All language subtitles for Air.Disasters.S01E04.Fanning.The.Flames.1080p.SMIT.WEB-DL.AAC2.0.H.264-maldini_track4_[eng]

Narrator: A 747 FLYING TOWARD
SOUTH AFRICA FILLS WITH SMOKE.

A FIRE HAS ERUPTED IN THE CARGO
AREA, BUT THE PLANE CAN'T LAND.

IT'S TOO FAR
OVER THE INDIAN OCEAN.

Woman: THE FIRST THOUGHT I THINK
FOR MANY, MANY SOUTH AFRICANS

WAS WHAT WAS ON THAT PLANE?

Narrator: THE PASSENGERS
ARE CHOKING ON TOXIC FUMES.

Controller: REQUEST
A FULL EMERGENCY, PLEASE.

Pilot: AFFIRMATIVE,
THAT'S CHARLIE, CHARLIE.

Narrator: THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY
TO CLEAR THE SMOKE.

THE CREW MUST TRY A RARELY USED
AND RISKY MANEUVER...

Pilot: OPEN THE DOORS.

Narrator:
...OPEN THE DOORS IN FLIGHT.

Controller:
SPRINGBOK 295, PLAISANCE.

Narrator: IT'S A RACE AGAINST
TIME AS THE PLANE BURNS UP.

IT MUST REACH LAND BEFORE
IT CRASHES INTO THE SEA.

Controller:
SPRINGBOK 295, PLAISANCE.

Flight attendant:
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
WE ARE STARTING OUR APPROACH.

Pilot: WE LOST BOTH ENGINES!

Flight attendant:
PUT THE MASK OVER YOUR NOSE.

EMERGENCY DESCENT.

Pilot: MAYDAY, MAYDAY.

Flight attendant:
BRACE FOR IMPACT!

Controller: I THINK I LOST ONE.

Man: INVESTIGATION STARTING...

Man: HE'S GONNA CRASH!

Narrator: ON NOVEMBER 27, 1987,

A SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS 747
FLIES FROM TAIWAN

BACK HOME TO SOUTH AFRICA.

Pilot: EVERYTHING GOOD?

Engineer: FINE, CAPTAIN.
READY TO TAKE OVER?

Pilot: YES, THANKS.

Narrator: NINE HOURS INTO THEIR
FLIGHT OVER THE INDIAN OCEAN,

THE MAIN CREW RETURNS
TO THEIR SEATS,

ALLOWING THE RELIEF CREW
TO REST.

THE CREW PREPARES
FOR A SCHEDULED STOP

ON THE ISLAND OF MAURITIUS.

VALERIE LOTTERING HAS ENJOYED
HER FIRST OVERSEAS VACATION,

JOINING HER HUSBAND CORRIE
WHILE HE WAS ON BUSINESS.

Samantha Van der Walt:
MY FATHER WAS ON A BUSINESS TRIP

AND MY MUM HAD GONE WITH
FOR HOLIDAY.

MY DAD HAD ACTUALLY
GONE TO THE EAST

TO SECURE CELL PHONE TECHNOLOGY,

WHICH WAS JUST SORT OF HAPPENING
IN SOUTH AFRICA AT THE TIME.

Narrator:
THE PLANE IS A MODIFIED 747,

KNOWN AS A COMBI,
SHORT FOR COMBINATION.

A PASSENGER PLANE AND
A CARGO PLANE IN ONE--

IT'S DESIGNED TO ACCOMMODATE
FLEXIBLE QUANTITIES

OF PASSENGERS AND CARGO.

THE COMBI HAS A LARGE CARGO AREA
DOWN BELOW, LIKE A REGULAR 747.

THE COMBI ALSO HAS
A LARGE CARGO AREA

RIGHT BEHIND THE LAST ROW
OF ECONOMY CLASS SEATS.

THE COCKPIT SITS ONE LEVEL
ABOVE THE CABIN.

Fred Bereswill: YOU COULD LOAD
FROM 6 TO 12 PALLETS

ON THE MAIN DECK,
ADJUSTING THE BULK HEAD

FOR THE NUMBER OF PASSENGERS
YOU WANTED TO CARRY.

AND THIS TURNED OUT TO BE A VERY
WORTHWHILE AND USEFUL TOOL.

Narrator: FLIGHT 295
IS CARRYING 159 PEOPLE,

AS WELL AS SIX LARGE
PALLETS OF CARGO.

KNOWN AS THE HELDERBERG,
THE 747 COMBI IS A VITAL MEMBER

OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN
AIRWAYS FLEET.

IT'S PARTICULARLY USEFUL
FOR LONG RANGE FLYING.

Bereswill:
FOR SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS

DURING THE DAYS OF APARTHEID,

A PLANE LIKE THE COMBI
HELPED THEM IN THAT RESPECT,

BECAUSE THEY HAD TO FLY
AROUND THE BULGE OF AFRICA

OVER THE ATLANTIC.

Narrator: TO PROTEST SOUTH
AFRICA'S WHITE RACIST REGIME,

THE VAST MAJORITY OF BLACK
AFRICAN STATES REFUSED TO ALLOW

SOUTH AFRICAN AIRLINES
TO FLY OVER THEIR AIRSPACE,

CAUSING THEM TO FLY
LONGER ROUTES.

Debora Patta: THERE WERE
SANCTIONS, HEAVY SANCTIONS

AGAINST SOUTH AFRICA
ON POLITICAL, ECONOMIC,

AND CULTURAL FRONTS.

SOUTH AFRICA WAS NOT WELCOME
ANYWHERE CREDIBLE IN THE WORLD.

Narrator: ON FLIGHT 295,

LESS THAN AN HOUR BEFORE
ITS STOP IN MAURITIUS,

THE SMOKE ALARM BREAKS
THE CALM OF THE COCKPIT.

IT'S FOR THE CARGO AREA
ON THE MAIN DECK,

DIRECTLY BEHIND THE PASSENGERS.

BY THE TIME THE CREW GETS TO IT,
THE FIRE IS RAGING.

Flight attendant: IT'S BAD.

Engineer: SHOULD I GET
ANOTHER BOTTLE OVER THERE?

Attendant: YEAH, HURRY!

Pilot: READ OUT THE FIRE
CHECKLIST FOR US, PLEASE.

Narrator: IN FIRE EMERGENCIES
THE CREW FOLLOWS

A STANDARD CHECKLIST
TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE.

Engineer:
THE BREAKER POPPED AS WELL.

Pilot: HUH?

Engineer: WE'LL CHECK
THE BREAKER PANEL AS WELL.

Narrator: THE FIRE IS BURNING
THROUGH THE PLANE'S WIRING,

CAUSING SHORT CIRCUITS.

Attendant: MOVE AS FAR FORWARD
AS YOU CAN.

Narrator: BUT THERE'S
A MORE IMMEDIATE PROBLEM--

PASSENGERS ARE HAVING
TROUBLE BREATHING.

Engineer: DUCT ISOLATION
VALVE SWITCHES--OPEN.

PACK VALVE SWITCHES--ALL OPEN.

RE-CIRCULATING FAN SWITCHES--

OFF.

Narrator: THE FIRE CHECKLIST
INSTRUCTS THE PILOT

TO LAND AT THE NEAREST AIRPORT.

BUT THE CLOSEST ONE
IS ON THE ISLAND OF MAURITIUS,

ALMOST 200 MILES AWAY.

THERE'S NOT A LOT
CAPTAIN UYS CAN DO--

HE ASKS A MEMBER
OF HIS FLIGHT CREW

TO GO HELP FIGHT THE CARGO FIRE.

Engineer:
BRING ME ANOTHER BOTTLE.

Narrator: CAPTAIN UYS INITIATES
AN EMERGENCY DESCENT.

HE CALLS THE AIRPORT ON
THE ISLAND OF MAURITIUS,

WHICH IS ON GOOD TERMS
WITH SOUTH AFRICA.

