All language subtitles for Air.Disasters.S08E08.Accident.Or.Assassination.1080p.PMTP.WEB-DL.AAC2.0.H.264-maldini_track4_[eng]

Woman: TAXI!

Narrator: ON THE BUSY STREETS
OF MEXICO CITY,

PEOPLE FLEE FOR THEIR LIVES.

Woman: I HAD THE TIME
TO TURN AROUND,

AND I STARTED RUNNING AWAY
FROM IT.

AND I REMEMBER THINKING THAT,
WELL, THIS IS IT.

Narrator: AN OUT-OF-CONTROL JET

SETS THE FINANCIAL DISTRICT
ON FIRE.

Man: IT WAS A DISASTER.

Narrator:
THE PRESIDENT'S RIGHT-HAND MAN
IS KILLED IN THE CRASH.

Man: A MAJOR POLITICAL FIGURE
FOR THE FUTURE IN MEXICO.

Narrator: IN A NATION AT WAR
WITH DRUG CARTELS...

Man: THERE WAS A LOT
OF NARCO TRAFFICKING GOING ON,

A LOT OF DRUG CULTURE.

Narrator: IT SEEMS THE VIOLENCE
HAS REACHED

A TERRIFYING NEW LEVEL.

Man: OH, MY GOD!

Man: IT WAS A NATURAL QUESTION--

WAS THIS AN ASSASSINATION?

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: NOVEMBER 4, 2008.

A LEARJET 45 IS CRUISING
OVER CENTRAL MEXICO.

Controller: VICTOR MIKE CHARLIE,
RADAR CONTACT.

DESCEND TO 2-0-0.

Alvaro Sanchez:
2-0-0, MIKE CHARLIE.

Narrator: ALVARO SANCHEZ
AND MARTIN OLIVA

ARE AT THE CONTROLS.

BOTH PILOTS ARE CAPTAINS,

BUT TONIGHT CAPTAIN OLIVA
IS FLYING THE PLANE.

Martin Oliva: I'LL START
SETTING 250, ALVARO. OKAY?

Sanchez: SOUNDS RIGHT TO ME.

Narrator: THE FLIGHT IS
A SPECIAL GOVERNMENT CHARTER.

Juan Camilo Mouriño:
WE MUST BE GETTING CLOSE.

Narrator:
THE COUNTRY'S INTERIOR MINISTER
AND HIS ENTOURAGE

ARE FLYING TO MEXICO CITY.

Mouriño: WE HAVE A FEW MINUTES.
SHOW ME THAT REPORT.

Narrator: JUAN CAMILO MOURIÑO
IS JUST 37 YEARS OLD

AND ALREADY A RISING STAR
ON THE MEXICAN POLITICAL SCENE.

Ioan Grillo: ANYBODY WHO BECOMES
INTERIOR SECRETARY

HAS BECOME A VERY IMPORTANT
FIGURE IN MEXICAN POLITICS.

HE WAS CONSIDERED
A PERSONAL FRIEND

OF PRESIDENT FELIPE CALDERON.

Narrator: THE POLITICIANS ARE
ON THEIR WAY BACK TO THE CAPITAL

AFTER A DAY OF TALKS AIMED
AT COMBATING

THE NATION'S SKYROCKETING RATE
OF VIOLENT CRIME.

Grillo: 2008 WAS A KEY YEAR

IN TERMS OF DRUG-RELATED
VIOLENCE IN MEXICO,

A YEAR OF MAJOR ESCALATION,

AND WE SAW A TIME WHERE PEOPLE
BEGAN TO GET VERY WORRIED

ABOUT WHERE THIS COULD GO.

Narrator: THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT
HAS CHARTERED A LEARJET 45

FOR THE FLIGHT.

IT'S A HIGH PERFORMANCE AIRCRAFT
THAT'S ALSO ECONOMICAL TO FLY.

Controller: VICTOR MIKE CHARLIE,

DESCEND TO 1-5 THOUSAND FEET,
ALTIMETER 30-24.

Sanchez: 1-5 THOUSAND
WITH 30-24, MIKE CHARLIE.

Luis Pru: WHEN BOMBARDIER
DESIGNED THIS AIRPLANE,

THEY DESIGNED IT
FROM THE GROUND UP

AND MADE IT
A LOT MORE EFFICIENT.

IT'S SAFER.
IT'S EASY TO FLY.

IT'S VERY USER-FRIENDLY,
IF YOU WILL.

Sanchez: A THOUSAND FEET
UNTIL WE LEVEL OFF.

Oliva: THANKS, ALVARO.

Narrator: AS THE LEARJET NEARS
THE OUTSKIRTS OF MEXICO CITY,

THE PILOTS PREPARE TO LAND.

Sanchez: LANDING LIGHTS.

YEP.

CHECKED.

Narrator: THE CREW CAN SEE
THE AIRCRAFT AHEAD OF THEM

ON THE APPROACH ROUTE.

Sanchez: LOOK.

Oliva: YEAH.

THEY'RE ALL LINED UP
IN FRONT OF US.

JUST IN TIME FOR RUSH HOUR.

Jeff Wise: IF YOU'VE EVER
LOOKED OUT INTO THE SKY

FROM THE APPROACH END
OF AN AIRPORT,

YOU SEE IT LOOKS LIKE A STRING
OF CHRISTMAS LIGHTS.

EACH LIGHT IS A PLANE LINED UP
ONE AFTER THE OTHER

COMING IN IN A VERY STEADY,
ORDERLY APPROACH.

Pru: IT'S A BUSY
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

IT'S THE MAIN AIRPORT
FOR MEXICO CITY,

WHICH IS A HUGE CITY,

SO YOU HAVE TRAFFIC FROM ALL
OVER THE WORLD COMING IN THERE.

Controller: VICTOR MIKE CHARLIE,
REDUCE YOUR SPEED TO 180 KNOTS.

Sanchez: REDUCING SPEED TO 180,
MIKE CHARLIE.

Narrator:
THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER
ASKS THE LEARJET CREW

TO SLOW DOWN TO MAINTAIN
THEIR POSITION

IN THE LINEUP OF PLANES.

Pru: THE APPROACH
INTO MEXICO CITY REQUIRES A TURN

THAT'S GREATER THAN 90 DEGREES.

THINGS ARE COMING AT YOU FAST.

ATC TELLING YOU TO, YOU KNOW,
TURN THIS HEADING,

MAINTAIN THIS SPEED,
SLOW DOWN TO THIS SPEED.

Oliva: SHOULD I
PULL THE NOSE UP?

Sanchez: NO. LEAVE IT.
LEAVE IT FOR NOW.

Narrator: TONIGHT,
ALVARO SANCHEZ IS SERVING

AS SOMETHING OF A MENTOR.

Oliva: BUT WE'RE ABOUT
TO LEVEL OFF, RIGHT?

Sanchez: YES.

Narrator: HE'S MORE EXPERIENCED
IN THE LEARJET

THAN CAPTAIN OLIVA.

Oliva: THERE.
SPEED STABILIZED.

Sanchez: OKAY.

Narrator: THIS IS ONE OF THE
BUSIEST AND MOST CRITICAL STAGES

OF ANY FLIGHT.

Sanchez: FLAPS DOWN.

Narrator:
SANCHEZ EXTENDS THE FLAPS

SO HE CAN FURTHER REDUCE
THEIR SPEED.

Pru: HERE ATC IS SEQUENCING YOU,

AND THEY'RE BASICALLY
TELLING YOU WHERE TO GO,

HOW FAST TO GO, HOW HIGH TO GO,
HOW LOW TO GO

IN ORDER TO SEQUENCE
THE TRAFFIC INTO THE AIRPORT.

Oliva: GIVE ME 8-800, PLEASE.

Sanchez: 8-800.

