All language subtitles for Air.Disasters.S08E03.Vanishing.Act.1080p.PMTP.WEB-DL.AAC2.0.H.264-maldini_track4_[eng]

Pilot: REQUEST DESCENT
FOR FINAL APPROACH.

Narrator: A 737 HEADS
FOR A BRAZILIAN AIRPORT

ON THE EDGE OF THE AMAZON.

Man: AREN'T WE SUPPOSED TO BE
LANDING IN BELEM?

Pilot: I THINK WE'RE CLOSE.

Narrator: BUT VARIG FLIGHT 254
NEVER REACHES ITS DESTINATION.

Man: SOMETHING IS
VERY, VERY, VERY WRONG HERE.

Co-pilot:
NO VISIBLE LIGHTS, CAPTAIN.

Narrator: 54 PEOPLE
AND THE JETLINER

HAVE VANISHED WITHOUT A TRACE.

Man: WHEN THE FLIGHT
DIDN'T LAND,

IT WAS DECLARED AN EMERGENCY.

Man: AS THEY TOOK THE REPORTED
POSITION OF THE AIRPLANE,

IT WASN'T THERE.

Narrator: THE DESPERATE HUNT
FOR A MISSING PLANE...

Man: THIS IS OUR SEARCH AREA
RIGHT HERE.

Narrator: WILL LEAD
TO AN ASTONISHING FIND.

Man: IT'S SOMETHING
I'M STILL MYSTIFIED BY.

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:
BRAZIL IN THE LATE 1980s
IS A COUNTRY IN TRANSITION.

SOUTH AMERICA'S LARGEST NATION

IS PREPARING FOR ITS FIRST
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

IN ALMOST 30 YEARS.

BUT TODAY, ALL EYES ARE INTENTLY
FOCUSED ON ANOTHER CONTEST.

[ANNOUNCER SPEAKING PORTUGUESE}

MILLIONS OF SOCCER-MAD
BRAZILIANS TUNE IN

AS THEIR BELOVED TEAM
TAKES ON ARCHRIVAL CHILE

IN A CRUCIAL
WORLD CUP QUALIFYING MATCH.

Ivan Sant' Anna: THAT FOOTBALL
MATCH WAS VERY IMPORTANT

BECAUSE IF BRAZIL LOST
THEY WOULD BE ELIMINATED

FOR THE FIRST TIME
IN WORLD CUP HISTORY.

Narrator:
THE CRITICAL MATCH IN RIO

IS ALL ANYONE IS TALKING ABOUT.

EVEN A THOUSAND MILES AWAY
AT MARABA AIRPORT,

WHERE THE CREW
OF VARIG FLIGHT 254

IS GETTING READY FOR TAKEOFF.

Nilson Zille:
EXTERIOR CHECK COMPLETE.

Cezar Garcez:
SO, NILSON, YOU THINK CHILE
HAS A CHANCE TONIGHT?

Zille: WHEN IT COMES
TO THE WORLD CUP, CAPTAIN,

NOBODY HAS A CHANCE
AGAINST BRAZIL, HUH.

Narrator: VARIG FLIGHT 254

IS SCHEDULED TO FLY NORTH

FROM THE MINING TOWN OF MARABA

TO BELEM, NEAR THE MOUTH
OF THE AMAZON RIVER.

THE CREW CHECKS THE FORECAST
AND DIALS IN A COMPASS HEADING

TO GUIDE THEM
TO THEIR DESTINATION.

John Cox: IN THE 737-200s, WHICH
IS AN OLDER GENERATION AIRPLANE,

THEY DON'T HAVE THE MODERN
FLIGHT MANAGEMENT COMPUTERS.

THEY'RE USING
AN OLDER TECHNOLOGY

OF GROUND-BASED
RADIO NAVIGATION AIDS.

Narrator: THERE ARE
48 PASSENGERS ON BOARD,

INCLUDING CARLOS SIQUEIRA.

Carlos Siqueira, translated:
I WAS TAKING TIME OFF.

I WORKED FOR A MINING COMPANY
IN MARABA,

AND I WAS RETURNING HOME
TO MY CITY OF BELEM.

Garcez: HERE WE GO.

Narrator: CAPTAIN CEZAR GARCEZ
IS FLYING THE PLANE TONIGHT,

WHILE FIRST OFFICER NILSON ZILLE
MONITORS THE INSTRUMENTS.

Zille: V-1. ROTATE.

Narrator: AT 5:35 PM,
THE BOEING 737 GETS AIRBORNE.

Sant' Anna:
IT WAS A VERY ROUTINE FLIGHT.

IT WAS A CLEAR DAY.

THERE WERE NO WEATHER ISSUES.

THERE WASN'T ANY REASON FOR THEM
TO BE WORRIED ABOUT ANYTHING.

Narrator: THE FLIGHT NORMALLY
TAKES LESS THAN AN HOUR.

Siqueira:
SINCE I WORKED IN MARABA,

I USUALLY TOOK THAT FLIGHT
EVERY 20 DAYS.

Narrator: AFTER 23 MINUTES,
THE FLIGHT COMPUTER

TELLS THE CAPTAIN THAT THEY'RE
GETTING CLOSE TO BELEM.

Cox: THIS AIRPLANE HAD THE
PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

WHERE THEY COULD ENTER
THE DISTANCE TO THE DESTINATION,

AND IT WOULD HELP IMPROVE
THE FUEL EFFICIENCY.

Garcez: LOOKS LIKE
WE'RE NEARLY THERE.

Narrator:
THE PILOTS TRY TO CONTACT
CONTROLLERS ON THE GROUND.

Zille: BELEM TOWER, VARIG 254,
REQUESTING DESCENT.

Narrator: STRANGELY, THEY GET
NO RESPONSE FROM THE TOWER.

Zille: BELEM TOWER, VARIG 254.

BELEM TOWER, DO YOU READ?

Garcez: LET ME TRY.

BELEM TOWER, VARIG 254.

Cox: THE PILOTS, I THINK,
WOULD HAVE BEEN SURPRISED.

FIRST, DID THEY HAVE
A COMMUNICATION RADIO PROBLEM?

WHY CAN'T THEY TALK
TO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL?

Zille: THAT'S FUNNY.

Garcez: WHAT?

Zille: WE'RE NOT PICKING UP
THE BEACON, EITHER.

Narrator: AIRPORTS ARE EQUIPPED

WITH VERY HIGH FREQUENCY
OMNI-DIRECTIONAL RANGE BEACONS,

OR VOR BEACONS.

THEY SEND OUT SIGNALS THAT
PLANES FOLLOW TO THE RUNWAY.

Zille: YEAH.
I'VE GOT NOTHING.

Narrator: VARIG 254
ISN'T PICKING UP THE SIGNAL

FROM BELEM AIRPORT.

Garcez:
I'LL CALL THE TOWER ON HF.

Narrator: THE CAPTAIN SWITCHES
HIS RADIO TO HIGH FREQUENCY

AND TRIES MAKING CONTACT AGAIN.

Garcez: BELEM TOWER, VARIG 254.

Cox: THERE WERE NOT ABLE
TO RAISE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL

ON THEIR VHF
COMMUNICATION RADIOS.

