All language subtitles for Air.Disasters.S08E09.No.Clear.Options.1080p.PMTP.WEB-DL.AAC2.0.H.264-maldini_track4_[eng]

Pilot: DAMN IT.
I CAN'T SEE THE RUNWAY. YOU?

Co-pilot:
I DO NOT HAVE THE RUNWAY.

Pilot: WHAT THE HELL?

Narrator:
A FLIGHT FROM BELFAST...

Man: HANG ON!

Narrator: ...ENDS IN DISASTER.

Man: IT'S A TIME
OF GREAT SADNESS.

Narrator: THE WRECKAGE PROVIDES
A BAFFLING CLUE.

Man: YOU KNOW,
IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

HOW DID THEY MANAGE
TO FLIP OVER?

IT'S NOT A NORMAL THING FOR
AN AIRPLANE TO LAND UPSIDE DOWN.

Narrator: THE SEARCH FOR ANSWERS
LEADS TO A STARTLING DISCOVERY.

Man: WAIT A MINUTE.
THAT CAN'T BE RIGHT.

IT'S LIKE PEELING AN ONION,
YOU KNOW?

YOU CUT AWAY ONE LAYER

AND THERE'S ANOTHER LAYER
UNDERNEATH IT.

Narrator: IS AIRLINE SAFETY
SLIPPING THROUGH THE CRACKS?

Man: I DON'T KNOW
WHAT YOU'D CALL THIS MESS.

IT CAME AS QUITE A SHOCK
TO THE INVESTIGATION.

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: THE CITY OF CORK ON
THE SOUTHERN COAST OF IRELAND,

A PLACE FAMOUS
FOR ITS DEEP-WATER HARBOR

AND ITS FOGGY WEATHER.

TODAY, THAT WEATHER
HAS PUT MANX2 FLIGHT 7100

ON A HOLDING PATTERN.

Co-pilot:
IF THE FOG DOESN'T CLEAR,

WE COULD HEAD FOR OUR ALTERNATE,
LAND AT WATERFORD.

Narrator: THE COMMUTER FLIGHT
FROM BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND,

WAS SUPPOSED TO LAND IN CORK
AT 9 A.M.

Pilot: MAYBE KERRY.

Narrator: 30 MINUTES LATER,
IT'S STILL CIRCLING THE AIRPORT.

Sean Patrick: CORK FACES OUT
TO THE ATLANTIC,

SO FOG IS VERY COMMON,

AND FOG WILL ROLL IN
AND IT WILL ROLL OUT,

SOMETIMES AT NO NOTICE.

SOMETIMES IT MAY LAST
FOR FOUR HOURS.

OTHER TIMES IT MAY LAST
FOR TWO OR THREE DAYS.

Laurence Wilson: IN OUR PART OF
THE WORLD WE HAVE A SAYING,

IT WAS LIKE PEA SOUP BECAUSE
IT WAS VERY, VERY THICK.

I HOPE WE LAND SOON.
I'VE GOT WORK TO DO.

Narrator:
THERE ARE TEN PASSENGERS
WAITING TO LAND THIS MORNING,

INCLUDING LAURENCE WILSON,

TRAVELING TO CORK
FOR THE DAY ON BUSINESS.

Wilson: I WAS GOING TO CORK
TO DO FORKLIFT TRUCK TRAINING.

I HAD BEEN IN THAT SAME LOCATION

DOING THE SAME COURSE
SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE,

SO IT WAS SORT OF REALLY
OLD HAT TO COME DOWN.

I'D DONE IT BEFORE.

Narrator: TODAY'S FLIGHT
IS ABOARD A FAIRCHILD METRO 3.

Wilson: IT'S A VERY SMALL PLANE.

I'M SIX FOOT.

I COULDN'T HAVE STOOD UP
INSIDE IT.

Narrator:
THE 19-PASSENGER TURBOPROP

IS DESIGNED FOR SHORT,
LOW-COST FLIGHTS.

Gerry Byrne:
THE AIRLINE IN QUESTION
WAS SERVING BELFAST TO CORK,

WHICH IS A ROUTE THAT WOULDN'T,

WOULDN'T BE ECONOMICALLY
JUSTIFIED IN A JET

LIKE A 737 OR AN AIRBUS.

Narrator: FLYING THE PLANE TODAY

IS FIRST OFFICER ANDREW CANTLE
OF ENGLAND.

WHILE HE CONCENTRATES
ON CIRCLING OVER CORK,

SPANISH CAPTAIN JORDI SOLA LOPEZ

IS CHECKING THE WEATHER
AT NEARBY AIRPORTS.

Controller:
SURFACE WIND IS CALM.

VISIBILITY IS 900 METERS IN FOG.

Lopez: ALL COPY.
THANKS VERY MUCH.

AND THE WEATHER,
IS IT IMPROVING IN CORK?

Sam Stoterau:
OFTENTIMES THESE AIRCRAFT
ARE CREWED BY TWO PILOTS.

Narrator: SAM STOTERAU
IS A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR

ON THE METRO 3.

Stoterau: THE PILOT FLYING
IS RESPONSIBLE

FOR AIRCRAFT
FLIGHT PATH CONTROL,

CONFIGURATION CHANGES,
ET CETERA.

THE PILOT MONITORING

IS GOING TO BE FOCUSING
HIS ATTENTION OUTSIDE AND INSIDE

LOOKING FOR
THE AIRPORT ENVIRONMENT,

THE RUNWAY ENVIRONMENT.

Controller: OKAY.

ANOTHER SMALL IMPROVEMENT
AT RUNWAY 1-7.

Narrator: AT 9:35,
THE CONTROLLER TELLS THE CAPTAIN

THE FOG HAS LIFTED SLIGHTLY.

Controller: VISIBILITY
AT TOUCHDOWN ZONE IS 500 METERS.

Lopez: OKAY.

IN THAT CASE, ANY CHANCE
TO PERFORM ONE APPROACH THERE?

Controller: YOU ARE CLEAR
TO LAND RUNWAY 1-7.

Lopez: CLEAR TO LAND,
RUNWAY 1-7.

Narrator: AFTER 30 MINUTES
CIRCLING THE AIRPORT,

THE CREW MUST NOW SHIFT FOCUS

TO THE COMPLEX TASK OF GETTING
THEIR PLANE ON THE GROUND.

Wilson: WE'RE GOOD.

I'VE LANDED IN WORSE.

THERE WAS ONLY THE ONE LADY
ON THE PLANE,

AND I WAS JUST TALKING
AS IF I HAD EXPERIENCE.

I HAD NO EXPERIENCE AT ALL.

I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF
REASSURE HER

THAT EVERYTHING WAS
GOING TO BE OKAY.

Cantle:
GLIDE SLOPE IS COMING IN.

Narrator: THE PILOT CONFIRMS

THE PLANE IS LINING UP
WITH THE RUNWAY...

Lopez: OKAY.
GLIDE SLOPE COMING IN.

Narrator: ...AND THEY'RE
DESCENDING AT THE CORRECT SPEED.

Cantle: SPEED'S OKAY.

Stoterau: YOU'RE USING
YOUR HEADING INDICATOR,

YOUR HORIZONTAL SITUATION
INDICATOR AND OTHER INDICTORS,

LIKE THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR,

TO PUT THE AIRCRAFT FLIGHT PATH
WHERE IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE.

Lopez: I TOOK CONTROL
OF THE POWER. OKAY?

Narrator: THE CAPTAIN TELLS
THE FIRST OFFICER

HE'LL ADJUST THE ENGINE POWER
DURING THE LANDING.

