All language subtitles for Air.Disasters.S08E02.Testing.The.Limits.1080p.PMTP.WEB-DL.AAC2.0.H.264-maldini_track4_[eng]

Narrator: SUDDEN IMPACT
AND SCORCHING FLAMES.

Niki Lauda: I THOUGHT,
AM I GONNA DIE?

Narrator: A FIERY CRASH
NEARLY KILLS A RACING LEGEND.

Lauda: THANK GOD
I MADE IT THROUGH.

Narrator:
BUT FOR RACE CAR DRIVER
TURNED AIRLINE OWNER NIKI LAUDA,

A MORE DEVASTATING ACCIDENT
IS STILL TO COME.

Lauda: I GOT A PHONE CALL
FROM THE NEWS.

THEY SAID ONE OF
YOUR AIRPLANES CRASHED.

Pilot: UGH! DAMN IT!

Man: WE JUST COULDN'T FIND
THE SMOKING GUN.

Narrator:
AUSTRIA'S FAMOUS CHAMPION
DEFIES CONVENTIONAL WISDOM...

Lauda: IF THEY HAD LOST ONLY 10%
THEY WOULD STILL BE HERE.

Narrator:
...FIGHTS TO UNCOVER THE TRUTH.

Lauda: IT'S MY NAME,
MY AIRPLANE, MY CRASH.

Narrator: ...AND DISCOVERS
A NEW AND WIDESPREAD THREAT

TO MODERN AVIATION.

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!

Josef Thurner:
YOU NEED A LITTLE BIT OF
RUDDER TRIM TO THE LEFT, HUH?

Thomas Welch: WHAT'S THAT?

Thurner: YOU NEED A LITTLE BIT
OF RUDDER TRIM TO THE LEFT.

Welch: OK.

Narrator: CAPTAIN THOMAS WELCH
AND FIRST OFFICER JOSEF THURNER

ARE FLYING A BOEING 767

FROM BANGKOK, THAILAND,
TO VIENNA, AUSTRIA.

THE FLIGHT IS OPERATED
BY LAUDA AIR,

THE BRAINCHILD OF FAMED AUSTRIAN
FORMULA ONE DRIVER NIKI LAUDA.

Lauda: FOR ME IT WAS A LOGICAL
STEP AFTER RETIRING FROM RACING

TO START IN THIS KIND
OF BUSINESS,

AND THAT'S WHAT I DID
WITH LAUDA AIR.

Narrator:
THROUGHOUT THE '70s, LAUDA
DOMINATED FORMULA ONE RACING.

Herbert Volker: NIKI WAS
THE BEST DRIVER IN HIS DAYS.

Commentator: NIKI LAUDA'S
FERRARI IS STILL IN THE LEAD.

Volker: I THINK NIKI IS
THE BEST KNOWN AUSTRIAN

SINCE MOZART.

Commentator:
AND THAT'S HOW THEY FINISH.

NIKI LAUDA TAKES THE FLAG.

Narrator: HE WON THE
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP THREE TIMES,

THEN USED HIS FAME TO LAUNCH
A NEW CAREER AND A NEW AIRLINE.

Lauda: ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS
WAS TO GIVE THE PASSENGERS

A DIFFERENT WAY OF FLYING,
BETTER SERVICE, BETTER FOOD.

THE AIRPLANE HAD TO LOOK
IN A CERTAIN WAY.

Narrator: THE LAUDA AIR 767
IS LESS THAN 15 MINUTES

INTO ITS 11-HOUR FLIGHT
TO VIENNA.

IT'S A ROUTE NIKI LAUDA
KNOWS FIRST-HAND

BECAUSE HE'S NOT JUST THE OWNER
OF THE AIRLINE,

HE'S ALSO ONE OF ITS PILOTS.

Lauda: WHEN YOU RUN A COMPANY
AND YOU FLY, IT'S VERY SIMPLE,

BECAUSE WHEN YOU ARE
WITH YOUR PASSENGERS

THEN YOU KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON.

YOU CAN LOOK YOURSELF
WHAT THE PROBLEMS ARE,

AND I CORRECTED THINGS QUICKER
IN THAT WAY.

Narrator: IN THE COCKPIT,

CAPTAIN WELCH AND
FIRST OFFICER THURNER

MONITOR THEIR INSTRUMENTS

WHILE THE AUTOPILOT
CONTROLS THE CLIMB.

Welch: AH! OH!

Narrator: SUDDENLY, THE PLANE
BEGINS DROPPING FROM THE SKY.

Welch: CHRIST!

WAIT A MINUTE.

AH! DAMN IT!

Narrator:
THE PILOTS HAVE LOST CONTROL.

LAUDA FLIGHT 4
IS PLUMMETING TO EARTH.

THE PLANE SLAMS
INTO A REMOTE JUNGLE

110 MILES NORTHWEST OF BANGKOK.

Lauda: I WAS AT HOME,
AND I HAD A PHONE CALL

FROM THE NEWS STATION
HERE IN VIENNA,

AND THEY SAID ONE
OF YOUR AIRPLANES CRASHED.

Narrator: WHEN RESCUERS ARRIVE,

IT'S IMMEDIATELY OBVIOUS THAT
THERE'S NO ONE TO BE RESCUED.

ALL 213 PASSENGERS
AND 10 CREWMEMBERS ARE DEAD.

Lauda: THE AIRPLANE TOOK OFF
AT 16:01 UTC.

THERE WAS NO FAULT OR WHATEVER
REPORTED FROM THE PILOTS.

THE AIRPLANE FLEW
ABOUT 20 TO 25 MINUTES

AND THEN SUDDENLY DISAPPEARED
OFF THE RADAR SCREEN,

SO WE HAVE NO INDICATION
WHATSOEVER,

WHATSOEVER HAPPENED
TO THE AIRPLANE.

Narrator: IT'S THE FIRST TIME
A BOEING 767 HAS EVER CRASHED.

THE LOSS OF A U.S.-MADE AIRCRAFT
PROMPTS QUICK ACTION

FROM THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION
SAFETY BOARD.

THE NTSB IMMEDIATELY SENDS

VETERAN INVESTIGATOR
BOB MACINTOSH TO THAILAND.

Bob Macintosh: THE FIRST CRASH
OF AN AIRCRAFT

THAT WAS IN SERVICE
INTERCONTINENTALLY

FOR ALMOST A DECADE
WITH A PERFECT SERVICE RECORD.

IT WAS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR
US TO LEARN WHAT HAD HAPPENED.

Narrator: 223 PEOPLE ARE DEAD,

AND ONE OF THE WORLD'S
MOST POPULAR PLANES

LIES IN PIECES
IN A REMOTE THAI JUNGLE.

Macintosh: MOST OF THE TERRITORY
WAS A MOUNTAINOUS,

VERY TROPICAL-TYPE TERRITORY.

