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NARRATOR: The world watches
in horror when an airliner is
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turned into a weapon of terror.
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American 77 being part
of September 11, 2001,
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was front page news.
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NARRATOR: A massive blast
tears apart a jumbo jet
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and shocks the world.
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TWA jet aircraft Flight
800 has exploded in mid-air.
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NARRATOR: And a
supersonic marvel
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becomes a flying inferno.
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Au mon dieu.
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It captured the
attention of the world
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because this was the
first major accident
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involving this airplane.
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NARRATOR: Three
devastating crashes make
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headline news around the world.
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The attention puts
intense pressure
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on investigators to
uncover the true cause
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of these deadly disasters.
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We don't care about blame.
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We don't care about speculation.
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We wanna know what the
hard facts really are.
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CREW (ON RADIO):
Ladies and gentlemen,
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we are starting our approach.
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CREW (ON RADIO): We
lost both engines.
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[radio chatter]
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CREW: Brace for impact!
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CREW: Think we lost one.
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REPORTER: Investigations
start with the tracker.
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REPORTER: It's gonna crash!
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[downbeat music]
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NARRATOR: It's nearly
8:00 AM at Dulles
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Airport near Washington DC.
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American Airlines Flight 77 will
soon be heading to Los Angeles.
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39-year-old David Charlebois
is the first officer.
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Any plans for the big day?
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Just gonna take in the
ball game in Angel Stadium.
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Oh, yeah?
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That'll be great.
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NARRATOR: The captain, Charles
Burlingame, turns 52 tomorrow.
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He's a former Navy Top
Gun pilot with years
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of experience flying airliners.
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Can I help you with that?
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NARRATOR: The Boeing 757 is less
than half full this morning.
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There are only 58 passengers
and six crew on board.
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On the roll.
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NARRATOR: At 8:20 AM,
American Airlines Flight 77
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gets underway.
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V1.
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Rotate.
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NARRATOR: The trip from
Washington to Los Angeles
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is approximately 2,300
miles across the country.
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At 8:46, Flight 77 reaches
cruising altitude, 35,000 feet.
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American Airlines 77
clear direct Falmouth.
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Clear track
Falmouth, American 77.
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NARRATOR: The air
traffic controllers
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guide the 757 to
the next waypoint
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en route to Los Angeles.
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All right, time for
a bit more coffee.
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NARRATOR: But 34 minutes
into the flight, controllers
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notice something odd.
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What are you guys doing?
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NARRATOR: Flight 77
is veering off course.
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American 77, center.
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At the point where the
controller noticed the aircraft
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take a turn that he did
not instruct them to do,
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that's when he would
become concerned.
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NARRATOR: 2 minutes later.
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American 77, radio check.
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NARRATOR: Flight 77
vanishes from their radars.
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Center.
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NARRATOR: Then, a phone
call from American Airlines
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brings unbelievable news.
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Thousands of people are
feared dead after two planes
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crash into the World Trade
Center towers in Manhattan.
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The United States
is under attack.
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Almost everybody
that saw what happened
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said, this is not an accident.
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NARRATOR: While
the world watches
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the horrifying news
in New York, concern
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grows over the missing 757.
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AIR TRAFFIC
CONTROLLER: Supervisor.
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NARRATOR: Controllers fear they
may have another hijacked plane
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in the sky.
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AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER: I've
got a target tracking eastbound
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at a high rate of speed.
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NARRATOR: At 9:32,
more than half an hour
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after losing contact with
the plane, controllers
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spot a mysterious radar return.
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If it is Flight 77,
it means the plane has
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turned back toward Washington.
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That's gotta be our plane.
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Center calling American 77.
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American 77.
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NARRATOR: But the 757 is
ignoring all radio calls.
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And at 9:35 AM, the plane
slams into the Pentagon.
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[downbeat music]
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All 64 people on board are dead.
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125 others inside the
building are killed.
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We have watched the
tragedy of an outrageous act
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of barbaric
terrorism carried out
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by fanatics against both
civilians and military people.
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American 77 was front page
news and changed America.
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Has stayed in the
news a very long time.
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NARRATOR: The crash of
Flight 77 turns the Pentagon
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into a federal crime scene.
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The FBI is in charge
of this investigation.
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Because the crime scene is
also an aviation crash site,
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the National Transportation
Safety Board joins
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the high-profile investigation.
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Tom Haueter was one of the
first NTSB investigators
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on the scene.
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The FBI is experts on
criminal investigations,
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and that covers many areas.
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They aren't necessarily
airplane experts.
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NARRATOR: While recovery teams
raced to find the plane's
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black boxes, FBI agents
gained valuable details
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about how the plane was turned
into a weapon of terror.
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TERRORIST: Everyone, to
the back of the plane.
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Now!
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NARRATOR: Some
passengers managed
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to make phone calls from the
air describing their ordeal.
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Those phone calls reveal that
the hijackers were equipped
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with box cutters and knives.
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They forced the pilots
to leave the cockpit.
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Please, stay calm.
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Everybody move to the back.
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Prior to the 9/11
terrorist attacks,
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all flight crews were told to
cooperate with the hijackers
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and buy for time.
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NARRATOR: But how did terrorists
get weapons past security
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at a modern airport?
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And how were they able to
fly a sophisticated airliner
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straight into the Pentagon?
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[explosion, dramatic music]
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At the crash site, the
exhaustive search effort
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has paid off.
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Agents recover the
plane's two black boxes.
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If their data can be
successfully downloaded,
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it might reveal what was
going on in the cockpit
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when controllers lost contact.
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Center, calling American 77.
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American 77.
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NARRATOR: While investigators
wait for the black box data,
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they scan Flight 77's
passenger manifest,
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checking to see if any
suspicious names are listed.
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It didn't take
too long to figure
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out who the hijackers were.
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NARRATOR: The trail
leads to five attackers.
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But how did they get
past airport security?
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The computer-assisted
passenger
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prescreening system
flags you if you have
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certain suspicious indicators.
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NARRATOR: Investigators
wonder if the prescreening
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system failed.
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They studied the
records for Flight 77
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and discovered
that the screening
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system flagged three
of the five hijackers
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for extra security checks.
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00:09:07,680 --> 00:09:11,217
Yet, they still got through.
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Customer service and moving
people through the airport
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was the top priority,
not security.
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NARRATOR: A review of
airport security video
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shows one of the hijackers
set off an alarm.
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Metal detector
caught the weapon.
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NARRATOR: An officer
scans the suspect
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with a handheld detector.
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When nothing shows up,
he's allowed through.
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None of the hijackers get
a rigorous inspection,
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and all five board the
flight without issue.
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At the time, the bar was
set very low for individuals
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coming through the checkpoint.
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Knives of no greater than
4 inches in blade length
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were allowed on board at
the time under FAA policy.
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NARRATOR: But getting on
board was only the first step.
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TERRORIST: Everyone, to
the back of the plane.
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Now!
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NARRATOR: The big
mystery to solve now
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is how the hijackers were
able to carry out the rest
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of their murderous plan.
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international
headlines, FBI agents
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unearth a trail of
documents connected
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to American 77's hijackers.
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They come up with
a crucial lead.
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One of the suspects,
Hani Hanjour,
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has spent several years
training to become
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a commercial airline pilot.
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He ended up doing flight
training in Arizona.
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And was kind of unusual
in his flight training
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because he flunked a lot
of checks along the way.
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NARRATOR: As part
of his preparation,
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Hanjour also practiced on
small, private aircraft.
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Turn right, American 77.