Cantle: THAT'S FINE, YEAH.

Lopez: ALL DAY LIGHTS ARE ON,
LANDING GEAR IS DOWN.

YES, THE WEATHER
IS MUCH BETTER HERE.

Wilson: I WAS ON
THE LEFT-HAND SIDE OF THE PLANE

LOOKING OUT
JUST BEHIND THE WING,

AND I REMEMBER
I COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING,

NO RUNWAY, NOTHING AT ALL.

Lopez: OKAY. MINIMUM.

CONTINUE.

Narrator:
THE PLANE DESCENDS THROUGH ITS
MINIMUM, OR DECISION, ALTITUDE.

Stoterau: IT'S CALLED
DECISION ALTITUDE

BECAUSE THAT'S THE ALTITUDE

THAT IF YOU DO NOT HAVE
THE RUNWAY ENVIRONMENT IN SIGHT,

THE DECISION TO GO MISSED
IS MADE.

Narrator: THE CAPTAIN PULLS
THE THRUST LEVERS BACK

TO REDUCE POWER.

UNEXPECTEDLY, THE PLANE ROLLS
HARD TO THE LEFT.

Lopez: WHAT THE HELL?

GO AROUND!

Cantle: GO AROUND!

Wilson: HANG ON!

I REMEMBER
LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW

AND SEEING GRASS
ABOUT TEN FOOT BELOW ME.

WELL, I KNEW THAT WASN'T GOOD.

I THOUGHT I WAS GONE, I DID.

FOR A MINUTE OR TWO
I THOUGHT I WAS GONE.

I THOUGHT, THIS IS IT.

I'M, I'M OUT OF HERE.

THAT'S ALLS ABOUT IT.

Narrator: A SUDDEN ALARM
WARNS CONTROLLER SEAN PATRICK

HE MAY BE FACING A DISASTER.

THE RADIO IN THE TOWER

HAS PICKED UP AN EMERGENCY
BEACON FROM THE PLANE.

Controller: MANX 7100,
CONTACT THE TOWER.

Patrick: WE DIDN'T REALIZE
THERE WAS A PROBLEM

UNTIL THE EMERGENCY LOCATOR
TRANSMITTER WENT OFF.

Controller: MANX 7100.

Narrator: WITH THE AIRPORT
SHROUDED IN FOG,

HE CAN'T SEE A THING.

Patrick: MIGHT BE NOTHING.

A HEAVY LANDING
CAN TRIGGER THAT ALARM.

THERE'S A MINUTE THERE
WHERE YOU'RE IN LIMBO.

YOU'RE WAITING
FOR THE CRASH CREWS TO RAMP UP,

FOR THEM TO ACTUALLY DEPLOY,
SO YOU'RE JUST THERE WAITING.

TOWER TO FIRE CREW.

CAN YOU SEE THE PLANE YET?

YOU'RE HOPING FOR THE BEST
BUT PREPARING FOR THE WORST.

THE GROUND CONTROLLER
INSTRUCTED THE FIRE CREWS

TO DEPLOY TO THE THRESHOLD
OF RUNWAY 1-7,

AND THEY THEN ENTERED THE RUNWAY
AND COMMENCED A SEARCH PATTERN.

Man: CRASH, CRASH, CRASH!

Patrick: AND THEN THEY CALLED
"CRASH, CRASH, CRASH"

ON THE GROUND FREQUENCY,
AND THIS WAS...

IT WAS ONLY AT THIS STAGE
THAT WE BECAME AWARE

THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD ACTUALLY
CRASHED ON LANDING.

Narrator: MANX2 FLIGHT 7100
HAS SLAMMED INTO THE MUD

BESIDE RUNWAY 1-7.

RESCUE WORKERS
QUICKLY DOUSE THE FLAMES

AND GET TO WORK
FREEING THE SURVIVORS.

Wilson: I REMEMBER DAYLIGHT
COMING INTO THE PLANE,

BUT EVERYTHING WAS
SO CRUSHED AND STUFF.

THEN THEY COME TO ME
AND THEY HAD TO PULL...

PRISE THE TWO CHAIRS,

THE ONE IN FRONT
AND THE ONE BEHIND,

TO TRY AND GET ME OUT.

THEY HAD TO REACH IN
WITH A PENKNIFE

AND REACH DOWN IN
AND CUT THE SEATBELT

TO ACTUALLY GET ME RELEASED.

AND I GOT STANDING UP
IN THE PART OF THE PLANE

WHICH WASN'T THAT BADLY CRUSHED.

I ONLY REALIZED THEN
THAT THE PLANE WAS UPSIDE DOWN.

I WAS STANDING ON THE ROOF,
AND I LOOKED UP,

AND THE CHAIRS WERE UP ABOVE ME.

Narrator:
OF THE 12 PEOPLE ON BOARD,

SIX HAVE BEEN KILLED,
INCLUDING BOTH PILOTS.

Patrick: IT'S A, IT'S A HUGE,
SIGNIFICANT EVENT

THAT NO CONTROLLER
EVER IMAGINES WILL HAPPEN,

BUT NO MATTER
HOW HARROWING IT IS FOR THEM,

IT'S NOTHING COMPARED
TO WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED

TO THE PEOPLE ON BOARD,

AND OUR SYMPATHY WOULD LIE
WITH THOSE AND THEIR FAMILIES.

Brian Cowen:
IT'S A TIME OF GREAT SADNESS
FOR ALL WHO HAVE DIED.

THEIR FAMILIES ARE GRIEVING,

AND WE NEED TO MAINTAIN TIME
AND SPACE FOR THEM.

Narrator:
THIS IS IRELAND'S DEADLIEST
CRASH IN NEARLY 45 YEARS.

CORK AIRPORT IS NOTORIOUS
FOR ITS FOG.

MANY PEOPLE ARE SPECULATING
THE POOR WEATHER IS TO BLAME.

Byrne: A LOT OF FLIGHTS
ARE CANCELED

IN AND OUT OF CORK EVERY YEAR
BECAUSE OF THE CONDITIONS.

THERE WAS QUITE SOME CONTROVERSY
ABOUT THE DECISION

TO BUILD THE AIRPORT THERE
IN THE FIRST PLACE.

Narrator: THAT CONTROVERSY
IS SURE TO BE REIGNITED

AS NEWS CREWS DESCEND
ON THE SMALL AIRPORT

AND BEGIN BROADCASTING IMAGES
OF THE AFTERMATH.

Man: CERTAINLY THE AIRPORT
WILL NOT BE OPERATIONAL

FOR A GOOD PERIOD OF TIME

WHILE THEY CONDUCT
THEIR INVESTIGATION.

Byrne: THE MANX2 CRASH AT CORK
WAS A MAJOR NEWS STORY.

QUESTIONS WERE ASKED
ABOUT THE SAFETY OF FLYING,

SO IT MUSTN'T HAVE BEEN
A VERY EASY THING

FOR THE IRISH INVESTIGATORS
TO APPROACH THIS.

Narrator: IRELAND'S AIR ACCIDENT
INVESTIGATION UNIT

IS IMMEDIATELY UNDER PRESSURE
TO FIND OUT WHAT WENT WRONG.

Reporter:
PICTURES FROM THE SCENE IN CORK

SHOW THE AIRCRAFT WINGS
WERE SHORN OFF

AND THE ENTIRE FRONT HALF
OF THE FUSELAGE WAS CRUSHED.

Narrator: NEWS THAT MANX2
FLIGHT 7100 CRASHED IN DENSE FOG

PROVIDES AN IMMEDIATE SUSPECT.

