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On 4 April 1979, Trans World Airlines (TWA) Flight 841 enters a spiral dive while en route to Minnesota. The pilots regain control and make an emergency landing at Detroit, with no fatalities. A leading-edge slat had failed due to the pilots extending the flaps and slats at cruising speed.
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00:00a Boeing 727 spirals out of control over Michigan you're watching the world spinning outside the
00:14window this would be sheer stark terror airspeed is 320 350 come on no no investigators track
00:24down pieces of debris slot number seven broken in two and interview fellow pilots off the record
00:38off the record they even risk their own lives okay test number nine to find out what caused TWA
00:47flight 841's uncontrollable plunge you feel that
01:17it was insane my hands are still shaking 44 year old captain Harvey Hoot Gibson has just returned
01:29from the most harrowing flight of his life tell me what happened a representative from
01:35the Federal Aviation Administration takes his statement you're cruising over Michigan
01:42that sure is a strong headwind
01:53captain Gibson is a trained stunt pilot who has a clean 16-year record with Transworld Airlines
02:02do a ground speed check will you sure thing Hoot first officer Scott Kennedy has been flying with
02:13TWA for 13 years we're good to go up anytime you want Hoot flight engineer Gary Banks is an Air Force
02:22veteran who's been with TWA for the last 10 years the crew of fight 841 had just the right kind of
02:29experience you would want for a 727 crew Center TWA 841 we'd like to try flight level 390
02:37they were bucking a hundred knots of wind on their nose so he was looking for better winds up higher the
02:56higher you go you essentially go faster through the thinner air and that will hopefully get you a
03:01better ground speed
03:12I can take that off your hands 27 year old Mark Mositzky is today's lead flight attendant
03:20he and three other attendants look after the 82 passengers on board
03:26it was an evening flight was leaving JFK it was the first time I had flown with this cockpit crew
03:36everything was absolutely smooth they're flying the narrow-body Boeing 727 aircraft the 727 was
03:46massively overbuilt it was very sturdy airplane it was like driving a sports car or fighter plane it
03:52was very light on the controls it had that feeling that you could just put it wherever you wanted it
03:58after a 45 minute delay in New York the flight to Minneapolis will take about three and a half hours
04:05they programmed 39,000 feet and got right up there and sure enough they were gaining speed they were
04:18probably going to cut 10 to 15 minutes off there in route time I'll do another ground speed check
04:25power settings adjusted everything looks good after meal service Mositzky takes a moment to eat his own meal
04:44I sat in my jump seat very shortly however there was a very abrupt buffeting of the aircraft it
04:56wasn't turbulence what the heck the captain noticed something was strange the wing had started to drop
05:04and the autopilot was compensating for that I got control disengaging the autopilot was the right
05:12thing to do at that time that's the first thing you think of is something wrong with the autopilot
05:15what's going on without any warning the plane banks hard to the right airspeed 240
05:25come on level up but if the plane still doesn't respond then you're thinking there's something wrong
05:34the plane just kept rolling right and it started rattling really hard too I would be trying the
05:44rudder and if that's not doing the jobs I'd start trying to fly with the engines but 727 the engines
05:51are all clustered together in the back that probably wouldn't help you much so this would be
05:56sheer stark terror setting the throttles the captain tries to slow the plane to regain control but the
06:04the aircraft isn't responding