IT'S JUST BEFORE
4:00 IN THE MORNING

WHEN MAURITIUS AIR TRAFFIC
CONTROL RECEIVES THE CALL.

Uys: MAURITIUS, MAURITIUS,
SPRINGBOK 2-NINER-5.

Controller:
SPRINGBOK 2-NINER-5, MAURITIUS,

GOOD MORNING, GO AHEAD.

Uys: GOOD MORNING,
WE HAVE A SMOKE PROBLEM,

AND WE'RE DOING EMERGENCY
DESCENT TO LEVEL 15--UH, 140.

Controller: CONFIRM YOUR WISH
TO DESCEND TO LEVEL 140.

Uys: YEAH, WE'VE
ALREADY COMMENCED,

DUE TO A SMOKE PROBLEM
IN THE AEROPLANE.

Controller: DO YOU REQUEST
A FULL EMERGENCY, PLEASE?

Uys: AFFIRMATIVE.
THAT'S CHARLIE, CHARLIE!

Narrator: CAPTAIN UYS
SOUNDS CALM, BUT HE HAS TO FIND

A WAY OF GETTING RID
OF THE SMOKE ON HIS PLANE.

WHATEVER IS BURNING
IN THE CARGO HOLD

IS PRODUCING THICK,
NOXIOUS SMOKE

WHICH IS POURING INTO THE CABIN.

IT COULD BE DEADLY
TO THE PASSENGERS.

Controller:
YOUR ACTUAL POSITION, PLEASE.

Uys: UH, SAY AGAIN.

Controller: ACTUAL POSITION.

Narrator:
CAPTAIN UYS IS LOSING POWER
TO MANY OF HIS INSTRUMENTS.

Uys: WE'VE LOST
A LOT OF ELECTRICS.

WE HAVEN'T GOT ANYTHING ON THE,
ON THE AIRCRAFT NOW.

Narrator:
HE'S NOT SURE WHERE HE IS.

THE AIRPORT PREPARES
FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING,

WHILE THE CREW OF THE HELDERBERG
FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS

FROM ANOTHER CHECKLIST
TO GET RID OF THE SMOKE.

Engineer: SUPPLEMENTARY
VENT FAN SWITCH--OFF.

RECIRCULATING FAN SWITCHES--

ON.

SMOKE CONDITION?

Uys: HOLD ON,
I'LL CHECK DOWNSTAIRS.

Narrator: THE CREW GETS MORE
BAD NEWS FROM THE CABIN--

THE SMOKE IS GETTING THICKER.

Engineer: IT'S WORSE! [COUGHS]

WE CAN'T BREATHE DOWN HERE.

Narrator:
WITH THE PLANE APPROACHING
AN ALTITUDE OF 15,000 FEET

THE CHECKLIST ADVISES
THE CAPTAIN TO EXECUTE

AN EMERGENCY MANEUVER THAT
FEW PILOTS HAVE EVER PERFORMED.

Uys: WE NEED TO OPEN THE DOORS.

REPEAT, OPEN THE DOORS!

Narrator: OPENING THE PLANE'S
DOORS IN MIDAIR IS THE ONLY HOPE

FOR THINNING A CLOUD OF SMOKE
THAT COULD KILL THE PASSENGERS

BEFORE THE STRUGGLING JET
CAN LAND.

Narrator: AS THE CABIN
OF FLIGHT 295 FILLS WITH SMOKE,

THE CAPTAIN BEGINS HIS
EMERGENCY DESCENT TO 15,000 FEET

SO THE DOORS CAN BE OPENED.

Uys: OUTER FLIGHT LEVEL
150 FOR 140.

Co-pilot: 150 FOR 140.

150 FOR 140.

LEVEL 140, SLOWING.

Narrator: AT 15,000 FEET,

PASSENGERS CAN BREATHE
THE OUTSIDE AIR.

AT THAT ALTITUDE,
THE DIFFERENCE IN PRESSURE

BETWEEN THE AIR INSIDE
AND OUTSIDE THE CABIN

IS ENOUGH TO FORCE
THE CABIN AIR OUT QUICKLY,

BUT NOT DANGEROUSLY.

NOW THE CAPTAIN MUST
DRAMATICALLY REDUCE HIS AIRSPEED

TO 230 MILES AN HOUR--
200 KNOTS...

ANY FASTER AND THE CREW WON'T
BE ABLE TO OPEN THE DOORS.

Uys: THIS IS CAPTAIN UYS
SPEAKING, WE'RE OPENING

TWO OF THE ENTRY DOORS TO CLEAR
SMOKE FROM THE CABIN.

DO NOT PANIC, YOU'LL BE
MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE

ONCE WE COMPLETE THIS PROCEDURE.

Bereswill: YOU JUST CRACK
THE DOOR, AND THIS GENERATES

A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF AIRFLOW
THROUGH THE AIRPLANE.

Uys: PLAISANCE, SPRINGBOK 295.

WE'VE OPENED THE DOORS TO SEE
IF WE CAN...WE SHOULD BE OKAY.

Co-pilot: LOOK THERE!

Uys: CLOSE THE BLOODY DOOR!

JOE, SWITCH UP QUICKLY, THEN
CLOSE THE HOLE ON YOUR SIDE.

Narrator: SMOKE IS NOW
BUILDING UP IN THE COCKPIT,

BUT THERE'S NO OUTSIDE DOOR
TO OPEN.

Controller:
TEMPERATURE IS 22, 2-2,

AND QNH IS 1018 HECTOPASCALS,
1018, OVER.

Narrator:
THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER

NOW FOCUSES ON GIVING THE
CAPTAIN THE INFORMATION HE NEEDS

FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING.

Uys: ROGER, 1018.

Controller: AFFIRMATIVE,
AND BOTH RUNWAYS

ARE AVAILABLE, IF YOU WISH.

AND 295,
I REQUEST PILOT'S INTENTION.

Uys:
WE'D LIKE TO CHECK IN ON 13.

Controller: CONFIRM RUNWAY 13.

Uys: CHARLIE, CHARLIE.

Controller: AFFIRMATIVE,
YOU'RE CLEARED

DIRECT TO FOXTROT, FOXTROT.

YOU REPORT APPROACHING 50.

Uys: KAY.

Narrator: CAPTAIN UYS HAS
ONE HOPE--HE MUST MAKE IT

TO THE ISLAND OF MAURITIUS,
NEARLY 160 MILES AWAY.

THE HELDERBERG CONTINUES
ON ITS DESPERATE JOURNEY.

Controller: 295, PLAISANCE.

Narrator:
BUT AT 4:08 IN THE MORNING,

A CALL BY THE AIR TRAFFIC
CONTROLLER IS NOT RETURNED.

Controller:
SPRINGBOK 295, PLAISANCE.

SPRINGBOK 295, PLAISANCE...

Narrator: WITH NO RESPONSE
FROM FLIGHT 295 FOR 36 MINUTES,

ATC MAURITIUS FORMALLY
DECLARES AN EMERGENCY.

AN ALERT GOES OUT
TO SEARCH AND RESCUE CREWS.

SEVERAL AIRCRAFT TAKE OFF
FROM MAURITIUS

AND SEARCH THE DARK WATERS
FOR THE MISSING PLANE,

BUT FIND NOTHING.

AT THE AIRPORT IN JOHANNESBURG,
SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS

OFFICIALLY DECLARES
FLIGHT 295 DELAYED.

Van der Walt: WE WERE SUPPOSED
TO BE GOING AWAY

ON OUR ANNUAL HOLIDAY.

I THINK THAT'S MAYBE THE EXTENT

OF THE DIFFERENCES
OF THE EMOTIONS,

IS THAT YOU'RE SO ANXIOUS AND
EXCITED FOR THEM TO COME HOME,

AND THEN THE ABSOLUTE
DEVASTATION OF THE NEWS,

GETTING THE NEWS, YOU KNOW, THAT
THE AIRCRAFT HAS GONE MISSING.

