19:59,298 Macintosh: If there had been an attack, 380 00:19:59,364 --> 00:20:02,601 they would have wanted to get the heck out of there, 381 00:20:02,668 --> 00:20:07,806 and consequently, the evidence just doesn't speak of an attack 382 00:20:07,873 --> 00:20:11,109 from ground or air. 383 00:20:11,176 --> 00:20:12,744 Narrator: Despite all the rumors, 384 00:20:12,811 --> 00:20:19,151 Rhodesian investigators can find nothing pointing to foul play. 385 00:20:19,217 --> 00:20:21,987 The cause of the crash that killed 16 people 386 00:20:22,054 --> 00:20:26,158 on a secret U.N. Mission remains a mystery. 387 00:20:26,224 --> 00:20:28,260 Hallonquist: Going down! We're going down! 388 00:20:28,327 --> 00:20:29,895 Brace! Brace! 389 00:20:39,504 --> 00:20:42,474 Narrator: 11 days after the accident in Ndola, 390 00:20:42,541 --> 00:20:44,042 dignitaries from around the world 391 00:20:44,109 --> 00:20:47,212 gather in Dag Hammarskjold's hometown of Uppsala 392 00:20:47,279 --> 00:20:49,881 for a state funeral. 393 00:20:49,948 --> 00:20:54,152 The wreath placed by his family contains a single word: 394 00:20:54,219 --> 00:20:56,321 Why? 395 00:20:56,388 --> 00:20:58,790 Melber: It was devastating. 396 00:20:58,857 --> 00:21:03,962 Hammarskjold was a person of utmost integrity. 397 00:21:04,029 --> 00:21:06,698 He believed in justice. 398 00:21:06,765 --> 00:21:09,534 He believed in equality. 399 00:21:09,601 --> 00:21:11,937 He believed in solidarity. 400 00:21:15,273 --> 00:21:17,909 Narrator: Digging into the Albertina's maintenance records, 401 00:21:17,976 --> 00:21:20,779 investigators make a disturbing find. 402 00:21:20,846 --> 00:21:24,449 Investigator: "Bullet hole in engine number two." 403 00:21:24,516 --> 00:21:27,753 That's not something you see every day. 404 00:21:27,819 --> 00:21:31,089 Narrator: Just hours before the dc-6 took off for Ndola, 405 00:21:31,156 --> 00:21:35,560 the plane was hit by gunfire. 406 00:21:35,627 --> 00:21:38,296 Macintosh: There were issues with groups 407 00:21:38,363 --> 00:21:40,766 that would fire at aircraft on the ground, 408 00:21:40,832 --> 00:21:43,402 trying to disrupt things. 409 00:21:43,468 --> 00:21:46,171 Narrator: Mechanics repaired damage to an engine, 410 00:21:46,238 --> 00:21:50,742 and the plane was deemed fit to fly. 411 00:21:50,809 --> 00:21:54,379 The discovery leads investigators to wonder. 412 00:21:54,446 --> 00:21:58,583 Investigator: So, just how badly damaged was that engine? 413 00:22:03,321 --> 00:22:05,590 Hallonquist: We lost engine number two. 414 00:22:05,657 --> 00:22:06,825 I need max power, number one. 415 00:22:06,892 --> 00:22:10,262 Litton: Max on one. 416 00:22:10,328 --> 00:22:12,030 Narrator: Perhaps the damaged engine failed 417 00:22:12,097 --> 00:22:14,032 at a critical moment, 418 00:22:14,099 --> 00:22:17,035 causing the Albertina to suddenly lose altitude. 419 00:22:25,844 --> 00:22:28,013 If the theory is right, 420 00:22:28,080 --> 00:22:30,849 investigators should be able to confirm it 421 00:22:30,916 --> 00:22:32,984 by taking a close look at the propeller blades. 422 00:22:33,051 --> 00:22:35,620 Macintosh: We have to check each and every one, 423 00:22:35,687 --> 00:22:37,823 see if there was indications of bending 424 00:22:37,889 --> 00:22:39,191 on those propeller blades 425 00:22:39,257 --> 00:22:43,361 as they, as they entered the forest. 426 00:22:43,428 --> 00:22:45,831 Investigator: These things must have been spinning mighty fast 427 00:22:45,897 --> 00:22:47,499 to chew up this amount of wood. 428 00:22:47,566 --> 00:22:50,602 Narrator: The damage to the blades leaves no doubt. 429 00:22:50,669 --> 00:22:54,439 They were spinning normally when they hit the trees. 430 00:22:54,506 --> 00:22:57,843 Macintosh: They were all quite symmetrical 431 00:22:57,909 --> 00:23:01,313 and indicative of power plants 432 00:23:01,379 --> 00:23:05,016 that were fully operational as the, as the crash took place. 433 00:23:09,020 --> 00:23:13,358 Investigator: Well, it can't be engine failure. 