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♪
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NARRATOR: US fighters scramble
to intercept a fast-moving jet.
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WESLEY: Everybody knew
that there was a major problem.
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00:00:13,179 --> 00:00:15,949
COL. OLSON: Stand
by. I can't quite see.
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00:00:16,015 --> 00:00:18,418
NARRATOR: But this is
not a combat mission.
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COL. OLSON: Our job
is to try to figure out
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what's wrong with that airplane.
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NARRATOR: It's a
midair emergency.
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00:00:23,823 --> 00:00:25,959
WESLEY:
4-7-Bravo-Alpha, Jacksonville.
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Please acknowledge.
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NARRATOR: A private Learjet is
hundreds of miles off course.
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00:00:31,831 --> 00:00:33,800
COL. OLSON:
There's some reason why that
crew is not communicating
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with air traffic control,
and we need to find that out.
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BOB: Can he see
anything in the cockpit?
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BOB:
The aircraft was flying toward
a large metropolitan area.
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BOB: Get me
someone from Learjet.
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I need to know how long
this plane can stay in the air.
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JIM: If it went
down in those areas,
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there'd be mass casualties.
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MAN: Mayday, mayday.
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♪
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NARRATOR: It's 8:30 am at
Orlando International Airport.
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FO. BELLEGARRIGUE: Nav lights?
CPT. KLING: On.
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FO. BELLEGARRIGUE: Radios?
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NARRATOR: The pilots
of a private Learjet
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run through their
pre-flight checks.
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CPT. KLING: Are set.
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NARRATOR: They're preparing for
some high-profile passengers.
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FO. BELLEGARRIGUE:
And we're ready for taxi.
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CPT. KLING: Just in time. Here's
the man himself. Good morning.
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NARRATOR: Pro golfer Payne
Stewart is on his way to Dallas
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with some close
business associates.
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PAYNE: Sure, the
target area's wide,
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but you miss, the
bunker's gonna eat you alive.
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MIKE: Payne Stewart is one
of the most colorful characters
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in the game of golf.
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NARRATOR: At 42, Stewart is in
the middle of a comeback year.
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He's just won the US Open,
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one of the most
important dates on the tour,
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but he's almost as famous
for his trademark wardrobe
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as he is for his golfing.
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MIKE: Payne Stewart
was loud, he was outgoing,
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he was engaging.
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His dad always wore
really colorful blazers
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and he always told Payne, you
know, you want to stand out.
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So Payne said I'm gonna
wear knickers, plus fours
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and a flat cap,
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so even people who didn't
follow golf knew who he was
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by how he dressed.
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PAYNE: Let me show you
my idea for that bunker.
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NARRATOR: Payne Stewart
hopes his future in golf
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will go beyond playing the game.
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He has big plans for
building a new course
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at the Dallas university
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where he honed his
skills as an amateur.
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MIKE: There were three other
people with him in the plane
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in addition to the pilots.
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He had Van Ardan,
who was his agent,
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along with Robert
Fraley, also his agent,
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and Bruce Borland,
who was a member of
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the Jack Nicklaus design group.
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PAYNE: This hole is gonna
be tough. It's over 500 yards.
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NARRATOR: Stewart flies
regularly on the Learjet,
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a plane that takes its name
from the man who designed it.
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JIM: Bill Lear was
working on a fighter jet design
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for the Swiss,
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and when they decided
not to build that airplane,
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he took that design and
brought it back to the US
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and built the Learjet.
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WESLEY: 4-7-Bravo-Alpha,
you are cleared for takeoff.
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CPT. KLING: You ready? Okay.
Here we go. And takeoff thrust.
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NARRATOR: Captain
Michael Kling is well qualified
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to fly this high
performance machine.
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He's a former Air Force
pilot and flight instructor.
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JIM: A lot of pilots
came out of the Air Force
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and started flying Learjets
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because it reminded them
and gave them that performance
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that they were used to.
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It was like the Ferrari or
the Porsche of business jets.
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FO. BELLEGARRIGUE: V-one.
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NARRATOR: First Officer
Stephanie Bellegarrigue
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has less than 100
hours in the Lear.
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She's keen to log
more flight time.
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FO. BELLEGARRIGUE: Rotate.
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NARRATOR: At 9:19 am,
the Learjet lifts off.
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FO. BELLEGARRIGUE:
Good morning, Jacksonville.
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This is Learjet 4-7-Bravo-Alpha
climbing to flight level 2-6-0.
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NARRATOR:
The crew contacts Jacksonville
air traffic control.
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WESLEY: Good
morning 4-7-Bravo-Alpha.
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Climb and maintain
flight level three-niner-zero.
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NARRATOR: Wesley Kutch
was one of the controllers
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on duty that day.
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WESLEY: The crew of the Learjet
was extremely professional,
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cheerful, nothing out
of the ordinary at all.
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A typical hello, how are
you, verify your altitude,
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course, et cetera.
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FO. BELLEGARRIGUE:
Learjet 4-7-Bravo-Alpha,
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roger that, Jacksonville.
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Climb and maintain
flight level three-niner-zero.
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00:05:00,967 --> 00:05:03,002
NARRATOR: The controller
clears the jet to keep climbing
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00:05:03,069 --> 00:05:07,040
all the way to 39,000 feet.
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JIM: The Learjet
generally flies higher
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than the commercial airliners.
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NARRATOR: By flying at high
altitudes where the air is thin,
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00:05:14,881 --> 00:05:17,450
the Lear saves on fuel.
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00:05:17,517 --> 00:05:18,885
JIM: Well, you
get a better economy,
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00:05:18,951 --> 00:05:22,922
so you're getting from point
A to point B, costing you less.
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NARRATOR:
The flight plan calls for
the plane to fly northwest
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towards Cross City, Florida,
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then turn west and
fly direct to Dallas.
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Fourteen minutes after takeoff,
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the Learjet has
traveled 80 miles.
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It's time to pass
control of the plane
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to a new air traffic controller.
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WESLEY: Air traffic control
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is a series of
what we call hand-offs,
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and that means
that it's time for him
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to cross to
somebody else's sector.
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00:05:51,718 --> 00:05:57,223
WESLEY: 4-7-Bravo-Alpha,
contact Jack Center at 135.65.
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NARRATOR: The
pilots need to change
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to a different radio frequency
to talk to the next controller.
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WESLEY: 4-7-Bravo-Alpha,
please acknowledge.
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NARRATOR: There's no answer.
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WESLEY: There's
nothing really unusual
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about missing a
frequency change.
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00:06:13,506 --> 00:06:15,541
It's early, just after takeoff.
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I assume they're trying to
get everything buttoned up
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and taken care of.
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It really wasn't that alarming.
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WESLEY: 4-7-Bravo-Alpha,
contact Jack Center on 135.65.
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WESLEY: In the back of your
mind, all controllers know,
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I didn't get an acknowledgment
for that frequency change,
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so you give it a moment.
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You go on about your business
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00:06:36,262 --> 00:06:40,433
and then you come back to
the aircraft. You try it again.
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WESLEY: 4-7-Bravo-Alpha,
this is Jack Center.
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SUPERVISOR: What's up?
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WESLEY: It's that
Learjet. It's not answering.
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SUPERVISOR: Maybe
he's off frequency.
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WESLEY: There's a
plethora of reasons
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00:06:53,146 --> 00:06:55,148
where an
aircraft can miss a call.
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SUPERVISOR:
Let's see if it levels
off when it's supposed to.
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NARRATOR: The
Learjet has nearly reached
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00:07:03,189 --> 00:07:10,029
its approved cruising
altitude of 39,000 feet.
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WESLEY: They're still climbing.
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SUPERVISOR: Let me
see their flight plan.
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WESLEY: When they
climbed through 39,000 feet,
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everybody knew that there
was a major, major problem.
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SUPERVISOR: They've got a
turn coming at Cross City.
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WESLEY: Let's hope
they make that turn.
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I'm gonna try again
on the other frequency.
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4-7-Bravo-Alpha, Jacksonville.
Please acknowledge.
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NARRATOR:
At the same time, pilots
of other planes in the area
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also try to contact the Learjet.
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PILOT: 4-7-Bravo-Alpha, come in.
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BOB: It's kind of a band of
brothers thing, uh, among pilots
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00:07:55,074 --> 00:07:57,577
that if something is
beginning to go wrong
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perhaps you can step in
safely and remedy a situation.
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00:08:01,414 --> 00:08:03,883
If the Lear's radios
were failing but not failed,
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00:08:03,950 --> 00:08:05,685
then perhaps a
relay could be set up
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00:08:05,751 --> 00:08:08,855
to communicate with the
aircraft from the ground.
