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Narrator: MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA.
SUN, SAND AND CALM, BLUE SEAS.
BUT WHEN A TOURIST POINTS HIS CAMERA TOWARDS THE SKY,
HE CAPTURES A SCENE OF HORROR.
A PLANE IS FALLING TO THE SEA.
[SCREAMING]
Radio: WE HAVE A CODE FOUR, REPEAT, CODE FOUR,
A PLANE DOWN IN THE WATER.
Man: AS SOON AS I SAW THIS, I REALIZED,
I'M LIKE, OH, NO, THIS IS CHALK'S AIRPLANE CRASHING.
Narrator: THE DOWNED PLANE IS CHALK'S OCEAN AIRWAYS FLIGHT 101,
BOUND FOR THE BAHAMAS.
Man: COULD IT HAVE BEEN A COLLISION WITH AN OBJECT?
COULD IT HAVE BEEN A FIRE?
COULD IT HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN A CRIMINAL ACT?
Man: LET'S NOTIFY THE FBI.
Narrator: THE INCREDIBLY RARE VIDEO MAY HOLD THE ANSWERS.
Man: CAN YOU ENHANCE THAT FOR ME?
Narrator: AN AIRLINE RENOWNED FOR SAFETY
HAS MADE A FATAL ERROR.
BUT IT WILL TAKE INVESTIGATORS HUNDREDS OF HOURS
TO FINALLY UNCOVER IT.
Man: BINGO.
Pilot: MAYDAY, MAYDAY.
Narrator: THE PORT OF MIAMI, DECEMBER 19, 2005.
GIANT FREIGHTERS AND OCEANGOING CRUISE SHIPS ARE A COMMON SIGHT.
BUT THERE'S ANOTHER MUCH SMALLER CRAFT
THAT'S OFTEN SEEN IN THIS PORT.
CHALK'S OCEAN AIRWAYS FLIES SEAPLANES
IN AND OUT OF THIS BUSY WATERWAY.
TODAY, FLIGHT 101 FROM FORT LAUDERDALE
IS MAKING A BRIEF STOPOVER HERE ON ITS WAY TO THE BAHAMAS.
Co-pilot: FEATHER PROPELLERS.
Pilot: CHECK.
Co-pilot: SHUT DOWN ENGINE NUMBER ONE.
Pilot: SHUTTING DOWN ENGINE NUMBER ONE.
Narrator: CHALK'S FLIES TO TWO REGULAR DESTINATIONS,
BOTH IN THE BAHAMAS.
BIMINI, WHERE FLIGHT 101 IS SCHEDULED TO LAND THIS AFTERNOON
AND PARADISE ISLAND.
Pilot: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THIS IS YOUR CAPTAIN SPEAKING.
WE'RE JUST MAKING A SHORT STOPOVER HERE IN MIAMI
TO PICK UP A COUPLE PASSENGERS.
WE APOLOGIZE FOR THE DELAY.
WE'LL BE ON OUR WAY AGAIN SOON.
Co-pilot: HOW MANY ARE WE PICKING UP?
Pilot: JUST TWO, BUT THEY'RE VIPs.
Narrator: FOR A SMALL COMMUNITY LIKE BIMINI,
CHALK'S SEAPLANES ARE A LIFELINE.
Eric Weber: IT'S JUST SO MUCH EASIER IN THE SEAPLANE
TO GET TO THE NORTH ISLAND WHERE MOST OF THE POPULATIONS IS
THAN GOING TO THE AIRPORT DOWN THERE.
SO THAT WAS THE MAIN THING, IT WAS A CONVENIENCE FACTOR.
Co-pilot: WELCOME ABOARD.
CAN I SEE YOUR BOARDING PASSES?
Man: CERTAINLY.
Narrator: SERGIO DANGUILLECOURT IS A BACARDI RUM EXECUTIVE.
HE'S THE GREAT-GREAT-GRANDSON OF THE COMPANY'S FOUNDER.
THE FAMILY IS WELL-KNOWN IN THE LOCAL CUBAN COMMUNITY
FOR THEIR ANTI-CASTRO POLITICS.
HE AND HIS WIFE ARE FLYING TO THE BAHAMAS TO BUY A YACHT.
Pilot: ARE THE PASSENGERS SETTLED IN?
Co-pilot: WE'RE ALL SET.
Pilot: GOOD AFTERNOON, FOLKS.
WE'D LIKE TO WELCOME YOU ABOARD
CHALK'S OCEAN AIRWAYS FLIGHT 101 TO BIMINI.
OUR TRAVEL TIME TO BIMINI WILL BE 25 MINUTES.
HOPE YOU ENJOY THE FLIGHT.
LET'S HAVE THE STARTUP CHECKLIST, PLEASE.
Co-pilot: ROGER.
Narrator: MICHELE MARKS IS IN COMMAND OF TODAY'S FLIGHT.
SHE WAS PROMOTED TO CAPTAIN EARLIER THIS YEAR.
FIRST OFFICER PAUL DESANCTIS JOINED THE AIRLINE
EIGHT MONTHS AGO.
Paul Desanctis: STARTER ON.
Michele Marks: STARTER ON.
Narrator: THIS IS HIS FIRST FLIGHT WITH CAPTAIN MARKS.
Marks: ALL CLEAR TO TAXI?
Desanctis: ALL CLEAR.
Narrator: THE GRUMMAN MALLARD IS A TWIN TURBO-PROP DESIGN.
IT HAS A V-SHAPED HULL AND UNDER-WING PONTOONS.
IT'S DESIGNED TO CARRY UP TO 17 PASSENGERS.
THE PLANE HAS RETRACTABLE LANDING GEAR,
SO IT CAN OPERATE ON EITHER LAND OR SEA.
Marks: GEAR COMING UP.
Weber: THE TAKEOFF ON THE MALLARD, DEPENDING ON THE DAYS,
IT COULD BE A LOT OF FUN OR IT COULD BE A REAL CHALLENGE.
Desanctis: WEIGHT AND BALANCE CHECK.
WE'RE GOOD.
Narrator: THE MIAMI SEAPLANE BASE HAS NO CONTROL TOWER.
THE CREW HAS TO KEEP A LOOKOUT FOR BOAT TRAFFIC
AS THEY TAXI THROUGH ONE OF THE BUSIEST PORTS IN THE WORLD.
Weber: TAKING OFF IN, OUT OF MIAMI IN THE SHIPPING CHANNEL,
IT'S KIND OF LIKE TRYING TO TAKE OFF
DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC.
YOU'VE GOT BOAT TRAFFIC, WAVE TRAFFIC, THE WIND,
THE AIRPLANE TO DEAL WITH,
AND EVERYBODY'S GOING DIFFERENT SPEEDS,
AND YOU'RE TRYING TO GET UP AND GO
AND NAVIGATE AROUND EVERYBODY, SO IT WAS ALWAYS A HANDFUL.