434 00:23:13,425 --> 00:23:15,093 Narrator: The bullet damage to the engine 435 00:23:15,160 --> 00:23:16,762 did not cause the crash. 436 00:23:23,001 --> 00:23:24,903 Investigator: According to the chart, 437 00:23:24,970 --> 00:23:29,007 they should have been 6,000 feet here. 438 00:23:29,074 --> 00:23:31,843 Narrator: Next, investigators study the navigational chart 439 00:23:31,910 --> 00:23:33,178 for Ndola. 440 00:23:33,245 --> 00:23:36,314 Investigator: The top of the hill is 4,300 feet. 441 00:23:36,381 --> 00:23:37,582 Narrator: They calculate the altitude 442 00:23:37,649 --> 00:23:39,384 the Albertina should have been flying at 443 00:23:39,451 --> 00:23:41,553 when it crashed. 444 00:23:41,620 --> 00:23:44,623 Investigator: Add 70 feet for the trees. 445 00:23:44,689 --> 00:23:50,228 That means he should have been nearly 1,700 feet 446 00:23:50,295 --> 00:23:51,797 above the treetops. 447 00:23:53,465 --> 00:23:56,401 Narrator: At the crash site, damage to the trees shows 448 00:23:56,468 --> 00:23:59,838 that the plane traveled forward for more than 750 feet 449 00:23:59,905 --> 00:24:03,909 before coming to a stop. 450 00:24:03,975 --> 00:24:06,945 That distance means the plane hit the treetops 451 00:24:07,012 --> 00:24:08,380 at a shallow angle, 452 00:24:08,446 --> 00:24:10,649 while descending gradually. 453 00:24:10,715 --> 00:24:12,584 Hammarberg: The plane went down in the trees 454 00:24:12,651 --> 00:24:18,857 in, in a gentle angle just like before landing. 455 00:24:18,924 --> 00:24:19,991 Hallonquist: Okay. I'll control. 456 00:24:20,058 --> 00:24:21,827 You look for the lights. 457 00:24:21,893 --> 00:24:22,928 Litton: Roger. 458 00:24:22,994 --> 00:24:24,396 Narrator: Investigators wonder, 459 00:24:24,462 --> 00:24:27,966 when did things start to go wrong for the crew? 460 00:24:28,033 --> 00:24:31,102 How did the Albertina get too low? 461 00:24:31,169 --> 00:24:32,938 Investigator: The transcript says, 462 00:24:33,004 --> 00:24:35,841 "Your lights in sight, overhead Ndola. 463 00:24:35,907 --> 00:24:37,008 Descending. 464 00:24:37,075 --> 00:24:41,112 Roger. Report reaching 6,000." 465 00:24:41,179 --> 00:24:42,447 Narrator: The radio conversation 466 00:24:42,514 --> 00:24:44,816 between the pilots and the controller 467 00:24:44,883 --> 00:24:46,418 clearly shows that the crew 468 00:24:46,484 --> 00:24:49,020 had the airport in sight from a safe altitude 469 00:24:49,087 --> 00:24:52,190 less than ten minutes before hitting the ground. 470 00:24:52,257 --> 00:24:53,992 Hallonquist: Your lights in sight. 471 00:24:54,059 --> 00:24:56,161 Overhead Ndola. 472 00:24:56,228 --> 00:24:57,996 Investigator: So we know he's right here 473 00:24:58,063 --> 00:25:02,567 when he spots the airport, at around 6,000 feet. 474 00:25:02,634 --> 00:25:05,370 Narrator: But the transcript reveals something more-- 475 00:25:05,437 --> 00:25:07,806 a single, unexpected word. 476 00:25:07,873 --> 00:25:09,407 Hallonquist: Descending. 477 00:25:09,474 --> 00:25:11,676 Narrator: The Albertina was already descending 478 00:25:11,743 --> 00:25:15,180 when it flew past the airport. 479 00:25:15,247 --> 00:25:18,049 It's a crucial lead. 480 00:25:18,116 --> 00:25:21,720 Investigator: He's continuing to shed altitude here 481 00:25:21,786 --> 00:25:24,823 and keeps descending 482 00:25:24,890 --> 00:25:28,226 until he hits the hill here 483 00:25:28,293 --> 00:25:31,596 at an altitude of 4,290 feet. 484 00:25:31,663 --> 00:25:32,898 Narrator: For some reason, 485 00:25:32,964 --> 00:25:36,968 the pilots began their descent much too early. 486 00:25:37,035 --> 00:25:40,872 Macintosh: It's unfathomable that there was any intention 487 00:25:40,939 --> 00:25:45,510 to be below 5,000 feet at that point in the, in the approach. 488 00:25:45,577 --> 00:25:47,979 Narrator: Investigators are at a loss to explain 489 00:25:48,046 --> 00:25:49,080 how the pilots ended up 490 00:25:49,147 --> 00:25:53,184 misjudging their altitude so badly. 