All language subtitles for Air.Disasters.S01E05.Dead.Weight.1080p.SMIT.WEB-DL.AAC2.0.H.264-maldini_track4_[eng]

Narrator: MORNING RUSH HOUR,
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA.

ITS BUSY AIRPORT IS ROCKED
BY A MASSIVE EXPLOSION.

Man: THE FLAMES WERE COMING OVER
THE FENCE, JUST TOTAL CRAZINESS,

EVERYBODY WAS JUST RUNNING
FOR THEIR LIVES.

Narrator:
FIREFIGHTERS RUSH TO ONE
OF THE AIRPORT'S MAIN HANGARS.

THEY CONFRONT AN INFERNO.

Woman: IT WAS QUITE A WHILE

BEFORE WE REALIZED A PLANE
HAD HIT THE HANGAR.

Narrator: A PACKED COMMUTER
FLIGHT HAS PLUNGED TO THE GROUND

SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF.

EVERYONE ON BOARD IS KILLED.

Woman: WE KEPT SCRATCHING
OUR HEAD WONDERING,

OKAY, THIS AIRPLANE FLEW
NINE TIMES PREVIOUSLY,

AND WE HAD NO PROBLEMS.

Narrator:
INVESTIGATORS UNCOVER
A STRING OF ERRORS...

Woman: BILL, I HAVE AN IDEA.

Narrator: ...AND LEARN THAT
PASSENGERS ON SMALL PLANES

HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN
IN DANGER FOR YEARS.

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: IT'S MORNING
ON JANUARY 8, 2003,

IN CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA.

A CITY OF HALF A MILLION PEOPLE
IS WAKING UP.

AT CHARLOTTE DOUGLAS
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT,

COMMERCIAL AIRLINE PILOT CAPTAIN
KATIE LESLIE IS AT WORK EARLY.

ONLY 25 YEARS OLD,
THIS TEXAS NATIVE

HAS BEEN FLYING FOR AIR MIDWEST
FOR ALMOST THREE YEARS.

ONE OF THE YOUNGEST FLIGHT
CAPTAINS AT HER AIRLINE...

Katie Leslie:
HEY, TOM, HAVE A GREAT FLIGHT.

Narrator: SHE'S A TOP-RATED
PILOT BUILDING HER CAREER

AT ONE OF THE FASTEST-GROWING
AIRPORTS IN THE UNITED STATES.

THIS AIRPORT IS AN IMPORTANT
DOMESTIC HUB FOR U.S. AIRWAYS,

WITH FLIGHTS
TO MOST MAJOR CITIES

IN THE EASTERN UNITED STATES.

AIR MIDWEST RUNS A COMMUTER
SERVICE AS U.S. AIRWAYS EXPRESS.

IT OPERATES A FLEET OF
BEECHCRAFT 1900-D PLANES--

A 19-PASSENGER
SHORT HAUL COMMUTER PLANE

AND A TRUSTED WORKHORSE
IN THE INDUSTRY.

TODAY, CAPTAIN LESLIE IS
IN COMMAND OF A 1900-D,

ON A 30-MINUTE HOP TO
GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG AIRPORT

IN GREER, SOUTH CAROLINA.

HER CO-PILOT IS
27-YEAR-OLD JONATHAN GIBBS.

Jonathan Gibbs:
HOW'D YOU SLEEP LAST NIGHT?

Leslie: HAD A DREAM
I WAS IN MIAMI.

Narrator: AMONG THE PASSENGERS
FLYING TO GREER THIS MORNING,

18-YEAR-OLD CHRISTIANA SHEPHERD.

CHRISTIANA'S PARENTS,
DOUG AND TEREASA,

ARE BAPTIST MISSIONARIES WORKING
IN THE PORTUGUESE AZORES.

Tereasa Shepherd: CHRISTIANA
LEFT THE 7th OF JANUARY

FROM THE AZORES, SPENT THE NIGHT
IN THE AIRPORT IN BOSTON,

AND THEN FLEW THE NEXT MORNING

ON THE EARLY FLIGHT FROM BOSTON
TO CHARLOTTE TO GREENVILLE.

SO SHE WAS ON HER WAY
BACK TO COLLEGE.

Doug Shepherd:
CHRISTIANA WAS VERY SPECIAL,

AND SHE WAS ONE THAT WOULD
COME UP AND GIVE YOU A HUG,

AND SAY, YOU KNOW,
SHE'D COME FOR NO REASON,

WOULD GIVE YOU A HUG, AND SAY,
"DAD, I LOVE YOU."

Narrator:
AT 8:00 IN THE MORNING,

CHRISTIANA BOARDS HER FLIGHT.

MEANWHILE, AS PART OF
THEIR STANDARD CHECKLIST

BEFORE TAKEOFF, THE CREW
CALCULATES THE WEIGHT

OF ALL THE BAGGAGE, PASSENGERS,
AND FUEL ON THE PLANE.

THAT'S TO MAKE SURE THE PLANE
ISN'T OVERWEIGHT,

AND THE WEIGHT IS SPREAD EVENLY.

IT'S A CALCULATION THAT'S MADE
ON ALL COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT.

Gibbs: SO, WE GOT A FULL HOUSE
BACK THERE?

Leslie: YOU CAN COUNT
19 PEOPLE IN THE BACK,

DON'T KNOW THE BAGS YET.

Gibbs: OKAY.

Narrator: BUT BAGGAGE HANDLERS
RAISE CONCERNS

THAT THE LUGGAGE THEY'RE LOADING
MAY BE TOO HEAVY.

Worker: DAMN!

CAPTAIN, HOW MANY WE GOT
TO TAKE OFF?

Leslie: WE'RE FIGURING IT OUT.

WE DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING
TO HAVE TO TAKE ANYTHING OFF.

Gibbs: COOL, 17,018.

Leslie:
17,120 IS OUR WEIGHT, HUH?

Gibbs: YEAH, IS OUR MAX.

Leslie: SO, WE'RE COOL?

Gibbs: SO, YEAH.

Narrator: BEFORE TAKEOFF THE
CREW CHECKS THE FLIGHT CONTROLS,

INCLUDING THE RUDDER
AND ELEVATOR,

WHICH HELP CONTROL
THE DIRECTION OF THE PLANE.

Gibbs: FLIGHT CONTROLS,
FREE AND CORRECT.

Controller: AIR MIDWEST 5481,
RUNWAY 18 RIGHT,

TAXI INTO POSITION AND HOLD.

Narrator: CAPTAIN LESLIE
IS MOMENTS FROM TAKEOFF.

ON THE RUNWAY AHEAD OF THEM
IS A BOMBARDIER CRJ

READY FOR DEPARTURE.

Gibbs: THAT CRJ SURE IS
A GOOD-LOOKING PLANE, ISN'T IT?

Leslie: YEAH,
WISH I WAS FLYING IT.

Narrator:
WITH POWERFUL TURBULENCE
RELEASED FROM THE CRJ,

CAPTAIN LESLIE MUST KEEP
A SAFE DISTANCE.

Gibbs: THEY'RE GONNA BLAST US
WITH HIS JET BLASTS.

Controller: AIR MIDWEST 5481,
TURN RIGHT HEADING 230.

CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF.

Leslie:
SET TAKEOFF POWER, PLEASE.

Gibbs: POWER IS SET.