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WESLEY: Any pilot, any pilot,
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do you have
contact with the Learjet?
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PILOT: Negative.
Nothing from the Learjet.
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NARRATOR: It's been 20 minutes
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00:08:18,464 --> 00:08:21,634
since Payne
Stewart's plane left Orlando.
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00:08:21,701 --> 00:08:26,138
Controllers watch nervously
as it approaches Cross City.
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00:08:26,205 --> 00:08:28,441
It's a critical moment.
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00:08:28,507 --> 00:08:30,443
They know that any
second now the Learjet
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00:08:30,509 --> 00:08:35,915
is supposed to turn
west towards Dallas.
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WESLEY: The
tension level was so high,
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00:08:38,251 --> 00:08:40,753
you could hear a pin drop.
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WESLEY: Damn it.
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WESLEY: It's not
making a course correction.
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00:08:54,967 --> 00:08:56,969
There was
something terribly wrong.
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♪
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WESLEY: This is
Jacksonville Center.
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00:09:02,375 --> 00:09:04,944
I'm declaring an emergency.
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00:09:05,011 --> 00:09:06,779
WESLEY: We're all kind
of in shock and disbelief
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00:09:06,846 --> 00:09:09,582
at this aircraft.
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00:09:12,652 --> 00:09:14,120
BOB: Benzon here.
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NARRATOR:
Experts at the National
Transportation Safety Board
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00:09:16,255 --> 00:09:19,392
are notified of the
escalating emergency.
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00:09:19,458 --> 00:09:24,463
BOB: Get me a map.
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00:09:24,530 --> 00:09:26,265
BOB: Once the air
traffic control system realized
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00:09:26,332 --> 00:09:28,601
that the aircraft had
gone rogue, so to speak,
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00:09:28,668 --> 00:09:32,338
the next step is to
try to figure out why.
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00:09:32,405 --> 00:09:35,141
It's either being
hijacked or it's malfunctioned.
189
00:09:35,207 --> 00:09:37,443
The crew has been
incapacitated somehow.
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00:09:37,510 --> 00:09:40,379
BOB: This is where they are now.
191
00:09:45,885 --> 00:09:48,154
NARRATOR: Controllers
scramble F-16 fighters
192
00:09:48,220 --> 00:09:52,758
to track down
the wayward Learjet.
193
00:09:52,825 --> 00:09:54,460
COL. OLSON: Is the
crew incapacitated?
194
00:09:54,527 --> 00:09:56,262
Is there something
wrong with the aircraft?
195
00:09:56,329 --> 00:09:58,364
There's some reason why
that crew is not communicating
196
00:09:58,431 --> 00:09:59,899
with air traffic control,
197
00:09:59,966 --> 00:10:02,969
so our job is to go
up and find out why.
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♪
199
00:10:11,944 --> 00:10:15,314
NARRATOR: The situation
is growing more urgent.
200
00:10:15,381 --> 00:10:17,383
The runaway plane
has been out of contact
201
00:10:17,450 --> 00:10:19,151
for more than an hour,
202
00:10:19,218 --> 00:10:21,620
and it's about to fly over
the densely populated area
203
00:10:21,687 --> 00:10:25,524
around Memphis.
204
00:10:25,591 --> 00:10:27,026
BOB: Get me
someone from Learjet.
205
00:10:27,093 --> 00:10:29,996
I need to know how long
this plane can stay in the air.
206
00:10:30,062 --> 00:10:32,932
BOB:
The aircraft was flying toward
a large metropolitan area.
207
00:10:32,999 --> 00:10:34,300
The question became, well,
208
00:10:34,367 --> 00:10:37,203
if it went out of control or
ran out of gas over Memphis,
209
00:10:37,269 --> 00:10:39,739
what would happen?
210
00:10:43,909 --> 00:10:45,678
NARRATOR: Learjet
investigator Jim Tidball
211
00:10:45,745 --> 00:10:49,448
is immediately
recruited to the team.
212
00:10:49,515 --> 00:10:51,417
JIM: Where is it right now?
213
00:10:51,484 --> 00:10:52,952
NARRATOR: His first
task is to determine
214
00:10:53,019 --> 00:10:58,524
how far the plane can get with
the amount of fuel on board.
215
00:10:58,591 --> 00:11:01,727
JIM: I need performance
data on the 35 ASAP.
216
00:11:01,794 --> 00:11:03,129
JIM: When the
airplane didn't make its turn,
217
00:11:03,195 --> 00:11:05,398
it continued on towards Memphis,
218
00:11:05,464 --> 00:11:08,968
and after Memphis it was
headed toward St. Louis,
219
00:11:09,035 --> 00:11:11,504
and after St. Louis
again towards Minneapolis.
220
00:11:11,570 --> 00:11:14,306
Those are all major
metropolitan areas.
221
00:11:14,373 --> 00:11:18,377
If it went down in those areas,
there'd be mass casualties.
222
00:11:18,444 --> 00:11:21,080
NARRATOR: A small
private jet on a routine flight
223
00:11:21,147 --> 00:11:24,150
has turned into a
national emergency.
224
00:11:27,553 --> 00:11:29,755
LOU WATERS: We have a developing
story, as you may have heard.
225
00:11:29,822 --> 00:11:31,791
There is a civilian Learjet...
226
00:11:31,857 --> 00:11:33,659
NARRATOR: News of a
rogue Learjet flying
227
00:11:33,726 --> 00:11:37,730
hundreds of miles off course
has captivated the nation.
228
00:11:43,035 --> 00:11:46,739
BOB: Turn that up, would you?
229
00:11:46,806 --> 00:11:47,973
NEWS ANCHOR: The air
force is simply saying...
230
00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:49,809
NARRATOR: NTSB
investigators keep a close eye
231
00:11:49,875 --> 00:11:52,812
on the media coverage.
232
00:11:52,878 --> 00:11:54,947
BOB: We began
assembling our launch team
233
00:11:55,014 --> 00:11:57,450
and monitoring the
situation on television,
234
00:11:57,516 --> 00:12:00,052
like a lot of folks
in the United States.
235
00:12:00,119 --> 00:12:03,589
NEWS ANCHOR: It did take a
full load of fuel on with it.
236
00:12:03,656 --> 00:12:08,694
BOB: So it became a kind
of a weird situation for us.
237
00:12:08,761 --> 00:12:11,964
♪
238
00:12:12,031 --> 00:12:16,735
NARRATOR:
There's some good news.
239
00:12:16,802 --> 00:12:21,941
The plane has
cleared Memphis air space.
240
00:12:22,007 --> 00:12:24,743
WESLEY: At least it
didn't hit the city.
241
00:12:24,810 --> 00:12:29,381
NARRATOR: But the
crisis is far from over.
242
00:12:29,448 --> 00:12:31,951
Controllers still have
no idea why the plane
243
00:12:32,017 --> 00:12:33,953
is not responding,
244
00:12:34,019 --> 00:12:38,023
and there are more urban
centers in the Learjet's path.
245
00:12:43,662 --> 00:12:45,798
If it doesn't
change course soon,
246
00:12:45,865 --> 00:12:50,402
the fighter jets may be forced
to take drastic measures.
247
00:12:50,469 --> 00:12:52,171
JIM: If the decision
came out that they were
248
00:12:52,238 --> 00:12:54,173
to take the airplane out
249
00:12:54,240 --> 00:12:56,942
instead of allowing it to go
towards a metropolitan area,
250
00:12:57,009 --> 00:13:00,212
that decision would have
to come from the White House.
251
00:13:00,279 --> 00:13:01,413
WHITE HOUSE PRESS CONFERENCE:
The FAA began tracking
252
00:13:01,480 --> 00:13:03,382
an aircraft in distress.
253
00:13:03,449 --> 00:13:06,652
The president was made aware
of this situation this morning
254
00:13:06,719 --> 00:13:09,221
in a meeting with
his economic advisors.
255
00:13:14,226 --> 00:13:20,900
♪
256
00:13:20,966 --> 00:13:23,536
JIM: Okay. I
think I got something.
257
00:13:23,602 --> 00:13:26,005
NARRATOR: Jim Tidball has come
up with a rough calculation
258
00:13:26,071 --> 00:13:29,675
of where the plane
will run out of fuel.
