1 00:00:01,200 --> 00:00:05,166 The XP5Y was a seaplane meant to be the ultimate air carrier. 2 00:00:06,266 --> 00:00:07,667 [Josh] Why do you wanna find this plane? 3 00:00:07,667 --> 00:00:09,800 It's one of a kind. I mean, literally. 4 00:00:09,800 --> 00:00:13,266 Two prototypes, one scrapped, one in the ocean. 5 00:00:13,266 --> 00:00:16,867 We are seeing recently declassified footage 6 00:00:16,867 --> 00:00:18,367 -of the crash. -Is that the coast? 7 00:00:18,367 --> 00:00:19,467 [man] It looks like it is. 8 00:00:19,467 --> 00:00:21,367 [Josh] So we may have a geographical marker here. 9 00:00:21,367 --> 00:00:22,934 Entirely possible. 10 00:00:24,300 --> 00:00:25,467 [man] Oh, there's something there. 11 00:00:25,467 --> 00:00:27,066 -Could be a big engine sitting down here. -Could be. 12 00:00:27,066 --> 00:00:28,166 Wanna go diving? 13 00:00:28,166 --> 00:00:29,266 Okay, let's rock and roll. 14 00:00:33,667 --> 00:00:36,266 [Josh on radio] It feels like the shape of a weight. 15 00:00:36,266 --> 00:00:38,467 This is an aircraft, Bran. 16 00:00:39,300 --> 00:00:41,233 Don't look down. Don't look down. 17 00:00:41,867 --> 00:00:43,166 You're in. ROV's in. 18 00:00:43,166 --> 00:00:44,200 Okay. Let's see what it sees. 19 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:46,266 Just passing 300 ft. 20 00:00:46,266 --> 00:00:48,233 That looks like it could be a plane. 21 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:50,166 Is that a star? 22 00:00:50,166 --> 00:00:52,233 That's a navy star right there. 23 00:01:00,567 --> 00:01:03,066 Well, in case you're wondering why I'm floating in the Pacific ocean 24 00:01:03,066 --> 00:01:04,767 just off the coast of San Diego, 25 00:01:04,767 --> 00:01:06,767 I'm not just here for a swim. 26 00:01:06,767 --> 00:01:09,367 I'm here because this is the last known location 27 00:01:09,367 --> 00:01:13,567 of a top secret experimental, record breaking airplane, 28 00:01:13,567 --> 00:01:17,333 a massive aircraft known as the XP5Y. 29 00:01:19,100 --> 00:01:21,066 Commissioned at the end of World War Two, 30 00:01:21,066 --> 00:01:25,667 the conveyer XP5Y was bigger than today's 737 31 00:01:25,667 --> 00:01:28,467 and could carry more than a hundred servicemen, 32 00:01:28,467 --> 00:01:30,567 or 24 tons of cargo, 33 00:01:30,567 --> 00:01:32,900 all while landing on the water. 34 00:01:32,900 --> 00:01:35,300 This flying boat wasn't just huge though. 35 00:01:35,300 --> 00:01:36,567 She was fast, 36 00:01:36,567 --> 00:01:38,600 smashing transcontinental records 37 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:41,867 and paving the way for the age of the jumbo jet. 38 00:01:41,867 --> 00:01:45,600 Only two prototypes and 11 service models were built. 39 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:48,867 After the war, all were scrapped, save one. 40 00:01:50,767 --> 00:01:53,867 Nearly 70 years ago, during the daring test flight 41 00:01:53,867 --> 00:01:57,967 in the skies above, the last surviving XP5Y 42 00:01:57,967 --> 00:01:59,800 suddenly went into a free fall. 43 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:02,400 Thanks to courage and quick thinking, 44 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:05,567 every member of its crew successfully parachuted 45 00:02:05,567 --> 00:02:07,567 out of the dying aircraft. 46 00:02:07,567 --> 00:02:10,500 They landed here in the Pacific where they were rescued 47 00:02:10,500 --> 00:02:12,667 by a US Coast Guard helicopter. 48 00:02:12,667 --> 00:02:13,900 Speaking of which... 49 00:02:13,900 --> 00:02:15,166 A little help? 50 00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:21,066 [men speaking indistinctly on radio] 51 00:02:33,767 --> 00:02:35,166 Hey, man, thanks for the lift. 52 00:02:42,767 --> 00:02:44,233 [man speaking indistinctly on radio] 53 00:02:49,467 --> 00:02:51,233 I'm in. I'm in! 54 00:02:57,867 --> 00:03:01,400 So, while all the men were rescued, 55 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:04,300 the XP5Y wasn't as lucky. 56 00:03:04,300 --> 00:03:06,667 She disappeared beneath the waves 57 00:03:06,667 --> 00:03:10,467 where she's been lost for nearly three-quarters of a century. 58 00:03:10,467 --> 00:03:12,934 But that, may be about to change. 59 00:03:14,967 --> 00:03:17,500 This plane is the only one of her kind. 60 00:03:17,500 --> 00:03:20,767 Nothing short of a priceless aviation relic. 61 00:03:20,767 --> 00:03:23,467 How and why she crashed is a mystery, 62 00:03:23,467 --> 00:03:26,367 but a new clue has been recently declassified, 63 00:03:26,367 --> 00:03:28,867 giving explorers their best chance yet 64 00:03:28,867 --> 00:03:30,934 to find this lost treasure. 65 00:03:39,266 --> 00:03:42,200 The hunt for the secret seaplane is on. 66 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:43,667 Let's punch it. 67 00:03:44,100 --> 00:03:45,467 [pilot] Confirm. 68 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:54,667 My name is Josh Gates. 69 00:03:54,667 --> 00:03:55,567 Hello! 70 00:03:55,567 --> 00:03:56,367 Explorer... 71 00:03:56,367 --> 00:03:57,200 Here goes nothing. 72 00:03:57,200 --> 00:03:58,100 ...adventure... 73 00:03:58,100 --> 00:03:59,200 [exclaiming] 74 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:00,400 Oh, this is a long way down. 75 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:03,767 ...and a guy who ends up in a very strange situation. 76 00:04:04,166 --> 00:04:06,066 I'm alive! For now. 77 00:04:06,066 --> 00:04:09,767 With a degree in archeology and a passion for the unexplained, 78 00:04:09,767 --> 00:04:12,066 I travel to the ends of the earth 79 00:04:12,066 --> 00:04:15,266 investigating the greatest legends in history. 