Wise: THEY'RE ABOUT
5 1/2 MILES AWAY

RIGHT OVER THE HEART
OF DOWNTOWN MEXICO CITY.

Narrator:
BELOW THEM, MEXICO CITY
IS A SPRAWLING METROPOLIS

OF 20 MILLION PEOPLE,

WITH SOME OF THE WORST TRAFFIC
IN THE WORLD.

A SEA OF CARS FILLS
THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT.

Mouriño: OH, MY GOD!

Wise: ALL OF A SUDDEN, CHAOS.

THEY'RE FLOWN UPSIDE DOWN

AND THEY'RE HURTLING
TOWARDS THE GROUND.

SCREAMS, PANDEMONIUM,
SHEER TERROR.

Narrator: WITHOUT WARNING,
THE LEARJET

GOES INTO A STEEP DIVE
AND PLUMMETS TOWARD THE GROUND.

Oliva: WHAT DO WE DO?

ALVARO!

Sanchez: GIVE IT TO ME.
GIVE IT TO ME!

Narrator: THE FIRST OFFICER
CALLS FOR CONTROL OF THE PLANE.

Oliva: IT'S YOURS, ALVARO.

Narrator: HE HAULS
HIS CONTROL COLUMN BACK,

TRYING TO PULL THE PLANE
OUT OF THE DIVE.

ULRIKA BJORKSTAM
IS IN THE STREET BELOW,

WAITING FOR A CAB.

Ulrika Bjorkstam:
ALL OF A SUDDEN I SAW THIS PLANE

FLYING LIKE REALLY LOW.

I HAD THE TIME TO TURN AROUND,

AND I STARTED RUNNING
AWAY FROM IT,

BUT OF COURSE THE PLANE
WAS A LITTLE BIT FASTER

THAN WHAT I WAS.

Wise: THEY AREN'T MUCH HIGHER

THAN THE SKYSCRAPERS
IN DOWNTOWN.

THEY CAN READ THE SIGNS
ON THE BUILDINGS.

THEY CAN SEE THE PEOPLE
WALKING ON THE STREETS.

Bjorkstam: I REMEMBER THINKING
THAT, WELL, THIS IS IT.

THIS IS IT FOR ME.

Oliva: NO, ALVARO!

ALVARO!

Narrator:
LEARJET VICTOR MIKE CHARLIE

HAS DEVASTATED MEXICO CITY'S
FINANCIAL DISTRICT.

Wise: IT WAS A DISASTER.

WITNESSES SAID THAT THE FLAMES

REACHED HIGHER THAN
THE SURROUNDING BUILDINGS.

Narrator: NONE OF THE NINE
PEOPLE ON BOARD HAVE SURVIVED.

THE CRASH HAS ALSO KILLED
SEVEN PEOPLE ON THE GROUND

AND INJURED DOZENS MORE.

ULRIKA BJORKSTAM HAS BEEN
KNOCKED SENSELESS BY THE BLAST

AND SCORCHED BY THE FLAMES.

Bjorkstam:
I WAS QUITE BADLY BURNED

AND, UH, IT WAS ALMOST AS IF
I HEARD A VOICE IN MY HEAD.

IT WAS THIS ONE THOUGHT
THAT I HAD THAT I,

I NEED TO GET UP NOW
IF I'M EVER GONNA GET UP.

I JUST REMEMBER LIKE A LOT
OF EXPLOSIONS, CARS EXPLODING,

AND THERE WAS THIS MAN
RUNNING TOWARDS ME

AND ASKING ME,
LIKE, WHAT WAS THAT?

WHAT HAPPENED?
WAS IT A BOMB?

NO, IT WAS A PLANE.

Narrator:
MEXICO CITY IS IN CHAOS

AS CREWS BATTLE
TO CONTROL THE FIRE.

THE SUDDEN LOSS
OF THE INTERIOR MINISTER

LEAVES THE COUNTRY IN SHOCK

AND THE GOVERNMENT FACING
A POTENTIAL CRISIS.

THERE'S IMMEDIATE SPECULATION

THAT THE CRASH IS RELATED
TO MEXICO'S WAR ON DRUGS.

Grillo: THIS HAPPENED IN A YEAR

WHEN THERE'D BEEN
INTENSE CONFRONTATIONS

BETWEEN DRUG CARTELS AND POLICE,

WHEN DRUG CARTEL ASSASSINS
HAD BEEN MURDERING OFFICIALS

IN THEIR OWN HOMES.

Narrator:
ADDING TO THE SPECULATION

IS THE FACT THAT MEXICO'S
DRUG CZAR,

JOSE LUIS SANTIAGO VASCONCELOS,
WAS ALSO ON BOARD.

Grillo: HE WAS ON THE FRONT LINE

OF THE LEGAL ACTION
AGAINST DRUG CARTELS,

WHICH ARE VERY POWERFUL
IN MEXICO,

SO A VERY IMPORTANT JOB,
A VERY HIGH-PRESSURE JOB.

Wise: THIS CRASH
HAD HUGE IMPLICATIONS

FOR MEXICAN POLITICS.

THERE WERE IMPORTANT PEOPLE
ON THIS PLANE,

SO IT WAS A NATURAL QUESTION--
WAS THIS AN ASSASSINATION?

Narrator: THE MORNING
AFTER THE LEARJET

SLAMS INTO THE HEART
OF MEXICO CITY,

INVESTIGATORS BEGIN THEIR WORK

AT WHAT MAY WELL BE
A CRIME SCENE.

ONE OF THE HIGH-RANKING
POLITICIANS ON BOARD,

JOSE LUIS SANTIAGO VASCONCELOS,
HAS BEEN A TARGET IN THE PAST.

Grillo: HE HAD SAID THERE'D BEEN
THREATS AGAINST HIM,

AND THEY DISCOVERED A PLOT
TO TRY AND KILL HIM.

Narrator: HAVE THE CARTELS
FINALLY SUCCEEDED?

IF SO, IT WOULD MARK
A DANGEROUS ESCALATION

IN THEIR WAR AGAINST
THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT.

Grillo:
THIS IS REALLY CONCERNING.

THIS IS NO LONGER
SIMPLY A CRIMINAL PROBLEM.

IT'S STARTING TO BECOME
A NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUE,

AND THERE WAS MUCH FEAR
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

Narrator: DESPERATE TO QUELL
PUBLIC ANXIETY,

MEXICO ASKS FOR HELP
FROM THE UNITED STATES.

THEY CALL IN THE FBI

AND THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION
SAFETY BOARD.

THE NTSB'S JOE SEDOR KNOWS THIS
IS AN ASSIGNMENT LIKE NO OTHER.

Joe Sedor: AS SOON AS WE HEARD
THAT THERE WAS

WHAT WE WOULD SAY THE EQUIVALENT

OF THE MEXICAN VICE PRESIDENT
ON BOARD,

I KNEW THAT IT WAS GONNA BE
A VERY POLITICAL INVESTIGATION

AND WOULD REQUIRE
A LOT OF POLITICS,

A LOT OF INTERPERSONAL SKILLS,

MORE THAN EVEN JUST
THE TECHNICAL SIDE OF THINGS.

JOE SEDOR, NTSB.

Narrator: AMID THE CHAOS
OF THE CRASH SITE,

SEDOR'S FIRST JOB
IS TO TRY TO IDENTIFY

ALL THE AIRCRAFT DEBRIS.

Sedor: ALL RIGHT,
IF YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY SURE

IT'S FROM THE PLANE,
IT GOES OVER THERE, OKAY?

EVERYTHING ELSE I WANT HERE.

Narrator:
IT'S A MONUMENTAL TASK.

WITH SO MUCH DAMAGE
TO BUILDINGS, CARS

AND THE CITY ITSELF,

ISOLATING WRECKAGE
FROM THE LEARJET

IS NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE.