259
00:13:29,742 --> 00:13:32,578
JIM: ATC kept giving
the team real-time data
260
00:13:32,645 --> 00:13:35,414
as to where the airplane was,
the heading that it was flying,
261
00:13:35,481 --> 00:13:39,118
et cetera, so we always
knew where the airplane was,
262
00:13:39,185 --> 00:13:42,421
and, calculating the
fuel burn at those altitudes,
263
00:13:42,488 --> 00:13:45,624
we could figure how
far it was gonna go.
264
00:13:45,691 --> 00:13:51,463
JIM: My best guess is South
Dakota, possibly North Dakota.
265
00:13:51,530 --> 00:13:55,334
I can't say more than that.
266
00:13:55,401 --> 00:14:01,473
♪
267
00:14:01,540 --> 00:14:03,175
BOB: Let's hope he's right.
268
00:14:03,242 --> 00:14:05,344
With any luck they
won't hit anything.
269
00:14:05,411 --> 00:14:08,180
BOB: That's the scary part
of the whole equation here.
270
00:14:08,247 --> 00:14:11,784
Is it gonna hit a house? Is
it gonna go down in a town?
271
00:14:11,850 --> 00:14:15,854
Big Midwest, but
anything could be possible.
272
00:14:20,092 --> 00:14:22,394
In the air, the F-16
pilots have caught up
273
00:14:22,461 --> 00:14:27,233
with the rogue plane.
274
00:14:27,299 --> 00:14:29,635
COL. OLSON: Stand
by. I can't quite see.
275
00:14:29,868 --> 00:14:32,371
COL. OLSON:
Once we made the intercept,
our job is to figure out
276
00:14:32,438 --> 00:14:33,539
what's going on
with the airplane.
277
00:14:33,606 --> 00:14:35,608
We'll visually
look at the airplane.
278
00:14:39,044 --> 00:14:40,679
COL. OLSON: No damage.
279
00:14:40,746 --> 00:14:41,981
COL. OLSON: There was
no panels missing.
280
00:14:42,047 --> 00:14:43,983
There was no gas
leaking, for instance.
281
00:14:44,049 --> 00:14:46,051
There was no other,
any other fluids leaking.
282
00:14:46,118 --> 00:14:49,755
There was no
obvious exterior damage.
283
00:14:49,822 --> 00:14:51,724
NARRATOR: The fighter pilots
are desperate for some way
284
00:14:51,790 --> 00:14:54,093
to communicate with
the Learjet's crew,
285
00:14:54,159 --> 00:14:56,729
so they attempt a
risky aerial maneuver.
286
00:14:56,795 --> 00:14:58,931
COL. OLSON: Alright, I'm
gonna try and wake them up.
287
00:14:58,998 --> 00:15:01,800
COL. OLSON: Maybe, you know, by
flying through their jet wash
288
00:15:01,867 --> 00:15:05,204
or the turbulence that's
caused by the lead fighter
289
00:15:05,271 --> 00:15:08,707
in this case, it would get
some reaction out of them.
290
00:15:08,774 --> 00:15:17,850
♪
291
00:15:17,916 --> 00:15:20,586
You're hoping you
get some movement.
292
00:15:20,653 --> 00:15:25,324
NARRATOR: But it's no use.
The Lear does not respond.
293
00:15:25,391 --> 00:15:28,093
BOB: Can he see
anything in the cockpit?
294
00:15:28,160 --> 00:15:30,396
COL. OLSON: Stand by. I'm
gonna go take a closer look.
295
00:15:30,462 --> 00:15:32,865
NARRATOR: But Colonel
Olson isn't giving up.
296
00:15:32,931 --> 00:15:36,835
Even though his F-16 is designed
to fly at much higher speeds,
297
00:15:36,902 --> 00:15:42,341
he wrestles it closer
to get a better look.
298
00:15:42,408 --> 00:15:44,443
COL. OLSON: Flying an F-16 at
low air speeds can be difficult,
299
00:15:44,510 --> 00:15:46,512
especially at high altitudes.
300
00:15:56,922 --> 00:15:58,123
It was very strange
sitting next to them
301
00:15:58,190 --> 00:16:02,895
wondering what's going
on inside the aircraft.
302
00:16:02,961 --> 00:16:06,465
NARRATOR:
The windows of the aircraft
provide an ominous clue.
303
00:16:06,532 --> 00:16:12,938
COL. OLSON: No movement, and
the window's covered in frost.
304
00:16:13,005 --> 00:16:15,574
JIM: When the report
came back that the windshield
305
00:16:15,641 --> 00:16:18,844
seemed to be iced
over on the inside
306
00:16:18,911 --> 00:16:21,480
and that the cabin
windows were all dark,
307
00:16:21,547 --> 00:16:24,049
that gave us cause for concern.
308
00:16:26,652 --> 00:16:28,253
COL. OLSON: If the people are
conscious, they'd be trying to
309
00:16:28,320 --> 00:16:30,622
scrape away that condensation
so they could see.
310
00:16:30,689 --> 00:16:34,426
So if you see no attempt to
get rid of that condensation,
311
00:16:34,493 --> 00:16:35,828
your mind goes,
what's the condition
312
00:16:35,894 --> 00:16:39,665
of the crew and the passengers
that are on board that aircraft?
313
00:16:39,732 --> 00:16:42,868
NARRATOR: The grim reality
of the situation sets in.
314
00:16:42,935 --> 00:16:44,269
BOB: The frosted-over windscreen
315
00:16:44,336 --> 00:16:48,173
and the darkened
cockpit and cabin indicated
316
00:16:48,240 --> 00:16:52,511
that the crew is
probably no longer with us.
317
00:16:52,578 --> 00:16:58,417
NARRATOR: The Learjet
is now a ghost plane.
318
00:16:58,484 --> 00:17:00,786
BOB: Can we narrow down
the crash site any more?
319
00:17:00,853 --> 00:17:03,856
NARRATOR: With no hope
for the passengers and crew,
320
00:17:03,922 --> 00:17:08,026
the only focus now is on
where the plane will come down.
321
00:17:08,093 --> 00:17:10,562
BOB: As NTSB investigators,
we're very interested in
322
00:17:10,629 --> 00:17:12,231
where the aircraft
would crash obviously,
323
00:17:12,297 --> 00:17:15,067
because we had to get
there as soon as we could.
324
00:17:15,134 --> 00:17:18,670
NARRATOR: But all they
can do is wait and watch.
325
00:17:18,737 --> 00:17:22,508
MIKE: To hear the news of Payne
likely being on that plane
326
00:17:22,574 --> 00:17:26,712
was very shocking.
It didn't seem real.
327
00:17:26,779 --> 00:17:28,113
He was just winning the US Open
328
00:17:28,180 --> 00:17:32,451
and grabbing Phil Mickelson's
face and hoisting a trophy up.
329
00:17:38,557 --> 00:17:41,193
NARRATOR: After nearly
four hours in the air,
330
00:17:41,260 --> 00:17:45,531
the Learjet is approaching
Aberdeen, South Dakota.
331
00:17:45,597 --> 00:17:53,305
BOB: Got it. It
could go down any time.
332
00:17:53,372 --> 00:17:54,773
NARRATOR:
According to calculations,
333
00:17:54,840 --> 00:17:59,711
the jet is almost out of fuel.
334
00:17:59,778 --> 00:18:03,549
At 10 minutes past
12:00, it happens.
335
00:18:03,615 --> 00:18:05,050
COL. OLSON: One of the
engines just flamed out,
336
00:18:05,117 --> 00:18:08,020
and it started turning.
337
00:18:08,086 --> 00:18:12,491
I said something like, "Look
out, the aircraft is turning."
338
00:18:12,558 --> 00:18:13,959
We don't know where
this aircraft is gonna go,
339
00:18:14,026 --> 00:18:18,697
but it's starting to move.
340
00:18:18,764 --> 00:18:22,234
NARRATOR:
The Learjet carrying Payne
Stewart and five other people
341
00:18:22,301 --> 00:18:25,003
is falling from the sky.
342
00:18:25,070 --> 00:18:29,408
COL. OLSON: They're going
down. They're going down.
343
00:18:29,475 --> 00:18:33,745
BOB: Where's it gonna hit?
344
00:18:33,812 --> 00:18:37,449
NARRATOR: The F-16
attempts to follow.
345
00:18:37,516 --> 00:18:40,519
But the plane
disappears into the clouds.
346
00:18:45,724 --> 00:18:48,727
It drops below the radar.
347
00:19:01,740 --> 00:19:03,809
COL. OLSON: Center,
I've got a crash site.
