All language subtitles for Air.Disasters.S08E01.Choosing.Sides.1080p.PMTP.WEB-DL.AAC2.0.H.264-maldini_track4_[eng]

Narrator:
A TERRIFYING VIBRATION...

Man: WHAT'S THAT?

Narrator: SHAKES
BRITISH MIDLAND FLIGHT 92.

Man: THERE'S SORT OF
GRINDING NOISES

AND SMELLS IN THE CABIN.

Pilot: WHAT IS IT?
THE ENGINES?

Man: IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THE CREW
WERE PRETTY RATTLED BY THIS.

Man: I'M THINKING WE'VE GOT
A SERIOUS PROBLEM HERE.

Narrator: ONE OF THE WORST
CRASHES IN BRITISH HISTORY

HAS A STUNNING CAUSE...

Man: IT'S VERY DIFFICULT
TO ACCEPT

THAT SUCH A BASIC MISTAKE
COULD BE MADE.

Narrator: AND CHANGES
COMMERCIAL AVIATION FOREVER.

Man: THE LEARNING POINTS
FROM THIS INCIDENT

HAVE BEEN GAME-CHANGING.

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 A BUSY SUNDAY NIGHT

AT LONDON'S HEATHROW AIRPORT.

THE CREW OF BRITISH MIDLAND
FLIGHT 92

IS COMPLETING
FINAL TAKEOFF PREPARATIONS

FOR A SHORT FLIGHT
TO BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND.

Kevin Hunt: WHY DON'T YOU
LET THEM KNOW WE'RE READY TO GO?

David McClelland: WILL DO.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
WELCOME ABOARD.

WE'LL JUST FINISH UP
OUR FINAL CHECKS,

BUT WE'LL HAVE YOU ON YOUR WAY
IN JUST A FEW MINUTES.

Narrator:
THERE ARE 118 PASSENGERS

ON THE EVENING FLIGHT,

INCLUDING BRITISH SOLDIER
NIGEL BALDWIN

RETURNING TO DUTY
IN NORTHERN IRELAND.

Nigel Baldwin:
I WAS EXCITED, YOU KNOW,

JUST HAD AN EXCITING WEEKEND

MAKING THE FINAL ARRANGEMENTS
FOR OUR WEDDING,

AND I JUST SETTLED BACK
LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, YOU KNOW,

TO WHAT I THOUGHT
WAS A COMFORTABLE FLIGHT.

Controller: MIDLAND 92,
YOU'RE CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF.

Hunt: YOU WANT TO TAKE IT
THIS TIME?

McClelland: ABSOLUTELY.

Narrator: CAPTAIN KEVIN HUNT
FLEW THE PLANE IN FROM BELFAST.

FIRST OFFICER DAVID McCLELLAND

TAKES THE CONTROLS
FOR THE RETURN TRIP.

McClelland: THRUST SET.

HERE WE GO.

Narrator:
THEIR BRAND NEW 737-400

HAS CLOCKED ONLY 521 HOURS
IN THE AIR.

IT'S THE VERY LATEST VERSION

OF THE WORLD'S MOST POPULAR
PASSENGER PLANE.

Hunt: V-1. ROTATE.

Narrator:
THE FLIGHT IS SCHEDULED
TO TAKE JUST 75 MINUTES.

Controller: MIDLAND 92,
CLEARED TO FLIGHT LEVEL 3-5-0.

Narrator: AS FLIGHT 92 CLEARS

THE BUSY AIRSPACE
AROUND HEATHROW,

THE CONTROLLER PERMITS THE CREW

TO CLIMB TO THEIR
CRUISING ALTITUDE, 35,000 FEET.

Hunt: FLIGHT LEVEL 3-5-0,
MIDLAND 92.

Baldwin: CAN I HAVE
A COFFEE, TOO, PLEASE?

Narrator: 13 MINUTES
INTO THE FLIGHT...

Baldwin: WHAT'S THAT?

I JUST KNEW THERE WAS
SOMETHING NOT QUITE RIGHT.

THERE'S SORT OF GRINDING NOISES
AND SMELLS IN THE CABIN

THAT I WASN'T USED TO.

McClelland: WHOA.

Hunt: YOU SMELL THAT?

McClelland: IS THAT SMOKE?

Narrator: THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH
ONE OF THE 737'S TWO ENGINES.

CAPTAIN HUNT TAKES CONTROL,
LEAVING HIS FIRST OFFICER

TO WORK OUT WHAT'S WRONG
WITH THE PLANE.

Guy Hirst: ALL PILOTS, THE FIRST
THING IS FLY THE AIRPLANE.

MAKE SURE THE AIRPLANE IS SAFE,
SO THAT'S MAKING SURE

YOUR FLIGHT INSTRUMENTS
ARE ALL IN THE RIGHT PLACE,

AND, IF THEY'RE NOT, GETTING IT
BACK INTO THE RIGHT PLACE.

Hunt: WHAT IS IT?
THE ENGINES?

Baldwin: IT SHOULDN'T BE
HAPPENING,

SO, ONE, WE CAN HEAR IT.

TWO, YOU CAN PHYSICALLY FEEL IT

THROUGH THIS IS LIKE A,
SORT OF A HUMMING VIBRATION.

McClelland: IT'S A FIRE, KEVIN.

Hunt: WHICH ONE IS IT?

McClelland: IT'S THE LEFT.

IT'S THE RIGHT ONE.

Hirst: I THINK WITH THE NOISES
AND EVERYTHING

THAT THEY REALIZED VERY RAPIDLY

IT WAS SOMETHING TO DO
WITH ONE OF THE ENGINES

WAS THE ROOT CAUSE

OF A) THE SMOKE AND,
B) THE VIBRATION AND THE NOISE.

Narrator: THE CREW TRIES
TO STABILIZE THE PROBLEM ENGINE

BY REDUCING POWER ON THAT SIDE.

Hunt: OK, THROTTLE IT BACK.

McClelland: THROTTLING BACK.

Baldwin:
IT'LL BE ALL RIGHT, MA'AM.

AND I'M THINKING, YOU KNOW,

THEY'VE GOT THESE CONTROLS
IN THE COCKPIT.

THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

Hunt: IT SEEMS TO BE RUNNING
ALL RIGHT NOW.

Narrator: THE CREW SEEMS TO HAVE
SOLVED THE IMMEDIATE CRISIS...

McClelland: YEAH, BUT WE'VE
STILL GOT THE SMOKE.

Narrator: BUT WANT TO GET
BACK ON THE GROUND

AS FAST AS POSSIBLE.

McClelland:
AH, THIS IS MIDLAND 92.

WE'VE GOT AN ENGINE FIRE.

WE NEED TO DIVERT
TO EAST MIDLANDS.

Controller: UNDERSTOOD.

CLEARED FOR DESCENT
TO 10,000 FEET.

Hirst:
IT'S AN UNUSUAL SITUATION.

WE'VE ALL PRACTICED IT MANY,
MANY TIMES IN THE SIMULATOR.

WE DO IT EVERY SIX MONTHS.

BUT I THINK TO ACTUALLY
DO IT FOR REAL ON A DARK NIGHT

WITH THE VIBRATION
AND ALL THAT'S GOING ON,

IT'S VERY DEMANDING.