80 00:04:15,266 --> 00:04:16,266 Ready to rock and roll. 81 00:04:16,266 --> 00:04:19,033 This is Expedition Unknown. 82 00:04:23,667 --> 00:04:26,900 My journey begins far from the waters of San Diego. 83 00:04:26,900 --> 00:04:31,233 And of all places, Oregon, here at the Evergreen Aviation Museum. 84 00:04:32,367 --> 00:04:35,900 If you love flying, this is paradise. 85 00:04:35,900 --> 00:04:37,800 From honoring the birth of flight 86 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:41,266 to cutting edge stealth fighters and space rockets, 87 00:04:41,266 --> 00:04:44,266 this collection of aircraft is awe inspiring. 88 00:04:44,266 --> 00:04:46,967 But there's one plane here that could be a big help 89 00:04:46,967 --> 00:04:49,467 in learning about the vanished seaplane. 90 00:04:49,467 --> 00:04:51,667 And I do mean, big. 91 00:04:53,367 --> 00:04:54,367 Wow. 92 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:02,700 Say hello to the Hughes H-4 Hercules, 93 00:05:02,700 --> 00:05:05,433 better known as the Spruce Goose. 94 00:05:10,100 --> 00:05:12,367 A one of a kind American icon 95 00:05:12,367 --> 00:05:15,266 built by the eccentric genius Howard Hughes 96 00:05:15,266 --> 00:05:17,266 during the second World War. 97 00:05:17,266 --> 00:05:19,367 Here to tell me how the Spruce Goose 98 00:05:19,367 --> 00:05:21,667 is going to help me find the XP5Y 99 00:05:21,667 --> 00:05:25,533 is the museum's long time aviation expert Bud Varty. 100 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:27,000 Welcome aboard. 101 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:28,700 -Man, thrilled to be aboard. -Good to see ya. 102 00:05:28,700 --> 00:05:30,967 Is it okay if I'm just speechless for a few minutes? 103 00:05:30,967 --> 00:05:33,100 I'm an aviation geek, so I have seen a million pictures 104 00:05:33,100 --> 00:05:33,900 of this plane. 105 00:05:33,900 --> 00:05:36,200 It is so much bigger in person. 106 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:41,166 Josh, the wingspan on this aircraft is 320 ft. 107 00:05:41,166 --> 00:05:44,500 A full football field well into each end zone. 108 00:05:44,500 --> 00:05:46,600 And maybe the craziest thing about this plane, 109 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:48,800 -it's painted so that it looks metallic. -Right. 110 00:05:48,800 --> 00:05:51,000 [Josh] But it is called the Spruce Goose for a reason. 111 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:54,367 [Bud] It is a wooden aircraft. It is the largest wooden plane ever built. 112 00:05:54,367 --> 00:05:56,600 It is the largest seaplane ever built, 113 00:05:56,600 --> 00:06:00,100 and it is the largest propeller driven plane ever built. 114 00:06:00,100 --> 00:06:01,100 In short, it's large. 115 00:06:01,100 --> 00:06:02,000 Huge. 116 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:03,800 Would you like to go up to the cockpit? 117 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:05,367 -That's possible? -We can do it. 118 00:06:05,367 --> 00:06:07,266 -Oh, please. -Let's go. 119 00:06:07,266 --> 00:06:09,333 I might cry. I might cry. 120 00:06:17,467 --> 00:06:19,400 I will go over here. You have a seat 121 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:21,767 in Howard Hughes' pilot's chair. 122 00:06:21,767 --> 00:06:23,300 -No. -Absolutely. 123 00:06:23,300 --> 00:06:25,000 -Really? -Yes. 124 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:26,767 -Come on. -That's what we're here for. 125 00:06:26,767 --> 00:06:28,367 Oh, my word. 126 00:06:29,066 --> 00:06:30,433 [chuckles] 127 00:06:31,367 --> 00:06:32,700 Howard Hughes sat right here? 128 00:06:32,700 --> 00:06:37,166 This is where he sat and everything you see and touch is original. 129 00:06:38,867 --> 00:06:40,433 -Unbelievable. -Yeah. 130 00:06:40,867 --> 00:06:42,467 Okay. Why? 131 00:06:42,467 --> 00:06:45,867 Why build a seaplane that is this big? 132 00:06:45,867 --> 00:06:47,166 [Bud] First part of World War Two, 133 00:06:47,166 --> 00:06:50,100 we were losing a lot of ships from German U-boats 134 00:06:50,100 --> 00:06:52,266 as we tried to get supplies across to Europe. 135 00:06:53,767 --> 00:06:55,166 We had to do something about it. 136 00:06:55,166 --> 00:06:59,900 It was proposed that we build a fleet of giant flying boats. 137 00:06:59,900 --> 00:07:02,967 [Josh] In 1945, the navy put out a request 138 00:07:02,967 --> 00:07:06,867 for an enormous seaplane, able to soar over submarines 139 00:07:06,867 --> 00:07:10,767 and avoid bombed out airstrips by landing on the water. 140 00:07:10,767 --> 00:07:13,767 The race was on to build a prototype design 141 00:07:13,767 --> 00:07:16,300 and the Spruce Goose was Hughes' contribution. 142 00:07:16,300 --> 00:07:21,600 But adjusting for inflation, this $300 million Goose laid an egg. 143 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:24,967 The navy rejected his proposal because it was too big, 144 00:07:24,967 --> 00:07:26,867 too slow and too expensive. 145 00:07:26,867 --> 00:07:27,900 But it did fly. 146 00:07:27,900 --> 00:07:30,200 -One time, 1947. -One time. 147 00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:33,967 Although the war had ended by the time he'd finished building the Hercules, 148 00:07:33,967 --> 00:07:39,100 on November 2nd, 1947, he took it into California's long beach harbor 149 00:07:39,100 --> 00:07:42,300 where Hughes surprised the press in attendance. 