Narrator: IN THE AFTERNOON
OF THE NEXT DAY,

A RESCUE PLANE SPOTS
THE FIRST SIGNS

OF FLOATING AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE.

RENNIE VAN ZYL,

THE HEAD OF SOUTH AFRICA'S
AVIATION SAFETY BOARD,

IS ASSIGNED
TO THE HELDERBERG CASE.

Rennie Van Zyl: A NORMAL
INVESTIGATOR WILL ONLY HANDLE

A MAJOR ACCIDENT ABOUT ONCE
IN 20 YEARS IN HIS CAREER.

SO THIS WAS A--QUITE A BIG
WAKEUP AND A CHALLENGE TO US,

TO START RUNNING WITH THIS
INVESTIGATION IN THAT MORNING.

Narrator: EIGHT BODIES
ARE FOUND IN THE WATER,

ALL SUFFERING
FROM EXTREME TRAUMA.

Van Zyl: IT WAS
AROUND ABOUT TWO O'CLOCK,

THAT WE IN FACT WERE ADVISED

THAT THE WRECKAGE AND
AN OIL SLICK HAD BEEN SPOTTED.

AND IT WAS THEN QUITE APPARENT
THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS LOST.

Narrator: SOUTH AFRICA
QUICKLY BECOMES OBSESSED

WITH WHAT CAUSED THE CRASH.

IN THE FIRST DAYS
OF THE INVESTIGATION,

THERE'S VERY LITTLE TO EXAMINE,
ONLY SMALL BITS OF THE PLANE

THAT ARE FLOATING
ON THE SURFACE.

CONTAINED WITHIN THAT DEBRIS,

RENNIE VAN ZYL'S TEAM DISCOVERS
THREE WRISTWATCHES.

THE WATCHES STOPPED
ONLY THREE MINUTES

AFTER THE LAST COMMUNICATION
WITH THE PLANE.

THE HELDERBERG'S DEMISE
WAS SUDDEN AND DRAMATIC.

THE PRESS AND PUBLIC OPINION
REINFORCE THE IDEA

THAT SOMETHING SINISTER
BROUGHT THE PLANE DOWN.

IN THE YEARS LEADING
UP TO THE CRASH,

SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS OFFICES
AROUND THE WORLD

HAD BEEN THE TARGET OF PROTESTS.

Patta: THE SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS
AIRLINE AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME

WAS A GOVERNMENT BODY,
IT WAS OWNED BY THE GOVERNMENT.

IT WAS THE NATIONAL CARRIER, BUT
IT WAS ALSO VERY MUCH PERCEIVED

TO BE PART OF
THE SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENT.

SO ANOTHER ASPECT
OF THIS PLANE CRASH,

AND ANOTHER THEORY
THAT WAS PUT AROUND

WAS THAT THERE COULD HAVE BEEN
A BOMB IN THE CARGO.

THAT IN FACT WE WERE A TARGET,

SOUTH AFRICA OR THIS SAA PLANE,
WAS A TARGET OF TERRORISTS

WHO HAD THE WORST INTERESTS
OF THIS COUNTRY AT HEART.

Narrator:
EXPERTS EXAMINE THE SMALL BITS
OF WRECKAGE THEY HAVE,

SEARCHING FOR THE TELLTALE SIGNS
OF AN EXPLOSION--

IMPACT CAVITIES, SURFACE
PITTING, OR SPATTER CAVITIES.

SPATTER CAVITIES ARE CAUSED
BY THE WHITE HOT FRAGMENTS

FROM A HIGH EXPLOSIVE DEVICE,
STRIKING AND MELTING

THE LIGHT ALLOYS OF
THE AIRCRAFT STRUCTURE.

BUT EXPERTS SPOT NO SIGN
OF AN EXPLOSION.

AND WHEN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL
TAPES ARE STUDIED,

VAN ZYL HEARS THAT THE CREW

APPEARED TO BE COPING
WITH THE EMERGENCY.

Uys: PLAISANCE, SPRINGBOK 295,

WE'VE OPENED THE DOORS TO SEE
IF WE CAN...WE SHOULD BE OKAY.

Narrator: WITH JUST SMALL PIECES
OF THE PLANE TO STUDY,

INVESTIGATORS ARE STUMPED.

THEY DON'T KNOW
WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE,

OR WHAT ROLE IT PLAYED IN
THE DESTRUCTION OF THE PLANE.

Van Zyl: THE OBVIOUS THING TO DO
WAS TO GO AND TRY AND RETRIEVE

THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER,
THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER,

AND AS MUCH WRECKAGE AS WE CAN
FROM THE AIRCRAFT

TO ESTABLISH
WHAT REALLY HAD HAPPENED.

Narrator: THE PROBLEM IS
VAN ZYL DOESN'T EVEN KNOW

WHERE TO FIND
THE UNDERWATER WRECKAGE.

IT COULD BE FAR FROM
THE FLOATING DEBRIS.

NO ONE IS SURE EXACTLY
WHERE THE PLANE CRASHED.

HE TURNS TO THE UNITED STATES
LOOKING FOR HELP.

AN AMERICAN SALVAGE COMPANY
IS HIRED TO FIND THE WRECKAGE

AND BLACK BOXES,
BUT TIME IS RUNNING OUT.

THE BOXES HAVE BUILT-IN
LOCATING DEVICES CALLED PINGERS,

WHICH RUN ON BATTERIES
THAT WILL EVENTUALLY RUN DOWN.

Roy Truman: THE DRIVING FACTOR
WAS THAT THE PINGER

ON THE DATA AND VOICE RECORDERS
WAS TRANSMITTING,

AND IT ONLY HAD
A 30-DAY GUARANTEED SHELF LIFE.

IF WE COULDN'T GET
OUT THERE IN 30 DAYS,

THE CHANCES WERE THAT WE
WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DETECT IT.

Narrator: BY THE TIME THE PROPER
EQUIPMENT CAN BE ASSEMBLED

IN THE INDIAN OCEAN,
ONLY SEVEN DAYS REMAIN

BEFORE THE BATTERIES
IN THE PINGERS WILL DIE OUT.

MEANWHILE,
BLOOD TESTS ARE PERFORMED

ON THE HUMAN REMAINS
PULLED FROM THE DEBRIS FIELD.

ALL SHOW TRACES OF SOOT
IN THEIR TRACHEA.

IT IS DETERMINED THAT AT LEAST
TWO OF THE PASSENGERS

DIED FROM SMOKE INHALATION.

INVESTIGATORS FACE
A DISTURBING REALIZATION--

EVEN AS THE CREW WAS STRUGGLING
TO LAND THEIR PLANE,

SOME OF THE PASSENGERS
WERE ALREADY DEAD.

WHILE SEARCHING
FOR THE BLACK BOXES,

INVESTIGATORS CONTINUE TO
EXAMINE THE FLOATING WRECKAGE.

AMONG THE HUNDREDS
OF RECOVERED ITEMS,

A PARTLY MELTED
GRAPHITE TENNIS RACKET

OFFERS A TELLTALE CLUE
ABOUT THE FIRE.

GRAPHITE ONLY BURNS
AT TEMPERATURES

GREATER THAN
1,100 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

INVESTIGATORS NOW KNOW THAT
THE FIRE ON THE HELDERBERG

WAS EXTREMELY HOT.

THIS DISCOVERY MAY EXPLAIN
WHY A FULLY CHARGED EXTINGUISHER

FROM THE FRONT OF THE PLANE

IS RECOVERED WITH OTHER
FLOATING WRECKAGE.

INVESTIGATORS NOTICE
A MELTED PIECE OF CARGO NETTING

ON THE OUTSIDE
OF THE EXTINGUISHER.