348
00:19:10,015 --> 00:19:16,288
♪
349
00:19:16,355 --> 00:19:17,456
WESLEY: We all felt like
350
00:19:17,523 --> 00:19:19,291
we were pretty much
just kicked in the guts,
351
00:19:19,358 --> 00:19:23,362
couldn't do anything, so
it was a pretty bad day.
352
00:19:28,600 --> 00:19:29,635
NARRATOR: Payne
Stewart's Learjet
353
00:19:29,701 --> 00:19:33,205
has slammed into a hay
field in South Dakota.
354
00:19:33,272 --> 00:19:35,641
There are no survivors.
355
00:19:35,707 --> 00:19:38,977
COL. OLSON:
You have human beings on
that aircraft. They have a life.
356
00:19:39,044 --> 00:19:41,346
They have a family. They have a
connection. They have a story.
357
00:19:41,413 --> 00:19:43,515
You're part of the end of
their story unfortunately,
358
00:19:43,582 --> 00:19:47,586
so when you look back on
it, it's a very, very sad deal.
359
00:19:50,122 --> 00:19:59,331
♪
360
00:19:59,398 --> 00:20:00,766
JIM: It's over.
361
00:20:00,832 --> 00:20:02,200
JIM: I think there
was a sense of relief
362
00:20:02,267 --> 00:20:04,770
when the airplane actually
did go down in a rural area
363
00:20:04,836 --> 00:20:10,609
that it did not impact a
major metropolitan area.
364
00:20:10,676 --> 00:20:12,344
NEWS ANCHOR: This is
where the plane went down
365
00:20:12,411 --> 00:20:15,180
after its
1,500-mile four-hour flight
366
00:20:15,247 --> 00:20:17,349
halfway across the nation.
367
00:20:17,416 --> 00:20:24,723
On board, golfer Payne Stewart,
two-time US Open champ.
368
00:20:24,790 --> 00:20:26,491
MIKE: The guys get to
know each other really well.
369
00:20:26,558 --> 00:20:28,360
It is a tight-knit
community with the media,
370
00:20:28,427 --> 00:20:30,462
with the players,
with the families,
371
00:20:30,529 --> 00:20:34,199
and for someone from
that family to be taken away
372
00:20:34,266 --> 00:20:37,269
in such tragic
fashion was really saddening.
373
00:20:42,107 --> 00:20:43,775
NARRATOR: In Brown
County, South Dakota,
374
00:20:43,842 --> 00:20:48,180
the crash has
shaken local residents.
375
00:20:48,246 --> 00:20:50,716
WITNESS: And after a few
flips and flops and everything
376
00:20:50,782 --> 00:20:52,551
it went straight down,
377
00:20:52,618 --> 00:20:56,555
and it took probably 12
seconds to hit the ground.
378
00:20:56,622 --> 00:21:05,731
♪
379
00:21:05,797 --> 00:21:07,933
NARRATOR: For crash
investigators, the first step
380
00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:13,772
is to survey the impact
area and lay out a search grid.
381
00:21:13,839 --> 00:21:17,576
INVESTIGATOR: Nice and slow.
We don't want to miss a thing.
382
00:21:17,643 --> 00:21:19,511
JIM: The grid-type
search was a way to proceed
383
00:21:19,578 --> 00:21:23,315
so we knew where we had
been, what we had covered,
384
00:21:23,382 --> 00:21:26,518
and then we could move on
to the next grid section.
385
00:21:26,585 --> 00:21:29,287
To us it was very important
so we knew where we could walk,
386
00:21:29,354 --> 00:21:32,190
where we couldn't walk.
387
00:21:32,257 --> 00:21:34,860
NARRATOR: The 500-mile an
hour impact hasn't just smashed
388
00:21:34,926 --> 00:21:40,565
the wreckage, it's driven
most of it into the ground.
389
00:21:40,632 --> 00:21:41,900
JIM: The aircraft
at the accident site
390
00:21:41,967 --> 00:21:43,835
was completely
destroyed and in pieces,
391
00:21:43,902 --> 00:21:48,774
and there were a lot
of very small pieces.
392
00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:50,108
BOB: My first impression was
393
00:21:50,175 --> 00:21:57,349
we're gonna have a little
trouble gathering evidence here.
394
00:21:57,416 --> 00:22:03,488
♪
395
00:22:03,555 --> 00:22:05,290
NARRATOR: At the
Learjet crash site,
396
00:22:05,357 --> 00:22:08,060
investigators dig
through layers of earth.
397
00:22:08,126 --> 00:22:11,430
They search every
inch of soil for wreckage.
398
00:22:11,496 --> 00:22:13,432
BOB: It almost became
an archaeological dig,
399
00:22:13,498 --> 00:22:18,904
kind of unlayering the thing as
we went down through the earth.
400
00:22:18,970 --> 00:22:20,939
JIM: A good investigator
can't make decisions
401
00:22:21,006 --> 00:22:23,642
based on initial information.
402
00:22:23,709 --> 00:22:25,711
You have to have all the data
403
00:22:25,777 --> 00:22:28,380
before you can
do an adequate job.
404
00:22:28,447 --> 00:22:30,215
NARRATOR: As key
pieces are recovered,
405
00:22:30,282 --> 00:22:33,485
investigators map out
the position of the plane.
406
00:22:33,552 --> 00:22:35,954
They want to find
the tail and, with it,
407
00:22:36,021 --> 00:22:38,023
the cockpit voice recorder.
408
00:22:38,090 --> 00:22:41,226
JIM: As we were looking through
the debris in the crater,
409
00:22:41,293 --> 00:22:44,329
we started finding
pieces that were close
410
00:22:44,396 --> 00:22:47,099
to the cockpit voice recorder.
411
00:22:47,165 --> 00:22:49,034
We knew we were
looking in the right area.
412
00:22:49,101 --> 00:22:53,138
We felt confident
that we'd find the CVR.
413
00:22:53,205 --> 00:22:54,606
NARRATOR: Meanwhile, Bob Benzon
414
00:22:54,673 --> 00:22:56,942
of the National
Transportation Safety Board
415
00:22:57,008 --> 00:23:00,212
is piecing together
what they know so far.
416
00:23:00,278 --> 00:23:03,014
BOB: Okay. Let's
see what we got.
417
00:23:03,081 --> 00:23:05,183
NARRATOR: The lengthy pursuit
of the flight has given him
418
00:23:05,250 --> 00:23:08,220
an unusual head
start on the case.
419
00:23:08,286 --> 00:23:09,755
BOB: For an
investigator to realize
420
00:23:09,821 --> 00:23:12,624
that an accident's going
to occur before it happened
421
00:23:12,691 --> 00:23:14,292
is very unusual.
422
00:23:14,359 --> 00:23:16,661
It's a strange
feeling, a sad feeling
423
00:23:16,728 --> 00:23:18,563
to know an
accident's going to occur
424
00:23:18,630 --> 00:23:22,334
and you pack your bags early
for once instead of later.
425
00:23:22,400 --> 00:23:24,169
♪
426
00:23:24,236 --> 00:23:26,371
BOB: The engines were okay.
427
00:23:26,438 --> 00:23:29,074
BOB: The F-16 folks
were gathering data,
428
00:23:29,141 --> 00:23:30,375
like both engines were running.
429
00:23:30,442 --> 00:23:32,244
They could see two contrails.
430
00:23:32,310 --> 00:23:33,745
It had some electrical power
431
00:23:33,812 --> 00:23:38,650
because navigation and rotating
beacon lights were going on.
432
00:23:38,717 --> 00:23:44,723
BOB: The electrical was working.
So what else do we know?
433
00:23:47,025 --> 00:23:49,127
NARRATOR: The F-16
pilots also noticed
434
00:23:49,194 --> 00:23:51,997
some unusual fluctuations
in the Learjet's altitude
435
00:23:52,063 --> 00:23:54,666
before it crashed.
436
00:23:54,733 --> 00:23:58,503
COL. OLSON: Stand by. I'm
gonna take a closer look.
437
00:23:58,570 --> 00:24:00,405
NARRATOR: The Learjet
was bobbing up and down
438
00:24:00,472 --> 00:24:04,142
in a steady rhythm
known as porpoising.
439
00:24:04,209 --> 00:24:06,411
BOB: That probably
was because the autopilot
440
00:24:06,478 --> 00:24:08,814
was set in a climb mode,
441
00:24:08,880 --> 00:24:10,982
and the aircraft
was attempting to climb
442
00:24:11,049 --> 00:24:13,084
as high as it possibly could,
443
00:24:13,151 --> 00:24:15,320
but aerodynamically
there's a limit to that,
444
00:24:15,387 --> 00:24:18,190
and so it would get up
to its very maximum ceiling
445
00:24:18,256 --> 00:24:22,661
and then go down and try to
go back up and go down again.