150 00:07:42,300 --> 00:07:45,667 [man on radio] It's 70. It's 75. 151 00:07:45,667 --> 00:07:50,233 And comes the moment... and I believe we are airborne. 152 00:07:51,100 --> 00:07:53,266 We are airborne, ladies and gentlemen. 153 00:07:53,266 --> 00:07:56,967 [Josh] The Spruce Goose flew albeit just above the water 154 00:07:56,967 --> 00:08:00,400 and for a mere 30 seconds before returning to its hangar 155 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:02,000 never to fly again. 156 00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:04,567 So even though this behemoth made it off the water, 157 00:08:04,567 --> 00:08:07,200 he never got that navy contract. So who did? 158 00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:09,100 Convair, one of his competitors. 159 00:08:09,100 --> 00:08:11,166 They built the XP5Y. 160 00:08:11,166 --> 00:08:12,867 Right, this is the plane that I'm looking for. 161 00:08:12,867 --> 00:08:14,200 -Exactly. -The lost seaplane. 162 00:08:14,200 --> 00:08:15,467 Exactly. 163 00:08:15,467 --> 00:08:20,000 The XP5Y was a seaplane meant to be the ultimate air carrier. 164 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:21,967 Now there are none of them left, 165 00:08:21,967 --> 00:08:24,467 but we do have the next best thing for you here. 166 00:08:24,467 --> 00:08:25,934 -You do? -We do. 167 00:08:31,000 --> 00:08:34,000 [Josh] The next best thing is one of the XP's predecessors, 168 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:37,100 a smaller model that already had ten years of service 169 00:08:37,100 --> 00:08:40,667 when the navy put out the call for a new super seaplane. 170 00:08:40,667 --> 00:08:46,533 Josh, this is the Convair PBY Catalina, a workhorse from World War Two. 171 00:08:48,700 --> 00:08:51,166 [Josh] And so, Convair gets this contract from the navy. 172 00:08:51,166 --> 00:08:52,800 -They beat out Hughes... -Yes. 173 00:08:52,800 --> 00:08:55,100 ...and so what do they do? They modify this design? 174 00:08:55,100 --> 00:08:57,467 They took this aircraft and supersized it. 175 00:08:57,467 --> 00:08:59,533 -And that's the XP5Y? -You're right. 176 00:09:01,100 --> 00:09:04,300 [Josh] The XP was a 64 ton colossus 177 00:09:04,300 --> 00:09:07,867 with a 139 ft fuselage and a wingspan about 178 00:09:07,867 --> 00:09:09,867 the size of the Statue of Liberty. 179 00:09:09,867 --> 00:09:13,066 Powerful enough to take off from a dead stop in water 180 00:09:13,066 --> 00:09:16,000 in 30 seconds, the twin turbo prop engines 181 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:18,667 were especially efficient at moving air, 182 00:09:18,667 --> 00:09:21,400 saving enough fuel to make the XP capable of 183 00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:25,166 carrying an entire unit of troops across the Atlantic. 184 00:09:25,166 --> 00:09:27,667 When converting for use as a flying tanker, 185 00:09:27,667 --> 00:09:32,967 it was the first aircraft to refuel four planes simultaneously in mid-air. 186 00:09:32,967 --> 00:09:36,967 And that's not even close to all of the XP's accomplishments. 187 00:09:36,967 --> 00:09:41,000 It set two world records. The first was endurance of a seaplane, 188 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:43,767 -of over eight hours on one tank of gas. -Wow. 189 00:09:43,767 --> 00:09:49,266 The second was cross country, six hours, 403 miles an hour, 190 00:09:49,266 --> 00:09:51,567 a record that still stands for a seaplane. 191 00:09:51,567 --> 00:09:52,800 And that's about what it takes us 192 00:09:52,800 --> 00:09:54,367 -to get across the country today. -Yes. 193 00:09:54,367 --> 00:09:56,567 So the XP is clearly a great plane. 194 00:09:56,567 --> 00:09:57,667 What happened to it? 195 00:09:57,667 --> 00:10:00,767 Well, we were in the jet age. The plane was huge. 196 00:10:00,767 --> 00:10:02,800 The navy just decided to move on. 197 00:10:02,800 --> 00:10:04,467 -Okay. -They scrapped them all. 198 00:10:04,467 --> 00:10:06,000 Literally scrapped them? 199 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:10,533 Except for one, which crashed off the coast of San Diego in July of 1953. 200 00:10:12,100 --> 00:10:14,867 [Josh] On July 15th, the prototype seaplane 201 00:10:14,867 --> 00:10:17,567 helmed by navy test pilot Don Germeraad 202 00:10:17,567 --> 00:10:19,767 was flying off the coast of San Diego. 203 00:10:19,767 --> 00:10:23,333 And then, quite suddenly, it plummeted out of the sky. 204 00:10:24,667 --> 00:10:26,166 And why did that plane crash? 205 00:10:26,166 --> 00:10:28,000 Josh, we just don't know. 206 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:32,000 The navy said nothing, Convair was null on the subject, 207 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:33,700 the crew was sworn to secrecy. 208 00:10:33,700 --> 00:10:35,500 -Okay. -But we've done some digging 209 00:10:35,500 --> 00:10:38,667 and we have uncovered a recently declassified 210 00:10:38,667 --> 00:10:41,467 accident discussion memo from Convair... 211 00:10:41,467 --> 00:10:43,600 -Okay. -...where they actually interviewed the members 212 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:45,266 -of the crew. -Wow. 213 00:10:45,266 --> 00:10:50,133 And Josh, here's the report. It's the only first hand account we have of the crash. 214 00:10:51,667 --> 00:10:54,367 [Josh] According to the crew's testimony in the document, 215 00:10:54,367 --> 00:10:57,100 nine crew men plus pilot Don Germeraad 216 00:10:57,100 --> 00:10:59,967 were asked to test the limits of the plane, 217 00:10:59,967 --> 00:11:03,000 pushing it to 340 mph, 218 00:11:03,000 --> 00:11:04,967 when the aircraft suddenly shuddered 219 00:11:04,967 --> 00:11:07,567 and the instruments went haywire. 