80 KNOTS, CROSS-CHECK.

Narrator: AT 80 KNOTS,
PILOTS CHECK

THAT KEY INSTRUMENTS
ARE WORKING.

WITH NO SIGNS OF TROUBLE,

LESLIE AND GIBBS PROCEED
WITH THEIR TAKEOFF.

TO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL,

FLIGHT 5481's TAKEOFF ROLL
IS PERFECTLY NORMAL.

Leslie: GEAR UP.

Gibbs: WHAT?

Leslie: OH!

Narrator: BUT WITHOUT WARNING,

THE PLANE'S NOSE PITCHES
DRAMATICALLY UPWARD FROM SEVEN,

TO A STAGGERING 54 DEGREES.

Leslie: OH, HELP ME!

YOU GOT IT?

Gibbs: I'M TRYING!

Narrator: THE CREW STRUGGLES
TO GET THE NOSE BACK DOWN AGAIN.

AIRFLOW OVER THE TOP OF
THE WINGS CREATES LIFT.

BUT IF THE NOSE KEEPS RISING,

AIR WON'T FLOW SMOOTHLY
OVER THE PLANE'S WINGS.

THE PLANE WILL LOSE ITS LIFT,
STALL, AND PLUNGE FROM THE SKY.

Leslie: PUSH THE NOSE DOWN!

OH, MY GOD.

WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY
FOR AIR MIDWEST 5481!

Controller: ALERT THREE STANDBY,
RUNWAY 18 RIGHT.

Narrator: THE CONTROLLER
HANDLING FLIGHT 5481

CALLS FOR EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT.

Leslie: OH, MY GOD.

Narrator: THE PLANE IS NOW JUST
1,150 FEET FROM THE GROUND.

IT STALLS, ROLLS TO THE LEFT,
AND BEGINS FALLING FROM THE SKY.

CAPTAIN LESLIE PULLS
ON HER CONTROL COLUMN

WITH ALL HER MIGHT.

IF SHE CAN'T GET
THE PLANE TO CLIMB,

SHE'S GOING TO HIT THE GROUND.

Narrator:
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS WATCH
AS A 19-PASSENGER PLANE

PLUNGES TOWARD THE EARTH.

CAPTAIN KATIE LESLIE
STRUGGLES DESPERATELY

TO GET HER PLANE TO CLIMB,
BUT IT WON'T RESPOND.

THE PLANE HEADS TOWARDS
A PACKED U.S. AIRWAYS HANGAR.

THE FLIGHT WAS LOADED
WITH ALMOST 2,200 POUNDS

OF HIGHLY FLAMMABLE JET FUEL
JUST BEFORE TAKEOFF.

THE FUEL IGNITES ON IMPACT.

NOW THE INTENSE FIRE THREATENS
TO ENGULF THE HANGAR.

THERE ARE SEVERAL AIRPLANES

AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE
WORKING INSIDE.

[TELEPHONE RINGS]

Man: FIRE STATION.

Woman: EMERGENCY--
A PLANE JUST CRASHED...

Man: AND THE PLANE JUST CRASHED?

Woman: YES, AT THE U.S. AIRWAYS
MAINTENANCE.

FRONT END'S TOWARDS
THE BUILDING, THERE'S A FIRE.

Man: WE GOT A CODE 10 HERE,

AIRCRAFT CRASHED AT
THE SOUTH END OF RUNWAY 36 LEFT.

I REPEAT, A CONFIRMED
AIRCRAFT CRASH ON FIRE.

Narrator: 38-YEAR-OLD FIRE CHIEF
KEITH ROGERS IS DRIVING TO WORK

WHEN HE GETS A CODE 10 CALL.

Keith Rogers:
A CODE 10 MEANS THAT THERE'S
A CONFIRMED PLANE CRASH.

AND USUALLY THIS TYPE OF CALL

IS A ONCE-IN-A-CAREER
TYPE OF INCIDENT.

[SIRENS]

Narrator: CINDY OVERCASH
IS A FIREFIGHTER

WITH THE CHARLOTTE
FIRE DEPARTMENT.

Cindy Overcash: YOU COULDN'T
ACTUALLY SEE THE HANGAR

FROM HERE, BUT YOU JUST SAW
A HUGE BLACK PLUME OF SMOKE,

AND WE KNEW, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING
REALLY BAD IS HERE.

Radio: CODE 10 AT THE AIRPORT...

BATTALION ONE, BATTALION TWO...

Narrator:
IN THE ADJACENT BUILDING,

SALES DIRECTOR DAVID ISOLA
HEARS THE EXPLOSION.

David Isola:
I WAS SITTING AT MY DESK,

AND I HEARD THIS LOUD BOOM.

AND ONE OF THE GUYS
CAME IN FROM NEXT DOOR,

AND SAID THAT HE JUST SAW
AN AIRPLANE CRASH.

AND SO I HOPPED IN MY TRUCK
AND DROVE DOWN TO THE SITE.

IT LOOKED JUST LIKE HELL.

THE FLAMES WERE COMING OVER
THE FENCE, JUST TOTAL CRAZINESS,

EVERYBODY WAS JUST RUNNING
FOR THEIR LIVES.

[SIRENS]

Narrator:
WHEN CHIEF KEITH ROGERS
ARRIVES AT THE SCENE,

HE FINDS HIMSELF SWIMMING
UPSTREAM AGAINST A MOB IN PANIC.

Rogers: AS I GOT ONTO
THE AIRPORT PROPERTY,

AND GOT ONTO THE TARMAC, THE
PEOPLE WERE EXITING THE HANGAR.

THOSE PEOPLE WERE RUNNING
OUT IN FRONT OF THE FIRE TRUCKS,

THE FIRE CARS,
THEY WOULD DRIVE WITH CAUTION.

THEY WERE GETTING OUT OF THE
BUILDING AS FAST AS THEY COULD.

I THINK THEY DEFINITELY REALIZED
THAT THIS WAS NOT A DRILL,

THIS WAS A REAL EMERGENCY.

Overcash: AND WE STILL
WEREN'T SURE IF WE HAD A PLANE

INSIDE THE HANGAR
THAT HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE,

OR IF THE HANGAR
HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE.

IT WAS QUITE A WHILE
BEFORE WE REALIZED

A PLANE HAD HIT THE HANGAR.

Narrator: CHIEF ROGERS
IMMEDIATELY TAKES COMMAND

OF THE SCENE.

HE KNOWS THAT THERE ARE AIRCRAFT

PARKED INSIDE
THE FLAMING HANGAR.

THEIR FUEL TANKS
THREATEN TO BLOW.

Rogers:
AND OUR CONCERN WAS ONE--

ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT WERE
ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT,

TWO--FOR THE PEOPLE THAT
WERE WORKING IN THE HANGAR,

AND THREE--WE HAD TO WORRY
ABOUT THE AIRPLANES

THAT WERE IN FOR REPAIR,
WERE THOSE AIRCRAFT ON FIRE?

SO WE HAD A LOT OF MAJOR ISSUES
TO DEAL WITH.

Narrator: WITHIN MINUTES,

FIREFIGHTERS BEGIN TO GET
THE INFERNO UNDER CONTROL.

THE HOPE NOW IS THAT
SOMEWHERE INSIDE THE WRECK,

SURVIVORS ARE CLINGING TO LIFE.