446
00:24:22,727 --> 00:24:26,665
NARRATOR:
No pilot would deliberately
fly a plane this way.
447
00:24:26,731 --> 00:24:29,301
BOB: I think they
were unconscious or worse
448
00:24:29,367 --> 00:24:31,937
when the jets got the visual.
449
00:24:32,003 --> 00:24:36,474
NARRATOR: There's another lead
Benzon urgently wants to pursue.
450
00:24:36,541 --> 00:24:46,084
♪
451
00:24:46,151 --> 00:24:52,123
COL. OLSON: No movement, and
the window's covered in frost.
452
00:24:52,190 --> 00:24:56,394
BOB: The F-16 folks told us that
there was a large area of frost
453
00:24:56,461 --> 00:24:59,764
in fact covering 90 percent
more of the front windscreens
454
00:24:59,831 --> 00:25:02,234
of the aircraft on the inside.
455
00:25:02,300 --> 00:25:04,402
That obviously
indicates that at some point
456
00:25:04,469 --> 00:25:06,838
things got very,
very cold inside,
457
00:25:06,905 --> 00:25:10,876
so it wasn't an
answer to all our questions,
458
00:25:10,942 --> 00:25:12,410
but it led us quickly to think
459
00:25:12,477 --> 00:25:17,349
that there may have been a
pressurization problem on board.
460
00:25:17,415 --> 00:25:22,420
♪
461
00:25:22,487 --> 00:25:24,122
NARRATOR: Investigators
may be a step closer
462
00:25:24,189 --> 00:25:28,293
to finding answers.
463
00:25:28,360 --> 00:25:30,829
They've recovered the
cockpit voice recorder...
464
00:25:30,896 --> 00:25:32,063
INVESTIGATOR: Good work.
465
00:25:32,130 --> 00:25:35,500
NARRATOR: ...the only
recording device on board.
466
00:25:35,567 --> 00:25:38,303
JIM: The CVR was pretty
smashed when we recovered it,
467
00:25:38,370 --> 00:25:41,873
and there was concern that
we'd get nothing off of it.
468
00:25:41,940 --> 00:25:48,914
♪
469
00:25:48,980 --> 00:25:53,785
BOB:
I only hope we hear something
that tells us what went wrong.
470
00:25:53,852 --> 00:25:56,655
JIM: It was sent back
immediately to the NTSB lab,
471
00:25:56,721 --> 00:26:00,158
and they did a fantastic job
of piecing this thing together
472
00:26:00,225 --> 00:26:02,894
and getting data out of the CVR.
473
00:26:02,961 --> 00:26:06,464
BOB: Okay. Let's hear it.
474
00:26:06,531 --> 00:26:07,632
NARRATOR: The
recording captures sounds
475
00:26:07,699 --> 00:26:10,769
during the last 30
minutes of flight.
476
00:26:10,835 --> 00:26:15,607
As they listen, investigators
make a disturbing discovery.
477
00:26:15,674 --> 00:26:19,210
No one on board
is talking at all.
478
00:26:19,277 --> 00:26:22,881
JIM: It was eerie
because the airplane is flying
479
00:26:22,948 --> 00:26:25,984
and there is no
voice whatsoever.
480
00:26:26,051 --> 00:26:29,621
But there are other sounds
and, if they can be identified,
481
00:26:29,688 --> 00:26:32,090
they could provide vital clues.
482
00:26:32,157 --> 00:26:33,258
BOB: Turn that up, please.
483
00:26:36,127 --> 00:26:38,296
BOB: We can hear warnings
in the cockpit, buzzers,
484
00:26:38,363 --> 00:26:39,698
things like that,
485
00:26:39,764 --> 00:26:41,633
so even though no
voices are heard,
486
00:26:41,700 --> 00:26:45,070
there is
valuable stuff on those.
487
00:26:45,136 --> 00:26:50,709
BOB: That's the
cabin altitude warning.
488
00:26:50,775 --> 00:26:54,479
We are definitely looking at
a loss of pressure accident.
489
00:26:54,546 --> 00:26:57,315
NARRATOR: The recording
confirms Benzon's hunch.
490
00:26:57,382 --> 00:27:02,921
The plane suffered some
sort of decompression failure.
491
00:27:02,988 --> 00:27:09,527
The higher the altitude, the
lower the air pressure gets.
492
00:27:09,594 --> 00:27:11,029
FO. BELLEGARRIGUE:
Good morning, Jacksonville.
493
00:27:11,096 --> 00:27:16,067
This is Learjet 4-7-Bravo-Alpha
climbing to flight level 2-6-0.
494
00:27:16,134 --> 00:27:19,738
NARRATOR: Above 10,000 feet,
the air outside is so thin
495
00:27:19,804 --> 00:27:21,940
that the cabin air
must be pressurized so that
496
00:27:22,007 --> 00:27:27,078
pilots and passengers can
get enough oxygen to breathe.
497
00:27:27,145 --> 00:27:28,246
Pressurization prevents
498
00:27:28,313 --> 00:27:33,685
the life-threatening
condition called hypoxia.
499
00:27:33,752 --> 00:27:35,387
Dr. Mitchell Garber is an expert
500
00:27:35,453 --> 00:27:39,557
on just how quickly hypoxia
can incapacitate a pilot.
501
00:27:39,624 --> 00:27:42,994
DR. GARBER: You've got maybe
four or five seconds' worth
502
00:27:43,061 --> 00:27:45,497
of actual oxygen in your brain
503
00:27:45,563 --> 00:27:50,035
and then another 12 to 15
seconds in your circulation.
504
00:27:50,101 --> 00:27:52,137
Once all that is gone,
505
00:27:52,203 --> 00:27:54,272
things are going to go
very horribly awry for you
506
00:27:54,339 --> 00:27:55,707
very, very quickly.
507
00:27:57,175 --> 00:28:00,178
NARRATOR: The evidence
paints a chilling picture.
508
00:28:05,183 --> 00:28:06,885
BOB: The cabin
altitude warning horn
509
00:28:06,951 --> 00:28:09,454
was blaring for
the entire 30 minutes
510
00:28:09,521 --> 00:28:11,556
minus a few seconds at the end.
511
00:28:11,623 --> 00:28:13,558
♪
512
00:28:13,625 --> 00:28:15,160
NARRATOR: The mystery now is,
513
00:28:15,226 --> 00:28:20,131
why did Payne Stewart's Learjet
lose vital cabin pressure,
514
00:28:20,198 --> 00:28:27,605
and why didn't the emergency
alarm prevent the catastrophe?
515
00:28:27,672 --> 00:28:37,382
♪
516
00:28:37,449 --> 00:28:38,950
INVESTIGATOR: Not much to go on.
517
00:28:39,017 --> 00:28:40,251
NARRATOR: The
search of the crash site
518
00:28:40,318 --> 00:28:43,354
turns up very little of
the pressurization system,
519
00:28:43,421 --> 00:28:46,024
just a couple of damaged valves.
520
00:28:46,091 --> 00:28:48,460
BOB: The positive thing to
do is work with what you have.
521
00:28:48,526 --> 00:28:49,828
You go to war
with what you have,
522
00:28:49,894 --> 00:28:52,330
not with what you wish you had.
523
00:28:52,397 --> 00:28:55,533
NARRATOR: The flow control valve
regulates how much air is drawn
524
00:28:55,600 --> 00:28:58,269
from the engines into the cabin.
525
00:28:58,336 --> 00:29:02,740
A problem with this valve
could cause a depressurization.
526
00:29:02,807 --> 00:29:04,542
BOB: Even though
components are heavily damaged,
527
00:29:04,609 --> 00:29:06,744
it's part of our
training and our job
528
00:29:06,811 --> 00:29:08,213
to try as hard as we can
529
00:29:08,279 --> 00:29:12,083
to determine what the component
was doing prior to the crash.
530
00:29:12,150 --> 00:29:15,153
BOB: Well, let's see
what this can tell us.
531
00:29:18,857 --> 00:29:20,258
NARRATOR: Benzon
examines the valve
532
00:29:20,325 --> 00:29:24,929
under a high-powered microscope.
533
00:29:24,996 --> 00:29:32,570
He makes an important discovery:
small scratches in the metal.
534
00:29:32,637 --> 00:29:34,005
BOB: At impact, parts hit parts,
535
00:29:34,072 --> 00:29:37,175
and internal components
hit internal components,
536
00:29:37,242 --> 00:29:39,811
and those cause witness marks.