WE RECOGNIZED THAT WE WERE GONNA
HAVE A MAJOR CHALLENGE

TRYING TO IDENTIFY
ALL THE COMPONENTS.

Narrator: THE DIFFICULT TERRAIN
ISN'T THE ONLY PROBLEM

THE INVESTIGATORS ARE FACING.

Macintosh: THERE WERE NUMEROUS
LOCAL FOLKS AROUND,

AND UNFORTUNATELY THEY WERE NOT
CONTROLLED BY THE LOCAL POLICE.

THERE WAS LOOTING
AND TREASURE HUNTING

GOING ON AROUND THE CRASH SITE.

FIRST THING WE GOT TO DO
IS PUT A STOP TO THAT.

Narrator: LOOTERS ARE SWARMING
THE WRECKAGE,

AND VITAL EVIDENCE
IS IN DANGER OF DISAPPEARING.

Macintosh: IT WAS
OF GREAT CONCERN TO US

THAT CRITICAL PARTS MIGHT HAVE
BEEN TAKEN AWAY FROM THE SITE

SIMPLY BY FOLKS
WHO DIDN'T UNDERSTAND

THE CRITICALITY
OF THAT EVIDENCE.

Narrator:
THE BADLY BURNED WRECKAGE

IS STREWN OVER A SQUARE MILE
OF ROUGH TERRAIN.

Macintosh: WE WERE CONFRONTED
WITH WHAT APPEARED TO BE

EVIDENCE OF A INFLIGHT BREAKUP

IN THAT THE MAJOR COMPONENTS,

THE COCKPIT, THE TAIL,
THE MAIN BODY,

THEY WERE SCATTERED
FAR ENOUGH APART

THAT CERTAINLY THEY HAD NOT
COME DOWN TOGETHER.

Narrator:
THE LARGE FIELD OF DEBRIS LEAVES
MACINTOSH WITH LITTLE DOUBT.

THE 767 BROKE UP IN MIDAIR,
NOT WHEN IT HIT THE GROUND.

WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THAT?

Macintosh: SO IT SOUNDED
LIKE AN EXPLOSION.

Narrator: WITNESSES SAY
THE PLANE BLEW UP

AND CAME DOWN
ENGULFED IN FLAMES.

THE EVIDENCE IS POINTING
TO A TROUBLING POSSIBILITY--

THAT LAUDA AIR FLIGHT 4
WAS BROUGHT DOWN

BY A DELIBERATE ACT OF SABOTAGE.

Macintosh: THERE WAS A LOT
OF SPECULATION

ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY
OF A TERRORIST ACT

AFFECTING THE AIRCRAFT.

GLAD TO HAVE YOU ON BOARD.

LET ME SHOW YOU
WHERE WE'RE AT SO FAR.

THIS IS FRED.

Narrator: BOEING SENDS ITS OWN
INVESTIGATOR TO THAILAND.

KEVIN DARCY HAS AN INTIMATE
KNOWLEDGE OF THE 767--

HE HELPED DESIGN THE PLANE.

HE, TOO, SUSPECTS THAT THIS
COULD BE A CASE OF FOUL PLAY.

Kevin Darcy: IT IS PRETTY
UNUSUAL FOR AN ACCIDENT TO OCCUR

ON THE EARLY CLIMB-OUT PORTION
OF THE FLIGHT.

MY INITIAL THOUGHT WAS THAT IT
WAS SOME SORT OF SABOTAGE

OR A MISSILE
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

Narrator:
IT'S BEEN JUST THREE MONTHS
SINCE WESTERN POWERS

PUSHED SADDAM HUSSEIN OUT OF
KUWAIT IN THE PERSIAN GULF WAR.

THE TIMING SPARKS RUMORS
OF A REVENGE PLOT,

A TERRORIST ATTACK AGAINST
A SOFT TARGET--LAUDA AIR.

Darcy: THEY POP INTO YOUR MIND,
IDEAS LIKE THAT,

AND YOU HAVE TO WORK
KIND OF HARD

TO GET THOSE OUT OF YOUR MIND

SO YOU CAN JUST SEE
WHERE THE FACTS TAKE YOU.

Narrator: THE PASSENGER LIST
SUGGESTS A POSSIBLE LEAD.

ONE OF THE PEOPLE TRAVELING
ON FLIGHT 4 WAS AN ADVISOR

TO THE UNITED NATIONS
DRUG CONTROL PROGRAM.

DONALD MACINTOSH WAS HELPING
THE THAIS FIGHT A WAR ON HEROIN.

PERHAPS THE POWERFUL DRUG BARONS

WHO RULE THAILAND'S
GOLDEN TRIANGLE

HAVE SOMEHOW ENGINEERED
THE DISASTER.

INVESTIGATORS BEGIN
THE PAINSTAKING TASK

OF TESTING THE WRECKAGE
FOR EXPLOSIVE RESIDUE.

AIRLINE OWNER NIKI LAUDA
IS RELUCTANT

TO BELIEVE TERRORISM
BROUGHT DOWN ONE OF HIS PLANES.

HE ARRIVES IN THAILAND
TO SEE FOR HIMSELF.

Lauda: MY FIRST DECISION WAS
TO GO THERE MYSELF

AND TRY TO FIND OUT
WHAT HAPPENED,

AND THIS IS WHAT I DID.

WHERE WAS THE TAIL FOUND?

I'VE NEVER SEEN AN AIRPLANE
CRASH IN ALL MY LIFE.

THE SCENE FOR ME,

THIS WAS THE MOST HORRIFIC
PICTURES I'VE EVER SEEN.

Narrator: SURROUNDED
BY THE SCATTERED REMAINS

OF AN AIRLINER
THAT CARRIED HIS NAME,

LAUDA IS OVERWHELMED BY
THE MAGNITUDE OF THE DISASTER.

Lauda: WHEN YOU HAVE
223 PEOPLE KILLED,

THE FAMILIES ALL
WANT TO KNOW WHY.

AND I THINK THIS
IS THE WORST FOR PEOPLE

IF THEY DO NOT KNOW WHY
THEY LOST THEIR HUSBAND,

CHILDREN OR WHATSOEVER.

Narrator: LAUDA IS DETERMINED
TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WENT WRONG.

Lauda: IF IT'S THE FAULT OF
LAUDA AIR TECHNICIANS OR PILOTS,

I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYBODY.

I WOULD CERTAINLY RESIGN.

Narrator: HIS CONVICTION
MAY BE ROOTED

IN HIS OWN TRAUMATIC PAST.

AT THE GERMAN GRAND PRIX
IN 1976,

HIS FERRARI SLAMMED INTO A WALL
AND ERUPTED IN FLAMES.

LAUDA SUFFERED THIRD-DEGREE
BURNS TO HIS HEAD AND BODY.

HE BARELY SURVIVED.