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00:11:04,497 --> 00:11:06,833
NARRATOR: But flying a
sophisticated airliner
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is very different from
piloting a small private plane.
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How did the hijackers
steer a 757 toward a target
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35,000 feet below?
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00:11:18,945 --> 00:11:20,913
Investigators hope
the plane's flight
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data will provide some answers.
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Unfortunately, the cockpit
voice recorder was too damaged,
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and no information could
be recovered from it.
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00:11:30,089 --> 00:11:32,158
But we were able to read out
the flight data recorder.
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Banking left, nice and smooth.
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00:11:40,266 --> 00:11:41,934
Must be the autopilot.
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00:11:41,934 --> 00:11:44,103
NARRATOR: The data
reveals how the hijackers
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managed to turn the 757 around.
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00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:50,076
This, I think, should
take us back to DC.
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00:11:50,076 --> 00:11:54,080
NARRATOR: They relied on
the plane's automation.
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00:11:54,080 --> 00:11:56,349
You don't need to be a pilot
at all when the autopilot's on.
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He can put it heading
into the autopilot.
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He can put air speeds
into the autopilot.
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Everything can be done
for him very smoothly.
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Descending now.
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00:12:05,792 --> 00:12:07,193
NARRATOR: But the
autopilot isn't
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pre-programmed to fly
to the precise location
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00:12:10,062 --> 00:12:11,831
of the Pentagon.
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00:12:11,831 --> 00:12:13,199
It's just ahead.
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Autopilot off.
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NARRATOR: 8 minutes from
impact, the hijacker
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00:12:16,969 --> 00:12:20,239
must fly the aircraft by hand.
220
00:12:20,239 --> 00:12:22,041
It's quite clear,
looking at the data,
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00:12:22,041 --> 00:12:26,345
this is somebody who has never
handled a big airplane before.
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00:12:26,345 --> 00:12:28,581
This guy is really struggling.
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00:12:28,581 --> 00:12:30,917
Keep it steady.
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00:12:30,917 --> 00:12:32,351
We're way too high.
225
00:12:32,351 --> 00:12:34,120
We're never gonna hit it!
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NARRATOR: To shed altitude,
they make a sharp, diving turn
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to the right.
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00:12:39,525 --> 00:12:41,327
JEFF PRICE: The aircraft
can only come out of the sky
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so fast without breaking up.
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00:12:43,129 --> 00:12:46,332
So he makes a circle to get the
aircraft lower and get it into
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00:12:46,332 --> 00:12:47,333
position to hit the Pentagon.
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00:12:50,303 --> 00:12:53,840
NARRATOR: In the final seconds,
they accelerate to top speed,
233
00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:57,543
almost to the point of breakup.
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00:12:57,543 --> 00:12:59,278
The airplane's
overspeed warnings
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00:12:59,278 --> 00:13:01,180
are probably going off.
236
00:13:01,180 --> 00:13:02,014
He doesn't care.
237
00:13:06,853 --> 00:13:09,522
NARRATOR: Investigators now
understand the deadly flight
238
00:13:09,522 --> 00:13:12,892
path of American 77.
239
00:13:12,892 --> 00:13:14,994
They have no doubt
the attack was planned
240
00:13:14,994 --> 00:13:16,262
down to the last detail.
241
00:13:19,565 --> 00:13:21,601
Investigators
speculate that a flight
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00:13:21,601 --> 00:13:25,304
attendant was forced to hand
over the keys to the cockpit.
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00:13:25,304 --> 00:13:28,374
There was no time for the
pilots to warn authorities.
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00:13:31,344 --> 00:13:34,013
Once inside the
cockpit, investigators
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00:13:34,013 --> 00:13:36,048
believe that
hijacker Hani Hanjour
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00:13:36,048 --> 00:13:37,316
took control of the plane.
247
00:13:40,152 --> 00:13:41,521
You have to let me
back in the cockpit.
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00:13:41,521 --> 00:13:45,024
Stay where you are now or die.
249
00:13:45,024 --> 00:13:46,325
I've got a target
tracking eastbound
250
00:13:46,325 --> 00:13:48,427
at a high rate of speed.
251
00:13:48,427 --> 00:13:50,129
NARRATOR: By the time
controller's spot
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00:13:50,129 --> 00:13:53,366
Flight 77's radar
return, the plane
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00:13:53,366 --> 00:13:55,902
is only five minutes from DC.
254
00:13:55,902 --> 00:13:57,403
There's nothing the
controllers could have done.
255
00:14:03,676 --> 00:14:06,345
9/11 shook us to our core.
256
00:14:06,345 --> 00:14:09,615
Anybody that was of
age during that time,
257
00:14:09,615 --> 00:14:11,918
it has marked our generation.
258
00:14:16,289 --> 00:14:19,559
NARRATOR: The 9/11 attacks bring
about the most profound changes
259
00:14:19,559 --> 00:14:23,195
ever to commercial
aviation, both in the US
260
00:14:23,195 --> 00:14:24,130
and around the world.
261
00:14:27,166 --> 00:14:29,068
Just two months
after the attacks,
262
00:14:29,068 --> 00:14:31,370
the US government creates
the Transportation Security
263
00:14:31,370 --> 00:14:35,441
Administration, or TSA.
264
00:14:35,441 --> 00:14:38,344
It establishes strict new
rules on what passengers
265
00:14:38,344 --> 00:14:41,647
can carry onto planes.
266
00:14:41,647 --> 00:14:44,550
Airports start screening
passengers with full body
267
00:14:44,550 --> 00:14:46,953
scanning machines.
268
00:14:46,953 --> 00:14:52,291
There are also major
changes to cockpit security.
269
00:14:52,291 --> 00:14:54,026
The most important
takeaway is this,
270
00:14:54,026 --> 00:14:57,196
we must, absolutely
must deny access
271
00:14:57,196 --> 00:14:58,998
to the cockpit to
anybody who would
272
00:14:58,998 --> 00:15:00,499
use the airplane as a weapon.
273
00:15:00,499 --> 00:15:03,135
And we have been marvelously
successful in building
274
00:15:03,135 --> 00:15:04,170
that kind of defense system.
275
00:15:07,340 --> 00:15:12,578
NARRATOR: But not all front
page stories are criminal cases.
276
00:15:12,578 --> 00:15:15,748
An explosion on a passenger
jet sends investigators on
277
00:15:15,748 --> 00:15:19,218
a four-year search for answers.
278
00:15:19,218 --> 00:15:22,221
People couldn't understand
how a modern jetliner
279
00:15:22,221 --> 00:15:24,490
could just blow up in flight.
280
00:15:24,490 --> 00:15:29,595
TWA 800 was a front page story
on the news for over 18 months.
281
00:15:36,410 --> 00:15:38,079
F Kennedy Airport in New York.
282
00:15:40,615 --> 00:15:43,351
Trans World Airlines
Flight 800 is delayed
283
00:15:43,351 --> 00:15:44,485
due to a baggage problem.
284
00:15:48,756 --> 00:15:53,261
212 passengers are on board the
Boeing 747 en route to Paris.
285
00:15:57,231 --> 00:16:01,502
We gonna start placing bets
on when we actually push off?
286
00:16:01,502 --> 00:16:03,037
NARRATOR: Captain
Ralph Kevorkian
287
00:16:03,037 --> 00:16:05,339
is an experienced pilot
on his second training
288
00:16:05,339 --> 00:16:07,241
flight as a 747 captain.
289
00:16:10,211 --> 00:16:13,247
$20 on us getting out
of here before sundown.