Narrator: FLIGHT 101 WILL TAKE OFF FROM X44,
A SEAPLANE BASE NEAR A CHANNEL KNOWN AS GOVERNMENT CUT.
Marks: PREPARE FOR TAKEOFF.
Desanctis: ROGER. READY TO TAKE OFF.
Narrator: BOTH PILOTS HAVE THEIR HAND ON THE THROTTLES.
IT'S TO PREVENT THE CAPTAIN FROM INADVERTENTLY PULLING BACK
IF THE PLANE HITS A WAVE.
Desanctis: 45 KNOTS.
50 KNOTS.
Narrator: THIS IS THE MOMENT MOST PASSENGERS ARE PAYING FOR--
THE TAKEOFF.
HALF SPEEDBOAT, HALF PLANE, IT'S A UNIQUE THRILL.
Desanctis: 75 KNOTS, 80 KNOTS.
Narrator: FOR THE PILOTS, ACCELERATING THROUGH THE WAVES
IS OFTEN THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF THE FLIGHT.
Weber: THE AIRPLANE ITSELF WAS REALLY HARD TO FLY
AS FAR AS ON THE WATER, GETTING ONTO THE STEP,
WHICH WAS WHAT WE CALL GETTING ON A PLANE.
AND IN ROUGH SEA CONDITIONS AND IN ROUGH WAVE CONDITIONS,
IT COULD BE A REAL CHALLENGE.
Narrator: BUT THIS TAKEOFF GOES SMOOTHLY.
FLIGHT 101 IS NO LONGER A BOAT,
IT'S NOW A PLANE EN ROUTE TO BIMINI.
IT'S 2:38 IN THE AFTERNOON.
THE PLANE'S FLIGHT PATH TAKES IT PAST SOUTH BEACH,
WHERE SUNBATHERS AND SURFERS ARE OUT IN FORCE.
JUST LESS THAN A MINUTE INTO THE FLIGHT,
THE GRUMMAN MALLARD IS CLIMBING THROUGH 500 FEET,
WELL BELOW THE CLOUDS.
THEN...
[CRASH, SCREAMS]
THE PLANE ROLLS VIOLENTLY AND DIVES.
THE PILOTS BARELY HAVE TIME TO REGISTER WHAT'S HAPPENING.
THEIR STRUGGLES ARE IN VAIN.
BY CHANCE, A TOURIST FROM NEW YORK
CATCHES FLIGHT 101'S FINAL MOMENTS ON HIS CAMERA.
60 SECONDS AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PLANE SLAMS INTO THE OCEAN.
LUCAS BOCANEGRA IS A LIFEGUARD STATIONED ON SOUTH BEACH,
NEAR THE CHALK'S OCEAN AIRWAYS SEA LANE.
Lucas Bocanegra: AS SOON AS I SAW THIS, I REALIZED.
I'M LIKE, OH, NO, THIS IS THE CHALK'S AIRPLANE CRASHING.
Radio: WE HAVE A CODE FOUR, REPEAT, CODE FOUR,
A PLANE DOWN IN THE WATER.
Bocanegra: THIS IS LUCAS, WE'RE LAUNCHING THE JET SKI.
Narrator: THE TWO LIFEGUARDS ARE THE FIRST RESCUERS
TO GO LOOKING FOR THE PLANE.
Bocanegra: WE DROVE AS FAST AS WE COULD
TO THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT.
THERE WAS A LOT OF THINGS COMING THROUGH MY HEAD.
I WAS NERVOUS, SCARED, I WAS KIND OF FULL OF ADRENALINE.
I WANTED TO GO IN
AND TRY TO RESCUE AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE COULD,
BUT AT THE SAME TIME,
WE'VE NEVER TRAINED FOR A SITUATION LIKE THIS.
AS SOON AS WE TURNED GOVERNMENT CUT
AT THOSE JETTY ROCKS,
WE NOTICED THAT IT WAS VERY CALM, VERY QUIET.
IT WASN'T LIKE THE OCEAN SIDE, WHERE IT WAS VERY ROUGH.
THERE WAS NO WAVES, IT WAS VERY, KIND OF VERY EERIE.
Narrator: AT FIRST, LUCAS BOCANEGRA FINDS NO SIGN OF FLIGHT 101
OR ANY OF THE PASSENGERS.
Bocanegra: LITTLE BY LITTLE, WE STARTED SEEING DEBRIS FLOAT UP
ONTO THE SURFACE OF THE WATER.
AND WE SAW SOME CHAIRS, SOME LUGGAGE HERE AND THERE.
AND SUDDENLY, WE NOTICED THERE WAS A BODY IN THE WATER.
AS SOON AS WE PUT THE BODY ON OUR JET SKI,
WE REALIZED THAT FROM HIS INJURIES
THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WE COULD DO.
FROM THERE, IT WAS JUST TRY TO RECOVER AS MANY BODIES,
YOU KNOW, BRING THEM BACK FOR THEIR FAMILIES.
Narrator: NEWS CREWS SWARM THE BEACH.
Reporter: CHALK'S FLIGHT 101 PLUMMETED INTO THE CHANNEL
IN FULL VIEW OF TOURISTS LINING MIAMI BEACH.
Man: IN A FRACTION OF A SECOND,
THE WHOLE PLANE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES.
Woman: BLACK SMOKE AND THEN AN EXPLOSION.
PURE FIRE IN THE SKY.
Woman: IT WAS SO SURREAL,
WE COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT WE ACTUALLY WITNESSED THAT.
Reporter: CHOPPER FOUR OVER THE WRECKAGE
AS MIAMI BEACH COASTGUARD LOOK FOR ANY SURVIVORS.
Narrator: BUT THE EFFORT IS FUTILE.
Man: WE RETRIEVED SOME OF THE BODIES,
BUT WE WERE UNABLE TO FIND ANYONE THAT HAD SURVIVED.
Narrator: ALL 20 PEOPLE ON BOARD ARE DEAD,
INCLUDING PILOTS PAUL DESANCTIS
AND MICHELE MARKS.
THE RESIDENTS OF BIMINI ARE DEVASTATED BY THE HORRIFIC NEWS.
Weber: IT WAS VERY SAD FOR THE CREW
AND THE FRIENDS THAT I HAD LOST ON THE AIRPLANE.
YOU NEVER EXPECT AN ACCIDENT TO ACTUALLY HAPPEN.
AND TO SEE THAT ON TELEVISION LIKE I DID,
IT WAS VERY, VERY SAD.
Narrator: IN WASHINGTON, SENIOR NTSB INVESTIGATOR BILL ENGLISH
IS PUT ON THE CASE.
Bill English: I WAS JUST IN MY OFFICE
DOING SOME ROUTINE PAPERWORK FOR SOMETHING ELSE,
AND THE DIRECTOR STUCK HIS HEAD AROUND AND THE CORNER
AND SAID THERE'S BEEN AN ACCIDENT.