Lauda: AND I SAID,
I'M NOT GONNA DIE,

AND THANK GOD I MADE IT THROUGH,

BUT IT WAS VERY TOUCH AND GO,
NOT BECAUSE OF MY BURNS.

IT WAS MY LUNG DAMAGE
WHICH WAS THE PROBLEM.

Narrator:
HIS LUNGS WERE BADLY SCARRED

FROM INHALING
TOXIC, BURNING FUMES.

BUT IN SPITE OF HIS INJURIES,
LAUDA ONLY MISSED TWO RACES.

Reporter: JUST 40 DAYS
AFTER DOCTORS HAD GIVEN UP HOPE

AND A PRIEST HAD KNELT
AT HIS BEDSIDE,

THE AUSTRIAN ACE CLIMBED BACK
INTO THE COCKPIT

OF HIS GLARING RED FERRARI.

Narrator: HE WAS BACK
ON THE TRACK SIX WEEKS LATER.

BUT THE CAUSE OF HIS NEAR FATAL
CRASH WAS NEVER UNCOVERED.

THIS TIME, HE WANTS THINGS
TO BE DIFFERENT.

Volker: AFTER THE CRASH
NEAR BANGKOK,

THE ONLY WAY FOR HIM TO SURVIVE
AS AN INTACT PERSON

WAS TO FIND OUT
WHAT REALLY HAD HAPPENED.

Narrator: FINDING ANSWERS
WON'T BE EASY.

EARLY EVIDENCE
FROM THE CRASH SITE

IS ALREADY RAISING DOUBTS
ABOUT THE BOMB THEORY.

Macintosh: ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT SIGNATURES

IN LOOKING AT TERRORISM

IS TO LOOK AT THE BAGGAGE
CONTAINERS IN AN AIRCRAFT

AND SEE IF THEY'RE DAMAGED
IN ANY WAY

AND WHAT THAT DAMAGE IS,

IF THERE ARE SIGNATURES
OF EXPLOSIONS.

I DON'T KNOW.

THERE'S NO CHARRING.

THERE'S NO OUTWARD PETALING.

DOESN'T SAY BOMB TO ME.

WE DIDN'T SEE ANY EVIDENCE
OF TERRORISM.

Narrator: THE BLACK BOXES MAY
HAVE CAPTURED IMPORTANT CLUES

ABOUT THE CAUSE
OF THE INFLIGHT BREAKUP,

BUT THEY'RE BADLY BURNED.

TO HAVE ANY HOPE
OF RETRIEVING THE DATA,

THAI INVESTIGATORS
NEED TO SEND THE BOXES

TO A SOPHISTICATED LAB.

BOB MACINTOSH MAKES THE CASE
FOR THE NTSB TO GET THE JOB.

Macintosh: THEY SHOULD GO
TO WASHINGTON.

THERE WAS AN OBVIOUS REASON,

AND IT WAS BECAUSE THE AIRCRAFT

WAS CERTIFIED
BY THE UNITED STATES, FAA,

AND THE MANUFACTURER IS LOCATED
IN THE UNITED STATES.

Narrator: DAYS AFTER THE CRASH,
CRUCIAL PIECES OF THE PLANE

ARE STILL MISSING,
INCLUDING THE ENGINES.

Macintosh:
TRACKING DOWN THE WRECKAGE

AT THE LAUDA CRASH SITE WAS
CERTAINLY A MAJOR CHALLENGE.

IT WAS MOUNTAINOUS.
IT WAS TOTALLY OVERGROWN.

WE CLIMBED A MOUNTAIN,
WENT BACK DOWN IN A VALLEY

AND FOUND THE LEFT ENGINE.

WELL, WOULD YOU LOOK AT THAT.

Narrator: THEN,
INVESTIGATORS SEE SOMETHING

THAT SENDS A CHILL
THROUGH THE AVIATION WORLD.

INVESTIGATORS IN THAILAND
HAVE MADE A SURPRISING FIND.

THE THRUST REVERSER
ON FLIGHT 4'S LEFT ENGINE

IS FULLY DEPLOYED.

Darcy: ONCE WE ACTUALLY SAW

THAT THE THRUST REVERSER
HAD DEPLOYED,

FOR ME IT WAS, IT WAS SHOCKING.

IT WAS NOT ANYTHING I REALLY
EXPECTED WOULD HAPPEN.

Narrator: THRUST REVERSERS
HELP JETLINERS

COME TO A STOP ON LANDING.

THEY WORK BY REDIRECTING
ENGINE THRUST FORWARD

TO SLOW THE PLANE DOWN.

Macintosh: LEFT SIDE
DEPLOYED IN MIDAIR.

NO DOUBT.

Narrator:
PLANES HAVE BUILT-IN SAFEGUARDS

TO PREVENT REVERSERS
FROM DEPLOYING DURING FLIGHT.

BUT EVEN IF IT DOES HAPPEN,
IT SHOULDN'T CAUSE A CRASH.

Darcy: THE WIDESPREAD FEELING
OF WHAT WOULD HAPPEN

IF A REVERSER DEPLOYED IN FLIGHT

WAS THAT THE AIRPLANE
WOULD BE CONTROLLABLE,

THAT YOU COULD MAKE A SAFE
LANDING AFTER THAT HAPPENED.

Narrator:
IN FACT, FLIGHT TESTING HAS
ALREADY SHOWN EXACTLY THAT.

BEFORE THE 767 FIRST WENT
INTO SERVICE,

BOEING HAD TO PROVE THAT PILOTS
COULD KEEP FLYING SAFELY

AFTER A MIDAIR DEPLOYMENT.

Darcy: I WAS ACTUALLY
ON ONE OF THE FLIGHT TESTS

WHEN WE TESTED
THE THRUST REVERSER DEPLOYED.

THERE WAS A LOT OF VIBRATION,
A LOT OF NOISE,

BUT THE AIRPLANE
WAS CONTROLLABLE.

Narrator:
THE PILOTS ONLY EXPERIENCED
A SMALL LOSS OF LIFT.

AS A RESULT,
BOEING CERTIFIED THE 767

AS CAPABLE OF CONTINUED
SAFE FLIGHT AND LANDING

UNDER ANY POSSIBLE POSITION
OF THE THRUST REVERSER.

BUT THE DISCOVERY OF AN ENGINE
WITH A DEPLOYED REVERSER

IS SO UNUSUAL,

INVESTIGATORS MUST CONCLUDE

THAT IT'S SOMEHOW RELATED
TO THE CRASH.

Macintosh:
HOW DOES A THRUST REVERSER
BRING DOWN A 767?

WE'RE MISSING SOMETHING.

Narrator: IF IT TURNS OUT
THAT A FAULTY THRUST REVERSER

CAN BRING DOWN A PLANE,

IT HAS OMINOUS IMPLICATIONS
FOR THE ENTIRE AIRLINE INDUSTRY.

THE LIVES OF HUNDREDS
OF THOUSANDS OF PASSENGERS

AROUND THE WORLD
COULD BE IN JEOPARDY.