Wise: THIS PLANE CRASHED
INTO RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC

IN THE MIDDLE OF ONE
OF THE WORLD'S

BIGGEST, BUSIEST CITIES.

THERE'S WRECKAGE EVERYWHERE.
THERE'S DEBRIS.

IS IT A CAR?
IS IT A PLANE?

WHO KNOWS?
I MEAN, IT'S JUST A MESS.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS MAKE
AN EARLY BREAKTHROUGH.

THEY RECOVER THE PLANE'S
FLIGHT DATA RECORDER.

IF IT SURVIVED THE FIRE,

IT COULD HOLD CRUCIAL CLUES
ABOUT WHAT WENT WRONG.

Sedor: WE CAN GLEAN OUT
A LOT OF INFORMATION

FROM THE RECORDINGS
FROM AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL,

FROM THE IMPACT, FROM RADAR,

BUT TO GET SOME
VERY SPECIFIC INFORMATION

WE WOULD REALLY WANT
THAT FLIGHT DATA RECORDER

TO TELL US WHAT THE FLIGHT
OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS.

THAT'S GREAT.

ONE DOWN, ONE TO GO,
ALL RIGHT?

IT'S GOTTA BE NEARBY.
LET'S KEEP LOOKING.

Narrator:
BUT THE SECOND BLACK BOX,

THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER,
IS STILL MISSING.

INVESTIGATORS NEED TO FIND IT,
AND FAST.

FACED WITH THE SUSPICIOUS DEATHS

OF TWO KEY MEMBERS
OF THE GOVERNMENT,

PRESIDENT FELIPE CALDERON
HIMSELF

IS WATCHING THEIR EVERY MOVE.

Sedor: IN FACT, I BRIEFED
THE PRESIDENT OF MEXICO,

PRESIDENT CALDERON,
AT LEAST THREE OR FOUR TIMES.

I WAS DEALING WITH HIS AIDE,
HIS PERSONAL AIDE,

ON A DAILY BASIS,
IF NOT HOURLY BASIS.

ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT HE WANTED TO PROVE

WAS THAT THIS WAS NOT A,

EITHER A DRUG HIT
OR A POLITICAL ASSASSINATION.

Grillo:
PRESIDENT FELIPE CALDERON
WAS VERY VESTED IN THIS CASE.

SO THE PRESSURE
ON THE INVESTIGATORS DOING THIS

WAS ABSOLUTELY IMMENSE.

THEY HAD TO GET ANSWERS.

THEY HAD TO GET THEM SOON.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS
INTENSIFY THEIR SEARCH

FOR THE MISSING VOICE RECORDER.

Sedor: ALL RIGHT, THIS IS
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR,

BUT BEAR IN MIND IT MIGHT NOT
BE ORANGE ANYMORE.

WITH A FIRE LIKE THAT,
THIS THING COULD BE BURNT BLACK.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO.
SPREAD OUT.

WE GOT PHOTOS DOWN

SO THAT EVERYBODY WOULD KNOW
WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE,

AND WE HAD TO TELL THEM,
NOW, THESE ARE ORANGE PHOTOS,

BUT THEY COULD BE ANYWHERE
FROM BROWN TO BLACK

TO BEING CRUMPLED UP.

Narrator:
WHILE AIRCRAFT INVESTIGATORS
COMB THROUGH THE WRECKAGE,

THE FBI BEGINS TESTING
FOR EXPLOSIVE RESIDUE,

EVIDENCE THAT A BOMB
DOWNED THE PLANE.

BUT WITH SO MUCH DEBRIS TO TEST,

GETTING A DEFINITIVE ANSWER
WON'T BE EASY.

AN INTENSIVE SEARCH
FOR THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER

TURNS UP NOTHING...

UNTIL AN OVERLOOKED PIECE
OF BLACKENED DEBRIS

SUDDENLY CATCHES
AN INVESTIGATOR'S EYE.

Sedor: IT WAS INTERESTING 'CAUSE
WE HAD BEEN WALKING OVER THE CVR

THE ENTIRE TIME
WE WERE ON SCENE,

BUT BECAUSE IT WAS
A BROWNISH BLACK

AND IT WAS ON ITS SIDE,
I BELIEVE,

THAT WE JUST DIDN'T
IDENTIFY IT INITIALLY.

LET'S SEE WHAT WE GOT HERE.

UH!

I MUST HAVE WALKED
OVER THIS TEN TIMES.

Narrator: MEXICAN INVESTIGATORS
WILL ACCOMPANY THE BOXES

TO WASHINGTON, D.C.,

WHERE EXPERTS AT THE NTSB
WILL DO THEIR BEST

TO RECOVER THE CRUCIAL DATA.

Sedor: THEY DO NOT HAVE
THE RECORDER LABS AVAILABLE

LIKE WE HAVE HERE IN THE NTSB,

AND SO THEY WERE VERY OPEN
TO THE FACT

THAT AS SOON AS THEY FOUND IT
IT WAS A GIVEN

THAT THEY WERE GONNA BE COMING
TO WASHINGTON, D.C.

WHOA. WHAT HAVE WE GOT HERE?

Narrator:
BACK AT THE CRASH SITE,

A WING EMBEDDED
IN THE ROOF OF A CAR

IS ONE OF DOZENS OF PIECES OF
WRECKAGE SEDOR NEEDS TO CHART.

Sedor: IT'S THE RIGHT SIDE.

IT'S THE RIGHT WINGTIP.

Narrator: HE WANTS TO KNOW IF
THE PLANE CAME DOWN IN ONE PIECE

OR IF IT BROKE APART
IN MID FLIGHT,

SOMETHING THAT WOULD POINT
STRONGLY TO A BOMB.

Sedor: WELL, THIS IS THE NOSE.

YEAH, THE WHOLE PLANE'S HERE.

THERE'S NO WAY IT BLEW APART
IN THE AIR.

SO WE HAD THE LEFT WINGTIP,

BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT
HORIZONTAL STABILIZER

AND THE VERTICAL STABILIZER.

THIS TOLD US
THAT THE WHOLE AIRCRAFT

HAD MADE IT TO
THE ACCIDENT SITE, AS WE SAY.

Wise: THE FACT THAT THE DEBRIS

WAS SO TIGHTLY CLUSTERED
TOGETHER ON THE GROUND

REALLY WAS STRONG EVIDENCE

AGAINST THE NOTION
OF AN INFLIGHT EXPLOSION.

Narrator: MEXICAN AND
U.S. INVESTIGATORS

BREATHE A COLLECTIVE
SIGH OF RELIEF.

FBI TEST RESULTS
CONFIRM THE FINDING.

Sedor: YEAH, I GOTTA GO.
ALL RIGHT, BYE.

Narrator:
THERE'S NO EVIDENCE OF A BOMB.

Sedor: WHEN THE FBI TOOK SAMPLES

AROUND VARIOUS PARTS
OF THE AIRCRAFT,

AND EVEN, I BELIEVE, EVEN ON
PARKED CARS AND IN THE BUILDING,

THEY FOUND NO TRACE
OF ANY EXPLOSIVE DEVICE.

Narrator: BUT THE WAY
THE WRECKAGE HAS FALLEN

DOES PROVIDE A PUZZLING DETAIL
ABOUT HOW THE PLANE CAME DOWN.

Sedor: IT LOOKS LIKE THE PLANE
WAS HEADING WEST

WHEN THEY HIT THE GROUND,

FLYING AWAY FROM THE AIRPORT
THAT WAY.

SO WHY ARE THEY FLYING
THE WRONG WAY?