06:14get them up get them up desperate to slow the plane Gibson deploys the speed brakes speed brakes are
06:25flight control surfaces that increase drag and improve roll control you're gonna put those out to try and
06:34slow yourself down because really bad things are gonna start happening soon if you keep accelerating
06:39come on come on but deploying the speed brakes proves useless I got from my gym seat to see if perhaps the
06:51engine was on fire the engine was on fire and I never made it
07:06high above Saginaw Michigan the Boeing 727 drops into an uncontrolled dive and spins upside down
07:14something was extremely wrong there seemed to be no control of the airplane people were just absolutely
07:21terrified I sincerely didn't think that we had wings left on the airplane
07:28TWA 841 this is center
07:37TWA 841 center
07:41Jesus
07:47something is seriously wrong
07:50you would have your hands full of airplane you're watching the world spinning outside the
07:58window you're being pressed by g-forces it also must have been insanely noisy it would have been
08:03very difficult try and troubleshoot the problem TWA 841 do you read me the controllers watch helplessly as
08:11TWA 841 plummets towards the ground once the nose comes down on an airliner they want to pick up speed
08:20in a hurry if you pointed at the ground I kept clenching my jaws and biting my teeth to keep blood
08:27in my head the g-forces were so extreme I felt I was going to pass out the blood is literally being
08:35drained out of your head and you will first lose your vision that's called graying out and then the
08:43next thing is you black out which is where you lose consciousness because your heart just can't pump the
08:47blood up to your brain against all that force of gravity
08:51the speed is 220 350
08:56I can't
09:02I can't
09:04TWA 841 is spiraling towards the earth at a rate of 540 feet per second
09:12to feel six g's the only people that would experience that would be military pilots
09:16you're going to feel an incredible weight on you on every part of you
09:20and whatever position your body is in your head or your arms they're going to stay that way
09:24because you're not going to be able to move
09:26I could see ground lights and I knew that we were approaching the ground very quickly
09:35at that point you go from abject terror into almost acceptance
09:40come on baby
09:43we're falling so fast
09:55captain hoot gibson recounts his recent nightmare piloting TWA flight 841 over michigan
10:02airspeed is 390
10:04but gibson isn't giving up
10:07come on baby pull up
10:09he has an idea
10:11put the gear down
10:12if nothing else will slow you down the gear will slow you down
10:20and hopefully the plane holds together
10:23that's it
10:36that's it baby
10:37what saved them was putting the gear down
10:46because otherwise they would have been a big smoking crater in a matter of seconds
10:50we're pitching up
10:5430 degrees
10:56now suddenly we were climbing
11:01it was like coming out of the bottom of a roller coaster
11:04you would feel like you are being crushed
11:07the average person would feel like they weighed 900 pounds
11:12Scott give me altitude
11:14Gary pitson airspeed
11:165200 feet
11:18Jesus which way is up
11:19moon
11:25it's pitch black
11:29and you've just been spiraling down towards the earth
11:32and you're probably disoriented
11:35he sees the moon and that's up
11:37you can sort the rest out later
11:39but get away from the ground
11:41TWA 841 has come within seconds of impact
11:47and now climbs back towards the night sky
11:50airspeed is 160
11:53though the pilots are flying again they are not out of danger
11:59the steep climb is physically demanding
12:03and the crew struggles to maintain focus
12:0510,500
12:1011,000
12:12that's it
12:15that's it hoot
12:16leveling 110
12:17this is your captain speaking
12:23as you've noticed
12:25we've had a bit of a problem
12:27but everything seems to be under control
12:29we lost system A hydraulics