Baldwin:
I FELT A SENSE OF RELIEF

WHEN THE NOISE AND
EVERYTHING STOPPED,

THINKING, OH, IT'S OK,
THEY'VE SORTED IT.

Narrator: FLIGHT 92 IS
JUST 15 MINUTES

FROM EAST MIDLANDS AIRPORT.

IT'S CLOSER THAN RETURNING
TO HEATHROW.

McClelland: SHUTTING DOWN NOW.

Narrator: THE CREW SPRINGS
INTO ACTION.

THEY SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE
SO THAT THE FIRE DOESN'T SPREAD.

IN THE CABIN, NIGEL BALDWIN
IS STRUGGLING TO STAY CALM.

Baldwin: THERE WAS
THAT HEIGHTENED SENSE

OF THAT LITTLE BIT
OF FEAR THERE, YOU KNOW,

IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND.

WHAT IF?

I THINK THERE'S ALWAYS THAT
"WHAT IF" WHEN YOU'RE FLYING.

Hunt: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

WE'VE HAD A PROBLEM
WITH OUR RIGHT ENGINE.

WE'VE SHUT IT DOWN,

AND WE'LL BE DIVERTING
TO EAST MIDLANDS AIRPORT.

Baldwin: THE STEWARDS
AND STEWARDESSES CAME ROUND

TAKING THE TRAYS OFF US,
SEATBELTS, PLEASE,

SO WE KNEW THAT, YOU KNOW,
THEY WERE TAKING PRECAUTIONS.

AND I'M THINKING WE'VE GOT
A SERIOUS PROBLEM HERE.

Hunt: LANDING LIGHTS.

McClelland: ON.

Narrator: THE PILOTS WILL
HAVE TO MAKE THE LANDING

WITH JUST ONE ENGINE.

Hunt: FLAPS ONE, PLEASE.

Narrator: TO LAND SAFELY
AT LOW SPEED...

McClelland: FLAPS ONE.

Narrator: THE PILOTS NEED TO SET
THEIR FLAPS TO INCREASE LIFT...

Hunt: POWER, PLEASE.

Narrator:
AND CALL FOR MORE POWER

FROM THEIR ONE REMAINING ENGINE.

Baldwin: AT SOME POINT,
THE NOISES STARTED AGAIN,

THEN AT THIS TIME IT GOT WORSE.

Narrator: THE PILOTS FACE
A TERRIFYING NEW DANGER.

Hunt: WE'RE LOSING
ANOTHER ENGINE!

Narrator: INCREDIBLY,
THE LEFT ENGINE IS NOW FAILING.

THEIR PLANE COULD SOON HAVE
NO ENGINE POWER AT ALL.

McClelland:
FIRE BELL IN NUMBER ONE.

Narrator:
AN ALARM WARNS THE PILOTS

THAT FIRE IS CONSUMING
THE ENGINE.

FLIGHT 92 IS LESS THAN
1,000 FEET FROM THE GROUND.

THE PILOTS NEED TO THINK FAST.

Hunt: TRY RELIGHTING
THE OTHER ONE.

Narrator: THEY TRY TO RESTART
THE ENGINE THEY SHUT DOWN.

McClelland: IT'S NOT...
I, I CAN'T SEEM TO...

Narrator: IT WON'T START.

ONE ENGINE IS DEAD.
THE OTHER IS IN FLAMES.

Baldwin: I REMEMBER THE FLAMES

COMING OVER THE TOP
OF THE ENGINE,

AND THEY WERE SORT OF LICKING
AROUND THE SIDES.

Hunt: I HAVE TO STRETCH
THE GLIDE.

Narrator: CAPTAIN HUNT
PULLS UP THE NOSE OF THE PLANE,

HOPING TO STAY IN THE AIR LONG
ENOUGH TO REACH THE AIRPORT.

BUT MORE AND MORE ALARMS
ARE FILLING THE COCKPIT.

Hunt: DAMN IT!

Narrator: THE STALL WARNING
SHAKES THE CAPTAIN'S CONTROLS,

A DEADLY SIGN THAT THEY'RE
ABOUT TO LOSE THEIR LIFT.

Baldwin: THERE WERE
PEOPLE SCREAMING.

THERE WERE PEOPLE CRYING,
YOU KNOW,

HAVING FEAR FOR THEIR LIVES.

Computer: SINK RATE.
PULL UP.

Hunt: BRACE! BRACE!

Hunt: PREPARE FOR CRASH LANDING.

Baldwin: IT WAS LIKE
BRACE, BRACE.

WHAT DO WE DO?

BOOM. POW.

Computer: PULL UP.

Hirst: THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN
A LITTLE WIND NOISE GOING OVER,

EVERYTHING WOULD HAVE BEEN
COMPLETELY SILENT,

SO IT WOULD HAVE BEEN
EXTREMELY STRANGE SENSATION.

Baldwin: I RECOLLECT MY ARMS
BEING JUST THROWN AROUND

UNTIL THE PLANE CAME TO A REST.

HAVING NO CONTROL, UM...

THAT'S QUITE EERIE, ACTUALLY.

Narrator:
BRITISH MIDLAND FLIGHT 92

HAS SLAMMED INTO AN EMBANKMENT
BESIDE THE M1 HIGHWAY,

JUST HALF A MILE
FROM THE AIRPORT.

Hirst: IT WOULD HAVE BEEN JUST
15, 20 SECONDS MORE OF POWER

BEFORE THAT ENGINE HAD FAILED.

THEY'D HAVE GOT THERE.
SO HEARTBREAKINGLY CLOSE.

Narrator:
EMERGENCY CREWS REACH THE SCENE
MINUTES AFTER THE CRASH,

BUT GETTING TO THE SURVIVORS
PROVES TO BE A HUGE CHALLENGE.

THE PLANE HAS BEEN RIPPED APART.

Baldwin: AH!

Narrator:
WHILE EMERGENCY WORKERS
STRUGGLE TO CLEAR DEBRIS,

NIGEL BALDWIN DOES WHAT HE CAN
TO HELP A FELLOW PASSENGER.

Baldwin: COME ON.
GOT TO GET YOU OUT.

I HAD TO BRING HER ONTO MY CHEST
AND PULL MYSELF BACKWARDS

ALONG THE CABLES AND GIRDERS
THAT WERE LEFT

BECAUSE THE, THE PLANE WAS...

THE ONLY WAY I'VE DESCRIBED IT
AS A CHICKEN CARCASS

AFTER A SUNDAY ROAST,
WEAK AND FEEBLE.

Narrator: THE SHATTERED FUSELAGE
HAS COME TO REST

ON A STEEP EMBANKMENT,

WHERE IT'S IN DANGER
OF SLIDING DOWN

AND KILLING MORE PEOPLE.

EXPERTS FROM THE AIR ACCIDENTS
INVESTIGATION BRANCH

ADVISE RESCUERS ON THE BEST WAY
TO SECURE IT.

Christopher Pollard:
WE TOOK A PRAGMATIC VIEW

AND ROPED THE TAIL TO TREES

SO THAT IT WASN'T GOING
TO FALL OVER.

Narrator: A DENSE TANGLE
OF BROKEN SEATS

IS MAKING IT DIFFICULT
TO REACH THE SURVIVORS.

RESCUERS ARE ASTONISHED

THAT NO ONE DRIVING
ON THE BUSY M1 HIGHWAY

HAS BEEN HURT.