WE KNEW THAT HE WAS COMING
INTO MEXICO CITY,

AND THE FIRST THING
THAT WE NOTICED

WAS THAT THE AIRCRAFT
WHEN IT STRUCK THE GROUND

WAS ACTUALLY MOVING
AWAY FROM THE AIRPORT.

Narrator: THE LEARJET CRASHED
INTO THE HEART OF MEXICO CITY

AT THE HEIGHT OF RUSH HOUR.

INVESTIGATORS HOPE TO FIND
SOMEBODY WHO SAW SOMETHING

THAT MIGHT EXPLAIN
THE ODD FLIGHT PATH.

Man: SO YOU DIDN'T
SEE IT IN THE AIR AT ALL?

Narrator:
BUT THEY'RE OUT OF LUCK.

WITNESSES CAN ONLY DESCRIBE
THE MOMENT OF IMPACT

AND THE TERRIFYING AFTERMATH.

Bjorkstam: NOBODY KNEW
WHAT HAD HAPPENED

AND WHAT, WHAT IT WAS
THAT EXPLODED 'CAUSE IT WAS...

THERE WERE SEVERAL EXPLOSIONS,
I THINK,

MAYBE TWO FROM THE PLANE
AND THEN OF COURSE ALL THE CARS.

IT WAS A VERY CHAOTIC SITUATION,

A LOT OF PANIC
IN PEOPLE'S MINDS,

LIKE WHAT'S GOING ON?

Narrator: NO ONE CAN TELL
INVESTIGATORS ANYTHING

ABOUT HOW THE PLANE WAS FLYING

BEFORE IT SUDDENLY
CHANGED DIRECTION AND CRASHED.

Sedor: HOW WE SAY IT
WITH INVESTIGATORS

IS THE ACCIDENT
DIDN'T HAPPEN HERE.

THIS WAS THE RESULT.

THE IMPACT WITH THE GROUND
WAS THE RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT,

WHICH OCCURRED AT ALTITUDE,
AND BECAUSE OF THAT

WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE
ANY WITNESSES

TO THAT PART OF THE FLIGHT.

Narrator: IT'S A DISAPPOINTING
SETBACK FOR INVESTIGATORS,

ONE THAT ONLY INCREASES
THE PRESSURE

TO EXPLAIN THE MYSTERIOUS CRASH
IN THE MEXICAN CAPITAL.

AT A STATE FUNERAL,
THE MEXICAN PRESIDENT

HONORS THE VICTIMS
OF AN AIR DISASTER

THAT SET MEXICO CITY ABLAZE AND
SHOOK THE NATION TO ITS CORE.

Grillo:
PRESIDENT FELIPE CALDERON

LOST A GOOD FRIEND AND A PROTEGE

AS WELL AS HIS NUMBER TWO
IN THE GOVERNMENT.

Narrator: THE SOMBER MOMENT
IS A REMINDER

THAT THERE IS STILL
NO EXPLANATION

FOR THE CRASH
THAT KILLED 16 PEOPLE.

FOR THOSE WHO SURVIVED,

IT'S A REMINDER
OF HOW LUCKY THEY ARE.

Bjorkstam: I FELT GUILTY
OF BEING ALIVE

BECAUSE SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE
GOT KILLED,

AND IT COULD HAVE BEEN ME,

SO WHY DID I SURVIVE
AND NOT THE REST OF THE PEOPLE

WHO WERE NEXT TO ME
ON THE STREET?

Narrator: AT THE NTSB LAB
IN WASHINGTON, D.C.,

ALL EYES ARE ON THE PLANE'S
FLIGHT DATA RECORDER, OR FDR.

IT COULD HOLD VITAL CLUES,
DATA THAT WILL EXPLAIN

EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED IN
THE LAST MOMENTS OF THE FLIGHT.

Wise: FLIGHT DATA RECORDERS
CAN HOLD

UP TO SEVERAL THOUSAND STREAMS
OF DATA AT ANY TIME.

THIS INCLUDES EVERYTHING
FROM CONTROL INPUTS,

CONTROL SURFACES, SPEED,
TEMPERATURE, PRESSURE,

PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING

AN INVESTIGATOR
WOULD WANT TO LOOK AT.

Narrator: TECHNICIANS MANAGE
TO DOWNLOAD ALL THE DATA.

BUT INVESTIGATORS
QUICKLY REALIZE

IT WON'T BE ANY HELP
IN SOLVING THE CRASH.

THE INFORMATION
IS MORE THAN TWO YEARS OLD.

THE RECORDER STOPPED WORKING

LONG BEFORE THE DAY
OF THE ACCIDENT.

Sedor: IT WAS VERY DISAPPOINTING
NEWS TO HEAR

THAT WE DID NOT HAVE ANY
OF THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT RECORDED.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS NEED
A NEW STRATEGY

IF THEY HOPE EVER TO UNDERSTAND

WHY THE LEARJET ENDED UP
FLYING THE WRONG WAY.

THEY TURN TO SECURITY CAMERAS
MOUNTED

IN AND AROUND MEXICO CITY'S
FINANCIAL DISTRICT.

Wise: ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES

OF AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT
FOR INVESTIGATORS

IS THAT THERE'S A LOT
OF CAMERAS AROUND.

Sedor: YEAH, ONE OF THESE
CAMERAS MUST HAVE BEEN LOOKING

IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

WE JUST BASICALLY SAID
FIND EVERY AND ALL VIDEO

THAT, THAT IS AVAILABLE
FROM EVERY BUILDING AROUND.

Narrator: IT'S A LONG SHOT,
BUT THERE'S A CHANCE A CAMERA

MAY HAVE CAPTURED IMAGES
OF THE LEARJET IN FLIGHT.

Sedor:
WITNESSES AND THEIR MEMORY
ARE GOOD, BUT THEY'RE NOT EXACT.

VIDEO, ON THE OTHER HAND,
IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US,

ESPECIALLY IF WE DON'T HAVE
ANY FDR DATA.

NEXT.

Narrator: SEDOR HOPES
THE GAMBLE WILL PAY OFF.

HE SCANS THROUGH THE VIDEO
FRAME BY FRAME,

FOCUSING ON THE CRITICAL SECONDS
JUST BEFORE THE CRASH.

Sedor: NEXT.

Narrator: MOST OF THE CAMERAS
ARE AIMED AT THE GROUND.

Sedor: NEXT.

Narrator:
TOO LOW TO SHOW THE PLANE.

Sedor: AND IT WOULD BE, YEP,
OKAY, THERE'S THE FLASH.

THERE'S THE AIRCRAFT HITTING,
AND IT WAS, AGAIN,

WE WERE SAYING
THAT'S NOT THE ACCIDENT.

WE NEED TO KEEP LOOKING.

Narrator:
FINALLY, A LUCKY BREAK.

Sedor: OH, HELLO THERE.

Narrator: A CAMERA FROM
A ROOFTOP HELICOPTER PAD

HAS CAPTURED A SHORT GLIMPSE OF
THE FLIGHT JUST BEFORE IMPACT.

Sedor: CAN WE ENHANCE THIS ONE?

YOU SEE THE STREAK
OF THE AIRCRAFT GOING DOWN,

AND WE'RE LIKE, HEY,
WE GOT SOMETHING HERE.

Narrator: THE VIDEO REVEALS
THAT THE PLANE WENT

INTO AN EXTREMELY STEEP DIVE
AND REVERSED COURSE IN MIDAIR...

BUT IT DOESN'T REVEAL
WHAT CAUSED THE PLANE

TO SUDDENLY CHANGE DIRECTION.

Sedor: SO ONE MINUTE
THEY'RE UNDER CONTROL

HEADING TOWARDS THE AIRPORT,

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN
THEY'RE IN A DIVE

HEADING AWAY FROM THE AIRPORT.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW YOU
TURN AROUND THAT FAST.

