1
00:00:02,556 --> 00:00:04,759
 (Narrator): Just moments       
 after taking off               

2
00:00:04,825 --> 00:00:07,161
  from a remote                 
   island in Norway...          

3
00:00:09,697 --> 00:00:11,098
  - Something's wrong.          

4
00:00:11,165 --> 00:00:13,634
    (Narrator): ... the pilots  
 of Wideroe Flight 8-3-9        

5
00:00:13,701 --> 00:00:15,536
   lose control of their plane. 

6
00:00:15,603 --> 00:00:17,104
- Oh God.                       

7
00:00:17,171 --> 00:00:19,006
  (Narrator): It plunges        
 into the Norwegian Sea,        

8
00:00:19,073 --> 00:00:21,509
    killing everyone on board.  

9
00:00:23,811 --> 00:00:28,382
  In the wreckage, investigators
find damage to a critical part. 

10
00:00:29,050 --> 00:00:31,252
   - The upper end is broken.   

11
00:00:32,887 --> 00:00:35,122
- It didn't make                
 a great deal of sense.         

12
00:00:35,189 --> 00:00:38,993
    (Narrator): And when they   
   learn another Wideroe flight 

13
00:00:39,060 --> 00:00:41,996
 nearly met the same fate       
  at the same airport...        

14
00:00:42,063 --> 00:00:43,798
- It looks like they lost       
  control of the plane          

15
00:00:43,864 --> 00:00:45,099
   for two minutes...           

16
00:00:45,166 --> 00:00:47,368
 (passengers screaming)         
   - We're going over.          

17
00:00:49,637 --> 00:00:50,838
 (passengers screaming)         

18
00:00:50,905 --> 00:00:54,542
   (Narrator): ...they discover 
 a controversial decision       

19
00:00:54,608 --> 00:00:56,243
 that put lives at risk.        

20
00:00:56,310 --> 00:00:59,547
- I wish that we had put        
  our foot down                 

21
00:00:59,613 --> 00:01:01,182
and said no more.               

22
00:01:02,883 --> 00:01:04,685
 (radio): Mayday, mayday!       

23
00:01:06,587 --> 00:01:08,522
 Pull up.                       

24
00:01:09,523 --> 00:01:11,759
 (radio chatter)                

25
00:01:24,071 --> 00:01:27,441
  (eerie music)                 

26
00:01:30,478 --> 00:01:33,047
 - Putting the seatbelt sign on.

27
00:01:34,582 --> 00:01:36,684
    (Narrator): Wideroe Flight  
  8-3-6                         

28
00:01:36,750 --> 00:01:40,921
  is heading to a remote outpost
    on the Lofoten archipelago  

29
00:01:40,988 --> 00:01:43,424
  in the Norwegian Sea.         

30
00:01:43,491 --> 00:01:48,062
  - Lofoten is one of the most  
   beautiful places in Norway.  

31
00:01:48,996 --> 00:01:52,133
  It's a place where Norwegians 
   would want to go on holiday  

32
00:01:52,199 --> 00:01:55,102
 to experience untouched nature 

33
00:01:55,169 --> 00:01:58,672
 and especially                 
the beautiful mountains.        

34
00:02:00,941 --> 00:02:04,111
   (Narrator): Tonight's flight 
    is carrying 11 passengers.  

35
00:02:04,178 --> 00:02:06,280
   Most are Norwegians,         

36
00:02:06,347 --> 00:02:08,782
 traveling to the islands       
    from the mainland.          

37
00:02:10,551 --> 00:02:14,655
 (radio): Wideroe 8-3-6.        
 Runway 25 free.                

38
00:02:14,722 --> 00:02:18,859
   Winds variable 10 21         
    at 2-6-0 degrees.           

39
00:02:18,926 --> 00:02:21,395
  Visibility 25-hundred meters. 

40
00:02:21,462 --> 00:02:24,498
   - Copy that, Wideroe 8-3-6.  

41
00:02:29,603 --> 00:02:33,307
(Narrator): Wideroe is Norway's 
    largest regional airline.   

42
00:02:33,374 --> 00:02:36,410
   It serves remote communities 
   across the country.          

43
00:02:37,678 --> 00:02:42,149
  (Lise): Since the 1960's and  
  70's it was a push in Norway  

44
00:02:42,216 --> 00:02:45,419
   to build regional airports   
 in rural areas.                

45
00:02:45,486 --> 00:02:48,589
 It made people                 
   feel less isolated           

46
00:02:48,656 --> 00:02:51,659
  and it made traveling         
  a lot easier.                 

47
00:02:54,195 --> 00:02:55,930
  (Narrator): The plane         
 is heading first               

48
00:02:55,996 --> 00:02:58,032
  to the small island of Vaeroy 

49
00:02:58,098 --> 00:03:00,134
    and then southwest to Rost  

50
00:03:00,201 --> 00:03:03,370
   before returning to          
    the mainland city of Bodo.  

51
00:03:05,773 --> 00:03:07,875
  - Approach checklist.         

52
00:03:09,109 --> 00:03:10,477
   (Narrator): 12 miles         
    from the airport,           

53
00:03:10,544 --> 00:03:12,813
  the crew prepares for landing.

54
00:03:13,881 --> 00:03:16,483
   - The crew was experienced   

55
00:03:16,550 --> 00:03:19,553
 but this was the first time the
 captain had flown into Vaeroy. 

56
00:03:19,620 --> 00:03:21,488
  - Altimeters.                 

57
00:03:23,757 --> 00:03:25,259
 - Set.                         

58
00:03:26,594 --> 00:03:29,763
    (Narrator): They're flying  
    a De Havilland Twin Otter.  

59
00:03:30,598 --> 00:03:34,101
  It's a twin turboprop         
    utility aircraft,           

60
00:03:34,168 --> 00:03:37,004
 a workhorse for                
    getting in and out          

61
00:03:37,071 --> 00:03:39,240
    of small remote airports.   

62
00:03:40,507 --> 00:03:42,676
   - The best airplane          
  in the world.                 

63
00:03:44,478 --> 00:03:47,047
   It's an incredibly           
sturdy aircraft.                

64
00:03:47,114 --> 00:03:49,316
  Very pilot-friendly.          

65
00:03:50,084 --> 00:03:52,519
 We have a long,                
mountainous coast               

66
00:03:52,586 --> 00:03:55,723
  and for that                  
   the Twin Otter was perfect.  

67
00:03:59,260 --> 00:04:01,362
- Landing lights.               

68
00:04:02,496 --> 00:04:03,964
   On.                          

69
00:04:04,031 --> 00:04:06,166
   (Narrator):                  
   Wideroe Flight 8-3-6         

70
00:04:06,233 --> 00:04:09,203
   is now minutes from          
    landing at Vaeroy.          

71
00:04:09,270 --> 00:04:12,740
 - And seat belt... already on. 

72
00:04:13,641 --> 00:04:15,809
   (Narrator):                  
   But the airport is notorious 

73
00:04:15,876 --> 00:04:17,778
 for unpredictable winds.       

74
00:04:18,545 --> 00:04:21,782
   - Vaeroy translated          
   means "the weather island".  

75
00:04:22,683 --> 00:04:26,220
 The airport was located        
   to the north of the island   

76
00:04:26,287 --> 00:04:28,355
  between the mountain          
  and the sea.                  

77
00:04:28,422 --> 00:04:32,092
  It's a very demanding         
   flying environment           

78
00:04:32,159 --> 00:04:35,062
   because the weather          
  changes all the time,         

79
00:04:35,129 --> 00:04:37,364
   so the pilots have           
to adapt to that.               

80
00:04:39,233 --> 00:04:41,335
  - Set flaps.                  

81
00:04:43,070 --> 00:04:44,905
   Flaps set.                   

82
00:04:45,539 --> 00:04:47,441
   (Narrator):                  
    With the runway in sight,   

83
00:04:47,508 --> 00:04:49,610
   the pilots begin to line up  
   for landing.                 

84
00:04:49,677 --> 00:04:52,346
But, just as the plane turns... 

85
00:04:53,547 --> 00:04:55,783
    it's rocked by turbulence.  

86
00:05:01,121 --> 00:05:02,856
- I have control.               

87
00:05:03,891 --> 00:05:05,459
   - You have control.          

88
00:05:07,628 --> 00:05:09,963
(Harald): When flying at Vaeroy,

89
00:05:10,030 --> 00:05:12,499
 you will experience turbulence,

90
00:05:12,566 --> 00:05:14,835
 and you will be tossed around. 

91
00:05:18,305 --> 00:05:21,408
  - This isn't getting better.  
   Go around.                   

92
00:05:24,845 --> 00:05:28,215
 - He obviously decided that the
 situation was not good to land 

93
00:05:28,282 --> 00:05:29,650
   so he went around.           

94
00:05:29,717 --> 00:05:31,418
   It was a great call          
  on his part.                  