THEY DETERMINE THAT
THE EXTINGUISHER

IS FROM THE PASSENGER CABIN,

SUGGESTING THAT AS
THE FIRE BURNED, A CREW MEMBER

GRABBED THE EXTINGUISHER AND
BROUGHT IT TO THE CARGO AREA.

Man: A FULL FIRE EXTINGUISHER

AND A PLANE THAT WAS
BROUGHT DOWN BY A FIRE

SHOWS THAT FOR WHATEVER REASON,

IT WASN'T DISCHARGED
BECAUSE THE CREW MEMBER

COULDN'T ACCESS THE AREA
BECAUSE OF THE HEAT.

OR THE FACT THAT
THERE WAS MELTED METAL

ON THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER
IS FURTHER EVIDENCE

TO THE INTENSITY OF THE FIRE.

Narrator: BEFORE THIS ACCIDENT,

IN THE 20-YEAR HISTORY
OF THE 747 COMBI,

NO ONE HAD EVER DIED
FROM FIRE OR SMOKE.

Bereswill: WHEN WE HEARD ABOUT
A FIRE IN THE HELDERBERG,

THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME
FOR A WIDE-BODIED AIRPLANE.

IT WAS, IT WAS NEWS,
AND BECAUSE IT WAS SO NEW,

AND THE THOUGHT WAS THAT

WE REALLY COULDN'T HAVE
ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

Narrator: WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED
SUCH AN INTENSE FIRE

ON THE HELDERBERG?

WAS IT A WIRING PROBLEM
ON THE PLANE,

OR HAD THE CARGO ITSELF
SOMEHOW STARTED THE BLAZE?

Van Zyl: INITIALLY,
THE INVESTIGATION, OF COURSE,

FOCUSED ON WHAT WAS THE CARGO.

THE FIRE OBVIOUSLY
HAD ORIGINATED

IN THE MAIN DECK
CARGO COMPARTMENT,

SO THE LOGICAL THING IS TO LOOK

WHAT DID THE WAYBILLS INDICATE
WAS CARRIED IN THE AIRPLANE.

Narrator:
INVESTIGATORS LEARN THAT THERE
WERE SIX PALLETS OF CARGO

ON BOARD FLIGHT 295.

USING MASTER WAYBILLS, VAN ZYL'S
TEAM IS ABLE TO DETERMINE

THAT 103,000 POUNDS
OF BAGGAGE AND CARGO

WAS OFFICIALLY ON BOARD.

INVESTIGATORS DISCOVER
THAT BEFORE TAKEOFF

A TAIWANESE CUSTOMS OFFICIAL
PERFORMED A RANDOM INSPECTION

OF SOME OF THE CARGO.

HE FOUND NOTHING SUSPICIOUS.

NOW MORE THAN EVER,
INVESTIGATORS NEED TO FIND

THE REST OF THE PLANE

AND LOCATE THE HELDERBERG'S
BLACK BOXES.

BUT 30 DAYS AFTER THE CRASH,

VAN ZYL'S TEAM GETS
SOME VERY BAD NEWS--

THERE'S STILL NO SIGNAL
DETECTED FROM THE BLACK BOXES.

AND THEY ARE STILL NOT CERTAIN

EXACTLY WHERE THE MAJORITY
OF THE WRECKAGE IS.

SO FAR, THE SEARCH HAS COST
1.5 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS,

AND THE TEAM HAS BEEN UNABLE
TO LOCATE VITAL EVIDENCE.

THE HELDERBERG CRASH
IS QUICKLY BECOMING

A TEST OF VAN ZYL'S ABILITIES
AND HIS RESOLVE.

THE INVESTIGATION REACHES
A STANDSTILL--

VAN ZYL HAS FAILED TO DISCOVER
THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE

OR EVEN FIND
THE PLANE'S WRECKAGE.

IF HE KEEPS LOOKING,
IT WILL COST MILLIONS MORE,

AND THE CHANCES OF SUCCESS ARE
GETTING INCREASINGLY REMOTE.

YET THE IMPORTANCE
OF FINDING OUT

WHETHER OTHER 747s ARE SAFE
IS HIGH.

Man: THIS WASN'T JUST AN
AIRPLANE, THIS WAS A BOEING 747.

HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
WHO FLEW THE 747 EVERY DAY

AT THAT TIME WERE DEPENDENT
ON A SATISFACTORY ANSWER

AS TO WHETHER OR NOT
THIS AIRCRAFT WAS SAFE.

Narrator: NOW, RENNIE VAN ZYL
MUST DECIDE WHETHER TO SPEND

THE MONEY NEEDED TO RECOVER
THE PLANE'S WRECKAGE

FROM THE BOTTOM
OF THE INDIAN OCEAN.

VAN ZYL DECIDES HE MUST TRY
TO RECOVER WHAT HE CAN.

Van Zyl: WITHOUT THE WRECKAGE,
WE'LL NEVER KNOW THE TRUTH.

Barry Strauch: WHAT THEY SPENT
ON ONE INVESTIGATION

WHAT WE SPENT IN SIX MONTHS
OF CONDUCTING OUR,

ALL OF OUR INVESTIGATIONS
IN THE UNITED STATES.

Narrator: BEFORE INVESTIGATORS
CAN SALVAGE THE HELDERBERG,

THEY MUST FIND IT.

THE WRECKAGE LIES SOMEWHERE
VERY DEEP UNDER WATER.

61 DAYS AFTER THE CRASH
OF THE HELDERBERG,

VAN ZYL RECEIVES SOME INTRIGUING
NEWS FROM HIS TEAM.

SOPHISTICATED SONAR EQUIPMENT
HAS DETECTED A LARGE OBJECT

14,000 FEET UNDER WATER
ON A FLAT PLATEAU.

IT COULD BE THE HELDERBERG.

Van Zyl: AND THEY PRESENTED ME
WITH A PIECE OF PAPER

WITH A LOT OF BLACK DOTS
OF VARIOUS SIZES ON IT,

AND THEY SAID,
"THAT'S YOUR WRECKAGE."

AND MY QUESTION TO THEM WAS,

"HOW DO I KNOW
IT'S THE WRECKAGE OF THE 747?"

MAYBE THIS IS A SUBMARINE

FROM THE SECOND WORLD WAR
OR SOMETHING.

AND THE RESPONSE WAS JUST,

"RENNIE, IT IS IT, BECAUSE
WE TELL YOU IT IS THE WRECKAGE."

Narrator:
BUT NO ONE'S EVER GONE THAT DEEP

TO SALVAGE ANYTHING,
INCLUDING THE TITANIC.

VAN ZYL HAS NO CHOICE.

TO FIND OUT WHETHER THE SONAR
IMAGES ARE IN FACT THE WRECKAGE,

HE MUST LAUNCH
THE MOST EXPENSIVE PART

OF THE INVESTIGATION--
OPERATION RESOLVE.

A REMOTE CONTROLLED SUB,
CALLED THE GEMINI, WILL BE SENT

TO THE OCEAN FLOOR
TO VIDEOTAPE WHAT'S THERE.

IF IT IS THE HELDERBERG,
THE GEMINI WILL SEARCH

FOR KEY ITEMS,
INCLUDING THE BLACK BOXES.

THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE MINI SUB
MUST BE ATTACHED

TO THE MOTHER SHIP BY
A FLEXIBLE FIBER OPTIC CABLE

THAT'S OVER FOUR MILES LONG.

NO CABLE THAT LONG
HAS EVER BEEN BUILT.

Truman: WE NEEDED
A 20,000-FOOT CABLE.

THERE WAS NO EXISTING CABLE,
SO WE HAD TO GO

TO A CABLE MANUFACTURER AND GET
A CABLE DESIGNED AND BUILT.