12:37fluid are down
12:39pressure is down
12:41as the crew recovers from the terrifying incident
12:44they assess damage to the aircraft
12:46we've got a flag for the lower yard damper
12:49a deafening rattle
12:53makes a tense situation worse
12:55okay
12:56I'm gonna fly the airplane
12:58you guys start running the emergencies
13:00he was a good captain
13:02he had them diagnose the problem
13:05while he flew the airplane
13:06knowing
13:07that you can't do both effectively
13:09turn pump emergency switches
13:11to depressurize
13:12and check quantity
13:12the fluid is zero
13:15it's all gone
13:15with a damaged hydraulic system
13:19the aircraft is severely impaired
13:21okay we gotta land
13:23Detroit is our best option
13:25okay
13:25we're 60 miles out
13:30when they decided to divert
13:33they selected Detroit
13:35with reasonable weather
13:36long runways
13:37it was a developed airport
13:38with crash fire rescue
13:40center 841
13:41go ahead TWA 841
13:43okay listen
13:45we had a problem
13:46we lost about 20,000 feet
13:48we need vectors to Detroit
13:5045 miles for Detroit now
13:52if you'd like to come left
13:55heading 160 vectors to Detroit
13:58okay
13:59turn left 160
14:00TWA 841
14:02remove your glasses
14:09earrings
14:10and anything else
14:10and anything else
14:11that might be sharp
14:11place anything soft
14:15in your lap
14:16to cushion the impact
14:1730 miles from the airport
14:20flight attendants
14:21prepare the cabin
14:22for an emergency landing
14:24passengers were
14:25amazingly quiet
14:26I mean
14:26they looked at us
14:27for a complete direction
14:2915 miles from Detroit now
14:30nice and easy
14:32give me flaps 15
14:34unaware of the extent
14:36of the damage
14:36Gibson tests
14:37the aircraft's
14:38controllability
14:39flaps 15
14:40whoa whoa whoa
14:43we tracked the flaps
14:44extending the flaps
14:47causes the plane
14:48to roll sharply
14:49to the left
14:49you are going
14:51to land
14:52without flaps
14:52at this point
14:53which means
14:54you are going
14:54to go very fast
14:56much faster
14:57than you would ever
14:58land this airplane
14:59going fast
15:01there's no other way
15:01this is going to be our only approach
15:19with ruptured hydraulics
15:21and a compromised plane
15:23the pilots of TWA 841
15:25have only one shot
15:27at landing
15:27at Detroit airport
15:28the landing checklist complete
15:34coming through
15:35200 feet
15:36I was
15:41pretty convinced
15:42that we'd probably be
15:44scraping down the runway
15:45lots of
15:46sparks and flames
15:4750
15:4940
15:5230
15:54race
16:02220 knots
16:08in this case
16:09just an insane rate
16:10of speed
16:11for a landing
16:12reverse thrust
16:15come on
16:16come on stop
16:17let's hear these passengers
16:42off the plane
16:42he's just put
16:46this badly damaged
16:48airplane
16:48down
16:49at about
16:5090 knots
16:52faster
16:52than a normal
16:54landing speed
16:54this guy was good
16:56he was really good
16:58hoot
17:05it's unbelievable
17:07what the heck
17:10went so wrong
17:10with that plane
17:11I have the faintest idea
17:15investigators from the
17:22national transportation
17:23safety board
17:24arrive in Detroit
17:25to determine
17:26what went wrong
17:27with TWA
17:28flight 841
17:29they look in good shape
17:34let's get the data
17:36the flight
17:38data recorder
17:38and cockpit voice recorder
17:40are removed from the aircraft
17:41and sent for analysis
17:43let's check that out
17:47slat number seven
17:57is missing
17:58slats and flaps
18:03are control surfaces
18:04on the leading
18:05and trailing edges
18:06of the wings
18:06they are always
18:08extended in tandem
18:09both devices
18:13increase lift
18:14at low speeds
18:15during takeoff
18:16and landing
18:16it's pretty banged up
18:23investigators wonder
18:25why the slat
18:26came off
18:26the hydraulics lines
18:31are ruptured too
18:32watch
18:32for a slat tearing off
18:34looks like the actuator
18:38for the slat
18:39is damaged
18:39the actuator