CHIEF ROGERS SENDS
A LINE OF FIREFIGHTERS

LED BY CINDY OVERCASH
INTO THE HEART OF THE INFERNO.

Overcash: AS WE WALK UP
ON THE SCENE, THE FIRE,

AND WE SEE THE--WHAT WE THINK
ARE CRASH-TEST DUMMIES.

WE THOUGHT A PLANE
HAD BLOWN UP INSIDE

AND BLEW THEIR
TRAINING DUMMIES OUT.

AND THEN IT DAWNED ON ME--

UH-UH, THAT'S NOT
A TRAINING DUMMY.

Rogers:
IT TOOK THEM A FEW MINUTES

TO DETERMINE EXACTLY
WHAT WAS HAPPENING.

AND ONCE THEY DID THAT,

IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT
THERE WERE NO SURVIVORS.

Narrator: IT IS A TOTAL LOSS.

ALL 19 PASSENGERS,

AS WELL AS CAPTAIN LESLIE AND
FIRST OFFICER GIBBS, ARE DEAD.

Man: AT ABOUT 8:53 THIS MORNING,
WE HAD AN AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT.

IT HAD 19 PASSENGERS AND 2 CREW.
THERE ARE NO SURVIVORS.

Rogers: WE HOPE THAT WE NEVER
HAVE TO RESPOND TO A SITUATION

WITH SUCH A LARGE LOSS OF LIFE,
BUT THAT IS OUR JOB.

THIS IS SOME OF THE MOST
DIFFICULT DUTY AND TASK

THAT A FIREFIGHTER WILL EVER DO
IN THEIR CAREER.

Narrator:
FOR MEDICS AND RESCUE WORKERS,
THE ORDEAL IS OVER.

BUT FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY
OF THE VICTIMS,

THE ANGUISH HAS JUST BEGUN.

T. Shepherd: I WAS WALKING
THROUGH THE LIVING ROOM,

AND I STOPPED AND SAID--

MY HEART'S BEATING RIGHT NOW
JUST THE WAY IT WAS THEN--

I SAID, HAS CHRISTIANA
CALLED YET?

SHE SAID NO.

OKAY, AND I KNEW THEN
WHAT HAD HAPPENED.

I JUST--I KNEW.

SO I WENT AND GOT THE TELEPHONE
AND CALLED THE SCHOOL.

HE SAID, "YES, MRS. SHEPHERD,
WE HAVE SOME SAD NEWS."

AND HE TOLD ME THAT THE PLANE
HAD CRASHED ON TAKEOFF.

I ASKED IF THERE WERE
ANY SURVIVORS, HE SAID NO.

SO THEN I KNEW I HAD TO GO TELL
DOUG, AND HE WAS IN THE GARAGE.

D. Shepherd: IT'S SOMETHING
YOU NEVER FORGET ABOUT.

I WAS CHANGING
A FLUORESCENT BULB,

AND TEREASA CAME
TO THE DOORWAY...

T. Shepherd:
HOW DO YOU SAY THAT?

WHAT WORD--YOU USE WORDS
EVERY SINGLE DAY.

HOW CAN YOU USE WORDS...

TO RUIN SOMEONE'S LIFE?

BUT I TOLD HIM.

I SAID, "DOUG,
CHRISTIANA'S PLANE CRASHED."

D. Shepherd: AT THAT MOMENT
MY WORLD FELL APART.

Narrator:
NOW, THE SHEPHERDS AND THE
FAMILIES OF THE OTHER 20 VICTIMS

WANT TO KNOW WHAT CAUSED
THE DEATH OF THEIR LOVED ONES.

Narrator: AT THE CRASH SCENE,
THE INVESTIGATION BEGINS.

WITH NO SURVIVORS TO RESCUE,

NEITHER BODIES
NOR AIRPLANE PARTS ARE MOVED

FROM WHERE THEY FELL UNTIL
THE ARRIVAL OF INVESTIGATORS

FROM THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION
SAFETY BOARD.

WHILE MEDICAL EXAMINERS
MARK THE LOCATION

OF HUMAN REMAINS IN RED,

NTSB INVESTIGATORS MARK
SCRAPS OF METAL IN YELLOW,

LOOKING FOR CLUES TO
WHAT CAUSED THE CRASH.

AMONG THOSE ASSIGNED
TO THIS CASE,

LEAD INVESTIGATOR LORINDA WARD.

IT'S HER FIRST ASSIGNMENT AS THE
LEAD INVESTIGATOR OF A CRASH.

Lorinda Ward: I CHECKED IN
WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT

TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FIRES
HAD BEEN PUT OUT.

AND THEN CALLED A MEETING
WITH ALL THE FIRST RESPONDERS

TO SEE WHAT THEY HAD NOTICED

WHEN THEY CAME
TO THE CRASH SITE.

Narrator: WARD ACTS FAST.

BECAUSE THERE ARE BODIES
ENTANGLED WITH THE WRECKAGE,

SHE DECLARES THE CRASH SITE
A POTENTIAL BIOHAZARD.

INVESTIGATORS WHO MIGHT COME
IN CONTACT WITH THE WRECKAGE

MUST WEAR PROTECTIVE SUITS
WHILE THEY EXAMINE THE WRECK

AND IDENTIFY
THE VICTIMS' REMAINS.

WHILE WORK CONTINUES
AT THE CRASH SITE...

Narrator: ...LORINDA WARD AND
HER TEAM LOOK FOR CLUES NEARBY.

Ward: WE HAD THE FOLKS
GO SHOULDER TO SHOULDER

ON THE RUNWAY THAT
THE ACCIDENT CREW TOOK OFF ON

TO PICK UP ANYTHING THAT
THEY SAW ON THE RUNWAY

TO SEE IF IT HAD ANY RELEVANCE
TO THE ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION.

Narrator: RUNWAYS MUST BE CLEAR
OF ALL DEBRIS.

THE SMALLEST OBJECT CAN BECOME
A DEADLY PROJECTILE

IF IT STRIKES A PLANE
ON TAKEOFF.

THREE YEARS EARLIER,
A CONCORDE JET RAN OVER

A 40-CENTIMETER STRIP OF
SCRAP METAL ON A PARIS RUNWAY.

THE PLANE'S FUEL TANK WAS
PIERCED AND CAUGHT FIRE.

THE AIRCRAFT ROSE TO 200 METERS

BEFORE IT CRASHED
INTO A NEARBY HOTEL.

109 PEOPLE ON BOARD AND 4 PEOPLE
ON THE GROUND WERE KILLED.

AT CHARLOTTE DOUGLAS
INTERNATIONAL,

INVESTIGATORS SCOUR THE AREA.

THEY FIND A FUEL CAP LYING
DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO THE RUNWAY.

Ward: WHAT DO YOU GOT?

IT COULD BE SUCKED IN,
AND IT COULD DAMAGE AN ENGINE.

THE MAIN PART WOULD BE

THE DAMAGE THAT IT CAN DO
TO AN ENGINE.

Narrator: THE DISCOVERY RAISES
AN INTERESTING POSSIBILITY.

AS FLIGHT 5481 RACED DOWN
THE RUNWAY AT TAKEOFF,

THE FUEL CAP COULD HAVE
BOUNCED UP OFF THE TARMAC,

STRUCK THE ENGINE ROTORS,

AND BROUGHT CAPTAIN LESLIE'S
AIRCRAFT CRASHING TO EARTH.