95
00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:34,755
   - Flaps up.                  

96
00:05:34,822 --> 00:05:37,725
    (Narrator): As the captain  
    powers out of the landing,  

97
00:05:37,791 --> 00:05:41,028
  the plane is hit with         
   a powerful downdraft         

98
00:05:41,095 --> 00:05:43,564
 and extreme turbulence.        

99
00:05:46,767 --> 00:05:48,702
(Harald): You get sort of       
 a tunnel vision                

100
00:05:48,769 --> 00:05:51,672
   when you're in a situation   
   like that.                   

101
00:05:51,739 --> 00:05:54,742
And you pull out                
   all your resources           

102
00:05:54,808 --> 00:05:58,379
and you try to counteract       
  the situation that you're in. 

103
00:06:01,014 --> 00:06:02,683
   (Narrator): For two minutes, 

104
00:06:02,750 --> 00:06:05,085
  the captain struggles         
   to level the plane.          

105
00:06:05,953 --> 00:06:07,654
   (grunting)                   

106
00:06:08,088 --> 00:06:10,524
 - He was in extreme turbulence.

107
00:06:10,591 --> 00:06:12,259
   You're momentarily           
 out of control.                

108
00:06:12,326 --> 00:06:14,061
   You may or may not           
 regain control.                

109
00:06:16,397 --> 00:06:18,766
   (grunting)                   

110
00:06:24,204 --> 00:06:25,806
   - We're going over.          

111
00:06:26,740 --> 00:06:29,143
  (Narrator): The force         
   of the wind becomes so great 

112
00:06:29,209 --> 00:06:32,613
    that the plane rolls over   
  speeding toward the mountains.

113
00:06:35,215 --> 00:06:36,950
   - Altitude?                  

114
00:06:39,052 --> 00:06:41,121
- I-I can't see anything.       

115
00:06:41,188 --> 00:06:45,359
 (passengers screaming)         

116
00:06:45,993 --> 00:06:48,095
   (grunting)                   

117
00:06:51,031 --> 00:06:53,534
Come on!                        

118
00:06:54,234 --> 00:06:56,270
Come on!                        

119
00:06:56,336 --> 00:06:58,705
 (passengers screaming)         

120
00:07:01,074 --> 00:07:03,510
   (Narrator): Only 250         
  feet from the ground,         

121
00:07:03,577 --> 00:07:08,015
   the captain levels the plane 
    and pulls out of the dive.  

122
00:07:13,020 --> 00:07:14,955
 (sighs)                        

123
00:07:15,022 --> 00:07:17,124
 - I just can't believe         
that he recovered               

124
00:07:17,191 --> 00:07:18,892
 at such a low altitude.        

125
00:07:23,464 --> 00:07:25,699
   - Put in headings for Rost.  

126
00:07:30,304 --> 00:07:33,507
 - Wideroe 8-3-6                
  has aborted landing,          

127
00:07:33,574 --> 00:07:35,542
  redirecting to Rost.          

128
00:07:35,609 --> 00:07:39,213
   (radio): Copy that,          
    Wideroe 8-3-6. Stay safe.   

129
00:07:39,279 --> 00:07:41,148
   - Everyone okay back there?  

130
00:07:48,155 --> 00:07:52,059
    (Narrator): Wideroe Flight  
 8-3-6 escapes disaster.        

131
00:07:52,125 --> 00:07:54,528
   No one on board is injured.  

132
00:07:57,798 --> 00:08:00,501
   - I'm still shaking          
  my head at that one.          

133
00:08:00,567 --> 00:08:02,603
 That was an ace pilot.         

134
00:08:04,605 --> 00:08:06,640
(Narrator): In the city of Bodo,

135
00:08:06,707 --> 00:08:10,344
officials from Wideroe Airlines 
  cancel all flights into Vaeroy

136
00:08:10,410 --> 00:08:12,546
  while they try                
    and piece together          

137
00:08:12,613 --> 00:08:15,415
what happened with Flight 8-3-6.

138
00:08:15,482 --> 00:08:18,385
    As part of                  
    an internal investigation,  

139
00:08:18,452 --> 00:08:20,687
    the pilot is interviewed.   

140
00:08:21,488 --> 00:08:23,423
   - We were lining up          
  for approach.                 

141
00:08:23,490 --> 00:08:26,793
 Turbulence was getting         
worse and worse.                

142
00:08:28,161 --> 00:08:29,763
 I have control.                

143
00:08:32,232 --> 00:08:34,368
It was obvious we couldn't land.

144
00:08:34,434 --> 00:08:36,637
 I applied power to the engines 

145
00:08:36,703 --> 00:08:39,806
 and we climbed                 
   to about 1800 feet           

146
00:08:39,873 --> 00:08:44,511
where we got hit                
with a massive downdraft.       

147
00:08:48,382 --> 00:08:50,050
We're going over.               

148
00:08:50,117 --> 00:08:52,753
 (passengers screaming)         

149
00:08:56,556 --> 00:08:59,126
  I battled that plane,         

150
00:08:59,726 --> 00:09:02,229
 trying to keep it away         
   from the mountains.          

151
00:09:03,430 --> 00:09:05,866
Come on!                        

152
00:09:08,268 --> 00:09:10,070
Come on!                        

153
00:09:11,538 --> 00:09:14,007
  Eventually I was able         
  to level out,                 

154
00:09:14,074 --> 00:09:18,111
   climbed to a safe altitude   
  and turned for Rost.          

155
00:09:20,147 --> 00:09:23,717
- It would be terrifying        
   for them, I'm sure.          

156
00:09:25,118 --> 00:09:29,056
  - I've heard stories          
   about that airport.          

157
00:09:30,424 --> 00:09:32,259
And they're true.               

158
00:09:34,828 --> 00:09:37,331
(Harald):                       
 The pilots were not very happy.

159
00:09:38,198 --> 00:09:42,569
  We realized this had          
 been a serious incident        

160
00:09:42,636 --> 00:09:45,539
  and we had to tighten         
   the operational requirement  

161
00:09:45,606 --> 00:09:48,976
at the island to                
   make Vaeroy safer.           

162
00:09:51,979 --> 00:09:54,848
   (Narrator): The first action 
    taken by Wideroe officials  

163
00:09:54,915 --> 00:09:58,719
  is to reduce the maximum wind 
  speeds for takeoff and landing

164
00:09:58,785 --> 00:10:02,923
    at Vaeroy airport           
   from 20 to 15 knots.         

165
00:10:02,990 --> 00:10:06,593
 Wideroe asks the               
 Civil Aviation Authority       

166
00:10:06,660 --> 00:10:08,562
 to install anemometers,        

167
00:10:08,628 --> 00:10:11,565
   devices that monitor         
    and transmit wind speeds.   

168
00:10:11,632 --> 00:10:14,568
  Two are installed at each end 
 of the airstrip.               

169
00:10:14,635 --> 00:10:16,837
   And one is installed         
 on the mountain.               

170
00:10:16,903 --> 00:10:19,139
- The mountain is               
 its own weather maker.         

171
00:10:19,206 --> 00:10:21,908
   It can cause winds           
 to change in direction,        

172
00:10:21,975 --> 00:10:22,909
change in speed,                

173
00:10:22,976 --> 00:10:25,078
  which are conducive to making 

174
00:10:25,145 --> 00:10:26,980
some serious turbulence.        

175
00:10:28,815 --> 00:10:31,885
 (Narrator): It's called        
   terrain-induced turbulence.  

176
00:10:31,952 --> 00:10:34,655
  When winds hit                
 the mountains on Vaeroy,       

177
00:10:34,721 --> 00:10:36,657
 they tend to accelerate        
   over the top                 

178
00:10:36,723 --> 00:10:39,326
  and drop down                 
  towards the airstrip.         

179
00:10:39,393 --> 00:10:42,896
  This creates powerful         
    downdrafts and crosswinds.  

180
00:10:42,963 --> 00:10:46,366
    The sudden changes          
   in wind speeds and direction 

181
00:10:46,433 --> 00:10:48,368
  can create wind shear         

182
00:10:48,435 --> 00:10:50,837
    and cause a pilot           
 to lose control.               

183
00:10:52,139 --> 00:10:54,641
   (Harald): This was           
  a difficult place to operate  

184
00:10:54,708 --> 00:10:57,210
when the wind was flowing       
   over the mountains           

185
00:10:57,277 --> 00:10:59,012
and down onto the airport       

186
00:10:59,079 --> 00:11:01,515
  and we had to                 
   tighten those restrictions   

187
00:11:01,581 --> 00:11:05,285
   quite severely and quickly.  

188
00:11:07,187 --> 00:11:09,122
   (Narrator): But will         
    the restrictions at Vaeroy  

189
00:11:09,189 --> 00:11:12,726
   be enough to ensure          
  the safety of future flights? 