290
00:16:13,247 --> 00:16:15,483
I'll take that bet.
291
00:16:15,483 --> 00:16:17,418
NARRATOR: First Officer
Steve Snyder has flown
292
00:16:17,418 --> 00:16:19,487
for TWA for more than 30 years.
293
00:16:25,192 --> 00:16:30,398
After over an hour, the luggage
issue is finally resolved.
294
00:16:30,398 --> 00:16:32,366
Ladies and gentlemen,
from the flight deck,
295
00:16:32,366 --> 00:16:33,701
we've been cleared to go.
296
00:16:33,701 --> 00:16:35,536
We'll be pushing back
from the gate shortly.
297
00:16:39,073 --> 00:16:40,141
Takeoff thrust.
298
00:16:44,478 --> 00:16:49,383
NARRATOR: At 8:19 PM, TWA
Flight 800 is airborne, steadily
299
00:16:49,383 --> 00:16:54,622
climbing to 15,000 feet.
300
00:16:54,622 --> 00:16:55,456
Climb thrust.
301
00:16:58,526 --> 00:16:59,360
Power set.
302
00:17:02,330 --> 00:17:06,434
NARRATOR: But 11 minutes into
the flight, disaster strikes.
303
00:17:06,434 --> 00:17:07,268
[explosion]
304
00:17:07,268 --> 00:17:08,235
[gasps]
305
00:17:10,171 --> 00:17:11,105
Talk to me.
306
00:17:11,105 --> 00:17:11,739
What do you have for us?
307
00:17:16,777 --> 00:17:19,847
Front of the airplane that
broke off, centrifugal force
308
00:17:19,847 --> 00:17:22,717
had to be just horrendous
as the nose fell down.
309
00:17:22,717 --> 00:17:24,685
[screams]
310
00:17:24,685 --> 00:17:27,388
NARRATOR: What's left of
the plane continues skyward,
311
00:17:27,388 --> 00:17:28,656
engulfed in flames.
312
00:17:31,392 --> 00:17:35,396
Went up at least another
1,000 feet, maybe 1,500 feet,
313
00:17:35,396 --> 00:17:37,498
you know, and flames
pouring off of it.
314
00:17:37,498 --> 00:17:40,434
[PASSENGERS SCREAMING, DRAMATIC
MUSIC]
315
00:17:47,308 --> 00:17:51,846
We now know that a TWA
aircraft, Flight 800,
316
00:17:51,846 --> 00:17:54,882
has exploded in midair,
apparently landing
317
00:17:54,882 --> 00:17:58,452
in the Atlantic Ocean tonight.
318
00:17:58,452 --> 00:18:00,388
NARRATOR: Debris
litters the water nearly
319
00:18:00,388 --> 00:18:02,423
75 miles east of Manhattan.
320
00:18:05,660 --> 00:18:08,896
There are no survivors.
321
00:18:08,896 --> 00:18:12,299
A media swarm descends as
recovery efforts are underway.
322
00:18:15,236 --> 00:18:18,439
The large debris field tells
investigators that the plane
323
00:18:18,439 --> 00:18:21,542
likely came apart in midair.
324
00:18:21,542 --> 00:18:23,711
Me and my cousin Joe, we was
over by the dock over there.
325
00:18:23,711 --> 00:18:24,845
He said, yo, Darren, look at--
326
00:18:24,845 --> 00:18:25,746
look up in the air.
327
00:18:25,746 --> 00:18:29,617
Was a big ball of fire.
328
00:18:29,617 --> 00:18:32,586
NARRATOR: The high-profile
crash of TWA 800
329
00:18:32,586 --> 00:18:36,424
leaves the nation in shock.
330
00:18:36,424 --> 00:18:39,527
Did a bomb take down the plane?
331
00:18:39,527 --> 00:18:40,494
It was so horrific.
332
00:18:40,494 --> 00:18:41,862
So many people were lost.
333
00:18:41,862 --> 00:18:45,366
747s do not normally
come apart in the air.
334
00:18:45,366 --> 00:18:46,734
So there's something
extraordinary
335
00:18:46,734 --> 00:18:48,469
that happened here.
336
00:18:48,469 --> 00:18:51,539
NARRATOR: The NTSB's lead
investigator, Al Dickinson,
337
00:18:51,539 --> 00:18:52,907
faces an urgent task.
338
00:18:55,843 --> 00:19:00,848
It was extremely important for
us to find out what happened,
339
00:19:00,848 --> 00:19:05,252
because there were so many
747s flying at that time.
340
00:19:07,655 --> 00:19:12,293
NARRATOR: The NTSB will
lead the investigation.
341
00:19:12,293 --> 00:19:14,628
You can take that
just down over there.
342
00:19:14,628 --> 00:19:16,330
NARRATOR: But the
FBI launches its
343
00:19:16,330 --> 00:19:19,400
own parallel criminal inquiry.
344
00:19:19,400 --> 00:19:20,735
Pleasure to see you.
345
00:19:20,735 --> 00:19:23,537
Just wish it was under
better circumstances.
346
00:19:23,537 --> 00:19:25,806
NARRATOR: The FBI believes
the mid-air explosion
347
00:19:25,806 --> 00:19:28,743
could be linked to terrorism.
348
00:19:28,743 --> 00:19:31,512
I'm sure this was a bomb, and
that we'll find the evidence
349
00:19:31,512 --> 00:19:33,647
of that in this wreckage.
350
00:19:33,647 --> 00:19:34,849
Just keep me posted.
351
00:19:34,849 --> 00:19:36,317
All right.
352
00:19:36,317 --> 00:19:38,419
NARRATOR: Three years
earlier, in 1993,
353
00:19:38,419 --> 00:19:42,690
terrorists drove a bomb
into the World Trade Center.
354
00:19:42,690 --> 00:19:45,359
And just one year
prior, Timothy McVeigh
355
00:19:45,359 --> 00:19:47,561
bombed the federal
building in Oklahoma.
356
00:19:50,898 --> 00:19:53,834
NTSB investigators carefully
search the wreckage
357
00:19:53,834 --> 00:19:57,772
for any sign of foul play.
358
00:19:57,772 --> 00:19:59,507
No pitting.
359
00:19:59,507 --> 00:20:02,409
No cratering.
360
00:20:02,409 --> 00:20:04,545
Nothing.
361
00:20:04,545 --> 00:20:07,448
NARRATOR: Investigators know
the plane exploded in mid-air,
362
00:20:07,448 --> 00:20:12,686
but they're convinced this
was not a terrorist act.
363
00:20:12,686 --> 00:20:14,822
In a way, it made the
safety board's job much more
364
00:20:14,822 --> 00:20:17,725
difficult, because we had to
now determine what happened
365
00:20:17,725 --> 00:20:19,627
if there was no bomb
or missile that caused
366
00:20:19,627 --> 00:20:22,563
the airplane to come down.
367
00:20:22,563 --> 00:20:23,964
All right, let's get to it.
368
00:20:23,964 --> 00:20:26,000
NARRATOR: But news
reports continue to fuel
369
00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:30,004
the FBI's terrorism theory.
370
00:20:30,004 --> 00:20:32,907
The pressure is on the
NTSB to find the cause
371
00:20:32,907 --> 00:20:34,909
and provide answers
to grieving families.
372
00:20:37,978 --> 00:20:38,813
Excuse us.
373
00:20:41,715 --> 00:20:43,951
NARRATOR: Seven days
into the investigation,
374
00:20:43,951 --> 00:20:47,655
the ocean salvage team makes
a major find, the black boxes.