IT HAPPENS OCCASIONALLY,
AND IT REQUIRES THEN THE USE

OF A MUCH LONGER-RANGE
RADIO SYSTEM.

Garcez: BELEM TOWER, VARIG 254.

Narrator: THE STRATEGY WORKS.

Controller: VARIG 254,
BELEM TOWER. GO AHEAD.

Cox: AS YOU APPROACH
THE DESTINATION,

YOU HAVE RADIO NAVIGATION
TUNED UP

TO THAT SPECIFIC BEACON
ON THE GROUND.

Garcez:
BELEM, WE'RE ON APPROACH,
BUT WE AREN'T SEEING THE VOR.

IS THE BEACON DOWN?

Controller: NEGATIVE, 254.

LOOKS LIKE IT'S ON YOUR END.

Cox: IN THIS CASE, THEY WEREN'T
RECEIVING THAT.

Garcez: UNDERSTOOD.

Cox: AND THEY WERE DOING
WHAT IS DEDUCED RECKONING,

OR DEAD RECKONING.

Narrator: THE CAPTAIN CHECKS HIS
PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

AND CALCULATES WHEN THEY'LL
ARRIVE AT THEIR DESTINATION.

Garcez: BELEM,
WE'RE 25 MINUTES OUT.

REQUEST DESCENT
FOR FINAL APPROACH.

Controller: ROGER. VARIG 254,
CLEARED TO FLIGHT LEVEL 2-0-0.

Narrator: THE CONTROLLER CLEARS
THE CREW DOWN TO 20,000 FEET.

Garcez: FLIGHT LEVEL 2-0-0,
VARIG 254.

Cox: AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS
IN NON-RADAR ENVIRONMENTS

SEPARATE THE AIRPLANES BY TIME,

SO THESE POSITION REPORTS
ARE VERY CRITICAL,

AND IT'S REQUIRED THAT IF
YOUR ESTIMATE TO A FIX

CHANGES BY MORE
THAN THREE MINUTES,

YOU'RE REQUIRED TO ADVISE
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL

OF THAT REVISED ESTIMATE.

Narrator: THE PLANE SHOULD SOON
BE AT THE AIRPORT.

Siqueira: WHEN THE PLANE
WAS DESCENDING,

IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS
A NORMAL LANDING.

Narrator: AS THE PLANE DROPS
BELOW THE CLOUDS,

THE CAPTAIN LOOKS
FOR THE LIGHTS OF BELEM.

Cox: THEY BREAK OUT
OF THE CLOUDS

EXPECTING TO SEE TERRAIN
THAT THEY'RE FAMILIAR WITH.

Garcez: WHERE ARE THE LIGHTS?

Cox: AND EXPECTING TO SEE
THE AIRPORT.

Garcez: WHERE'S THE AIRPORT?

Cox: AND TO VISUALLY ALIGN
THE AIRPLANE

WITH THE LANDING RUNWAY.

THEY DON'T SEE THAT.

Narrator: INSTEAD,
THERE'S ONLY DARKNESS

AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE.

Siqueira: THAT'S WHEN
EVERYBODY THOUGHT,

WHERE IS HE GONNA LAND
IF THERE'S NO RUNWAY?

BELEM IS NOT THERE.

AREN'T WE SUPPOSED TO BE
LANDING IN BELEM?

PANIC STARTED BUILDING
IN THE AIRPLANE.

PEOPLE WERE ASKING, WHY AREN'T
WE LANDING IN BELEM?

WHAT'S...WHAT'S GOING ON?

Garcez: WAIT A MINUTE.

I THINK WE JUST
OVERSHOT THE AIRPORT.

Narrator: THE CREW MAY HAVE
DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM.

THE PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
SYSTEM SHOWS

THAT THEY'VE FLOWN 30 MILES
PAST THEIR DESTINATION.

Zille: YOU WANT TO DO A 180?

Garcez: YEAH.

TURN RIGHT, HEADING
ZERO-NINER-ZERO.

Zille: TURNING RIGHT,
HEADING ZERO-NINER-ZERO.

Cox: THE CREW REALLY BEGAN
TO REALIZE, OK,

WE'VE MADE
A SMALL NAVIGATION MISTAKE.

WE NEED TO FIND THE AIRPORT
AND GO AHEAD AND LAND.

Siqueira: THE PILOT DIDN'T OFFER
ANY EXPLANATION.

HE SIMPLY PROCEEDED
TO MANEUVER AND TURN AROUND.

AND IT WAS ALREADY NIGHTTIME.

Garcez: BELEM,
WE ARE VERY CLOSE.

REQUESTING FURTHER DESCENT
TO FLIGHT LEVEL 4-0.

Controller: 254, YOU ARE CLEARED
FOR DESCENT, FLIGHT LEVEL 4-0.

Narrator: THE CONTROLLER CLEARS
THE PLANE TO DESCEND FURTHER,

TO 4,000 FEET.

Sant' Anna: THE CAPTAIN EXPECTED
HE WOULD BE LANDING IN BELEM

IN ABOUT FIVE MINUTES.

Narrator: ON THE SOCCER FIELD,
BRAZIL HAS TAKEN THE LEAD.

THEIR GOAL OF REACHING
THE WORLD CUP IS IN SIGHT.

BUT IN THE AIR...

Zille: NO VISIBLE LIGHTS,
CAPTAIN.

Narrator:
THE PILOTS OF VARIG 254

ARE NO CLOSER
TO FINDING THE RUNWAY.

Cox: THEIR ACTIONS INDICATE
A SLOW REALIZATION

THAT THEY ARE NOT
WHERE THEY THINK THEY ARE.

Garcez: WHAT'S OUR FUEL?

Cox: NOW THE QUESTION ARISES IS
WHAT ARE THEY GONNA DO ABOUT IT?

Narrator: AT BELEM AIRPORT,

THE CONTROLLER
IS GROWING CONCERNED.

FLIGHT 254 SHOULD HAVE LANDED
10 MINUTES AGO.

Zille: NO VISIBLE LIGHTS,
CAPTAIN.

Sant' Anna: THEY KNEW NOW
THERE WAS A SERIOUS PROBLEM.

WHEN THE FLIGHT DIDN'T LAND,
IT WAS DECLARED AN EMERGENCY.

Narrator: ON FLIGHT 254,

THE SITUATION
IS BECOMING CRITICAL.

Zille: WE NEED TO LAND SOON

OR ELSE WE'RE GONNA
RUN OUT OF FUEL!

Garcez: I THINK WE'RE CLOSE.

Sant' Anna:
WHEN HE FLEW OVER WHERE
HE THOUGHT BELEM SHOULD BE,

HE DIDN'T FIND IT.

IT'S VERY EASY TO FIND BELEM.

HE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND
WHAT WAS HAPPENING.

Garcez: WHY DON'T WE SEE
IF WE CAN PICK UP

A LOCAL RADIO STATION
FROM BELEM?

Narrator: THE CAPTAIN TRIES TO
HOME IN ON A LOCAL RADIO SIGNAL,

HOPING IT WILL HELP GUIDE THEM
TOWARD THE CITY.

Cox: THE AUTOMATIC DIRECTION
FINDERS, OR ADFs,

ARE CAPABLE OF TUNING UP
A.M. RADIO STATIONS,

COMMERCIAL A.M. RADIO STATIONS,

AND THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN
VERY CRITICAL

BECAUSE THIS IS
A LOW POPULATION AREA.