190
00:11:19,366 --> 00:11:23,236
r): It's been 15 months         
    since Wideroe Flight 8-3-6  

191
00:11:23,303 --> 00:11:25,338
   had their close call         
    at Vaeroy airport.          

192
00:11:25,405 --> 00:11:29,743
   Wideroe flight 8-3-9         
    has just landed at Vaeroy   

193
00:11:29,810 --> 00:11:32,913
 and is refueling before        
   heading back to the mainland 

194
00:11:32,979 --> 00:11:34,948
   for Easter weekend.          

195
00:11:35,015 --> 00:11:37,217
 - Anti-collision light.        

196
00:11:38,618 --> 00:11:39,886
  - On.                         

197
00:11:39,953 --> 00:11:42,022
- Aft and forward boost.        

198
00:11:42,089 --> 00:11:43,223
  - On.                         

199
00:11:43,290 --> 00:11:46,093
   (Narrator):                  
 Captain Idar Nils Persen       

200
00:11:46,159 --> 00:11:48,328
 is the pilot in command.       

201
00:11:48,929 --> 00:11:53,433
(Harald): Idar was a very       
   level-headed fella.          

202
00:11:53,500 --> 00:11:58,004
He was a top-rated pilot        
and he'd been with us for years.

203
00:11:58,071 --> 00:11:59,940
 - Start switch.                

204
00:12:00,006 --> 00:12:01,308
 - Left engine.                 

205
00:12:02,175 --> 00:12:06,813
  (Narrator): The first officer 
    is Arnt Vidar Gronneflåta.  

206
00:12:06,880 --> 00:12:09,149
   - On. Right engine.          

207
00:12:09,216 --> 00:12:13,220
   - Right engine. On.          

208
00:12:13,787 --> 00:12:17,457
   - The first officer          
 was fairly new.                

209
00:12:17,524 --> 00:12:20,861
I think he'd been with us       
 for only about a year.         

210
00:12:23,663 --> 00:12:27,367
- Look at that windsock.        
 It's flapping like mad.        

211
00:12:28,368 --> 00:12:30,971
  - Welcome to Vaeroy.          

212
00:12:31,037 --> 00:12:32,472
Buckle up, folks.               

213
00:12:32,539 --> 00:12:34,975
 It's going to be a bit         
   bumpy getting out of here.   

214
00:12:35,041 --> 00:12:37,911
   (Narrator): There are three  
   passengers onboard,          

215
00:12:37,978 --> 00:12:40,080
    including a young couple.   

216
00:12:40,147 --> 00:12:42,516
 - Vaeroy, Wideroe 8-3-9        
 ready to taxi.                 

217
00:12:42,582 --> 00:12:44,317
  (radio): Wideroe 8-3-9 roger. 

218
00:12:44,384 --> 00:12:46,953
 No known traffic, runway free, 

219
00:12:47,020 --> 00:12:49,723
 wind variable middle direction 

220
00:12:49,790 --> 00:12:52,926
   2-5-0 at 21 max 57,          

221
00:12:52,993 --> 00:12:55,796
  QNH Niner-8-8.                

222
00:12:55,862 --> 00:12:57,497
   - Copy, Niner-8-8.           

223
00:12:59,466 --> 00:13:01,835
  (Doug): The captain,          
  he was a local pilot.         

224
00:13:01,902 --> 00:13:03,403
  He knew the weather.          

225
00:13:03,470 --> 00:13:06,106
 He knew the limitations        
of the aircraft.                

226
00:13:06,173 --> 00:13:07,774
  Knew the limitations          
 of the airport.                

227
00:13:09,476 --> 00:13:12,445
   (Narrator): As they line up  
    at the end of the runway,   

228
00:13:12,512 --> 00:13:15,882
  the crew performs the         
    Before Take-off checklist.  

229
00:13:17,818 --> 00:13:19,619
 - Flaps set 10.                

230
00:13:19,686 --> 00:13:21,254
- Set 10.                       

231
00:13:21,321 --> 00:13:24,157
 - Heading set to 2-8-0.        

232
00:13:24,224 --> 00:13:26,693
 - Let's make it 3-2-0.         

233
00:13:27,394 --> 00:13:29,162
   Just get clearance.          

234
00:13:29,229 --> 00:13:31,631
 It's calm now.                 
  We should get going.          

235
00:13:31,698 --> 00:13:32,866
  - Copy that.                  

236
00:13:32,933 --> 00:13:35,802
  Tower, Wideroe 8-3-9          
  requesting clearance.         

237
00:13:35,869 --> 00:13:37,337
 - Wideroe 8-3-9,               

238
00:13:37,404 --> 00:13:40,774
   Bodo control clears Wideroe  
8-3-9 direct Bodo               

239
00:13:40,841 --> 00:13:44,778
  at 5,000 feet                 
   and squawk 0-1-3-5.          

240
00:13:44,845 --> 00:13:46,279
 - Copy.                        

241
00:13:46,346 --> 00:13:47,781
 Wideroe 8-3-9.                 

242
00:13:47,848 --> 00:13:49,482
  - Here we go.                 

243
00:13:55,288 --> 00:13:56,957
    - Wind has varied           

244
00:13:57,023 --> 00:14:00,293
 2-1-0 to 2-9-0 degrees         

245
00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:02,529
    with gusts of 34.           

246
00:14:02,596 --> 00:14:05,532
 - Yeah. Roger. We are rolling. 

247
00:14:06,967 --> 00:14:08,835
   70 knots...                  

248
00:14:09,469 --> 00:14:11,104
   80 knots...                  

249
00:14:15,675 --> 00:14:17,244
 rotate.                        

250
00:14:17,310 --> 00:14:20,914
   (Narrator): At 2:43,         
   Wideroe Flight 8-3-9         

251
00:14:20,981 --> 00:14:24,417
  takes off from Vaeroy         
   and heads for the mainland.  

252
00:14:26,253 --> 00:14:30,056
    The return flight to Bodo   
will take less than 30 minutes. 

253
00:14:34,060 --> 00:14:35,762
   - Flaps up.                  

254
00:14:37,564 --> 00:14:39,966
   (Narrator):                  
   10 seconds after takeoff...  

255
00:14:40,033 --> 00:14:41,868
   (rattling)                   

256
00:14:41,935 --> 00:14:44,971
    ...a strange noise          
  catches the pilots' attention.

257
00:14:46,139 --> 00:14:48,775
(Harald): You don't want        
   anything unusual to happen   

258
00:14:48,842 --> 00:14:50,844
  in that phase                 
  of the flight                 

259
00:14:50,911 --> 00:14:53,580
  since you are                 
very close to the ground.       

260
00:14:55,215 --> 00:14:58,585
    (Narrator): They struggle   
 to keep the plane level.       

261
00:14:59,920 --> 00:15:01,554
- Steady.                       

262
00:15:02,789 --> 00:15:04,824
   (rattling)                   

263
00:15:04,891 --> 00:15:06,960
   Something's wrong.           

264
00:15:15,969 --> 00:15:19,806
  (Narrator): And then,         
   the nose of the plane drops  

265
00:15:19,873 --> 00:15:22,275
  and the captain can't         
 do anything to raise it.       

266
00:15:22,342 --> 00:15:25,578
- No, no, no, no.               

267
00:15:27,981 --> 00:15:32,419
 (passengers screaming)         

268
00:15:33,887 --> 00:15:35,188
- Oh God.                       

269
00:15:35,822 --> 00:15:38,959
   (Narrator): Just 63 seconds  
   after lifting off...         

270
00:15:41,127 --> 00:15:43,129
   Wideroe Flight 8-3-9         

271
00:15:44,597 --> 00:15:46,232
   slams into the sea.          

272
00:15:46,299 --> 00:15:49,035
 (alarm sounds)                 

273
00:15:52,072 --> 00:15:56,843
 - Wideroe 8-3-9, this is Vaeroy
   Tower. Do you copy?          

274
00:15:56,910 --> 00:16:01,581
 Wideroe 8-3-9,                 
  Vaeroy information on 119.4.  

275
00:16:09,155 --> 00:16:11,825
    (Narrator): Within hours,   
 search and rescue teams        

276
00:16:11,891 --> 00:16:14,728
   spot debris                  
 on the ocean's surface,        

277
00:16:14,794 --> 00:16:17,964
 6.5 kilometers northwest       
 of the airport.                

278
00:16:20,033 --> 00:16:23,737
- The wreckage was found        
 three days after the accident. 

279
00:16:24,604 --> 00:16:27,907
  Harsh sea conditions          
  made it a challenge.          

280
00:16:30,910 --> 00:16:33,546
  (Narrator): The bodies        
 of the three passengers        

281
00:16:33,613 --> 00:16:36,082
  and the first officer         
  are recovered.                

282
00:16:36,149 --> 00:16:39,686
  Captain Persen remains        
 are never found.               

283
00:16:41,321 --> 00:16:44,557
 - The accident                 
 caused a lot of grief.         