220 00:11:07,567 --> 00:11:11,233 Germeraad was unable to control the pitch of his aircraft. 221 00:11:12,266 --> 00:11:14,667 Which began a series of zooming climbs 222 00:11:14,667 --> 00:11:16,166 and abrupt dives. 223 00:11:16,166 --> 00:11:19,500 Thinking quickly, he diverted the seaplane over the water 224 00:11:19,500 --> 00:11:21,634 to avoid crashing into San Diego. 225 00:11:23,467 --> 00:11:26,333 And made the decision to abandon ship. 226 00:11:27,467 --> 00:11:29,100 He instructed the other nine men 227 00:11:29,100 --> 00:11:32,900 to jump out of the doomed prototype at 10,000 ft of altitude 228 00:11:32,900 --> 00:11:35,400 where they parachuted into the ocean. 229 00:11:35,400 --> 00:11:38,800 As for Germeraad, he made sure everyone else was out 230 00:11:38,800 --> 00:11:41,500 before bailing himself at 2,000 ft, 231 00:11:41,500 --> 00:11:45,166 which was 500 ft below the limit for his chute. 232 00:11:45,166 --> 00:11:47,900 Fortunately, it opened in time. 233 00:11:47,900 --> 00:11:50,300 The seaplane crashed into the water 234 00:11:50,300 --> 00:11:54,400 while all ten of its crew were picked up by Coast Guard search and rescue 235 00:11:54,400 --> 00:11:58,066 having miraculously survived a historic plane wreck. 236 00:12:00,066 --> 00:12:01,066 And the plane? 237 00:12:01,066 --> 00:12:03,800 The plane sank about six miles west of Point Loma. 238 00:12:03,800 --> 00:12:05,700 -About? -About. 239 00:12:05,700 --> 00:12:08,867 Point Loma sits near the entrance to San Diego harbor 240 00:12:08,867 --> 00:12:12,100 and without GPS, the estimate was that the plane sank 241 00:12:12,100 --> 00:12:14,600 about six miles west of the point. 242 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:16,867 But nothing was ever found there. 243 00:12:16,867 --> 00:12:20,867 And since the plane was traveling in excess of 300 mph 244 00:12:20,867 --> 00:12:24,200 and flew erratically for 20 minutes before crashing, 245 00:12:24,200 --> 00:12:28,500 the true location of the target is a mystery. 246 00:12:28,500 --> 00:12:31,000 But there is something else that just came to light 247 00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:32,266 that might help us find it. 248 00:12:32,266 --> 00:12:33,166 Okay. 249 00:12:33,166 --> 00:12:34,233 What do you got? 250 00:12:39,166 --> 00:12:41,266 Josh, welcome to the Evergreen theater. 251 00:12:41,266 --> 00:12:43,000 Wow. Should I have brought popcorn? 252 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:44,400 We watching a movie today? What are we doing? 253 00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:47,667 [Bud] Well, sort of. Actually, we have something pretty spectacular. 254 00:12:47,667 --> 00:12:52,200 We are seeing recently declassified footage of the crash 255 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:55,333 of the XP5Y in 1953. 256 00:12:55,867 --> 00:12:57,567 -The crash? -The crash. 257 00:12:57,567 --> 00:12:58,700 The one and only. 258 00:12:58,700 --> 00:13:00,467 Where was this footage? 259 00:13:00,467 --> 00:13:02,367 It was in an archive in San Diego 260 00:13:02,367 --> 00:13:05,000 just gathering dust and it just recently came to light. 261 00:13:05,000 --> 00:13:06,800 And it shows the actual incident? 262 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:08,000 Absolutely. 263 00:13:08,000 --> 00:13:09,367 Who filmed it? 264 00:13:09,367 --> 00:13:12,100 There's a navy chase plane up there and they filmed the whole thing. 265 00:13:12,100 --> 00:13:13,100 Can we see it? 266 00:13:13,100 --> 00:13:14,934 We can. Roll the footage. 267 00:13:19,567 --> 00:13:22,100 Okay, Josh, the man on the right is the pilot, 268 00:13:22,100 --> 00:13:23,233 Don Germeraad. 269 00:13:23,233 --> 00:13:25,467 -[Josh] So this is our guy, the main test pilot. -Right. 270 00:13:25,467 --> 00:13:27,700 Getting prepared for the flight, I'm sure. 271 00:13:27,700 --> 00:13:31,667 Josh, the entire malfunctioning crash took about 24 minutes, 272 00:13:31,667 --> 00:13:34,400 but only one minute of the film survives. 273 00:13:34,400 --> 00:13:36,467 [Josh] All right. So our plane is where? 274 00:13:36,467 --> 00:13:38,567 -[Bud] It's about upper center. -There it is. 275 00:13:38,567 --> 00:13:40,567 -That's the XP right there. -Yes, that's it. 276 00:13:40,567 --> 00:13:42,100 [Josh] And it looks like it's climbing? 277 00:13:42,100 --> 00:13:44,100 [Bud] Well, it looks like it's going up and down. 278 00:13:44,100 --> 00:13:46,700 At this point, he had lost control of his elevators, 279 00:13:46,700 --> 00:13:48,400 he was oscillating up and down 280 00:13:48,400 --> 00:13:51,166 and soon you will see, he'll take a dive down 281 00:13:51,166 --> 00:13:55,066 and we think that is the final... 282 00:13:55,066 --> 00:13:56,767 -[Josh] Right, it's starting to turn. -...dive straight down. 283 00:13:56,767 --> 00:13:57,734 [Josh] It comes straight down. 284 00:13:57,734 --> 00:13:59,467 -[Bud] And then you'll see the crash. -Whoa! 285 00:13:59,467 --> 00:14:01,166 [Bud] Splosh right there. 286 00:14:01,166 --> 00:14:03,567 [Josh] Look at that huge spray of water. 287 00:14:03,567 --> 00:14:05,367 [Bud] That was a huge aircraft. 288 00:14:05,367 --> 00:14:07,100 And there we think is the pilot. 289 00:14:07,100 --> 00:14:09,367 He was probably the last one out. 290 00:14:09,367 --> 00:14:12,100 [Josh] Wow. I just can't-- Look at the disturbance in the ocean though. 