THERE'S NOT A LOT
OF GEOGRAPHIC VISUAL CLUES.

YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE AMAZON.

Narrator:
THE DO-OR-DIE SOCCER GAME

IS BEING BROADCAST BY RADIO
STATIONS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

BRAZIL LEADS 1-0
WITH 20 MINUTES TO GO

WHEN SUDDENLY CONTROVERSY ERUPTS
ON THE FIELD.

Sant' Anna: ONE OF THE FANS
THREW A FLARE

THAT FELL RIGHT NEXT
TO THE CHILEAN GOALIE.

THE GOALIE PRETENDED
THAT THE FLARE HIT HIM

AND CUT HIMSELF
WITH A RAZOR BLADE.

HIS FACE WAS COVERED WITH BLOOD,

AND THE CHILEAN TEAM
ABANDONED THE FIELD.

IF CHILE LEFT THE MATCH
FOR SECURITY REASONS,

THEY COULD BE DECLARED
THE WINNERS OF THE MATCH.

Narrator: ABOARD FLIGHT 254,
THE PILOTS HAVE MANAGED

TO PICK UP A LOCAL STATION
BROADCASTING THE MATCH.

Garcez: NOW WE CAN FOLLOW
THE SIGNAL TOWARDS BELEM.

Zille: TURNING RIGHT,
HEADING 1-6-5.

Narrator:
PASSENGERS CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY
THE PLANE IS TURNING YET AGAIN.

Siqueira: WE WERE GETTING
EXTREMELY WORRIED.

THE PLANE IS GOING
BACK AND FORTH.

THE STARS AND THE MOON
WERE ON ONE SIDE,

AND NOW THEY'RE ON
THE OTHER SIDE.

THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG HERE.

WHAT'S GOING ON?

Narrator: THE CAPTAIN IS
CONFIDENT HE'S NOW ON COURSE.

HE'S SPOTTED A LANDMARK
ON HIS RADAR.

Garcez: THERE WE GO.

WE'RE OVER THE AMAZON NOW.

Narrator: BELEM IS NEAR
THE MOUTH OF THE AMAZON.

FOLLOWING THE RIVER SHOULD LEAD
THE PILOTS TO THE CITY.

BUT MOMENTS LATER,
THERE'S SERIOUS TROUBLE.

Zille: WE'VE GOT A FUEL WARNING!

Narrator: FLIGHT 254
IS RUNNING OUT OF FUEL.

THE PILOTS SUDDENLY REALIZE
THEY CAN'T MAKE IT TO BELEM.

Zille: DO YOU WANT
TO PUT ON SOME FLAPS

IN CASE WE LOSE POWER?

Garcez: YEAH.

Narrator:
THEY'LL HAVE TO CRASH LAND
IN THE DENSE AMAZON RAINFOREST.

Garcez: FLAPS TO TWO.

WE NEED TO DO
A CONTROLLED DESCENT.

I BETTER PREPARE THE PASSENGERS.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

WE HAVE HAD A MALFUNCTION
WITH OUR NAVIGATION INSTRUMENTS

AND WE WILL BE MAKING
A FORCED LANDING.

Siqueira: HE SAID THERE WAS
GOING TO BE A FORCED LANDING

AND THAT WE SHOULD ALL TAKE
OUR EMERGENCY POSITIONS,

BEND YOUR HEAD DOWN
AND HOLD YOUR LEGS TOGETHER.

AND MAY GOD HELP US.
THOSE WERE HIS WORDS.

Garcez: AND MAY GOD HELP US.

Narrator: PANIC BEGINS
TO TAKE HOLD IN THE CABIN.

Sant' Anna:
SOME PEOPLE WERE PRAYING.

OTHERS RAIDED THE BAR
AND DRANK EVERYTHING.

OTHERS WERE LOOKING FOR THE BEST
SPOT IN CASE OF A CRASH.

ANOTHER PASSENGER SAT
IN THE LAST ROW

AND HE GRABBED ALL THE PILLOWS

AND COMPLETELY COVERED HIMSELF
WITH THEM.

Narrator: AT 8:45 PM,
FLIGHT 254 RUNS OUT OF FUEL.

THE LEFT ENGINE
IS THE FIRST TO DIE.

Zille: WE JUST LOST AN ENGINE!

Garcez: HANG ON.

I'M GOING TO PUT HER DOWN.

Zille: THERE GOES THE OTHER ONE!

Narrator:
WITH THE SECOND ENGINE GONE,

THE 37-TON JET FALLS CLOSER
AND CLOSER TO THE GROUND BELOW.

Siqueira:
YOU HAVE YOUR EYES CLOSED,
YOUR LIFE FLASHING BEFORE YOU.

YOU ASK GOD FORGIVENESS

FOR ALL THE WRONG THINGS
YOU DID IN YOUR LIFE.

Narrator: THE INEVITABLE IMPACT
IS JUST SECONDS AWAY.

Computer: TERRAIN. TERRAIN.
PULL UP.

Garcez: I JUST NEED
TO BRING US DOWN...

NICE AND SLOW.

Siqueira: THEN WHAT HAPPENED

WAS IT STARTED TO TOUCH
THE TOP OF THE TREES.

YOU'RE EXPECTING THE WORST.

Sant' Anna: HE MADE THE MOST
DIFFICULT FORCED LANDING

IN THE HISTORY OF AVIATION.

Siqueira:
WHEN THE PLANE STOPPED,

I FELT MYSELF ALL OVER

TO SEE IF I HAD ANY CUTS
OR BROKEN BONES.

AND THEN I THOUGHT,
AM I IN HEAVEN?

HAVE I DIED
AND I'M ALREADY IN HEAVEN?

Narrator: OF THE 54 PASSENGERS
AND CREW, 48 HAVE SURVIVED.

MANY ARE BADLY HURT,
INCLUDING FIRST OFFICER ZILLE.

Sant' Anna: THE FIRST OFFICER,
NILSON ZILLE,

WAS PIERCED ON ONE SIDE
BY A TREE BRANCH

AND HE WAS BADLY INJURED.

HE FRACTURED HIS LEG
AND HIS SHOULDER.

Garcez: NILSON.

Narrator: CAPTAIN GARCEZ QUICKLY
TAKES CONTROL OF THE SITUATION.

Garcez: I'LL COME BACK
AND HELP YOU.

I HAVE TO CHECK
THE PASSENGERS, OK?

I'LL BE RIGHT BACK.

Sant' Anna: CAPTAIN GARCEZ
DIDN'T GET HURT.

HE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE A SCRATCH.

AT THAT POINT,

GARCEZ DID EVERYTHING
THAT A CAPTAIN MUST DO.

HE HELPED THOSE
THAT HE COULD HELP.

HE FREED WHOEVER HE COULD,

THOSE WHO WERE TRAPPED
IN THE METAL DEBRIS.

Garcez: WE HAVE TO GET YOU
OUT OF HERE, OK?

CAN YOU HEAR ME?

Narrator:
SURVIVING THE CRASH LANDING

FEELS LIKE A MIRACLE
TO MANY OF THE PASSENGERS.