Macintosh: WE RECOGNIZED
THAT WE HAD SOMETHING

THAT WAS VERY UNUSUAL AND WOULD,
WOULD REQUIRE A LOT OF ANALYSIS.

Narrator:
THE DEPLOYED THRUST REVERSER

IS THE STRONGEST LEAD
INVESTIGATORS HAVE.

BUT NO ONE CAN FIGURE OUT HOW
IT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE CRASH.

Macintosh: WHAT WOULD HAVE
CAUSED THE LOSS OF CONTROL

OF THE AIRCRAFT,

BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN DEMONSTRATED

THAT THIS VERY CONDITION
COULD BE, COULD OCCUR IN THE AIR

AND YOU COULD CONTINUE TO LAND.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS
WILL HAVE TO SOLVE THE MYSTERY

WITHOUT THEIR
MOST VALUABLE TOOL.

THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER
IS SO BADLY BURNED

THAT TECHNICIANS AT THE NTSB
CAN'T RECOVER ANY DATA.

Lauda: THE DISAPPOINTMENT
WAS THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER

WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED,
WHICH WAS VERY UNLUCKY.

Narrator:
BUT THERE'S BETTER NEWS ABOUT
THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER.

IT HAS SURVIVED THE FIRE.

Macintosh: READY TO GO?

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS
ON BOTH SIDES OF THE WORLD

CAN FINALLY LISTEN
TO THE LAST MOMENTS

OF LAUDA AIR FLIGHT 4.

Thurner: AVIONICS?
Welch: CHECK.

Lauda:
FOR ME IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT
TO LISTEN TO THE VOICE RECORDER

TO UNDERSTAND THINGS
IN A BETTER WAY,

BECAUSE YOU NEED ANSWERS.

Thurner: V-1. ROTATE.

Macintosh: WE RECOGNIZED
THAT THE FIRST OFFICER

HAD BEEN IN THE PILOT MONITORING
POSITION.

THE CAPTAIN WAS FLYING
THE AIRCRAFT.

Thurner: POSITIVE RATE OF CLIMB.

Welch: GEAR UP.

Narrator:
THE VOICE RECORDER SHOWS
A NORMAL TAKEOFF AND CLIMB.

Thurner: LANDING GEAR'S UP.

Lauda: ALL THIS KIND
OF NORMAL COMMUNICATION,

WHICH I KNEW ALL THE PEOPLE,
SO FOR ME IT WAS HONESTLY HARD.

THIS WAS THE HARDEST PART
OF ALL MY LIFE.

Thurner: WE ARE CLEAR
TO LEVEL 3-1-0

AND MAINTAINING, LAUDA 4.

Narrator: FLIGHT 4 CLIMBS
TO 7,000 FEET WITHOUT A PROBLEM.

A LITTLE MORE THAN FIVE AND
A HALF MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT,

THE FIRST HINT OF TROUBLE.

Thurner: SCHEISSE.

Welch: YEAH, THAT KEEPS...
IT'S COME ON.

Macintosh: WHAT'S COME ON?

Lauda: SOME KIND OF WARNING.

Narrator:
THE PILOTS HAVE NOTICED AN ALERT
THAT'S COMING ON IN THE COCKPIT.

COULD THIS BE THE CLUE

THAT UNLOCKS THE MYSTERY
OF LAUDA FLIGHT 4?

INVESTIGATORS LISTEN
AS THE LAUDA PILOTS DISCUSS

A MYSTERIOUS COCKPIT WARNING.

Welch: WHAT'S IT SAY IN THERE
ABOUT THAT?

Thurner:
ADDITIONAL SYSTEM FAILURES
MAY CAUSE INFLIGHT DEPLOYMENT.

EXPECT NORMAL REVERSE OPERATION
AFTER LANDING.

Woman: STOP IT FOR A SECOND.

"ADDITIONAL SYSTEM FAILURES
MAY CAUSE INFLIGHT DEPLOYMENT."

HE'S TALKING ABOUT THE REVERSER
ISOLATION VALVE WARNING.

Narrator:
THE WARNING RELATES TO A VALVE

IN THE LEFT ENGINE'S
THRUST REVERSER.

THE HYDRAULIC ISOLATION VALVE
CONTROLS THE FLOW

OF HYDRAULIC FLUID
TO THE REVERSERS.

WHEN IT'S OPEN, THE REVERSER
CAN BE STOWED OR DEPLOYED.

WHEN IT'S CLOSED,
THE REVERSERS WON'T BUDGE.

Welch: OK.

Narrator: THE CREW DOESN'T SOUND
WORRIED ABOUT THE WARNING.

Macintosh:
THE REVERSE ISOLATION WARNING

THAT WAS PRESENTED TO THE CREW

WAS AN ABNORMAL
BUT NOT EMERGENCY ISSUE,

AND IT DIDN'T REQUIRE ANY ACTION
BY THE CREW

OTHER THAN TO BE ADVISED
THAT THE THRUST REVERSE

MIGHT NOT BE AVAILABLE
ON LANDING.

Welch: OK.

Lauda: THEY DID THE RIGHT THING.

THEY READ THE CHECKLIST,

AND THE CHECKLIST SAID
YOU CAN CONTINUE THE FLIGHT.

Thurner: SHOULD I ASK
THE GROUND STAFF?

Welch: NO. IT'S PROBABLY
MOISTURE OR SOMETHING

'CAUSE IT'S NOT JUST ON,
IT'S COMING ON AND OFF.

Thurner: YEAH.

Macintosh: IT WAS
A NON-EMERGENCY ISSUE,

AND THEY SIMPLY DISCUSSED IT.

Welch: YOU KNOW
IT DOESN'T REALLY,

WELL, IT'S JUST
AN ADVISORY THING.

Macintosh: TO MAKE SURE
THAT THEY FELT COMFORTABLE

THAT IT WAS NOT SOMETHING

THAT WAS GOING TO INTERFERE
WITH THE FLIGHT.

Welch: I DON'T...UH...

IT COULD BE SOME MOISTURE
IN THERE OR SOMETHING.

Narrator: FOR FIVE MINUTES,
NOTHING HAPPENS.

THEN...

Welch: UGH! OH!

Thurner: REVERSER'S DEPLOYED.

Welch: OH, CHRIST!

HERE. WAIT A MINUTE.

AH! DAMN IT!

Lauda:
THE CAPTAIN SAID "DAMN IT,"

AND REACTIONS OF A PILOT WHICH
IS OUT OF CONTROL BASICALLY.

THE CO-PILOT DIDN'T SAY A WORD
IN THESE MOMENTS OF THE CRASH.

SO FOR ME IT WAS VERY OBVIOUS

THAT SOMETHING MUST HAVE
HAPPENED THERE SO QUICKLY

BECAUSE NORMAL PILOTS, THEY
COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER

IF THERE IS A PROBLEM.