Ward: THIS WAS TO BE BROUGHT
BACK TO SEE IF IT HAD

ANY RELEVANCE TO
THE ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION.

WHETHER IT CAME OFF THE AIRPLANE
ITSELF, OR IF IT COULD HAVE DONE

SOME TYPE OF DAMAGE
TO THE AIRPLANE.

Narrator: A CLOSER EXAMINATION
LEADS WARD AND HER TEAM

TO CONCLUDE THAT THE FUEL CAP

COULD NOT HAVE INTERFERED
WITH THE PROPELLERS.

NOW NTSB AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL
INVESTIGATOR BILL ENGLISH

EXPLORES ANOTHER SCENARIO.

Bill English: WHEN WE FIRST
HEARD ABOUT THE ACCIDENT,

IT LOOKED LIKE THERE MIGHT BE
THE POSSIBILITY

THAT WE'D WANT TO LOOK AT
A WAKE TURBULENCE ENCOUNTER.

Narrator: THE WINGS OF
A FAST-MOVING JET

DISTURB THE AIR AROUND THEM,

CREATING A TRAIL OF
VIOLENTLY SWIRLING AIR.

NASA TESTS DECADES EARLIER HAD
ILLUSTRATED THE POWER AND DANGER

OF WAKE TURBULENCE
TO OTHER PLANES.

BILL ENGLISH EXAMINES
RADAR RECORDS

FROM THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

HE LEARNS THAT A MUCH HEAVIER
BOMBARDIER REGIONAL JET, A CRJ,

TOOK OFF MOMENTS
BEFORE THE BEECH.

Gibbs: THAT CRJ SURE IS
A GOOD-LOOKING PLANE, ISN'T IT?

Leslie:
YEAH, WISH I WAS FLYING IT.

English: THE WAKE TURBULENCE
IS GENERATED

FROM THE WING TIPS
OF ANY AIRPLANE.

AS SOON AS IT STARTS
TO LIFT OFF THE GROUND,

IT MAKES WHAT PEOPLE SOMETIMES
CALL HORIZONTAL TORNADOES--

VORTEXES OF AIR THAT CAN CREATE
HAZARDOUS TURBULENCE.

Controller: RUNWAY 18 RIGHT,
TAXI INTO POSITION...

English: AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS
DO HAVE STANDARD PROCEDURES

FOR SPACING OUT AIRPLANES,
SO THAT THEY HAVE A CHANCE

TO AVOID THE WAKE TURBULENCE,
OR LET THE WAKE DISSIPATE.

Narrator: ONE YEAR EARLIER,
AN AMERICAN AIRLINES JET

TAKING OFF FROM NEW YORK
ENCOUNTERED WAKE TURBULENCE.

THE PLANE CRASHED INTO
A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.

260 PEOPLE ON THE PLANE

AND FIVE PEOPLE ON THE GROUND
WERE KILLED.

Gibbs: THEY'RE GONNA BLAST US
WITH HIS JET BLASTS.

Controller: AIR MIDWEST 5481,
CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF.

Leslie: OH!

Narrator:
INVESTIGATOR BILL ENGLISH
STUDIES THE FLIGHT PATH

OF CAPTAIN LESLIE'S PLANE
AND FINDS IT CONSISTENT

WITH A PLANE FLYING
INTO WAKE TURBULENCE.

English:
PITCH-UP IS NOT UNHEARD OF
IN A WAKE TURBULENCE ENCOUNTER,

WHERE THE AIRPLANE
WILL SUDDENLY GO NOSE UP,

AND THE CREW HAS TROUBLE
TO COUNTER THAT

AND GET THE NOSE
BACK WHERE IT BELONGS.

Narrator: ENGLISH NEEDS TO KNOW
HOW CLOSE THE AIR MIDWEST FLIGHT

GOT TO THE LARGER JET.

CHARLOTTE TOWER'S
COMPUTER TRACKING SYSTEM

PROVIDES HIM WITH
THE PRECISE LOCATION

OF THE PLANES AT LIFTOFF--AND HE
MAKES A TELLING DISCOVERY.

THE SYSTEM GAVE
BILL ENGLISH HIS ANSWER.

EVEN THOUGH BOTH PLANES
USED THE SAME RUNWAY,

THEIR PATHS NEVER CROSSED.

English: THE RJ STARTED LIFTING
OFF MUCH FARTHER DOWN THE RUNWAY

THAN THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE DID,

AND THE CLIMB OUT ANGLE
OF THE REGIONAL JET,

AND THE CLIMB OUT ANGLE OF
THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE

NEVER INTERSECTED.

SO, IF OUR AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF

AND CLIMBED ABOVE THE ANGLE
OF THE PREVIOUS AIRPLANE,

WE KNEW THEN THAT IT COULDN'T
POSSIBLY BE A FACTOR.

Narrator: THE WAKE VORTEX THEORY
IS RULED OUT,

AND BILL ENGLISH'S WORK IS DONE.

NOW IT'S UP TO WARD
AND HER CREW TO FIND CLUES

IN THE BURNT-OUT WRECKAGE
OF THE PLANE.

WITHIN TWO DAYS
HER INVESTIGATION WILL REVEAL

A STRING OF ERRORS
AND FAULTY ASSUMPTIONS

THAT HAD BEEN PUTTING
TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PASSENGERS

AT RISK FOR YEARS.

Narrator:
WITHIN HOURS OF THE CRASH,

INVESTIGATORS FIND
THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER

AND FLIGHT DATA RECORDER
FROM AIR MIDWEST FLIGHT 5481.

THE RECORDERS ARE DESIGNED
TO WITHSTAND TEMPERATURES

OF UP TO
2,000 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

IN THIS CRASH,
PARTS OF THE VOICE RECORDER

HAD ACTUALLY MELTED.

THE DEVICES ARE PHOTOGRAPHED
AND SENT FOR ANALYSIS.

THEN, AMONG THE TONS OF DEBRIS
ON THE GROUND,

INVESTIGATORS DISCOVER
THE SHREDDED REMAINS

OF THE ELEVATOR CONTROL CABLES.

VITAL TO FLIGHT CONTROL,
THESE CABLES LINK

THE PILOT'S CONTROL COLUMNS
TO THE FLIGHT ELEVATOR--

AN AERODYNAMIC PANEL THAT HELPS
PILOTS CLIMB AND DESCEND.

TURNBUCKLES KEEP
THE CABLES TAUT.

TO CLIMB,
PILOTS PULL ON THE COLUMN--

THE CABLES PULL THE ELEVATOR UP,
FORCING THE NOSE TO RISE.

TO DESCEND, PILOTS PUSH
ON THE CONTROL COLUMN.

THE CABLES TILT THE ELEVATOR
DOWN, AND THE NOSE FALLS.

BUT AS INVESTIGATORS EXAMINE THE
BURNT-OUT CABLES AND TURNBUCKLES

ON CAPTAIN LESLIE'S PLANE,
ALREADY SOMETHING LOOKS WRONG.

Ward: THEY LOOKED UNUSUAL, THEY
WEREN'T IN THE NORMAL POSITION

THAT YOU WOULD FIND THEM.