284
00:16:44,624 --> 00:16:47,794
Vaeroy is a small island        
 where everyone know each other,

285
00:16:47,861 --> 00:16:50,730
so everyone felt they had       
   lost someone close to them.  

286
00:16:51,865 --> 00:16:53,833
    (Narrator): Investigators   

287
00:16:53,900 --> 00:16:56,970
   from the Norwegian Accident  
  Commission for Civil Aviation,

288
00:16:57,037 --> 00:17:00,774
   or HSL, soon arrive          
  on the island.                

289
00:17:02,542 --> 00:17:05,578
  - The purpose of the Wideroe  
  investigation                 

290
00:17:05,645 --> 00:17:09,716
  was to find out what happened 
  during that incident.         

291
00:17:13,686 --> 00:17:15,455
   - I was manager air safety   

292
00:17:15,522 --> 00:17:16,723
for Boeing Canada               
 De Havilland Division,         

293
00:17:16,790 --> 00:17:19,559
and I traveled to Vaeroy        

294
00:17:19,626 --> 00:17:22,195
 to assist with                 
   the investigation.           

295
00:17:23,296 --> 00:17:25,498
  The airfield was spectacular, 

296
00:17:25,565 --> 00:17:29,069
  but I was somewhat surprised  
in the closeness                

297
00:17:29,135 --> 00:17:33,306
   of the mountain range which  
  paralleled the entire runway. 

298
00:17:35,141 --> 00:17:36,443
  - Thank you.                  

299
00:17:36,509 --> 00:17:39,579
(Narrator): Investigators start 
by interviewing the controller, 

300
00:17:39,646 --> 00:17:41,981
    who briefs pilots           
  on the local weather.         

301
00:17:42,048 --> 00:17:43,917
   - Sorry about that.          
 - That's fine.                 

302
00:17:43,983 --> 00:17:45,685
 Can you walk me                
  through what happened         

303
00:17:45,752 --> 00:17:46,853
the day of the accident?        

304
00:17:46,920 --> 00:17:48,321
- A normal day by our standards.

305
00:17:48,388 --> 00:17:50,990
  They landed at 14:30.         

306
00:17:51,057 --> 00:17:54,761
  Refueled, changed passengers  
 and asked to taxi out.         

307
00:17:54,828 --> 00:17:57,130
  The whole turnaround          
was less than 15 minutes.       

308
00:17:57,197 --> 00:17:59,766
  - What were the winds         
   when they took off?          

309
00:17:59,833 --> 00:18:02,535
- It was gusting                
  when they were parked         

310
00:18:02,602 --> 00:18:04,704
   but eased off to 34          
on the west end.                

311
00:18:04,771 --> 00:18:07,040
  The winds were coming         
  from every direction.         

312
00:18:07,107 --> 00:18:08,908
   It's pretty common.          

313
00:18:08,975 --> 00:18:12,178
- Did the pilots have any       
  hesitation about taking off?  

314
00:18:12,245 --> 00:18:13,613
   - No. None at all.           

315
00:18:13,680 --> 00:18:15,115
 - And what about the take off? 

316
00:18:15,181 --> 00:18:18,451
   (Narrator):                  
 The controller explains        

317
00:18:18,518 --> 00:18:20,186
   that after the plane passed  
    the tower,                  

318
00:18:22,122 --> 00:18:25,959
    it turned and then          
   disappeared into the clouds. 

319
00:18:26,025 --> 00:18:28,495
  - What was the cloud          
  ceiling at the time?          

320
00:18:28,561 --> 00:18:30,597
  - 1,000 feet.                 

321
00:18:30,663 --> 00:18:32,198
  I received a distress signal  

322
00:18:32,265 --> 00:18:35,268
 and a few seconds later        
 I heard a bang.                

323
00:18:37,337 --> 00:18:38,638
 That was fast.                 

324
00:18:38,705 --> 00:18:41,407
 They were airborne for         
   just over a minute.          

325
00:18:41,474 --> 00:18:44,210
 - Did they call mayday         

326
00:18:44,277 --> 00:18:47,881
or relay any information        
about mechanical issues?        

327
00:18:47,947 --> 00:18:49,849
   - Nothing.                   

328
00:18:50,817 --> 00:18:53,853
 - That was helpful. Thank you. 

329
00:18:55,054 --> 00:18:57,524
   (Narrator): Could there have 
    been a structural failure   

330
00:18:57,590 --> 00:19:00,994
 or loss of power               
    which caused Flight 8-3-9   

331
00:19:01,060 --> 00:19:03,796
   to crash so quickly          
  into the sea?                 

332
00:19:08,768 --> 00:19:10,970
   s                            
   survey the wreckage          

333
00:19:11,037 --> 00:19:12,705
 of Wideroe Flight 8-3-9        

334
00:19:12,772 --> 00:19:14,908
    for any signs that          
  would explain a crash         

335
00:19:14,974 --> 00:19:16,676
  so soon after takeoff.        

336
00:19:16,743 --> 00:19:20,547
   - Nose and cockpit           
   completely crushed.          

337
00:19:21,781 --> 00:19:25,018
  Both wings, engines,          

338
00:19:25,084 --> 00:19:28,354
 undercarriage and tail section 

339
00:19:28,421 --> 00:19:31,791
  severed from                  
 the fuselage on impact         

340
00:19:31,858 --> 00:19:33,960
  and carried forward.          

341
00:19:34,027 --> 00:19:36,629
  A high energy impact.         

342
00:19:38,698 --> 00:19:41,100
  (Jim): With the nose          
 buckled the way it was         

343
00:19:41,167 --> 00:19:44,037
 and the left wing tip buckled; 

344
00:19:44,103 --> 00:19:46,139
we had a pretty good idea       

345
00:19:46,206 --> 00:19:48,975
   of how the aircraft          
impacted the sea.               

346
00:19:52,745 --> 00:19:54,948
 (Narrator): The wreckage       
   tells investigators          

347
00:19:55,014 --> 00:19:58,818
   the plane entered the water  
   nose first at a high speed.  

348
00:20:02,956 --> 00:20:06,426
    The team considers          
  whether engine failure        

349
00:20:06,492 --> 00:20:08,728
  caused the high-speed impact. 

350
00:20:08,795 --> 00:20:11,364
 The manufacturer               
  provides their report.        

351
00:20:11,431 --> 00:20:13,366
- No fire damage.               

352
00:20:13,433 --> 00:20:16,569
  Both engines appeared         
to be running at high RPM       

353
00:20:16,636 --> 00:20:19,439
   and torque                   
 at the time of impact.         

354
00:20:19,505 --> 00:20:22,508
  - The engine                  
 manufacturer determined        

355
00:20:22,575 --> 00:20:23,910
  that the engines were running 

356
00:20:23,977 --> 00:20:26,879
 and they were ruled out        
   very, very quickly.          

357
00:20:28,514 --> 00:20:30,717
   (Narrator):                  
  With engine failure ruled out,

358
00:20:30,783 --> 00:20:34,520
  they wonder whether any parts 
  that control the plane's pitch

359
00:20:34,587 --> 00:20:36,222
   or steering failed,          

360
00:20:36,289 --> 00:20:38,825
  causing it to                 
   plunge into the sea.         

361
00:20:41,227 --> 00:20:44,030
  - The right elevator          
sheared in half,                

362
00:20:44,097 --> 00:20:45,865
  maybe due to impact.          

363
00:20:47,934 --> 00:20:50,370
 (Narrator): The elevator       
   is a control surface         

364
00:20:50,436 --> 00:20:53,339
 on the Twin Otter's tail       
   that adjusts pitch.          

365
00:20:56,776 --> 00:20:59,946
  Investigators discover        
    something unusual           

366
00:21:00,013 --> 00:21:02,682
in the elevator connecting rod. 

367
00:21:06,185 --> 00:21:08,388
   The elevator connecting rod  

368
00:21:08,454 --> 00:21:11,791
   moves the elevators          
 up and down on the tail.       

369
00:21:12,392 --> 00:21:15,528
   It's activated when          
    the pilot pushes or pulls   

370
00:21:15,595 --> 00:21:17,630
  on the control column.        

371
00:21:18,331 --> 00:21:20,066
   - The upper end is broken.   

372
00:21:20,133 --> 00:21:24,404
   (Narrator): What would cause 
   such a vital part to break?  

373
00:21:24,470 --> 00:21:27,907
  - You shouldn't have          
any preconceived notions        

374
00:21:27,974 --> 00:21:29,909
   as to why the part failed.   

375
00:21:31,344 --> 00:21:33,379
- Let's get this                
   elevator rod to metallurgy.  

376
00:21:33,446 --> 00:21:35,882
  I want to know how it failed. 

377
00:21:38,384 --> 00:21:40,186
   - Did the part fail          

378
00:21:40,253 --> 00:21:42,588
because there was               
 a manufacturing defect?        

379
00:21:42,655 --> 00:21:46,893
   Did it fail because          
  there was a tool mark on it?  