537
00:29:39,878 --> 00:29:41,946
You could almost
consider it to be a snapshot
538
00:29:42,013 --> 00:29:46,317
of what would happen at impact.
539
00:29:46,384 --> 00:29:49,053
BOB: Bingo.
540
00:29:49,120 --> 00:29:51,923
BOB: The witness marks
indicated quite definitely
541
00:29:51,990 --> 00:29:55,293
that the valve was closed
during the horrendous impact
542
00:29:55,360 --> 00:29:58,563
of the aircraft and the ground.
543
00:29:58,630 --> 00:30:00,832
NARRATOR: With the
flow control valve closed,
544
00:30:00,899 --> 00:30:04,769
there would have been no air
flow to maintain cabin pressure.
545
00:30:06,070 --> 00:30:08,439
CPT. KLING: We've got a
cabin altitude warning.
546
00:30:08,506 --> 00:30:11,109
BOB: The discovery that the
flow control valve was closed
547
00:30:11,176 --> 00:30:12,877
was a big deal for us.
548
00:30:12,944 --> 00:30:16,948
Now we were getting close
to why the accident occurred.
549
00:30:17,015 --> 00:30:18,383
NARRATOR: Setting
the valve correctly
550
00:30:18,449 --> 00:30:20,885
is a routine part
of every takeoff.
551
00:30:20,952 --> 00:30:23,755
BOB: Either the thing broke
552
00:30:23,821 --> 00:30:26,824
or the crew took
off without setting it.
553
00:30:35,700 --> 00:30:37,368
INVESTIGATOR: Let's
see what these turn up.
554
00:30:37,435 --> 00:30:39,270
NARRATOR: To check
for mechanical failure,
555
00:30:39,337 --> 00:30:41,873
investigators need more
pieces from the mechanism
556
00:30:41,940 --> 00:30:44,475
that opens and
closes the valves.
557
00:30:44,542 --> 00:30:47,545
They step up search
efforts at the crash site.
558
00:30:47,612 --> 00:30:50,381
BOB: We bought and
rented metal detectors,
559
00:30:50,448 --> 00:30:52,951
and people were out
there on their hands and knees
560
00:30:53,017 --> 00:30:54,752
sifting through
dirt with screens
561
00:30:54,819 --> 00:30:56,521
to try to find these components.
562
00:31:00,625 --> 00:31:05,129
NARRATOR: Investigators fill
crates with recovered parts.
563
00:31:05,196 --> 00:31:08,166
BOB: Any more wreckage
from the pressurization system?
564
00:31:08,233 --> 00:31:12,937
NARRATOR: But the valve
mechanism is never recovered.
565
00:31:13,004 --> 00:31:14,272
JIM: When we find a clue
566
00:31:14,339 --> 00:31:18,076
and we can't follow it
all the way to the end,
567
00:31:18,142 --> 00:31:21,246
it gets very
frustrating for investigators.
568
00:31:21,312 --> 00:31:23,381
We know we've got a
piece of the evidence,
569
00:31:23,448 --> 00:31:25,216
but not all the evidence.
570
00:31:25,283 --> 00:31:28,186
♪
571
00:31:28,253 --> 00:31:30,722
BOB: Play it from the top.
572
00:31:30,788 --> 00:31:33,458
I want to hear something
she said before takeoff.
573
00:31:33,524 --> 00:31:36,294
NARRATOR: Benzon turns to
air traffic control recordings
574
00:31:36,361 --> 00:31:41,966
that captured all radio
calls with the Learjet's crew.
575
00:31:42,033 --> 00:31:44,168
FO. BELLEGARRIGUE:
Orlando tower, 4-7-Bravo-Alpha.
576
00:31:44,235 --> 00:31:47,205
Requesting taxi.
577
00:31:47,272 --> 00:31:48,940
NARRATOR: He hopes the
recordings can tell him
578
00:31:49,007 --> 00:31:52,543
when the Learjet
began to decompress.
579
00:31:52,610 --> 00:31:56,214
The air used to pressurize the
plane comes from the engines,
580
00:31:56,281 --> 00:31:59,984
so it can feel a bit hot.
581
00:32:00,051 --> 00:32:02,086
That's why some pilots
wait until the last minute
582
00:32:02,153 --> 00:32:05,590
before opening
the airflow valve.
583
00:32:05,657 --> 00:32:07,292
FO. BELLEGARRIGUE: V-one.
584
00:32:07,358 --> 00:32:10,328
NARRATOR: Did they
forget to do this?
585
00:32:10,395 --> 00:32:11,396
FO. BELLEGARRIGUE: Rotate.
586
00:32:17,368 --> 00:32:19,003
WESLEY: Good
morning 4-7-Bravo-Alpha.
587
00:32:19,070 --> 00:32:23,274
Climb and maintain
flight level three-niner-zero.
588
00:32:23,341 --> 00:32:27,078
♪
589
00:32:27,145 --> 00:32:28,346
NARRATOR: If they
did forget to open
590
00:32:28,413 --> 00:32:30,448
the crucial valve at takeoff,
591
00:32:30,515 --> 00:32:32,717
they would have been
affected by a lack of oxygen
592
00:32:32,784 --> 00:32:38,289
as soon as they
climbed past 10,000 feet.
593
00:32:38,356 --> 00:32:40,425
DR. GARBER: The
progression of hypoxia symptoms
594
00:32:40,491 --> 00:32:43,094
is probably most
pronounced in the mental arena,
595
00:32:43,161 --> 00:32:45,797
in our ability to think, our
ability to make determinations.
596
00:32:45,863 --> 00:32:49,200
It's one of the
reasons it's so critical.
597
00:32:49,267 --> 00:32:51,669
NARRATOR: Benzon listens
carefully to the voices.
598
00:32:51,736 --> 00:32:54,839
He wants to compare how
the pilots sound on the ground
599
00:32:54,906 --> 00:32:56,541
with how they sound
at higher altitudes
600
00:32:56,607 --> 00:33:00,478
where there's less oxygen.
601
00:33:00,545 --> 00:33:02,146
BOB: It was important
for us to try to figure out
602
00:33:02,213 --> 00:33:04,949
at what altitude, what
point in the flight really,
603
00:33:05,016 --> 00:33:08,386
something began to go wrong.
604
00:33:08,453 --> 00:33:10,755
BOB: So far, so good.
605
00:33:10,822 --> 00:33:12,890
Play me something from later,
606
00:33:12,957 --> 00:33:15,293
after they climb
past 10,000 feet.
607
00:33:15,360 --> 00:33:16,527
NARRATOR:
Changes in their voices
608
00:33:16,594 --> 00:33:19,697
could reveal when
the pressure failed.
609
00:33:19,764 --> 00:33:21,265
DR. GARBER: You
may get slurred speech
610
00:33:21,332 --> 00:33:22,967
as you do with intoxication.
611
00:33:23,034 --> 00:33:27,538
You may get slower speech
as you do with intoxication.
612
00:33:27,605 --> 00:33:28,906
FO. BELLEGARRIGUE:
Good morning Jacksonville.
613
00:33:28,973 --> 00:33:34,946
This is 4-7-Bravo-Alpha
climbing to flight level 2-6-0.
614
00:33:35,012 --> 00:33:37,014
BOB: She sounds the same to me.
615
00:33:41,486 --> 00:33:45,556
So everything's fine up
to that last radio call.
616
00:33:45,623 --> 00:33:48,593
BOB: Transmissions from
the first officer were clear,
617
00:33:48,659 --> 00:33:54,766
so we knew at that altitude
things were going fine.
618
00:33:54,832 --> 00:33:59,971
FO. BELLEGARRIGUE: Radios...
CPT. KLING: Are set.
619
00:34:00,037 --> 00:34:01,406
NARRATOR: The
timing tells Benzon
620
00:34:01,472 --> 00:34:04,909
that the crew set the
valve correctly at takeoff.
621
00:34:04,976 --> 00:34:07,912
FO. BELLEGARRIGUE:
Cabin air switch.
622
00:34:07,979 --> 00:34:09,814
CPT. KLING: Normal.
623
00:34:09,881 --> 00:34:13,217
BOB: Something happened between
the last radio call here
624
00:34:13,284 --> 00:34:17,522
and when they lost
radio contact here.