491 00:25:53,251 --> 00:25:55,320 Investigator: Something threw them off. 492 00:25:55,387 --> 00:25:56,755 What? 493 00:25:56,821 --> 00:25:58,823 Narrator: They consider the possibility that the crew 494 00:25:58,890 --> 00:26:01,927 was misled by an incorrect altimeter reading. 495 00:26:03,895 --> 00:26:08,233 Hallonquist: Estimate Abeam Ndola at 2347. 496 00:26:08,300 --> 00:26:11,403 Arrival time 00:20. 497 00:26:11,469 --> 00:26:14,105 Narrator: Half an hour before he expects to land, 498 00:26:14,172 --> 00:26:17,742 Hallonquist makes contact with the tower in Ndola. 499 00:26:17,809 --> 00:26:18,877 Controller: Roger. 500 00:26:18,944 --> 00:26:19,978 Narrator: Controllers give him 501 00:26:20,045 --> 00:26:22,447 an important piece of information. 502 00:26:22,514 --> 00:26:26,217 Controller: Set altimeter to 30.15. 503 00:26:26,284 --> 00:26:27,552 Hallonquist: Roger. 504 00:26:27,619 --> 00:26:29,454 Narrator: Pilots need to calibrate their altimeters 505 00:26:29,521 --> 00:26:31,923 for every airport they land at, 506 00:26:31,990 --> 00:26:35,760 factoring in the runway's height above sea level. 507 00:26:35,827 --> 00:26:38,663 Macintosh: The settings of the barometric pressure 508 00:26:38,730 --> 00:26:42,534 around the airfield were provided by the tower, 509 00:26:42,600 --> 00:26:46,938 and that needed to be translated from millibars to inches 510 00:26:47,005 --> 00:26:48,940 and placed in the window, 511 00:26:49,007 --> 00:26:53,211 the little adjustment window of the altimeters. 512 00:26:53,278 --> 00:26:55,647 Narrator: They examine the instruments, 513 00:26:55,714 --> 00:26:58,283 looking for any sign that the crew dialed in 514 00:26:58,350 --> 00:27:02,287 the wrong altimeter setting for Ndola. 515 00:27:02,354 --> 00:27:06,124 A set of numbers showing barometric pressure 516 00:27:06,191 --> 00:27:08,059 provides an answer. 517 00:27:08,126 --> 00:27:10,795 Hammarberg: The investigators checked the three altimeters 518 00:27:10,862 --> 00:27:12,197 in the plane. 519 00:27:12,263 --> 00:27:16,668 They found that the altimeters were working at the time 520 00:27:16,735 --> 00:27:19,304 and correctly set. 521 00:27:19,371 --> 00:27:21,873 Narrator: There was nothing wrong with the altimeters. 522 00:27:24,509 --> 00:27:26,845 It's another dead end. 523 00:27:26,911 --> 00:27:29,080 Investigator: What do we focus on next? 524 00:27:31,750 --> 00:27:33,051 Narrator: While crash investigators 525 00:27:33,118 --> 00:27:35,487 continue to search for answers, 526 00:27:35,553 --> 00:27:40,992 medical examiners make an astonishing discovery. 527 00:27:41,059 --> 00:27:42,794 It looks like some of the passengers 528 00:27:42,861 --> 00:27:45,797 suffered gunshot wounds. 529 00:27:45,864 --> 00:27:49,000 Hammarberg: Finding bodies in the wreckage with bullet wounds 530 00:27:49,067 --> 00:27:52,604 is of course very interesting to look into. 531 00:27:52,670 --> 00:27:54,205 Narrator: Perhaps there's a sinister cause 532 00:27:54,272 --> 00:27:56,341 to this accident after all. 533 00:28:04,749 --> 00:28:07,919 Investigators sift through dirt from the crash site 534 00:28:07,986 --> 00:28:09,888 where a critical U.N. Peace mission 535 00:28:09,954 --> 00:28:11,756 ended in flames. 536 00:28:13,925 --> 00:28:17,162 They find more evidence of gunfire-- 537 00:28:17,228 --> 00:28:20,698 shell casings and a total of 342 bullets 538 00:28:20,765 --> 00:28:24,202 recovered from the bodies of the victims or nearby. 539 00:28:26,704 --> 00:28:30,842 Were they fired on board the plane or from outside? 540 00:28:30,909 --> 00:28:34,746 Investigators need to know. 541 00:28:34,813 --> 00:28:37,949 Ballistics experts work to find the answer. 542 00:28:39,551 --> 00:28:44,489 When a bullet passes through the barrel of a gun, it spins. 543 00:28:44,556 --> 00:28:46,324 The spinning action marks the bullet 544 00:28:46,391 --> 00:28:50,995 with telltale marks called rifling. 545 00:28:51,062 --> 00:28:56,601 But ballistic testing reveals yet another surprise. 