Stephen Moss: IN FACT, THERE
WERE NO VICTIMS ON THE GROUND,

WHICH WE THOUGHT WAS
ABSOLUTELY REMARKABLE.

Narrator: 87 OF THE 126 PEOPLE
ON BOARD ARE ALIVE,

BUT MANY ARE INJURED,

INCLUDING CAPTAIN HUNT,
WHO HAS A BROKEN SPINE.

Moss: BECAUSE OF THE STEEPNESS
OF THE EMBANKMENT

THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON,

THE EMERGENCY SERVICES
WERE FORMING

EFFECTIVELY A HUMAN CHAIN,

SO AS VICTIMS WERE PULLED OUT
FROM THE WRECKAGE,

THOSE STRETCHERS WERE HANDED
FROM ONE PERSON TO THE NEXT

UNTIL THEY COULD BE PUT
INTO AMBULANCES.

Narrator:
WITH THE RESCUE COMPLETE,

BRITAIN'S AIR ACCIDENTS
INVESTIGATION BRANCH

CAN FINALLY GET TO WORK.

ROB CARTER IS ONE OF THE FIRST
INVESTIGATORS AT THE SCENE.

Rob Carter:
WE ARRIVED AT THE CRASH SCENE

VERY LATE INTO THE EVENING.

ALL THE EMERGENCY SERVICES
WERE THERE:

AMBULANCE, FIRE, POLICE.

SOME PRESS PEOPLE WERE
JUST BEGINNING TO ARRIVE.

A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF ACTIVITY,

AND IT TOOK A MINUTE TO REALLY
ASSESS JUST WHAT WAS GOING ON.

IT WAS DRAMATIC.

WALKED INTO THE NOSE SECTION AND
I'M LOOKING UP AT THE CEILING,

UP AT THE ROOF OF THE AIRCRAFT.

THERE WERE NO OVERHEAD BINS--
THAT'S REALLY ODD--

AND I REALIZED
WHERE IS THE AIRCRAFT FLOOR?

Narrator: THE CRASH HAS FORCED
THE CLOSURE OF THE M1 HIGHWAY,

A MAJOR TRAFFIC ARTERY.

INVESTIGATORS NEED TO WORK
AS QUICKLY AS THEY CAN.

THEIR FIRST PRIORITY
IS GETTING THEIR HANDS

ON THE PLANE'S BLACK BOXES,
OR FLIGHT RECORDERS.

Moss: RECOVERING THE FLIGHT
RECORDERS, OF COURSE,

IS A VERY MAJOR PRIORITY

AT THE BEGINNING
OF AN INVESTIGATION

BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO BE
SENT AWAY,

THEY HAVE TO BE DOWNLOADED
AND INTERPRETED.

Narrator: MEANWHILE, ROB CARTER
LEARNS WHAT HE CAN

FROM THE LAYOUT
OF THE CRASH SITE.

Carter: I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND

WHERE ALL THE BITS OF THE
STRUCTURE OF THE AIRCRAFT WERE,

AND THAT LED ME UP
ONTO THE EMBANKMENT

WHERE THE AIRCRAFT HAD HAD
ITS FIRST IMPACT.

Carter: LOOKS LIKE
THE LANDING GEAR HIT HERE.

Narrator:
THE PLANE HAS LEFT DEEP GOUGES
IN THE GROUND ALONG ITS PATH.

THEY GIVE CARTER HIS FIRST HINTS
ABOUT HOW THE CRASH UNFOLDED.

Carter: THE MARKS SHOWED
ALMOST IN A TEXTBOOK FORM

THE ATTITUDE THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN
WHEN IT HIT THE GROUND,

THE DIRECTION IT WAS GOING,
THE POSITION IT WAS IN.

IT WAS REALLY HELPFUL
FOR DEVELOPING WHAT HAPPENED.

THEY GOT CLOSE ENOUGH
TO SEE THE RUNWAY LIGHTS.

IT MUST HAVE BEEN
VERY DEVASTATING FOR THE CREW

AND FOR EVERYBODY ON BOARD.

Narrator: IT'S BECOMING CLEAR

THE PLANE DIDN'T HAVE THE SPEED
IT NEEDED TO REACH THE RUNWAY.

THE QUESTION IS WHY?

Moss: I THINK ALL OF THE TEAM,
THEIR FIRST IMPRESSION

WAS THAT THIS AIRPLANE SEEMS
TO HAVE HAD SOME PROBLEM

WITH ENGINE POWER.

Pollard: THE AIRCRAFT JUST,
YOU KNOW, DIDN'T HAVE THE POWER

TO MAKE IT TO THE RUNWAY.

Hunt: DAMN IT!

Narrator:
THE PILOTS ARE TOO BADLY HURT
TO BE INTERVIEWED.

FOR NOW, INVESTIGATORS
LEARN WHAT THEY CAN

FROM THE CONTROLLER ON DUTY
THE NIGHT OF THE CRASH.

Controller: THEY SAID THEY HAD
AN ENGINE FIRE.

Narrator: THE CONTROLLER
EXPLAINS THAT THE CREW

REPORTED A PROBLEM ABOUT
20 MINUTES BEFORE THE CRASH.

McClelland:
AH, THIS IS MIDLAND 92.

WE'VE GOT AN ENGINE FIRE.

WE NEED TO DIVERT
TO EAST MIDLANDS.

Controller: UNDERSTOOD.

CLEARED FOR DESCENT
TO 10,000 FEET.

Narrator: THE CONTROLLER'S STORY
RAISES A QUESTION.

THE 737 AIRCRAFT
HAS TWO POWERFUL ENGINES.

HOW COULD A FIRE IN ONE OF THEM
CAUSE A PLANE TO CRASH?

THE FATAL CRASH OF A BRITISH
AIRLINER NEAR A BUSY HIGHWAY

HAS FRIGHTENED AIR TRAVELERS
ACROSS THE UNITED KINGDOM.

AAIB ENGINEER CHRIS POLLARD

HEADS UP THE INVESTIGATION'S
ENGINE TEAM.

Pollard: IF HE HAD HAD
ONE GOOD ENGINE

THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO ISSUE
ABOUT LANDING,

SO THAT WAS THE INITIAL MYSTERY
TO SOLVE.

Narrator:
DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE FAN BLADES

SOON CONFIRMS
THE INVESTIGATORS' HUNCH.

THE PLANE DIDN'T HAVE
ONE GOOD ENGINE.

NEITHER OF THEM WAS WORKING
AT THE MOMENT OF IMPACT.

Pollard: BOTH ENGINES SHOWED
PRETTY LOW SPEED ROTATION

AT THE IMPACT,

SO IT WAS A QUESTION OF SORTING
OUT WHY THEY WERE BOTH DEAD.

Narrator: DUAL ENGINE FAILURE
IS INCREDIBLY RARE.

WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN,
INVESTIGATORS KNOW

THERE'S ONE THING THEY NEED
TO CHECK IMMEDIATELY.

Moss: OK, LET'S SEE IF WE CAN
RULE OUT THE OBVIOUS.

WAS THERE WATER IN THE FUEL?

BECAUSE OF COURSE THE FUEL
IS THE ONE THING

THAT IS COMMON TO BOTH ENGINES.

Narrator: IF THERE WAS WATER
CONTAMINATING THE FUEL,

IT SHOULD BE EASY TO DETECT.