AND I SAID WELL, WHAT IS IT?
AND HE MENTIONED A GRUMMAN MALLARD.
SO I IMMEDIATELY KNEW IT HAD TO BE CHALK'S.
Narrator: WITHIN HOURS, INVESTIGATORS ARE AT THE CRASH SITE,
WHERE 19 BODIES HAVE BEEN RECOVERED.
ONE IS STILL MISSING.
English: I WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH CHALK'S AIRWAYS.
I'M A SEAPLANE RATED PILOT MYSELF,
AND THERE IS THEIR REPUTATION, THE LEGEND OF CHALK'S AIRWAYS,
THE OLDEST CONTINUOUSLY OPERATING AIRLINE.
Narrator: CHALK'S HAS A LONG AND RICH HISTORY.
THE AIRLINE WAS FOUNDED IN 1917.
DURING THE PROHIBITION ERA,
PASSENGER LISTS INCLUDED NOTORIOUS RUMRUNNERS.
AND LATER, HOLLYWOOD MOVIE STARS.
CHALK'S PLANES EVEN PATROLLED FOR GERMAN U-BOATS
DURING WORLD WAR II.
Weber: THE NOVELTY OF FLYING AT CHALK'S
WAS JUST ALL THAT HISTORY, ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE GONE.
AND IT WAS A REALLY GREAT PLACE TO WORK FOR THAT.
Narrator: THE GRUMMAN MALLARD FLYING BOAT THAT CRASHED
WAS BUILT IN 1947.
CHALK'S OCEAN AIRWAYS IS THE ONLY AIRLINE THAT USES MALLARDS
TO TRANSPORT PASSENGERS.
Weber: THEY'RE NOT REALLY A MAINSTREAM TYPE OF AIRPLANE,
AND SO THERE'S ALWAYS THAT NOSTALGIA ABOUT THEM.
Narrator: SALVAGE CREWS FIND THE PLANE'S BLACK BOX.
INVESTIGATORS SEND IT TO THE NTSB IN WASHINGTON.
THE BOX PROMISES TO REVEAL CRITICAL INFORMATION
ABOUT WHAT THE PILOTS WERE DOING
IN THE SECONDS LEADING UP TO THE TRAGIC MIDAIR DISASTER.
English: IN ANY INVESTIGATION, THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER
AND THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER ARE A GREAT DESIRE.
THE MORE DATA, THE BETTER.
WE CAN ALWAYS LEARN SOMETHING.
Narrator: BUT BILL ENGLISH KNOWS
HE ISN'T GOING TO GET ALL THE DATA HE WANTS.
English: OK, THANKS.
Narrator: THE ONLY RECORDER ON BOARD THE MALLARD
WAS A COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER, OR CVR.
English: MOST AIRLINE AIRCRAFT HAVE TWO FLIGHT RECORDERS.
THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER, DEPENDING ON THE AIRCRAFT,
WILL RECORD ALL SORTS OF PARAMETERS OF THE FLIGHT--
ALTITUDE, AIRSPEED, CONTROL POSITIONS, AND SO ON.
THE CHALK'S AIRPLANE WAS NOT EQUIPPED
WITH A FLIGHT DATA RECORDER.
IT DID HAVE A COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER.
Narrator: THOUGH THE LACK OF FLIGHT DATA
IS A BIG DISAPPOINTMENT,
MEDIA COVERAGE OF THE CRASH
GIVES INVESTIGATORS A VERY RARE PIECE OF EVIDENCE.
Reporter: AUTHORITIES REVEALED THAT THE FINAL SECONDS
OF FLIGHT 101 WERE CAPTURED ON AMATEUR VIDEO.
THE DRAMATIC FOOTAGE WAS SHOT BY A TOURIST ON SOUTH BEACH.
English: LET'S GET A COPY OF THAT VIDEO.
OK, LET'S SEE IT.
Narrator: THE VIDEO ONLY CAPTURED
THE FINAL SECONDS OF THE PLANE CRASH,
BUT IT CONFIRMS EYEWITNESS REPORTS
THAT A WING RIPPED OFF IN MIDAIR.
English: CAN YOU ENHANCE THAT FOR ME?
THE VIDEO SHOWED THE WING
JUST AFTER SEPARATION FROM THE AIRCRAFT,
THE MAIN PART OF THE AIRCRAFT FUSELAGE
ROLLING OFF IN THE OTHER DIRECTION
AND THE FIRE AND SMOKE STARTING FROM THAT.
Bart Crotty: IT WAS QUITE STARTLING
THAT THE WING WOULD FALL OFF ON THIS PLANE.
IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY,
THE WATER WASN'T ROUGH ON THE TAKEOFF,
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, THIS WING JUST DROPPED OFF.
IT MUST HAVE BEEN ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATING.
[CRASH, SCREAMS]
Narrator: HOWEVER, THE VIDEO CAN'T REVEAL WHY THE WING CAME OFF.
ANSWERS TO THAT QUESTION MAY LIE AT THE CRASH SITE,
WHERE SALVAGE CREWS ARE FINISHING THEIR RECOVERY
OF THE WRECKAGE OF FLIGHT 101.
THE RIGHT WING IS FOUND SEPARATE FROM THE PLANE,
BUT LARGELY INTACT.
Crotty: WINGS FALLING OFF AIRCRAFT,
IN MODERN DAY SITUATIONS, IS A VERY RARE, EXTREME EVENT,
AND THERE'S ONLY BEEN A FEW CASES OF THEM
IN THE PAST 20 OR 30 YEARS.
[GARBLED RADIO CHATTER]
Narrator: IN WASHINGTON,
ANOTHER TYPE OF EXAMINATION IS ALREADY UNDER WAY.
AT THE NTSB LAB, TECHNICIANS ARE BUSY
ANALYZING THE MALLARD'S COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER.
English: THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER, OR CVR,
WHICH DOES WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE, RECORDS THE PILOTS' VOICES,
TALKING TO EACH OTHER OR ON THE MICROPHONES.
[INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER]
Narrator: BUT THE TAPE IS A JUMBLE OF VOICES AND SOUNDS.
TECHNICIANS CAN'T RETRIEVE ANY USEFUL INFORMATION.
English: IT TURNED OUT THAT THE ERASE-HEAD FUNCTION,
IT'S JUST LIKE A TAPE RECORDER
THAT MOST PEOPLE ARE FAMILIAR WITH,
IT DIDN'T ERASE THE OLD STUFF.
SO EVERY SUBSEQUENT FLIGHT KEPT GETTING RECORDED OVER
AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND JUST BECAME A MUDDLED SOUND,
AND IT WASN'T AUDIBLE TO US, OR USEFUL.