625
00:34:17,588 --> 00:34:20,425
BOB: We had good transmissions
from the flight crew,
626
00:34:20,491 --> 00:34:26,264
clear, without oxygen masks on
at an altitude of 28,000 feet,
627
00:34:26,330 --> 00:34:28,332
and four minutes
later as the aircraft
628
00:34:28,399 --> 00:34:31,068
was passing through 36,000 feet,
629
00:34:31,135 --> 00:34:34,272
air traffic control
could not contact them.
630
00:34:34,338 --> 00:34:35,473
So that led us to believe
631
00:34:35,540 --> 00:34:37,442
that something pretty
darned important happened
632
00:34:37,508 --> 00:34:42,513
between those two altitudes
in that four-minute window.
633
00:34:42,580 --> 00:34:44,081
♪
634
00:34:44,148 --> 00:34:46,651
NARRATOR:
Something must have happened
to close the cabin air valve,
635
00:34:46,717 --> 00:34:47,885
but it's impossible to say
636
00:34:47,952 --> 00:34:52,623
whether it was human
error or mechanical failure.
637
00:34:52,690 --> 00:34:56,294
BOB: Because of the chaotic
nature of airplane accidents,
638
00:34:56,360 --> 00:34:58,796
you don't have a
lot of clues sometimes,
639
00:34:58,863 --> 00:35:01,866
but that doesn't mean
that we stop investigating.
640
00:35:01,933 --> 00:35:09,307
♪
641
00:35:10,408 --> 00:35:11,809
CPT. KLING: Cabin
altitude warning.
642
00:35:11,876 --> 00:35:13,711
NARRATOR: There's
another baffling mystery.
643
00:35:13,778 --> 00:35:17,582
The Learjet is equipped
with emergency oxygen masks.
644
00:35:17,648 --> 00:35:20,184
CPT. KLING: Masks on.
FO. BELLEGARRIGUE: Masks on.
645
00:35:20,251 --> 00:35:22,553
NARRATOR: No matter what
caused the loss of pressure,
646
00:35:22,620 --> 00:35:24,589
the oxygen masks
should have given the crew
647
00:35:24,655 --> 00:35:28,326
enough air to breathe until
they could land the plane.
648
00:35:28,392 --> 00:35:30,628
BOB: If a crew happened
to get an altitude warning,
649
00:35:30,695 --> 00:35:32,930
gosh, the first thing
any flight crew should do
650
00:35:32,997 --> 00:35:35,566
would be to don an oxygen mask.
651
00:35:35,633 --> 00:35:37,969
CPT. KLING: I can't
breathe. Can you breathe?
652
00:35:38,035 --> 00:35:41,539
FO. BELLEGARRIGUE: A
little bit.
653
00:35:47,078 --> 00:35:48,846
NARRATOR: Could the
emergency oxygen system
654
00:35:48,913 --> 00:35:51,482
have somehow failed?
655
00:35:51,549 --> 00:35:52,750
♪
656
00:35:52,817 --> 00:35:56,254
Benzon scours the
Learjet's maintenance records.
657
00:35:56,320 --> 00:35:58,556
BOB: Looks like
everything was working fine.
658
00:35:58,623 --> 00:36:00,992
NARRATOR: He discovers that
on several previous flights
659
00:36:01,058 --> 00:36:06,864
the Learjet's crew used the
masks without any problems.
660
00:36:06,931 --> 00:36:09,500
BOB: We did determine
that the oxygen was on board
661
00:36:09,567 --> 00:36:11,836
and the crew could have used it.
662
00:36:11,903 --> 00:36:13,204
So now the question became,
663
00:36:13,271 --> 00:36:19,277
why didn't they use
supplemental oxygen?
664
00:36:19,343 --> 00:36:21,345
BOB: Time to
take a new approach.
665
00:36:26,684 --> 00:36:28,419
Set us to climb, please.
666
00:36:28,486 --> 00:36:30,254
NARRATOR: Investigators
need to learn more
667
00:36:30,321 --> 00:36:32,423
about what happened
on board the Learjet
668
00:36:32,490 --> 00:36:36,460
after the crew's
last radio call.
669
00:36:36,527 --> 00:36:39,330
They hope a simulation
of the flight will help.
670
00:36:40,831 --> 00:36:43,234
BOB:
There goes the cabin altitude
warning. Start the clock.
671
00:36:43,301 --> 00:36:46,237
DR. GARBER: You've got maybe
15 seconds to do something
672
00:36:46,304 --> 00:36:48,272
once you become in a environment
673
00:36:48,339 --> 00:36:51,208
that's almost
eliminated with oxygen.
674
00:36:51,275 --> 00:36:54,111
BOB: Emergency
checklist. Got it.
675
00:36:54,178 --> 00:36:56,614
NARRATOR: Benzon scans the
same type of checklist binder
676
00:36:56,681 --> 00:37:00,151
used by the Learjet pilots.
677
00:37:00,217 --> 00:37:02,653
What he's about to
discover could finally unravel
678
00:37:02,720 --> 00:37:07,024
the mystery and reveal
why Payne Stewart's Learjet
679
00:37:07,091 --> 00:37:10,094
tumbled from the
skies over South Dakota.
680
00:37:17,401 --> 00:37:19,503
DR. GARBER: I think all of
us sort of had in our heads
681
00:37:19,570 --> 00:37:21,305
the checklist will have
682
00:37:21,372 --> 00:37:23,341
once you hear the
altitude warning horn
683
00:37:23,407 --> 00:37:27,244
or any other indication
of a decompression event,
684
00:37:27,311 --> 00:37:28,813
that you're gonna
put your oxygen mask on
685
00:37:28,879 --> 00:37:31,916
as the first and
immediate action item.
686
00:37:31,983 --> 00:37:34,051
NARRATOR: The simulated
loss of cabin pressure
687
00:37:34,118 --> 00:37:37,355
leads Benzon to an
astounding discovery:
688
00:37:37,421 --> 00:37:39,624
The first item on
the emergency checklist
689
00:37:39,690 --> 00:37:42,760
is not "Put on oxygen masks."
690
00:37:42,827 --> 00:37:44,629
BOB: "At 10,000
plus or minus 500 feet,
691
00:37:44,695 --> 00:37:47,098
cabin altitude control
pressure to the outflow valve
692
00:37:47,164 --> 00:37:48,599
is trapped."
693
00:37:48,666 --> 00:37:51,969
BOB:
Some of the wording at first
glance was quite confusing,
694
00:37:52,036 --> 00:37:54,238
and I imagine it
would be very confusing
695
00:37:54,305 --> 00:37:57,241
if you were under a
distressed situation
696
00:37:57,308 --> 00:38:00,211
and trying to figure out exactly
what the checklist meant.
697
00:38:00,277 --> 00:38:01,379
BOB: "This
deactivates the automatic mode
698
00:38:01,445 --> 00:38:03,481
and stops cabin
altitude from rising higher
699
00:38:03,547 --> 00:38:06,317
if the failure is in the
automatic control system."
700
00:38:06,384 --> 00:38:09,020
I can't believe we still haven't
put our oxygen masks on.
701
00:38:09,086 --> 00:38:13,691
BOB: We were surprised, because
it implied pretty strongly
702
00:38:13,758 --> 00:38:17,128
that you need to trouble-shoot
a pressurization problem,
703
00:38:17,194 --> 00:38:21,232
and if you can't fix it,
then you don your oxygen masks,
704
00:38:21,298 --> 00:38:26,470
and that's counterintuitive to
us. That was backwards, in fact.
705
00:38:26,537 --> 00:38:30,608
The first step should
have been don oxygen masks.
706
00:38:30,675 --> 00:38:36,781
BOB: Okay. Shut it down. I
think I know what happened.
707
00:38:36,847 --> 00:38:38,482
♪
708
00:38:38,549 --> 00:38:40,117
NARRATOR:
Investigators now have a theory
709
00:38:40,184 --> 00:38:44,221
about what went wrong
on board the Learjet.
710
00:38:44,288 --> 00:38:48,459
BOB: Everything is fine
till about 24,000 feet.
711
00:38:48,526 --> 00:38:52,530
Then something causes
the plane to lose pressure.
712
00:38:58,335 --> 00:39:01,972
CPT. KLING: We've got a
cabin altitude warning.
713
00:39:02,039 --> 00:39:07,011
FO. BELLEGARRIGUE:
Emergency checklist. Uh.
714
00:39:07,078 --> 00:39:11,082
BOB:
They reach for their checklist
and start to troubleshoot.
715
00:39:11,148 --> 00:39:13,451
CPT. KLING: What
does the checklist say?