375
00:20:50,324 --> 00:20:53,460
Recovering the
CVR and the FDR is
376
00:20:53,460 --> 00:20:55,429
very important in
every investigation.
377
00:20:55,429 --> 00:20:58,766
The trouble is, you never
know what you're gonna get.
378
00:20:58,766 --> 00:21:01,936
NARRATOR: Technicians in
Washington recover the data.
379
00:21:01,936 --> 00:21:03,871
PILOT: TWA 800.
380
00:21:03,871 --> 00:21:06,307
NARRATOR: But it gives
investigators little to go on.
381
00:21:07,007 --> 00:21:08,676
PILOT: Leaving 1, 3,000.
382
00:21:08,676 --> 00:21:11,078
NARRATOR: They hear no cockpit
alarms or signs of panic
383
00:21:11,078 --> 00:21:12,613
from the crew.
384
00:21:12,613 --> 00:21:14,014
CREW (ON RADIO): Go on
and maintain 1 5,000.
385
00:21:14,014 --> 00:21:15,749
BOB BENZON: Normal
conversations in the cockpit.
386
00:21:15,749 --> 00:21:18,485
Normal readouts on the
flight data recorder.
387
00:21:18,485 --> 00:21:22,690
Up until the point where a
sharp noise was heard, and then,
388
00:21:22,690 --> 00:21:25,693
nothing after that.
389
00:21:25,693 --> 00:21:27,561
NARRATOR: With no help
from the flight data,
390
00:21:27,561 --> 00:21:31,732
investigators scour
the wreckage for clues.
391
00:21:31,732 --> 00:21:33,701
Give me a hand with this.
392
00:21:33,701 --> 00:21:37,738
The wreckage recovery started
to teach us some things.
393
00:21:37,738 --> 00:21:42,076
NARRATOR: They uncover a piece
with significant scorching.
394
00:21:42,076 --> 00:21:44,445
Where it's found
tells investigators
395
00:21:44,445 --> 00:21:48,716
it was one of the first
pieces to come off the plane.
396
00:21:48,716 --> 00:21:52,920
But what part of the
plane did it come from?
397
00:21:52,920 --> 00:21:55,723
A piece of span-wise beam
from the center wing fuel tank.
398
00:21:59,493 --> 00:22:00,961
I think this could be it.
399
00:22:00,961 --> 00:22:02,997
NARRATOR: It's a discovery
that changes the direction
400
00:22:02,997 --> 00:22:05,933
of the entire investigation.
401
00:22:05,933 --> 00:22:07,101
The explosion
must have started
402
00:22:07,101 --> 00:22:10,871
somewhere inside the fuel tank.
403
00:22:10,871 --> 00:22:12,940
NARRATOR: To prove their
theory that an exploding
404
00:22:12,940 --> 00:22:16,911
fuel tank took down TWA 800--
405
00:22:16,911 --> 00:22:18,946
We're gonna put all
this back together again.
406
00:22:18,946 --> 00:22:21,682
NARRATOR: --the NTSB decides
to attempt something that
407
00:22:21,682 --> 00:22:23,450
has never been done before.
408
00:22:23,450 --> 00:22:25,986
We're gonna rebuild
the entire plane.
409
00:22:25,986 --> 00:22:28,822
NARRATOR: Piecing
together the shattered 747
410
00:22:28,822 --> 00:22:31,191
will be the only way
to convince the world
411
00:22:31,191 --> 00:22:35,029
it was not a terrorist attack.
412
00:22:35,029 --> 00:22:40,134
But investigators still don't
know what sparked the blast.
413
00:22:40,134 --> 00:22:45,806
If you find evidence of
an explosion in a fuel tank,
414
00:22:45,806 --> 00:22:50,945
you have to look for what could
cause an explosion to start
415
00:22:50,945 --> 00:22:52,446
and you work backwards.
416
00:22:55,582 --> 00:22:59,954
We need to prove three
things, the fuel was flammable,
417
00:22:59,954 --> 00:23:03,757
the explosion has to be powerful
enough to rupture the tank,
418
00:23:03,757 --> 00:23:09,797
and finally, something created
a spark to ignite the fuel.
419
00:23:09,797 --> 00:23:13,467
NARRATOR: Jet fuel, in its
liquid form, is not flammable.
420
00:23:13,467 --> 00:23:16,737
But when heated, fuel
starts to vaporize.
421
00:23:16,737 --> 00:23:20,007
When combined with oxygen
already present in the tank,
422
00:23:20,007 --> 00:23:22,576
this vapor can become
highly flammable.
423
00:23:25,846 --> 00:23:30,751
At 14,000 feet, jet fuel needs
to reach 96 degrees Fahrenheit
424
00:23:30,751 --> 00:23:34,121
to become combustible.
425
00:23:34,121 --> 00:23:36,056
Investigators
examined the design
426
00:23:36,056 --> 00:23:38,492
schematics of the aircraft.
427
00:23:38,492 --> 00:23:40,728
An intriguing detail
catches their eye.
428
00:23:43,263 --> 00:23:45,599
The placement of the
air conditioning units
429
00:23:45,599 --> 00:23:48,669
were underneath the
center tank, and those
430
00:23:48,669 --> 00:23:50,104
generate a fair amount of heat.
431
00:23:52,940 --> 00:23:54,808
NARRATOR: On the day
of the fatal flight,
432
00:23:54,808 --> 00:23:56,877
the air conditioning
units were working
433
00:23:56,877 --> 00:24:01,048
extra hard to keep the
cabin cool on a hot evening.
434
00:24:01,048 --> 00:24:03,117
Could heat from the
units have boosted
435
00:24:03,117 --> 00:24:08,155
the temperature inside the tanks
to a dangerously high level?
436
00:24:08,155 --> 00:24:12,693
We had to prove that the
temperature inside the tank
437
00:24:12,693 --> 00:24:14,628
would be flammable.
438
00:24:14,628 --> 00:24:19,867
Because we couldn't prove
that, how is it gonna explode?
439
00:24:19,867 --> 00:24:21,902
There's only one
way to find out.
440
00:24:21,902 --> 00:24:25,172
NARRATOR: Investigators decide
to recreate the fatal flight,
441
00:24:25,172 --> 00:24:28,308
but it puts them in the
same dangerous situation--
442
00:24:28,308 --> 00:24:29,810
Air conditioning on.
443
00:24:29,810 --> 00:24:32,880
NARRATOR: --that took
down TWA Flight 800.
444
00:24:32,880 --> 00:24:33,914
All right, let's start it up.
445
00:24:43,257 --> 00:24:46,994
They need to prove the fuel
on board TWA Flight 800
446
00:24:46,994 --> 00:24:49,897
became flammable.
447
00:24:49,897 --> 00:24:52,866
It was a bit disconcerting,
because we were, in a sense,
448
00:24:52,866 --> 00:24:54,935
in an aircraft that was
identical to the accident
449
00:24:54,935 --> 00:24:56,670
flight.
450
00:24:56,670 --> 00:24:59,073
Now, if you're gonna ask me
whether I would do it again,
451
00:24:59,073 --> 00:25:01,075
I'd probably say no.
452
00:25:01,075 --> 00:25:02,676
NARRATOR: When the
test flight reaches
453
00:25:02,676 --> 00:25:06,113
the same altitude as TWA 800--
454
00:25:06,113 --> 00:25:08,048
Holy crow.
455
00:25:08,048 --> 00:25:10,217
This is off the charts.