INVESTIGATORS ASK CONTROLLERS
TO TELL THEM MORE

ABOUT THE WEATHER
THE PILOTS WERE FACING...

Patrick: SEAN PATRICK.
HOW CAN I HELP?

Narrator: ...AND HOW
IT AFFECTED THE FLIGHT.

Patrick: THE CONTROLLER
WILL BE A CRUCIAL PART

OF ANY INVESTIGATION.

THEY CAN ADVISE EXACTLY
WHAT INFORMATION THEY GAVE,

WHAT THE WEATHER CONDITIONS
WERE LIKE AT THE TIME,

AND WHAT WAS ACTUALLY SAID.

Narrator: THEY IMMEDIATELY HEAR
SOMETHING TROUBLING.

Patrick: THEY'D ALREADY DONE
TWO, TWO GO-AROUNDS.

THEY ATTEMPTED A THIRD.

Narrator: THE PILOTS
HAD ALREADY TRIED LANDING TWICE

BEFORE THEY CRASHED.

Stoterau: A GO-AROUND,
OR A MISSED APPROACH PROCEDURE,

IS ANYTIME AN AIRCRAFT ARRIVES

AT THE BOTTOM
OF THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD

AND IS UNABLE TO CONTINUE
THE LANDING ATTEMPT,

THEY WILL POWER UP
AND RECONFIGURE FOR A CLIMB

AND CLIMB AWAY.

Lopez: CLEAR TO LAND,
RUNWAY 1-7.

Narrator: THE PILOTS ATTEMPT
THEIR FIRST LANDING

JUST AFTER 9 A.M.

THEY TRY TO LINE UP
WITH RUNWAY 1-7

AND DESCEND TO ABOUT 100 FEET
FROM THE GROUND.

BUT ALL THEY CAN SEE IS THE FOG.

Lopez: DAMN IT.
I CAN'T SEE THE RUNWAY. YOU?

Cantle: NEGATIVE.
I DO NOT HAVE THE RUNWAY.

Narrator: PILOTS ARE NOT
SUPPOSED TO LAND

UNLESS THEY CAN CLEARLY SEE
THE RUNWAY.

Lopez: GO AROUND.

Cantle: ROGER.

GO AROUND.

Narrator: TEN MINUTES LATER,

THE CREW DECIDES TO TRY
A DIFFERENT TACTIC.

Lopez: ANY POSSIBILITY
OF PROCEEDING TO RUNWAY 3-5?

MAYBE ON THE OTHER SIDE
THE SUN WON'T BE SHINING ON US.

Narrator: THEY ASK IF THEY CAN
CIRCLE AROUND TO A RUNWAY

ON THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE AIRPORT.

THEY HOPE THEY'LL BE ABLE TO SEE
MORE CLEARLY

WITH THE SUN AT THEIR BACK.

Cantle: IT DOESN'T SEEM
MUCH BETTER.

Narrator: THIS TIME THEY DESCEND
TO JUST 91 FEET FROM THE GROUND,

LOWER THAN A TEN-STORY BUILDING.

BUT THEY STILL CAN'T SEE
THE RUNWAY.

Cantle: GO AROUND.

Wilson: WHOA!

IT REALLY COME UP VERY,
VERY STEEP UP OUT OF THE FOG,

AND THAT WAS THE ONLY TIME
THAT I WOULD SAY

ALL THE PASSENGERS
REALLY GOT EXCITED

BECAUSE WE ALL WENT "WHOA"

BECAUSE OF THE STEEPNESS
THAT HE PULLED IT UP OUT.

Narrator: CONTROLLERS
DON'T KNOW WHAT WENT WRONG

ON THE THIRD LANDING ATTEMPT.

Controller: VISIBILITY
AT TOUCHDOWN ZONE IS 500 METERS.

Narrator: ONLY THAT THE PILOTS
OPTED TO TRY RUNWAY 1-7 AGAIN,

INSTEAD OF DIVERTING
TO A DIFFERENT AIRPORT.

Lopez: OKAY.

IN THAT CASE, ANY CHANCE
TO PERFORM ONE APPROACH THERE?

Controller: YOU ARE CLEAR
TO LAND RUNWAY 1-7.

Stoterau:
AFTER MAKING A SECOND GO-AROUND

THERE'S SIGNIFICANT STRESSES

AND INTERNAL PRESSURES
THAT EXIST

BECAUSE THERE'S NOW TWO ATTEMPTS
THAT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL,

SO OFTENTIMES PILOTS
WILL FEEL INTERNAL PRESSURE

TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.

Lopez: GO AROUND!
Cantle: GO AROUND!

Liddy: GRAHAM LIDDY.

Narrator: ON RUNWAY 1-7,

ENGINEERING LEAD GRAHAM LIDDY
SURVEYS THE CRASH SITE.

MOST OF THE PLANE
HAS COME TO REST

UPSIDE DOWN AT THE SIDE
OF THE RUNWAY.

FOR LIDDY, THE FIRST QUESTION
IS OBVIOUS.

Liddy: IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

HOW DID THEY MANAGE
TO FLIP OVER?

IT WAS IMMEDIATELY OBVIOUS
THAT THE AIRPLANE

TRAVELED A LONG DISTANCE
IN AN INVERTED POSITION,

AND THAT IMMEDIATELY
STARTS TO SUGGEST

THAT CONTROL WAS ACTUALLY LOST.

IT'S NOT A NORMAL THING FOR
AN AIRPLANE TO LAND UPSIDE DOWN.

Narrator: LIDDY AND HIS TEAM ARE
DESPERATE FOR ANY INFORMATION

THAT MIGHT EXPLAIN
WHY THE LANDING

WENT SO HORRIBLY WRONG.

THEIR BEST HOPE--
THE PLANE'S FLIGHT RECORDERS.

THEY CAPTURE WHAT THE PILOTS
DO AND SAY IN THE COCKPIT.

Liddy: WE WERE VERY ANXIOUS
TO GET THIS INFORMATION

AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

Narrator:
BUT PATIENCE IS REQUIRED.

IT'S TOO SOON TO SAY EXACTLY
HOW LONG IT MIGHT TAKE

TO RETRIEVE THE CRUCIAL DATA
FROM THE RECORDERS.

Liddy: INVARIABLY, THE DATA
FROM THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER

AND THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER

TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF TIME
TO DOWNLOAD AND TO BE...

TO ANALYZE.

OKAY.

NO ONE TOUCHES ANYTHING UNTIL
WE RECORD EXACTLY WHERE IT IS.

Narrator: MEANWHILE,
HE FOCUSES ON THE WRECKAGE

STREWN ALONG THE RUNWAY.

Liddy: THE BIG ISSUE
IS NEVER TO SPECULATE.

IT'S TO GO AND EVALUATE
THE EVIDENCE

AND THEN COME UP
WITH AN ANALYSIS

OF WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED.

Narrator:
THE TRAIL OF AIRCRAFT DEBRIS
STRETCHES ALMOST 600 FEET,

FROM THE POINT THE PLANE
FIRST TOUCHED DOWN

TO WHERE THE MAIN FUSELAGE CAME
TO REST IN THE MUD.

EACH SMALL PIECE
ALONG THAT TRAIL

COULD BE AN IMPORTANT CLUE.

Liddy:
A LOT OF USEFUL INFORMATION

ABOUT THE HISTORY
OF THOSE EVENTS

OR THE SEQUENCE OF THOSE EVENTS

CAN BE DERIVED FROM THE MARKS
THAT THE AIRCRAFT MAKES

WHEN IT MAKES INITIAL CONTACT
WITH THE GROUND.