546 00:28:56,668 --> 00:29:00,672 None of the bullets have any signs of rifling. 547 00:29:00,738 --> 00:29:03,441 They were never fired from any gun. 548 00:29:03,508 --> 00:29:06,010 Investigator: We tested every one? 549 00:29:06,077 --> 00:29:09,681 Hammarberg: The persons who were wounded by the bullets 550 00:29:09,747 --> 00:29:11,416 also carried bullets, 551 00:29:11,483 --> 00:29:13,885 because they were, like, guards, 552 00:29:13,952 --> 00:29:17,722 so they had ammunition on them. 553 00:29:17,789 --> 00:29:23,328 The investigation shows that the most likely cause of the wounds 554 00:29:23,394 --> 00:29:27,098 is that the bullets somehow exploded 555 00:29:27,165 --> 00:29:30,034 and went into the bodies. 556 00:29:30,101 --> 00:29:31,903 Narrator: Rhodesian investigators conclude 557 00:29:31,970 --> 00:29:36,774 the bullets likely exploded in the heat of the post-crash fire 558 00:29:36,841 --> 00:29:39,110 and were propelled into nearby bodies. 559 00:29:42,380 --> 00:29:46,484 Without any evidence of sabotage or attack, 560 00:29:46,551 --> 00:29:49,220 nor any sign of a mechanical failure, 561 00:29:49,287 --> 00:29:52,590 the cause of the crash is looking more and more 562 00:29:52,657 --> 00:29:54,893 like pilot error. 563 00:29:54,959 --> 00:29:56,728 Investigator: These guys are experienced. 564 00:29:56,794 --> 00:30:00,231 It's tough to see how they could have screwed this up. 565 00:30:00,298 --> 00:30:02,700 Narrator: Could the crew have somehow been distracted 566 00:30:02,767 --> 00:30:04,903 in the final moments of flight? 567 00:30:07,672 --> 00:30:10,742 A discovery on day one of the investigation 568 00:30:10,808 --> 00:30:15,079 lends support to that idea. 569 00:30:15,146 --> 00:30:17,081 When rescuers searched the wreckage, 570 00:30:17,148 --> 00:30:20,785 they found evidence that a U.N. Bodyguard was in the cockpit 571 00:30:20,852 --> 00:30:22,987 at the time of the crash. 572 00:30:24,989 --> 00:30:28,459 Investigator: So, this is the cockpit area, 573 00:30:28,526 --> 00:30:31,896 and they found the security officer's body here. 574 00:30:31,963 --> 00:30:34,899 Julian: Go ask the pilots how much longer till we land. 575 00:30:34,966 --> 00:30:36,501 Narrator: A visitor in the cockpit 576 00:30:36,568 --> 00:30:38,803 can be dangerously distracting for a crew... 577 00:30:41,439 --> 00:30:44,375 Especially when they're close to the ground. 578 00:30:44,442 --> 00:30:45,910 Hallonquist: We'll be on the ground in three minutes. 579 00:30:45,977 --> 00:30:47,946 It's a few minutes early. 580 00:30:48,012 --> 00:30:49,113 Flaps 30. 581 00:30:49,180 --> 00:30:50,715 Litton: Flaps 30. 582 00:30:50,782 --> 00:30:53,051 Hammarberg: You have to pay attention to small movements 583 00:30:53,117 --> 00:30:54,953 on, on the instruments. 584 00:30:55,019 --> 00:30:57,255 Hallonquist: You can have your guys standing by if you want. 585 00:30:57,322 --> 00:30:59,624 Macintosh: Your attention to detail, to the altitude, 586 00:30:59,691 --> 00:31:02,860 your altitude awareness, needs to be extremely high. 587 00:31:02,927 --> 00:31:04,462 Hallonquist: I'll stop short of the terminal. 588 00:31:04,529 --> 00:31:07,699 You can have the secretary general disembark there. 589 00:31:07,765 --> 00:31:09,300 Hammarberg: The margins are very small. 590 00:31:09,367 --> 00:31:12,237 It's a matter of seconds before they hit the ground. 591 00:31:17,308 --> 00:31:19,644 Hallonquist: We're going down! Brace! Brace! 592 00:31:27,719 --> 00:31:30,088 Narrator: For the Rhodesian investigators, 593 00:31:30,154 --> 00:31:32,690 the evidence is clear. 594 00:31:32,757 --> 00:31:35,693 The pilots simply lost track of their altitude 595 00:31:35,760 --> 00:31:39,264 and flew their plane into the ground. 596 00:31:39,330 --> 00:31:42,700 No sabotage, no missiles, no murder. 597 00:31:46,237 --> 00:31:48,840 Hammarberg: They go into the, the questions 598 00:31:48,906 --> 00:31:51,609 about sabotage and attacks, 599 00:31:51,676 --> 00:31:55,446 but they conclude that the most probable cause to the accident 600 00:31:55,513 --> 00:31:59,317 is some kind of pilot error. 