456
00:25:10,217 --> 00:25:12,052
NARRATOR: --the temperature
readings in the tank
457
00:25:12,052 --> 00:25:14,722
are terrifying.
458
00:25:14,722 --> 00:25:16,790
The air conditioning
packs heat the fuel
459
00:25:16,790 --> 00:25:24,765
to 127 degrees Fahrenheit, 30
degrees above the flash point.
460
00:25:24,765 --> 00:25:29,270
OK, let's get back
down to the ground.
461
00:25:29,270 --> 00:25:31,105
So we've proved flammability.
462
00:25:31,105 --> 00:25:33,207
Now, for the second challenge.
463
00:25:33,207 --> 00:25:35,175
Can the tank rupture?
464
00:25:35,175 --> 00:25:36,744
NARRATOR: They rig
up a scale model
465
00:25:36,744 --> 00:25:39,213
of the center wing fuel tank.
466
00:25:39,213 --> 00:25:40,648
Gentlemen.
467
00:25:40,648 --> 00:25:42,216
Level's good?
468
00:25:42,216 --> 00:25:44,952
NARRATOR: They fill the tank
with the same ratio of jet fuel
469
00:25:44,952 --> 00:25:51,158
and heat it to the same
temperature as on TWA 800.
470
00:25:51,158 --> 00:25:53,193
Investigators then
ignite the fuel.
471
00:25:56,330 --> 00:25:58,232
[explosion]
472
00:25:58,232 --> 00:26:00,200
The results are clear.
473
00:26:00,200 --> 00:26:02,936
The explosion creates
double the amount of force
474
00:26:02,936 --> 00:26:06,240
necessary to rupture the tank.
475
00:26:06,240 --> 00:26:09,643
The tank simply wasn't
strong enough to contain
476
00:26:09,643 --> 00:26:12,112
a full-scale explosion.
477
00:26:12,112 --> 00:26:14,281
NARRATOR: NTSB
investigators need one
478
00:26:14,281 --> 00:26:18,252
last critical element of proof.
479
00:26:18,252 --> 00:26:20,754
The final question
that we had to answer
480
00:26:20,754 --> 00:26:22,656
was, what caused the spark?
481
00:26:25,225 --> 00:26:27,928
NARRATOR: Investigators take a
closer look at the aircraft's
482
00:26:27,928 --> 00:26:28,896
electrical system.
483
00:26:31,899 --> 00:26:36,170
After hours of examining
the 180 miles of wiring,
484
00:26:36,170 --> 00:26:39,206
they noticed a
disturbing pattern.
485
00:26:39,206 --> 00:26:42,810
The condition of
these wires is abysmal.
486
00:26:42,810 --> 00:26:45,279
NARRATOR: High voltage and
low voltage wires are mixed
487
00:26:45,279 --> 00:26:48,182
together, making it
possible for strong currents
488
00:26:48,182 --> 00:26:51,752
to travel where they shouldn't.
489
00:26:51,752 --> 00:26:56,890
If you have cross-currents
into these wires, something
490
00:26:56,890 --> 00:27:00,260
drastic could easily happen.
491
00:27:00,260 --> 00:27:02,062
NARRATOR: The condition
of the aging wires
492
00:27:02,062 --> 00:27:05,833
leads investigators to
a logical conclusion.
493
00:27:05,833 --> 00:27:08,936
This was certainly
a short circuit.
494
00:27:08,936 --> 00:27:10,904
It was more than
enough to create
495
00:27:10,904 --> 00:27:13,207
a short circuit that would
go into the fuel tank
496
00:27:13,207 --> 00:27:15,175
and ignite the vapors.
497
00:27:15,175 --> 00:27:19,313
And now, we have
all the conditions
498
00:27:19,313 --> 00:27:21,048
for a fuel tank explosion.
499
00:27:24,418 --> 00:27:27,321
NARRATOR: The full sequence
of events is now clear.
500
00:27:27,321 --> 00:27:29,923
While idling at the
gate for an hour,
501
00:27:29,923 --> 00:27:32,359
the air conditioning
system heats the fuel
502
00:27:32,359 --> 00:27:33,660
in the center wing tank.
503
00:27:36,363 --> 00:27:38,866
The liquid turns to
vapor as its temperature
504
00:27:38,866 --> 00:27:40,434
rises above the ignition point.
505
00:27:43,303 --> 00:27:45,806
In the plane's aging
electrical system,
506
00:27:45,806 --> 00:27:50,344
some wires are so worn
that they short circuit.
507
00:27:50,344 --> 00:27:54,148
In the blink of an eye, deadly
voltage reaches the fuel probe
508
00:27:54,148 --> 00:27:57,217
inside the center wing tank.
509
00:27:57,217 --> 00:27:58,185
And then, it blew up.
510
00:28:01,889 --> 00:28:02,756
Talk to me.
511
00:28:02,756 --> 00:28:03,924
What do you have for us?
512
00:28:03,924 --> 00:28:06,827
[dramatic music]
513
00:28:11,098 --> 00:28:14,935
NARRATOR: The NTSB's ambitious
reconstruction of TWA 800
514
00:28:14,935 --> 00:28:15,936
is finally complete.
515
00:28:18,505 --> 00:28:21,041
It confirms the
investigators' fuel tank
516
00:28:21,041 --> 00:28:23,911
explosion theory,
finally putting any bomb
517
00:28:23,911 --> 00:28:27,047
conspiracy theories to rest.
518
00:28:27,047 --> 00:28:30,083
I was really pretty proud
of the definitive nature
519
00:28:30,083 --> 00:28:31,952
in which we were
able to show where
520
00:28:31,952 --> 00:28:34,154
the airplane break up began.
521
00:28:34,154 --> 00:28:37,324
NARRATOR: After more than
four years of investigation,
522
00:28:37,324 --> 00:28:40,260
the NTSB recommends
in its official report
523
00:28:40,260 --> 00:28:43,564
that all Boeing 747s
undergo a review
524
00:28:43,564 --> 00:28:47,267
and repair of older wiring.
525
00:28:47,267 --> 00:28:49,536
They also call for
additional insulation
526
00:28:49,536 --> 00:28:53,507
between the fuel tanks and
the air conditioning system.
527
00:28:53,507 --> 00:28:55,809
There was a lot of
design challenges.
528
00:28:55,809 --> 00:28:57,845
There were a lot of
certification challenges.
529
00:28:57,845 --> 00:28:59,379
And these recommendations
went forward
530
00:28:59,379 --> 00:29:01,248
to both the FAA and Boeing.
531
00:29:01,248 --> 00:29:04,451
But it was all hardware-related.
532
00:29:04,451 --> 00:29:07,287
NARRATOR: Despite the constant
speculation in the news,
533
00:29:07,287 --> 00:29:10,424
the NTSB perseveres in
finding the true cause.
534
00:29:16,129 --> 00:29:18,365
Just four years
later, investigators
535
00:29:18,365 --> 00:29:21,602
face a similar challenge when
another devastating crash
536
00:29:21,602 --> 00:29:23,170
makes international news.
537
00:29:28,108 --> 00:29:31,545
Charles de Gaulle
Airport, Paris.
538
00:29:31,545 --> 00:29:33,580
One of the busiest
airports in Europe,
539
00:29:33,580 --> 00:29:35,849
and the only place
in France to catch
540
00:29:35,849 --> 00:29:41,288
sight of the world's most famous
passenger plane, the Concorde.
541
00:29:44,024 --> 00:29:46,193
Concorde flying
was a real show.
542
00:29:46,193 --> 00:29:48,328
I mean, everybody was watching.