BUT THEY NOW FACE A NEW THREAT
TO THEIR SURVIVAL.

THEY'RE STRANDED IN THE VAST
AMAZON RAINFOREST

WITH NO FOOD, NO WATER,

AND NO GUARANTEE
THAT THEY'LL EVER BE FOUND.

THE SHATTERED FUSELAGE
OF THE 737

IS NOW THE ONLY SHELTER FOR
SURVIVORS OF VARIG FLIGHT 254.

THE PLANE'S SUDDEN DISAPPEARANCE
OVER THE AMAZON RAINFOREST

HAS LEFT BRAZILIAN
AVIATION AUTHORITIES

GRASPING FOR ANSWERS.

THEY TURN
TO COLONEL RONALDO JENKINS,

AN AIR CRASH INVESTIGATOR
WITH THE BRAZILIAN AIR FORCE.

Ronaldo Jenkins, translated:
THEY CALLED ME AND SAID
THERE'S A COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT

THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO ARRIVE
IN BELEM AND IT DIDN'T ARRIVE,

BUT NO ONE KNEW EXACTLY
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PLANE.

THEY LEFT MARABA ON TIME,
BUT NEVER GOT TO BELEM.

THIS IS OUR SEARCH AREA
RIGHT HERE, GENTLEMEN.

Douglas Machado, translated:
THE FIRST CHALLENGE
IS TO LOCATE THE AIRCRAFT

AND FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAY
TO REACH IT,

BECAUSE INITIALLY
WE WEREN'T SURE WHERE IT WAS.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS
INTERVIEW THE LAST PERSON

TO BE IN CONTACT
WITH FLIGHT 254,

THE BELEM
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER.

Jenkins:
ACCORDING TO THE CONTROLLERS,

THE COMMUNICATIONS
WERE QUITE NORMAL

OTHER THAN THE STRANGE FACT THAT
THEY WEREN'T RECEIVING A SIGNAL

FROM THE GROUND-BASED EQUIPMENT,
THE VOR BEACON, AT BELEM.

Controller: HE SAID HE WAS CLOSE
AND HE ASKED ME FOR DESCENT.

Narrator: BELEM AIRPORT
IS NOT EQUIPPED WITH RADAR.

THE CONTROLLER CAN ONLY TELL
INVESTIGATORS

THE PILOT'S
LAST REPORTED POSITION.

Cox: BECAUSE THERE WAS NO RADAR,
THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER

RELIES ON THE PROPER
NAVIGATION SKILLS OF THE PILOTS

AND THEIR TIMELY REPORTS.

Narrator:
WITH LITTLE ELSE TO GO ON,

RESCUERS CONCENTRATE THE SEARCH
IN A SMALL RADIUS AROUND BELEM.

THEY FIND NO SIGN OF FLIGHT 254.

Jenkins: YOU NEVER START
WITH A PRECONCEIVED IDEA

THAT SUCH AND SUCH HAPPENED--

EXPLODED MIDFLIGHT,
LOST AN ENGINE, NONE OF THIS.

IN OTHER WORDS, YOU GO
IN SEARCH OF THE AIRCRAFT

THAT LEFT ONE LOCATION

AND WAS SUPPOSED TO ARRIVE
IN ANOTHER.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS ALSO
COMB THROUGH SATELLITE DATA,

HOPING TO FIND A SIGNAL

FROM THE PLANE'S
EMERGENCY TRANSMITTER.

THE DISTRESS BEACON IS DESIGNED
TO ACTIVATE AFTER AN ACCIDENT

TO HELP GUIDE RESCUERS
TO THE PLANE.

Jenkins: THE IMPACT SHOULD HAVE
SET OFF THEIR LOCATOR.

ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS FIGURE OUT
WHICH ONE IS FLIGHT 254.

Narrator: BUT THE SIGNAL
FROM THOSE BEACONS

IS ON THE SAME FREQUENCY AS
OTHER EMERGENCY TRANSMISSIONS,

MAKING IT HARD TO PINPOINT
THE PLANE.

Jenkins: EVERY TIME YOU USE
THIS FREQUENCY

OR SPEAK ON THIS FREQUENCY,

THE SATELLITE RECEIVES
THOSE MESSAGES,

AND SO IT'S A LOT OF WORK
TO IDENTIFY WHICH ONE

IS THE REAL POSITION
OF THE AIRPLANE.

Narrator: MEANWHILE, SOMEWHERE
IN THE AMAZON RAINFOREST,

THE SURVIVORS OF FLIGHT 254
ARE STRUGGLING TO STAY ALIVE.

Siqueira: I WAS PART OF A GROUP

THAT WENT OUT TO SEARCH
FOR WATER.

THERE WAS A STREAM NEARBY.

WE DRANK SOME WATER,
AND WE TOOK SOME BACK

FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WERE
IN THE PLANE.

HERE'S SOME WATER.

HEY, HAVE SOME WATER, MAN.

Narrator: BUT CARLOS SIQUEIRA'S
EFFORTS CAN'T SAVE EVERYONE.

Sant' Anna:
THERE WERE PEOPLE THERE

WHO WERE SEVERELY INJURED
AND IN HORRIFIC PAIN,

AND SOME OF THE PASSENGERS
STARTED DYING.

Narrator: IF HELP DOESN'T
ARRIVE SOON, MORE WILL DIE.

THE CAPTAIN HAD HOPED
RESCUERS FROM BELEM

WOULD FIND THE CRASH SITE
WITHIN HOURS.

NOW, A DAY LATER, HE FEARS
THE PLANE'S EMERGENCY BEACON

ISN'T SENDING OUT A SIGNAL.

Garcez: I THINK I CAN GET
THIS WORKING

IF WE CAN JUST GET IT SUBMERGED.

Narrator: SOME BEACONS
ARE DESIGNED TO ACTIVATE

ONLY WHEN A PLANE
IS LOST AT SEA.

Cox: IN THE CASE OF THE VARIG
AIRPLANE, IT WAS...

THE EMERGENCY LOCATOR
TRANSMITTER

ONLY TRANSMITTED WHEN
IT WAS IMMERSED IN WATER.

Narrator: WITH PRECIOUS WATER
IN SHORT SUPPLY,

GARCEZ COMES UP
WITH A CREATIVE SOLUTION.

Sant' Anna: THEY URINATED ON IT
TO SUBMERGE IT

SO THAT IT WOULD BE ACTIVATED.

Jenkins: I WANT TO SEND
A HELICOPTER

TO GO AND CONFIRM THE IDENTITY
OF THIS SIGNAL HERE.

Machado: YOU GET ANXIOUS
TO FIND THE PLANE QUICKLY

BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE
A BETTER CHANCE OF SURVIVAL

DURING THE FIRST 48 HOURS.

AFTER THAT, SURVIVORS
ARE MORE LIKELY TO DIE.

Narrator: AFTER TWO NIGHTS
IN THE JUNGLE,

THE SURVIVORS REALIZE THEY CAN'T
AFFORD TO WAIT TO BE RESCUED.

Siqueira: PEOPLE WERE WEAK

BECAUSE WE HAD WATER
BUT NO FOOD.

GOOD LUCK.

Narrator: A SMALL GROUP SETS OFF
INTO THE JUNGLE TO FIND HELP.