601 00:31:59,384 --> 00:32:02,453 Narrator: Those who believe this was an assassination 602 00:32:02,520 --> 00:32:04,922 aren't swayed by the official findings. 603 00:32:04,989 --> 00:32:06,224 Melber: It's a big thing 604 00:32:06,291 --> 00:32:09,427 when a secretary general of the united nations 605 00:32:09,494 --> 00:32:12,063 dies in an airplane crash. 606 00:32:12,130 --> 00:32:14,432 A very big thing. 607 00:32:14,499 --> 00:32:17,468 Macintosh: Certain people believe it's just not possible 608 00:32:17,535 --> 00:32:22,206 that Dag Hammarskjold was killed in a, in a common accident. 609 00:32:22,273 --> 00:32:25,643 It had to be something more. 610 00:32:25,710 --> 00:32:29,514 Narrator: But three subsequent reports on the crash all agree. 611 00:32:29,580 --> 00:32:33,618 There's no evidence of an assassination. 612 00:32:33,685 --> 00:32:35,787 The Hammarskjold file is closed. 613 00:32:39,157 --> 00:32:42,593 Then, in 2011, 614 00:32:42,660 --> 00:32:44,729 50 years after the crash, 615 00:32:44,796 --> 00:32:47,932 stunning new claims come to light. 616 00:32:47,999 --> 00:32:51,736 Author Susan Williams interviews Charles Southall, 617 00:32:51,803 --> 00:32:54,038 a former U.S. Intelligence officer 618 00:32:54,105 --> 00:32:57,709 with an astounding story. 619 00:32:57,775 --> 00:32:59,077 Southall was working 620 00:32:59,143 --> 00:33:01,479 in a signals monitoring base in Cyprus 621 00:33:01,546 --> 00:33:04,916 the night Hammarskjold's plane went down. 622 00:33:04,982 --> 00:33:08,286 Pilot: I see the transport plane coming low. 623 00:33:08,353 --> 00:33:10,822 Narrator: He claims he heard a remarkable recording. 624 00:33:10,888 --> 00:33:13,825 Pilot: I'm going down to make a run on it. 625 00:33:13,891 --> 00:33:15,993 Narrator: What could be the voice of a pilot 626 00:33:16,060 --> 00:33:18,129 launching an attack on the Albertina. 627 00:33:18,196 --> 00:33:20,898 Pilot: Yes. It's the Trans air dc-6. 628 00:33:20,965 --> 00:33:23,601 Hammarberg: There is a possibility that there was 629 00:33:23,668 --> 00:33:28,806 a listening station recording the radio transmissions 630 00:33:28,873 --> 00:33:31,876 and sending them to the NSA. 631 00:33:31,943 --> 00:33:33,411 Pilot: I've hit it. 632 00:33:33,478 --> 00:33:36,781 There are flames. It's crashing. 633 00:33:36,848 --> 00:33:40,351 Narrator: Is this proof of what really happened? 634 00:33:40,418 --> 00:33:42,754 Evidence of a cold-blooded assassination 635 00:33:42,820 --> 00:33:44,822 of the U.N. Secretary general? 636 00:33:51,562 --> 00:33:55,133 There's more to the NSA officer's intriguing story 637 00:33:55,199 --> 00:33:59,137 about the mysterious radio call on the night of the crash. 638 00:33:59,203 --> 00:34:01,806 Pilot: Going down to make a run on it. 639 00:34:01,873 --> 00:34:04,509 Narrator: He says the voice on the recording that night 640 00:34:04,575 --> 00:34:06,244 was not unknown. 641 00:34:06,310 --> 00:34:11,549 It was identified as a notorious Belgian pilot, 642 00:34:11,616 --> 00:34:14,952 a mercenary who flew Magister fighter planes 643 00:34:15,019 --> 00:34:17,688 for the rebel Katanga air force. 644 00:34:17,755 --> 00:34:20,725 Paul Abram: The night that the plane was actually shot down, 645 00:34:20,792 --> 00:34:23,895 I was working a night shift. 646 00:34:23,961 --> 00:34:27,565 Narrator: Paul Abram was also with the NSA at the time, 647 00:34:27,632 --> 00:34:30,501 stationed on the island of Crete. 648 00:34:30,568 --> 00:34:33,271 He claims he heard a similar radio call. 649 00:34:33,337 --> 00:34:36,340 Abram: NSA was telling us on a daily basis, 650 00:34:36,407 --> 00:34:37,542 these are the places 651 00:34:37,608 --> 00:34:39,811 that Hammarskjold will probably travel. 652 00:34:39,877 --> 00:34:41,479 These are the frequencies 653 00:34:41,546 --> 00:34:43,347 that the ground stations would be using. 