Lopez: WHAT THE HELL?

Wilson: HANG ON!

Liddy: COCKPIT SIGN THERE,
PLEASE.

WIPER BLADE, PLEASE.

Narrator: RECORDING THE LOCATION
OF EVERY PIECE OF WRECKAGE

CAN BE A TIME-CONSUMING TASK.

LIDDY DECIDES HE NEEDS
SOME HIGH-TECH HELP.

Liddy: HOW QUICKLY CAN YOU
GET ME A LASER SCANNER?

THE LASER SCAN IS A FACILITY

WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY SCAN
THE ENTIRE AREA

AND PRODUCE A THREE-DIMENSIONAL
PICTURE OF THE ACCIDENT SITE,

AND IT RECORDS ALL THE POSITIONS
OF THESE PIECES OF WRECKAGE.

THANK YOU.

Narrator: UNTIL HE CAN
FINISH HIS WORK,

THE RUNWAY AT CORK
REMAINS CLOSED.

Liddy: THERE'S OBVIOUSLY
A LOT OF PRESSURE

TO GET THE AIRPORT
BACK INTO OPERATION AGAIN.

THAT'S A PRESSURE
YOU JUST HAVE TO ACCEPT.

Narrator: BUT IT'S NOT
THE ONLY PRESSURE LIDDY FACES.

HE'S ALL TOO AWARE
THAT TRAVELERS ACROSS IRELAND

ARE NERVOUSLY WAITING TO HEAR

WHAT CAUSED THE ISLAND'S
DEADLIEST AIR DISASTER

IN DECADES.

Liddy: RIGHT ABOUT THERE, SIR.

Narrator:
THE 3D SCANNER HAS ARRIVED,

AND GRAHAM LIDDY CAN GET TO WORK
SURVEYING THE MANX2 CRASH SITE.

THE SPINNING HEAD
USES LASER LIGHT

TO CAPTURE THE EXACT POSITION
OF EVERY PIECE OF WRECKAGE

AS WELL AS THE CONTOURS
OF THE RUNWAY.

IT CREATES A VIRTUAL CRASH SITE

THAT INVESTIGATORS CAN REVISIT
DOWN THE ROAD.

Liddy: YOU MAY NOT NEED IT ALL,

BUT AT LEAST
YOU HAVE IT CAPTURED NOW

AND YOU'RE NOT FACED
WITH THE EMBARRASSING SITUATION

OF, WELL, WE'VE MOVED IT ALL,
WE'VE DESTROYED THIS,

AND WE'VE RESTORED THE RUNWAY,

AND ALL THESE MARKS
ARE NOW GONE.

Narrator:
WITH THE SCAN COMPLETE,

THE WRECKAGE IS TAKEN
TO A HANGAR FOR FURTHER STUDY.

EVERY SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE CHECKED
FOR SIGNS OF MECHANICAL FAILURE.

THEY FOCUS FIRST
ON THE CONTROL SURFACES

ON THE WINGS AND TAIL THAT
PILOTS USE TO CONTROL THE PLANE.

Liddy: THIS PARTICULAR AIRCRAFT,

ALL THE CONTROL SYSTEMS
ARE CABLE OPERATED,

AS IS NORMAL OF AN AIRPLANE
OF THIS SIZE AND VINTAGE.

Cantle: WHAT THE HELL?

Lopez: YOU NEED TO GO RIGHT.

Cantle: I AM!

Narrator: IF ANY OF THE CABLES
BREAK MID FLIGHT,

IT CAN LEAD TO A CATASTROPHIC
LOSS OF CONTROL.

THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED
THREE AND A HALF YEARS EARLIER

AND HALF A WORLD AWAY IN TAHITI.

A TWIN OTTER CLIMBS OUT
AFTER TAKEOFF

FROM THE ISLAND OF MOOREA.

AT 400 FEET, A BADLY WORN
CONTROL CABLE SUDDENLY SNAPS.

THERE'S NOTHING THE PILOT CAN DO

AS HIS PLANE SPEEDS
TOWARDS THE OCEAN.

THE IMPACT KILLS
ALL 20 PEOPLE ON BOARD.

Liddy: DO YOU HAVE
THOSE CABLES MATCHED?

Narrator: IN CORK,
INVESTIGATORS SOON DISCOVER

THAT NOT ALL THE METRO 3'S
CABLES ARE INTACT.

SOME ARE BROKEN, RAISING
THE CRITICAL QUESTION--

DID THEY WEAR OUT AND SNAP JUST
AS THE PLANE WAS ABOUT TO LAND?

THE TEAM STUDIES
THE CABLES CAREFULLY

TO SEE IF THEY CAN FIGURE OUT
WHY THEY BROKE.

Liddy: THERE'S A DISTINCTIVE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A CUT CABLE

AND A CABLE THAT HAS
ACTUALLY FRACTURED.

Narrator: THEY FIND NO EVIDENCE
OF METAL FATIGUE

AND NO SIGN THE CABLES WORE DOWN
GRADUALLY THROUGH THE YEARS.

Liddy: SO WE WERE ABLE
TO DETERMINE

THAT IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE

THE SEPARATION OF THE CABLE
WASN'T CAUSED

BY A MECHANICAL FAILURE
OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS CONCLUDE
THE CABLES WERE CUT

DURING RESCUE OPERATIONS.

THEY HAVE NOTHING TO DO
WITH THE CRASH.

Liddy: THEY HAD TO CUT
INTO THE BELLY OF THE AIRCRAFT

IN THE COCKPIT FLOOR AREA,

WHICH IS UNFORTUNATELY AN AREA

THROUGH WHICH ALL
THE CONTROL CABLES RUN

IN THIS PARTICULAR KIND
OF AIRPLANE.

Narrator: THE FINDING RULES OUT
ONE POTENTIAL CAUSE,

BUT LEAVES INVESTIGATORS
WITH NO NEW LEADS

AS THEY ENDURE INTENSE PRESSURE
TO EXPLAIN THE CRASH.

Byrne:
IT'S A VERY, VERY DEMANDING,
VERY SPECIALIZED ROLE,

AND IT'S VITAL
THAT IT IS DONE PROPERLY.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS HOPE
THE RESULTS OF THE 3D LASER SCAN

WILL GIVE THEM THE BREAKTHROUGH
THEY SO DESPERATELY NEED.

Liddy: BRING UP THE CRASH SITE.

Narrator: THE SCAN
LETS INVESTIGATORS SEE

THE EXACT POSITION OF THE PLANE
AS IT CAREENED DOWN THE RUNWAY.

Liddy: WE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO
DETERMINE ALL THESE MARKS

WITH A PRECISION OF MILLIMETERS.

Narrator: ALMOST IMMEDIATELY,

THE STRATEGY BEGINS
TO PAY DIVIDENDS.

Liddy: WE KNOW
THE FIRST BIT OF DEBRIS

CAME FROM THE RIGHT WINGTIP.

WE FOUND NAVIGATION LIGHT GLASS

FROM THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE
OF THE AIRPLANE,

THAT'S GREEN GLASS, TO THE LEFT
OF THE CENTER LINE.

Narrator: AIRCRAFT WINGS HAVE
COLOR-CODED NAVIGATION LIGHTS--

RED ON THE LEFT,
GREEN ON THE RIGHT--

SO OTHER PLANES CAN TELL
WHICH DIRECTION THEY'RE FLYING.

Lopez: WHAT THE HELL?

Cantle: GO AROUND!