HOURS LATER, THEY STUMBLE
ON A FARMHOUSE.

THEIR TERRIFYING ORDEAL
WILL SOON BE OVER.

Jenkins: THEY FOUND SURVIVORS!

Machado: IT'S SORT OF A RELIEF

TO REALIZE THE SCENARIO
IS NOT AS TRAGIC,

AND THERE'S AN URGENT DESIRE
TO GET TO THE LOCATION

AND START TO WORK.

Narrator:
THEN INVESTIGATORS GET A SHOCK.

Jenkins: WHERE DID YOU SAY
THEY ARE?

Narrator: THE CRASH SITE
IS NOWHERE NEAR BELEM.

Jenkins:
IT CAME DOWN RIGHT HERE.

Narrator:
THE WRECKAGE OF FLIGHT 254

IS LYING IN THE JUNGLE
NEARLY 700 MILES AWAY.

Jenkins: HOW ON EARTH
DID THEY GET WAY OVER THERE?

Jenkins: WE WERE REALLY
VERY SURPRISED TO LEARN

THAT THE PLANE WAS
IN THAT LOCATION,

VERY FAR SOUTH AND VERY FAR WEST

OF THE POSITION
WHERE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN.

NO WONDER WE COULDN'T SPOT
THE BEACON.

IT'S NOWHERE NEAR
THE DESTINATION.

Narrator:
AS SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAMS
SCRAMBLE TO THE REMOTE LOCATION,

INVESTIGATORS ARE LEFT
WITH AN URGENT QUESTION.

Jenkins: THEY WERE NOT SUPPOSED
TO BE IN THAT LOCATION,

SO THEY GOT LOST
DURING THE FLIGHT.

NOW, WHAT CAUSED THEM TO GET
LOST CONTINUES TO BE A MYSTERY.

Narrator: THE BRAZILIAN MILITARY
REACHES THE REMOTE CRASH SITE

OF VARIG 254.

THE SURVIVORS ARE AIRLIFTED OUT.

FIVE HAVE DIED
WAITING FOR RESCUE.

ANOTHER DIES SOON AFTER.

Siqueira: THERE WERE
SOME PEOPLE WHO DIED,

NOT DURING THE CRASH,

BUT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T GET
ANY MEDICAL AID.

Narrator: MANY BELIEVE
MORE WOULD HAVE DIED

IF NOT FOR THE SKILL
OF CAPTAIN GARCEZ.

Garcez: I PROMISE YOU. OK?

Sant' Anna: GARCEZ WAS
CONSIDERED A GREAT HERO

BY THE BRAZILIAN PEOPLE

BECAUSE HE WAS THE PILOT WHO WAS
ABLE TO LAND A PLANE IN THE DARK

AND SAVE 42
OUT OF 54 PASSENGERS.

Machado: I KNOW THIS GUY.

HE'S A GOOD PILOT.

Garcez: I'M GOING
TO PUT HER DOWN!

Narrator:
INVESTIGATORS ARE PUZZLED

AS TO HOW A PILOT
AS ACCOMPLISHED AS GARCEZ

COULD HAVE FLOWN
SO FAR OFF COURSE.

Machado: WHILE I WORKED
AS AN INSPECTOR FOR VARIG,

TWICE I OVERSAW GARCEZ.

TWICE.

AND I COULD SEE THAT HE WAS
A VERY DISCIPLINED PILOT

AND EXTREMELY PROFESSIONAL.

HE KNEW THE AIRCRAFT,
KNEW THE PROCEDURES.

HE DEFINITELY DID THINGS
CORRECTLY.

Garcez: OUR NAVIGATION
INSTRUMENTS WEREN'T WORKING.

IT'S VERY STRANGE.

I'VE NEVER ENCOUNTERED
SOMETHING LIKE THIS BEFORE.

Narrator:
THE CAPTAIN CLAIMS THE PLANE'S
INSTRUMENTS MALFUNCTIONED.

HE WAS FORCED TO NAVIGATE
BY TUNING IN TO A RADIO STATION.

Garcez: WE HAD TO IMPROVISE.

WHY DON'T WE SEE
IF WE CAN PICK UP

A LOCAL RADIO STATION
FROM BELEM?

Narrator:
NEWS THAT THE CREW TUNED IN
TO A COMMERCIAL RADIO STATION

SPARKS MEDIA SPECULATION
THAT THE PILOTS BECAME LOST

BECAUSE THEY WERE DISTRACTED
BY THE SOCCER GAME.

Cox: YOU HEAR A LOT OF THINGS

DURING AN ACCIDENT
INVESTIGATION,

A LOT OF UNGROUNDED SPECULATION.

I WOULD CALL THAT AN INCOMPLETE
AND UNSUBSTANTIATED ACCUSATION.

Narrator:
AT THE AMAZON CRASH SITE,

THERE'S BEEN
A MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH--

THE DISCOVERY OF THE PLANE'S
TWO FLIGHT RECORDERS.

THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER
CAPTURES DETAILED INFORMATION

ABOUT THE PLANE'S HEADING.

INVESTIGATORS
HOPE IT WILL REVEAL

WHY FLIGHT 254 WAS
SO BADLY OFF COURSE.

Machado: WE WERE RELYING ON
THE TWO FLIGHT DATA RECORDERS.

BOTH PILOTS WERE ALIVE,

SO WE THOUGHT WE WERE CERTAIN
TO COME TO A CONCLUSION.

Narrator: THEY ALSO RECOVER AS
MANY DOCUMENTS FROM THE COCKPIT

AS THEY CAN.

Machado: THE MOST IMPORTANT
THINGS AT THAT MOMENT

WERE NAVIGATION CHARTS,
ALL OF THEM, MANUALS, RECORDS,

ANYTHING THAT WOULD PROVIDE
SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE

FOR THE PILOTS TO FLY THE PLANE.

Narrator: EACH FRAGILE PAGE
IS CAREFULLY PHOTOGRAPHED

TO PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE.

MEANWHILE, INVESTIGATORS USE
THE HEADING DATA

TO RECONSTRUCT THE PATH
OF THE PLANE.

Jenkins: THEY TOOK OFF DUE WEST,
HEADING 2-7-0.

THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER
WAS FUNDAMENTAL

BECAUSE IT PROVIDED US WITH
THE TRACK OF THE AIRPLANE,

THE POSITIONS, THE TIMES,
WHERE THE AIRPLANE FLEW.

Narrator: BUT THE FLIGHT DATA

PAINTS A CONFUSING PICTURE.

INSTEAD OF FLYING
NORTH TO BELEM,

THE PLANE TOOK OFF WEST

AND FLEW IN THE WRONG DIRECTION

THROUGHOUT THE FLIGHT.

Jenkins:
THEY'RE FLYING THE WRONG WAY
FOR THE ENTIRE FLIGHT.

THIS BECAME A CENTRAL FOCUS
OF THE INVESTIGATION,

TO KNOW WHY THE AIRCRAFT
WAS SO FAR OFF COURSE.

Machado: WHY?

Narrator:
A BROKEN NAVIGATION SYSTEM
COULD EXPLAIN THE MISTAKE.

BUT WHEN INVESTIGATORS TRY
TO GET MORE INFORMATION

FROM THE CREW,

THEY HIT
AN UNEXPECTED ROADBLOCK.