654 00:34:43,414 --> 00:34:45,683 Here is the tail number of his plane. 655 00:34:45,750 --> 00:34:49,587 The idea being that they wanted to know how close he was 656 00:34:49,654 --> 00:34:52,190 to signing a peace agreement 657 00:34:52,256 --> 00:34:54,759 and for us to know exactly where he was going 658 00:34:54,826 --> 00:34:56,694 and what he was doing. 659 00:34:56,761 --> 00:34:58,596 Pilot: I'm going down to make a run on it. 660 00:34:58,663 --> 00:35:01,432 Abram: On September 18, 1961, 661 00:35:01,499 --> 00:35:04,268 the most important chatter came down to, 662 00:35:04,335 --> 00:35:08,105 "We have the plane in sight. Yes, we've checked. 663 00:35:08,172 --> 00:35:09,774 It's the plane." 664 00:35:09,841 --> 00:35:10,975 Pilot: I've hit it. 665 00:35:11,042 --> 00:35:12,176 Abram: "It's going down." 666 00:35:14,345 --> 00:35:17,715 Narrator: The shoot-down theory is given added weight 667 00:35:17,782 --> 00:35:19,550 when Williams reviews witness statements 668 00:35:19,617 --> 00:35:24,589 that the original investigation discounted as unreliable. 669 00:35:24,655 --> 00:35:26,791 They describe a second plane approaching 670 00:35:26,858 --> 00:35:30,495 the secretary general's dc-6 at great speed, 671 00:35:30,561 --> 00:35:31,863 guns firing. 672 00:35:36,033 --> 00:35:39,604 Abram: Dag Hammarskjold was murdered. Period. 673 00:35:39,670 --> 00:35:41,973 He was shot down. 674 00:35:42,039 --> 00:35:44,675 Narrator: Williams lays out her shocking theory 675 00:35:44,742 --> 00:35:48,679 in an eye-opening book called "Who killed Hammarskjold?" 676 00:35:48,746 --> 00:35:51,215 Melber: The book itself, I think wisely so, 677 00:35:51,282 --> 00:35:55,152 stopped short of a definite conclusion. 678 00:35:55,219 --> 00:35:58,456 All the book wanted to achieve, and it managed to achieve, 679 00:35:58,523 --> 00:36:02,460 is to say there are a lot of questions 680 00:36:02,527 --> 00:36:08,366 which are not yet sufficiently answered. 681 00:36:08,432 --> 00:36:11,736 Narrator: The book's stunning claims lead to action. 682 00:36:11,802 --> 00:36:16,674 In 2013, Sven Hammarberg joins a new search for the truth, 683 00:36:16,741 --> 00:36:21,679 gathering evidence to be presented to the united nations. 684 00:36:21,746 --> 00:36:24,849 Hammarberg: My task was to look into the details 685 00:36:24,916 --> 00:36:28,853 and see if there were any new information available, 686 00:36:28,920 --> 00:36:32,490 and I was asked to evaluate the investigations 687 00:36:32,557 --> 00:36:34,959 that had been performed before. 688 00:36:37,428 --> 00:36:40,932 Narrator: He's part of a special commission of inquiry. 689 00:36:40,998 --> 00:36:43,501 It includes a group of distinguished judges 690 00:36:43,568 --> 00:36:45,503 who travel to Ndola to meet witnesses 691 00:36:45,570 --> 00:36:48,539 from the night of the crash. 692 00:36:48,606 --> 00:36:50,174 Many repeat their claim 693 00:36:50,241 --> 00:36:54,145 that they saw two planes in the air over Ndola. 694 00:36:54,211 --> 00:36:56,547 Melber: I think most importantly 695 00:36:56,614 --> 00:36:58,983 there are still eyewitnesses, 696 00:36:59,050 --> 00:37:02,720 and many of them seem to be very credible eyewitnesses, 697 00:37:02,787 --> 00:37:04,722 who were just ignored. 698 00:37:04,789 --> 00:37:07,325 Narrator: Could the death of the U.N. Secretary general 699 00:37:07,391 --> 00:37:10,227 really be an assassination? 700 00:37:10,294 --> 00:37:11,762 Hammarberg digs deeper, 701 00:37:11,829 --> 00:37:15,600 trying to answer that question once and for all. 702 00:37:15,666 --> 00:37:18,569 Hammarberg: When I look into the basic facts around the crash, 703 00:37:18,636 --> 00:37:21,772 I look at the trees and the crash site 704 00:37:21,839 --> 00:37:25,309 and the statements over radio and so on... 705 00:37:25,376 --> 00:37:26,911 Okay. 706 00:37:26,978 --> 00:37:29,480 Now let's see the elevations. 707 00:37:29,547 --> 00:37:32,149 Narrator: He studies the terrain around Ndola airport. 