380
00:21:46,959 --> 00:21:50,930
 You should let the part        
   tell you the story.          

381
00:21:52,432 --> 00:21:54,233
   (Narrator):                  
 While investigators wait       

382
00:21:54,300 --> 00:21:55,735
  for the metallurgical results,

383
00:21:55,802 --> 00:21:58,004
  they research                 
   the plane's history,         

384
00:21:58,071 --> 00:22:00,873
  looking for any clues         
   into what might have caused  

385
00:22:00,940 --> 00:22:03,543
   the elevator                 
 connecting rod to fail.        

386
00:22:03,609 --> 00:22:06,312
   - The Twin Otter DHC 6-300   

387
00:22:06,379 --> 00:22:09,682
  was purchased                 
   by Wideroe in 1977.          

388
00:22:10,350 --> 00:22:12,418
   - The last daily inspection  
 was carried out                

389
00:22:12,485 --> 00:22:13,820
the day of the accident.        

390
00:22:13,886 --> 00:22:16,089
  Maintenance all in accordance 
with current regulations.       

391
00:22:16,155 --> 00:22:18,124
  - So not a maintenance issue. 

392
00:22:19,959 --> 00:22:22,395
  (Phone rings)                 

393
00:22:23,229 --> 00:22:25,898
(Tor): The investigators        
  went through                  

394
00:22:25,965 --> 00:22:28,267
   all the maintenance          
 documentation.                 

395
00:22:28,334 --> 00:22:31,003
   All the inspections          
  was completed                 

396
00:22:31,070 --> 00:22:33,539
  and no deviations was found.  

397
00:22:34,741 --> 00:22:37,510
   (Narrator): With maintenance 
   ruled out as a cause         

398
00:22:37,577 --> 00:22:40,046
    for the failure of          
   the elevator connecting rod, 

399
00:22:40,113 --> 00:22:43,449
investigators review the results
  of a metallurgical examination

400
00:22:43,516 --> 00:22:45,985
  performed on the rod.         

401
00:22:46,919 --> 00:22:49,389
  - There's no                  
  pre-existing cracks.          

402
00:22:49,455 --> 00:22:52,525
 There's banding here and here. 

403
00:22:53,493 --> 00:22:57,430
  - Banding is created because  
you have a repeated load        

404
00:22:57,497 --> 00:22:59,599
   that is applied on and off   
  to your part.                 

405
00:22:59,665 --> 00:23:02,001
 And every time                 
  the load is applied,          

406
00:23:02,068 --> 00:23:05,071
  you have a crack that         
 grows a little bit more        

407
00:23:05,138 --> 00:23:09,175
and it creates a rainbow        
on the fracture surface.        

408
00:23:10,209 --> 00:23:13,479
   (Narrator): The report also  
   reveals the banding occurred 

409
00:23:13,546 --> 00:23:16,549
   because of sideways          
   bending on the rod.          

410
00:23:18,284 --> 00:23:20,019
 (Jim): This was highly unusual.

411
00:23:20,086 --> 00:23:24,023
There's never any               
 side loads on that rod.        

412
00:23:24,090 --> 00:23:26,426
   It just moves up and down.   

413
00:23:26,492 --> 00:23:29,529
   So, it didn't make           
 a great deal of sense.         

414
00:23:30,563 --> 00:23:33,099
   (Narrator):                  
Investigators examine schematics

415
00:23:33,166 --> 00:23:35,568
   of the tail section          
    of the Twin Otter           

416
00:23:35,635 --> 00:23:37,370
   to determine what would bend 

417
00:23:37,437 --> 00:23:40,873
   the elevator connecting rod  
  sideways, causing it to break.

418
00:23:40,940 --> 00:23:44,811
   - So what if this elevator   
broke in flight?                

419
00:23:47,013 --> 00:23:50,583
- It would swing freely,        
   and uncontrollably.          

420
00:23:50,650 --> 00:23:53,553
  - It would definitely         
 cause the rod to bend.         

421
00:23:58,925 --> 00:24:00,660
   (Narrator):                  
  If the right elevator         

422
00:24:00,726 --> 00:24:02,795
  separated from                
  its mounts in flight,         

423
00:24:02,862 --> 00:24:05,364
  it would swing                
   in every direction,          

424
00:24:05,431 --> 00:24:07,800
 putting sideways               
   pressure on the rod,         

425
00:24:07,867 --> 00:24:10,269
  and ultimately                
   causing it to break.         

426
00:24:11,737 --> 00:24:16,042
  - First the elevator.         
  Then the rod.                 

427
00:24:17,577 --> 00:24:20,012
  - It's the only thing         
that makes sense.               

428
00:24:20,947 --> 00:24:23,950
   - It's kind of like          
   the cart before the horse.   

429
00:24:24,016 --> 00:24:27,320
  The control rod would         
 not have seen any loads        

430
00:24:27,386 --> 00:24:29,789
  had the elevator not broken.  

431
00:24:30,790 --> 00:24:34,894
   (Narrator): What would cause 
the elevator to break in flight?

432
00:24:34,961 --> 00:24:36,796
   - Maybe the cockpit          
 voice recorder                 

433
00:24:36,863 --> 00:24:38,831
  can shed some light on that.  

434
00:24:45,605 --> 00:24:48,341
- Okay let's start              
 with the takeoff roll.         

435
00:24:49,308 --> 00:24:51,043
   (Narrator):                  
 Norwegian investigators        

436
00:24:51,110 --> 00:24:53,145
  listen to the cockpit         
  voice recorder                

437
00:24:53,212 --> 00:24:55,648
   for clues as to how          
    the right elevator          

438
00:24:55,715 --> 00:24:58,851
    on Wideroe Flight           
   8-3-9 might have come loose, 

439
00:24:58,918 --> 00:25:01,220
   bending the connecting rod.  

440
00:25:01,287 --> 00:25:04,957
(recorder): 70 knots. 80 knots. 

441
00:25:05,024 --> 00:25:07,260
 Rotate.                        

442
00:25:07,326 --> 00:25:10,963
   (Tor): It was amazing that   
   the cockpit voice recorder   

443
00:25:11,030 --> 00:25:13,666
   was in the aircraft          
   in the first place           

444
00:25:13,733 --> 00:25:16,135
   because it was not           
 mandatory at the time.         

445
00:25:19,572 --> 00:25:20,606
   - Flaps up.                  

446
00:25:20,673 --> 00:25:22,742
   (rattling)                   

447
00:25:28,314 --> 00:25:30,683
   - Did you hear that          
clattering noise?               

448
00:25:31,050 --> 00:25:33,619
   - Strange.                   

449
00:25:38,357 --> 00:25:40,192
   (recorder): Steady.          

450
00:25:45,831 --> 00:25:47,700
   Something's wrong.           

451
00:25:48,067 --> 00:25:49,302
   (rattling)                   

452
00:25:49,368 --> 00:25:52,838
Stop. There it is again.        

453
00:25:53,706 --> 00:25:56,142
- Was that the elevator?        

454
00:25:57,009 --> 00:25:59,478
  - Play it back again.         

455
00:26:00,479 --> 00:26:03,149
 (Jim): When I listened         
   to the CVR,                  

456
00:26:03,215 --> 00:26:06,252
there was nothing               
  that I could pinpoint         

457
00:26:06,319 --> 00:26:10,323
   as being the source          
of the clattering sound.        

458
00:26:13,626 --> 00:26:15,561
   (rattling)                   

459
00:26:15,628 --> 00:26:17,863
- Could it have been the        
   elevator breaking?           

460
00:26:17,930 --> 00:26:21,300
 It was possible but we         
 really just don't know.        

461
00:26:22,301 --> 00:26:23,769
  - Do you hear the propellers? 

462
00:26:23,836 --> 00:26:26,238
  (Narrator): Fifty-five seconds
 into the flight,               

463
00:26:26,305 --> 00:26:28,908
    investigators hear          
 the sound of propellers        

464
00:26:28,975 --> 00:26:30,643
  rotating out of sync.         

465
00:26:31,677 --> 00:26:34,880
    This occurs when there's a  
change in the aircraft's pitch. 

466
00:26:34,947 --> 00:26:36,949
  - Turbulence?                 

467
00:26:37,883 --> 00:26:39,418
 - It has to be.                

468
00:26:39,819 --> 00:26:44,423
 - A sudden gust of wind        
   or change in wind direction  

469
00:26:44,490 --> 00:26:47,493
   would cause                  
the propellers to adjust        

470
00:26:47,560 --> 00:26:51,430
 to compensate for the changing 
attitude of the aircraft.       

471
00:26:52,865 --> 00:26:55,935
    (Narrator): Investigators   
   discover that Wideroe 8-3-9  

472
00:26:56,002 --> 00:27:00,306
was struck by severe turbulence 
  shortly after takeoff.        

473
00:27:00,373 --> 00:27:03,542
   - The crash happens          
 just 10 seconds later.         