Liddy:
IT GAVE US AN INITIAL CLUE

THAT THE WINGTIP WAS ATTACHED
TO THE AIRCRAFT

AT THE POINT OF INITIAL
GROUND CONTACT,

AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS
SEVERELY ROLLED THE RIGHT.

NOW THE PLANE WOULD HAVE BEEN
INVERTED BY THIS POINT.

YES, THAT LOOKS GOOD.

Narrator: USING THE POSITION
OF OTHER PIECES OF DEBRIS,

INVESTIGATORS PLOT THE ENTIRE
SEQUENCE OF THE CRASH.

Liddy: WELL, WE KNOW ONE THING.

THE PLANE WAS OUT OF CONTROL
BEFORE IT HIT THE GROUND.

PART OF THE PROCESS
OF AN ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION

IS TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED,

AND THEN WE GO ON
TO THE NEXT STAGE,

WHICH IS TO FIND OUT
WHY IT HAPPENED.

Narrator: THE BIZARRE WING-DOWN
POSITION OF THE METRO 3

LEADS INVESTIGATORS
TO SEARCH FOR DEFECTS

IN THE COCKPIT
FLIGHT INSTRUMENTS--

IN PARTICULAR,
THE DIALS AND GAUGES

THAT TELL PILOTS THE POSITION
OF THEIR PLANE.

Lopez: YOU NEED TO GO RIGHT.

Cantle: I AM.

Narrator: IF ONE OF THE FLIGHT
INSTRUMENTS MALFUNCTIONED,

IT MAY HAVE CONFUSED THE PILOTS,

WHICH COULD EXPLAIN
THE SUDDEN ROLL.

Liddy: SO THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN
CHECK ALL THAT OUT

IS ACTUALLY TAKE THOSE
INSTRUMENTS OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT

AND SEND THEM AWAY
FOR TESTING.

Narrator: BUT WHEN INVESTIGATORS
EXAMINE THOSE INSTRUMENTS,

THEY ARE NO CLOSER TO SOLVING
THE MYSTERY OF FLIGHT 7100.

Liddy: THERE WAS SOME IMPACT
DAMAGE ON THIS INSTRUMENTATION,

ON THE AIRCRAFT, BUT WE WERE
ACTUALLY ABLE TO VERIFY

THAT THE INSTRUMENTS ACTUALLY
WERE WORKING OKAY.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS
WILL NEED ANOTHER STRATEGY

IF THEY EVER HOPE TO UNDERSTAND
WHY A PASSENGER PLANE

LOST CONTROL
AND FELL FROM THE SKY.

Liddy: OKAY.
LET'S HEAR IT.

Narrator: BLACK BOX DATA
FROM FLIGHT 7100

IS FINALLY IN THE HANDS
OF INVESTIGATORS,

BUT WILL IT GIVE THEM THE
BREAKTHROUGH THEY'RE HOPING FOR?

Lopez: ALL COPY.

THANKS VERY MUCH.

AND THE WEATHER,
IS IT IMPROVING IN CORK?

Narrator:
THE VOICE RECORDER HAS CAPTURED
THE PILOTS' CONVERSATION

IN THE CRUCIAL MOMENTS
BEFORE THE CRASH.

Cantle: SPEED'S OKAY.

Narrator: LIDDY LISTENS

AS THE PILOTS DISCUSS
THEIR LANDING PREPARATIONS.

AT THIS STAGE,
EVERYTHING SEEMS NORMAL.

Lopez: I TOOK CONTROL
OF THE POWER, OKAY?

Narrator: THEN, HE HEARS
SOMETHING UNEXPECTED.

Cantle: YEAH, THAT'S,
THAT'S FINE, YEAH.

Liddy: THE CAPTAIN'S
GONNA HANDLE THE POWER?

WHAT KIND OF PLAN IS THAT?

THEY'RE STARTING TO DEVIATE
FROM STANDARD PROCEDURES

BY DOING THINGS LIKE,

LIKE SPLITTING COMMAND
OF THE AIRCRAFT

OR CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT,

WHICH IS NOT A GOOD IDEA.

Narrator: NORMALLY,
THE PILOT FLYING THE PLANE

WOULD BE THE ONE ADJUSTING
THE ENGINE THROTTLES.

Stoterau: IF SOMEONE ELSE
IS MAKING THOSE CHANGES,

THERE'S GOING TO BE
A DELAY IN THE RESPONSE

FROM THE PILOT FLYING,

AN UNNECESSARY
AND UNDESIRED RESPONSE.

Lopez: OKAY. MINIMUM.

Narrator: BUT IT'S NOT ONLY
THAT DECISION THAT SEEMS OFF.

THERE'S ALSO SOMETHING ODD
ABOUT THE SOUND OF THE ENGINES.

Liddy:
THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER

CAN ALSO GIVE YOU A LOT
OF INFORMATION

ABOUT THE ACCELERATION
OF THE ENGINES,

THE ENGINES BEING POWERED UP,
THE ENGINES BEING POWERED DOWN,

SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY GLEAN

QUITE AN AMOUNT
OF INFORMATION ABOUT THAT.

Lopez: GO AROUND!

Cantle: GO AROUND!

Liddy: CAN YOU TRY AND JUST
BRING UP THE ENGINE SOUNDS?

IT SOUNDS LIKE THOSE TWO ENGINES

WERE OPERATING
AT DIFFERENT POWER LEVELS.

THE DIFFICULTY IN THIS SITUATION

IS THAT IT'S
A TWIN-ENGINE AIRCRAFT,

SO THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER

WILL TELL YOU
SOMETHING IS GOING ON,

BUT IT DOESN'T TELL YOU
WHICH ENGINE IT ACTUALLY IS.

Narrator: SEARCHING
FOR SOMETHING THAT COULD EXPLAIN

THE MYSTERIOUS SOUNDS
COMING FROM THE ENGINES,

LIDDY STUDIES ENGINE PERFORMANCE
DATA FROM THE FLIGHT RECORDER.

IT CONFIRMS HIS SUSPICION.

THE LEFT ENGINE
WAS PRODUCING MORE POWER

THAN THE RIGHT ENGINE,

SOMETHING NOT UNCOMMON
ON PROP PLANES LIKE THE METRO 3.

UNEVEN ENGINE THRUST DOES
MAKE IT SLIGHTLY MORE DIFFICULT

TO KEEP THE PLANE FLYING LEVEL,
ESPECIALLY AT LOW AIRSPEEDS.

IT'S ONE MORE THING FOR PILOTS
TO THINK ABOUT

DURING A COMPLICATED LANDING.

Liddy: WAIT A MINUTE.

Narrator: LIDDY NOTICES
SOMETHING EVEN MORE TROUBLING.

Liddy: IT LOOKS LIKE ENGINE
NUMBER ONE WENT INTO REVERSE.

Narrator: TURBOPROP ENGINES USE
THE ANGLE OR PITCH OF THE BLADES

TO CHANGE THE DIRECTION
OF AIRFLOW.

Stoterau: THE PROPELLER
HAS AN ANGLE,

AND THROUGH ROTATION
TAKES A BITE OUT OF AIR

LIKE A, A SCREW.

WHEN SELECTING REVERSE, WHAT'S
HAPPENING TO THE PROPELLER PITCH

IS IT'S FLATTENING OUT AND GOING
INTO A NEGATIVE BLADE ANGLE,

CAUSING AIR TO BE PUSHED FORWARD
INSTEAD OF AFT.

Liddy: THAT IS ONE THING YOU
DON'T WANT TO HAPPEN IN FLIGHT

BECAUSE IT CAN ACTUALLY
REDUCE THE AIRPLANE

TO BELOW ITS STALLING SPEED,

SO THE AIRPLANE
WILL ACTUALLY STALL.