291 00:14:12,100 --> 00:14:12,900 [Bud] Yes. 292 00:14:12,900 --> 00:14:14,600 -[Josh] Big crash. -Big crash. 293 00:14:14,600 --> 00:14:16,867 Now, Josh, I mean, they'll show the film again. 294 00:14:16,867 --> 00:14:19,066 I want you to focus on something different this time. 295 00:14:19,066 --> 00:14:20,066 Okay. 296 00:14:20,066 --> 00:14:23,367 [Bud] Josh, look past the plane. What do you see? 297 00:14:23,367 --> 00:14:24,467 [Josh] Is that the coast? 298 00:14:24,467 --> 00:14:26,166 [Bud] It looks like it is. 299 00:14:26,166 --> 00:14:28,266 [Josh] So we may have a geographical marker here? 300 00:14:28,266 --> 00:14:29,667 [Bud] Entirely possible. 301 00:14:29,667 --> 00:14:32,467 And if it could be cleaned up, we might be able to pin point 302 00:14:32,467 --> 00:14:35,367 -exactly where that plane is. -You may have a marker. 303 00:14:35,367 --> 00:14:36,400 Can I borrow your film? 304 00:14:36,400 --> 00:14:37,500 You got it. 305 00:14:37,500 --> 00:14:38,900 Hey, thanks, man. 306 00:14:38,900 --> 00:14:40,867 -This is incredible. -A pleasure. 307 00:14:42,800 --> 00:14:44,867 [Josh] This film is a game changer, 308 00:14:44,867 --> 00:14:49,100 giving us our first clues to locate the vanished aircraft. 309 00:14:49,100 --> 00:14:51,467 To pin point where the XP crashed, 310 00:14:51,467 --> 00:14:54,567 a forensic video investigator can compare the coastline 311 00:14:54,567 --> 00:14:58,600 off San Diego today to the footage from 1953. 312 00:14:58,600 --> 00:14:59,700 The only problem? 313 00:14:59,700 --> 00:15:02,734 Getting aerial photographs for the comparison. 314 00:15:04,066 --> 00:15:06,400 I head from Oregon back down to San Diego 315 00:15:06,400 --> 00:15:09,367 where luckily, I recently made some new friends 316 00:15:09,367 --> 00:15:11,834 who might be able to lend a hand. 317 00:15:23,467 --> 00:15:26,100 -[pilot 1] ...complete. -[pilot 2] Roger that. 318 00:15:26,100 --> 00:15:27,533 Okay, let's rock and roll. 319 00:15:30,467 --> 00:15:34,100 So somewhere underneath us in the bottom of that ocean 320 00:15:34,100 --> 00:15:36,066 is the XP5Y. 321 00:15:36,066 --> 00:15:37,467 Now we just gotta find it. 322 00:15:44,266 --> 00:15:46,967 Okay, we're coming out past Point Loma here. 323 00:15:46,967 --> 00:15:48,200 We can see the lighthouse. 324 00:15:49,867 --> 00:15:53,100 That's where these guys were rescued after the accident. 325 00:15:53,100 --> 00:15:57,133 Coast Guard picked them up, brought 'em in there to the lighthouse station. 326 00:15:58,200 --> 00:16:00,767 I'm in a Coast Guard Jayhawk helicopter 327 00:16:00,767 --> 00:16:05,900 searching for the XP5Y, a historic prototype seaplane that crashed 328 00:16:05,900 --> 00:16:09,767 somewhere off the coast of San Diego in 1953 329 00:16:09,767 --> 00:16:11,867 and has never been found. 330 00:16:11,867 --> 00:16:13,867 We're about to photograph the coastline 331 00:16:13,867 --> 00:16:16,500 so a forensic video analyst can compare it 332 00:16:16,500 --> 00:16:18,867 to recently discovered footage of the crash 333 00:16:18,867 --> 00:16:24,367 and hopefully pin point the location of this missing aviation legend. 334 00:16:24,367 --> 00:16:26,467 One of the real challenges here, of course, 335 00:16:26,467 --> 00:16:29,767 is figuring out exactly where that plane was. 336 00:16:29,767 --> 00:16:33,867 These guys were flying at 115% of the capacity of this aircraft. 337 00:16:33,867 --> 00:16:37,567 So over 340 mph, that means that 338 00:16:37,567 --> 00:16:39,867 every ten seconds they were in the air, 339 00:16:39,867 --> 00:16:41,100 they're covering a mile. 340 00:16:41,100 --> 00:16:44,500 So this crash went on for more than 20 minutes 341 00:16:44,500 --> 00:16:46,567 as this plane oscillated up and down. 342 00:16:46,567 --> 00:16:50,000 They could've covered a huge amount of distance in that time. 343 00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:54,367 [pilot 1] We're currently 6.4 miles west of the coast. 344 00:16:54,367 --> 00:16:56,800 So the distance is correct. 345 00:16:56,800 --> 00:16:57,767 Copy that. 346 00:16:57,767 --> 00:17:00,200 Now if I wanna get a better shot, 347 00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:01,600 can I get out of this seat? 348 00:17:01,600 --> 00:17:04,500 Absolutely. You can connect your gunner's belt here 349 00:17:04,500 --> 00:17:06,166 to one of these deck rings. 350 00:17:07,166 --> 00:17:09,700 -Good to go. -Okay, gunner's belt attached. 351 00:17:09,700 --> 00:17:11,333 I'm coming out of the harness. 352 00:17:15,700 --> 00:17:18,166 Don't look down. Don't look down. 353 00:17:18,166 --> 00:17:21,100 With a nylon belt connecting me to the chopper, 354 00:17:21,100 --> 00:17:24,367 I angled myself toward the edge of the open door 355 00:17:24,367 --> 00:17:27,166 to take hundreds of photos of the coast. 356 00:17:28,867 --> 00:17:30,467 Free view of Point Loma there. 357 00:17:30,467 --> 00:17:31,634 Let's see what we can get here. 358 00:17:38,000 --> 00:17:40,667 I think we look a little too close to shore here. 359 00:17:40,667 --> 00:17:43,700 Let's try to move off a little bit further on the next pass. 360 00:17:43,700 --> 00:17:44,967 [pilot 1] Roger. 361 00:17:46,066 --> 00:17:49,200 [Josh] We take run after run at various altitudes 362 00:17:49,200 --> 00:17:51,066 and distances from the coast 363 00:17:51,066 --> 00:17:54,233 to try to get a close match for the crash footage. 364 00:17:55,567 --> 00:17:57,166 Oh, it's real good. Right in there. 365 00:18:02,900 --> 00:18:05,967 Okay, good pass. Let's try to get a little further out 366 00:18:05,967 --> 00:18:07,467 and maybe a little higher up. 367 00:18:07,467 --> 00:18:08,967 [pilot 1] Roger. 