THE PILOTS' UNION FLIES GARCEZ
AND ZILLE TO RIO DE JANEIRO,

DENYING INVESTIGATORS ACCESS
TO THEM FOR SEVERAL DAYS.

Machado: THE UNION BELIEVED
THE INVESTIGATORS

WOULD HOLD THE PILOTS
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CRASH.

Narrator: FOR NOW,
THE ONLY WORDS FROM THE PILOTS

THAT INVESTIGATORS CAN HEAR

ARE THOSE CAPTURED
ON THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER.

Machado: LET'S HEAR IT.

Zille: WE JUST LOST AN ENGINE!

Garcez: I JUST NEED
TO BRING US DOWN...

NICE AND SLOW.

Narrator: IT'S THE TOUGHEST PART
OF THE JOB

FOR ANY AIR CRASH INVESTIGATOR--

HEARING FEAR
IN A PILOT'S VOICE...

Zille: WE JUST LOST
THE OTHER ONE!

Narrator: AND LISTENING
AS A FATAL TRAGEDY UNFOLDS.

Garcez:
I'M GOING TO PUT HER DOWN.

Machado: REWIND IT, PLEASE,
ALL THE WAY TO THE BEGINNING.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS HOPE
THE 30-MINUTE RECORDING

CAN TELL THEM WHY THE PILOTS
FLEW IN THE WRONG DIRECTION,

BUT THEY'RE OUT OF LUCK.

Garcez: THERE WE GO.

WE'RE OVER THE AMAZON NOW.

Narrator: BY THE TIME
THE RECORDING STARTS,

THE PILOTS ARE ALREADY
DESPERATELY LOST.

WHATEVER LED THEM OFF COURSE HAD
HAPPENED EARLIER IN THE FLIGHT.

Cox: COCKPIT VOICE RECORDERS
TRADITIONALLY HAVE BEEN

THE LAST 30 MINUTES OF FLIGHT.

ONLY IN RECENT YEARS
HAS THAT RECORDING LENGTH

BEEN EXTENDED TO TWO HOURS.

Jenkins:
THE PROBLEM STARTED DURING
THE FIRST MOMENTS OF THE FLIGHT.

WE DIDN'T HAVE A RECORDING

BECAUSE OF THE TIME LIMITATIONS
ON THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS ARE
DESPERATE FOR MORE INFORMATION.

THEY STUDY
THE NAVIGATIONAL INSTRUMENTS

RECOVERED FROM THE COCKPIT.

Jenkins: WE SET OUT TO MAKE
A COMPLETE ANALYSIS

OF THE ENTIRE NAVIGATION SYSTEM
OF THE AIRCRAFT.

Narrator: THEY KNOW THE CAPTAIN
REPORTED A MALFUNCTION

IN THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM

THAT PUT HIS PLANE
HUNDREDS OF MILES OFF COURSE.

Zille: THAT'S FUNNY.

Garcez: WHAT?

Zille: WE'RE NOT PICKING UP
THE BEACON, EITHER.

Narrator:
THEY NEED TO FIGURE OUT

WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED
SUCH A MALFUNCTION.

IF THEY DON'T, THE LIVES
OF PASSENGERS AROUND THE GLOBE

COULD BE IN DANGER.

Machado: WE WERE VERY CONCERNED

BECAUSE THERE WERE AT LEAST 30
OTHER AIRCRAFT OF THE SAME MODEL

FLYING IN BRAZIL.

IF IT HAPPENED TO ONE,
IT COULD HAPPEN TO OTHERS.

Narrator: THE PRESSURE
ON INVESTIGATORS IS HUGE.

INVESTIGATORS LOOK
INTO THE POSSIBILITY

THAT THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM
ON VARIG FLIGHT 254

MALFUNCTIONED AND
LED THE CREW OFF COURSE.

Cox: IN A SITUATION WHERE
THERE'S THIS MUCH CONFUSION

ABOUT WHERE THEY ARE,

ONE OF THE QUESTIONS
THAT COME UP

IS WHAT SYSTEMS HAVE,
MAY HAVE MALFUNCTIONED.

Narrator:
THEY SUSPECT THE PLANE'S CARGO
MAY HOLD THE KEY.

THE 737 HAS A MAGNETIC SENSOR
IN THE TAIL

THAT ACTS
AS THE PLANE'S COMPASS.

IT TRACKS WHICH DIRECTION
THE PLANE IS FLYING

AND FEEDS THAT INFORMATION
TO THE COCKPIT INSTRUMENTS.

IF SOMETHING
IN FLIGHT 254'S CARGO

WAS GIVING OFF A STRONG
MAGNETIC FIELD,

IT MIGHT HAVE CONFUSED
THE SENSOR.

Jenkins: WE STUDIED
EVERY ASPECT OF THE CARGO,

EVEN THINGS THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN
ON THE SHIPPING PALLETS

THAT MIGHT HAVE INFLUENCED
SOMETHING IN THIS REGARD.

Narrator:
THEY ALSO TEST EVERY COMPONENT
OF THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM

AND CHECK FOR ANY SIGN
OF FAILURE.

BUT THEY FIND NOTHING
IN THE CARGO

THAT COULD AFFECT THE COMPASS,

AND THE INSTRUMENTS
ARE WORKING PERFECTLY.

Jenkins: WE VERIFIED
THAT THERE WAS NOTHING

THAT MIGHT HAVE CAUSED
ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE,

NOTHING THAT COULD HAVE CHANGED
THE HEADING

OR INFLUENCED
A CHANGE OF COURSE.

Narrator:
INVESTIGATORS CATCH A BREAK.

FLIGHT 254'S FLIGHT PLAN HAS
BEEN RECOVERED FROM THE COCKPIT.

AIRLINES PROVIDE FLIGHT PLANS
TO EVERY CREW.

IT CONTAINS CRITICAL DETAILS
ABOUT THE ROUTE THEY SHOULD FLY,

INCLUDING THE HEADING
THEY'RE MEANT TO TAKE.

Jenkins: THANKS.

LET'S SEE WHAT THIS
WILL TELL US.

Cox: THE AIRLINE PROVIDES
THE FILED FLIGHT PLAN

IN A COMPUTER PRINTOUT
TO THE FLIGHT CREWS,

AND THIS PROVIDES
A SERIES OF WAY POINTS

THAT THEY'RE TO LOOK FOR
TO FLY THE GROUND TRACK.

Narrator:
BUT WHAT IF THE AIRLINES

GAVE THE PILOTS
A FAULTY FLIGHT PLAN,

ONE THAT SENT THEM
IN THE WRONG DIRECTION?

THIS COULD BE THE LEAD
THEY'VE BEEN WAITING FOR.

Jenkins: I THINK I KNOW
WHAT THEY DID WRONG.

Narrator: A CLOSE LOOK
AT VARIG 254'S FLIGHT PLAN

PROVIDES A REVELATION.

Cox: IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE
WITH THE VARIG FLIGHT,

VERY UNUSUALLY THEIR
COMPUTER FLIGHT PLAN SYSTEM

HAS FOUR DIGITS.

THIS IS VERY, VERY UNUSUAL,

AS THEY ALMOST ALWAYS
HAVE ONLY THREE.