Narrator: THE CVR CONFIRMS
THAT WHATEVER WENT WRONG

HAPPENED INCREDIBLY FAST.

JUST 22 SECONDS LATER,

THE SOUND OF THE PLANE
BEING RIPPED TO PIECES.

Lauda: THE WHOLE THING
WAS SO DIFFICULT.

YOU, YOU NEVER FORGET.

Volker: NIKI KNEW THAT IT
HAD TO BE A MISTAKE

WHICH WAS NOT
THE AIRLINE'S MISTAKE,

NOT NIKI'S MISTAKE,
AND NOT THE PILOTS' MISTAKE.

Narrator:
NIKI LAUDA IS CONVINCED

THE DEPLOYED THRUST REVERSER
IS WHAT CAUSED THE CRASH.

Volker: THE MOMENT NIKI WAS SURE

THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG
WITH THE SYSTEM,

HE PUT A LOT OF PRESSURE
ON BOEING.

Lauda: I WAS AFTER BOEING
DAY AND NIGHT

SO THAT THE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND
THAT WE'RE WORKING ON IT,

THAT WE'LL HOPEFULLY FIND
THE CAUSE

AND MAKE SURE IT WILL NEVER,
EVER HAPPEN AGAIN,

BECAUSE THIS IS THE ANSWERS
THESE FAMILIES NEEDED.

Narrator: WITH PRESSURE
MOUNTING ON BOEING,

BOB MACINTOSH RETURNS
TO THE CRASH SITE

IN SEARCH OF ANY EVIDENCE

THAT CAN HELP EXPLAIN
WHAT WENT WRONG.

Macintosh: LET'S GET TO IT.

Narrator: HE THINKS THERE
MIGHT BE ANOTHER WAY

TO GET HIS HANDS
ON SOME OF THE DATA

THAT HE COULDN'T GET
FROM THE BADLY BURNED FDR.

Macintosh:
WE SCAMPERED OUT THERE

WITH A COUPLE OF RUDIMENTARY
TOOLS LIKE PLIERS,

A SCREWDRIVER AND WHATNOT,

AND GOT OUT THERE
AS FAST AS WE COULD.

Narrator: THE ENGINES OF A 767
ARE EQUIPPED

WITH AN ELECTRONIC
ENGINE CONTROL UNIT, OR EEC.

MACINTOSH HOPES
THE UNIT'S INTERNAL MEMORY

WILL PRESERVE A RECORD

OF HOW THE PLANE'S ENGINES WERE
OPERATING JUST BEFORE THE CRASH.

Macintosh: AND, SURE ENOUGH,
THERE WAS THE EEC,

THE ENGINE ELECTRONIC CONTROL,
FULLY AVAILABLE TO US.

WE WERE EXTREMELY INTERESTED
IN GETTING THAT INFORMATION

OUT OF THE JUNGLE AND
INTO A PROPER READOUT FACILITY.

YOU GOT A BAG THERE?

Narrator:
THE CRITICAL QUESTION NOW--

CAN THE ENGINE DATA REVEAL
WHY THE LAUDA PILOTS

SUDDENLY LOST CONTROL
OF THEIR PLANE?

INVESTIGATORS MAY BE
A STEP CLOSER TO UNDERSTANDING

WHAT BROUGHT DOWN
LAUDA FLIGHT 4.

THEY HAVE CRITICAL DATA

FROM THE PLANE'S ELECTRONIC
ENGINE CONTROL UNIT.

Macintosh: WE NOW HAD AIRSPEED
AND WE HAD ALTITUDE INFORMATION,

AND ALTHOUGH WE DIDN'T HAVE
EXACT TIMINGS

ON THOSE PIECES OF INFORMATION,

IT LED US TO THE UNDERSTANDING
OF THE LOSS OF CONTROL.

Woman: WOW. THAT'LL SURE GET
YOUR FULL ATTENTION.

Narrator: THE DATA GIVES
MACINTOSH A CLEARER PICTURE

OF WHY THE PLANE
BROKE UP IN FLIGHT.

OPERATING AT NEARLY FULL POWER,

THE LEFT ENGINE SUDDENLY GOES
INTO REVERSE.

Thurner: REVERSER'S DEPLOYED.

Welch: OH, CHRIST!

Macintosh: FOLLOWING THE
EXCLAMATION FROM THE CO-PILOT,

"AH, THRUST REVERSE,"

THERE WAS A LOT OF ACTION
GOING ON IN THE COCKPIT.

Narrator:
CAPTAIN WELCH IMMEDIATELY TRIES
TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM.

Welch: HERE.

WAIT A MINUTE.

Macintosh: THE ENGINES
HAD BEEN DRAWN TO IDLE...

AND EVEN THE FUEL
ON THE LEFT ENGINE

HAD BEEN SHUT DOWN.

Narrator:
YET JUST SECONDS LATER,

THE BOEING 767
IS PLUNGING TO EARTH

AT ALMOST THE SPEED OF SOUND.

Woman: NO MYSTERY
WHY THAT PLANE BROKE APART.

Narrator: THE SHEER FORCE
OF THE VIOLENT DESCENT

TEARS THE AIRCRAFT TO PIECES.

Darcy: IF YOU ARE
IN A PROLONGED DIVE

AND THAT SPEED INCREASES

BEYOND WHAT THE AIRPLANE
WAS DESIGNED FOR,

THE AERODYNAMIC LOADS CAN BE
MORE THAN THE AIRPLANE CAN TAKE.

Narrator: THE REVELATION
EXPLAINS THE WITNESS REPORTS.

THE EXPLOSION THEY HEARD
WAS THE PLANE BREAKING APART.

FUEL LEAKING
FROM THE RUPTURED TANKS

IGNITED AND CAUSED THE FIRE.

NIKI LAUDA TRAVELS TO
BOEING HEADQUARTERS IN SEATTLE.

HE'S DETERMINED TO FIGURE OUT

WHY A FAILURE THAT'S
NOT SUPPOSED TO BE DANGEROUS

KILLED 223 PEOPLE
FLYING ON HIS AIRLINE.

Lauda: I KNOW WHAT IT SAYS,

BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENED
IN THAILAND.

AND I SAID TO BOEING,
LISTEN, GUYS.

IT'S MY NAME, MY AIRPLANE,
MY CRASH,

AND BOEING UNDERSTOOD
MY PROBLEM, OR THEIR PROBLEM,

AND WE KEPT ON WORKING TOGETHER.

Narrator: LAUDA'S DETERMINATION
ECHOES THE TENACITY

HE SHOWED IN FORMULA ONE,

ALWAYS PUSHING HIS MECHANICS
TO GAIN A SLIGHT ADVANTAGE.