WATER IS HEAVIER THAN JET FUEL

AND WILL SINK TO FORM
A VISIBLE LAYER.

Moss: SO NO WATER AT ALL.

OK, SO WE CAN
STRIKE OUT THE FUEL.

Narrator: ON FLIGHT 92, HOWEVER,
FUEL WAS NOT THE PROBLEM.

THERE'S NO SIGN
OF FUEL CONTAMINATION,

AND THE TANKS WEREN'T EMPTY.

Hunt: FLIGHT LEVEL 3-5-0,
MIDLAND 92.

Narrator:
THERE'S ANOTHER POSSIBILITY.

BIRDS ARE A HUGE HAZARD
FOR AVIATION.

WHEN THEY ARE INGESTED
BY JET ENGINES,

THEY CAN DO ENORMOUS DAMAGE.

IF BIRDS DISABLED THE ENGINES
OF FLIGHT 92,

TRACES OF THEIR BLOOD AND TISSUE

WILL GLOW
UNDER ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT.

Pollard: AT THIS POINT,
WE HAD NO PROOF AT ALL.

LIGHTS OUT.

THERE WAS NOTHING
THAT REALLY WOULD DEMONSTRATE

THAT A BIRD STRIKE WAS THE CAUSE

OF THIS PARTICULAR GROUP
OF DISTORTED BLADES.

Narrator: FLIGHT 92 CRASHED
LESS THAN A MILE

FROM THE TOWN OF KEGWORTH.

MANY WITNESSES
SAW THE PLANE COMING DOWN

WITH AN ENGINE ON FIRE.

BUT SOME ADD A SECOND INTRIGUING
DETAIL ABOUT THE CRASH.

Man: WELL, IT WENT PAST
LIKE A CEMENT MIXER.

IT WAS AWFUL.

IT WAS A NOISE THAT ONE DOESN'T
ASSOCIATE WITH AN AIRPLANE

UNLESS IT'S IN REAL TROUBLE.

Moss: THE WITNESSES HEARD
A LOT OF ODD NOISES

COMING FROM THIS AIRCRAFT.

SOME OF THEM DESCRIBED IT

AS BEING LIKE A GRINDING,
METALLIC NOISE.

Narrator: SOME WITNESSES
SAW AIRCRAFT DEBRIS

FALL ONTO FARMLAND MORE THAN
TWO MILES FROM THE CRASH SITE.

Pollard:
POLICE PROVIDED A SEARCH TEAM

TO DO A FINGERTIP SEARCH
ACROSS FIELDS AROUND THERE,

AND THEY CAME BACK
WITH A LOT OF FRAGMENTS.

Narrator: THESE ARE LIKELY
THE FIRST PIECES

TO HAVE FALLEN FROM THE PLANE,

MAKING THEM CRITICAL CLUES
TO THE ORIGINS OF THE DISASTER.

POLLARD NEEDS TO FIGURE OUT
WHY THESE PIECES BROKE OFF.

Pollard: BETTER GET TO IT.

Narrator:
THE ANSWER WILL TELL HIM

WHAT CAUSED THE ENGINE TROUBLE

THAT TRIGGERED THE DIVERSION
TO EAST MIDLANDS.

WHILE POLLARD WORKS
ON THE ENGINES,

THE REST OF THE TEAM TURNS
TO THE BEST LEAD THEY HAVE,

THE PLANE'S VOICE
AND FLIGHT DATA RECORDERS.

Moss: BRILLIANT. THANK YOU.

LET'S HOPE THIS GIVES US
WHAT WE NEED.

I THINK IT TOOK SEVERAL DAYS
TO ACTUALLY DOWNLOAD

AND MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE GOT
WAS THE CORRECT DATA

AND WE WERE INTERPRETING IT
CORRECTLY.

Narrator:
THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER

CAPTURES MORE THAN 60
PARAMETERS,

INCLUDING ENGINE PERFORMANCE.

Moss: SO THE RIGHT ENGINE
STOPS HERE,

AND THE LEFT GIVES OUT
MORE THAN 15 MINUTES LATER HERE.

WHATEVER THE TWO PROBLEMS WERE,

THEY DIDN'T HAPPEN
AT THE SAME TIME.

LET'S HEAR IT.

THAT'S AN ENGINE VIBRATION.

CAN'T BE ANYTHING ELSE.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS HOPE
THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER

WILL PROVIDE MORE INSIGHT
INTO WHAT WENT WRONG.

Moss: LET'S SEE WHAT YOU DO
ABOUT THAT.

THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER

IS LISTENING TO WHAT'S GOING ON
IN THE COCKPIT

AND WHAT THE CREW ARE SAYING
TO EACH OTHER

AND THE SOUNDS ASSOCIATED
WITH THE FLIGHT,

AND OF COURSE, IN THIS CASE,
WHAT THE TWO CREW

SAID TO EACH OTHER
WAS ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL.

McClelland: WHOA.

Moss: THAT'S A BIT
OF A SURPRISE.

Hunt: WHAT IS IT?
THE ENGINES?

Moss: WE COULD HEAR THE BANGING
OF THIS AND THE SHAKING,

AND IT'S OBVIOUS
THAT THE CREW WERE,

WERE PRETTY RATTLED
BY THIS AS WELL.

Hunt: WHICH ONE IS IT?

McClelland: IT'S THE LEFT.

IT'S THE RIGHT ONE.

Moss: DID HE SAY THE RIGHT ONE?

Pollard: IT WAS A LITTLE BIT
OF A MYSTERY

THAT THE VOICE RECORDER
SHOWED THEM

APPARENTLY OPTING
FOR THE RIGHT ENGINE

AS BEING WHERE THE PROBLEM WAS.

Moss: I CAN'T SEE ANYTHING WRONG

WITH THE RIGHT ENGINE
AT THIS POINT.

WE WERE SUSPECTING
THAT THE RIGHT ENGINE

HAD BEEN SHUT DOWN,

BUT IT WAS THE LEFT ENGINE
THAT HAD THE PROBLEM.

IT WAS VITAL THAT WE GOT
THE CREW'S VERSION OF EVENTS.

McClelland: WELL, I'LL TELL YOU
WHATEVER I CAN.

IT'S JUST AS IMPORTANT TO ME
TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED

AS IT IS FOR YOU.

Narrator: THE CAPTAIN IS STILL
RECOVERING FROM HIS INJURIES,

SO INVESTIGATORS RELY
ON THE FIRST OFFICER

TO TELL THEM EVERYTHING
HE REMEMBERS ABOUT THE CRISIS.

Moss: THIS IS
A NEARLY NEW AIRCRAFT.

WHAT'S GONE WRONG?

WE DON'T UNDERSTAND IT.

TELL US WHAT HAPPENED.

McClelland: IT STARTED WITH THE
VIBRATIONS IN THE RIGHT ENGINE.

THE VIBRATIONS
WERE REALLY FIERCE.

CAPTAIN HUNT SUGGESTED
THAT WE THROTTLE BACK.

THROTTLING BACK.

DO YOU MIND IF I JUST
GET A GLASS OF WATER?

OBVIOUSLY I, I DID
AS CAPTAIN HUNT SUGGESTED.

WE THROTTLED BACK
THE RIGHT ENGINE,

AND THE VIBRATION STOPPED.

Hunt: SEEMS TO BE RUNNING
ALL RIGHT NOW.