474
00:27:06,112 --> 00:27:08,848
 (passengers screaming)         

475
00:27:08,914 --> 00:27:11,751
- No. No, no, no.               

476
00:27:11,817 --> 00:27:13,452
- Oh God!                       

477
00:27:24,563 --> 00:27:26,565
  - So where were they exactly  

478
00:27:26,632 --> 00:27:28,634
  when they were struck         
  by severe turbulence?         

479
00:27:28,701 --> 00:27:31,203
   - Well, Standard Operating   
   Procedure calls for a rate   

480
00:27:31,270 --> 00:27:33,706
  of ascent of 1000 to          
   12-hundred feet per minute.  

481
00:27:33,773 --> 00:27:36,909
 - So they would                
   have hit turbulence          

482
00:27:36,976 --> 00:27:41,313
right after they entered        
   clouds at about 1000 feet.   

483
00:27:42,548 --> 00:27:46,285
 And, that mountain ridge there 
  is just over a thousand feet. 

484
00:27:47,787 --> 00:27:50,523
 - It looks like                
   terrain-induced turbulence.  

485
00:27:54,060 --> 00:27:59,165
 (Harald): The quicker you could
  get away from the mountains,  

486
00:27:59,231 --> 00:28:01,200
   the better it was.           

487
00:28:01,267 --> 00:28:04,403
  - How bad could those         
winds have been?                

488
00:28:06,005 --> 00:28:08,808
(Narrator): Investigators learn 
    of the near crash           

489
00:28:08,874 --> 00:28:12,378
   of the other Wideroe plane,  
  Flight 8-3-6,                 

490
00:28:12,445 --> 00:28:15,581
  on approach to Vaeroy,        
    15 months earlier.          

491
00:28:16,449 --> 00:28:18,417
- It looks like they lost       
  control of the plane          

492
00:28:18,484 --> 00:28:21,620
for two minutes,                
   even went inverted.          

493
00:28:25,891 --> 00:28:29,462
   - At what altitude           
 did they lose control?         

494
00:28:29,528 --> 00:28:31,797
   - About 1800 feet,           

495
00:28:31,864 --> 00:28:35,668
just after he aborted the       
  landing on runway 25          

496
00:28:35,735 --> 00:28:37,903
  due to winds.                 

497
00:28:40,106 --> 00:28:43,242
 (Narrator): Both flights       
   encountered dangerous winds  

498
00:28:43,309 --> 00:28:46,412
at or above the mountain ridges.

499
00:28:46,479 --> 00:28:48,447
   - Were any measures          
 put into place                 

500
00:28:48,514 --> 00:28:50,282
  to prevent this from          
happening again?                

501
00:28:50,349 --> 00:28:53,319
  - After Flight 8-3-6's missed 
approach,                       

502
00:28:53,385 --> 00:28:56,956
   Flight Order 17 was          
 put into place.                

503
00:28:57,022 --> 00:28:58,624
So they made this change,       

504
00:28:58,691 --> 00:29:02,361
  "Landings and departures must 
   not be planned or executed   

505
00:29:02,428 --> 00:29:04,697
   with variable winds          
above 15 knots."                

506
00:29:05,731 --> 00:29:07,833
   So they reduced the maximum  
  allowable wind speeds         

507
00:29:07,900 --> 00:29:10,569
for takeoff and landing.        

508
00:29:11,670 --> 00:29:16,075
 - Wideroe established some very
  significant wind restrictions 

509
00:29:16,142 --> 00:29:21,113
   using some very experienced  
  crew to develop them.         

510
00:29:21,180 --> 00:29:25,251
   But there was still          
unpredictability.               

511
00:29:25,317 --> 00:29:28,387
 - Anemometers were also        
installed                       

512
00:29:28,454 --> 00:29:30,389
   at both ends of the runway   

513
00:29:30,456 --> 00:29:34,059
   and on the mountain ridge.   

514
00:29:36,562 --> 00:29:38,497
(Doug): It's good               
  to have an anemometer         

515
00:29:38,564 --> 00:29:39,999
 on top of the mountain.        

516
00:29:40,065 --> 00:29:43,435
  It just gives the pilot more  
  information for the landing.  

517
00:29:43,502 --> 00:29:46,405
 - So what were                 
   the mountain winds           

518
00:29:46,472 --> 00:29:48,707
  at the time of flight 8-3-9?  

519
00:29:51,644 --> 00:29:56,749
  - Huh. There is no anemometer 
 data for the mountain.         

520
00:30:00,686 --> 00:30:05,524
  - If it doesn't provide data, 
 it's absolutely no use.        

521
00:30:06,392 --> 00:30:08,594
 (Narrator):                    
  Investigators contact         

522
00:30:08,661 --> 00:30:10,196
   the Civil Aviation Authority 

523
00:30:10,262 --> 00:30:12,998
  to determine why there weren't
 any mountain anemometer        

524
00:30:13,065 --> 00:30:15,134
  wind readings                 
 at the time of the crash       

525
00:30:15,201 --> 00:30:17,536
 of Wideroe Fight 8-3-9.        

526
00:30:17,603 --> 00:30:19,438
  - Thank you.                  

527
00:30:21,974 --> 00:30:24,610
 The anemometer was taken down. 

528
00:30:26,879 --> 00:30:29,515
(Narrator): They learn that the 
    anemometer on the mountain  

529
00:30:29,582 --> 00:30:33,152
 wasn't reliable because        
  of the icy conditions.        

530
00:30:33,219 --> 00:30:35,054
  A year after being installed, 

531
00:30:35,120 --> 00:30:38,157
   it was removed from          
 the mountain for repair.       

532
00:30:39,058 --> 00:30:41,126
- It gets worse.                

533
00:30:41,193 --> 00:30:43,295
It was never reinstalled.       

534
00:30:43,362 --> 00:30:46,298
It was officially               
  taken out of service          

535
00:30:46,365 --> 00:30:48,434
 three days before the accident.

536
00:30:53,272 --> 00:30:55,574
   (Doug): The removal          
of the anemometer               

537
00:30:55,641 --> 00:30:57,509
   is a degradation of safety.  

538
00:30:57,576 --> 00:31:00,946
  It's information that a pilot 
 would certainly require        

539
00:31:01,013 --> 00:31:02,314
for an airport like that.       

540
00:31:02,381 --> 00:31:04,183
 - Okay.                        

541
00:31:04,250 --> 00:31:07,219
So, what wind information       

542
00:31:07,286 --> 00:31:10,356
 were the pilots                
   actually getting, and when?  

543
00:31:12,491 --> 00:31:15,694
    (Narrator): Investigators   
   listen to the CVR recording  

544
00:31:15,761 --> 00:31:20,199
 of Wideroe Flight 8-3-9,       
   before it landed at Vaeroy.  

545
00:31:20,266 --> 00:31:21,967
    (recording): I'm going to   
 bank west of the island        

546
00:31:22,034 --> 00:31:23,736
    to avoid more turbulence.   

547
00:31:23,802 --> 00:31:25,838
  I'm getting updrafts already. 

548
00:31:25,905 --> 00:31:27,206
  - Copy that.                  

549
00:31:27,273 --> 00:31:30,576
- Wideroe 8-3-9. Runway free... 

550
00:31:30,643 --> 00:31:35,080
    Wind east side 270          
    degrees at max 23.          

551
00:31:35,147 --> 00:31:36,415
  - Understood.                 

552
00:31:36,482 --> 00:31:38,450
  Wideroe 8-3-9.                

553
00:31:40,586 --> 00:31:42,388
  - Twenty three knots.         

554
00:31:42,454 --> 00:31:44,690
   That's eight knots           
above the limit.                

555
00:31:44,757 --> 00:31:47,059
   - They shouldn't even have   
landed the inbound flight       

556
00:31:47,126 --> 00:31:48,360
   in the first place.          

557
00:31:48,427 --> 00:31:51,530
 What about when                
they were on the ground?        

558
00:32:00,539 --> 00:32:02,841
   (recording):                 
  Look at that windsock.        

559
00:32:02,908 --> 00:32:05,577
 It's flapping like mad.        

560
00:32:05,644 --> 00:32:07,146
  - Welcome to Vaeroy.          

561
00:32:10,082 --> 00:32:12,818
 - The pilot was talking        
  a lot about the wind          

562
00:32:12,885 --> 00:32:15,821
and they were discussing        
  that the wind                 

563
00:32:15,888 --> 00:32:17,690
 was coming from all directions.

564
00:32:17,756 --> 00:32:20,459
  (air traffic control):        
  Wideroe 8-3-9, roger.         

565
00:32:20,526 --> 00:32:23,228
  No known traffic, runway free,

566
00:32:23,295 --> 00:32:25,831
  wind variable                 
 middle direction               

567
00:32:25,898 --> 00:32:29,902
  at two five zero at 21 max 57.