Lauda: BASICALLY, I UNDERSTOOD

THAT THE MORE YOU WORK
WITH YOUR CAR,

YOUR ENGINEERS
AND YOUR MECHANICS,

TO MAKE THE CAR ON THE DAY
ADJUSTED IN THE RIGHT WAY

THAT IT CAN GO QUICKER,

THIS WAS THE SECRET.

OK. LET'S TRY IT
IN A SIMULATOR.

Volker: IT WAS IMPORTANT
TO PUSH BOEING

BECAUSE THEY WERE THE ONLY KEY
OF THE WHOLE,

OF THE WHOLE MATTER.

Narrator: LAUDA RECREATES THE
FLIGHT IN THE BOEING SIMULATOR.

Lauda: OK. LET'S BEGIN.

Narrator: HE WANTS TO KNOW
WHY HIS PILOTS COULDN'T DO

WHAT THE PLANE
WAS CERTIFIED TO DO--

RECOVER FROM
A DEPLOYED REVERSER.

Lauda: APPROACHING 24,000 FEET.

AIRSPEED 320 KNOTS.

ANOTHER HUNDRED FEET.

IT WAS INCREDIBLE

BECAUSE THE AIRPLANE
JUST TURNED AROUND

AND YOU COULDN'T DO ANYTHING.

LOOKING AT EVERY SEQUENCE SLOWLY
AND DOING IT AGAIN AND AGAIN,

YOU REALIZE NOTHING
THEY COULD HAVE DONE.

Narrator:
LAUDA'S TESTS AT BOEING

SHOW THAT THE PILOTS
OF FLIGHT 4

DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME
TO EXECUTE THE COMMANDS

NEEDED TO SAVE THE PLANE.

Macintosh: HARD RIGHT,
AUTO THROTTLE OFF,

THRUST LEVER TO IDLE,
LEFT ENGINE SHUTDOWN.

THERE WOULD BE
A 4 to 6-SECOND WINDOW

WHERE A FLIGHT CREW MEMBER
WOULD HAVE TO INITIATE

CONTRARY FLIGHT CONTROLS
TO THIS CONDITION

IN ORDER TO RECOVER
IN A SAFE MANNER.

AND BEFORE YOU DO ANY OF THAT,

FIGURE OUT WHAT THE HELL'S
HAPPENING TO YOUR PLANE.

ALL IN SIX SECONDS?

GOOD LUCK.

IT WAS JUST TOO LATE.

THE AIRCRAFT WAS GONNA ASSUME

A VERY NOSE LOW,
HIGH SPEED ATTITUDE.

Thurner: REVERSER'S DEPLOYED.

Welch: OH, CHRIST!

Narrator: IT'S CLEAR.

THE ACCIDENTAL DEPLOYMENT
OF A THRUST REVERSER

IS MUCH MORE
THAN A HARMLESS MALFUNCTION.

IT CAN BE FATAL.

Macintosh: IT WAS EVIDENT
TO THE BOEING COMPANY

AND TO THE FAA
CERTIFICATION AUTHORITIES

AND TO THE OPERATORS OF
BOEING 767s AROUND THE WORLD

THAT THIS WAS GONNA BE
A MAJOR, MAJOR ISSUE.

Narrator: THE FINDING
HAS STAGGERING IMPLICATIONS.

INVESTIGATORS MUST FIGURE OUT

WHY THE REVERSER DEPLOYED
IN THE FIRST PLACE.

ACCORDING TO THE AIRCRAFT'S
DESIGNERS,

IT JUST SHOULDN'T HAPPEN.

Lauda: IT WAS PRETTY OBVIOUS
AFTER A WHILE TO UNDERSTAND

THAT THE THRUST REVERSE
MADE THE AIRPLANE CRASH,

SO THIS WAS CLEAR,

BUT YOU STILL NEED TO KNOW
THE EXACT CAUSE,

AND THEN ESPECIALLY
FOR THE FUTURE

WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO
TO MAKE AIRPLANES SAFER.

Macintosh: THE REVERSER DEPLOYED
AND THOSE GUYS COULDN'T RECOVER.

LET'S FIGURE OUT
WHY THAT HAPPENED.

Darcy:
FOR THE REVERSER TO DEPLOY,

IT REQUIRES YOU HAVE

TWO SEPARATE AND
INDEPENDENT VALVES OPEN.

Narrator: THE FIRST VALVE
IS THE ISOLATION VALVE

THAT CONTROLS THE FLOW
OF HYDRAULIC FLUID.

BUT THE REVERSER WON'T DEPLOY
UNTIL A SECOND VALVE,

THE DIRECTIONAL CONTROL VALVE,
MOVES FROM STOW TO DEPLOY.

INVESTIGATORS WONDER
IF THAT CRUCIAL SECOND VALVE

SOMEHOW ENDED UP
IN THE WRONG POSITION.

Macintosh:
TO THE INVESTIGATION TEAM,

THE DIRECTIONAL CONTROL VALVE
WAS A VERY CRITICAL PORTION

OF THE EVIDENCE THAT WE NEEDED
FOR ANALYSIS.

Narrator:
BUT THE CRUCIAL COMPONENT
IS NOWHERE TO BE FOUND.

IT'S LIKELY THAT LOOTERS
AT THE CRASH SITE

HAVE STOLEN THE VALUABLE PART.

Darcy: THE DIRECTIONAL
CONTROL VALVE WAS GOLD-COLORED.

WE SPECULATE THAT SOMEONE
THOUGHT IT HAD SOME VALUE

JUST FOR BEING SCRAPPED OR SOLD.

Macintosh: WE NEED TO FIND
THE DIRECTIONAL CONTROL VALVE.

THAT'S NOT OUR TOP PRIORITY.

THAT'S OUR ONLY PRIORITY.

Narrator: THEY OFFER
A CASH REWARD TO GET IT BACK.

Macintosh:
WE REALLY WANTED TO KNOW

WHAT HAD DRIVEN
THOSE THRUST REVERSERS OPEN,

AND THAT WAS THE PIECE OF
ELECTRONIC/HYDRAULIC EQUIPMENT

THAT WOULD GIVE US THAT CLUE.

Narrator:
NINE MONTHS AFTER THE ACCIDENT,
THE REWARD PAYS OFF.

INVESTIGATORS
FINALLY GET THEIR HANDS

ON THE PIECE THEY NEED MOST,
THE DIRECTIONAL CONTROL VALVE.

Macintosh: SOMEONE SHOWED UP
TO CLAIM A REWARD.

THEY PRESENTED
THE PIECE OF EVIDENCE

AND IT MADE ITS WAY
RELATIVELY QUICKLY

TO THE ENGINEERING ASSESSMENT
LAB OUT IN SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

Narrator:
INVESTIGATORS ARE EAGER TO KNOW

WHAT POSITION THE VALVE WAS IN
AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

Darcy: IN ONE POSITION
IT TELLS THE THRUST REVERSER

TO STOW AND REMAIN STOWED,

AND IN ANOTHER POSITION IT TELLS
THE THRUST REVERSER TO DEPLOY.