WE KNEW IT WAS COMING IN
IN THIS DIRECTION,

AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN
THEN THE NEXT THING WE KNOW

IT'S GOING IN THIS DIRECTION.

HOW DOES IT GET THERE?

AN AIRPLANE CAN'T JUST
AUTOMATICALLY TURN IN FLIGHT

AND GO DOWN,

SO WE HAD TO DETERMINE WHAT
WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE TO HAPPEN

IN ORDER TO GET THAT AIRPLANE
IN THAT, IN THAT POSITION.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS WONDER
IF THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG

WITH THE PLANE'S
CONTROL SURFACES.

Man: I GUESS
IF THE SPOILERS WERE TO FAIL

JUST ON ONE SIDE,
THAT COULD FLIP IT.

Narrator: THE RUDDER, AILERONS
AND SPOILERS

CONTROL THE AIRCRAFT'S MOVEMENT
THROUGH THE AIR.

A MALFUNCTION IN ONE OF THEM

MIGHT HAVE THROWN THE LEARJET
OUT OF CONTROL.

Sedor: IF YOU HAVE A SPOILER

THAT COMES UP ON ONE WING
AND NOT THE OTHER,

IT CAN CREATE A ROLLING MOMENT
THAT WOULD CAUSE AN UPSET.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS
CHECK THE MECHANISM

THAT MOVES THE SPOILERS.

Sedor: THEY ARE
HYDRAULICALLY OPERATED,

SO WAS THERE HYDRAULIC PROBLEMS
WITH THE AIRCRAFT?

Man: THE SPOILERS
WERE RETRACTED.

SO THAT'S NOT IT.

Narrator: THERE'S NO SIGN
OF ANY MALFUNCTION,

AND NONE OF THE PLANE'S SPOILERS
WERE DEPLOYED AT IMPACT.

THEY COULDN'T HAVE CAUSED
THE PROBLEM.

ONE BY ONE, INVESTIGATORS
CAREFULLY EXAMINE

EVERY CONTROL SURFACE
ON THE PLANE.

THEY ALL CHECK OUT.

Sedor:
WE HAD NO EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST

THAT THIS WAS A MECHANICAL
FAILURE IN THE AIRCRAFT.

Narrator: IT'S ANOTHER DEAD END.

INVESTIGATORS ARE NO CLOSER
TO UNDERSTANDING

WHY A GOVERNMENT-CHARTERED
LEARJET

SUDDENLY VEERED OFF COURSE
AND SLAMMED INTO MEXICO CITY.

Mouriño: OH, MY GOD!

Oliva: ALVARO, WHAT DO WE DO?
ALVARO!

Narrator:
FACING CONSTANT PRESSURE

FROM THE HIGHEST LEVELS
IN THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT,

INVESTIGATORS ARE
RUNNING OUT OF LEADS.

THEY TURN TO WHAT MAY BE
THEIR LAST HOPE

OF UNDERSTANDING
WHAT BROUGHT DOWN THE LEARJET--

THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER.

Wise: THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER
DOESN'T JUST GIVE YOU VOICES,

IT GIVES YOU ALARMS,
IT GIVES YOU WIND SOUND,

ANY OTHER RELEVANT AUDIO CUE
THAT CAN HELP YOU FIGURE OUT

WHAT HAPPENED IN THAT CRUCIAL
MOMENT OF THE FLIGHT.

Mouriño: WE HAVE A FEW MINUTES.
SHOW ME THAT REPORT.

Narrator: DESPITE SOME DAMAGE
FROM FIRE AND IMPACT FORCES,

TECHNICIANS HAVE BEEN ABLE
TO RECOVER THE RECORDED DATA.

Sedor:
WE KNEW WE DIDN'T HAVE FDR.

WE WERE GLAD TO HEAR, THOUGH,
THAT THE CVR, UH, DID WORK

AND THAT THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT
HAD BEEN CAPTURED.

ALL RIGHT, I THINK
WE'VE WAITED LONG ENOUGH.

LET'S HEAR IT.

Controller: VICTOR MIKE CHARLIE,
REDUCE YOUR SPEED TO 180 KNOTS.

Sanchez: REDUCING SPEED TO 180,
MIKE CHARLIE.

Sedor:
BECAUSE IT'S A SMALL AIRCRAFT,

WE COULD HEAR NOT JUST ALL THE
SOUNDS THAT WERE IN THE COCKPIT,

BUT WE COULD ALSO HEAR THE,
THE SOUNDS IN THE CABIN.

Mouriño:
WE MUST BE GETTING CLOSE.

Narrator: AS THEY LISTEN TO THE
MOMENTS JUST BEFORE THE CRASH,

THEY HEAR NOTHING
OUT OF THE ORDINARY.

Oliva: SHOULD I PULL
THE NOSE UP?

Sanchez: NO, LEAVE IT.
LEAVE IT FOR NOW.

Sedor: ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT IT DID REASSURE US

IS THAT THERE WAS NOT
AN INTENTIONAL ACT

THAT BROUGHT DOWN THE AIRCRAFT.

THERE WAS NO SOUNDS
SIMILAR TO A STRUGGLE.

THERE WAS NO SOUNDS OF
AN EXPLOSIVE DEVICE,

AND SO THAT HELPED
CLOSE THE BOOK

ON THAT ASPECT
OF THE INVESTIGATION.

Narrator: THE MYSTERY OF WHAT
DID CAUSE THE CRASH PERSISTS.

Sanchez: FLAPS DOWN.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS LISTEN

AS THE PILOTS DESCEND
TOWARD THE RUNWAY.

Sanchez: LOOK.

Oliva: YEAH.

THEY'RE ALL LINED UP
IN FRONT OF US.

Narrator:
ALL SEEMS WELL UNTIL...

Oliva:
TURBULENCE FROM THAT THING.

Sanchez: OH, MAN.

Sedor: ONE OF THE INTERESTING
THINGS THAT WE DID HEAR

WAS THAT THE FLIGHT CREW
DID MENTION, UH, TURBULENCE.

Oliva: WHAT THE HELL?
ALVARO!

Sedor: ALL RIGHT, IT SOUNDS LIKE
THAT'S WHERE THE TROUBLE STARTS.

WHERE ARE WE AT?

14 SECONDS BEFORE
HITTING THE GROUND.

Narrator: IT SEEMS
THE LEARJET HIT A PATCH

OF VIOLENTLY UNSTABLE AIR.

Mouriño: OH, MY GOD!

Wise: ALL OF A SUDDEN, BOOM.

THEY'RE UPSIDE DOWN
PLUMMETING TOWARDS THE GROUND.

Oliva: ALVARO!

WHAT DO WE DO?

ALVARO!

Narrator:
WITHOUT THE FLIGHT DATA,

THE VOICE RECORDING
LEAVES INVESTIGATORS

WITH ONLY A PARTIAL PICTURE.

Sedor: WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY
WHAT EACH OF THESE PILOTS

WAS THINKING AT THE TIME.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT
CONTROL INPUTS WERE BEING MADE,

BUT IT SHOWS THAT THERE WAS THAT
CONFUSION FACTOR IN THE COCKPIT

OF WHAT TO DO, HOW TO RECOVER
THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE UPSET.

THEY DON'T SEEM TO KNOW
WHAT HIT 'EM.

Oliva: ALVARO! WHAT DO WE DO?
ALVARO!

Sanchez: GIVE IT TO ME!
GIVE IT TO ME!

Pru: YOU KNOW, HEARING
THAT SOUND AND, YOU KNOW,

PUTTING MYSELF IN THEIR PLACE

AND KNOWING WHAT THAT OUTCOME
IS GONNA BE,

IT'S GOTTA BE HORRIBLE.

Oliva: IT'S YOURS, ALVARO.

Wise: THEY TRIED TO PULL OUT.
IT WASN'T ENOUGH.