Narrator: THE DATA SUGGESTS...

Lopez: WHAT THE HELL?

Narrator: ...THE CAPTAIN BROUGHT
THE POWER LEVERS BACK TOO FAR,

PUTTING THE MORE POWERFUL
LEFT ENGINE INTO REVERSE.

Stoterau: IF ONE WERE TO DO THAT
IN FLIGHT,

YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A FORWARD
MOMENT ON THE RIGHT WING,

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE
AN AFT MOMENT ON THE LEFT WING,

AND IN THIS CASE IT CAUSED
A SEVERE ROLL TO THE LEFT.

Cantle: GO AROUND.

Narrator:
THE CAPTAIN IMMEDIATELY TRIED
TO CORRECT HIS MISTAKE

BY PUSHING THE THROTTLES
FORWARD,

BUT, AGAIN, THE UNEVEN ENGINE
THRUST CAUGHT HIM OFF GUARD.

Wilson: HANG ON!

Liddy: LEFT ENGINE
POWERED UP FASTER,

PUSHED THEM OVER TO THE RIGHT.

THAT ROLL WAS...
AND YAW WAS QUITE VICIOUS

AND ACTUALLY CAUSED THE AIRPLANE
TO GO RIGHT OVER ON ITS SIDE.

Lopez: I TOOK CONTROL
OF THE POWER.

Narrator:
AFTER TWO ABORTED LANDINGS,

PERHAPS THE CAPTAIN WAS TRYING
TO HELP THE FIRST OFFICER

DEAL WITH THE POWER IMBALANCE BY
TAKING CONTROL OF THE THROTTLES.

Lopez: OKAY. MINIMUM.

Narrator: BUT IT ONLY
MADE MATTERS WORSE.

Stoterau: IF THE FIRST OFFICER,
WHO WAS THE PILOT FLYING,

HAD HAD CONTROL
OF THE POWER LEVERS

AND THE YOKE,
THE FLIGHT CONTROLS,

HE WOULD HAVE FELT AND KNOWN
WHERE THE POWER LEVERS WERE AT.

Liddy: IT MAKES THE WHOLE TASK
OF STEERING THE AIRCRAFT

MUCH MORE DIFFICULT

BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE CONTROL
OVER THE POWER.

THESE GUYS MADE
A LOT OF ROOKIE MISTAKES.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS ARE LEFT
WITH A CHILLING PROSPECT--

THAT A STUNNINGLY BAD DECISION
BY THE CREW OF FLIGHT 7100

MAY HAVE LED TO THE DEATHS
OF FOUR PASSENGERS.

THEY NEED TO KNOW MORE
ABOUT BOTH PILOTS.

HOW EXPERIENCED WERE THEY?

AND WHAT KIND OF TRAINING
DID THEY BRING TO THE JOB?

Liddy: FOCUSING ON HOW THE CREW
HANDLED THE SITUATION.

IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN
WITHIN THEIR COMPETENCY

TO DEAL WITH IT
IN A SATISFACTORY MANNER.

THEY DIDN'T. WHY?

BOTH PRETTY YOUNG.

NOT MUCH EXPERIENCE, EITHER.

Narrator:
THEY SOON LEARN BOTH PILOTS

WERE NEW TO THEIR ROLES
IN THE COCKPIT.

Stoterau: THE CAPTAIN HAD BEEN
PROMOTED TO CAPTAIN

FOUR DAYS PREVIOUSLY,

AND THE FIRST OFFICER HAD BEEN
HIRED THREE WEEKS PREVIOUSLY,

SO BOTH OF THEM
HAD MINIMAL EXPERIENCE

IN THEIR RESPECTIVE
DUTY POSITIONS.

Narrator: EVEN MORE TROUBLING,
SOLA LOPEZ HADN'T FINISHED

ALL THE TRAINING REQUIRED
TO CAPTAIN THIS PLANE.

AND FIRST OFFICER CANTLE

NEVER COMPLETED
HIS FINAL CHECK FLIGHT,

A MUST FOR ANY PILOT.

Stoterau: FOR AN AIRLINE
TO PAIR A NEW FIRST OFFICER

WITH A NEW CAPTAIN
IS NOT STANDARD PRACTICE.

MOST AIRLINES HAVE

WHAT IS CALLED
A GREEN-ON-GREEN PROHIBITION,

SO NEW CAPTAIN,
NEW FIRST OFFICER

CANNOT BE PAIRED TOGETHER.

MOST OFTEN AIR CARRIERS
WILL REQUIRE A CAPTAIN

TO HAVE 100 HOURS
IN HIS DUTY POSITION

PRIOR TO SERVING
WITH A NEWER FIRST OFFICER.

Liddy: WAS THERE ANYTHING
UNUSUAL OR OUT OF THE ORDINARY?

Narrator: THE DISCOVERIES
LEND NEW WEIGHT

TO SOME UNUSUAL DETAILS
ABOUT THE FLIGHT

FROM SURVIVING PASSENGERS.

THE FLIGHT CREW SEEMED TO HAVE
NO SUPPORT FROM THE AIRLINE.

THEY HAD TO DO EVERYTHING,
EVEN ADJUST THE CABIN SEATS.

Liddy: SOME OF THE PASSENGERS
ON THE FLIGHT

FELT THAT THIS
WAS HIGHLY UNUSUAL.

THIS PLANE WAS FLYING
AROUND THE CLOCK.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS LEARN
THE PLANE WAS USED

TO TRANSPORT CARGO
THE NIGHT BEFORE.

Byrne: THE FAIRCHILD METRO
OPERATED BY MANX2

HAD AN ALTER EGO
IN THE NIGHTTIME

WHEN IT OPERATED AS A MAIL PLANE

ON BEHALF OF THE BRITISH
POST OFFICE, ROYAL MAIL,

AND THE SEATS WERE TAKEN OUT
EVERY NIGHT.

Narrator: THE SEATS
HAD TO BE REINSTALLED

FOR THE MORNING
PASSENGER FLIGHT.

Cantle: OH, JUST A MOMENT,
GENTLEMEN.

WE'LL BE RIGHT WITH YOU.

Lopez: WELCOME ABOARD.

DON'T WORRY. JUST A LITTLE
LAST MINUTE ADJUSTMENT.

Cantle: THESE SAFETY CARDS
CAN BE FOUND IN THE POCKETS

ON THE SEATBACKS
IN FRONT OF YOU.

Narrator: WITH NO
FLIGHT ATTENDANTS ON BOARD,

THE FIRST OFFICER HAD TO TAKE ON
EXTRA DUTIES.

Cantle: THE SEATBELT IS FASTENED
AND ADJUSTED LIKE THIS

AND UNFASTENED LIKE THIS.

Wilson:
ONE OF THE PILOTS COME OUT

AND ACTUALLY DONE SOMETHING

AND SHOWED US HOW
TO PUT ON THE BELTS

AND HOW TO PULL IT UP
AND STUFF LIKE THAT THERE

AND SHOWED YOU
THE EMERGENCY EXITS

AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

Cantle: SIT BACK, RELAX AND
THANKS FOR CHOOSING MANX2.COM.

Liddy: WORKING ON THE SEATS,
LOADING BAGS,

DOING THE SAFETY BRIEFING.

SEEMS LIKE THESE GUYS
WERE DOING EVERYTHING.

QUESTION IS, HOW DID THAT
AFFECT THEIR FLYING?

Narrator:
INVESTIGATORS SCRUTINIZE
THE PILOTS' ACTIVITIES

IN THE DAYS PRECEDING THE CRASH.