IN THIS CASE, WE HAD ONE
ADJUSTED ALL THE WAY OUT,

AND THEN ONE ADJUSTED
ALL THE WAY IN.

SO THOSE WERE SET ASIDE
FOR US TO LOOK AT LATER.

Narrator:
WHILE THE LAB WORK CONTINUES,

NTSB INVESTIGATOR
STEPHEN CARBONE

TRAVELS TO HUNTINGTON, VIRGINIA.

HE INTERVIEWS MECHANICS
WHO WORKED ON THE PLANE

THE DAY BEFORE THE CRASH.

Stephen Carbone: AT THE TIME,
WE HAD KNOWN THAT IT HAD JUST

COME OUT OF A DETAIL CHECK,
WHICH IS A ROUTINE CHECK.

AND KNOWING THAT, WE WERE
LOOKING INTO THE POSSIBILITY

THAT SOMETHING HAD BEEN DONE
DURING THE CHECK

THAT NEEDED TO BE LOOKED AT FROM
AN INVESTIGATION POINT OF VIEW.

Supervisor:
THE CABLES NEEDED SERVICING.

MY GUY WROTE UP A SERVICE ORDER,
AND I PUT HIM ON IT.

DON'T FORGET THE MANUAL.

Mechanic: GOT IT.

Narrator:
EVERY 1,200 FLIGHT HOURS,

AIR MIDWEST PLANES GO IN
FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WORK.

THIS INCLUDES
ADJUSTING THE CABLES

THAT CONTROL
THE PLANE'S ELEVATOR.

Carbone: IN THE PROCESS
OF DOING THIS CHECK,

HE FOUND THAT,
THE MECHANIC HAD FOUND

THAT THE CABLES WERE OUT OF
LIMITS, SO HE HAD WRITTEN UP

THAT HE WAS GOING TO CHECK
THE CABLE TENSIONS,

AND THEN ADJUST THEM
AS PER THE MANUAL.

Narrator:
THE MECHANICS TELL CARBONE

THAT THE WORK WAS CHECKED AND
STAMPED FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE.

Carbone: THEY BELIEVED THAT
THE AIRCRAFT WAS PROPERLY RIGGED

AS PER THE MANUAL.

Narrator: AT FIRST GLANCE, THAT
BELIEF APPEARS TO BE RIGHT.

AFTER MAINTENANCE, THIS BEECH
AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF AND LANDED

NINE TIMES WITHOUT INCIDENT

BEFORE CAPTAIN LESLIE
TOOK THE HELM.

INVESTIGATORS TURN TO
THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER

TO LEARN WHAT HAPPENED
ON THOSE FLIGHTS.

THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER STORES
DATA FROM NUMEROUS FLIGHTS,

BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER THE
PLANE'S CABLES WERE ADJUSTED.

NO ONE ON ANY OF THOSE FLIGHTS
HAD ENCOUNTERED PROBLEMS

WITH THE PLANE'S ELEVATOR.

Ward: SO AT THE TIME WE DIDN'T
KNOW HOW THAT AFFECTED

THE AIRPLANE, BECAUSE IT HAD
FLOWN NINE TIMES SUCCESSFULLY

BEFORE THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT.

Narrator: WARD ALSO DISCOVERS
THAT THE CREW TESTED

THEIR ELEVATOR CONTROLS
BEFORE FLIGHT 5481 TOOK OFF.

Gibbs: FLIGHT CONTROLS,
FREE AND CORRECT.

Controller: AIR MIDWEST 5481.

Narrator: WARD AND HER TEAM
DIG DEEPER, LOOKING TO DISCOVER

IF THE UNUSUAL CONFIGURATION
OF THE ELEVATOR CABLES

COULD HAVE PLAYED A ROLE
IN THIS CRASH.

WHAT THEY FIND STRIKES AT THE
VERY HEART OF WHAT WENT WRONG.

NORMALLY, BOTH TURNBUCKLES ARE
ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME LENGTH.

BUT ON CAPTAIN LESLIE'S PLANE,

ONE TURNBUCKLE IS NOTICEABLY
LONGER THAN THE OTHER.

TO ESTABLISH THE CORRECT
CABLE TENSION,

MECHANICS TIGHTEN
THE TURNBUCKLES.

BUT TOO MUCH TIGHTENING OF
A TURNBUCKLE SHORTENS THE CABLES

AND CUTS THE RANGE OF MOTION
OF THE ELEVATOR CONTROL.

THE ELEVATOR SHOULD
BE ABLE TO TILT

TO A NOSE-DOWN POSITION
OF 14 DEGREES.

BUT THEIR DOWNWARD RANGE
HAS ACTUALLY BEEN CUT IN HALF

TO ONLY SEVEN DEGREES.

THE RESULT IS DEADLY.

AS THE FLIGHT GOT UNDER WAY,

THE NOSE PITCHED UP AS EXPECTED
DURING TAKEOFF...

Gibbs: WHAT?

Leslie: PUSH THE NOSE DOWN!

OH, MY GOD!

Narrator: BUT THE REDUCED RANGE
IN THE ELEVATOR

MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE
FOR THE PILOTS

TO BRING THE NOSE DOWN AGAIN.

Ward: DUE TO THE ADJUSTMENT
THAT HAD BEEN DONE

AND THE MAINTENANCE
A FEW NIGHTS EARLIER,

THERE'S NOTHING THAT THE CREW
COULD HAVE DONE AT THAT TIME.

Narrator:
UNABLE TO BRING THE NOSE DOWN,

THE PITCH OF THE WINGS
BECAME TOO PRONOUNCED.

WITH NO AIR FLOWING
OVER THE TOP OF THE WINGS,

THE PLANE LOST ITS LIFT AND
BEGAN FALLING FROM THE SKY.

THE PILOT'S STRUGGLE
WITH THE ELEVATOR

HELPS EXPLAIN WHY FLIGHT 5481
CRASHED THAT DAY.

SOMEHOW, THE ELEVATOR CABLES
WERE IMPROPERLY ADJUSTED.

THE PILOTS SIMPLY
COULD NOT CONTROL

THE PITCH OF THEIR AIRPLANE.

STEPHEN CARBONE WANTS TO KNOW

HOW MECHANICS HAD MADE
SUCH A CRITICAL MISTAKE.

Mechanic: YEAH, I SEE THAT HERE.

Narrator:
HE GOES BACK TO THE HANGAR

TO QUESTION THE MECHANICS
ON DUTY THAT NIGHT,

AND THIS TIME, THEY TELL HIM
A DIFFERENT STORY.

Supervisor: MOST OF THE GUYS
WERE JUST LEARNING THE ROPES.

Carbone: THE MECHANICS
WORKING ON THE AIRLINE

WERE SUBCONTRACTORS
TO THE CONTRACT COMPANY,

AND THE MECHANICS WORKING
ON THE AIRCRAFT THAT NIGHT

HAD LIMITED EXPERIENCE
ON THE BEECH 1900-D,

AND THE PERSON
PERFORMING THE RIG

WAS RECEIVING TRAINING THAT
NIGHT ON THAT SPECIFIC TASK.

Supervisor:
ONCE YOU HAVE THE RIG PIN SET,

ADJUST THE TURNBUCKLE BARRELS
FOR MORE TENSION IN THE CABLE.

Mechanic: YEAH, I SEE THAT HERE.