543
00:29:48,328 --> 00:29:51,865
It was spectacular.
544
00:29:51,865 --> 00:29:53,400
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER (ON
RADIO): Air France 4590,
545
00:29:53,400 --> 00:29:56,336
do you want Whiskey 10 or Romeo?
546
00:29:56,336 --> 00:29:58,171
I need all the runway.
547
00:29:58,171 --> 00:30:00,040
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER (ON
RADIO): OK, taxi for Romeo,
548
00:30:00,040 --> 00:30:02,910
Air France 4590.
549
00:30:02,910 --> 00:30:05,012
NARRATOR: Today,
Captain Christian Marty
550
00:30:05,012 --> 00:30:07,114
will be flying the Concorde.
551
00:30:07,114 --> 00:30:07,981
Clear on the right?
552
00:30:10,450 --> 00:30:12,119
All the right is clear.
553
00:30:12,119 --> 00:30:13,554
NARRATOR: First
Officer Jean Marcot
554
00:30:13,554 --> 00:30:16,990
will monitor the instruments.
555
00:30:16,990 --> 00:30:20,494
With more than 23,000
flight hours between them,
556
00:30:20,494 --> 00:30:22,996
Captain Marty and
First Officer Marcot
557
00:30:22,996 --> 00:30:24,865
are among the world's
most elite pilots.
558
00:30:29,903 --> 00:30:33,373
Air France 4590, runway
26 right, clear for takeoff.
559
00:30:37,344 --> 00:30:38,612
Everybody ready?
560
00:30:38,612 --> 00:30:39,446
Yes.
561
00:30:44,418 --> 00:30:47,588
NARRATOR: The Concorde is
a technological marvel.
562
00:30:47,588 --> 00:30:49,923
It's the world's only
supersonic airliner.
563
00:30:53,093 --> 00:30:54,394
Four greens.
564
00:30:54,394 --> 00:30:57,264
NARRATOR: Its takeoff
speed is 198 knots,
565
00:30:57,264 --> 00:31:03,570
40 knots faster than a 747.
566
00:31:03,570 --> 00:31:05,372
V1.
567
00:31:05,372 --> 00:31:08,508
NARRATOR: They've reached V1,
also known as decision speed.
568
00:31:08,508 --> 00:31:11,311
They are now going too
quickly to abort the takeoff.
569
00:31:16,516 --> 00:31:18,385
Watch out!
570
00:31:18,385 --> 00:31:22,556
NARRATOR: Suddenly, the
plane begins veering left.
571
00:31:22,556 --> 00:31:23,390
Stop!
572
00:31:26,159 --> 00:31:29,296
NARRATOR: They are
running out of runway.
573
00:31:29,296 --> 00:31:32,199
Captain Marty has to lift
the plane into the air.
574
00:31:36,970 --> 00:31:39,239
4590, you have
flames behind you.
575
00:31:39,239 --> 00:31:40,073
Roger.
576
00:31:44,711 --> 00:31:46,179
Watch the air speed.
577
00:31:52,386 --> 00:31:55,656
NARRATOR: The plane has
lost two of its engines.
578
00:31:55,656 --> 00:31:57,524
No time.
579
00:31:57,524 --> 00:31:59,626
NARRATOR: The crew can't
out fly the fire that is
580
00:31:59,626 --> 00:32:01,194
rapidly consuming their plane.
581
00:32:04,665 --> 00:32:06,333
No!
582
00:32:06,333 --> 00:32:10,103
BOB BENZON: The supersonic
marvel of modern aviation
583
00:32:10,103 --> 00:32:11,938
crashes into an airport hotel.
584
00:32:18,578 --> 00:32:24,751
All 109 passengers and crew on
board the Concorde are dead.
585
00:32:24,751 --> 00:32:26,987
Four more people have
been killed on the ground.
586
00:32:30,023 --> 00:32:33,226
Everyone had a dream of
flying on the Concorde.
587
00:32:33,226 --> 00:32:35,696
And when you saw those
horrific pictures,
588
00:32:35,696 --> 00:32:39,099
you had the sinking
feeling that this
589
00:32:39,099 --> 00:32:42,102
might be the end of
supersonic travel for a while.
590
00:32:47,733 --> 00:32:50,502
makes headline news
around the world,
591
00:32:50,502 --> 00:32:54,039
and all eyes are on French
investigator Alain Boulliard,
592
00:32:54,039 --> 00:32:57,609
who leads the inquiry into what
caused the first fatal crash
593
00:32:57,609 --> 00:32:59,178
in its 31-year history.
594
00:33:02,114 --> 00:33:04,383
[speaking french]
595
00:33:04,383 --> 00:33:06,185
INTERPRETER: We were
dealing with a very
596
00:33:06,185 --> 00:33:10,289
complicated plane that had been
completely destroyed by fire.
597
00:33:10,289 --> 00:33:13,726
There were very few pieces left.
598
00:33:13,726 --> 00:33:16,128
NARRATOR: Boulliard's team
begins their investigation
599
00:33:16,128 --> 00:33:18,731
on runway 26 right.
600
00:33:18,731 --> 00:33:22,301
It looks like they
were bleeding fuel.
601
00:33:22,301 --> 00:33:24,403
[speaking french]
602
00:33:24,403 --> 00:33:26,238
INTERPRETER: We became
interested in the runway
603
00:33:26,238 --> 00:33:28,540
because the event happened
during the acceleration
604
00:33:28,540 --> 00:33:29,375
for takeoff.
605
00:33:33,145 --> 00:33:34,813
[speaking french]
606
00:33:34,813 --> 00:33:36,749
INTERPRETER: First of all, it
was obvious that there were
607
00:33:36,749 --> 00:33:39,818
traces of fire that were
still visible on the runway,
608
00:33:39,818 --> 00:33:43,789
as well as traces of fuel
and many airplane parts.
609
00:33:43,789 --> 00:33:46,125
So we had to collect all
these parts to preserve
610
00:33:46,125 --> 00:33:47,526
them for the investigation.
611
00:33:50,429 --> 00:33:51,663
NARRATOR: The two
black boxes are
612
00:33:51,663 --> 00:33:54,700
recovered from the crash site.
613
00:33:54,700 --> 00:33:56,869
They are rushed to the lab
to see if their data survived
614
00:33:56,869 --> 00:33:57,736
the fire.
615
00:34:00,539 --> 00:34:02,741
Among the runway
debris, something
616
00:34:02,741 --> 00:34:06,645
captures Boulliard's attention.
617
00:34:06,645 --> 00:34:10,749
But I know this is a
piece of the fuel tank.
618
00:34:10,749 --> 00:34:12,618
[speaking french]
619
00:34:12,618 --> 00:34:15,521
INTERPRETER: Among the first
pieces recovered from the site
620
00:34:15,521 --> 00:34:17,790
was a part that was
quickly identified as being
621
00:34:17,790 --> 00:34:19,057
from one of the fuel tanks.
622
00:34:22,494 --> 00:34:25,197
NARRATOR: The Concorde
has 13 fuel tanks,
623
00:34:25,197 --> 00:34:29,234
one in the tail section, and
12 more that combine to fill
624
00:34:29,234 --> 00:34:33,138
almost the entire delta wing.
625
00:34:33,138 --> 00:34:36,442
It means at least one of
the plane's 13 fuel tanks
626
00:34:36,442 --> 00:34:37,743
ruptured during takeoff.
627
00:34:42,181 --> 00:34:44,450
Must have been a
massive fuel leak.
628
00:34:44,450 --> 00:34:48,353
It's the only way to
explain a fire like that.