708 00:37:34,585 --> 00:37:36,654 He notes the height of the hills. 709 00:37:40,725 --> 00:37:43,728 He compares what he finds to what's shown on the chart 710 00:37:43,794 --> 00:37:45,696 used by the U.N. Pilots. 711 00:37:50,868 --> 00:37:53,537 And he makes a shocking discovery. 712 00:37:57,041 --> 00:38:03,814 Hammarberg: There's a hill here, a hill here, a hill here, 713 00:38:03,881 --> 00:38:06,050 but there's nothing marked here. 714 00:38:08,386 --> 00:38:12,189 Here, where the crash site is. 715 00:38:14,091 --> 00:38:18,462 The Ndola chart does not show any obstacle or higher ground 716 00:38:18,529 --> 00:38:21,065 west of the field. 717 00:38:21,132 --> 00:38:24,035 Narrator: The local terrain includes hills west of Ndola 718 00:38:24,101 --> 00:38:28,673 that rise to over 4,300 feet, 719 00:38:28,739 --> 00:38:32,476 but they're missing from the chart. 720 00:38:32,543 --> 00:38:38,482 Hammarberg: This hill could have blocked his view of the runway. 721 00:38:38,549 --> 00:38:41,919 The crew might have been unaware of the height west of the field 722 00:38:41,986 --> 00:38:47,692 since there were no signs of it on the chart. 723 00:38:47,758 --> 00:38:49,527 Narrator: Hammarberg also discovers 724 00:38:49,593 --> 00:38:51,829 that members of the crew flying the secretary general 725 00:38:51,896 --> 00:38:53,964 to high-level peace talks 726 00:38:54,031 --> 00:38:58,836 had been on duty for 17 of the past 24 hours. 727 00:38:58,903 --> 00:39:01,205 Hammarberg: That's a long day for these guys. 728 00:39:01,272 --> 00:39:04,175 Fatigue is an important factor here. 729 00:39:04,241 --> 00:39:08,546 The flight had lasted for six and a half hours, 730 00:39:08,612 --> 00:39:13,718 and there are signs that some of the crew were quite exhausted 731 00:39:13,784 --> 00:39:16,120 even before the flight. 732 00:39:16,187 --> 00:39:17,755 Hallonquist: Alright. 733 00:39:17,822 --> 00:39:20,558 Descending to 6,000, nil traffic ahead. 734 00:39:20,624 --> 00:39:22,760 Litton: 6,000. Yes, sir. 735 00:39:22,827 --> 00:39:26,464 Narrator: For Hammarberg, the clues are beginning to add up. 736 00:39:26,530 --> 00:39:30,868 He feels close to solving a 50-year-old aviation mystery 737 00:39:30,935 --> 00:39:34,271 that has generated heated controversy the world over. 738 00:39:40,144 --> 00:39:42,747 After carefully reviewing all the evidence 739 00:39:42,813 --> 00:39:46,917 surrounding the crash of the Albertina in 1961, 740 00:39:46,984 --> 00:39:49,954 Sven Hammarberg believes he now knows what went wrong 741 00:39:50,020 --> 00:39:53,324 in the final three minutes of flight. 742 00:39:53,390 --> 00:39:56,460 And it has nothing to do with murder. 743 00:39:56,527 --> 00:39:58,863 Hallonquist: Overhead, Ndola. 744 00:39:58,929 --> 00:40:01,599 Descending. 745 00:40:01,665 --> 00:40:03,534 Hammarberg: Reaching the airfield and see the lights 746 00:40:03,601 --> 00:40:05,936 when you have been flying for six and a half hours, 747 00:40:06,003 --> 00:40:09,073 I think it's very easy for a pilot to get thinking that, 748 00:40:09,140 --> 00:40:13,010 "oh, we are here. We are just going to land." 749 00:40:13,077 --> 00:40:15,780 Narrator: Passing the airport, the pilots descend below 750 00:40:15,846 --> 00:40:20,284 the minimum safe altitude of 5,000 feet. 751 00:40:20,351 --> 00:40:23,654 Litton: 4,500. 752 00:40:23,721 --> 00:40:28,392 Narrator: As they turn back towards the runway, 753 00:40:28,459 --> 00:40:33,597 they suddenly lose sight of the runway lights. 754 00:40:33,664 --> 00:40:34,865 Hallonquist: What the hell? 755 00:40:34,932 --> 00:40:36,801 Hammarberg: You go into the dark, 756 00:40:36,867 --> 00:40:40,638 and then you completely miss your references, 757 00:40:40,704 --> 00:40:43,541 and that is a dangerous situation. 758 00:40:43,607 --> 00:40:45,409 Hallonquist: I don't have the runway in sight. 759 00:40:45,476 --> 00:40:47,111 Narrator: The pilots don't realize 760 00:40:47,178 --> 00:40:49,413 that a hill is blocking their view, 761 00:40:49,480 --> 00:40:53,484 because the hill isn't on their chart. 