THE NUMBER 0-2-7-0 WAS INTENDED
TO MEAN 27.0 DEGREES.

Jenkins: WHEN WE NOTICED THAT,
IT GAVE US THE IDEA

THAT INSTEAD OF ENTERING 0-2-7,
WHICH WAS THE HEADING TO BELEM,

HE HAD ENTERED 2-7-0.

HE WAS SUPPOSED TO FLY NORTH,
HEADING 0-2-7.

Cox: THE CAPTAIN READ IT
AS 2-7-0 DEGREES, OR DUE WEST,

SO INSTEAD OF FLYING
NORTHEAST...

Jenkins: THEY WENT WEST INSTEAD,
GOING 2-7-0.

HE ENTERED THE WRONG HEADING.

Cox: HE SET THE AIRPLANE UP
TO DEPART WEST.

Narrator: 270 DEGREES,
OR DUE WEST ON THE COMPASS,

IS MORE THAN 240 DEGREES

PAST THE NORTHERLY HEADING
OF 27 DEGREES THEY WERE GIVEN.

THE MOMENT OF TRUTH ARRIVES

WHEN THEY CALL
CAPTAIN GARCEZ BACK IN

TO GIVE HIS SIDE OF THE STORY.

Garcez: I'LL TRY TO HELP YOU,

BUT I THINK I'VE TOLD YOU
EVERYTHING I KNOW ALREADY.

Machado: WE TOLD GARCEZ, LOOK,
WE HAVE THE ONBOARD CHARTS,

WE HAVE THE TAPES AND ALL OF
THE DOCUMENTS VERIFIED BY US.

WHAT IS THE TRUTH?

Narrator: AT FIRST, THE CAPTAIN
IS RELUCTANT TO ADMIT

HE MADE A MISTAKE.

Machado: WE SAID, GARCEZ,
TELL US THE TRUTH.

YOU DIDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM

WITH THE NAVIGATION INSTRUMENTS,
DID YOU?

Narrator:
UNDER INTENSE QUESTIONING,

GARCEZ FINALLY ADMITS
HE MISREAD THE FLIGHT PLAN.

Garcez: LOOK, IT WAS
AN HONEST MISTAKE.

Jenkins: FROM THAT MOMENT ON,

THE CAUSE OR THE BASIC FRAMEWORK
OF THE ACCIDENT WAS DETERMINED.

Narrator:
INVESTIGATORS LEARN THE AIRLINE

BEGAN PRINTING
THEIR FLIGHT PLANS THIS NEW WAY

WHILE THE CAPTAIN
WAS ON VACATION.

Machado: IT'S EASY TO SEE
HOW YOU'D GET CONFUSED.

Sant' Anna: VARIG HAD BOUGHT
SOME MORE SOPHISTICATED PLANES,

WHICH HAD INSTRUMENTS
THAT ACCEPTED DECIMAL PLACES,

BUT THAT WOULDN'T MEAN ANYTHING
ON THIS FLIGHT

SINCE THE BOEING 737-200
DIDN'T HAVE DECIMAL PLACES.

Narrator:
BUT THERE'S ANOTHER QUESTION.

THE FIRST OFFICER MUST ALSO
ENTER THE HEADING

FROM THE FLIGHT PLAN.

Garcez: SO, NILSON, YOU THINK
CHILE HAS A CHANCE TONIGHT?

Narrator: WHY DID HE MAKE
EXACTLY THE SAME MISTAKE

AS THE CAPTAIN?

AVIATION PSYCHOLOGIST
KATHY MOSIER HAS AN ANSWER.

Kathleen Mosier: THE CO-PILOT,
PROBABLY AFTER MANY EXPERIENCES

WITH CAPTAINS WHO HAD
ALWAYS DONE IT RIGHT

AND NEVER HAD TO DOUBLE CHECK,

JUST ENTERED
WHAT THE CAPTAIN HAD PUT IN

AND ASSUMED THAT IT WAS
THE RIGHT THING.

SO IN THIS CASE
YOUR SAFEGUARD IS GONE

BECAUSE THE CO-PILOT
IS NOT CROSS-CHECKING.

Machado: HE COULD HAVE
CAUGHT THIS MISTAKE

BEFORE THEY TOOK OFF.

Mosier: ONCE YOU TAKE OFF,

THE AUTOMATION DOES
WHAT YOU TOLD IT TO DO.

Narrator: VARIG 254 TAKES OFF
DUE WEST, INSTEAD OF NORTH,

STRAIGHT INTO THE SETTING SUN.

Garcez: GEAR UP.

Narrator:
IT'S AN INCOMPREHENSIBLE ERROR.

Mosier: DID THEY NOT REALIZE
THEY WERE FLYING INTO THE SUN?

THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A BIG CUE.

THEY MUST HAVE BEEN
VERY CONFIDENT

THAT THEY HAD DONE
THE RIGHT THING.

Narrator:
THE TWO PILOTS DISAGREE
ABOUT HOW THINGS WENT WRONG.

Zille: WE NEED TO LAND SOON
OR WE'RE GONNA RUN OUT OF FUEL.

Garcez: I THINK WE'RE CLOSE.

Machado: THE FIRST OFFICER
WAS PROTECTING HIMSELF,

SUGGESTING THAT HE HAD DONE
EVERYTHING RIGHT

AND GARCEZ WAS AT FAULT.

Cox: THE ORIGINAL NAVIGATION
MISTAKE WAS THAT OF THE CAPTAIN.

THE FAILURE
TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY

WAS A MISTAKE ON THE PART
OF THE FIRST OFFICER.

WHAT IS DISHEARTENING HERE

IS THAT BOTH PILOTS
WENT ALONG WITH IT.

Narrator:
IT IS NOW ALL TOO CLEAR

THAT FLIGHT 254 WAS FLYING
IN THE WRONG DIRECTION

FROM THE MOMENT IT TOOK OFF,

A MISTAKE EVEN
SOME PASSENGERS NOTICED.

Siqueira: WELL, WE, WE THOUGHT
THE PERSON IN CHARGE HERE

IS, IS THE CAPTAIN.

Sant' Anna: AT LEAST THREE
OF THE PASSENGERS

WARNED THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS

THAT THE PLANE WAS FLYING
IN THE WRONG DIRECTION,

BUT THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS
THOUGHT, WELL,

THE CAPTAIN KNOWS MORE
ABOUT THIS,

AND THEY DIDN'T REACH GARCEZ
TO WARN HIM

THAT HE WAS FLYING
IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.

Siqueira:
WE THOUGHT THAT UP IN THE SKY
THE CAPTAIN'S IN CHARGE, SO...

Narrator: BUT IT'S WHAT
THE CAPTAIN DOES NEXT

THAT TURNS HIS ERROR
INTO A CATASTROPHE.

THE CREW OF VARIG 254

MAKES YET ANOTHER
CRITICAL ERROR IN JUDGMENT.

Garcez: WE DECIDED TO TUNE IN
TO A RADIO STATION,

USE IT TO FIND OUR WAY.

Narrator:
INSTEAD OF RADIOING FOR HELP,

THEY TRY TO GET BACK ON COURSE
WITHOUT ADMITTING THEIR MISTAKE.