Hirst: THE VIBRATION
AND THE NOISE WENT AWAY,

SO IT WOULD HAVE INDICATED TO
THEM WE'VE DONE THE RIGHT THING.

Narrator:
INVESTIGATORS ARE FORCED
TO CONSIDER AN UNUSUAL THEORY.

Moss: THIS COULD BE
TWO UNRELATED ENGINE FAILURES.

FIRE ON THE LEFT SIDE

AND AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT ONE
ON THE RIGHT SIDE.

Narrator: CHRIS POLLARD
SCRUTINIZES ENGINE DEBRIS

RECOVERED FROM FARMLAND
NEAR KEGWORTH.

EVERY FRAGMENT
IS A POTENTIAL CLUE

ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED
TO BRITISH MIDLAND FLIGHT 92.

Pollard: SOME BITS
WERE EXTREMELY SMALL.

IT IS ACTUALLY A TRIBUTE
TO THE QUALITY OF THE SEARCH

THAT WE GOT AS MUCH AS WE DID.

Narrator:
ONE FRAGMENT STANDS OUT.

Pollard: GOTCHA.

Narrator: IT SHOWS CLEAR SIGNS
OF METAL FATIGUE.

BECAUSE OF WHERE IT WAS FOUND,
POLLARD BELIEVES

IT WAS ALMOST CERTAINLY THE
FIRST THING TO BREAK ON THE 737.

Pollard: IF YOU ASSUME
THAT THE FATIGUE FAILURE

WAS THE FIRST FAILURE,

THAT WOULD HAVE LOST
ABOUT FOUR INCHES

OFF THE END
OF ONE OF THE BLADES.

Narrator:
THE FINDING COULD EXPLAIN
HOW THE ENGINE FAILURE BEGAN.

EVEN ONE BROKEN FAN BLADE

CAN DISTURB THE FLOW OF AIR
THROUGH AN ENGINE,

CAUSING IT TO SURGE--

A PROCESS SIMILAR
TO A CAR BACKFIRING.

Hunt: WHAT IS IT?
THE ENGINES?

Pollard: THE ENGINE TRIES
TO FIND A NEW BALANCE,

AND TO DO THAT
IT RATTLES AROUND.

Baldwin:
IT'LL BE ALL RIGHT, MA'AM.

Hirst: THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN
A LOT OF PHYSICAL VIBRATION.

THE PASSENGERS REPORTED THAT IT
WAS LIKE THE SOUND OF, UM,

IN A TUMBLE DRYER OF ROCKS
AND STUFF BEING THROWN AROUND.

IT WOULD HAVE REALLY BEEN
QUITE VIOLENT.

Narrator: NO TWO FAN BLADES
ARE EVER EXACTLY THE SAME.

POLLARD HOPES
A METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION

WILL TELL HIM WHICH ENGINE
THE WEAKENED BLADE CAME FROM.

Pollard: ALTHOUGH THE BLADES
WERE ALL NOMINALLY

OF EXACTLY THE SAME ALLOY,

THERE WERE,
IF YOU STARTED TO LOOK

IN THE SORT OF PARTS PER MILLION
ANALYSIS OF THESE THINGS,

THERE WERE SLIGHT DIFFERENCES
BETWEEN EACH BLADE.

Narrator: POLLARD
SOON HAS AN ANSWER.

Pollard: BLADE 17, LEFT ENGINE.

Narrator: THE BLADE THAT BROKE
FIRST AND CAUSED THE VIBRATION

CAME FROM THE LEFT ENGINE.

INVESTIGATORS NOW FACE
A TROUBLING QUESTION.

WHY DID THE PILOTS SHUT DOWN
THE RIGHT ENGINE

IF THE VIBRATIONS
WERE IN THE LEFT?

Moss: A CREW THIS EXPERIENCED?

IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THEY WOULD
SHUT DOWN THE WRONG ENGINE.

Narrator: PILOTS HAVE AN ARRAY
OF INSTRUMENTS THAT TELL THEM

ABOUT THE OPERATION
OF THEIR ENGINES,

INCLUDING ONE THAT MEASURES
VIBRATION.

Moss: I THINK THERE WAS
A LOT OF SKEPTICISM

FROM THE OPERATIONS INSPECTORS,
THE PILOTS ON THE TEAM,

BECAUSE HERE WE HAVE
A VERY EXPERIENCED,

WELL-QUALIFIED CREW,
THE CAPTAIN IN PARTICULAR.

Hunt: WHICH ONE IS IT?

McClelland: IT'S THE LEFT.

IT'S THE RIGHT ONE.

Moss: AND IT'S VERY,
VERY DIFFICULT TO ACCEPT

THAT SUCH A BASIC MISTAKE
COULD BE MADE.

Moss: OK, SO LET'S SEE
IF THE LEFT AND RIGHT

GOT SWAPPED SOMEHOW.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS WONDER
IF A FAULTY ENGINE GAUGE

GAVE THE PILOTS
THE WRONG INFORMATION

ABOUT WHICH ENGINE
WAS BREAKING DOWN.

Moss: IT HAD HAPPENED
IN THE PAST ONCE

THAT THE ENGINE INSTRUMENTS
HAD BEEN CROSS-CONNECTED,

SO THE LEFT INSTRUMENT
WAS TELLING YOU

WHAT THE RIGHT ENGINE WAS DOING,
AND VICE VERSA.

OK.

SO IT LOOKS IDIOT-PROOF TO ME.

THERE'S NO WAY THE LEFT
AND RIGHT GOT SWITCHED.

THE CONNECTORS THAT CONNECT
ONTO THE BACK OF THE INSTRUMENTS

WERE EFFECTIVELY WHAT'S KNOWN
AS CLOCKED,

WHICH MEANS THAT YOU CAN'T FIT
LEFT TO RIGHT, RIGHT TO LEFT.

Narrator:
THE TESTS ARE CONCLUSIVE.

THE ENGINE GAUGES
WORK PERFECTLY,

AND IT'S NOT POSSIBLE TO CONNECT
THEM TO THE WRONG ENGINE.

THERE'S ANOTHER POSSIBILITY.

THE VIBRATION MAY HAVE BEEN
SO SEVERE

THAT IT BECAME IMPOSSIBLE
TO READ THE SHUDDERING GAUGES.

Pollard:
THIS COULD BE SOMETHING.

AN AMERICAN 737 CAPTAIN
HAD HAD ONE OF THESE ONSET

OF SERIOUS VIBRATION,

AND HE SAID THE WHOLE INSTRUMENT
PANEL JUST VANISHED INTO A BLUR.

HE COULDN'T SEE A THING.

Hirst: IT WAS A HUGE CONCERN

BECAUSE ENGINES ARE SHUT DOWN
AROUND THE WORLD

I'M SURE MANY TIMES A DAY.

VERY, VERY SELDOM IS IT
THE INCORRECT ENGINE,

SO IT WAS A STANDOUT MOMENT,
REALLY.

Narrator: CAPTAIN HUNT
IS FINALLY WELL ENOUGH

TO TALK TO INVESTIGATORS.

Hunt: THERE IS NO DOUBT
IN MY MIND.

THE PROBLEM WAS
WITH THE RIGHT ENGINE.

Narrator: HE INSISTS THERE WAS
A PROBLEM IN THE RIGHT ENGINE,

AND HE HAS PROOF.

THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM
ON JETLINERS

IS FED BY AIR FROM THE ENGINES,

AND AFTER MORE THAN 13,000 HOURS
FLYING JETLINERS,

CAPTAIN HUNT HAS LEARNED
THE COMPLEX RELATIONSHIP

BETWEEN HIS ENGINES
AND THE SYSTEMS THEY FEED.

Hunt: SHUT IT DOWN.

Narrator:
ON THE PREVIOUS PLANE HE FLEW,

THE RIGHT ENGINE PROVIDED NEARLY
ALL THE AIR IN THE COCKPIT.

Hunt: WHEN I SMELLED THE SMOKE,

I KNEW THE PROBLEM
WAS WITH THE RIGHT ENGINE.

Moss: AS THEY WERE SMELLING IT
IN THE COCKPIT,

THEY THOUGHT THAT THIS MUST BE
AN INDICATION

THAT IT WAS THE RIGHT ENGINE

THAT WAS HAVING A FAIRLY MAJOR
MECHANICAL PROBLEM.

ON THE 400, THE AIR CON
DRAWS FROM BOTH ENGINES.

Narrator:
IT'S A TRAGIC ASSUMPTION.

INVESTIGATORS LEARN THAT ON
THIS NEWER VERSION OF THE 737,

BOTH ENGINES SUPPLY AIR
TO THE COCKPIT.

Hirst:
WE'RE NOT CONSCIOUSLY AWARE
OF HOW WE MADE THE DECISIONS,

SO IF WE GET SLIGHTLY
WRONG MENTAL PICTURE

OR SITUATIONAL AWARENESS,
AS WE CALL IT,

WE WILL MAKE A DECISION

BASED ON THAT
SLIGHTLY INCORRECT AWARENESS,

WHICH MIGHT GIVE US
THE WRONG OUTCOME.

Narrator: THE CAPTAIN
HAS ANOTHER REASON

TO BELIEVE THAT IT WAS
THE RIGHT ENGINE.

THE FIRST OFFICER TELLS HIM SO.

McClelland: IT'S THE LEFT.

IT'S THE RIGHT ONE.

Hunt: THROTTLE IT BACK.

McClelland: I JUST STUMBLED
OVER MY WORDS, THAT'S ALL.

Hirst: I DON'T THINK
WE'LL EVER KNOW

WHY HE CHANGED HIS MIND
MID-DIAGNOSIS.

Pollard: WE'RE TALKING TO PEOPLE

WHO'VE JUST BEEN THROUGH
THE MOST TRAUMATIC THING,

YOU KNOW, AND ASKING THEM TO
EXPLAIN THEIR THOUGHT PROCESSES.

Moss: RIGHT.
HERE ARE OUR GAUGES.

Narrator: THE LAYOUT
OF THE COCKPIT INSTRUMENTS

MAY PROVIDE
A PARTIAL EXPLANATION.

Moss: RIGHT ENGINE.

RIGHT.

SEE, I CAN SEE
HOW YOU'D MESS THIS UP.

Narrator: THE GAUGES
THAT MEASURE VIBRATION

SIT ON THE RIGHT SIDE
OF THE PANEL.

UNDER STRESS, THE FIRST OFFICER

MAY HAVE THOUGHT THEY CORRESPOND
TO THE RIGHT ENGINE.

McClelland: THE PROBLEM WAS
DEFINITELY IN THE RIGHT ENGINE.

Narrator: BUT THE THEORY
DOESN'T HOLD UP.

IF THE CREW SHUT DOWN
THE GOOD RIGHT ENGINE,

WHY DID THE VIBRATION SUDDENLY
STOP IN THE FAULTY LEFT ENGINE?

Moss: THEY REDUCED THE POWER
ON THE RIGHT ENGINE,

BUT SOMEHOW THE LEFT ENGINE
SETTLES DOWN.

Narrator: AN IMPORTANT PIECE
IS MISSING FROM THIS PUZZLE.

INVESTIGATORS ANALYZE EVERYTHING
THE PILOTS DID DURING FLIGHT 92.

WHEN THE CRISIS HITS,

THEY REDUCE POWER
TO THE RIGHT ENGINE.

Hunt: SEEMS TO BE RUNNING
ALL RIGHT NOW.

Narrator: THE ENGINE PROBLEMS
SEEM TO STOP.

Moss: I AM IN NO DOUBT THAT THAT

WAS BY FAR THE MOST DOMINANT
CUE FOR THEM

THAT THEY HAD DONE
THE RIGHT THING

AND THE PROBLEM LAY
IN THE RIGHT ENGINE.

Narrator: THE DATA SHOWS
THE FIRST OFFICER

MADE A CRUCIAL ADJUSTMENT

JUST SECONDS BEFORE
THE VIBRATION STOPPED.

Moss: THAT'S IT.
OF COURSE.

HE HAD TO DISCONNECT
THE AUTO THROTTLE.

Hunt: THROTTLE IT BACK.

Narrator: TO REDUCE POWER
ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE,

THE PILOT MUST FIRST
SWITCH OFF THE AUTO THROTTLE...

McClelland: AUTO THROTTLE OFF.

Narrator:
THE PART OF THE AUTOPILOT
THAT REGULATES ENGINE POWER.

SWITCHING TO MANUAL HAS
AN UNFORESEEN SIDE EFFECT.

IT REDUCES POWER
TO THE LEFT ENGINE,

LEADING TO A TEMPORARY
BUT DRAMATIC IMPROVEMENT

IN PERFORMANCE.

Moss: IT WAS DAMAGED, BUT IT WAS
REASONABLY HAPPY OPERATING

AT A LOW POWER SETTING,

WHICH IS ALL IT NEEDED

BECAUSE THEY WERE CONSTANTLY
DESCENDING TOWARDS THE AIRFIELD.

Hirst: IT WAS PROBABLY
THE KILLER BLOW,

BECAUSE WHAT THAT MEANT

WAS THAT THEY FELT
THAT WHAT THEY HAD DONE,

WHICH WAS TO CLOSE
THE RIGHT-HAND ENGINE DOWN,

WAS THE CORRECT THING
TO HAVE DONE.

Moss: ALL RIGHT.

EVERYTHING FROM AFTER THE SMOKE
AND VIBRATIONS START, PLEASE.

Narrator: THE SOUNDS
ON FLIGHT 92'S VOICE RECORDER

REVEAL THE PILOTS
HAD ANOTHER CHALLENGE.

Hunt: LET'S SEE
WHAT WE'VE GOT HERE.

VIBRATIONS, SMOKE...

Narrator: AS THEY START TO
ASSESS THE ESCALATING CRISIS,

THEY'RE INTERRUPTED
BY A RADIO CALL.

Controller: MIDLAND 92,
YOU'RE CLEARED FOR DESCENT

TO FLIGHT LEVEL 4-0.

McClelland: DESCENDING
TO FLIGHT LEVEL 4-0, MIDLAND 92.

Moss: YOU'RE ALMOST WILLING THEM
TO SAY NO,

FORGET TALKING
TO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL.

KEEP ANALYZING THE PROBLEM.
YOU'LL GET THERE.

Hirst: THE HAIRS ON THE BACK
OF MY NECK STILL STAND THEN

BECAUSE I JUST WISH
THE NEXT TIME I LISTEN TO IT

IT'LL BE DIFFERENT.