762 00:40:53,551 --> 00:40:56,420 Hammarberg: Losing the visual sight of the airport 763 00:40:56,487 --> 00:40:59,423 would cause the pilots to look even further 764 00:40:59,490 --> 00:41:02,426 and lose more altitude. 765 00:41:02,493 --> 00:41:05,362 Narrator: Before they even know they're in danger, 766 00:41:05,429 --> 00:41:06,597 it's too late. 767 00:41:13,704 --> 00:41:15,272 Hallonquist: Going down! 768 00:41:15,339 --> 00:41:17,541 We're going down! Brace! Brace! 769 00:41:24,348 --> 00:41:28,018 Narrator: A fatigued crew descending too soon 770 00:41:28,085 --> 00:41:31,722 over hilly terrain that wasn't marked on their chart. 771 00:41:31,789 --> 00:41:35,459 Those factors combined to cause the fatal crash. 772 00:41:35,526 --> 00:41:37,828 Hammarberg: I think that all the ingredients 773 00:41:37,895 --> 00:41:42,199 of controlled flight into terrain, they are there. 774 00:41:42,266 --> 00:41:45,669 Macintosh: We still have that issue in aviation today. 775 00:41:45,736 --> 00:41:49,473 Even with all the preclusive education 776 00:41:49,540 --> 00:41:51,675 and equipment that we have, 777 00:41:51,742 --> 00:41:53,043 there are still cases 778 00:41:53,110 --> 00:41:55,813 where we have a controlled flight into terrain. 779 00:41:55,880 --> 00:41:58,315 Narrator: To finally put the issue to rest, 780 00:41:58,382 --> 00:42:00,050 there's one last piece of evidence 781 00:42:00,117 --> 00:42:04,021 that investigators want to see-- 782 00:42:04,088 --> 00:42:09,059 NSA records from the night of the crash. 783 00:42:09,126 --> 00:42:15,532 Melber: They asked the NSA to release these documents, 784 00:42:15,599 --> 00:42:19,670 and the answer was that they remain classified as top secret 785 00:42:19,737 --> 00:42:24,275 and will not be released. 786 00:42:24,341 --> 00:42:29,113 Abram: Given my knowledge of the recordings, tape logs, 787 00:42:29,179 --> 00:42:34,251 facsimiles, et cetera, that they have concerning this incident, 788 00:42:34,318 --> 00:42:36,520 I'm not the least surprised they haven't been released. 789 00:42:36,587 --> 00:42:38,522 Pilot: I've hit it. 790 00:42:38,589 --> 00:42:42,092 Abram: Uh, it's just in their nature. 791 00:42:42,159 --> 00:42:44,028 Narrator: It's been more than 50 years 792 00:42:44,094 --> 00:42:47,631 since the mysterious crash in Ndola. 793 00:42:47,698 --> 00:42:49,600 Without the NSA documents, 794 00:42:49,667 --> 00:42:52,536 doubts about the crash still linger, 795 00:42:52,603 --> 00:42:56,073 but efforts to uncover the truth continue. 796 00:42:56,140 --> 00:42:57,608 Melber: For me, personally, 797 00:42:57,675 --> 00:43:02,413 the biggest reason that justifies all these efforts, 798 00:43:02,479 --> 00:43:06,617 that there are still family members, relatives, 799 00:43:06,684 --> 00:43:09,653 close colleagues 800 00:43:09,720 --> 00:43:12,589 who still live with the doubt. 801 00:43:12,656 --> 00:43:13,991 Narrator: Though Hammarskjold died 802 00:43:14,058 --> 00:43:17,361 before he could stop the fighting in Katanga, 803 00:43:17,428 --> 00:43:19,797 many believe his efforts prevented the conflict 804 00:43:19,863 --> 00:43:23,500 from raging out of control. 805 00:43:23,567 --> 00:43:24,768 Melber: If it wouldn't have been 806 00:43:24,835 --> 00:43:28,238 for Hammarskjold's intervention in the Congo, 807 00:43:28,305 --> 00:43:33,510 it could have easily escalated into a third world war. 808 00:43:33,577 --> 00:43:36,347 Narrator: Just a few months after his death, 809 00:43:36,413 --> 00:43:38,482 Dag Hammarskjold became the first person 810 00:43:38,549 --> 00:43:43,954 to be honored posthumously with the Nobel peace prize. 811 00:43:44,021 --> 00:43:48,759 Melber: We should remember Dag Hammarskjold and the others 812 00:43:48,826 --> 00:43:53,497 as human beings who were willing to risk their lives 813 00:43:53,564 --> 00:43:55,766 on a dangerous mission 814 00:43:55,833 --> 00:44:00,170 to contribute to more peace on our earth.