THEY HAD SO LITTLE TIME,
THEY HAD SO LITTLE ALTITUDE.

Oliva: NO!

Sedor: WE HAD A NORMAL FLIGHT
COMING IN,

AND THEN WE HAD A LOSS
OF CONTROL RELATIVELY QUICK.

THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE
OF ANY MECHANICAL FAILURE.

SO WHAT DO YOU THINK?

WAKE TURBULENCE?

SO WE HAD TO REALLY LOOK
AT THE POSSIBILITY

OF A WAKE TURBULENCE EVENT.

Narrator: WAKE TURBULENCE FORMS

WHEN THE LOW PRESSURE AIR
ABOVE THE WING

DRAWS HIGH PRESSURE AIR UPWARD,

CREATING A SWIRLING VORTEX

THAT TRAILS BEHIND THE AIRCRAFT
AS IT FLIES.

Wise: AS A PLANE FLIES ALONG,
EACH OF ITS WINGTIPS

IS GENERATING A TINY HORIZONTAL
TORNADO CALLED A WINGTIP VORTEX.

Narrator: THE POWERFUL VORTICES
CAN LINGER IN THE AIR

FOR MINUTES AT A TIME,

CREATING AN INVISIBLE HAZARD
FOR OTHER AIRCRAFT.

Wise: WHEN A SMALLER PLANE FLIES

INTO THESE ROTATING COLUMNS
OF AIR AT LOW ALTITUDE,

IT CAN SPIN OUT OF CONTROL

AND CRASH INTO THE GROUND
WITHIN SECONDS.

Narrator:
IT'S RECOMMENDED THAT AIRCRAFT
FLYING ON THE SAME FLIGHT PATH

SHOULD STAY ABOUT FIVE MILES
APART AT ALL TIMES.

IF THEY GET TOO CLOSE,
IT CAN BE DEADLY.

PERHAPS WAKE TURBULENCE
CAN EXPLAIN WHAT KNOCKED

THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT LEARJET
OUT OF THE SKY.

INVESTIGATORS NEED TO KNOW MORE

ABOUT THE AIRCRAFT'S APPROACH
TO THE RUNWAY.

THEY SPEAK TO THE AIR TRAFFIC
CONTROLLER ON DUTY THAT NIGHT.

Wise: ONE OF AN AIR TRAFFIC
CONTROLLER'S MOST CRUCIAL JOBS

IS TO SEPARATE
THOSE INBOUND PLANES,

TO KEEP THEM
A SAFE DISTANCE APART

SO THEY DON'T GET INTO
EACH OTHER'S WAKE TURBULENCE.

Narrator:
THE CONTROLLER TELLS THEM

HE WAS BUSY THAT EVENING
HANDLING A LOT OF TRAFFIC.

Controller: VICTOR MIKE CHARLIE,
REDUCE YOUR SPEED TO 180 KNOTS.

Wise: IMAGINE IT'S RUSH HOUR.

PLANES ARE STACKED UP COMING IN
FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

THIS IS THE CRUNCH TIME.

THIS IS WHEN
THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS

REALLY EARN THEIR PAY.

Controller: VICTOR MIKE CHARLIE,

PLEASE TURN RIGHT
AND MAINTAIN 220 KNOTS.

Narrator: AROUND 6:30 PM,

THE CONTROLLER SLOTTED
THE CHARTERED LEARJET

IN BEHIND
A MUCH LARGER AIRCRAFT.

A BOEING 767
WAS FLYING ITS APPROACH

DIRECTLY IN FRONT
OF THE LEAR 45.

Oliva: JUST IN TIME
FOR RUSH HOUR.

Sanchez: UH-HUH.

Narrator:
BUT THERE WAS A PROBLEM.

THE LEAR 45 WASN'T HITTING
THE SPEEDS NEEDED

TO HOLD ITS POSITION
IN THE LINEUP.

Sedor: WHAT A CONTROLLER DOES

IS TELL EACH AIRCRAFT
HOW FAST THEY SHOULD BE GOING,

IF THEY SHOULD SPEED UP,
IF THEY SHOULD SLOW DOWN,

AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT
FOR PILOTS

TO ACTUALLY COMPLY
WITH EACH OF THOSE REQUESTS

IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN
THAT SEPARATION.

Controller: VICTOR MIKE CHARLIE,
ARE YOU AT 220 KNOTS?

Narrator: THE CONTROLLER
HAD TO REMIND THE CREW

TO SPEED UP TO 220 KNOTS

WHEN THEY JOINED THE LINE
OF LANDING PLANES.

Oliva: INCREASING SPEED.

Sanchez: INCREASING SPEED
RIGHT NOW.

Narrator:
JUST A FEW MINUTES LATER,

THE LEARJET 45
WAS DESCENDING TOO QUICKLY.

Controller: FIRST THEY WERE
GOING TOO SLOW.

THEN THEY WERE GOING TOO FAST.

Narrator: IT SEEMS THE CREW
WASN'T PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION

TO THE CONTROLLER'S
INSTRUCTIONS.

COULD THAT EXPLAIN THE CRASH?

DID CARELESSNESS
ON THE PART OF THE PILOTS

LEAD TO A FATAL ERROR
IN THE COCKPIT?

Oliva: WHAT THE HELL?

Narrator:
INVESTIGATORS NEED TO KNOW

EXACTLY HOW CLOSE THE LEARJET
CAME TO THE 767.

THEY ANALYZE DATA FROM
THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL RADAR

IN THE FINAL MINUTES
BEFORE THE ACCIDENT

AND MAKE A SURPRISING DISCOVERY.

Man:
SEPARATION IS NOT IDEAL, BUT IT
SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM.

Narrator: IT SEEMS THE LEARJET
NEVER GOT CLOSE ENOUGH

TO HIT THE 767'S WAKE.

Sedor: THEY GOT CLOSE
TO THE PRECEDING 767,

BUT IT WASN'T SOMETHING
THAT WAS, OH, OKAY,

THEY GOT WITHIN A MILE.

THEY WERE STILL ABOUT FOUR MILES
AWAY FROM THE 767.

IT WASN'T ANYTHING
THAT WAS VERY APPARENT

THAT A WAKE TURBULENCE ENCOUNTER
WOULD HAVE CAUSED THIS ACCIDENT.

SO WE HAD TO GO BACK
AND DO A LOT MORE WORK

IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND
WHY THIS PARTICULAR DAY

AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME

THAT 767 WAKE TURBULENCE
AFFECTED THE LEAR 45.

Oliva: WHAT THE HELL?

TURBULENCE FROM THAT THING.

Sanchez: OH, MAN.

Oliva: ALVARO! WHAT DO WE DO?

Narrator:
CONFLICTING EVIDENCE HAS BROUGHT
THE LEAR 45 CRASH INVESTIGATION

TO A SURPRISING IMPASSE.

WHILE THE COCKPIT RECORDING

POINTS TO WAKE TURBULENCE
AS THE CULPRIT,

RADAR DATA SUGGESTS
THE GOVERNMENT JET

WAS NEVER CLOSE ENOUGH
TO THE PLANE IN FRONT

FOR WAKE TURBULENCE
TO BE ANY PROBLEM.

TO TRY TO RESOLVE THE CONFLICT,

INVESTIGATORS TAKE
AN UNUSUAL STEP.

THEY DOWNLOAD
THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER

FROM THE BOEING 767 THAT WAS
FLYING AHEAD OF THE LEARJET.

IF SOMETHING WAS CAUSING THE 767

TO PRODUCE MORE WAKE TURBULENCE
THAN USUAL,

THE PLANE'S FLIGHT DATA
SHOULD TELL THEM.