568
00:32:29,969 --> 00:32:32,037
 - Could you say again. Max 57? 

569
00:32:32,104 --> 00:32:34,807
 - Yeah. Max 57.                

570
00:32:38,010 --> 00:32:39,745
 - Copy.                        

571
00:32:43,015 --> 00:32:45,250
   - 57 knots.                  

572
00:32:46,719 --> 00:32:51,390
 (Narrator): 57 knots is        
   more than 65 miles per hour. 

573
00:32:52,858 --> 00:32:56,295
- Yeah. The manual says that the
 Twin Otter must not be operated

574
00:32:56,362 --> 00:32:59,665
  on the ground                 
in winds above 50 knots.        

575
00:33:01,467 --> 00:33:04,903
- He is sticking                
his neck out on the line        

576
00:33:04,970 --> 00:33:06,705
 and I'm not quite sure         
why he did that.                

577
00:33:06,772 --> 00:33:09,775
  - Were the winds that strong  
   when they took off?          

578
00:33:13,545 --> 00:33:16,015
 - They go through their        
  pre-takeoff checklist         

579
00:33:16,081 --> 00:33:17,816
   and then...                  

580
00:33:19,018 --> 00:33:20,419
  - Just get clearance.         

581
00:33:20,486 --> 00:33:22,755
 It's calm now.                 
  We should get going.          

582
00:33:22,821 --> 00:33:24,123
  - Copy that.                  

583
00:33:24,189 --> 00:33:26,558
  - The captain says its calm.  

584
00:33:26,625 --> 00:33:28,694
What's he basing that on?       
   Windsocks?                   

585
00:33:28,761 --> 00:33:30,062
- The rains had stopped.        

586
00:33:30,129 --> 00:33:32,598
  Maybe it looked like          
the weather was clearing.       

587
00:33:35,134 --> 00:33:37,102
(Harald):                       
  If a shower was approaching,  

588
00:33:37,169 --> 00:33:39,304
you could expect variable winds.

589
00:33:39,371 --> 00:33:42,007
   But when the shower passed,  

590
00:33:42,074 --> 00:33:44,777
you could expect                
   a lull in the wind.          

591
00:33:48,847 --> 00:33:51,450
 - According to the transcript, 

592
00:33:51,517 --> 00:33:54,553
 they get their next wind report
  as they're about to take off. 

593
00:33:55,721 --> 00:33:59,058
 (radio):                       
   Wind has varied two one zero 

594
00:33:59,124 --> 00:34:02,528
 to two nine zero degrees       
    with gusts of 34.           

595
00:34:02,594 --> 00:34:04,930
 - Yeah. Roger. We are rolling. 

596
00:34:07,733 --> 00:34:10,302
 - They took off                
   in a 34-knot wind.           

597
00:34:10,369 --> 00:34:12,404
That's more than                
double the limit.               

598
00:34:14,339 --> 00:34:17,042
 - If the winds were gusting at 
 57 knots on the ground,        

599
00:34:17,109 --> 00:34:19,011
 then who knows                 
how strong the winds were       

600
00:34:19,077 --> 00:34:20,913
coming off the mountain.        

601
00:34:22,047 --> 00:34:24,316
 - Strong enough                
 to break the elevator.         

602
00:34:29,421 --> 00:34:31,390
   (Doug): When he hit the lip  
of the mountain,                

603
00:34:31,457 --> 00:34:35,227
  I bet he encountered          
 60, 70, 80 knot winds.         

604
00:34:37,796 --> 00:34:41,467
   It obviously caused severe   
 to extreme turbulence.         

605
00:34:42,768 --> 00:34:44,036
- Steady.                       

606
00:34:44,103 --> 00:34:46,839
  (Narrator): The team concludes
   the winds were strong enough 

607
00:34:46,905 --> 00:34:49,541
   to break the right elevator  
   from of its mounts,          

608
00:34:49,608 --> 00:34:52,177
    causing the connecting rod  
    to break,                   

609
00:34:52,244 --> 00:34:54,980
making both elevators unusable. 

610
00:34:55,047 --> 00:34:57,015
  - Something's wrong.          

611
00:34:57,816 --> 00:35:00,953
  - They ignored Wideroe's wind 
  limits on the ground          

612
00:35:02,154 --> 00:35:04,456
   and they had no wind limits  

613
00:35:04,523 --> 00:35:06,959
  in the dangerous area         
  around the mountain.          

614
00:35:07,025 --> 00:35:09,661
Why were they so eager to leave?

615
00:35:12,097 --> 00:35:14,733
- This was Easter weekend       

616
00:35:14,800 --> 00:35:18,370
and there is an incentive       
  to get home.                  

617
00:35:20,272 --> 00:35:25,010
 There was clearly some         
 concern, but they went.        

618
00:35:33,552 --> 00:35:37,356
  (Narrator): To understand why 
   the Captain of Flight 8-3-9  

619
00:35:37,422 --> 00:35:40,259
    took off in winds           
  that exceeded company limits, 

620
00:35:40,325 --> 00:35:43,328
 investigators interview        
   other Wideroe pilots         

621
00:35:43,395 --> 00:35:45,597
 about wind restrictions        
    at Vaeroy.                  

622
00:35:46,732 --> 00:35:49,001
  - What has been your          
  experience at Vaeroy?         

623
00:35:50,302 --> 00:35:52,337
I don't like it,                
 none of the pilots do.         

624
00:35:52,404 --> 00:35:55,007
The wind reports                
aren't reliable.                

625
00:35:58,610 --> 00:36:00,879
  - You could actually          
   sit on the tarmac,           

626
00:36:00,946 --> 00:36:02,814
get one wind indication,        

627
00:36:02,881 --> 00:36:06,318
move towards the runway,        
and get another.                

628
00:36:06,385 --> 00:36:09,488
- Even though the maximum       
wind speeds were reduced        

629
00:36:09,555 --> 00:36:10,989
  from 20 knots to 15?          

630
00:36:11,056 --> 00:36:14,860
  - Well they were, but         
 they brought it back up to 20. 

631
00:36:17,362 --> 00:36:20,032
 (Narrator): Nine months        
    after the incident          

632
00:36:20,098 --> 00:36:21,800
  with the first Wideroe flight,

633
00:36:21,867 --> 00:36:24,870
  the wind restrictions         
  were reversed.                

634
00:36:26,338 --> 00:36:27,706
- Why would they do that?       

635
00:36:27,773 --> 00:36:31,810
   - My guess?                  
 Too many cancellations.        

636
00:36:35,547 --> 00:36:39,084
    (Narrator): After Wideroe   
 lowered the wind limits,       

637
00:36:39,151 --> 00:36:40,719
 cancellations increased.       

638
00:36:40,786 --> 00:36:44,656
    That led to negative press  
and anger from local residents. 

639
00:36:46,024 --> 00:36:48,460
- The decision to cancel flights

640
00:36:48,527 --> 00:36:51,630
 became very unpopular.         

641
00:36:52,497 --> 00:36:55,934
 It was so unpredictable        
   at Vaeroy.                   

642
00:36:58,537 --> 00:37:03,041
   - Did pilots feel pressure   
to complete the flights?        

643
00:37:03,875 --> 00:37:06,411
   - Yeah, but                  
  not from the airline.         

644
00:37:06,478 --> 00:37:08,280
   (Harald): I had a situation  

645
00:37:08,347 --> 00:37:11,183
where the weather               
 turned into a hurricane        

646
00:37:11,250 --> 00:37:12,818
and I could not take off.       

647
00:37:12,884 --> 00:37:16,488
And I got a real workover       
  from some of the passengers.  

648
00:37:17,489 --> 00:37:19,992
    (Narrator): Investigators   
   research the impact          

649
00:37:20,058 --> 00:37:23,929
those wind related cancellations
   had on Wideroe's operations. 

650
00:37:26,131 --> 00:37:29,434
 - Hmm. The pressure was        
   piling on from the public.   

651
00:37:29,501 --> 00:37:32,004
 - Cancellations tripled        
 in the last 12 months.         

652
00:37:35,007 --> 00:37:37,509
   - Compared to other          
   airports in Europe,          

653
00:37:37,576 --> 00:37:38,844
   Vaeroy had a lot of          
 cancellations.                 

654
00:37:38,910 --> 00:37:41,546
 And the flights                
  were often cancelled          

655
00:37:41,613 --> 00:37:44,049
   quite early                  
when the wind was strong,       

656
00:37:44,116 --> 00:37:47,319
   but when the flight          
 was supposed to arrive,        

657
00:37:47,386 --> 00:37:50,389
   it could be no wind at all,  

658
00:37:50,455 --> 00:37:52,724
   which made people question   
 all the cancellations.         

659
00:37:53,292 --> 00:37:56,595
 - Almost all the cancellations 
   were being caused by winds.  

660
00:37:56,662 --> 00:37:58,964
  - Because of that, bad press, 

661
00:37:59,031 --> 00:38:01,800
which gets the attention        
   of the government.           