18:44is part of the mechanism
18:45that pushes a piston
18:47to unlock the slat
18:48allowing it to either
18:49deploy or retract
18:51let's get the actuator
18:52off the wings
18:53so we can get a better
18:54look at it
18:55one of the interesting
19:00remnants of this
19:02inspection
19:03was the number seven
19:05slat actuator
19:06look at how it's broken
19:12look at how it's broken
19:12and the scrape mark's
19:19inside either
19:20investigators uncover
19:22an important clue
19:24slat came off
19:26in an extended position
19:27number seven
19:32slat actuator
19:33had broken
19:34the piston
19:35inside it
19:35was gone
19:36and they could
19:37recognize
19:38from looking
19:39at the opening
19:40of the fracture
19:41that the piston
19:42had been
19:43in the
19:44deployed position
19:45a slat
19:47should never
19:48deploy
19:48at cruising speed
19:50maybe this slat
19:53extended by accident
19:54only way to know
19:56for sure
19:57is to test
19:57the hydraulic system
19:58for the slat
20:01to have been deployed
20:02uncommanded
20:03required a failure
20:05of the hydraulic system
20:06and a failure
20:06of the locking mechanism
20:08let's start
20:14with flaps two
20:15flaps 15
20:27flaps 15
20:29looks good
20:40next flaps 20
20:41flaps 20
20:44investigators run
20:48through every flap
20:49setting possible
20:50all right
20:53let's wrap it up
20:54everything's working fine
20:56the functional tests
20:58demonstrated
20:59that the hydraulic system
21:00worked
21:00it did not cause
21:01an uncommanded
21:02slat deployment
21:03here's what we got
21:06from Boeing
21:07did the locking
21:09mechanism on the
21:10727's wing
21:12somehow fail
21:13releasing the slat
21:14for a slat
21:16to unlock
21:16accidentally
21:17the pin inside
21:18the actuator
21:19must be subjected
21:20to more than
21:2070 G's
21:22of force
21:2270 G's
21:24there's no way
21:27the locking mechanism
21:28experienced that
21:29level of stress
21:30a 70 G pull through
21:33by an aircraft
21:34just doesn't happen
21:36the investigators
21:38were faced
21:39with a serious
21:39challenge
21:40of where to go
21:41next
21:41take a look
21:49investigators get a
21:52break when
21:53debris from flight
21:54841 is recovered
21:55seven miles north
21:57of Saginaw Michigan
21:58slot number seven
22:01broken in two
22:06look at this
22:09here's the number
22:12seven slat's
22:13T-bolt
22:13T-bolts are part
22:17of the slat
22:18track assemblies
22:19the number seven
22:20slat T-bolt
22:21was attached
22:22to the inboard
22:23side of the
22:23slat
22:23which deploys
22:24and retracts
22:25inside the wing
22:26let's send this
22:28to the lab
22:29they hope
22:31metallurgical analysis
22:32will offer
22:32some clues
22:33but an important
22:34question remains
22:36why did the
22:37slat extend
22:38there's only one
22:41other way a
22:42slat could extend
22:43through pilot
22:46action
22:46this was something
22:51that had been
22:51probably commanded
22:53in the cockpit
22:55and it was
22:56distressing to
22:57everybody
22:57why would a
23:00pilot do something
23:01as dangerous
23:02as extending
23:02the slats
23:03at cruising
23:04speed
23:04can't find
23:09anything
23:09in the
23:10captain's
23:10statements
23:10about slats
23:11and flaps
23:11investigators
23:14review
23:15the crew's
23:16statements
23:16they look
23:20for any mention
23:21that flaps
23:22and slats
23:22were deployed
23:23mid-flight
23:24there's nothing
23:26from the other
23:27crew members
23:27either
23:28I have an idea
23:32thanks for
23:41meeting with
23:41me
23:42the NTSB
23:43consults with
23:44pilots to learn
23:45why they might
23:46extend a flap
23:47or a slat
23:48mid-flight
23:48off the record
23:50off the record
23:52flaps yes
23:54slats no
23:55flaps
23:57investigators
23:59learn of an
24:00unauthorized
24:01procedure used
24:02by some
24:02pilots that
24:03could save
24:04fuel and
24:05potentially time
24:06I thought
24:08that wasn't
24:08possible
24:09it is
24:11if you pop
24:12the breaker
24:12the procedure