Wise:
THE DATA FROM THAT PRECEDING
PLANE'S FLIGHT DATA RECORDER,

THE SPEED, THE FLAP SETTINGS,
WOULD GIVE A GOOD CLUE

AS TO WHAT KIND
OF WAKE TURBULENCE

THAT PLANE WOULD BE PUTTING OUT.

Narrator: BUT THE DATA REVEALS
NOTHING UNEXPECTED.

IT SEEMS THE 767 WAS GENERATING

A NORMAL AMOUNT
OF WAKE TURBULENCE.

INVESTIGATORS ARE MISSING
A PIECE OF THE PUZZLE.

THEN, THEY FACTOR IN
SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

ABOUT THE WEATHER
THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING.

Sedor: ONE ASPECT
OF WAKE VORTICES

IS TO UNDERSTAND THE WEATHER,

THE CURRENT WEATHER
THAT'S GOING ON.

Narrator: THEY LEARN
THAT THE 767'S WAKE VORTICES

WOULD HAVE LINGERED
FOR LONGER THAN USUAL,

PUTTING THE LEARJET
IN LETHAL DANGER.

THE REASON?

EXTREMELY CALM WEATHER.

THE WIND WASN'T STRONG ENOUGH
TO DISPERSE THEM.

Wise: NORMALLY YOU THINK
OF CALM AIR, CLEAR SKIES,

NO WIND, GREAT CONDITIONS
FOR FLYING.

ACTUALLY, CALM AIR IS WORSE
FOR WINGTIP VORTICES.

BECAUSE THE WIND
DOESN'T BREAK THEM UP

AND CHOP THEM UP
INTO INNOCENT PIECES,

THEIR DANGER REMAINS POTENT.

Sedor: WE HAD A CALM ATMOSPHERE.

WE HAD A HEAVY AIRCRAFT
IN FRONT,

WE HAD A LIGHT AIRCRAFT BEHIND.

ALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES
CAME TOGETHER

TO HAVE THAT TRAILING LEAR 45
HAVE AN ENCOUNTER

WITH THE WAKE TURBULENCE
OF THE 767.

Narrator: THE CREW COULD SEE
THE 767 AHEAD OF THEM.

Sanchez: HE'S STARTING TO TURN.

Oliva: SO HE'S FIVE MILES
FROM US.

Narrator:
BUT THEY MISTAKENLY THOUGHT THEY
WERE STILL A SAFE DISTANCE AWAY.

Wise: WHEN YOU LOOK
OUT YOUR COCKPIT WINDOW,

YOU SEE THIS TINY DOT
AHEAD OF YOU.

IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL
JUST BY EYEBALLING IT

HOW CLOSE THAT PLANE
IN FRONT OF YOU REALLY IS.

Narrator: LIKE A SLEDGEHAMMER
FROM ABOVE, THE WAKE TURBULENCE

SLAMMED INTO THE SMALLER PLANE,
FLIPPING IT OVER.

Wise: IT'S THIS POWERFUL FORCE,

BUT YOU DON'T KNOW
THAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO HIT IT

UNTIL YOU'RE ALREADY IN IT.

Narrator: THIS EXPLAINS
THE MID-AIR CHANGE OF DIRECTION.

Sedor:
THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED AROUND
INTO SORT OF A BARREL ROLL,

AND THEN AS IT WAS COMING AROUND
THEY WERE PULLING OUT,

AND IF THEY WOULD HAVE HAD

ANOTHER MAYBE A THOUSAND FEET
OR A COUPLE THOUSAND FEET,

THEY COULD HAVE ACTUALLY
RECOVERED THE AIRCRAFT.

Oliva: NO, ALVARO!

Pru: YOU KNOW, AT THAT POINT

THEY'RE ALONG FOR THE RIDE,
AND YOU DON'T HAVE TIME.

YOU DON'T HAVE TIME.

YOU BARELY HAVE TIME TO REALIZE
THAT YOU'RE GONNA DIE.

Narrator: SEVERE WAKE TURBULENCE
ON A CALM DAY

NOW APPEARS TO BE
THE LIKELY CAUSE OF THE CRASH.

BUT SOMETHING DOESN'T SIT RIGHT
WITH INVESTIGATORS.

THEY WONDER WHY A CREW

ENTRUSTED WITH FLYING
TOP GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS

DIDN'T USE MORE CAUTION,

ESPECIALLY GIVEN
THE CALM WINDS THAT EVENING.

Wise: ONCE THE INVESTIGATORS
REALIZED

THAT IT MOSTLY LIKELY WAS A CASE
OF WAKE TURBULENCE,

THE BIG QUESTION WAS

HOW DID IT CREEP UP
ON THE PLANE IN FRONT OF IT

CLOSE ENOUGH THAT IT HIT
THAT WAKE TURBULENCE?

Narrator: THE KEY
TO A SUCCESSFUL DESCENT

IS REDUCING THE PLANE'S
SPEED AND ALTITUDE

IN A CONTROLLED WAY.

Wise: WHEN YOU'RE COMING
INTO A BUSY AIRPORT

AT PEAK RUSH HOUR TIME,

YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF ROOM
FOR ERROR.

YOU CAN'T SCREW UP.

YOU HAVE TO KNOW
WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

Man: THE 767 IS COMING DOWN NICE
AND STEADY.

NOW LOOK AT THE LEAR.

Narrator: THE COMPARISON
OF THE 767'S FINAL DESCENT

WITH THAT OF THE LEAR 45

REVEALS TWO DIFFERENT
PILOTING TECHNIQUES.

Oliva:
SHOULD I PULL THE NOSE UP?

Sanchez: NO, LEAVE IT.
LEAVE IT FOR NOW.

Man: THEY ARE USING
A STEPPED APPROACH.

Narrator: THE LEARJET DESCENDS
UNEVENLY IN A SERIES OF STEPS,

SPEEDING DOWNWARD
TO LOSE ALTITUDE,

THEN LEVELING OFF TO SLOW DOWN.

THE 767 AHEAD OF THEM
IS DESCENDING

ON A STEADY SLOPE
TOWARDS THE RUNWAY.

Wise: IF A PILOT'S REALLY
IN CONTROL OF HIS AIRPLANE,

HE CAN LOSE ALTITUDE AND
LOSE SPEED AT THE SAME TIME.

IF HE'S NOT REALLY IN CONTROL,
HE'LL FOCUS ON ONE OR THE OTHER.

Narrator: THE LEARJET PILOTS
DIDN'T SUCCESSFULLY CONTROL

EITHER THEIR SPEED
OR THEIR ALTITUDE.

Oliva: THERE.
SPEED'S STABILIZED.

Sanchez: OKAY.

Narrator: THEY FLEW TOO FAST
TOWARD THE PLANE AHEAD

AND DROPPED DOWN TOO FAR.

Sanchez: FLAPS DOWN.

Narrator:
RIGHT INTO THE DEADLY VORTEX.

Sedor: IF THEY HAD STEPPED DOWN
AND MAINTAINED THE AIRSPEEDS

THAT WERE REQUESTED OF THEM
BY AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL,

THEN THIS APPROACH WOULD HAVE
GONE WITHOUT A HITCH.

Mouriño: OH, MY GOD!

Wise:
IF YOU'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION
TO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL,

IF YOU'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION
TO YOUR SPEED,

THINGS CAN GET BEYOND
YOUR CONTROL VERY QUICKLY.

Oliva: WHAT DO WE DO, ALVARO?

Man: LET'S HEAR IT
AGAIN, PLEASE.

Narrator:
INVESTIGATORS NEED TO KNOW

HOW COULD THE CREW
COULD HAVE MADE

SUCH A CRITICAL PILOTING ERROR.

THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER
POINTS THEM TO THE ANSWER.

Oliva: NOW WE'RE GOING TO PUT IN
THE VERTICAL NAV ALL THE WAY?