629
00:34:48,353 --> 00:34:52,691
NARRATOR: But what could have
caused such a massive leak?
630
00:34:52,691 --> 00:34:54,760
Fortunately, technicians
have salvaged
631
00:34:54,760 --> 00:34:57,663
the cockpit voice recording.
632
00:34:57,663 --> 00:34:59,932
OK, let's get going.
633
00:34:59,932 --> 00:35:02,167
NARRATOR: Boulliard
hopes the pilot's cockpit
634
00:35:02,167 --> 00:35:04,603
conversation will shed
some light on the puzzling
635
00:35:04,603 --> 00:35:07,673
collection of leads.
636
00:35:07,673 --> 00:35:10,409
CREW (ON RADIO): Four Green.
637
00:35:10,409 --> 00:35:11,944
V1.
638
00:35:11,944 --> 00:35:14,646
NARRATOR: But just before
liftoff, there's a loud noise.
639
00:35:14,646 --> 00:35:15,647
[explosion]
640
00:35:15,647 --> 00:35:16,949
CREW (ON RADIO): Watch out!
641
00:35:16,949 --> 00:35:20,853
That sounded like
some kind of explosion.
642
00:35:20,853 --> 00:35:22,888
NARRATOR: Boulliard
knows the precise moment
643
00:35:22,888 --> 00:35:24,957
the deadly fire began.
644
00:35:24,957 --> 00:35:27,926
But he still doesn't
know what caused it.
645
00:35:27,926 --> 00:35:29,595
Failure, engine 2.
646
00:35:32,431 --> 00:35:35,634
NARRATOR: Because the Concorde
includes American-made tires--
647
00:35:35,634 --> 00:35:38,303
I would love to get a
look at that runway debris.
648
00:35:38,303 --> 00:35:40,305
NARRATOR: --the National
Transportation Safety Board
649
00:35:40,305 --> 00:35:44,643
sends Bob MacIntosh
to join the team.
650
00:35:44,643 --> 00:35:46,879
Among the debris
found on the runway,
651
00:35:46,879 --> 00:35:50,616
there are large, torn pieces
of aircraft tire, some
652
00:35:50,616 --> 00:35:52,951
weighing more than 9 pounds.
653
00:35:52,951 --> 00:35:55,821
Looks like a blowout.
654
00:35:55,821 --> 00:35:59,491
There's a whole lot of
structure and rubber belt
655
00:35:59,491 --> 00:36:03,862
around the tire that's
probably gonna separate.
656
00:36:03,862 --> 00:36:06,532
And that's, of course,
a potential for damage.
657
00:36:09,234 --> 00:36:11,303
NARRATOR: The Concorde's
tires are reinforced
658
00:36:11,303 --> 00:36:13,272
with a strong rubber
belt and filled
659
00:36:13,272 --> 00:36:17,342
with high-pressure
nitrogen. When they rupture,
660
00:36:17,342 --> 00:36:21,346
they can act like small bombs.
661
00:36:21,346 --> 00:36:26,285
Maybe a piece of the tire
flew up and burst the fuel tank
662
00:36:26,285 --> 00:36:27,619
here, in the wing.
663
00:36:30,355 --> 00:36:31,490
NARRATOR: So what
could have caused
664
00:36:31,490 --> 00:36:34,593
a relatively new tire to erupt?
665
00:36:34,593 --> 00:36:36,328
[speaking french]
666
00:36:36,328 --> 00:36:38,397
INTERPRETER: We uncovered
many incidents where tires
667
00:36:38,397 --> 00:36:41,934
were punctured or destroyed,
and, in some cases, the rims
668
00:36:41,934 --> 00:36:44,336
as well.
669
00:36:44,336 --> 00:36:45,904
NARRATOR: Investigators
take a closer look
670
00:36:45,904 --> 00:36:47,339
at the debris from the runway.
671
00:36:50,576 --> 00:36:54,313
Maybe something
cut into the tire.
672
00:36:56,715 --> 00:37:00,385
NARRATOR: They discover
a strange metal strip.
673
00:37:00,385 --> 00:37:01,887
[speaking french]
674
00:37:03,422 --> 00:37:04,957
INTERPRETER: The shape
of the metal strip
675
00:37:04,957 --> 00:37:07,693
that we ain't fogged was exactly
the same shape as the tire
676
00:37:07,693 --> 00:37:09,861
debris.
677
00:37:09,861 --> 00:37:14,466
I want to know what this
is and where it came from.
678
00:37:14,466 --> 00:37:16,568
It didn't look like anything
that came from an aircraft
679
00:37:16,568 --> 00:37:19,004
to me.
680
00:37:19,004 --> 00:37:20,639
NARRATOR: But
metallurgical tests
681
00:37:20,639 --> 00:37:23,375
show it was made of
lightweight titanium,
682
00:37:23,375 --> 00:37:26,578
often used in aircraft parts.
683
00:37:26,578 --> 00:37:28,880
It's covered in a
reddish-orange adhesive
684
00:37:28,880 --> 00:37:30,549
used in aviation repairs.
685
00:37:34,553 --> 00:37:38,957
But it doesn't match any
known pieces of the Concorde.
686
00:37:38,957 --> 00:37:43,762
Investigators work to narrow
down which plane it comes from.
687
00:37:43,762 --> 00:37:47,432
[speaking french]
688
00:37:47,432 --> 00:37:50,636
INTERPRETER: We
searched by elimination.
689
00:37:50,636 --> 00:37:52,704
We knew that it was
a strip of metal that
690
00:37:52,704 --> 00:37:53,872
didn't come from the Concorde.
691
00:37:56,541 --> 00:38:01,913
NARRATOR: Investigators pour
over aircraft schematics.
692
00:38:01,913 --> 00:38:03,815
ALAIN BOULLIARD: What is this?
693
00:38:03,815 --> 00:38:05,851
NARRATOR: The metal
strip looks like it could
694
00:38:05,851 --> 00:38:10,656
be from the engine of a DC 10.
695
00:38:10,656 --> 00:38:13,425
Certainly, there was a
great deal of anticipation.
696
00:38:13,425 --> 00:38:17,496
Could this be
really from a DC 10?
697
00:38:17,496 --> 00:38:19,698
NARRATOR: Investigators searched
through the flight records
698
00:38:19,698 --> 00:38:24,569
for runway 26 right and
make a crucial discovery.
699
00:38:24,569 --> 00:38:27,706
A DC 10 took off just
minutes before the Concorde.
700
00:38:30,409 --> 00:38:33,445
Investigators are convinced
the thin strip of metal
701
00:38:33,445 --> 00:38:36,615
fell from that DC 10.
702
00:38:36,615 --> 00:38:38,150
V1.
703
00:38:38,150 --> 00:38:41,620
NARRATOR: Where it ruptured
a massive Concorde tire that
704
00:38:41,620 --> 00:38:44,156
fatally burst the fuel tank.
705
00:38:44,156 --> 00:38:46,491
The investigators'
theory may explain
706
00:38:46,491 --> 00:38:48,827
one of the most shocking
aviation disasters
707
00:38:48,827 --> 00:38:49,861
the world has ever seen.
708
00:38:52,964 --> 00:38:55,801
Now, all they have
to do is prove it.
709
00:38:59,638 --> 00:39:02,040
Investigators test their
theory that a metal
710
00:39:02,040 --> 00:39:06,645
strip could have burst the
brand new Concorde tire.