368 00:18:14,767 --> 00:18:16,767 All right, guys, we got a ton a footage here. 369 00:18:16,767 --> 00:18:20,000 I think we got it. We're ready to head back when you are. 370 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:21,934 [pilot 1] All right, we'll head back. Thanks. 371 00:18:22,700 --> 00:18:24,767 The chopper returns to Terra Firma, 372 00:18:24,767 --> 00:18:28,500 landing at the nearby US Coast Guard air station. 373 00:18:28,500 --> 00:18:31,900 While my team takes the photos to a forensic investigator 374 00:18:31,900 --> 00:18:36,567 to begin analyzing the data, I've found another researcher who claims 375 00:18:36,567 --> 00:18:39,834 he might already know where the lost seaplane is hiding. 376 00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:44,266 And here in San Diego, there's only one place to meet 377 00:18:44,266 --> 00:18:46,367 if you wanna talk about navy airplanes. 378 00:18:46,367 --> 00:18:50,467 Kansas City Barbecue, the legendary watering hole from Top Gun. 379 00:18:50,467 --> 00:18:51,367 That's right. 380 00:18:51,367 --> 00:18:52,934 I'm having a Maverick moment. 381 00:18:59,500 --> 00:19:02,000 Joining me in this target rich environment 382 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:03,700 is an award winning wreck hunter 383 00:19:03,700 --> 00:19:07,567 whose team has discovered over 15 sunken planes and ships. 384 00:19:07,567 --> 00:19:08,867 Brett Eldridge. 385 00:19:08,867 --> 00:19:10,100 Brett. 386 00:19:10,100 --> 00:19:11,166 Josh. 387 00:19:11,166 --> 00:19:12,700 -Nice to meet you, man. -Nice to meet you as well. 388 00:19:12,700 --> 00:19:14,800 I hear you're a guy who knows a lot about wrecks. 389 00:19:14,800 --> 00:19:15,967 I do know a lot about wrecks. 390 00:19:15,967 --> 00:19:18,567 -So I've come to the right man then. -I think you have. 391 00:19:18,567 --> 00:19:22,567 I have a funny feeling we have a joint interest in a particular wreck. 392 00:19:22,567 --> 00:19:25,266 -The seaplane, the XP5Y. -Yeah, XP5Y. 393 00:19:25,266 --> 00:19:26,900 Why do you wanna find this plane? 394 00:19:26,900 --> 00:19:28,000 Because it's one of a kind. 395 00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:29,700 -I mean, literally. -Yeah. 396 00:19:29,700 --> 00:19:32,467 Two prototypes, one scrapped, one in the ocean. 397 00:19:32,467 --> 00:19:34,467 Yeah, there is only one of these planes. 398 00:19:34,467 --> 00:19:36,300 One. Anywhere in the world. 399 00:19:36,300 --> 00:19:37,166 Okay. 400 00:19:37,166 --> 00:19:39,500 So I understand you might have a lead 401 00:19:39,500 --> 00:19:41,166 -as to where it is? -Let me show you. 402 00:19:43,667 --> 00:19:46,166 So what we're looking at here is some bathymetry data. 403 00:19:46,166 --> 00:19:49,200 [Josh] This is the topography of the bottom of the ocean off the coast here? 404 00:19:49,200 --> 00:19:51,100 -Right off the coast of California, yes. -Okay. 405 00:19:51,100 --> 00:19:54,767 And right here, you can see a little unique bump. 406 00:19:54,767 --> 00:19:55,767 [Josh] Something's there. 407 00:19:55,767 --> 00:19:56,700 [Brett] Something is there. 408 00:19:56,700 --> 00:19:58,700 I've worked on a lot of imagery data. 409 00:19:58,700 --> 00:20:00,600 But there's something about this one 410 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:01,567 that sticks out to me. 411 00:20:01,567 --> 00:20:03,300 -Okay. -It could be aviation related. 412 00:20:03,300 --> 00:20:04,667 Big enough to be the whole plane? 413 00:20:04,667 --> 00:20:06,166 No, not big enough to be the whole plane. 414 00:20:06,166 --> 00:20:09,367 But you know, when airplanes hit the ocean, it's like hitting concrete. 415 00:20:09,367 --> 00:20:11,066 -Right. -And things break off of them. 416 00:20:11,066 --> 00:20:15,266 So this very well could be a piece of debris from the XP5Y. 417 00:20:15,266 --> 00:20:17,100 Maybe an engine. 418 00:20:17,100 --> 00:20:18,800 -It's about the right size. -Okay. 419 00:20:18,800 --> 00:20:20,867 And are there any charted wrecks at that location? 420 00:20:20,867 --> 00:20:23,567 There's nothing that we know about in that location. 421 00:20:23,567 --> 00:20:25,567 Nobody's ever looked at this. 422 00:20:25,567 --> 00:20:26,600 What's the depth on it? 423 00:20:26,600 --> 00:20:28,800 -This is about 60 ft deep. -Okay, so it's diveable. 424 00:20:28,800 --> 00:20:29,700 It's diveable. 425 00:20:29,700 --> 00:20:31,200 I think we need to go investigate that. 426 00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:32,567 Do you wanna come dive in with me? 427 00:20:32,567 --> 00:20:34,867 Are you asking me to be your wingman? 428 00:20:34,867 --> 00:20:37,567 -You could be my wingman anytime. -There it is. 429 00:20:37,567 --> 00:20:39,000 There it is. All right. 430 00:20:39,000 --> 00:20:40,166 You got a boat? 431 00:20:40,166 --> 00:20:42,000 I got a boat and I got some dive gear. 432 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:44,467 Is it a fast boat because I do feel the need. 433 00:20:44,467 --> 00:20:45,967 The need for speed. 434 00:20:45,967 --> 00:20:48,400 Yeah, okay. I'm gonna do this all day if we don't get out of here. 435 00:20:48,400 --> 00:20:49,367 Should we go buzz the tower? 436 00:20:49,367 --> 00:20:50,367 -Let's go do it. -All right. 437 00:20:50,367 --> 00:20:51,967 Take me to sea or lose me forever. 438 00:20:51,967 --> 00:20:52,934 Brett, come on. 439 00:20:59,700 --> 00:21:01,500 Fresh out of Top Gun references, 440 00:21:01,500 --> 00:21:05,834 we cruise almost an hour out onto the Pacific to Brett's target... 