24:18involves
24:18deploying
24:19trailing edge
24:20flaps by
24:21two degrees
24:22by pulling
24:23the circuit
24:24breaker for
24:24slats
24:25the flaps
24:26can be
24:26extended
24:26while
24:27preventing
24:28the slats
24:28from
24:28automatically
24:29deploying
24:29at the
24:30same
24:30time
24:31it's
24:33one of
24:33those
24:33things
24:34everybody
24:34knows
24:35about
24:35but
24:36I've
24:36never
24:36heard
24:36anyone
24:36ever
24:37admit
24:37to
24:37it
24:38ready
24:43investigators
24:47turn to
24:47the cockpit
24:48voice recorder
24:48for evidence
24:49that TWA
24:50841's
24:51pilots
24:52used
24:52the
24:52unauthorized
24:53procedure
24:53let's get
24:56these passengers
24:57off the plane
24:57hang on
24:59did you start
25:01the tape at the
25:02beginning
25:02yes it's
25:06fully rewound
25:07play it again
25:09just to be sure
25:10let's get these passengers
25:23off the plane
25:23planes are already on the ground
25:30this can only point to one thing
25:34the pilots
25:36erased the tape
25:37the CVR contained no information whatsoever
25:48which was unfortunate
25:50to say the least
25:50we have to talk to Gibson
26:01the team flies to California
26:06to question Captain Gibson
26:08in person
26:08the safety board
26:15conducts public hearings
26:16they question
26:19the flight crew
26:19I told him
26:22I thought it was
26:23I said
26:23I said the airplane's
26:25going to roll
26:26and
26:28the captain admits
26:33to routinely
26:34erasing the cockpit
26:35voice recorder
26:36after every flight
26:37even though
26:38that isn't a step
26:39on any checklist
26:40do you usually erase
26:44the record
26:46I usually do
26:47yes
26:47it's just not credible
26:59that after
27:01the crew had been through
27:02what they did
27:03where they came
27:04within seconds of dying
27:05that the captain
27:06would erase the CVR
27:07as a matter of habit
27:09or routine
27:09something's wrong here
27:15Captain Gibson's
27:17vague explanation
27:18doesn't sit well
27:19with investigators
27:20given what happened
27:22they suspect
27:23the flight crew
27:24attempted
27:24the unsanctioned procedure
27:26and then tried
27:27to cover up
27:28their actions
27:29the only reason
27:32he would erase
27:33the CVR
27:34was to keep
27:35information
27:36from what he knew
27:37would be an investigation
27:38investigators believed
27:43he had something
27:43to hide
27:43maybe the FDR data
27:52can tell us more
27:53the team studies
27:56TWA 841's
27:57flight data
27:58to uncover
27:59any evidence
28:00that the crew
28:01attempted
28:01a mid-flight
28:02flap extension
28:03wow it sure picks up speed
28:11in 44 seconds
28:13the plane goes
28:14from 229 knots
28:16to over 400 knots
28:18that's incredible
28:21close inspection
28:28of the data
28:29gives the team
28:30an important clue
28:31that's odd
28:32are those
28:33oscillations
28:34in the G trace
28:35the G trace
28:37shows the level
28:38of G forces
28:38being put
28:39on the plane
28:40throughout the flight
28:41let's get this section
28:43blown up
28:44the G trace
28:46showed
28:46the G forces
28:47in the airplane
28:48were sort of increasing
28:49and then decreasing
28:50in a certain
28:50rhythmic pattern
28:51very very unusual
28:53oscillations start
28:57at 39,000 feet
28:59just before
29:01the upset
29:02they show up
29:051, 2, 3
29:0613 seconds
29:07before the roll starts
29:08wow it looks like
29:11the plane was
29:11really bouncing around
29:12what the heck
29:18the data tells
29:19investigators
29:20that the plane
29:21was moving
29:21erratically
29:22for 13 seconds
29:23before the first roll
29:25here's a thought
29:28what if there's
29:32a flap
29:32and slot
29:33configuration
29:33that could cause
29:34the vibration
29:35let's find out
29:39we've reached
29:4639,000 feet
29:47NTSB investigators
29:50take an
29:50unprecedented risk
29:51in an attempt
29:52to replicate
29:53the oscillations
29:54recorded on
29:55TWA 841's
29:57G trace
29:57okay we've got
30:00more than a dozen