Narrator:
SEVERAL SCREWS ARE LOOSE
AND SOME PARTS ARE MISPLACED.

Darcy: AS SOON AS YOU SEE THAT,
YOU KNOW THAT YOU MAY NOT HAVE

ALL THE EVIDENCE
YOU REALLY NEED.

Narrator: THEY FIND SOIL
INSIDE THE COMPONENT--

A CLEAR SIGN
THAT IT'S BEEN TAKEN APART

AND THEN CARELESSLY REASSEMBLED.

IT'S A BIG BLOW
TO THE INVESTIGATION.

Darcy: IT WAS DISAPPOINTING
THAT WHEN WE RECEIVED THE VALVE

THAT WE KNEW THAT IT
HAD BEEN TAMPERED WITH.

Narrator: ENGINEERS WILL NEED
TO FIND ANOTHER WAY

TO UNCOVER WHAT WENT WRONG
ON LAUDA FLIGHT 4.

NIKI LAUDA CONTINUES
HIS QUEST TO UNDERSTAND

WHY THE PILOTS
OF LAUDA FLIGHT 4

COULDN'T SAVE THEIR PLANE.

HE REVIEWS BOEING TEST DATA
THAT SHOWS A 767

SHOULD LOSE ONLY 10% OF ITS LIFT

IF A THRUST REVERSER
DEPLOYS ACCIDENTALLY.

Lauda: TRUST ME.

IF THEY HAD LOST
ONLY 10% OF THEIR LIFT,

THEY WOULD STILL BE HERE.

Narrator: LAUDA COMPARES
THE FLIGHT CONDITIONS

USED DURING THE BOEING TEST

TO THE CONDITIONS
HIS PILOTS FACED

AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

HE MAKES A STUNNING DISCOVERY.

THE BOEING TEST FLIGHTS WERE
AT A RELATIVELY LOW ALTITUDE--

JUST 10,000 FEET.

Lauda: NOBODY TESTED IT HIGH UP.

THERE'S A HELL OF A DIFFERENCE

IF YOU'RE FLYING 10,000 FEET
OR AT 28,000 FEET,

AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THAT
CERTIFICATION MISINTERPRETED.

Narrator: THE LAUDA 767
WAS FLYING TWICE AS FAST

AND AT MORE THAN TWICE
THE ALTITUDE

OF THE BOEING TEST PLANE--

A HEIGHT WHERE THE THIN AIR

MAKES IT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT
TO MAINTAIN LIFT.

Macintosh: WE STARTED TO HOME IN
ON THE ISSUE

OF A POSSIBLE LOSS OF LIFT
FROM THE AFFECTED WING.

Narrator: BOEING ENGINEERS
CAN IMAGINE ONLY ONE SCENARIO

THAT MIGHT MAKE A REVERSER
DEPLOY UNEXPECTEDLY IN MIDAIR.

THE THEORY CALLS
FOR THE ACCIDENTAL ACTIVATION

OF TWO KEY VALVES
AT THE SAME TIME.

Darcy: YOU HAVE TO HAVE
BOTH THE ISOLATION VALVE OPEN

AND THE DIRECTIONAL
CONTROL VALVE AT THE ENGINE

OPEN TO THE DEPLOYED POSITION.

Narrator: THE PROBLEM IS,
THEY CAN'T FIGURE OUT

HOW TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

AND UNTIL THEY DO,

IT WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE TO PREVENT
IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN.

Darcy: THERE'S A NUMBER
OF COMBINATIONS OF THINGS

THAT YOU NEEDED TO LOOK AT,

LIKE A BAD RELAY
AND A CUT O-RING.

OR A SHORTED WIRE, SAY,
AND DEBRIS IN A VALVE

THAT WOULD, COMBINED, CAUSE
THE UNWANTED DEPLOYMENT.

Narrator:
THE ENGINEERS CAN FIND WAYS

TO ACTIVATE ONE VALVE
OR THE OTHER,

BUT IT SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE TO
TRIGGER BOTH AT THE SAME TIME.

Darcy: IT'S ALWAYS FRUSTRATING

WHEN YOU SPEND A TREMENDOUS
AMOUNT OF TIME AND EFFORT

AND YOU WANT TO FIND OUT
WHAT HAPPENED,

AND YOU JUST CAN'T FIND
THE SMOKING GUN.

Narrator:
A CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENT
CAN DESTROY SMALL AIRLINES.

NIKI LAUDA IS DETERMINED
NOT TO LET THAT HAPPEN.

THE PLANE HE LOST REPRESENTS
A QUARTER OF HIS FLEET.

HE NEEDS ANOTHER PLANE
IN THE AIR TO KEEP HIS BUSINESS.

Volker: ONE OF HIS MAJOR ASSETS
WAS HIS COMPETITION SPIRIT,

AND HE WOULDN'T ACCEPT NO
AND THAT'S, THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE.

Narrator: HE FINDS A JETLINER
IN FRANCE THAT NO ONE IS USING.

WITHIN WEEKS, IT'S BEEN ADDED
TO LAUDA'S FLEET.

Lauda:
I PICKED UP A 767 IN PARIS,

FLEW IT TO VIENNA TO REPLACE
OUR CRASHED AIRPLANE

TO KEEP ON FLYING OUR SCHEDULES.

TO RUN AN AIRLINE AS A BUSINESS
IS HARDER THAN TO WIN

THREE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
IN FORMULA ONE,

I CAN TELL YOU THAT,
BECAUSE THE BUSINESS CHALLENGES

IN AN AIRLINE ARE ENORMOUS.

Narrator: THE TESTS AT BOEING
FINALLY PAY OFF,

AND THE ENGINEERS MAKE
A MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH.

THEY'RE NOW ABLE TO TRIGGER
THE DOUBLE FAILURE

NEEDED TO ACCIDENTALLY
DEPLOY A REVERSER.

Macintosh: WE COULD GET
THAT SYSTEM TO ACTIVATE

BY INTRODUCING A SHORT IN A...
A DIRECT SHORT IN A SYSTEM.

Narrator:
THE WIRES FOR BOTH VALVES WERE
BUNDLED IN THE SAME HARNESS.

A FAULT ACROSS SEVERAL WIRES
IN THAT HARNESS

COULD HAVE TRIGGERED
THE SIMULTANEOUS SHORT CIRCUITS.

BUT BECAUSE THE WIRES WERE
SO BADLY BURNED IN THE CRASH,

THERE'S NO WAY TO DETERMINE WHAT
CAUSED THE SHORT IN THE BUNDLE.

Thurner: SCHEISSE.

Welch: YEAH, THAT KEEPS, UH,
IT'S COME ON.

Narrator: THE THEORY ACCOUNTS
FOR THE INTERMITTENT WARNING

IN THE COCKPIT.