Narrator: IT'S ANOTHER SETBACK.
English: OK, LET'S REVISIT THIS AGAIN,
BECAUSE WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF OPTIONS HERE.
Narrator: INVESTIGATORS HAVE FEWER AND FEWER TOOLS TO WORK WITH.
BILL ENGLISH CONSIDERS THE POSSIBILITY THAT FLIGHT 101
HIT TURBULENCE SO VIOLENT THAT IT TORE THE PLANE APART.
BUT THE WEATHER ON THE DAY OF THE CRASH
DOESN'T SUPPORT THAT THEORY.
THERE WERE NO STORMS
THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED SUCH SEVERE TURBULENCE.
CLEARLY, SOMETHING ELSE HAD TORN THIS PLANE APART.
THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THE MALLARD COLLIDED WITH SOMETHING
IN THE WATER BEFORE TAKEOFF.
English: SEAPLANES DON'T TAKE OFF OF A CONVENTIONAL RUNWAY,
THEY'RE IN WATER WHERE THERE COULD BE THINGS LIKE LOGS
OR OTHER DEBRIS, WHICH COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE
STRUCTURAL ISSUES WITH AN AIRCRAFT.
Narrator: BUT BEFORE THEY CAN REACH A CONCLUSION ON THAT THEORY,
INVESTIGATORS CONSIDER SOME OTHER INTRIGUING EVIDENCE.
IT'S AN URGENT ADVISORY
ISSUED BY THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, OR FAA.
IT WARNS THAT DUE TO A FAULTY PART,
THE PROPELLERS ON THE MALLARD COULD COME OFF DURING FLIGHT.
English: YOU'RE KIDDING ME.
SOMETHING SUCH AS A BLADE SEPARATION,
LOSING PART OF THE PROPELLER,
COULD CAUSE A GREAT STRUCTURAL LOAD ON THE AIRCRAFT.
Narrator: ENGLISH NOW HAS A SOLID LEAD.
BUT HIS TEAM IS STILL MISSING THE EVIDENCE THEY NEED
TO PROVE THEIR CASE.
Reporter: THE ENTIRE ISLAND IS DEVASTATED BY THE LOSS OF LIFE
AS INVESTIGATORS SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS
WAIT FOR MORE WRECKAGE TO BE PULLED FROM THE SEA.
Narrator: IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE CRASH,
CHALK'S OCEAN AIRWAYS GROUNDS ITS REMAINING FLEET
OF FOUR GRUMMAN MALLARDS.
AT THE NTSB'S MIAMI COMMAND POST,
THEY'RE WORKING TO IDENTIFY VARIOUS PLANE FRAGMENTS
AND OTHER DEBRIS FROM THE CRASH.
English: WE STARTED OUT WITH THE WING ITSELF THAT SEPARATED,
THE SPAR, WHICH IS THE MAIN PART OF THE STRUCTURE OF THE WING
AND ANY OF THE OTHER FRACTURE SURFACES,
LOOKING FOR OBVIOUS INITIATION FACTORS.
Narrator: THEY CAREFULLY EXAMINE THE PROPELLERS,
LOOKING FOR EVIDENCE THAT MIGHT CONFIRM SUSPICIONS
RAISED BY THE FAA ADVISORY.
[CAMERA CLICKS]
BUT IT'S ANOTHER DEAD END.
English: WE WERE ABLE TO DETERMINE ALL THE BLADES WERE ATTACHED
AND THE BENDING THAT WE SAW WAS THE EXPECTED PATTERN
FROM PROPER OPERATION WHEN THOSE BLADES HIT THE WATER.
Narrator: ONCE AGAIN, THEY'RE BACK TO SQUARE ONE.
English: THIS IS WHAT I WANT YOU TO LOOK AT.
Narrator: INVESTIGATORS FOCUS THEIR ATTENTION
ON THE FRACTURED WING.
THEY'VE NOTICED SOOTING ON PARTS OF IT.
IT'S EVIDENCE OF A VERY RAPID FIRE.
English: WE WANT TO FIND ANYTHING
THAT COULD BE THE INITIATING FACTOR FOR THE WING SEPARATION.
COULD IT HAVE BEEN A COLLISION WITH AN OBJECT?
COULD IT HAVE BEEN A FIRE?
COULD IT HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN A CRIMINAL ACT?
Narrator: THE BURN MARKS RAISE A SINISTER POSSIBILITY.
AN EXPLOSION.
A BOMB.
THIS NOW FALLS OUTSIDE THE NTSB'S AREA OF EXPERTISE
AND AUTHORITY.
English: LET'S NOTIFY THE FBI.
THE FBI HELPS US IN MANY OF OUR INVESTIGATIONS,
AND WE'LL UTILIZE SOME OF THEIR EXPERTS
TO RULE OUT TERRORISM OR A CRIMINAL ACT.
Narrator: IF IT WAS A BOMB THAT BROUGHT DOWN FLIGHT 101,
A LIKELY TARGET COULD HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE 18 PASSENGERS.
English: THANKS FOR COMING IN,
WE'RE GOING TO NEED YOUR HELP ON THIS.
SO I GOT THE LIST HERE...
Narrator: ONE NAME STANDS OUT ON THE PASSENGER MANIFEST--
SERGIO DANGUILLECOURT.
Desanctis: WELCOME ABOARD.
CAN I SEE YOUR BOARDING PASSES?
Sergio Danguillecourt: CERTAINLY.
Narrator: THERE ARE RUMORS ON THE INTERNET
THAT THE CRASH WAS AN ASSASSINATION PLOT
AND DANGUILLECOURT WAS THE TARGET.
HIS FAMILY MADE A FORTUNE IN PRE-CASTRO CUBA.
THEY WERE SO OPPOSED TO FIDEL CASTRO'S REGIME
THAT THEY HAD ALLEGEDLY SUPPORTED CLANDESTINE ATTEMPTS
TO OVERTHROW HIS COMMUNIST GOVERNMENT.
English: THIS IS YOUR COPY, ALL RIGHT.
NOW, THERE'S SOMETHING I WANTED TO SHOW YOU.
WE CAN'T TELL IF IT'S JUST SOOT OR IT'S EXPLOSIVE RESIDUE.
Narrator: A BOMB WILL LEAVE CHEMICAL TRACES
AND DISTINCTIVE PATTERNS IN THE TORN METAL.
FBI TECHNICIANS ARE SPECIALLY TRAINED TO DETECT THEM.
THE SAMPLES FROM THE WRECKAGE WILL BE TESTED AT FBI LABS
IN QUANTICO, VIRGINIA.
FOUR DAYS AFTER THE ACCIDENT,
SALVAGE CREWS ARE STILL BRINGING IN WING FRAGMENTS
FOUND AT THE CRASH SITE.
[CAMERA CLICKS]
English: SO, WE NEED EVERYTHING
THAT LOOKS LIKE IT'D COME FROM THE RIGHT WING.