Narrator: FLIGHT 92 CAME
TRAGICALLY CLOSE TO LANDING.

WITH ITS RIGHT ENGINE SHUT DOWN,

THE PLANE FLEW
FOR NEARLY 17 MINUTES

ON JUST THE DAMAGED LEFT ENGINE.

Hunt: POWER, PLEASE.

Narrator: WHAT TRIGGERED
THE FINAL DEADLY FAILURE

AND MADE THE ENGINE
EXPLODE INTO FLAMES?

INSIDE THE LEFT ENGINE, POLLARD
HAS FOUND DEEP SCRATCHES

CUT INTO THE SOFT
ACOUSTIC LINING

THAT MUFFLES ENGINE NOISE.

THE MARKS SUGGEST A THEORY
ABOUT THE FAILURE.

Pollard: QUITE CLEARLY, THERE
WAS RELATIVELY LITTLE DAMAGE

DONE AT THE FIRST FAILURE.

WE THOUGHT ONE OF THE BLADES,
IF IT FLEW FORWARD,

IT COULD IMBED ITSELF
IN THE SOFT MATERIAL,

WHICH IS THE ACOUSTIC LINING
OF THE INTAKE.

Narrator: POLLARD SUSPECTS THAT
WHEN THE FIRST BLADE SNAPPED,

THE BROKEN TIP BECAME EMBEDDED
IN THE ACOUSTIC LINING.

Hunt: POWER, PLEASE.

Narrator:
WHEN THE CREW INCREASED POWER,

THE EXTRA VIBRATION SHOOK
THE FRAGMENT LOOSE

INTO THE ENGINE,

SETTING OFF A CASCADE
OF DESTRUCTION.

McClelland:
WE'RE LOSING ANOTHER ENGINE!

Pollard: THEY HAD KNOCKED
A BIT OFF ANOTHER BLADE,

AND NOW WE HAD TWO BITS
GOING ROUND THE ENGINE,

AND IT BUILT UP TO A SORT
OF CALAMITOUS FAILURE

OF LOTS AND LOTS OF BLADES.

Narrator: THERE WAS ANOTHER
OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CREW

TO IDENTIFY THEIR MISTAKE--

PASSENGERS WHO SENSED THE ERROR.

Baldwin:
I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG

WHEN I HEARD THAT ANNOUNCEMENT.

Hunt: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

WE'VE HAD A PROBLEM
WITH OUR RIGHT ENGINE.

WE'VE SHUT IT DOWN,

AND WE'LL BE DIVERTING
TO EAST MIDLANDS AIRPORT.

Baldwin: I PARTLY WANTED TO SAY,
EXCUSE ME,

THERE'S A PROBLEM
WITH THE LEFT-HAND SIDE.

CAN YOU NOT SEE THAT?

AND YOU'RE SAYING
IT'S THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE.

BUT A LITTLE BIT OF ME
WAS GOING,

"DON'T INTERFERE.
THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING."

Narrator: THE CREW TRIES
TO RESTART THE ENGINE

THEY MISTAKENLY SHUT DOWN,

BUT THEY'RE TOO CLOSE
TO THE GROUND.

Pollard: AT THE TIME THAT
THE ENGINE FAILED FOR GOOD,

THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT TIME
TO GET THE OTHER ENGINE STARTED

BECAUSE STARTUP OF A FAN ENGINE
TAKES AN APPRECIABLE TIME.

Narrator: WITH NO ENGINE POWER,
THE CRASH IS INEVITABLE.

IN THEIR FINAL REPORT,

INVESTIGATORS CALL
FOR IMPROVED VIBRATION GAUGES

THAT ARE EASIER
FOR PILOTS TO READ.

THEY ALSO HIGHLIGHT THE
IMPORTANCE OF GOOD COMMUNICATION

BETWEEN THE COCKPIT
AND THE CABIN.

Hirst: I THINK
FOR THE TRAVELING PUBLIC,

IF YOU SEE SOMETHING ODD
ON THE WINGS OR WHATEVER

WHEN YOU'RE SITTING
AS A PASSENGER,

MENTION IT TO SOMEBODY,

AND THAT MESSAGE WILL NOW
GET THROUGH TO THE PILOTS.

Narrator: THE CAUSE OF ONE OF
BRITAIN'S WORST AIR DISASTERS

IS NOW CLEAR.

BUT INVESTIGATORS
THINK THIS CRASH

STILL HAS MORE TO TEACH THEM
ABOUT SAVING LIVES.

Carter:
THIS WAS RIGHT ON THE EDGE

OF WHAT WAS
A SURVIVABLE ACCIDENT,

AND THAT WAS WHAT MADE IT
SO IMPORTANT

THAT WE DIG INTO THE ISSUES
IN THIS

TO SEE HOW THAT FIGURE
COULD BE IMPROVED.

Narrator:
79 PEOPLE SURVIVED THE CRASH
OF BRITISH MIDLAND FLIGHT 92,

BUT MANY OF THE SURVIVORS
WERE BADLY HURT.

ROB CARTER INTENDS
TO FIND OUT WHY.

Carter: IN THE OLD DAYS
OF AVIATION,

THERE WAS AN EXPECTATION

THAT IF SOMEBODY SURVIVED
AN ACCIDENT,

IT WAS JUST PLAIN LUCK.

STARTING IN THE '60s AND '70s,
THE IDEA GROWS IN THAT ACTUALLY

A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE'S LIVES
CAN BE SAVED,

AND THAT'S AFFECTED A LOT
OF DESIGN WITHIN AN AIRCRAFT.

Narrator: WHEN PILOTS
LOSE CONTROL AT HIGH ALTITUDE,

IT'S NEARLY ALWAYS FATAL.

BUT FLIGHT 92 WAS
IN A CONTROLLED DESCENT

UNTIL THE FINAL SECONDS.

IT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN
SO DEADLY.

Carter: THE THOUGHT WAS, IF
THERE'S ANY PART OF THE AIRCRAFT

THAT SURVIVES, ACTUALLY,

MOST OF THE OCCUPANTS SHOULD
HAVE A DECENT CHANCE AS WELL.

Narrator: MEDICAL RECORDS
PROVIDE DETAILS

ON THE INJURIES
OF EVERY PASSENGER.

Carter: IT WAS
A VERY EMOTIONAL TIME.

THIS IS A VERY HUMAN BUSINESS.

WE WOULDN'T BE IN IT OTHERWISE.

Narrator: CARTER MATCHES
THE FATE OF EVERY PASSENGER

TO THE LOCATION OF HIS
OR HER SEAT ON THE PLANE.

Carter: IN THE FRONT SECTION
OF THE AIRCRAFT

IT WAS THE WORST,

AND THEN FOLLOWED BY THE AREA
JUST BEHIND THE WING.

THE BETTER AREAS WERE
IN THE TAIL SECTION.

Narrator: CARTER WONDERS
WHY SOME LOCATIONS

WERE SO MUCH MORE DANGEROUS
THAN OTHERS.

THE BROKEN SEATS FROM THE CABIN
PROVIDE AN INTRIGUING LEAD.

Carter: THERE WERE A NUMBER
OF ENGINEERING FEATURES

IN THESE SEATS,

WHICH WE HADN'T
REALLY SEEN BEFORE

AND WHICH WERE PRETTY IMPORTANT.