Sanchez: UH-HUH.

Oliva: ENTER 1-2 THOUSAND.

Narrator: THEY HEAR SOMETHING
UNSETTLING

FROM EARLY IN THE FLIGHT.

Sanchez: 1-2 THOUSAND.

IT WON'T LET ME.

IT DOESN'T INDICATE IT, EITHER.

IT HAS TO BE.

Narrator: THE PILOTS DON'T SEEM
TO KNOW HOW TO OPERATE

THE LEARJET'S
FLIGHT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.

Sanchez: THAT'S WEIRD.

Narrator:
IT'S THE SYSTEM THAT CONTROLS

MOST OF THE AIRCRAFT'S
CRITICAL FUNCTIONS.

Wise: IT'S REALLY STRIKING
HOW THEY SEEM CONFUSED

BY THE CONTROLS
OF THEIR AIRPLANE.

THESE GUYS ARE TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT WHAT KNOB DOES WHAT,

WHAT DIAL MEANS WHAT.

IT'S LIKE GUYS WHO ARE
JUST UNBOXING A VCR

AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
HOW TO PROGRAM IT.

Man: OKAY.
I'VE HEARD ENOUGH.

Narrator: FOR INVESTIGATORS,

THE DISCOVERY RAISES
A TROUBLING NEW ISSUE.

Man:
WHAT KIND OF PILOTS DON'T KNOW
HOW TO PROGRAM THEIR PLANE?

Sedor: ALL RIGHT, LET'S SEE
WHAT WE HAVE ON THESE TWO.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS DIG
INTO THE WORK RECORDS

OF THE TWO LEARJET PILOTS.

THEY'RE LOOKING FOR ANYTHING
THAT COULD ACCOUNT

FOR THE PILOTS' LACK
OF PROFICIENCY IN THE COCKPIT.

Sedor: WHAT THE HELL?

Narrator: THEY COME ACROSS
DISCREPANCIES

IN THE PILOTS' CERTIFICATION
FOR THE AIRCRAFT.

Sedor: MISSING SIGNATURES.

Wise: WHEN YOU LOOK
AT THE PAPERWORK

FOR THE TYPE CERTIFICATION
FOR THE LEARJET 45

FOR BOTH THE PILOT
AND THE CO-PILOT,

THERE WERE SIGNATURES MISSING,
THERE WERE FORMS MISSING.

IT SEEMED THAT SOMETHING
WAS VERY FISHY

ABOUT HOW THESE GUYS GOT
THEIR TYPE CERTIFICATION.

Narrator:
WHEN THEY TRY TO TRACK DOWN

CAPTAIN OLIVA'S
FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR...

Sedor: LET ME GUESS.

NO SIGN OF THE INSTRUCTOR.

Narrator: THEY FIND NO PROOF
THAT ANY TRAINING TOOK PLACE.

Sedor:
WE WERE VERY SURPRISED TO HEAR
THAT THIS WAS HAPPENING

AT SUCH A HIGH LEVEL
IN THE GOVERNMENT

WHERE IT'S NOT THE PRESIDENT

BUT IT'S THE EQUIVALENT
OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

THAT'S FLYING AROUND WITH PILOTS

THAT HAVE VERY QUESTIONABLE
TRAINING AND BACKGROUNDS.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS DIG
FOR FURTHER IRREGULARITIES.

THEY STUDY
CAPTAIN OLIVA'S LOGBOOK

WHERE HE KEPT A RECORD
OF ALL HIS FLIGHTS.

Sedor: CAN YOU CALL
THE FLIGHT SCHOOL?

Narrator:
THEY CONTACT THE FLIGHT SCHOOL
WHERE CAPTAIN OLIVA TRAINED.

THEY LEARN THAT MANY
OF THE TRAINING FLIGHTS

HE CLAIMED TO HAVE MADE
NEVER TOOK PLACE.

Sedor: THE FLIGHT SCHOOL
THAT PROVIDED THAT INFORMATION

DEFINITELY FOUND
THAT THERE WERE SOME ISSUES

WITH HIS COMMAND
OF THE AIRCRAFT.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS REACH
A SHOCKING CONCLUSION.

THE PILOT IN COMMAND
OF A MEXICAN GOVERNMENT LEARJET

WAS A FRAUD.

Wise: IT'S PRETTY MIND-BOGGLING

THAT A PILOT WOULD FAKE
HIS OWN CREDENTIALS.

THIS IS A PLANE
THAT YOU'RE FLYING.

YOU'RE IN IT.
YOUR LIFE IS AT STAKE, TOO.

YOU'D THINK YOU WOULD WANT
TO HAVE THE PROPER CREDENTIALS

TO FLY AN AIRPLANE.

Sedor: THESE GUYS
WERE TOTALLY FAKING IT.

Narrator:
THE TRUTH ABOUT ALVARO SANCHEZ
AND HIS QUALIFICATIONS

IS EQUALLY SHOCKING.

HIS CLAIMS TO BE A MEMBER
OF A LEARJET 45 TRAINING TEAM

AND AN INSTRUCTOR
ARE ALSO PROVED FALSE.

Wise: THESE ARE PEOPLE
WHO CLEARLY WERE ENAMORED

OF THE CONVENIENCE
OF CUTTING CORNERS,

TAKING ADVANTAGE
OF SOME CORRUPTION SOMEHOW

TO FLY A PLANE THAT THEY HAD
NO BUSINESS BEING IN,

LET ALONE FLYING.

Mouriño:
WE MUST BE GETTING CLOSE.

Narrator: IT WAS THEIR OWN FRAUD
AND DECEPTION

THAT ULTIMATELY LED THE PILOTS

INTO A SITUATION
THEY SIMPLY COULDN'T HANDLE.

Oliva:
SHOULD I PULL THE NOSE UP?

Sanchez: NO, LEAVE IT.
LEAVE IT FOR NOW.

Narrator: THEY FOUND THEMSELVES
PILOTING A POWERFUL JET

THEY DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO CONTROL

DURING A DEMANDING DESCENT
IN HIGH-RISK CONDITIONS.

IT ALL ADDED UP
TO A FATAL OUTCOME.

Pru: IT'S HIGHLY IRRESPONSIBLE.

IT'S IRRESPONSIBLE
BECAUSE AT THAT POINT

YOU'RE PUTTING YOURSELF
IN DANGER,

YOU'RE PUTTING THE PEOPLE
THAT YOU'RE FLYING,

YOU'RE PUTTING THEM IN DANGER.

YOU'RE VIOLATING THEIR TRUST.

Narrator: IN THE AFTERMATH,

MEXICAN AUTHORITIES
SUSPEND THE LICENSES

OF THE TWO FLIGHT SCHOOLS

SUSPECTED OF ISSUING
FALSE TRAINING DOCUMENTS

TO THE LEARJET PILOTS.

Sedor:
SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS
FROM THIS ACCIDENT

WAS TO HAVE MORE
OVERSIGHT AUTHORITY

FOR THESE TYPE OF FLIGHTS

BECAUSE THERE IS A NEED

FOR THESE IMPORTANT
POLITICAL PERSONS

TO HAVE THE BEST POSSIBLE
FLIGHT CREWS,

THE BEST POSSIBLE AIRCRAFT,

THE BEST POSSIBLE
OPERATION THERE IS

IN ORDER TO HAVE SAFE FLIGHTS.

Wise: THIS JOB MIGHT HAVE SEEMED
LIKE A REALLY APPEALING ONE,

TO FLY AROUND ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY.

THAT MIGHT HAVE MADE THEM
FEEL LIKE IT WAS WORTH IT

TO CUT CORNERS ON THEIR TRAINING
AND THEIR CREDENTIALS,

BUT IT WAS A HEAVY PRICE TO PAY.