CAN WE GET SOME LIGHT OVER HERE?
OVER-STRESS.
Narrator: MOST OF THE DAMAGE THEY SEE
IS FROM OVER-STRESS FRACTURES,
AREAS WHERE THE METAL WAS LITERALLY RIPPED APART
WHEN THE WING TORE OFF.
English: COME HERE.
THAT'S THE SAME.
Narrator: WHEN METAL IS SUDDENLY STRESSED TO THE POINT OF BREAKING,
THE FRACTURE LEAVES A VERY DISTINCTIVE ROUGH EDGE.
IT'S EASY TO DISTINGUISH IT FROM FRACTURES
THAT HAVE DEVELOPED SLOWLY OVER TIME.
English: CUT THIS FROM HERE TO HERE
AND GET IT TO CLINT IN WASHINGTON.
AS WE STARTED TO EXAMINE THE RIGHT WING, SPAR,
AND OTHER COMPONENTS ON SCENE AT THE COAST GUARD STATION
OR THE SEAPLANE BASE, THIS WAS A VISUAL EXAMINATION THERE.
WE DIDN'T HAVE THE SOPHISTICATED LAB TOOLS
THAT WE HAVE AT HEADQUARTERS.
Narrator: THEY IDENTIFY PARTS TO BE SHIPPED TO THE LAB
IN WASHINGTON, WHERE THEY HOPE CLOSER INSPECTION WILL REVEAL
EXACTLY WHAT WENT WRONG WITH THE WING.
English: HEY, CLINT.
CLINT, WE'RE SENDING YOU AS MUCH OF THE WING AS WE HAVE YOUR WAY.
YEAH, OK.
YEAH, I KNOW, I'M STILL WAITING FOR THAT REPORT.
Narrator: THE RESULTS FROM THE FBI EXPLOSIVE TEST COME IN.
A MIDAIR BOMBING ASSASSINATION COULD EXPLAIN EVERYTHING.
BUT THERE IS NO EXPLOSIVE RESIDUE ON THE WRECKAGE.
English: OK, SO THAT RULES THAT OUT.
Narrator: STRUCTURAL FAILURE IS NOW THE CHIEF SUSPECT
IN THE DOWNING OF CHALK'S FLIGHT 101.
English: WELL, THAT'S ALL THAT'S LEFT.
THAT'S TOMORROW.
IT WAS OBVIOUS THE AIRPLANE
HAD A CATASTROPHIC STRUCTURAL FAILURE.
SO, WE NEEDED TO FIND OUT THE CAUSE,
THE INITIATING FACTOR OF THAT STRUCTURAL FAILURE.
Narrator: HE NEEDS TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE LONG HISTORY
OF THIS PARTICULAR GRUMMAN MALLARD.
English: IT'S VERY TYPICAL IN ANY ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION,
WE WANT TO LOOK AT THE MAINTENANCE HISTORY
OF AN AIRCRAFT.
FOR AN AIRCRAFT THAT'S 60 YEARS OLD,
THAT'S EVEN MORE SO IMPORTANT.
Narrator: CLINT CROOKSHANKS IS A STRUCTURES INVESTIGATOR
FOR THE NTSB.
Clint Crookshanks: WHEN WE GO INTO AN INVESTIGATION,
WE TRY TO GO IN WITH A VERY OPEN MIND
AND LOOK AT THE WRECKAGE
AND LET IT TELL THE STORY FOR WHAT HAPPENED.
WE WANTED TO LOOK AT EVERY PIECE THAT BROKE ON THE RIGHT WING
TO DETERMINE IF THIS WAS AN AGE-RELATED FAILURE
OR IF IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS CAUSED BY A STRUCTURAL OVERLOAD.
Narrator: AS WITH MOST AIRCRAFT,
THE MALLARD'S WINGS ARE BUILT FROM ALUMINUM ALLOY.
THE SPARS RUN THE LENGTH OF EACH WING.
IN BETWEEN THE SPARS ARE STRINGERS
THAT GIVE ADDED SUPPORT.
TOGETHER, THESE PARTS MAKE UP THE WING BOX,
WHICH ALSO DOUBLES AS A FUEL TANK.
Crookshanks: AND THEN THE SKIN IS OVER TOP
OF ALL OF THAT STRUCTURE
TO KIND OF GIVE A SMOOTH, AERODYNAMIC LOOK TO THE WING.
ALL OF THESE TOGETHER WORK TO CARRY THE FLIGHT LOADS
THAT THE WING IS DESIGNED TO CARRY.
ONCE YOU COMPROMISE ONE PIECE OF THAT STRUCTURE,
THE ABILITY TO CARRY THE NORMAL FLIGHT LOADS
HAS BEEN COMPROMISED.
THANKS.
Narrator: OVER THE YEARS,
THE WING BOX HAD BEEN REPAIRED MANY TIMES.
CHALK'S MECHANICS HAD PATCHED UP AREAS DAMAGED BY CORROSION,
WHICH IS NOT UNUSUAL FOR AN AGING AIRCRAFT,
ESPECIALLY A SEAPLANE.
Crookshanks: THE FACT THAT THEY LAND ON WATER
MEANS THAT THEIR TAKEOFF AND LANDING LOADS ARE DIFFERENT
THAN YOU WOULD HAVE ON AN LAND-BASED AIRPLANE.
ALSO, THEY'RE ALWAYS IN WATER,
AND THE CORROSIVE EFFECTS OF WATER ARE GOING TO HAPPEN
MORE READILY ON THOSE AIRPLANES.
Narrator: BUT WHEN INVESTIGATORS EXAMINE
THE REST OF THE CHALK'S FLEET,
THEY FIND THAT THE MALLARDS ARE IN FAR WORSE SHAPE
THAN THEY IMAGINED.
Crookshanks: CORROSION REPAIRS.
CORROSION.
CORROSION, CORROSION, CORROSION.
CORROSION REPAIRS.
LOTS OF THEM.
THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE AND THE OTHER AIRPLANES IN CHALK'S FLEET
WERE RIFE WITH MAINTENANCE ISSUES.
CORROSION WAS RAMPANT ON ALL THE AIRPLANES.
THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF SHODDY MAINTENANCE PRACTICES
ON ALL OF THEIR OTHER AIRPLANES.
Crotty: MANY, MANY OF THE REPAIRS EXHIBITED
EXTREMELY POOR WORKMANSHIP AND QUALITY,
DOUBLE, TRIPLE DRILLING OF HOLES,
EXCESSIVE GRINDING OF CORROSION, SCARS ON THE MATERIAL.
AND THIS INVOLVED THE STRUCTURAL REPAIRS
THAT WERE MADE TO THE AIRCRAFT OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.
Narrator: CROOKSHANKS' ATTENTION IS DRAWN
TO A SECTION OF THE LOWER RIGHT WING.