Narrator: ADJUSTING THE ELEVATOR
CABLES IS NOT A SIMPLE PROCESS.

IT'S A TIME-CONSUMING PROCEDURE

THAT INVOLVES
25 DIFFERENT STEPS.

Mechanic: GOT IT.

UH, WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER STEPS?

Supervisor: YEAH, UH,
DON'T WORRY ABOUT THOSE.

JUST CHECK THE CABLE TENSION
WHEN YOU'RE DONE,

AND WE'RE GOOD, THAT'S IT.

Carbone: THE QUALITY ASSURANCE
INSPECTOR AND THE MECHANIC

TOOK IT UPON THEMSELVES TO
DECIDE WHICH STEPS TO PERFORM,

BECAUSE THEY FELT THAT THE STEPS
THEY WERE PERFORMING

WERE THE ONLY ONES NECESSARY
TO GET THE TASK DONE.

Narrator: THE MECHANIC SKIPPED
NINE STEPS THAT NIGHT.

ONE OF THOSE INVOLVED
MANIPULATING THE ELEVATOR

THROUGH ITS FULL
RANGE OF MOTION.

HAD THE MECHANIC
TRIED TO DO THAT,

HE WOULD HAVE NOTICED
THAT THE ELEVATOR'S MOTION

WAS RESTRICTED BY CABLES
THAT HAD BEEN IMPROPERLY RIGGED.

Carbone: IF THEY HAD
FOLLOWED THE STEPS

AS DESCRIBED IN THE MANUAL,

THEY WOULD HAVE FOUND
THE PROBLEMS THAT HAD COME UP.

Narrator: BUT THERE WAS AN
INSPECTOR SUPERVISING THE WORK.

CARBONE DISCOVERS THAT
THE INSPECTOR WAS ACTUALLY

THE PERSON TEACHING THE
MECHANICS HOW TO DO THE WORK.

Carbone: WELL, WHEN YOU PUT
YOURSELF IN THAT POSITION,

YOU'RE ACTUALLY DOING THE TASK,
BECAUSE EVEN AS A TEACHER,

YOU'RE PERFORMING THE TASK, AND
THEN HE CAME IN BEHIND HIMSELF

AND THEN SIGNED OFF AS
AN INSPECTOR, WHAT HE HAD DONE.

D. Shepherd: WHEN I FOUND OUT
THAT THIS MECHANIC

HAD SKIPPED PROCEDURES...

I WAS UPSET.

THEY'RE PROCEDURES
THAT AFFECTED OUR LIVES,

THAT AFFECTED
THE LIVES OF 21 PEOPLE.

21 FAMILIES WERE DESTROYED.

BECAUSE YOU NEVER GET OVER
SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

Narrator:
THE SHEPHERDS SUE THE AIRLINE.

THEY ALSO DEMAND SOMETHING
UNHEARD OF IN U.S. AVIATION--

AN APOLOGY.

Ron Goldman: THEY WANTED MORE
THAN JUST TO ACHIEVE

A JUST SETTLEMENT
IN MONETARY TERMS,

THEY HAD A NEED
TO PRESS THE ISSUES

THAT HUMANIZE AND PUT A FACE ON

THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THE VICTIMS
OF THESE TRAGEDIES.

Narrator: THE SHEPHERDS BELIEVE
THAT THEIR BEST CHANCE

OF GETTING AN APOLOGY
IS BY PUTTING A FACE

TO CHRISTIANA'S NAME.

D. Shepherd: SO WE DECIDE
TO TAKE THIS PICTURE

TO SEND IT TO THOSE PEOPLE THAT
WERE INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT,

IN THE INVESTIGATION,
SO THAT CHRISTIANA WOULD NOT BE

JUST A NUMBER, OR A SEAT NUMBER,
OR A TICKET NUMBER,

OR A SETTLEMENT AMOUNT,

SO THEY COULD ACTUALLY SEE
THAT SHE WAS A PERSON.

Ward: IN THIS CASE,
THE MECHANICS THOUGHT

THEY WERE DOING SOMETHING
THAT WAS PERFECTLY REASONABLE.

THEY THOUGHT THIS WAS, YOU KNOW,
ANOTHER DAY AT THE JOB.

AND THEN TO COME TO FIND OUT
THAT NOW 21 PEOPLE

HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, KILLED
DUE TO THEIR INADVERTENT ACT.

Narrator:
FOR LORINDA WARD AND HER TEAM,

IT LOOKS LIKE
THEY'VE FOUND THE PROBLEM.

BUT SOMETHING STILL
DOESN'T ADD UP.

WHY DIDN'T THE PROBLEM WITH
THE PLANE'S FAULTY RIGGING

SURFACE ON ANY OF
ITS PREVIOUS FLIGHTS?

Ward: WE KEPT SCRATCHING
OUR HEAD, WONDERING,

OKAY, THIS AIRPLANE FLEW
NINE TIMES PREVIOUSLY,

AND WE HAD NO PROBLEMS.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO DECIDE,

WELL, WHAT WAS UNUSUAL
ABOUT THIS FLIGHT?

Narrator: WARD HAS TO FIGURE OUT
WHAT HAPPENED

IN THE HOURS AND MINUTES
BEFORE THE CRASH.

Ward: DID YOU NOTICE ANYTHING
UNUSUAL BEFORE TAKEOFF?

Worker: WELL, IT WAS SITTING LOW
WHEN IT TAXIED OUT.

IT LOOKED HEAVY.

Ward: WE HAD A COUPLE OF
WITNESSES THAT WERE IMPLYING

THAT WE HAD A VERY
HEAVILY LOADED AIRPLANE.

THE BAGGAGE PEOPLE SAID THAT
IT WAS HARD TO SHUT THE DOOR,

'CAUSE THEY THOUGHT BAGS
WERE GONNA COME OUT.

Narrator: EACH PLANE HAS
A MAXIMUM WEIGHT IT CAN HANDLE

BEFORE THE ENGINES
CAN'T GET IT OFF THE GROUND.

BEFORE TAKEOFF,
IT'S THE PILOTS' JOB

TO CALCULATE THE ONBOARD WEIGHT.

Gibbs: WE GOT A FULL HOUSE
BACK THERE?

Worker:
HOW MANY WE GOT TO TAKE OFF?

Leslie: WE'RE FIGURING IT OUT.

Narrator:
THE CREW OF FLIGHT 5481
PERFORMED THAT CALCULATION.

Gibbs: COOL, 17,018.

Ward: WE HEAR THEM ON THE CVR
GOING THROUGH THE NUMBERS

TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE
THEIR CENTER GRAVITY

WITHIN THE RANGE
FOR THEM TO TAKE OFF.

Leslie:
17,120 IS OUR WEIGHT, HUH?

Gibbs: YEAH, IS OUR MAX.

Narrator: ON ANY PLANE,
LARGE OR SMALL,

THE WEIGHT OF CARGO
AND PASSENGERS

HAS TO BE DISTRIBUTED EVENLY.

THE BALANCING POINT
OF AN AIRPLANE

IS CALLED ITS CENTER OF GRAVITY.

FOR A PLANE TO FLY SAFELY, IT
CAN NEITHER BE TOO FAR FORWARD,

NOR TOO FAR BACK OR AFT.

Leslie: SO, WE'RE COOL?

Gibbs: SO, YEAH.