Narrator: WHILE THE FIBER OPTIC
CABLE IS ASSEMBLED,

VAN ZYL LAUNCHES
A SEPARATE INVESTIGATION,

RAISING QUESTIONS ABOUT
THE FIREFIGHTING CAPABILITIES

OF THE HELDERBERG.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS WANT
TO KNOW WHETHER THE COMBI

WAS PROPERLY DESIGNED
TO PROTECT THE PASSENGERS

ON SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS
FLIGHT 295 FROM FIRE.

Van Zyl: THE SMOKE SHOULD NOT
HAVE ENTERED THE COMBI'S CABIN.

Narrator: THE AMERICAN TEAM
LEADER IN THE INVESTIGATION,

BARRY STRAUCH, GOES TO
BOEING'S HEADQUARTERS IN SEATTLE

TO FIND OUT HOW THE COMBI
WAS TESTED FOR CERTIFICATION

IN FIRE PREVENTION.

INVESTIGATORS DISCOVER THAT TO
COMPLY WITH FEDERAL REGULATIONS,

BOEING'S FIRE TESTS
WERE CONDUCTED

BY SETTING A BALE
OF TOBACCO LEAVES ON FIRE.

WHEN A TECHNICIAN
ENTERS THE CARGO AREA

TO FIGHT THE DEMONSTRATION FIRE,

NO SMOKE ENTERS
THE PASSENGER CABIN,

AND THE FIRE
IS QUICKLY EXTINGUISHED.

Strauch: WELL, THAT WAS
IN THE TEST CONDITIONS

THE BOEING USED TO GET
THE AIRPLANE APPROVED.

BUT IN THE REALITY,
AS WE SAW IN THIS ACCIDENT,

IT DIDN'T WORK THAT WAY,

BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T HAVE
A NICE, CLEAN FIRE

WITH FANS BLOWING THE SMOKE
TOWARDS THE CEILING.

YOU HAD PALLETS, YOU HAD A FIRE

THAT WOULD HAVE
GROWN CONSIDERABLY

BEFORE THE SMOKE HAS GENERATED,
AND YOU HAD PLASTIC SHEETING

THAT WOULD PROVIDE
FUEL TO THE FIRE

IN ADDITION TO ALL THE CARDBOARD
AND PACKING MATERIALS

WITHIN THE PALLETS THEMSELVES.

Narrator: THE COMBI IS DESIGNED
TO PREVENT SMOKE

FROM ENTERING
THE PASSENGER CABIN.

THE AIR THERE IS KEPT AT
A SLIGHTLY HIGHER PRESSURE

THAN IN THE CARGO AREA.

WHEN THE DOOR BETWEEN THE TWO
IS OPENED, THE AIR SHOULD FLOW

INTO THE CARGO AREA,
KEEPING THE PASSENGERS SAFE.

INVESTIGATORS THEN CONDUCT
THEIR OWN TEST.

THEY SET A LARGE PALLET OF
TIGHTLY PACKED CARGO ON FIRE,

MIMICKING CONDITIONS
ON THE HELDERBERG.

THE BLAZE IS MORE INTENSE,
AND THE TEMPERATURE IS HOTTER.

INVESTIGATORS DISCOVER
THAT THIS MUCH HOTTER FLAME

HAS A RADICAL IMPACT ON
THE AIR IN THE CARGO HOLD.

WHEN THE CARGO DOOR IS OPENED,

THE SMOKE NOW FLOWS
INTO THE PASSENGER CABIN.

THEN INVESTIGATORS
DISCOVER SOMETHING

POTENTIALLY MORE LETHAL.

AS THE PASSENGER CABIN
FILLED WITH SMOKE,

A CHECKLIST INSTRUCTED THE CREW

TO TURN ON THE CABIN'S
RECIRCULATING FANS.

THE INTENTION OF THE CHECKLIST
IS TO DISSIPATE THE SMOKE

IN THE PASSENGER CABIN AFTER
THE FIRE HAS BEEN EXTINGUISHED.

Engineer:
RECIRCULATING FAN SWITCHES--

ON.

Narrator: BUT IN THIS CASE,

TURNING THE FANS ON
MAY HAVE BEEN DEADLY.

FANS DRAW AIR FROM
ABOVE THE CABIN'S CEILING

AND FROM THE CARGO COMPARTMENT,

BEFORE RECIRCULATING IT
BACK TO THE PASSENGERS.

Van Zyl: THE CARBON MONOXIDE
LEVELS WERE EXTREMELY HIGH,

AND WERE FATALLY HIGH.

IN FACT, THE ONE BODY,
AND WE HAVE TO STRESS AGAIN

HE WAS ALLOCATED THE SEAT

REALLY BELOW THE RECIRC FAN
INLET AREA.

THAT WAS THE HIGHEST LEVEL,

I THINK WE'RE TALKING
AROUND ABOUT 66%.

[COUGHING]

THAT IS NOT A SURVIVABLE
LEVEL AT ALL.

Narrator: BY FOLLOWING
THEIR CHECKLIST,

THE CREW MAY HAVE FED TOXIC GAS
INTO THE PASSENGER CABIN.

Van Zyl:
IT MIGHT VERY WELL HAVE BEEN

THAT MOST OF YOUR PASSENGERS
WERE ASPHYXIATED BEFORE IMPACT.

Narrator: NO CHECKLIST FOR
A 747 COMBI HAD EVER FORESEEN

THE HELDERBERG'S
SIMULTANEOUS PROBLEMS--

A CARGO FIRE PROBLEM,
AND A CABIN SMOKE PROBLEM.

Strauch: THE SMOKE REMOVAL
CHECKLIST IS PREDICATED

ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT
THE FIRE HAS BEEN EXTINGUISHED.

IF THE FIRE HASN'T
BEEN EXTINGUISHED,

THAT WOULD HAVE
THE FUNCTION OF ACTUALLY

INCREASING THE AIRFLOW
TO THE FIRE

AND INCREASING THE SUPPLY
OF OXYGEN TO THE FIRE.

WE THINK THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED
IN THIS CASE--

THAT THE FIRE HAD NEVER
BEEN EXTINGUISHED.

AND IN FACT, THE CREWS ATTEMPTS
TO MAKE THE SITUATION BETTER

MAY HAVE IN FACT
MADE THE SITUATION WORSE.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS BEGIN
TO REALIZE THAT FIGHTING A FIRE

IN THE COMBI'S CARGO AREA

IS MUCH MORE DIFFICULT
THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT.

Strauch: IF THERE WAS A FIRE
IN ONE OF THESE PALLETS,

IT WAS QUITE LIKELY THAT
BY THE TIME THE CREW

WAS ALERTED TO THE FIRE,
IT WOULD BE TOO LATE.

Van Zyl: THEN THE CABIN
INSTANTLY FILLED UP WITH SMOKE.

Narrator:
BUT VAN ZYL STILL DOESN'T KNOW
WHAT CAUSED SUCH A FIERCE FIRE.

HOW HAD THE BLAZE STARTED?

AND HOW HAD IT BROUGHT
THE PLANE DOWN?

THE ANSWERS STILL LIE
DEEP UNDER THE OCEAN.

IT TAKES MONTHS TO BUILD
THE FIBER OPTIC CABLE

THAT'S LONG ENOUGH
FOR THE GEMINI

TO REACH THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA.

ON SEPTEMBER 23, 1988,

THE GEMINI BEGINS
ITS RECORD-BREAKING JOURNEY.

Truman: WE WERE HESITANT TO SAY
THAT EVERYTHING WOULD WORK,

BECAUSE WE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TIME
TO DO SEA TRIALS ON THIS,

ALL OF THIS NEW EQUIPMENT.

Narrator: THE CABLE ALLOWS
TECHNICIANS AT THE SURFACE

TO MANIPULATE THE GEMINI
AT OVER 14,000 FEET.

IT ALSO CARRIES VIDEO SIGNALS
FROM THAT REMARKABLE DEPTH.