30:01configurations
30:02and maneuvers
30:03they run a test
30:05flight
30:06to determine
30:07if these anomalies
30:08resulted from
30:08a mid-flight
30:09slat extension
30:10conducting a flight
30:12test
30:12would enable them
30:13to perform
30:14maneuvers
30:14that could
30:15be compared
30:16to what
30:17the flight data
30:18recorder recorded
30:19on 841
30:20229 knots
30:22okay test
30:23number one
30:24start by
30:26popping the
30:26breaker
30:27okay slats
30:31are retracted
30:32ready
30:33flaps
30:35two
30:35flaps
30:38two
30:38investigators
30:40try to match
30:41the unusual
30:42oscillations
30:42by testing
30:43different
30:44flap and
30:44slat
30:45configurations
30:46test
30:49test number
30:50two
30:50flaps
30:51five
30:52slats
30:53remain
30:53retracted
30:54NTSB
30:56investigators
30:57they'll do
30:57anything
30:57they love
30:58that stuff
30:59but I would
31:00have been
31:00pretty scared
31:00okay
31:07okay test number
31:08nine
31:08flaps
31:09two
31:09slats
31:10two
31:10three
31:11six
31:12and seven
31:12flaps
31:14two
31:14ready
31:14you feel
31:23that
31:23the flight
31:24test gives
31:25investigators
31:26a tantalizing
31:27new lead
31:27investigators
31:31are very
31:32careful with
31:32flight tests
31:33to take the
31:34same aircraft
31:35to record
31:35parameters
31:36carefully
31:37all those
31:38things have
31:38to factor
31:39into a flight
31:40test
31:40in order
31:41to be
31:41of any
31:42use
31:42to
31:42the
31:43investigation
31:43here's the
31:50data from
31:51the test
31:51scenario
31:53number
31:53nine
31:54should
31:54match up
31:55to confirm
31:56their results
31:57investigators
31:58compare the
31:59data with
31:59the FDR's
32:00G-trace
32:01it's a
32:04perfect match
32:05the flight
32:07test showed
32:07that extending
32:08the flaps
32:09and slats
32:09would create
32:11in the
32:12airplane
32:12oscillations
32:13found on
32:13841
32:14so this
32:16was the
32:16test
32:16when the
32:17plane
32:17was shaking
32:17the most
32:18this is
32:19the one
32:19flaps
32:22two
32:23slats
32:24two
32:25three
32:25six
32:27and seven
32:27deploy
32:28and are
32:30retracted
32:3013 seconds
32:31later
32:31they now
32:33have evidence
32:34that TWA
32:35841's
32:36crew
32:36enacted
32:37the unauthorized
32:38procedure
32:38of pulling
32:39a slat
32:40circuit breaker
32:40and then
32:41deploying
32:42the flaps
32:42independently
32:43but if
32:45that's what
32:45the crew
32:45did
32:46why did
32:47the slats
32:47deploy
32:48and nearly
32:49bring down
32:49the plane
32:50what the heck
32:55those slats
32:59are gonna
32:59shake
32:59because you're
33:00going faster
33:01than the
33:02limiting air
33:03speed
33:03so I would
33:04expect it
33:04to get
33:05very noisy
33:05and probably
33:06to buff
33:06it quite
33:07a bit
33:07the test
33:11flight
33:11indicates
33:12the slat
33:13circuit breaker
33:13was reset
33:14which caused
33:15the slats
33:16to deploy
33:16so we know
33:18the pilots
33:18popped the
33:19breaker
33:20to enact
33:20the procedure
33:21but why
33:22did they
33:23push it
33:23back in
33:23and why
33:27did it
33:27take the
33:27crew
33:2813 seconds
33:28to realize
33:29the problem
33:29and then
33:30retract the slats
33:30investigators
33:35search for
33:36answers
33:37in all
33:37of the
33:37crew's
33:38statements
33:39the lead
33:43flight
33:44attendant
33:44remembered
33:44that the
33:45flight
33:45engineer
33:45was out
33:45of the
33:45cockpit
33:46before the
33:46vibrations
33:46began
33:47I'm gonna
33:53take a
33:54bathroom
33:54break
33:54and get
33:55rid of
33:55these
33:55trays
33:56I noticed
34:04the cockpit
34:05door open
34:05and I saw
34:06the flight
34:06engineer
34:06coming out
34:07with the
34:07meal trays
34:08I didn't
34:09want him
34:09to think
34:09I was
34:09shirking
34:10my
34:10responsibilities
34:11I immediately
34:12met him
34:12oh
34:15let me get
34:16this for you
34:16thank you
34:17I was kind
34:18of surprised
34:19that I
34:19never had
34:20a cockpit
34:21member
34:22actually bring