Leslie:
WE DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING
TO HAVE TO TAKE ANYTHING OFF.

Narrator: AIR MIDWEST PILOTS
ARE INSTRUCTED

HOW TO MAKE WEIGHT AND CENTER
OF GRAVITY, OR CG, CALCULATIONS.

THEY USE AVERAGE WEIGHTS
TO MAKE THAT CALCULATION--

175 POUNDS PER PASSENGER
AND 20 POUNDS PER BAG.

Ward: THEY KNEW THAT
THEY HAD A VERY AFT CG,

BUT DUE TO USING
THE AVERAGE WEIGHTS

AND AVERAGE CALCULATIONS,

THE PAPERWORK SHOWED THEM
BEING WITHIN THE RANGE

THAT THEY NEEDED TO TAKEOFF.

Narrator: BUT WARD NEEDS TO KNOW

IF THE PLANE REALLY WAS
WITHIN THE PROPER RANGE

OF WEIGHT AND BALANCE
BEFORE TAKEOFF.

Ward: WELL, WHAT WE DID WAS
WE LOOKED AT THE WEIGHTS

OF THE ACTUAL BAGGAGE ITSELF
THAT WAS ON BOARD

AND THEN THE WEIGHT OF
THE PASSENGERS AND THE CREW.

Narrator: TECHNICIANS WEIGH
THE REMAINS OF THE BURNT LUGGAGE

FROM THE WRECKAGE SITE...

Ward: DOCTOR, YES,
COULD YOU TELL ME PLEASE

WHAT THE LAST RECORDED WEIGHT
OF YOUR PATIENT...

Narrator: ...AND OBTAIN
THE REAL WEIGHT OF PASSENGERS

ON BOARD THAT DAY.

Ward: 212, THANK YOU.

Narrator:
WHEN ALL THE NUMBERS ARE IN,

WARD DISCOVERS THE REAL WEIGHT
OF FLIGHT 5481

IS 17,700 POUNDS--

SOME 580 POUNDS OVER
ITS MAXIMUM TAKEOFF WEIGHT.

Ward: THEY WOULD NOT HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO TAKEOFF

IF THEY HAD USED ACTUAL WEIGHTS.

THEY WOULD'VE HAD TO PULL
EITHER PASSENGERS OR BAGS OFF.

Narrator: BECAUSE OF THE HIGHER
THAN EXPECTED WEIGHT

OF THE PASSENGERS AND BAGGAGE
ON THE FLIGHT,

AND THE LARGE NUMBER OF BAGS
STOWED IN THE REAR,

THE AIRPLANE WAS TAIL-HEAVY...

ITS CENTER OF GRAVITY EVER SO
SLIGHTLY TOO FAR TO THE REAR.

WHICH WASN'T A PROBLEM, UNTIL
THE LANDING GEAR WAS RAISED.

Leslie: GEAR UP.

Narrator: WHEN THE GEAR'S WEIGHT
MOVED BACKWARDS FROM THE NOSE,

IT TIPPED
THE BALANCE OF WEIGHT...

TOO FAR BACK.

THE PILOTS' EFFORTS TO REGAIN

CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT
WERE FUTILE,

CRIPPLED BY THE AIRPLANE'S
DEFECTIVE ELEVATOR CONTROLS.

Carbone:
WHEN THE NOSE GEAR MOVED AFT,

THEY LOST THE ABILITY
TO CONTROL THE AIRCRAFT,

BECAUSE ALL THE WEIGHT
WENT BACK,

AND THEY HAD
NO ELEVATOR MOVEMENT

ENOUGH TO BRING
THE NOSE BACK DOWN.

AND AT THE HEIGHT THAT THEY
WERE AT, THEY HAD NO RECOVERY.

Narrator: THE PASSENGERS
AND CREW OF FLIGHT 5481

WERE DOOMED THE MOMENT
THE PLANE LEFT THE GROUND.

THEY HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING
THAT TWO UNRELATED PROBLEMS

WOULD COMBINE TO BRING DOWN
THEIR PLANE.

BUT FAULTY MAINTENANCE
AND ABOVE AVERAGE WEIGHTS

WEREN'T THE ONLY ISSUES

UNCOVERED BY LORINDA WARD'S
INVESTIGATION.

Ward: HEY, YOU GOT A SEC?
I HAVE AN IDEA.

Narrator: LORINDA WARD SUSPECTS
THAT SHE'S UNCOVERED PROBLEMS

THAT DIDN'T JUST AFFECT
THIS ONE FLIGHT,

BUT THAT ALSO AFFECT EVERY
COMMUTER PLANE IN THE AIR.

Narrator: NTSB INVESTIGATORS SAY
THAT EVERY PLANE CRASH

MAKES FLYING SAFER.

FLIGHT 5481 WAS NO EXCEPTION.

14 MONTHS AFTER THE ACCIDENT,
LEAD INVESTIGATOR LORINDA WARD

AND HER TEAM
FILE A COMPREHENSIVE REPORT

TO ENSURE THE MISTAKES THAT
KILLED THOSE ABOARD FLIGHT 5481

ARE NEVER REPEATED.

AMONG WARD'S RECOMMENDATIONS--

THAT THE FAA REVIEW ITS AVERAGE
PASSENGER AND BAGGAGE WEIGHTS--

AN AVERAGE THAT HAD NOT
BEEN REVISED SINCE 1936.

AND SINCE STUDIES SUGGEST
THAT AMERICANS AND OTHER ADULTS

WERE GETTING HEAVIER
FROM YEAR TO YEAR,

WARD SUSPECTED THAT
THE AVERAGES WERE OFF.

Ward: WE MADE A RECOMMENDATION
TO THE FAA

TO HAVE THE OPERATORS GO OUT
AND SURVEY THEIR OPERATIONS

BOTH SUMMER AND WINTER TIME
TO SEE HOW ACCURATE

THESE AVERAGE WEIGHTS REFLECTED
THE ACTUAL FLYING PUBLIC

THAT WAS GETTING
ONTO THEIR AIRPLANES.

Narrator: AFTER CONDUCTING
A SURVEY OF PASSENGERS,

THE FAA COMES TO
A SHOCKING CONCLUSION.

THE AVERAGE WEIGHT OF
ADULT AMERICAN PASSENGERS

WAS 195 POUNDS, NOT 175.

THE FAA ALSO DISCOVERED

THAT THE AVERAGE WEIGHT
OF CARRY-ON LUGGAGE

WAS BEING UNDERESTIMATED
BY FIVE POUNDS PER BAG.

Ward: WE HAD A AVERAGE WEIGHT,

THAT WERE BEING USED
THAT NEED TO BE UPDATED.

Narrator: HAD THESE HIGHER
AVERAGE WEIGHTS BEEN IN EFFECT

ON JANUARY 8, 2003,

FLIGHT 5481 WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN
LEGAL FOR TAKEOFF.

CAPTAIN LESLIE WOULD HAVE HAD
TO REMOVE BAGS AND PASSENGERS.

Gibbs: 48,107...COOL, 17,018.

Narrator: AIR MIDWEST PILOTS NOW
USE AN AVERAGE WEIGHT

OF 200 POUNDS PER PASSENGER,

WHICH MEANS THAT
THEIR BEECHCRAFT PLANES

CAN ONLY CARRY
17 PASSENGERS, NOT 19.