THERE IS A METAL PATCH,
CALLED A DOUBLER, ON THE SURFACE OF THE WING'S SKIN.
Crookshanks: A DOUBLER IS SIMPLY A SHEET OF METAL
THAT GOES OVER TOP OF THE SKIN AND IT ACTS AS A LOAD TRANSFER,
IT ACTS AS A SECOND PIECE OF SKIN TO PATCH THE CRACK.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE THE PATCH ON A PAIR OF JEANS.
THIS IS A BIG REPAIR JOB.
YOU SURE WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ON THIS?
Narrator: IT'S AN INTRIGUING DISCOVERY.
THE PATCH IS LOCATED EXACTLY WHERE THE WING BROKE OFF
FROM THE REST OF THE PLANE.
WHEN HE TAKES A CLOSER LOOK AT THIS SECTION OF THE WING,
CROOKSHANKS NOTICES THE EDGES ARE SMOOTH AND SHINY,
TOTALLY UNLIKE THE ROUGH EDGES
HE'S BEEN SEEING ON OTHER DEBRIS.
Crookshanks: WE'VE GOT TO SEE WHAT'S UNDER THIS.
Narrator: THIS CRACK IS NOT FROM OVER-STRESS.
INSTEAD, CROOKSHANKS SUSPECTS IT DEVELOPED OVER MANY YEARS
AS THE RESULT OF METAL FATIGUE.
English: METAL FATIGUE IS A PROCESS BY WHICH
ANY PIECE OF METAL, A WING SPAR OR ANYTHING,
IS REPETITIVELY LOADED AND UNLOADED.
YOU CAN THINK OF IT AS BENDING A PAPER CLIP BACK AND FORTH,
AND EVERYONE'S DONE THIS,
AND AFTER A WHILE, IT EVENTUALLY BREAKS.
Narrator: METAL FATIGUE IN THE WINGS IS CAUSED
BY THE STRESS OF FLIGHT OVER THE LIFETIME OF THE AIRCRAFT.
CROOKSHANKS IS EAGER TO FIND OUT
WHAT'S UNDERNEATH THE METAL PATCH.
Crookshanks: OK, LET'S SEE WHAT THIS DOUBLER'S HIDING.
Narrator: THEY FIND EVEN MORE METAL FATIGUE.
DEEP CRACKS CUT ACROSS THE WING.
THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE IS STAGGERING.
A CRACK NEARLY 16 INCHES LONG.
Crookshanks: MAN, OH, MAN.
Narrator: INVESTIGATING FURTHER,
CROOKSHANKS MAKES ANOTHER DISTURBING FIND.
Crookshanks: THREE MACHINE HOLES IN THE SKIN
FORWARD OF THE LEADING EDGE.
ALL THREE APPEAR TO BE STOP DRILL HOLES.
Narrator: THE HOLES INDICATE THAT CHALK'S MECHANICS
HAD BEEN TRYING TO STOP THE CRACK FROM SPREADING FURTHER.
YEARS EARLIER, A MECHANIC HAD SPOTTED THE CRACK
ON THE LOWER SURFACE OF THE WING.
HE REPAIRED IT BY DRILLING A HOLE IN THE PATH OF THE CRACK.
IT'S CALLED A STOP DRILL HOLE.
English: THE END OF A CRACK,
YOU COULD SEE EVEN WITH THE NAKED EYE,
IS SHARP, IT COMES TO A POINT.
THAT TENDS TO WANT TO DEVELOP A CRACK MORE.
BY DRILLING A HOLE AT THE END OF THE CRACK,
THEN WOULD SPREAD OUT THE STRESS,
AND THE IDEA IS TO STOP THE GROWTH OF THE CRACK THERE.
Narrator: BUT THE STOP DRILL HOLES DIDN'T WORK.
English: AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO REPAIR THAT SKIN
ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS BY STOP DRILLING.
Narrator: EVEN AS MECHANICS PUT IN MORE HOLES,
THE CRACK KEPT GROWING.
Crookshanks: AFTER THE THIRD STOP DRILL,
AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO FURTHER REPAIR THE WING
BY ATTACHING DOUBLERS ON THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR SURFACE
OF THE SKIN.
Narrator: BUT THE DOUBLERS DIDN'T WORK EITHER.
THE CRACK ON THE PLANE'S SKIN CONTINUED TO GROW.
INVESTIGATORS NOW KNOW THE RIGHT WING WAS DAMAGED
LONG BEFORE THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT.
WHAT THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND
IS WHY THE CRACK COULD NOT BE STOPPED.
BUT A GLIMMER OF AN ANSWER COMES
WHEN THEY LEARN THE PLANE WAS SENDING OUT WARNING SIGNS
OF A DEEPER, MORE SERIOUS PROBLEM.
English: THE CHALK'S AIRPLANE INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT
WAS SHOWING EVIDENCE OF CHRONIC FUEL LEAKS
FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, FOR MANY YEARS.
Narrator: ACCORDING TO THE LOG,
FUEL LEAKS FROM THE RIGHT WING WERE REPAIRED AGAIN AND AGAIN.
BUT THEY KEPT HAPPENING.
Weber: THE CREWS STARTED TO NOTICE REPEATED FUEL LEAKS
DURING STANDARD OPERATIONS,
AND WE TRIED TO BRING IT UP TO ATTENTION OF MANAGEMENT,
JUST FOR OUR CONCERNS.
Narrator: JUST TWO DAYS BEFORE THE CRASH,
IT HAPPENED AGAIN.
WHILE DOING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ON THE MALLARD,
A MECHANIC CAME ACROSS FUEL DRIPPING FROM THE RIGHT WING.
Weber: THEY ALWAYS ADDRESS THE PROBLEM
WITH TRYING TO RESEAL THE FUEL TANKS
OR TRYING TO FIX WHATEVER PROBLEM THEY THOUGHT THEY HAD.
IT ALWAYS SEEMED TO BE A REOCCURRING ISSUE.
Narrator: THE PROCEDURE FOR PLUGGING A LEAK
WAS TO APPLY A CHEMICAL SEALANT
TO THE INSIDE OF THE EMPTY FUEL TANK.
THE SEALANT WOULD TAKE A DAY TO DRY.
THEN THE PLANE COULD BE REFUELED AND RETURNED TO SERVICE.
THE LEAKS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A CLUE
THAT THE CRACK IN THE WING SKIN WAS JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG,
THAT THERE WAS A MUCH MORE DANGEROUS PROBLEM
WITH THE WING'S INTERIOR STRUCTURE.
English: FUEL LEAKS IN THIS PARTICULAR AIRCRAFT
ARE INDICATIVE OF A PROBLEM WITH THE WING STRUCTURE.