711
00:39:06,645 --> 00:39:09,848
Using an identical tire,
they run over a replica
712
00:39:09,848 --> 00:39:12,984
of the metal strip with a
weight equal to the flight
713
00:39:12,984 --> 00:39:14,786
load, 25 tons.
714
00:39:17,522 --> 00:39:19,157
They get their answer.
715
00:39:19,157 --> 00:39:22,761
You can't ask for a
better proof than that.
716
00:39:22,761 --> 00:39:24,863
NARRATOR: However, if a
piece of flying debris
717
00:39:24,863 --> 00:39:28,433
ruptured the tank, the tank
should be bent from the outside
718
00:39:28,433 --> 00:39:29,601
in.
719
00:39:29,601 --> 00:39:31,636
But the tank fragment
from the runway
720
00:39:31,636 --> 00:39:33,505
is bent in the opposite way.
721
00:39:36,508 --> 00:39:40,078
Investigators face an
unprecedented mystery.
722
00:39:40,078 --> 00:39:43,615
What punctured the Concorde's
fuel tank from the inside?
723
00:39:48,653 --> 00:39:52,057
The only thing in the
fuel tank is the fuel.
724
00:39:55,494 --> 00:40:01,800
Maybe what burst the
tank is the fuel itself.
725
00:40:01,800 --> 00:40:04,169
NARRATOR: When a high-speed
projectile hits a container
726
00:40:04,169 --> 00:40:08,473
full of liquid, it can set
off a tsunami-like wave
727
00:40:08,473 --> 00:40:11,576
powerful enough to rupture the
container at a different point
728
00:40:11,576 --> 00:40:14,146
from where it was struck.
729
00:40:14,146 --> 00:40:18,083
Set it so the fuel
tanks are completely full.
730
00:40:18,083 --> 00:40:20,652
NARRATOR: Boulliard hopes
a computer simulation will
731
00:40:20,652 --> 00:40:22,854
show if that's what happened.
732
00:40:22,854 --> 00:40:25,423
OK, let's watch what happens.
733
00:40:27,993 --> 00:40:30,662
Fire.
734
00:40:30,662 --> 00:40:32,664
NARRATOR: Investigators
work to recreate
735
00:40:32,664 --> 00:40:35,600
the exact moment the tire
fragment hit the fuel tank.
736
00:40:38,236 --> 00:40:40,539
But conditions have
to be just right.
737
00:40:40,539 --> 00:40:41,173
ALAIN BOULLIARD: Fire.
738
00:40:43,942 --> 00:40:44,910
NARRATOR: And when they are--
739
00:40:48,914 --> 00:40:50,248
We've got it.
740
00:40:50,248 --> 00:40:51,750
Well done.
741
00:40:51,750 --> 00:40:53,718
NARRATOR: Firing a piece
of tire at the tank
742
00:40:53,718 --> 00:40:56,955
can make it burst
from the inside out.
743
00:40:56,955 --> 00:40:58,657
It was a revelation
to all of us,
744
00:40:58,657 --> 00:41:02,160
and, indeed, a very
plausible explanation.
745
00:41:02,160 --> 00:41:04,062
ALAIN BOULLIARD:
[speaking french]
746
00:41:04,062 --> 00:41:06,097
INTERPRETER: We were
convinced that from the moment
747
00:41:06,097 --> 00:41:08,300
the plane rolled
over the metal strip,
748
00:41:08,300 --> 00:41:12,838
a catastrophe was inevitable.
749
00:41:12,838 --> 00:41:15,574
NARRATOR: When the tire
blows and the fuel ignites,
750
00:41:15,574 --> 00:41:18,176
the crew faces an
unprecedented dilemma.
751
00:41:18,176 --> 00:41:22,147
At V1 speed, the massive jet
needs more than a mile to stop.
752
00:41:25,116 --> 00:41:28,553
But there's only a 1,000
yards of runway left.
753
00:41:28,553 --> 00:41:30,555
The pilots have no
choice but to put
754
00:41:30,555 --> 00:41:31,957
the burning plane in the air.
755
00:41:35,660 --> 00:41:37,796
ALAIN BOULLIARD:
[speaking french]
756
00:41:37,796 --> 00:41:40,632
INTERPRETER: Aborting
the takeoff at 180 knots
757
00:41:40,632 --> 00:41:43,869
would also have led to the total
destruction of the aircraft.
758
00:41:47,205 --> 00:41:49,140
Watch the air speed.
759
00:41:49,140 --> 00:41:51,776
NARRATOR: The crew fights
hard to keep the plane flying
760
00:41:51,776 --> 00:41:54,713
right up to the very end.
761
00:41:54,713 --> 00:41:55,547
No!
762
00:42:04,723 --> 00:42:06,258
NARRATOR: The
accident report makes
763
00:42:06,258 --> 00:42:09,928
a number of recommendations
to make the Concorde safer.
764
00:42:09,928 --> 00:42:12,030
Engineers designed
stronger tires
765
00:42:12,030 --> 00:42:13,698
that can better
withstand the plane's
766
00:42:13,698 --> 00:42:15,100
high speed and immense weight.
767
00:42:17,736 --> 00:42:20,772
Fuel tanks are reinforced
with Kevlar to prevent leaks.
768
00:42:23,708 --> 00:42:25,644
Airport authorities
also implement
769
00:42:25,644 --> 00:42:30,782
a better system for monitoring
runways and removing debris.
770
00:42:30,782 --> 00:42:32,918
What is puzzling
is that you have
771
00:42:32,918 --> 00:42:35,320
a piece of metal on the runway.
772
00:42:35,320 --> 00:42:39,758
It turns out to trigger one
of the most catastrophic
773
00:42:39,758 --> 00:42:41,760
crashes in aviation history.
774
00:42:47,799 --> 00:42:50,368
NARRATOR: The Concorde
does fly again,
775
00:42:50,368 --> 00:42:53,204
but the return of the
world's only supersonic plane
776
00:42:53,204 --> 00:42:55,907
doesn't last long.
777
00:42:55,907 --> 00:42:59,277
Two years later, with rising
costs and falling profits,
778
00:42:59,277 --> 00:43:02,881
the Concorde is retired.
779
00:43:02,881 --> 00:43:08,987
It makes its last flight
on November 26, 2003.
780
00:43:08,987 --> 00:43:13,725
It was such front page
news because people were sad.
781
00:43:13,725 --> 00:43:17,262
I think the public realized it
was probably the end of an era.
782
00:43:23,401 --> 00:43:27,005
NARRATOR: When tragedy
strikes, whether in the middle
783
00:43:27,005 --> 00:43:30,742
of an ocean, or in
the heart of a city,
784
00:43:30,742 --> 00:43:33,311
aviation disasters grip
the public's attention
785
00:43:33,311 --> 00:43:36,214
and make headlines
around the world.
786
00:43:36,214 --> 00:43:37,816
Welcome people
really want to know
787
00:43:37,816 --> 00:43:39,784
is they want to know that
somebody's got the facts
788
00:43:39,784 --> 00:43:43,688
and it's being addressed
so it doesn't happen again.
789
00:43:43,688 --> 00:43:46,191
NARRATOR: But even in the
midst of a media frenzy,
790
00:43:46,191 --> 00:43:51,129
investigators persevere
and solve critical cases.
791
00:43:51,129 --> 00:43:52,697
We don't care about blame.
792
00:43:52,697 --> 00:43:54,366
We don't care about speculation.
793
00:43:54,366 --> 00:43:56,134
We wanna know what
the hard facts are,
794
00:43:56,134 --> 00:43:57,802
and we wanna follow
it wherever it leads.
61692
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