Liddy: IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT
WE HAVE A FULL UNDERSTANDING

OF HOW FOCUSED
ON FLYING THE AIRCRAFT

THE FLIGHT CREW ACTUALLY ARE

AND WHETHER THEY'RE BEING
TO A CERTAIN EXTENT DISTRACTED

BY PERIPHERAL DUTIES,
SUCH AS FIXING SEATS,

GIVING SAFETY BRIEFS
TO PASSENGERS.

Man: LOOKS LIKE NEITHER OF THEM
WAS GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP.

Narrator:
WITH ALL THEIR EXTRA DUTIES,

NEITHER PILOT HAS ENOUGH TIME
TO REST BETWEEN SHIFTS.

IT'S A DANGEROUS VIOLATION
OF AVIATION REGULATIONS.

Byrne: A PILOT THAT EXTENDS
HIS WORKING DAY,

EVEN IF HE'S NOT FLYING,
IS CLOCKING UP FATIGUE.

HE'S CLOCKING UP
A SLEEP DEFICIT.

Lopez: DAMN IT.
I CAN'T SEE THE RUNWAY. YOU?

Cantle: NEGATIVE.
I DO NOT HAVE THE RUNWAY.

GO AROUND.

Narrator: FATIGUE COULD EXPLAIN
WHY THE PILOTS WERE OVERWHELMED

BY A CHALLENGING LANDING
AT A FOG-BOUND AIRPORT.

INVESTIGATORS ARE DESPERATE
TO LEARN MORE

ABOUT THE OPERATION OF
THE AIRLINE THEY WORKED FOR,

MANX2.

Liddy: IF YOU DON'T HIRE
THE PILOTS, WHO DOES?

Narrator: WHAT THEY UNCOVER
IS STUNNING.

MANX2 ISN'T AN AIRLINE AT ALL.

IT ONLY SELLS THE TICKETS.

Byrne: MANX2 WAS WHAT PEOPLE
CALL A VIRTUAL AIRLINE.

THE AIRCRAFT WERE NOT UNDER
THE DIRECT CONTROL OF MANX2.

MANX2 WAS A SHELL COMPANY,

WHICH BASICALLY JUST SOLD
TICKETS ON THE FLIGHT.

Liddy: IT CAME AS QUITE A SHOCK
TO THE INVESTIGATION,

SO THAT IMMEDIATELY ALERTS YOU
TO THE FACT

THAT THERE'S SOMETHING A BIT
NON-STANDARD GOING ON HERE.

HOW DOES MANX FIT INTO THE DAILY
OPERATION OF THIS PLANE?

Narrator:
INVESTIGATORS SUDDENLY REALIZE

THAT UNDERSTANDING
THE FULL STORY

BEHIND WHAT WENT WRONG

NOW DEPENDS ON TRACING

A CONVOLUTED
INTERNATIONAL PAPER TRAIL.

Liddy:
THEY DON'T DO MAINTENANCE.

THAT'S FARMED OUT
TO A COMPANY IN SPAIN.

IT'S LIKE PEELING
AN ONION, YOU KNOW?

YOU CUT AWAY ONE LAYER AND
THERE'S ANOTHER LAYER UNDERNEATH

AND YOU KEEP ON GOING,

AND IT, IT WAS
A VERY DIFFICULT PROCESS

FOR THE INVESTIGATION,

AND IT TOOK A LONG TIME.

THE ONLY PLANE ON EARTH
THAT NEVER BREAKS DOWN.

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS PORE
OVER THE LOGBOOKS PILOTS USE

TO KEEP TRACK OF MAINTENANCE
PROBLEMS DURING FLIGHT.

Liddy: MORE THAN 100 HOURS
OF FLIGHT

AND NOT SO MUCH
AS A WORN GASKET.

NOTHING.

Narrator: ALMOST UNBELIEVABLY,

NOT A SINGLE RECENT MECHANICAL
ISSUE HAS BEEN LOGGED.

Liddy: IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY
UNUSUAL FOR AN AIRCRAFT

TO OPERATE FOR 106 HOURS WITHOUT
HAVING SOME KIND OF DEFECT

THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTED
IN THE MAINTENANCE LOG,

AND YET THE MAINTENANCE LOG
AND THE TECH LOG

IS AS CLEAN AS A WHISTLE.

Narrator:
THE HISTORY OF AVIATION
IS LITTERED WITH EXAMPLES

OF POOR AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE
LEADING TO DISASTER.

IN SEPTEMBER 1991,
CONTINENTAL EXPRESS FLIGHT 2574

IS ON APPROACH
TO HOUSTON, TEXAS.

IT'S CLEAR AND CALM

WHEN THE COMMUTER PLANE
SUDDENLY PLUMMETS FROM THE SKY.

THE PILOTS HAVE LOST
ALL CONTROL.

THE TWIN TURBOPROP SLAMS
INTO A FARM BELOW.

ALL 14 PEOPLE ON BOARD
ARE KILLED.

MECHANICS HAD NEGLECTED
TO REPLACE A ROW OF SCREWS

ON THE PLANE'S HORIZONTAL
STABILIZER THE NIGHT BEFORE.

WHEN THE PIECE CAME LOOSE
IN FLIGHT,

THE PILOTS NEVER HAD A CHANCE.

INVESTIGATORS IN CORK
HAVE UNCOVERED

MORE DISTURBING FACTS
ABOUT MANX2.

Liddy: THAT'S NEVER A GOOD SIGN.

Narrator: THE AIRLINE HASN'T
BEEN PAYING ITS CREWS ON TIME.

Byrne: THE SMALLER AIRLINES,
LIKE MANX2,

ARE ALWAYS OPERATING
ON THE MARGINS ECONOMICALLY.

THEY'RE ALWAYS STRUGGLING
TO SURVIVE.

Liddy: THE PLANE IS OWNED
BY A SPANISH BANK,

LEASED TO A SPANISH COMPANY,

WHICH THEN SUBLEASED IT
TO ANOTHER COMPANY.

AND NONE OF THOSE COMPANIES...

ARE MANX2.

Byrne:
IT WAS A FAIRLY COMPLICATED,
CONVOLUTED ARRANGEMENT.

IT DIDN'T HAVE STRUCTURES
THAT WOULD GUARANTEE CONFIDENCE,

SHALL WE SAY, IN ITS SAFETY.

Lopez: KERRY IS
ABOUT 11 MINUTES AWAY.

Liddy: PLAY THAT AGAIN
FOR US, PLEASE.

Narrator: THE SHOCKINGLY
INADEQUATE MANAGEMENT OF MANX2,

ALONG WITH THE COMPANY'S
FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES,

LEADS INVESTIGATORS TO SUSPECT
THE YOUNG PILOTS

FELT EXTRA PRESSURE
TO LAND IN CORK AS SCHEDULED

IN SPITE OF THE BAD WEATHER.

Cantle: IF THE FOG DOESN'T CLEAR
WE COULD HEAD FOR...

HEAD FOR OUR ALTERNATE,
LAND AT WATERFORD.

Stoterau: I THINK
IT WOULD BE SAFE TO ASSUME

THAT THERE WERE CERTAIN IMPLIED
PRESSURES FROM THE AIR CARRIER

THAT NOT MAKING IT TO
THE DESTINATION WAS ILL-FAVORED.

I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THERE WERE
PRESSURES FOR THEM

TO COMPLETE THE JOB
REGARDLESS OF THE RISKS.

Lopez: WEATHER THERE
IS WORSE THAN HERE.

MAYBE KERRY.