34:23those trays
34:24back to the
34:24cabin
34:24they waited
34:25for us
34:26well that's
34:29it
34:29the flight
34:31engineer
34:31was out
34:32of the
34:32cockpit
34:32and out
34:34of the
34:35loop
34:35investigators
34:36now have
34:37a theory
34:38about what
34:38happened
34:39in the
34:39cockpit
34:39on the
34:40night
34:40of
34:40April
34:41the
34:41fourth
34:41the
34:43flight
34:44engineer
34:44leaves
34:45the
34:45cockpit
34:46to return
34:46the trays
34:47with
34:50banks out
34:50of the
34:50cockpit
34:51Gibson
34:52launches
34:52the
34:52unauthorized
34:53procedure
34:53the
34:54pilots
34:55deploy
34:55the
34:55flaps
34:56what do you
35:00say we get
35:00to Minneapolis
35:00a little
35:01quicker
35:01okay
35:03how are we
35:04gonna do
35:04that
35:05watch this
35:06flaps too
35:29fancy trick
35:32heard
35:33heard about it
35:34but I've
35:34never tried
35:34it
35:35works like a
35:36charm
35:36I could see
35:39the junior
35:39crew members
35:40saying he's
35:41the boss
35:41let's do it
35:42if he says
35:43it's okay
35:44it's okay
35:45today that
35:45would be
35:46unthinkable
35:46flight engineer
35:51returns
35:51and notices
35:52the breaker
35:52has popped
35:53what would
35:55any good
35:55flight engineer
35:56do
35:56he pushes
35:58it back
35:59flight engineer
36:02banks returns
36:03and notices
36:04the slat
36:05circuit breaker
36:05is pulled
36:06he returns
36:07the breaker
36:08to the normal
36:09position
36:09unaware
36:10that the
36:10captain
36:11had pulled
36:11it deliberately
36:12to prevent
36:13the slats
36:13from extending
36:14along with
36:15the flaps
36:15exactly
36:17normal
36:19operations
36:20resume
36:20with
36:21flaps
36:21set for
36:22two
36:22the slats
36:23extend
36:24automatically
36:24the cockpit
36:26begins to
36:26vibrate
36:26what the heck
36:30what did you
36:32just do
36:32what do you
36:34mean
36:34just now
36:36what did you
36:36just do
36:37the breaker
36:40was that
36:40I pushed it
36:40back where
36:40it should be
36:41Jesus
36:42flaps up
36:44flaps up
36:45Scott
36:45flaps up
36:46we're going
36:51over
36:51they bungled
36:53the maneuver
36:54investigators
36:57have figured
36:58out
36:58how
36:58TWA
36:59841's
37:00crew
37:00might have
37:01lost
37:01control
37:01of a
37:02Boeing
37:02727
37:03but they're
37:05still missing
37:05a key piece
37:06of the puzzle
37:07how come
37:08slat number
37:09seven
37:09never retracted
37:10along with
37:11the rest
37:11of the slats
37:12metallurgical
37:20report is
37:21in
37:21investigators
37:24turn to
37:25results
37:25from a
37:25metallurgical
37:26analysis
37:26of the
37:27T-bolt
37:27from the
37:28number
37:28seven
37:28slat
37:29on
37:29TWA
37:30flight
37:30841
37:31found
37:39some
37:39shearing
37:40pre-existing
37:43metal
37:43fatigue
37:44the team
37:47discovers a
37:48fracture
37:48in the
37:49T-bolt
37:49which would
37:50have caused
37:51the slat
37:51to sag
37:52on the
37:52inside
37:53when
37:53extended
37:54the slat
37:56is kept
37:57in the
37:58forward
37:58part of
37:58the wing
37:59which gets
37:59all of
38:00the air
38:01forces
38:01as the
38:02airplane
38:02progresses
38:03at 0.8
38:04times the
38:05speed of
38:05sound
38:05that's
38:06going to
38:06be
38:06enormous
38:07enormous
38:08air
38:08pressure
38:08so all
38:10that air
38:10pressure
38:10twists
38:11the
38:11sagging
38:12slat
38:12slat
38:15number
38:16seven
38:16can
38:16no
38:17longer
38:17retract
38:18under
38:20the
38:21extreme
38:21air
38:21loads
38:22of a
38:22diving
38:22plane
38:23it
38:23finally
38:24rips
38:24off
38:25investigators
38:28finally
38:29understand
38:30how
38:30TWA
38:31841
38:32went
38:32into
38:33a
38:33horrifying
38:33dive
38:34above
38:34Saginaw
38:35Michigan
38:35on the
38:36night
38:36of
38:36April
38:37the
38:374th
38:371979
38:38I'm
38:39going to
38:39take
38:39a
38:39bathroom
38:39break
38:40I'll
38:40grab
38:40these
38:40trays
38:40unaware
38:48the
38:48captain
38:48was
38:48conducting
38:49an
38:49unsanctioned
38:50procedure