THEN, ONE YEAR TO THE DAY
AFTER IT DISAPPEARED,

THE HELDERBERG IS FOUND.

FROM A DEPTH OF
OVER 14,000 FEET,

THE SUBMARINE SENDS BACK IMAGES
THAT COULD ONLY BE

THE WRECKAGE OF SOUTH AFRICAN
AIRWAYS FLIGHT 295.

Truman: THERE WOULD BE
LOTS OF LUGGAGE

JUST STREWN ALL OVER THE SEABED.

MASSIVE STRUCTURES,
THE WINGS, TAIL,

HUGE PARTS OF THE CABIN
SPLIT OPEN,

AND YOU COULD SEE ALL OF
THE RIBS, AND THE, THE WIRING,

THE HYDRAULIC PIPING,
I MEAN, IT WAS INCREDIBLE

JUST TO SEE EVERYTHING
THAT WENT INTO A MACHINE

SPREAD OVER AN AREA OF ABOUT
FIVE, SIX SQUARE MILES.

IT WAS INCREDIBLE.

Narrator: VAN ZYL'S EXPENSIVE
GAMBLE IS BEGINNING TO PAY OFF.

DESCENDING TO
THE HELDERBERG'S WRECKAGE

IS A TRIUMPH
FOR HIM AND HIS TEAM.

BUT JUST FINDING THE DEBRIS
ISN'T NEARLY ENOUGH.

A YEAR AFTER THE ACCIDENT,
VAN ZYL IS STILL HOPING

FOR THE IMPROBABLE--

THE RECOVERY OF
THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER.

Van Zyl: WE REALLY WANTED TO
KNOW WHETHER THE CABIN CREW

REPORTED TO THE CAPTAIN
THAT THERE WAS AN EXPLOSION,

OR WHAT WAS HAPPENING
AT THE BACK.

Narrator: HUNDREDS OF HOURS
OF VIDEOTAPE ARE RECORDED.

IT'S EXHAUSTING WORK.

THEN AT NINE O'CLOCK
ONE MORNING,

SOMETHING CATCHES THE EYE
OF ONE OF THE TECHNICIANS.

Technician:
GO BACK, GO BACK FOR A SECOND.

WE MIGHT HAVE PASSED SOMETHING.

Narrator: AT LONG LAST,
THE BLACK BOX IS DISCOVERED.

Technician: THERE, THAT'S IT!

THAT'S IT RIGHT THERE!

MY GOD, WE FOUND IT!

WE FOUND IT!

Van Zyl: THAT WAS A VERY
FULFILLING MOMENT IN OUR FIND,

WHAT WE HAD AIMED FOR, WE HAVE
ACHIEVED, WE'RE GETTING IT.

Narrator: IT TAKES A FULL
FIVE HOURS FOR THE GEMINI

TO BRING THE BLACK BOX UP
FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA.

THE SOUTH AFRICAN MEDIA
TURNS THE DISCOVERY

INTO FRONT PAGE NEWS.

Narrator: IT'S NOW 1989,
AND THE APARTHEID GOVERNMENT

IS STILL RUNNING THE COUNTRY
WITH AN IRON FIST.

VAN ZYL MAKES
AN UNUSUAL DECISION--

HE TAKES THE SEALED BLACK BOX TO
WASHINGTON AND OPENS IT THERE.

Van Zyl: OTHERWISE
I WOULD HAVE BEEN ACCUSED

OF HAVING COVERED UP SOMETHING,
OR LEFT SOMETHING OUT,

OR WHATEVER, AND WE,
THE FAA, AND THE NTSB GUYS

ALL LISTENED TO THIS TAPE AT THE
SAME TIME FOR THE FIRST TIME.

Narrator:
TENSION IN THE ROOM IS HIGH.

THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER
SHOULD BE A TAPE

OF THE LAST 30 MINUTES
OF THE FLIGHT...

BUT IT TURNS OUT TO BE
A MAJOR FRUSTRATION.

AFTER A YEAR ON
THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN,

IT'S DIFFICULT
TO UNDERSTAND ANYTHING.

[TAPE HISSING]

Van Zyl: IT WAS THE WORST
TIME OF MY LIFE,

SITTING IN THE PLAYBACK ROOM
AT THE NTSB FACILITIES,

AND YOU WATCH THE TIME, AND
THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO INDICATION

OF PROBLEMS ON THE TAPE.

AND I'M WATCHING THE CLOCK,
AND ABOUT 25 MINUTES,

I WAS REALLY GETTING
VERY, VERY ANXIOUS.

[TAPE HISSING]

Narrator:
FOR 28 MINUTES, THE TAPE
REVEALS NOTHING UNUSUAL.

THEN, EVERYTHING CHANGES.

Van Zyl: NEXT MINUTE, OF COURSE,
THE ALARM BELL GOES ON THE CVR,

AND WE HAD ABOUT
A MINUTE'S WORTH

OF RELEVANT RECORDING ON THE
TAPE BEFORE THE TAPE STOPPED.

Narrator: NORMALLY,
THE BLACK BOX RECORDS

THE FINAL MOMENTS OF A FLIGHT--
BUT NOT THIS TIME.

INSTEAD INVESTIGATORS ARE ABLE

TO LISTEN TO THE START
OF THE ACCIDENT

BEFORE THE RECORDING
MYSTERIOUSLY STOPS.

IT'S NOT WHAT VAN ZYL HOPED FOR,

BUT IT GIVES HIM CRUCIAL
NEW INSIGHT INTO THE FIRE.

Uys: WILL YOU READ OUT THE FIRE
CHECKLIST FOR US, PLEASE?

Narrator: 14 SECONDS AFTER
THE FIRE ALARM GOES OFF,

THE PLANE'S CIRCUIT BREAKERS
START TO POP.

Technician:
THE BREAKER POPPED AS WELL.

Uys: HUH?

Technician: WE'LL CHECK
THE BREAKER PANEL AS WELL.

Uys: YEAH.

Narrator:
INVESTIGATORS ESTIMATE THAT
UP TO 80 CIRCUITS WERE DISABLED.

THE WIRES TO THE COCKPIT
VOICE RECORDER ARE DESTROYED

ONLY 81 SECONDS AFTER
THE FIRE ALARM FIRST GOES OFF.

VAN ZYL HAS NOT RECEIVED THE KEY
EVIDENCE THAT HE HOPED FOR.

BUT THE FIRE IS REVEALED
AS MUCH MORE VIOLENT

THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT.

THE RECORDING LEAVES
MANY QUESTIONS UNANSWERED.

BUT IT DOES HELP VAN ZYL
TO ARRIVE AT A PERSONAL OPINION

OF WHY THE PLANE
MAY HAVE CRASHED.

Van Zyl: A LOT OF THINGS
WERE HAPPENING IN THE COCKPIT,

AND WE BELIEVE THAT
HE PROBABLY WAS FACED

WITH UP TO 80 CIRCUIT BREAKERS
POPPING IN THE COCKPIT

AT THE TIME.

MAY HAVE MADE CONTROLLING
OF THE AIRCRAFT

EXTREMELY DIFFICULT,

AND THE POSSIBILITY THEN
EVEN OF THE AIRPLANE

JUST GRADUALLY DESCENDING
INTO THE SEA.

WHETHER IT WAS A CONTROLLABLE
FLIGHT, I HAVE MY DOUBTS.

Bereswill: I PUT MYSELF
IN THE COCKPIT ON THIS THING,

AND I SAID,
"I WOULD HAVE BEEN TERRIFIED."

HAVING TO, YOU KNOW, JUST
FIGURING, NOW WHAT DO WE DO?

YOU KNOW, DID THEY DO
THE CHECKLIST CORRECTLY?

WE'LL NEVER KNOW.