Narrator: THE PILOTS SEEM
UNCERTAIN WHAT TO DO

IN THE FACE OF BAD WEATHER.

Liddy: THEY REALLY DON'T WANT
TO DIVERT.

Lopez: KERRY IS
ABOUT 11 MINUTES AWAY.

Cantle: OKAY.

WELL, AT LEAST WE KNOW THAT
THE WEATHER'S ALL RIGHT THERE,

SO WE'VE GOT IT, YOU KNOW,
GOT IT AS A BACKUP.

Narrator:
THE CREW CHECKS THE WEATHER
AT A NUMBER OF NEARBY AIRPORTS

BUT SEEMS RELUCTANT TO LAND
ANYWHERE BUT CORK.

Lopez: ALL COPY.

THANKS VERY MUCH.

AND THE WEATHER,
IS IT IMPROVING IN CORK?

Controller: ANOTHER SMALL
IMPROVEMENT AT RUNWAY 1-7.

Liddy: BAD IDEA, GUYS.

IF THEY LAND
AT A STRANGE AIRPORT,

THEY HAVE NO INFRASTRUCTURE
TO SUPPORT THEM.

THEY PROBABLY DON'T EVEN HAVE
A CREDIT LINE TO BUY FUEL.

Narrator: LANDING
AT AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT

COULD LEAVE THE PILOTS
ON THE HOOK

FOR A RANGE OF EXPENSES,
EVERYTHING FROM AIRPORT FEES

TO THE COST OF TRANSPORTING
ALL THEIR TEN PASSENGERS

BY BUS OR TAXI BACK TO CORK.

Lopez: OKAY. MINIMUM.

CONTINUE.

Narrator: IT LOOKS MORE AND MORE

LIKE THE PILOTS' LACK OF SUPPORT
FROM THE AIRLINE

FORCED THEIR HAND
WHEN THEY DECIDED TO GO AHEAD

WITH THE FOG-BOUND LANDING
AT CORK.

Liddy:
THESE WERE TWO GUYS FLYING

AT THE VERY LONG END
OF A VERY, VERY NARROW STICK

WITH VERY, VERY LITTLE SUPPORT.

Narrator:
THE MANX2 CRASH INVESTIGATION

HAS REVEALED THERE IS NO SINGLE
CAUSE BEHIND THE ACCIDENT.

INSTEAD, IT STEMMED
FROM A DEADLY CHAIN

OF MISTAKES AND CIRCUMSTANCE--

HEAVY FOG THAT PUT

AN INEXPERIENCED AND OVERWORKED
CREW UNDER EXTRA PRESSURE,

LEADING TO A PILOTING ERROR

THAT WAS COMPOUNDED
BY POORLY MAINTAINED ENGINES.

Liddy: THE ENGINES WERE
PRODUCING UNEVEN POWER

FOR MORE THAN 100 HOURS
OF FLIGHT,

AND NOT ONE PILOT REPORTED IT.

Byrne:
IT'S A FAIRLY MAJOR RED FLAG

IF MAINTENANCE ISSUES
ARE NOT TO THE FORE.

Lopez: OKAY. MINIMUM.

Narrator: IF THE UNEVEN
ENGINE POWER HAD BEEN REPORTED,

IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN FIXED,

BUT INVESTIGATORS FIND NO RECORD
OF ANYONE TRYING.

Lopez: CONTINUE.

Byrne: THE FAULT WENT UNNOTICED,

OR, IF IT WAS NOTICED,
IT WASN'T ATTENDED TO.

Narrator: IF THE METRO 3'S
ENGINE POWER

HAD BEEN PROPERLY BALANCED...

Lopez: GO AROUND!
Cantle: GO AROUND!

Narrator: ...THERE'S A CHANCE
THEY COULD HAVE RECOVERED

AFTER THE CAPTAIN MISTAKENLY
REDUCED THE THROTTLES TOO FAR.

INSTEAD, THE UNEVEN
ENGINE THRUST

SENT THE PLANE
INTO A SEVERE ROLL

THAT RESULTED IN THE CRASH.

THE INVESTIGATION HAS ALSO
EXPOSED THE VIRTUAL AIRLINE

AT THE CENTER OF THE DISASTER.

OWNED BY SPANISH INTERESTS BUT
OPERATING FROM THE ISLE OF MAN,

MANX2 HAS SOMEHOW
SLIPPED THROUGH THE CRACKS

OF AVIATION OVERSIGHT.

Liddy: THE DAY-TO-DAY MANAGEMENT
OF THE AIRPLANE

SEEMED TO FALL
BETWEEN THE TICKET SELLER

AND THE AIRCRAFT OWNER,

AND IN ACTUAL FACT
THE SPANISH AUTHORITIES STATED

THAT THEY WERE UNAWARE
OF THIS REMOTE OPERATION.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'D CALL
THIS MESS,

BUT IT'S NOT AN AIRLINE.

THE INVESTIGATION TEAM
GENUINELY WAS APPALLED

WHEN WE ACTUALLY DISCOVERED
WHAT WAS ACTUALLY GOING ON.

Narrator: THIS CRASH FOCUSES
THE WORLD'S ATTENTION

ON A GROWING SAFETY THREAT--

MASSIVE HOLES IN THE REGULATIONS

THAT GOVERN SMALL
COMMERCIAL AIRLINES IN EUROPE,

COMPANIES WHERE CREWS
ARE GENERALLY YOUNGER,

LESS EXPERIENCED,

AND EXPECTED TO WORK LONG HOURS
WITH LIMITED GROUND SUPPORT.

Stoterau: THERE'S A LOT
OF BLAME AND FAULT

WITH THE CREW MEMBERS
THEMSELVES.

HOWEVER, THE AIR CARRIER

HAS SIGNIFICANT FAULT
IN THIS ACCIDENT AS WELL

BECAUSE THEY ALLOWED
FOR THE SITUATION TO ARISE

WHERE YOU HAD TWO INEXPERIENCED
CREW MEMBERS PAIRED TOGETHER

WITH A REAL LACK OF LEADERSHIP
AND OVERALL OVERSIGHT

FROM THE PART OF THE COMPANY.

Narrator: IN DECEMBER 2012,
MANX2 CEASED OPERATIONS,

AND THE COMPANY WAS LIQUIDATED.

THE FINAL REPORT LISTS
A NUMBER OF FACTORS

CONTRIBUTING TO THE CRASH,

INCLUDING FATIGUE, PILOT ERROR,
AND THE MALFUNCTIONING ENGINE.

Liddy: I HAVE A HUGE AMOUNT
OF EMPATHY FOR THE PASSENGERS

IN THE BACK OF THE AIRPLANE.

Wilson: WE'RE GOOD.

I'VE LANDED IN WORSE.

Liddy: THEY WENT OUT
AND THEY BOUGHT TICKETS

TO FLY ON A SCHEDULED
AIRLINE SERVICE WITHIN EUROPE,

AND AS A RESULT
THESE PASSENGERS,

FOUR OF THEM WERE KILLED

AND FOUR OF THEM
WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED,

AND THAT SHOULD NEVER
HAVE ACTUALLY HAPPENED.

Stoterau: THIS ACCIDENT
WAS 100% PREVENTABLE.

Wilson: LOOKING INTO IT
AND DISCOVERING WHAT WAS WRONG

IS GOOD,

BUT IT'S TEN TIMES BETTER
IF THAT'S ACTED ON

AND SOMETHING PERMANENTLY DONE

TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS
DOESN'T REPEAT ITSELF.

WE DON'T WANT HISTORY
REPEATING ITSELF

WITH THIS TYPE OF ACCIDENT.