38:51disengaging
38:52the
38:52slat
38:52circuit
38:53breaker
38:53to
38:54deploy
38:54only
38:54the
38:55flaps
38:55the
38:56flight
38:56engineer
38:57resets
38:57the
38:58popped
38:58breaker
38:58the
39:11what did
39:11you just
39:12do
39:12what do
39:13you mean
39:13precious
39:16seconds
39:16pass as
39:17the
39:17captain
39:17tries to
39:18figure out
39:18what's
39:19happened
39:19meanwhile
39:21the
39:21aircraft
39:21flies at
39:22a high
39:22speed
39:23with its
39:23flaps
39:24and slats
39:25extended
39:25perilously
39:26the
39:26captain
39:27passengers
39:28and
39:28flight
39:28attendants
39:29talked about
39:29feeling the
39:30vibrations
39:30the airplane
39:31caused by
39:32extension of
39:33the slats
39:33and flaps
39:34at 39,000 feet
39:35flaps up
39:36flaps up
39:37spot
39:38flaps up
39:38I have
39:41control
39:41the
39:42flaps
39:43and
39:43slats
39:44retract
39:44except
39:45for
39:45the
39:45damaged
39:46number
39:46seven
39:46slat
39:47on the
39:47right
39:47wing
39:48the
39:49number
39:49seven
39:50slat
39:50if it's
39:50extended
39:51you're
39:52going to
39:52have
39:52more
39:52drag
39:53on the
39:53right
39:54side
39:54than
39:54on
39:54the
39:54left
39:55wing
39:55and
39:55that's
39:56going
39:56to
39:56cause
39:56that
39:56wing
39:57to
39:57descend
39:57in
39:57other
39:57words
39:58it's
39:58going to
39:58put
39:58the
39:58airplane
39:59in
39:59a
39:59right
39:59turn
39:59which
40:00is
40:00exactly
40:00what
40:01happened
40:01come
40:02on
40:02level
40:02up
40:03but
40:06it's
40:06too
40:06late
40:07little
40:07does
40:08the
40:08crew
40:08know
40:09slat
40:09number
40:09seven
40:10is
40:10still
40:10extended
40:11keeping
40:11the
40:12plane
40:12in
40:12a
40:12roll
40:13we're
40:14going
40:14over
40:14TWA
40:17841's
40:18flight
40:18crew
40:18is
40:18unable
40:19to
40:19regain
40:19control
40:20of
40:20the
40:20aircraft
40:21then
40:23in
40:24a
40:24stroke
40:24of
40:24incredible
40:25good
40:25luck
40:25slat
40:26number
40:26seven
40:27rips
40:27off
40:27the
40:27plane
40:28just
40:288000
40:29feet
40:29above
40:29the
40:29ground
40:30the
40:33departure
40:33of
40:33the
40:33slat
40:34allowed
40:34the
40:35return
40:35of
40:35controllability
40:36to
40:37the
40:37aircraft
40:37with
40:39the
40:39wing
40:39symmetry
40:40partially
40:40restored
40:41and
40:42the
40:42landing
40:42gear
40:42deployed
40:43it's
40:44just
40:44enough
40:44to
40:45slow
40:45the
40:45plane
40:45and
40:46allow
40:46the
40:46crew
40:46to
40:47regain
40:47control
40:48and
40:49ultimately
40:50land
40:50the
40:51battered
40:51727
40:52at
40:53Detroit
40:53reverse
40:56thrust
40:56the
41:05NTSB
41:06recommends
41:06additional
41:07warnings
41:08warnings
41:08to
41:08flight
41:08crews
41:08about
41:09the
41:09dangers
41:09of
41:10high
41:10speed
41:10deployment
41:11of
41:11flaps
41:11and
41:12slats
41:12no
41:14punitive
41:14action
41:15is
41:15taken
41:15against
41:16the
41:16crew
41:16NTSB
41:19conclusions
41:20are not a
41:21criminal
41:21thing
41:22they're not a
41:22blame
41:23thing
41:23they're trying to
41:24prevent the
41:25next accident
41:26by offering up
41:27a probable cause
41:29that needs to be
41:30corrected
41:31the
41:36pilots
41:36maintained
41:37their
41:37innocence
41:38claiming
41:39they did
41:39not
41:40deliberately
41:40extend
41:41the flaps
41:41mid-flight
41:42captain
41:43captain
41:43Gibson
41:43took it to
41:44his grave
41:45with him
41:45in
41:452015
41:46the other
41:47two guys
41:47aren't
41:48talking
41:48following this
41:52accident
41:52newer planes
41:53now come
41:54equipped with
41:55flight computers
41:55that prevent
41:56the deployment
41:57of flaps
41:57and slats
41:58above
41:58certain
41:59altitudes
41:59there was
42:03speculation
42:04over
42:05manipulation
42:06of controls
42:06all that
42:07sort of
42:07thing
42:08I've given
42:08it a great
42:09deal of
42:09thought
42:09over the
42:10past
42:1041 years
42:11and
42:12have come
42:13to the
42:13conclusion
42:13that I'll
42:13never know
42:14what happened