Narrator:
SOME OF THE WORST INJURIES

CAME FROM PASSENGERS
BEING STRUCK BY LOOSE SEATS.

THE FINDING RAISES A QUESTION.

AIRCRAFT SEATS ARE DESIGNED

TO ABSORB THE POWERFUL G-FORCES
OF A PLANE CRASH

TO HELP PROTECT PASSENGERS.

SO WHY DIDN'T THEY?

TEST DATA FROM THE U.S.
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION

CONFIRMS THAT THE SEATS CAN
HANDLE UP TO 16 Gs,

MORE THAN ENOUGH TO STAND UP
TO THE CRASH NEAR KEGWORTH.

Carter: IF ANYTHING, THE SEATS
ARE BETTER THAN THEY SHOULD BE.

Narrator:
SOMETHING CLEARLY WENT WRONG.

ROB CARTER SCRUTINIZES THE
CRUMPLED SEATS FROM FLIGHT 92,

SEARCHING FOR CLUES
ABOUT WHY THEY BROKE FREE.

IT'S A CRUCIAL STEP
FOR KEEPING PASSENGERS SAFER

IN FUTURE CRASHES.

A COMPUTER SIMULATION
HELPS HIM UNDERSTAND

EXACTLY HOW IMPACT FORCES
AFFECTED THE CABIN.

Carter: NO WONDER THE SEATS
CAME LOOSE.

Narrator: THE SIMULATION
SHOWS WHY SOME AREAS

WERE SO BADLY TORN APART.

IT WASN'T THE SEATS THAT FAILED,
IT WAS THE FLOOR.

Carter: THE FACT THAT THE FLOOR
HAD COLLAPSED

MADE FOR A VERY BIG PROBLEM.

IT MEANT THAT THE SEATS

WERE ALMOST SANDWICHED
UP AGAINST EACH OTHER,

AND THAT MADE IT VERY DIFFICULT
FOR THE RESCUERS.

Narrator: DURING A CRASH,
THE SEATS ARE DESIGNED

TO STAY SECURELY BOLTED
THROUGH THE FLOOR

TO THE STRONG METAL FRAME
OF THE AIRPLANE.

Carter: THERE IS NO PARTICULAR
POINT IN HAVING SEATS

WHICH ARE MUCH STRONGER THAN
THE FLOORS THEY'RE SITTING ON.

Narrator: EVEN IN AREAS
WHERE THE FLOOR STAYED INTACT,

MANY PASSENGERS WERE BADLY HURT

WHEN THEY STRUCK THEIR HEAD
ON THE SEAT IN FRONT OF THEM.

Hunt: BRACE! BRACE!

Narrator:
THE PASSENGERS ON FLIGHT 92

WERE WARNED BY THE CAPTAIN
TO BRACE.

IT SHOULD HAVE PROVIDED
SOME PROTECTION

FROM INJURIES LIKE THESE.

Carter: BEFORE THIS ACCIDENT,
IT SEEMED TO ME

THAT A LOT OF AIRLINES
WOULD HAVE

A LOT OF DIFFERENT
RECOMMENDATIONS

FOR BRACE POSITIONS,

AND I DON'T THINK THEY WERE

PARTICULARLY
SCIENTIFICALLY FOUNDED.

Narrator: CARTER ANALYZES
THE BRACE POSITION

RECOMMENDED BY AIRLINES
IN THE UK.

Carter: WE WERE ABLE TO WORK OUT

JUST WHAT HAPPENED TO PEOPLE'S
BODIES IN THE IMPACT,

AND WE WERE ABLE TO TIE THAT UP

WITH WHAT THE MEDICAL PEOPLE
WERE ABLE TO TELL US

ABOUT THE INJURIES
THEY'D SUFFERED,

BOTH THE PEOPLE WHO'D SURVIVED
AND THE PEOPLE WHO'D DIED.

Narrator:
THE RESULTS WERE DRAMATIC,

REVEALING SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH
THE RECOMMENDED BRACE POSITION.

Carter:
VERY OFTEN WITH HEAD INJURIES
AND NECK INJURIES PARTICULARLY,

IT WOULD BE EITHER FROM
PEOPLE'S HEADS LOLLING AROUND,

BEING UNCONTROLLED IN AN IMPACT

BECAUSE OUR NECK MUSCLES ARE NOT
STRONG ENOUGH TO STOP THAT,

AND ALSO FROM CANNONING
INTO THE SEATBACK IN FRONT.

Narrator:
THE FINDINGS CONTRIBUTE
TO IMPORTANT IMPROVEMENTS.

EXPERTS NOW RECOMMEND
THAT PASSENGERS BEND FORWARD

AS FAR AS POSSIBLE
WITH THEIR HEAD DOWN

AND THEIR ARMS EITHER WRAPPED
AROUND THEIR LEGS

OR BRACED ON THE SEAT
IN FRONT OF THEM.

Carter:
IT ALL HAPPENS SO QUICKLY.

NONE OF US CAN CONTROL IT
CONSCIOUSLY.

IT'S A MATTER OF TRYING
TO PUT OURSELVES IN A POSITION

WHERE THE EFFECTS OF THE IMPACT

ARE GOING TO BE
AS SMALL AS POSSIBLE.

Narrator:
SINCE THE CRASH OF FLIGHT 92,

AIRCRAFT DESIGN
HAS ALSO EVOLVED.

FLOORS ARE NOW MUCH STRONGER.

OVERHEAD BINS HAVE
STURDIER MOUNTS

AND ARE MUCH LESS LIKELY
TO COLLAPSE.

Carter: WHAT WAS VERY HEARTENING

WAS THAT THE ATTITUDE
FROM THE REGULATORS

AND PARTICULARLY
FROM THE AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURERS

WAS THAT IT REALLY MATTERED THAT
THE OVERHEAD BINS HAD COME DOWN,

THAT THAT WAS SOMETHING
THAT WAS SIMPLY NOT TOLERABLE,

AND THE MANUFACTURER TOOK
HUGE EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE

THAT THAT SORT OF THING
WOULD NOT HAPPEN AGAIN.

Narrator:
AFTER THE INVESTIGATION,

THE AIRLINE DISMISSES
BOTH PILOTS.

Baldwin: I HOLD NO MALICE
TOWARDS THEM WHATSOEVER.

THERE'S ALWAYS GONNA BE VICTIMS
OF OTHER PEOPLE'S MISTAKES,

AND I THINK THE BEST THING
WE CAN DO

IS LEARN FROM THOSE MISTAKES.

Carter: IT'S VERY SATISFYING
THAT THIS ACCIDENT

HAS LED TO REAL CHANGES
AND REAL IMPROVEMENTS

IN CRASH WORTHINESS.

IT IS DESPERATELY SAD
THAT IT CAME AT THE COST

OF MANY PEOPLE DYING,
OF MANY PEOPLE BEING INJURED,

OF MANY PEOPLE'S LIVES
BEING FOREVER ALTERED.

THAT'S TRAGIC.

I'M JUST GLAD THAT SOMETHING
DID COME OUT OF IT.

Hirst: THE LEARNING POINTS
FROM THIS INCIDENT

HAVE BEEN GAME-CHANGING
FOR THE AVIATION INDUSTRY,

AND NOW FLYING, FORTUNATELY,
IS EXTREMELY SAFE.

THE DANGEROUS PART
IS GETTING TO THE AIRPORT.