Narrator: BUT INVESTIGATORS
STILL DON'T KNOW

WHAT TRIGGERED
THE HELDERBERG FIRE.

THE MYSTERY CAN NOW
ONLY BE SOLVED

BY SALVAGING PARTS
FROM THE CRASHED PLANE.

VAN ZYL'S FOCUS IS ON
CERTAIN KEY PIECES

OF THE COMBI'S CARGO AREA.

THEY ARE BROUGHT TO A HANGAR

AND REASSEMBLED
LIKE A GIANT JIGSAW PUZZLE.

HIS PLAN IS TO RECONSTRUCT
THE SECTION OF THE CARGO AREA

WHERE THE FIRE
MOST LIKELY STARTED.

VAN ZYL DISCOVERS THAT THE CARGO
AREA FLOOR IS UNTOUCHED BY FIRE.

Van Zyl: SO WE KNOW THAT
THE FIRE NEVER BURNED

LOWER THAN ONE METER
OFF THE CARGO FLOOR.

Narrator:
BUT THE WALLS AND CEILING

AT THE FRONT OF THE CARGO AREA
REVEAL SEVERE FIRE DAMAGE.

VAN ZYL MAKES
A DRAMATIC DISCOVERY.

THE SEAT OF THE FIRE WAS ON
THE FRONT RIGHT PALLET OF CARGO.

Van Zyl:
SO WE WERE LOOKING AT THE VERY
LOCALIZED FIRE ON ONE PALLET.

Narrator:
THE FRONT RIGHT PALLET WAS
MOSTLY FILLED WITH COMPUTERS,

PROTECTED BY
POLYSTYRENE PACKAGING.

INVESTIGATORS SUSPECT THAT
A FIRE WITHIN THE PALLET

CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE
POLYSTYRENE PACKING MATERIAL,

PRODUCING GASES WHICH
ACCUMULATED NEAR THE CEILING.

WHEN THE GASES
BECAME HOT ENOUGH,

THEY IGNITED INTO A FLASH FIRE

THAT SPREAD THROUGHOUT
THE CARGO HOLD.

Strauch: ONCE SMOKE PENETRATED
THE POLYETHYLENE SHEETS,

THAT FIRE WOULD HAVE BEEN
VERY, VERY HOT.

Narrator: BUT EVEN IF
THE PACKING MATERIAL

HAD HELPED SPREAD THE BLAZE,

VAN ZYL STILL DOESN'T KNOW
WHY IT STARTED.

AFTER MILLIONS OF DOLLARS,

AND MORE THAN A YEAR AND A HALF
OF WORK,

HE HAS TO END HIS INVESTIGATION.

Van Zyl: I WOULD HAVE
FELT A LOT BETTER

IF WE HAD BEEN
IN A BETTER POSITION

TO GIVE MORE FACTUAL INFORMATION
TO THE BOARD TO CONSIDER.

BUT THAT WAS NOT TO BE, AND
WE WERE NOT GOING TO FABRICATE.

Narrator:
BUT INTEREST IN THE WRECK
OF THE HELDERBERG DOESN'T DIE.

DARK RUMORS CIRCULATE ABOUT
A POSSIBLE CAUSE OF THE FIRE.

Patta:
IT'S AGAINST THIS BACKDROP

OF A VERY REPRESSIVE
APARTHEID GOVERNMENT.

AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME,
THE FIRST THOUGHT,

I THINK FOR MANY, MANY
SOUTH AFRICANS,

WAS WHAT WAS ON THAT PLANE?

WAS THERE SOMETHING
IN THAT CARGO HOLD

THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED
THAT TERRIBLE FIRE,

BECAUSE PLANES DON'T JUST BURST
INTO FLAMES MIDAIR AND CRASH.

Narrator: THEN, A SOUTH AFRICAN
GOVERNMENT CHEMIST

MAKES A STARTLING DISCOVERY,

WHICH LEADS TO
A CONTROVERSIAL NEW THEORY.

A MICROSCOPIC IRON PARTICLE
ON THE NYLON NETTING

NEXT TO THE PALLET
HAS A UNIQUE PROFILE.

THE AIRFLOW PATTERNS ON THE IRON
SUGGEST THAT IT TRAVELED

AT A VERY HIGH VELOCITY
WHILE IN A MOLTEN STATE.

THE DISCOVERY COULD MEAN THAT
THE FIRE ON THE HELDERBERG

WAS NOT A FLASH FIRE
TRIGGERED BY PACKING MATERIALS.

Bereswill: THIS WAS
A DIFFERENT KIND OF FIRE.

THIS WAS A FIRE THAT WAS,
HAD IT'S OWN OXYGEN.

IF YOU CAN IMAGINE SOMETHING
LIKE A SPARKLER,

WHICH HAS FUEL
AND ITS OWN OXYGEN.

IT WAS SOME KIND OF MATERIAL
SIMILAR TO A SPARKLER

THAT WE FEEL WAS
THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE.

Narrator: A BRITISH
FIRE AND EXPLOSION ANALYST

EXAMINES THE EXTERIOR SKIN
OF THE PLANE ABOVE THE PALLET

AND COMES UP WITH ANOTHER
PIECE OF EVIDENCE

TO SUPPORT THE NEW THEORY.

THE SKIN ON THE OUTSIDE OF
THE PLANE REACHED TEMPERATURES

AS HIGH AS
570 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

Bereswill: YOU MUST REMEMBER
THAT IT'S VERY DIFFICULT

TO BURN THROUGH
AN AIRPLANE SKIN IN FLIGHT,

BECAUSE THE TREMENDOUS AMOUNT
OF COOLING FROM THE AIRFLOW

ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE SKIN.

Narrator: DR. DAVID KLATZOW
IS ONE OF NUMEROUS EXPERTS

WHO QUESTION
WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE.

David Klatzow: IT WOULD HAVE
INVOLVED SUBSTANCES

WHICH NORMALLY WOULD NOT HAVE
BEEN CARRIED ABOARD AN AIRCRAFT,

PARTICULARLY
A PASSENGER AIRCRAFT.

IN OTHER WORDS,
IT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN

A NORMAL PACKING MATERIAL--
WOOD, CARDBOARD, PLASTIC--FIRE.

YOU DON'T CARRY
THE THINGS OF THAT NATURE,

WHICH CARRY THEIR OWN OXYGEN,

WHICH CAN PRODUCE
AN ACCELERATED FIRE,

FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS,

ONE OF WHICH
THEY ARE GENERALLY UNSTABLE.

THE SECOND REASON IS THAT NORMAL
FIRE EXTINGUISHING METHODS

WILL NOT PUT THEM OUT.

Narrator:
WHAT COULD START SUCH A FIRE?

THE ONLY DANGEROUS GOODS
LISTED ON THE CARGO MANIFEST

ARE COMPUTER BATTERIES.

SOME BELIEVE THE HELDERBERG
MUST HAVE BEEN CARRYING CARGO

THAT WASN'T LISTED.

AT THE TIME,
SOUTH AFRICA WAS UNDER

AN INTERNATIONAL ARMS EMBARGO.

THE COUNTRY WAS ALSO FIGHTING
A WAR WITH ANGOLA.

Patta: SOUTH AFRICA
DIDN'T HAVE CAPACITY

TO DO EVERYTHING ITSELF,
AND THERE WERE TIMES

WHEN IT HAD TO BUY
FROM OTHER COUNTRIES.

SAA WAS SEEN AS
A SURROGATE CARGO CARRIER--

THAT THEY COULD SOMEHOW, THROUGH
ITS COMMERCIAL AIRLINE USE,

ALSO BRING IN SUBSTANCES FOR
THE SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENT

UNDERCOVER, UNDER PROTECTION,
NO QUESTIONS ASKED.