Narrator: BUT WARD'S REPORT
GOES ON TO SAY

THAT EVEN WITH UPDATED
INDUSTRY AVERAGES,

THERE IS STILL ROOM FOR ERROR.

HER REPORT STATES THAT
FLYING SMALL AIRCRAFT

WILL BE SAFEST ONLY WHEN
AIRLINES STOP USING

AVERAGE WEIGHT ASSUMPTIONS
ALTOGETHER

AND CALCULATE THE REAL WEIGHT
ON BOARD BEFORE TAKEOFF.

NEW TECHNOLOGIES ARE BEING
DEVELOPED TO ALLOW AIR CARRIERS

TO MEASURE ACTUAL WEIGHT AND
CONTROL BALANCE IN REAL TIME

AS THE PLANE IS LOADED.

KNOWING THE ACTUAL WEIGHT OF
PASSENGERS AND BAGGAGE IS VITAL.

MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE FLYING
ON SMALL COMMUTER JETS.

AS THE COST OF JET FUEL SOARS,

THE SMALLER
FUEL-EFFICIENT PLANES

BECOME MORE ATTRACTIVE
TO AIRLINES.

IN THE UNITED STATES ALONE, MORE
THAN 10 MILLION PEOPLE A YEAR

BOARD PLANES WITH
FEWER THAN 30 SEATS.

Ward: SMALLER AIRCRAFT ARE
MORE SENSITIVE TO THE WEIGHT,

WEIGHT AND BALANCE ISSUE,
THAN, SAY, A LARGER AIRPLANE.

Narrator: IN SPITE OF
WARD'S RECOMMENDATIONS

AND THE AVAILABLE TECHNOLOGY,

ALMOST 70% OF SMALL PLANES
ON SCHEDULED FLIGHTS

STILL USE AVERAGE
INSTEAD OF ACTUAL WEIGHTS.

FOR DOUG AND TEREASA SHEPHERD,

THERE IS STILL ANOTHER DANGER
THAT THREATENS TO STRIKE AGAIN.

T. Shepherd: IF THE FAA
TOOK A VERY ACTIVE ROLE

IN THEIR REGULATION,

THEN SUBCONTRACTING
COULD ACTUALLY BE A PLUS.

THE WAY IT'S HANDLED TODAY,
THE MISTAKES WILL JUST CONTINUE.

Mechanic:
WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER STEPS?

Supervisor: YEAH, UH,
DON'T WORRY ABOUT THOSE.

JUST CHECK THE CABLE TENSION
WHEN YOU'RE DONE,

AND WE'RE GOOD.

Narrator: IN HER REPORT,
WARD STATES THAT

ALL AIR CARRIERS NEED TO PROVIDE
DIRECT OVERSIGHT TO MAKE SURE

THAT EVEN SUBCONTRACTED WORK
IS COMPLETED CORRECTLY.

Ward: THIS INVESTIGATION
WAS UNIQUE TO ME, PERSONALLY,

BECAUSE IT WAS MY FIRST LAUNCH
AS AN INVESTIGATOR IN CHARGE.

THIS WAS, IN MY MIND,
A SIGNIFICANT INVESTIGATION

IN THE FACT THAT WE HAD
THE 22 SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS

THAT CAME OUT FROM A SMALL
ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION.

Narrator:
FOR THE SHEPHERDS, THE NTSB
RECOMMENDATIONS COME TOO LATE.

BUT AFTER A LENGTHY
LEGAL BATTLE,

AIR MIDWEST DOES DELIVER
A RARE AND FORMAL APOLOGY

FOR THE MISTAKES THAT COST

18-YEAR-OLD CHRISTIANA SHEPHERD
HER LIFE.

Goldman: MY NAME IS RON GOLDMAN,
AND MY ROLE HERE TODAY

IS I WILL BE INTRODUCING
THE PUBLIC APOLOGY,

AND THEN I'LL HAVE
A FEW WORDS...

THE PUBLIC APOLOGY IS, IN
AVIATION CASES, UNPRECEDENTED.

Greg Stephens: WE'RE HERE TODAY

TO REMEMBER THE VICTIMS

OF FLIGHT 5481,

AND TO OFFER OUR APOLOGIES,
OUR CONDOLENCES,

AND SINCERE SYMPATHY
TO THE SURVIVING FAMILY MEMBERS

OF THE PASSENGERS AND CREW WHO
PERISHED IN THE JANUARY 8, 2003,

CRASH OF AIR MIDWEST
FLIGHT NUMBER 5481.

Goldman: THE ACCEPTANCE
OF ACCOUNTABILITY SUGGESTS

THAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS MADE
BY THE SAFETY INVESTIGATORS

ARE NOT TO BE TAKEN AS A BOOK
TO THROW IN A DRAWER

AND FORGET ABOUT,
BUT ARE TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY,

BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T
TAKE THEM SERIOUSLY,

THERE'S GOING TO BE
PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY,

AS WELL AS
PRIVATE ACCOUNTABILITY.

Ward: WHAT PEOPLE
SHOULD NEVER FORGET IS THAT

AS WE'RE GOING ABOUT
AND DOING OUR JOB DAY-TO-DAY,

WE NEED TO REMEMBER
THE IMPORTANCE OF DOING OUR JOB.

IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE
WE'RE AT ON THE LADDER,

OR THE CORPORATE LADDER,

WHETHER WE'RE AT THE BOTTOM RUNG
OR THE TOP RUNG,

WE HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES.

Narrator: IT TOOK A COMPLICATED
STRING OF ERRORS

AND MISCALCULATIONS
TO BRING DOWN FLIGHT 5481.

BUT SOME BELIEVE
THERE WAS ONE PERSON

WHO PERFORMED ADMIRABLY
THAT DAY, CAPTAIN KATIE LESLIE.

WITH AN UNBALANCED PLANE
AND FAULTY CONTROLS,

CAPTAIN LESLIE COULD NOT
HAVE SAVED THE FLIGHT.

BUT HER FINAL ACTIONS
MAY HAVE SAVED SOME LIVES.

Overcash: YOU KNOW,
SHE'S AN UNSUNG HERO TO ME.

SHE KEPT IT FROM, REALLY,

MORE OF A HEAD-ON HIT
INTO THE HANGAR.

WHICH PROBABLY SAVED
COUNTLESS OTHER PEOPLE

FROM PERISHING THAT DAY.

Narrator: IT WAS FIREFIGHTER
CINDY OVERCASH

WHO FOUND THE BODY OF CAPTAIN
KATIE LESLIE AMONG THE WRECKAGE.

TO THIS DAY, OVERCASH STILL
FEELS A SPECIAL CONNECTION

TO THE YOUNG PILOT.

Overcash: I DON'T KNOW,
I JUST FELT A KINSHIP,

I DON'T KNOW WHY,
I DON'T KNOW, I--YOU KNOW.

IT COULD BE AS SIMPLE
AS I FOUND HER,

AND I WAS THERE
WHEN SHE LEFT THIS WORLD.

Narrator: LORINDA WARD'S
INVESTIGATION COULD HAVE ENDED

WHEN SHE UNCOVERED THE ERRORS

THAT CAUSED THE CRASH
OF FLIGHT 5481.

BUT BY DIGGING A BIT DEEPER,

SHE MADE FLYING SAFER
FOR MILLIONS OF PEOPLE.