441 00:21:07,166 --> 00:21:08,533 where we gear up... 442 00:21:12,700 --> 00:21:14,066 and drop in. 443 00:21:20,467 --> 00:21:21,967 [Josh speaking] 444 00:21:23,767 --> 00:21:24,834 [Brett speaking] 445 00:21:31,200 --> 00:21:33,467 [Josh speaking] 446 00:21:33,467 --> 00:21:36,100 The bad news is that there's a strong current here 447 00:21:36,100 --> 00:21:39,767 and these waters are a known great white shark breeding area, 448 00:21:39,767 --> 00:21:42,166 which I guess I'd feel slightly better about 449 00:21:42,166 --> 00:21:43,533 if I could see them. 450 00:21:53,967 --> 00:21:56,600 This is quickly turning into a dangerous dive. 451 00:21:56,600 --> 00:21:59,867 If we lose this guideline, we could be carried by the current 452 00:21:59,867 --> 00:22:01,400 far away from our boat. 453 00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:04,767 Not to mention, we're descending on a blind collision course 454 00:22:04,767 --> 00:22:07,367 with an object that could be anything. 455 00:22:08,767 --> 00:22:10,634 [Josh speaking] 456 00:22:13,166 --> 00:22:15,634 [Brett speaking] 457 00:22:23,567 --> 00:22:25,233 [Josh speaking] 458 00:22:34,066 --> 00:22:35,433 [Brett speaking] 459 00:22:35,767 --> 00:22:37,166 [Josh speaking] 460 00:22:39,266 --> 00:22:40,667 [Brett speaking] 461 00:22:40,667 --> 00:22:42,533 [Josh speaking] 462 00:22:46,867 --> 00:22:48,567 [Brett speaking] 463 00:22:50,100 --> 00:22:51,734 [Josh speaking] 464 00:23:00,467 --> 00:23:01,934 [Brett speaking] 465 00:23:05,467 --> 00:23:07,233 [Josh speaking] 466 00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:24,433 [Brett speaking] 467 00:23:26,266 --> 00:23:27,533 [Josh speaking] 468 00:23:32,266 --> 00:23:33,867 In the waters off of San Diego 469 00:23:33,867 --> 00:23:35,867 salvage expert Brett Eldridge and I 470 00:23:35,867 --> 00:23:40,967 are looking for the wreckage of a top secret aviation prototype that crashed nearby. 471 00:23:40,967 --> 00:23:44,166 The only one of its kind that's still in existence. 472 00:23:44,166 --> 00:23:47,467 We found a plane, but is it 'the' plane? 473 00:23:47,467 --> 00:23:49,066 [Josh speaking] 474 00:24:07,000 --> 00:24:08,333 [Brett speaking] 475 00:24:22,066 --> 00:24:23,567 [Josh speaking] 476 00:24:32,667 --> 00:24:33,934 [Brett speaking] 477 00:24:45,967 --> 00:24:47,000 [Josh] Whoo! 478 00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:48,767 Okay, that was a challenge. 479 00:24:48,767 --> 00:24:50,400 -Epic. -Epic. 480 00:24:50,400 --> 00:24:53,400 But maybe some of the worst visibility I've ever had in a dive. 481 00:24:53,400 --> 00:24:54,767 The only way I knew there was a wreck down there 482 00:24:54,767 --> 00:24:56,367 is I smashed into it with my face. 483 00:24:56,367 --> 00:24:57,200 Yeah, exactly. 484 00:24:57,200 --> 00:24:59,166 -But... -It's definitely a wreck. 485 00:24:59,166 --> 00:25:01,066 -It's definitely a wreck. -You can tell the rust, 486 00:25:01,066 --> 00:25:03,100 -you can tell the debris. -Yeah. 487 00:25:03,100 --> 00:25:04,000 It's a plane. 488 00:25:04,000 --> 00:25:05,367 Definitely single engine, yeah? 489 00:25:05,367 --> 00:25:06,500 Yeah, for sure. 490 00:25:06,500 --> 00:25:08,800 Having said that, I didn't see an engine or a propeller. 491 00:25:08,800 --> 00:25:09,767 No, neither did I. 492 00:25:09,767 --> 00:25:11,700 But you could tell the shape of the cockpit. 493 00:25:11,700 --> 00:25:14,667 -Yeah. -And you were pointing out this kind of, 494 00:25:14,667 --> 00:25:16,700 the way-- It seems like it kinda tapered in the back. 495 00:25:16,700 --> 00:25:18,767 It goes back to like a little point, right? 496 00:25:18,767 --> 00:25:20,500 Yeah. That might be enough diagnostics 497 00:25:20,500 --> 00:25:21,767 to figure out what it is. 498 00:25:21,767 --> 00:25:23,400 But yeah, we weren't gonna be reading serial numbers off that. 499 00:25:23,400 --> 00:25:25,166 -No, no, for sure not. -No. 500 00:25:25,166 --> 00:25:27,100 -Nobody knows that plane is there? -No. 501 00:25:27,100 --> 00:25:29,100 -Nobody. -Us and the guy who put it in the drain. 502 00:25:29,100 --> 00:25:29,867 Yeah, exactly. 503 00:25:29,867 --> 00:25:31,367 So there's a mystery down there. 504 00:25:31,367 --> 00:25:33,567 It's not the XP5Y. 505 00:25:33,567 --> 00:25:35,266 Not the XP5Y. Not big enough. 506 00:25:35,266 --> 00:25:36,600 But another story. 507 00:25:36,600 --> 00:25:39,767 So should we get out of this water before a great white shows up? 508 00:25:39,767 --> 00:25:40,767 Yeah, let's get out. 509 00:25:40,767 --> 00:25:42,233 -[laughs] You're first. -Let's do it. Come on. 510 00:25:43,066 --> 00:25:44,767 Using our hazy footage, 511 00:25:44,767 --> 00:25:47,867 Brett is going to do his best to identify the plane. 512 00:25:47,867 --> 00:25:51,467 We'll reconnect later, but while he begins his research, 513 00:25:51,467 --> 00:25:53,767 I moved the investigation back to shore 514 00:25:53,767 --> 00:25:55,333 to the Point Loma lighthouse. 515 00:25:57,500 --> 00:26:00,667 After the XP5Y's pilot Don Germeraad 516 00:26:00,667 --> 00:26:03,166 and his crew leapt from the plummeting plane, 517 00:26:03,166 --> 00:26:08,266 this is where all nine men were brought by Coast Guard search and rescue. 518 00:26:08,266 --> 00:26:11,567 Today, I'm at the lighthouse with a very special visitor, 519 00:26:11,567 --> 00:26:14,767 Paul Germeraad, the pilot's son. 520 00:26:14,767 --> 00:26:16,667 How old were you when this happened? 