Klatzow: IT WAS NOT THAT EASY
FOR THEM TO FLY

A QUASI-MILITARY AIRLINE
INTO DIFFERENT COUNTRIES

AND PICK UP MILITARY CONTRABAND,
WHICH YOU MUST REMEMBER

WE WERE LABORING UNDER
AN ARMS EMBARGO AT THE TIME.

Narrator: THE MEDIA FUELS
THE FLAMES OF SUSPICION

THAT THE GOVERNMENT
WAS USING PASSENGER JETS

TO SECRETLY IMPORT WEAPONS.

ARMSCOR IS THE CORPORATION
RESPONSIBLE FOR SUPPLYING

THE SOUTH AFRICAN FORCES
WITH MUNITIONS.

Klatzow: AT THE TIME,
THERE WAS A NEED TO PRODUCE

A BETTER ROCKET SYSTEM,
A MORE EFFICIENT ROCKET SYSTEM

FOR DEALING WITH
THE AIR MENACE IN ANGOLA.

AND THE ROCKETRY SYSTEMS WHICH
ARE USED FOR THOSE PURPOSES

HAVE AS THEIR PROPELLANT,
THE MAJOR COMPONENT

OF THE PROPELLANT IS
AMMONIUM PERCHLORATE,

AND THAT IS WHAT I BELIEVE
WAS BEING CARRIED

ABOARD THE HELDERBERG.

BUT IT IS NOT
THE SORT OF COMPOUND

YOU WANT ON AN AIRCRAFT WHEN
YOU ARE FLYING ON THAT AIRCRAFT,

BECAUSE IT IS UNSTABLE, IT IS
SUSCEPTIBLE TO SELF-IGNITION

BY ANY KIND OF VIBRATION
AND VIOLENT MOVEMENT.

Narrator: THE OFFICIAL
INVESTIGATION INTO THE CRASH

DOES NOT COME TO THE CONCLUSION

THAT THE HELDERBERG
WAS CARRYING ILLEGAL ARMS.

YET DARK RUMORS PERSIST
FAR INTO THE FUTURE.

Narrator:
THE HELDERBERG ACCIDENT REVEALED
THAT THE EARLY 747 COMBI

WAS VULNERABLE IN THE EVENT
OF AN ONBOARD FIRE.

SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS
IMMEDIATELY STOPS USING

THE 747-200 COMBI MODEL,
AND AMERICAN OFFICIALS DEVELOP

NEW REGULATIONS
FOR THE AIRCRAFT.

EVENTUALLY, THE COMBI 200s
ARE REPLACED

WITH NEWLY DESIGNED
747-400 MODELS.

Bereswill: AND THE FAA
WENT THROUGH AND DEVELOPED

SOME NEW REGULATIONS, BUT FOR
THE WEIGHT AND EVERYTHING

THAT WAS GOING TO BE
HAVE TO BE ADDED IN THERE

DID NOT MAKE IT
AN ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE.

AND SO ESSENTIALLY AFTER
THE HELDERBERG ACCIDENT,

747 COMBIS WERE
NOT USED ANYMORE.

Narrator: THERE ARE TRIBUTES AND
MEMORIALS TO THE 159 VICTIMS,

BUT CLOSURE DOES NOT COME EASILY
FOR THE FAMILIES.

Van der Walt: I NEED AN ANSWER
FOR WHY I WAS ORPHANED AT 14.

AND I FEEL THAT, AS I SAY I'M
PROBABLY TOUCHING ON HEARSAY,

BUT THERE'S A LOT,
A LOT OF EVIDENCE

THAT DOES POINT TO SOMETHING
NOT BEING RIGHT ON THAT FLIGHT,

AND THAT THE FLIGHT WAS CARRYING
SOMETHING ILLICIT.

Narrator: 10 YEARS AFTER
THE HELDERBERG CRASH,

THE NEW SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENT

LAUNCHES A COMMISSION
TO RE-EXAMINE THE ACCIDENT.

Desmond Tutu: OKAY.

Patta: THE TRUTH COMMISSION WAS
TASKED WITH BASICALLY UNCOVERING

THE TRUTH ABOUT
APARTHEID ATROCITIES,

AND ONE OF THE AREAS
IT WAS TASKED TO LOOK AT

WAS THE ROLE OF THE SAA
IN SANCTIONS BUSTING

DURING THE '80s, AND WHETHER
OR NOT THE HELDERBERG

WAS A FREAK ACCIDENT OR NOT.

Narrator: IN 1998, THE TRUTH
AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION

MAKES A CONTROVERSIAL
CONCLUSION.

NAMELY, THAT NOTHING THAT WAS
LISTED IN THE CARGO MANIFEST

COULD HAVE CAUSED THE FIRE.

Patta: AND THE TRUTH COMMISSION
RECOMMENDED

THAT THERE WAS
SOMETHING UNTOWARD

ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED
TO THE HELDERBERG.

Klatzow: THE TRUTH AND
RECONCILIATION COMMISSION

EXPOSED THE IMPROBABILITIES
OF THE GOVERNMENT VERSION

AS TO WHAT HAD HAPPENED.

Narrator: IF NOTHING
IN THE CARGO INVENTORY

COULD HAVE CAUSED THE FIRE,
WHAT DID?

AND HOW DID IT GET ON BOARD?

Van Zyl:
THE REALITY, UNFORTUNATELY,

IS THAT UNLESS SOMEBODY TODAY
COMES UP AND SAYS,

"YES, I DID THIS," OR "YES,
WE WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS,"

AND YOU CAN PROVE THEM
NOT TO BE INVOLVED IN A HOAX,

THAT WILL BE POSSIBLY
THE ONLY TIME IN WHICH

WE WILL REALLY KNOW
WHAT HAD HAPPENED IN AND CAUSED,

WAS THE SOURCE
OF IGNITION OF THE FIRE.

Narrator: IN ITS FINAL REPORT,
THE COMMISSION SUGGESTS

THAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S
OFFICE

CONTINUE TO INVESTIGATE
THE ACCIDENT.

Patta: BUT SURPRISINGLY,
THAT HAS NEVER HAPPENED.

THE ANC-LED GOVERNMENT
HASN'T PURSUED THAT.

AND OF COURSE WE HAVE
TO ASK OURSELVES, WHY?

AND I THINK THAT THE ANSWER LIES
IN WHAT MANY PEOPLE BELIEVE,

IS THAT IT'S JUST GOING
TO BE TOO COSTLY.

Klatzow: THEY DON'T WANT
TO OPEN IT FOR THE SIMPLE REASON

THAT IT WOULD BE FINANCIALLY
DISASTROUS FOR THE AIRLINE.

Narrator: RENNIE VAN ZYL
DEVOTED YEARS OF HIS LIFE

TO SOLVING THE MYSTERY
OF THE HELDERBERG.

HIS INABILITY TO DEFINITELY
PROVE THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE

DOES NOT STOP HIM
FROM SEEING THE BENEFIT

OF HIS INVESTIGATION.

Van Zyl:
I BELIEVE THAT WE, AS A TEAM,

HAD DONE THE BEST THAT WE COULD

UNDER EXTREME CHALLENGING
CONDITIONS AND CIRCUMSTANCES.

WHAT WE HAD DONE
HAD NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE,

IT WAS PIONEERING WORK.

THE FRUSTRATION IS
WE COULD NOT ESTABLISH

THE SOURCE OF IGNITION,

AND WE WILL PROBABLY NEVER KNOW.

Van der Walt: I BELIEVE THAT
THOSE PEOPLE ARE STILL OUT THERE

THAT KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED
TO THAT AIRCRAFT.

I KNOW THAT THE THOUGHT
PROCESSES AT THE TIME WERE,

OUR COUNTRY WAS AT WAR,

AND THEY WERE DOING THEIR DUTY
FOR THEIR COUNTRY.

BUT I JUST FEEL THAT
THEY SHOULD HAVE A HEART

FOR THE FAMILIES
AND BRING OUT THAT INFORMATION.