662
00:38:04,903 --> 00:38:08,473
(Harald): The government        
 paid the company to fly there. 

663
00:38:08,940 --> 00:38:11,777
 And the company                
  wrote the government          

664
00:38:11,843 --> 00:38:14,680
and said it was extremely       
   difficult to operate there.  

665
00:38:14,746 --> 00:38:16,715
 And the reply from the         
 government was                 

666
00:38:16,782 --> 00:38:21,153
 if you don't fly there, we will
  have to take the money away.  

667
00:38:21,687 --> 00:38:23,288
   - Out of curiosity,          

668
00:38:23,355 --> 00:38:27,059
   how many cancellations were  
 there on departure from Vaeroy?

669
00:38:32,898 --> 00:38:34,800
 - None.                        

670
00:38:35,867 --> 00:38:38,970
 (Doug): Basically it's         
"get-home-itis."                

671
00:38:39,037 --> 00:38:41,807
   If they're at the airport,   
pilots are gonna tell themselves

672
00:38:41,873 --> 00:38:44,109
 they're capable                
 of taking off as well.         

673
00:38:45,143 --> 00:38:47,446
- You know, there's still       
 one thing I don't get.         

674
00:38:50,615 --> 00:38:53,218
If the conditions               
  were so treacherous,          

675
00:38:53,285 --> 00:38:57,622
why was this airport even       
 built there in the first place?

676
00:39:04,196 --> 00:39:08,133
s location                      
 chosen for the airport?        

677
00:39:09,401 --> 00:39:11,970
   (Narrator):                  
Investigators consult officials 

678
00:39:12,037 --> 00:39:14,106
   about the viability          
    of Vaeroy airport           

679
00:39:14,172 --> 00:39:16,375
   to determine                 
  if passengers and crew        

680
00:39:16,441 --> 00:39:18,777
   were placed at risk          
  unnecessarily.                

681
00:39:21,380 --> 00:39:24,316
   (Tor): Wideroe had           
 two possible locations         

682
00:39:24,383 --> 00:39:26,518
   for airport at the island.   

683
00:39:26,585 --> 00:39:30,589
   This one was chosen despite  
the difficulties                

684
00:39:30,655 --> 00:39:35,227
  with wind conditions          
 near a mountain ridge.         

685
00:39:37,229 --> 00:39:40,499
- Okay. And what testing        
 went into the decision?        

686
00:39:42,434 --> 00:39:44,803
(Lise): Wideroe had done        
 test flights at Vaeroy         

687
00:39:44,870 --> 00:39:47,973
  prior to the decision         
 of building the airport there. 

688
00:39:48,039 --> 00:39:52,110
And they had experienced        
  very windy conditions         

689
00:39:52,177 --> 00:39:54,613
  and did not recommend         
   building the airport there.  

690
00:39:58,817 --> 00:40:02,454
 - So if Wideroe was against it,
then why did it go ahead?       

691
00:40:03,188 --> 00:40:06,691
 - We knew that                 
  the wind conditions at Vaeroy 

692
00:40:06,758 --> 00:40:11,062
  would be so difficult         
   it would affect regularity.  

693
00:40:11,129 --> 00:40:14,733
   But that advice was ignored  

694
00:40:14,800 --> 00:40:17,169
 by the meteorology specialists 

695
00:40:17,235 --> 00:40:20,405
  that the authorities          
  had consulted                 

696
00:40:20,472 --> 00:40:23,108
   when it came to put          
   the airport on the island.   

697
00:40:24,776 --> 00:40:27,012
  - Maybe some of the decisions 

698
00:40:27,078 --> 00:40:30,615
that were made were more        
  politically motivated         

699
00:40:30,682 --> 00:40:32,851
  than were practical.          

700
00:40:35,220 --> 00:40:38,056
    (Narrator): Investigators   
   now know the factors         

701
00:40:38,123 --> 00:40:40,358
  that led to the deaths        
   of three passengers          

702
00:40:40,425 --> 00:40:43,862
  and two pilots onboard        
  Wideroe Flight 8-3-9.         

703
00:40:44,896 --> 00:40:48,233
  - First up, you have          
  an airport next to a mountain 

704
00:40:48,300 --> 00:40:50,068
  resulting in dangerous winds. 

705
00:40:50,135 --> 00:40:52,571
  Lower wind limits are imposed 

706
00:40:52,637 --> 00:40:56,641
  but the result is an          
   increase in cancellations.   

707
00:40:56,708 --> 00:40:59,244
- Which forces the limits       
to change again.                

708
00:40:59,311 --> 00:41:01,480
- The limits go back up,        

709
00:41:01,546 --> 00:41:03,849
and then finally                
the unreliable wind data,       

710
00:41:03,915 --> 00:41:05,984
  which results in wind reports 

711
00:41:06,051 --> 00:41:10,288
being ignored by pilots.        

712
00:41:14,526 --> 00:41:17,896
 - Rules are established        
  for a reason.                 

713
00:41:17,963 --> 00:41:22,567
 If you don't follow the rules, 
you're taking a big risk.       

714
00:41:22,634 --> 00:41:26,137
 (radio): Wind has varied       
   two one zero                 

715
00:41:26,204 --> 00:41:30,408
 to two nine zero degrees       
    with gusts of 34.           

716
00:41:30,475 --> 00:41:33,478
 - Yeah. Roger. We are rolling. 

717
00:41:37,816 --> 00:41:41,786
    (Narrator): Wideroe Flight  
8-3-9 enters turbulent airspace 

718
00:41:41,853 --> 00:41:45,290
    when the winds coming off   
    the mountain were extreme.  

719
00:41:46,091 --> 00:41:47,859
  The force of the winds        

720
00:41:47,926 --> 00:41:50,962
    causes the right elevator   
 to break free...               

721
00:41:53,832 --> 00:41:56,234
  - Something's wrong.          

722
00:41:56,301 --> 00:41:58,637
  (Narrator): ...bending        
    the connecting rod          

723
00:41:58,703 --> 00:42:00,972
 until it fails.                

724
00:42:04,776 --> 00:42:07,846
- No. No, no, no.               

725
00:42:10,315 --> 00:42:13,985
- It was subject                
  to aerodynamic loads          

726
00:42:14,052 --> 00:42:18,490
  that exceeded the structural  
  strength of the tail.         

727
00:42:21,593 --> 00:42:24,429
   (Harald): It must have been  
  absolutely terrifying         

728
00:42:24,496 --> 00:42:28,199
 because you would pull         
   the control column           

729
00:42:28,266 --> 00:42:30,568
  without any reaction at all.  

730
00:42:30,635 --> 00:42:32,704
   - Oh, God!                   

731
00:42:42,914 --> 00:42:45,684
    (Narrator): The Norwegian   
   Accident Commission          

732
00:42:45,750 --> 00:42:46,851
    for Civil Aviation          

733
00:42:46,918 --> 00:42:49,621
    recommends new regulations  
   for the distribution         

734
00:42:49,688 --> 00:42:51,523
   of wind information to crews 

735
00:42:51,590 --> 00:42:55,093
    and urges Wideroe           
  to ensure their pilots        

736
00:42:55,160 --> 00:42:58,129
follow established restrictions.

737
00:42:58,196 --> 00:43:00,765
  - The Captain wanted          
   to get the job done          

738
00:43:00,832 --> 00:43:04,002
and he probably got away        
  with it other times,          

739
00:43:04,069 --> 00:43:07,505
  but this time                 
   it didn't work out.          

740
00:43:11,476 --> 00:43:13,778
    (Narrator): Other           
 recommendations are made       

741
00:43:13,845 --> 00:43:14,946
   for Vaeroy airport,          

742
00:43:15,013 --> 00:43:17,849
  but ultimately                
    it is deemed too dangerous  

743
00:43:17,916 --> 00:43:21,653
  and the airport never reopens 
  to commercial traffic.        

744
00:43:23,989 --> 00:43:27,058
  - Vaeroy airport was          
  open only four years,         

745
00:43:27,125 --> 00:43:30,261
  which makes it one of         
   the shortest-lived airports  

746
00:43:30,328 --> 00:43:31,730
  in the world.                 

747
00:43:35,634 --> 00:43:38,803
(Harald): I wish that we        
  had put our foot down         

748
00:43:38,870 --> 00:43:41,773
  and said, "No more."          

749
00:43:43,241 --> 00:43:46,411
   I wish the company           
   had done the same.           

750
00:43:48,380 --> 00:43:52,317
  I wish the government         
 and the experts                

751
00:43:52,384 --> 00:43:55,620
  had listened                  
to our warnings earlier.        

752
00:43:57,756 --> 00:44:01,493
 Then we might have had         
   our colleagues still alive.  

753
00:44:03,495 --> 00:44:07,432
  (theme music)                 

754
00:44:07,499 --> 00:44:09,734
   Subtilling: difuze