IN FACT, GRUMMAN PUT OUT A SERVICE BULLETIN BACK IN 1963
THAT WARNED MECHANICS, CHRONIC FUEL LEAKS ARE AN INDICATOR
OF A STRUCTURAL ISSUE WITH THE AIRCRAFT.
Crookshanks: OK, LET'S SEE WHAT WE GOT HERE.
Narrator: CROOKSHANKS EXAMINES THE PIECES
THAT MAKE UP THE RIGHT FUEL TANK.
Crookshanks: SOME KIND OF SEALANT.
Narrator: HE WONDERS WHY THE FUEL LEAKS PERSISTED
IN SPITE OF THE CONSTANT EFFORTS TO REPAIR THEM.
Crookshanks: HAND ME THAT SCRAPER, PLEASE.
THANK YOU.
Narrator: BENEATH THE LAYERS OF SEALANT, HE FINDS THE ANSWER.
Crookshanks: BINGO.
Narrator: CRACKS IN A CRITICAL SUPPORT BEAM
CALLED A Z-STRINGER.
IT'S THE PIECE THAT THE PLANE'S SKIN WAS DIRECTLY ATTACHED TO.
Crookshanks: ALRIGHT, WILL YOU FINISH CLEANING THIS OFF
AND THEN GET SOME PICTURES, OK?
THANK YOU.
[CAMERA CLICKS]
Narrator: CROOKSHANKS FINDS EVIDENCE
THAT CHALK'S MECHANICS HAD TRIED TO REPAIR THE STRINGER.
Crookshanks: IT APPEARS THAT THEY DID SOME GRINDING
ON THIS Z-STRINGER TO REMOVE A FATIGUE CRACK.
HOWEVER, THEY NEVER WENT BACK IN AND REINSPECTED THAT AREA.
Narrator: INSTEAD, THEY ONLY APPLIED CHEMICAL SEALANT
TO THE AREA, TO MAKE IT LEAK-PROOF.
AND IN THE PROCESS, CONCEALED THE DAMAGE.
Crookshanks: CHALK'S MADE REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR THE AIRPLANE
BY STOP DRILLING THE WING SKIN CRACKS,
ADDING DOUBLERS OVER TOP OF THE CRACKS,
BUT THEY NEVER ADDRESSED THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM,
WHICH WAS THE CRACKED Z-STRINGER.
THE REASON THEY COULDN'T ADDRESS THE Z-STRINGER
IS IT WAS COVERED IN FUEL TANK SEALANT.
Narrator: THE BROKEN Z-STRINGER WEAKENED THE ENTIRE WING.
NOW WITH EVERY TAKEOFF AND LANDING,
THE PLANE'S SKIN WAS ABSORBING THE FORCES.
OVER TIME, THE SKIN BEGAN TO CRACK AS WELL.
THE FINAL OUTCOME WAS INEVITABLE.
Crookshanks: THE FATIGUE CRACKING REACHED CRITICAL LENGTH
AND THE WING SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE.
Narrator: INVESTIGATORS CONCLUDE THAT A HIDDEN CRACK
IN A KEY COMPONENT OF THE RIGHT WING
LED TO THE DEVASTATING CRASH OF FLIGHT 101.
CHALK'S FAILURE TO IDENTIFY SUCH A SERIOUS PROBLEM
NOW FORCES INVESTIGATORS TO REEXAMINE
THE AIRLINE'S LONG HISTORY.
CHALK'S OCEAN AIRWAYS HAD AN IMAGE
AS ONE OF THE SAFEST AIRLINES IN THE WORLD.
DESPITE THE AGE OF THEIR FLEET,
THE AIRLINE HAD AN OUTSTANDING RECORD OF SAFETY,
DATING BACK ALMOST 90 YEARS.
Weber: CHALK'S SAFETY RECORD WAS GREAT.
THEY HAD NEVER LOST A PASSENGER IN ALL THEIR YEARS OF OPERATION.
Crotty: CHALK WAS AN OLD, ESTABLISHED COMPANY.
BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE
THE MANAGEMENT AND THE QUALITY OF THE WORK DONE
HAD SLIPPED QUITE A BIT FROM IN THE PAST YEARS.
English: WHAT HAVE YOU GOT
ON THE FINANCIAL STATE OF THIS COMPANY?
Narrator: INVESTIGATORS ARE BEGINNING TO SUSPECT
THAT THE COMPANY'S REPUTATION FOR SAFETY
MAY HAVE BEEN UNDERMINED IN RECENT YEARS BY MONEY PROBLEMS.
English: FINANCIAL ISSUES IN AN AIRLINE,
ESPECIALLY A SMALL CARRIER LIKE THIS,
CAN MANIFEST THEMSELVES IN MANY WAYS.
PERSONNEL ARE SOMETIMES ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS TO GO.
Narrator: A SEARCH OF CHALK'S FINANCIAL HISTORY
UNCOVERS SOME TROUBLE.
IN THE 1980s, CHALK'S WENT THROUGH A STRING OF OWNERS
BEFORE GOING BANKRUPT IN 1999.
THE AIRLINE WAS REVIVED BY A MIAMI BUSINESSMAN,
BUT IT KEPT LOSING MONEY.
JUST A FEW MONTHS BEFORE THE CRASH,
THE LAST ATTEMPT TO SELL THE BUSINESS FELL THROUGH.
English: NOT DOING SO WELL.
Weber: IT WASN'T A SECRET
THAT WE WERE HAVING FINANCIAL DIFFICULTY.
THE PILOTS HAD TAKEN PAY CUTS,
AND THE CAPTAINS HAD TAKEN CONCESSIONS,
AND YOU KNOW, WE DOWNSIZED A LOT AS FAR AS PERSONNEL.
Narrator: IT WASN'T JUST PERSONNEL WHO FELT THE PINCH.
English: IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR CHALK'S TO FIND SPARE PARTS
AND TO DO SOME OF THEIR REPAIRS.
CHALK'S HAD A NUMBER OF OTHER UN-FLYABLE AIRCRAFT
THAT THEY OWNED THAT THEY WOULD CANNIBALIZE FOR SPARE PARTS.
Crotty: THERE WERE MAYBE ONLY 50 OR 55 AIRCRAFT EVER BUILT.
IN THAT CASE, THE ORIGINAL MANUFACTURER, GRUMMAN,
WAS NO LONGER IN PRODUCTION OF THAT AIRCRAFT,
THEY NO LONGER SUPPLIED PARTS.
Narrator: THE AIRLINE'S DETERIORATING HEALTH
AND THE SHORTAGE OF SPARE PARTS HAD A DIRECT IMPACT ON SAFETY.
English: THERE'S SO MUCH REGULATION
AND THERE'S SO MUCH JUST NECESSITY
TO MAKE THE AIRPLANE FLY,
IT'S HARD TO SKIMP ON MAINTENANCE
AND NOT IMPACT RELIABILITY.
AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE RELIABILITY,
THEN YOU'RE JUST SPIRALING DOWNHILL.
Narrator: BUT NO MATTER HOW TIGHT THE FINANCES WERE,
AS A COMMERCIAL AIRLINE,
CHALK'S SHOULD HAVE BEEN CLOSELY MONITORED
BY THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION.
IN FACT, THE FAA DID ASSIGN AN INSPECTOR
TO WORK CLOSELY WITH CHALK'S.
Crotty: THE FAA INSPECTOR,
WHICH IS CALLED A PRINCIPAL MAINTENANCE INSPECTOR,
WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OVERSIGHT
OF THE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM, AS CARRIED OUT BY CHALK.
Narrator: THE INSPECTOR WAS AWARE
THE PLANE WAS SUFFERING FROM CHRONIC FUEL LEAKS.
AND YET, INEXPLICABLY, HE GAVE CHALK'S A CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH,
JUST TWO MONTHS BEFORE THE CRASH.
English: WHAT WAS THIS GUY DOING?
Narrator: INVESTIGATORS ARE AT A LOSS TO EXPLAIN
WHY THE FAA INSPECTOR DIDN'T PICK UP ON WARNING SIGNS
THE CHALK'S SEAPLANE WAS GIVING OFF.
Crotty: THE FACT THAT CHALK WAS AN OLD, ESTABLISHED CARRIER,
MAYBE THEY JUST ACCEPTED, WELL,
THERE'S ONLY TWO OR THREE PLANES, IT'S A SMALL OPERATION,
THEY ONLY FLY DURING THE NICE WEATHERS,
AND THEY'RE GOOD OLD BOYS OVER THERE,
THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
Narrator: THE FAA MAY NOT HAVE FOUND FAULT WITH CHALK'S,
BUT IT TURNS OUT THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE
VERY CLOSE TO THE AIRLINE DID.
English: WE DID TALK TO THIS GROUP OF PILOTS
WHO HAD LEFT CHALK'S PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM DID HAVE SOME STORY
ABOUT MAINTENANCE ASPECTS ON THEIR AIRCRAFT.
WHETHER IT HAD TO DO WITH FUEL LEAKS
OR OTHER MAINTENANCE ASPECTS,
THEY ALL HAD SOME LEVEL OF CONCERN
ABOUT THE WAY CHALK'S WAS TAKING CARE
OF THESE VERY OLD AIRPLANES.
Narrator: IN FACT, THE PILOTS WERE SO CONCERNED
THAT IN THE YEAR LEADING UP TO THE CRASH,
MANY OF THEM MET TO DISCUSS THE PROBLEM
OF DECLINING MAINTENANCE.
Weber: ONE MAJOR ISSUE THAT HAD HAPPENED,
WE HAD AN ELEVATOR CABLE THAT HAD SNAPPED IN FLIGHT,
AND THE CREW, LUCKILY, WAS ABLE TO GET THE AIRPLANE DOWN
USING POWER AND DIFFERENT SETTINGS AND SHIFTING PEOPLE.
BUT IN MOST SCENARIOS,
THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT IN ITSELF.
IN AVIATION THERE'S ERROR CHAINS THAT THEY TALK ABOUT,
AND YOU HAVE TO JUST--
AND IF YOU KEEP COMPILING ONE LINK AFTER ANOTHER,
IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE AN ACCIDENT WILL OCCUR.
AND FROM MY POINT OF VIEW,
I THOUGHT THAT IF THEY KEPT GOING DOWN THE SAME ROAD
THAT THEY WERE GOING DOWN, SOMETHING COULD HAPPEN.
Narrator: EVENTUALLY, CAPTAIN WEBER DECIDED
HE'D SEEN ENOUGH CLOSE CALLS.
Weber: MY TURNING POINT AND WHY I DECIDED TO LEAVE CHALK'S,
WAS I JUST HAD SEEN TOO MANY THINGS IN THE RECENT MONTHS,
TOO MANY MECHANICAL ISSUES THAT WERE MAJOR ISSUES IN MY MIND.
AND I HAD THREE ENGINE FAILURES MYSELF THAT YEAR.
AND I HAD A WIFE AT HOME THAT WAS PREGNANT.
I HAD LOST, I GUESS, MY CONFIDENCE
IN THE COMPANY'S ABILITY OR THE AIRPLANE,
AND I JUST HAD HAD ENOUGH.
Narrator: THE NTSB'S REPORT ON THE CRASH OF FLIGHT 101
HARSHLY CRITICIZES THE FAA
FOR NOT DETECTING GROWING MAINTENANCE
AND FINANCIAL PROBLEMS AT CHALK'S.
English: HAD THE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM OR THE FAA STEPPED BACK
AND SAID THESE AIRCRAFT NEED MORE THAN JUST A ONE-TIME FIX,
THEY NEED SOMETHING MUCH DEEPER THAN THIS,
THE ACCIDENT PROBABLY WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED.
Narrator: IT ALSO UNCOVERS A LOOPHOLE
IN THE FAA'S AGING AIRCRAFT REGULATIONS,
WHICH REQUIRE EXTRA INSPECTIONS FOR OLDER PLANES.
BUT THOSE RULES DIDN'T APPLY TO MALLARDS.
Crookshanks: THE GRUMMAN MALLARD WAS MANUFACTURED IN 1947.
IT ONLY CARRIED 17 PASSENGERS,
AND IT WAS NOT A TRANSPORT CATEGORY AIRPLANE.
THEREFORE, IT WAS EXEMPT FROM THESE SUPPLEMENTAL INSPECTIONS.
WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS
THE FAA HAS MADE AN AGING AIRPLANE SAFETY RULE,
AND THEY'VE EXEMPTED THE OLDEST AIRPLANES IN THE FLEET.
Narrator: THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE FAA EXPAND
ITS OVERSIGHT OF AGING PLANES.
English: I THINK WE'VE USED THIS ACCIDENT TO POINT TOWARDS
THE INDUSTRY AND THE FAA
TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY TAKE A LOOK AT THE OVERALL PICTURE
OF WHAT'S GOING ON AT AN AIR CARRIER.
Narrator: FLIGHT 101 SPELLED THE END OF CHALK'S OCEAN AIRWAYS.
A FEW MONTHS AFTER THE REPORT WAS RELEASED,
THE AIRLINE SHUT DOWN.
Weber: THERE WAS A LOT OF HISTORY
AND A LOT OF FAMILY COMMUNITY INVOLVED WITH THE PASSENGERS,
AS WELL AS THE PEOPLE IN THE AIRLINE.
SO TO SEE THE WHOLE AIRLINE AND EVERYTHING ELSE
KIND OF GO DOWN WITH THE AIRPLANE
IS ADDITIONALLY EMOTIONAL FOR EVERYBODY THAT EVER WORKED THERE
OR EVER LOVED THE AIRPLANES.