716
00:39:13,517 --> 00:39:15,686
FO. BELLEGARRIGUE: "At
10,000 plus or minus 500 feet,
717
00:39:15,753 --> 00:39:17,855
cabin altitude control
pressure to the outflow valve
718
00:39:17,922 --> 00:39:19,256
is trapped."
719
00:39:19,323 --> 00:39:23,194
BOB: They picked up a checklist,
read it, were confused by it,
720
00:39:23,260 --> 00:39:26,130
and the oxygen masks
were sitting there unused.
721
00:39:26,197 --> 00:39:28,833
CPT. KLING: Could
it be the bleed air?
722
00:39:28,899 --> 00:39:32,603
FO. BELLEGARRIGUE: "This
deactivates the automatic mode
723
00:39:32,670 --> 00:39:36,640
and stops cabin
altitude from rising higher
724
00:39:36,707 --> 00:39:40,845
if the failure is in the
automatic control system."
725
00:39:40,911 --> 00:39:44,882
CPT. KLING: Uh, what failure?
726
00:39:44,949 --> 00:39:48,719
NARRATOR: Hypoxia sets
in with devastating speed.
727
00:39:48,786 --> 00:39:53,724
After 15 seconds, the crew would
be confused and disoriented.
728
00:39:53,791 --> 00:39:56,894
CPT. KLING: Uh, read that again.
729
00:39:56,961 --> 00:39:58,662
FO. BELLEGARRIGUE:
Uh, okay. Uh...
730
00:39:58,729 --> 00:40:00,331
DR. GARBER: A lot of
it depends on how rapid
731
00:40:00,397 --> 00:40:02,066
the onset of hypoxia is,
732
00:40:02,133 --> 00:40:04,802
and a lot of it
depends on the individual,
733
00:40:04,869 --> 00:40:07,238
but things that we
tend to see fairly commonly
734
00:40:07,304 --> 00:40:09,006
and probably the
most important one
735
00:40:09,073 --> 00:40:12,510
is the difficulty in thinking.
736
00:40:12,576 --> 00:40:17,848
FO. BELLEGARRIGUE:
"At 10,000...
the control pressure..."
737
00:40:17,915 --> 00:40:19,517
DR. GARBER: Thought
patterns becoming more confused
738
00:40:19,583 --> 00:40:21,719
and less deliberate.
739
00:40:21,786 --> 00:40:26,557
You actually start
to lose consciousness.
740
00:40:26,624 --> 00:40:28,959
And if you don't get
oxygen delivered back to you,
741
00:40:29,026 --> 00:40:33,364
eventually you're going to
die from oxygen starvation.
742
00:40:33,430 --> 00:40:35,933
BOB: But before they
can solve the problem,
743
00:40:36,000 --> 00:40:38,469
the crew loses consciousness.
744
00:40:42,273 --> 00:40:45,976
BOB: The Lear checklist in
a sense, a very real sense,
745
00:40:46,043 --> 00:40:51,448
could lead a crew astray.
746
00:40:51,515 --> 00:40:57,087
BOB: Without those masks on,
they wouldn't stand a chance.
747
00:40:57,154 --> 00:41:01,959
♪
748
00:41:04,495 --> 00:41:07,298
DR. GARBER: Instead
of a loud warning horn,
749
00:41:07,364 --> 00:41:10,000
maybe a statement from
the airplane that says
750
00:41:10,067 --> 00:41:14,238
"Put on your oxygen
mask" would be more effective,
751
00:41:14,305 --> 00:41:15,573
rather than having people
752
00:41:15,639 --> 00:41:17,975
who are having to try and
figure out what the sound is
753
00:41:18,042 --> 00:41:19,577
having to deal
with the sound itself
754
00:41:19,643 --> 00:41:20,778
and then having to
try and figure out
755
00:41:20,845 --> 00:41:23,848
what they're
supposed to do about it.
756
00:41:25,950 --> 00:41:27,551
♪
757
00:41:27,618 --> 00:41:30,020
NARRATOR: In the aftermath
of the Learjet tragedy,
758
00:41:30,087 --> 00:41:31,822
Payne Stewart's
family and friends,
759
00:41:31,889 --> 00:41:34,124
along with golf
fans across the nation,
760
00:41:34,191 --> 00:41:36,560
come together in mourning.
761
00:41:36,627 --> 00:41:39,630
PRESIDENT CLINTON:
I am profoundly sorry
762
00:41:39,697 --> 00:41:43,100
for the loss of Payne Stewart,
763
00:41:43,167 --> 00:41:47,371
who has had such a remarkable
career and impact on his sport.
764
00:41:47,438 --> 00:41:50,007
TIGER WOODS: I knew
Payne as a carefree guy
765
00:41:50,074 --> 00:41:56,413
who was nice to everybody
and was very open-hearted.
766
00:41:56,480 --> 00:41:59,216
MIKE: Payne wouldn't
have wanted a lot of mourning
767
00:41:59,283 --> 00:42:02,653
over his death, however it
happened. He was an upbeat guy.
768
00:42:02,720 --> 00:42:05,923
He was a happy guy who
just loved living life,
769
00:42:05,990 --> 00:42:08,325
being with his
family, having a good time,
770
00:42:08,392 --> 00:42:10,094
and he wouldn't
want people mourning.
771
00:42:10,160 --> 00:42:12,162
He wanted people
celebrating his life
772
00:42:12,229 --> 00:42:15,866
and being there for his family.
773
00:42:15,933 --> 00:42:19,737
♪
774
00:42:19,803 --> 00:42:23,407
FO. BELLEGARRIGUE:
V-one. Rotate.
775
00:42:23,474 --> 00:42:24,875
NARRATOR:
Investigators are never able
776
00:42:24,942 --> 00:42:27,444
to determine conclusively
what caused the plane
777
00:42:27,511 --> 00:42:29,346
to lose pressure.
778
00:42:29,413 --> 00:42:30,614
BOB: The decompression
could have been caused
779
00:42:30,681 --> 00:42:33,450
by a leaky seal on a door,
780
00:42:33,517 --> 00:42:38,522
a small leak about
the size of a pencil
781
00:42:38,589 --> 00:42:40,357
in the side of the aircraft,
782
00:42:40,424 --> 00:42:44,328
a malfunction within the
system. So we don't know.
783
00:42:44,395 --> 00:42:45,829
But whatever the reason,
784
00:42:45,896 --> 00:42:47,865
the crew would
likely have recovered
785
00:42:47,932 --> 00:42:50,000
if they'd put their masks on.
786
00:42:50,067 --> 00:42:53,203
DR. GARBER: The NTSB in its
report ultimately concluded
787
00:42:53,270 --> 00:42:57,541
that had they received
oxygen in a timely manner,
788
00:42:57,608 --> 00:42:59,009
it's likely that we
would not be talking about
789
00:42:59,076 --> 00:43:01,011
this particular accident today.
790
00:43:02,313 --> 00:43:04,248
CPT. KLING: We've got a
cabin altitude warning.
791
00:43:04,315 --> 00:43:05,716
FO. BELLEGARRIGUE:
Emergency checklist.
792
00:43:05,783 --> 00:43:07,551
NARRATOR:
Following the investigation,
793
00:43:07,618 --> 00:43:12,623
the NTSB recommends important
changes to aviation checklists.
794
00:43:12,690 --> 00:43:15,993
BOB: We asked very
strongly that that checklist
795
00:43:16,060 --> 00:43:18,762
that we suspected got the crew
in trouble, the checklist
796
00:43:18,829 --> 00:43:23,834
be changed to make it clearer
and more useful in an emergency.
797
00:43:26,470 --> 00:43:28,806
NARRATOR: The FAA
is quick to respond.
798
00:43:28,872 --> 00:43:33,043
"Put on oxygen masks" is now the
first item on the checklist,
799
00:43:33,110 --> 00:43:38,482
not just for Learjets, but for
every similar plane in the sky.
800
00:43:38,549 --> 00:43:41,085
BOB: We were
pleased with the results.
801
00:43:41,151 --> 00:43:43,053
The checklist was changed.
802
00:43:43,120 --> 00:43:44,521
Again, not only for the Lear,
803
00:43:44,588 --> 00:43:49,326
but the FAA insisted that other
aircraft, other business jets
804
00:43:49,393 --> 00:43:54,198
recheck their checklists
to make sure they made sense.
805
00:43:54,264 --> 00:43:57,668
JIM: I think the most
important takeaway for me
806
00:43:57,735 --> 00:44:03,340
is to understand your
emergency checklists.
807
00:44:03,407 --> 00:44:07,244
There are emergency
checklists for a reason,
65903
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