Machado: HIS PRIDE PREVENTED HIM
FROM SAYING TO HIS COLLEAGUE,

HELP ME, I'M IN TROUBLE.

THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN
A BETTER APPROACH.

Narrator: AN ATTEMPT TO USE
A COMMERCIAL RADIO STATION

TO FIND THE AIRPORT
EXACERBATES THE SITUATION.

THEY ASSUME THE SIGNAL
THEY HAVE TUNED IN TO

IS COMING FROM BELEM,

AND THEY FOLLOW IT
AWAY FROM THEIR DESTINATION.

Jenkins: WHEN YOU TUNE IN
TO A RADIO BROADCAST,

COMMERCIAL RADIO, IT'S POSSIBLE
TO RECEIVE CONTENT

ORIGINATING
FROM DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.

Zille:
CHRIST, CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS?

THEY, THEY STILL HAVEN'T
RESTARTED THE MATCH!

Cox: YOU NEED TO VERIFY
THAT IT IS IN FACT THAT STATION,

THAT IT IDENTIFIES
ITS CALL LETTERS

AND THAT YOU HAVE
THAT VALIDATION.

Garcez: CAN YOU BELIEVE
THOSE GUYS?

Narrator: THOUGH THERE IS
NO HARD EVIDENCE,

SOME CONTINUE TO BELIEVE

THE SOCCER GAME
DISTRACTED THE PILOTS.

Siqueira:
PEOPLE SAY HE WAS LISTENING
TO THE BRAZIL-CHILE MATCH,

AND THAT'S WHY HE DIDN'T
NOTICE HIS MISTAKE.

Narrator:
INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE THERE MAY
BE A PSYCHOLOGICAL EXPLANATION,

A QUIRK OF HUMAN NATURE

THAT CAN TRAP EVEN
THE BEST-TRAINED PILOTS.

Garcez: THERE WE GO.

WE'RE OVER THE AMAZON NOW.

Sant' Anna:
THE CAPTAIN SPOTTED A RIVER,

A RIVER THAT HE THOUGHT WAS PART
OF THE AMAZON NORTH OF BELEM.

Mosier: YOU DECIDE
ON AN INITIAL JUDGMENT,

AND YOU THINK THAT IT'S RIGHT,

AND SO YOU LOOK AROUND
FOR THINGS

THAT SUPPORT YOUR POSITION.

Narrator:
THE CREW WAS LOOKING FOR SIGNS
THAT THEY WERE CLOSE TO BELEM.

Sant' Anna: HE DECIDED TO FOLLOW
THAT RIVER SOUTH

TO GET TO BELEM.

Narrator: BUT THE RIVER THEY SAW
WAS NOT THE AMAZON.

IT WAS THE XINGU,

A RIVER MORE THAN 600 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF BELEM.

Jenkins: THEY WERE FOLLOWING
THE WRONG RIVER.

HOW COULD THEY BE
SO CONFUSED FOR SO LONG?

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS CONCLUDE
THE CREW WAS IN THE GRIP

OF WHAT'S KNOWN
AS CONFIRMATION BIAS,

THE TENDENCY
TO FAVOR INFORMATION

THAT CONFIRMS SOMETHING
WE ALREADY BELIEVE.

Garcez: I THINK WE'RE CLOSE.

Mosier: CONFIRMATION BIAS IS ONE
OF THE COMMON

DECISION-MAKING BIASES
THAT PEOPLE ARE SUBJECT TO,

AND THE THING THAT'S INSIDIOUS
ABOUT IT

IS THAT YOU DON'T OFTEN
RECOGNIZE

THAT THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

Garcez: WHEN I SAW THE RIVER,
I WAS SURE.

I WAS SURE WE WERE
CLOSE TO BELEM.

Mosier: IT JUST GOES TO SHOW YOU

ANYBODY CAN FALL
INTO DECISION TRAPS,

AND EVEN EXPERTS HAVE TO
ALWAYS BE ON GUARD.

Cox: IN THREE PLUS DECADES
OF DOING ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION,

THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST
UNUSUAL ACCIDENTS

I HAVE EVER READ OR AM AWARE OF.

Narrator: IN THE END
THE ACCIDENT REPORT

FAULTS BOTH PILOTS
FOR THE DISASTER.

Sant' Anna: AS THE DETAILS
OF THE FLIGHT WERE DISCOVERED,

THE TERRIBLE MISTAKE
THAT HE MADE,

THE CAPTAIN WENT FROM HERO
TO VILLAIN.

Narrator:
THEY WERE BOTH CONVICTED
FOR THEIR NEGLIGENCE

AND SENTENCED
TO COMMUNITY SERVICE.

THE REPORT ALSO CRITICIZES
THE BELEM CONTROLLER

FOR NOT RAISING AN ALARM SOONER.

Sant' Anna: THE CONTROLLER
AT BELEM TOWER

WAS VERY WORRIED
ABOUT THE FOOTBALL MATCH

BETWEEN BRAZIL AND CHILE.

HE HAD ONE EAR ON THE BROADCAST
OF THE MATCH

AND THE OTHER PAYING ATTENTION
TO THE FLIGHT.

Controller: 254,
YOU ARE CLEARED FOR DESCENT.

Narrator: HE SHOULD HAVE
REALIZED THERE WAS A PROBLEM

WHEN THE PLANE COULD ONLY
CONTACT THE TOWER

ON HIGH FREQUENCY RADIO,

A MAJOR CLUE THAT THE PLANE
WAS PROBABLY VERY FAR AWAY.

Mosier:
EVERYBODY MAKES MISTAKES.

ERRORS ARE NOT UNAVOIDABLE,

SO THE WAY THAT YOU
DEAL WITH THIS

IS YOU BE AWARE OF THE THREAT,

YOU TRY AND TRAP ERRORS
IF THEY OCCUR, AND FIX THEM.

Cox: I THINK IT WAS THE FAILURE
OF THESE TWO PILOTS

TO MAINTAIN
THE HIGHEST STANDARDS

OF PROFESSIONAL AIRMANSHIP.

I THINK IN THAT POINT THEY DID
NOT MEET THE NECESSARY MARK.

Narrator: AFTER THE CRASH
OF VARIG 254,

THE AIRLINE CHANGES
THEIR FLIGHT PLANS,

SO THE DECIMAL PLACE
IS CLEARLY MARKED.

THEY ALSO IMPROVE
PILOT TRAINING.

BRAZIL'S NATIONAL RADAR SYSTEM
IS MODERNIZED AND EXPANDED

TO COVER THE ENTIRE COUNTRY,

MAKING IT LESS LIKELY
THAT A PLANE WILL GO MISSING.

BRAZIL NEVER EVEN MADE IT

TO THE QUARTERFINALS
OF THE 1990 WORLD CUP,

WHICH WAS WON BY WEST GERMANY.

THE SCANDAL OF THE BRAZIL-CHILE
GAME FADED OVER TIME,

BUT THE LEGACY
OF FLIGHT 254 ENDURES.

Cox: THIS IS ONE OF THOSE CASES

WHERE LOOKING AND UNDERSTANDING
WHAT THIS CREW DID

CAN SERVE AS AN ABSOLUTE
BRIGHT EXAMPLE

TO HELP CREWS IN THE FUTURE
NOT MAKE THESE SAME MISTAKES.