Thurner: SHOULD I ASK
THE GROUND STAFF?

Welch: NO. IT'S PROBABLY
MOISTURE OR SOMETHING.

Narrator:
IT ALSO EXPLAINS THE DEPLOYMENT
OF THE THRUST REVERSER.

Welch: UGH! OH!

Macintosh:
TWO SHORTS IN TWO VALVES
AT EXACTLY THE SAME TIME?

WHAT ARE THE ODDS?

Thurner: REVERSER'S DEPLOYED.

Welch: OH, CHRIST!

Lauda: I WAS UPSET
THAT THE AIRPLANE DID SOMETHING

WHERE A HUMAN BEING
COULDN'T REACT ANYMORE.

Darcy: WHAT WE HAD LEARNED
WAS THAT THE INFLIGHT DEPLOYMENT

WAS SOMETHING THAT COULD HAPPEN
WHEN WE NEVER EXPECTED IT WOULD.

Macintosh:
TO THE AVIATION INDUSTRY

IT WAS A BIT
OF A "COME TO JESUS" MOMENT.

Darcy: WE COULDN'T ALLOW
AIRPLANES TO BE OUT THERE FLYING

WHERE THAT COULD HAPPEN.

Narrator: ONE OF THE MOST
SHOCKING LESSONS LEARNED

FROM THE LAUDA ACCIDENT

IS HOW SERIOUS
A REVERSER DEPLOYMENT CAN BE

AT HIGH SPEED AND HIGH ALTITUDE.

Macintosh:
THERE WERE OTHER AIRLINES
THAT JOINED IN THE QUESTIONING

OF HOW COULD THIS POSSIBLY
AFFECT THE FLIGHT PATH

TO THE POINT
WHERE YOU LOSE CONTROL?

Narrator: THE ANSWER TO THAT
QUESTION GOES BACK TO THE 1970s.

TO INCREASE FUEL EFFICIENCY,

DESIGNERS MOVE TOWARD SLEEKER
AERODYNAMIC DESIGNS.

THEY BEGIN MOUNTING ENGINES

CLOSER TO THE CRUCIAL
LEADING EDGE OF THE WING.

Darcy: IN THE CASE OF THE 767,

THEY'RE UP WAY CLOSER
TO THE WING,

AND THEIR RELATIVE SIZE
TO THE WING IS MUCH BIGGER,

SO THE EFFECT OF REVERSE THRUST
ON THE 767

WOULD BE WAY GREATER
THAN IT WOULD BE ON A 747.

Narrator: THE DESIGN OF THE
THRUST REVERSERS ALSO CHANGES.

EARLIER MODELS USED BUCKETS
AT THE REAR OF THE ENGINE

THAT REDIRECTED AIR
NEAR THE BACK OF THE WING.

NEWER DESIGNS REDIRECT AIR
CLOSER TO THE FRONT OF THE WING.

TO FIND OUT HOW THE CHANGES
MIGHT AFFECT AERODYNAMIC LIFT,

NASA RUNS A SERIES
OF SPECIAL TEST FLIGHTS.

Pilot: OK. RECORDERS ON.

Narrator: FLYING A DC-8,
NASA PILOTS

MATCH THE LAUDA FLIGHT'S
HIGH SPEED AND ALTITUDE.

Pilot: OK. YOU SHOULD BE
DEPLOYING THOSE.

Narrator:
THEN THEY DEPLOY A REVERSER.

Pilot: THERE THEY GO.

Narrator:
THE RESULTS ARE DRAMATIC.

Pilot: PRETTY, UH, STRONG...

Macintosh: THERE WAS
ABOUT A 25% LOSS OF LIFT

OVER THE AFFECTED WING.

THAT LOSS OF LIFT WOULD RESULT
IN A ROLL RATE

THAT WOULD BE
EXTREMELY DIFFICULT

FOR A FLIGHT CREW TO COMBAT.

Pilot: PASSING BETWEEN...

Narrator: DEPLOYING ONE REVERSER

WHILE KEEPING THREE ENGINES
OPERATING NORMALLY

SENDS THE DC-8
INTO A TERRIFYING DIVE,

FALLING AT ALMOST 9,000 FEET
PER MINUTE.

Pilot: OK.

Narrator: THE EXPERIMENT REVEALS
WHY FLIGHT 4 LOST SO MUCH LIFT.

UNLIKE PREVIOUS DESIGNS,
MODERN REVERSERS

DISRUPT THE SMOOTH FLOW
OF AIR OVER THE WING,

WHICH DECREASES LIFT.

THE STUNNING RESULTS CHANGE
COMMERCIAL AVIATION WORLDWIDE.

INFLIGHT DEPLOYMENT
OF A THRUST REVERSER

IS NO LONGER CONSIDERED
CONTROLLABLE...

AND A SERIES OF MECHANICAL LOCKS
NOW ENSURE

THAT EVEN IF BOTH VALVES
GET ENERGIZED IN FLIGHT,

THE REVERSERS CAN'T DEPLOY.

Macintosh: THERE WERE SOME
MAJOR EFFORTS MADE WORLDWIDE

TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE IMPROVEMENTS

OF A SYNC LOCK SYSTEM
WERE INSTALLED

IN EVERY OPERATIONAL AIRPLANE

AND EVERY AIRPLANE THAT WAS
MANUFACTURED THEREAFTER.

Narrator: FOR NIKI LAUDA,
IT IS TOTAL VINDICATION.

Lauda: I WAS AFFECTED MYSELF.

I WAS AFFECTED AS A PILOT,

SO THIS DROVE ME ALL THE WAY
TO THE EXTREME

TO FIND OUT AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE
WHAT HAPPENED.

Narrator: THE SPORTS HERO HAS
GONE FROM WINNING CHAMPIONSHIPS

TO PROTECTING THE LIVES
OF PASSENGERS.

Volker: NIKI WANTED FOR HIS OWN
SAKE TO HAVE THE MATTER CLEARED,

AND OF COURSE FOR THE SAKE
OF ANY PASSENGER

WHO STEPPED INTO A 767.

Narrator:
LAUDA AIR CONTINUED TO OPERATE

FOR NINE MORE YEARS
AFTER THE ACCIDENT.

IN 2000, IT WAS FOLDED
INTO AUSTRIAN AIRLINES.

Lauda: FOR ME, THE WORST THING
IN LIFE IS GRAY AREAS.

I HATE GRAY AREAS AND, UM,

AND A LOT OF AIRPLANE CRASHES
HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST

WHERE YOU REALLY DO NOT KNOW
EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED.

AND IN THIS CRASH HERE,

THANK GOD IT WAS CLEAR
WHAT WAS THE CAUSE,

AND IT WAS FIXED
FOR ALL AIRPLANES WORLDWIDE,

SO I THINK THIS IS
THE ONLY GOOD THING

OUT OF THIS TERRIBLE CRASH.