521 00:26:16,667 --> 00:26:19,266 I was probably six years old at the time. 522 00:26:19,266 --> 00:26:23,066 Were you aware on some level that your dad had a dangerous job? 523 00:26:23,066 --> 00:26:25,900 Yeah, I was aware that he had a dangerous job. 524 00:26:25,900 --> 00:26:28,266 -Yeah. -I could always tell easeless 525 00:26:28,266 --> 00:26:29,667 by looking at my mom. 526 00:26:29,667 --> 00:26:32,667 There'd be some days where she was just off. 527 00:26:32,667 --> 00:26:34,900 Wouldn't say anything but you could just tell 528 00:26:34,900 --> 00:26:37,567 she was off and when my father came home that night, 529 00:26:37,567 --> 00:26:39,066 he got a very long hug. 530 00:26:39,066 --> 00:26:40,200 -[laughs] -Wow. 531 00:26:40,200 --> 00:26:43,166 [Josh] When did you realize not just your father had 532 00:26:43,166 --> 00:26:46,000 a dangerous job, but kinda what he had done 533 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:47,367 in this particular accident? 534 00:26:47,367 --> 00:26:51,100 -He made sure every other guy got out and checked the plane. -Yes. 535 00:26:51,100 --> 00:26:54,066 And when you look at the footage of the crash, 536 00:26:54,066 --> 00:26:56,867 it's kind of remarkable that anybody survived, 537 00:26:56,867 --> 00:26:58,000 let alone everybody. 538 00:26:58,000 --> 00:27:01,900 My father was, I'd say, a really modest person. 539 00:27:01,900 --> 00:27:03,967 If he was standing here talking to you today, 540 00:27:03,967 --> 00:27:06,266 I don't think he'd be telling you he was a hero 541 00:27:06,266 --> 00:27:09,367 or anything like that. That was just part of the day's work. 542 00:27:09,367 --> 00:27:13,567 I did bring with me a report which came from 543 00:27:13,567 --> 00:27:16,700 -one of the guys that was on the flight, Bud Davies. -Okay, yeah. 544 00:27:16,700 --> 00:27:18,767 [Josh] Um, so he was the flight engineer on the flight 545 00:27:18,767 --> 00:27:20,800 and this is the statement that he made 546 00:27:20,800 --> 00:27:22,767 after the accident. You wanna read this? 547 00:27:22,767 --> 00:27:24,667 -Sure. -Regarding your dad. 548 00:27:24,667 --> 00:27:27,567 Uh, so Bud wrote, "I opened my chute. 549 00:27:27,567 --> 00:27:29,567 I was, by far, the highest chute 550 00:27:29,567 --> 00:27:31,467 and I could count seven others. 551 00:27:31,467 --> 00:27:32,600 One was missing. 552 00:27:32,600 --> 00:27:34,400 It had to be the captain 553 00:27:34,400 --> 00:27:36,567 because that's the kind of guy he is. 554 00:27:36,567 --> 00:27:39,200 I spent 18 years in experimental flight test, 555 00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:42,000 but I've never flown with anyone who demonstrated 556 00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:45,667 more cool proficiency, bravery and consideration for his crew 557 00:27:45,667 --> 00:27:47,066 than Donald Germeraad." 558 00:27:47,066 --> 00:27:49,400 -Chokes me up to read it. -Yeah. 559 00:27:49,400 --> 00:27:53,000 Does that square off with your dad would you say? 560 00:27:53,000 --> 00:27:54,066 Yeah. 561 00:27:54,066 --> 00:27:55,700 -That was him? -I think he would've said the same 562 00:27:55,700 --> 00:27:57,367 for the other men that he was flying with. 563 00:27:57,367 --> 00:27:58,700 -Right. -Yeah. 564 00:27:58,700 --> 00:28:01,500 I feel very honored to be able to tell part of your dad's story. 565 00:28:01,500 --> 00:28:02,900 -Well, I appreciate it. -Just a little part of it, yeah. 566 00:28:02,900 --> 00:28:04,800 And I hope very much that this plane gets found. 567 00:28:04,800 --> 00:28:07,266 -Yeah, I got my fingers crossed for what we find. -Yeah. 568 00:28:07,266 --> 00:28:08,266 What a pleasure. 569 00:28:08,266 --> 00:28:09,667 -Thank you so much. -Yeah, great to meet you. 570 00:28:09,667 --> 00:28:10,700 Yeah. 571 00:28:11,967 --> 00:28:14,867 [Josh] The bravery and the humanity of Don Germeraad 572 00:28:14,867 --> 00:28:18,467 is an inspiration to keep searching for his missing plane. 573 00:28:18,467 --> 00:28:20,400 And there's momentum to be had. 574 00:28:20,400 --> 00:28:23,166 As I leave the lighthouse, I get word that we have 575 00:28:23,166 --> 00:28:25,200 the results of the forensic analysis 576 00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:28,500 of the coastline images that I shot earlier. 577 00:28:28,500 --> 00:28:31,767 I head to the nearby San Diego Air and Space museum 578 00:28:31,767 --> 00:28:35,333 built to honor the region's contributions to aviation. 579 00:28:38,400 --> 00:28:41,100 Inside, I find investigator Mike Primeau, 580 00:28:41,100 --> 00:28:43,100 who has more than a decade of experience 581 00:28:43,100 --> 00:28:45,667 in forensic video and image analysis. 582 00:28:47,567 --> 00:28:48,467 Michael. 583 00:28:48,467 --> 00:28:49,867 -Josh. -Hey, man. 584 00:28:49,867 --> 00:28:51,767 -Nice to see you again. -Good to see you again. How have you been? 585 00:28:51,767 --> 00:28:53,900 -Doing well. How about you? -Good. I'm great. 586 00:28:53,900 --> 00:28:57,400 So based on what we sent you, based on whatever you were 587 00:28:57,400 --> 00:28:58,800 able to do with the original film, 588 00:28:58,800 --> 00:29:00,867 were you able to help narrow down the search? 589 00:29:00,867 --> 00:29:02,567 I was doubtful when we started. 590 00:29:02,567 --> 00:29:04,567 But through image enhancement and methodology, 591 00:29:04,567 --> 00:29:07,166 yes, we were able to uncover class characteristics 592 00:29:07,166 --> 00:29:09,867 that normally to the human eye wouldn't have been detectable. 593 00:29:09,867 --> 00:29:12,600 Meaning we may be able to figure out where this plane crashed? 594 00:29:12,600 --> 00:29:14,867 Geographically, yes, absolutely. 595 00:29:14,867 --> 00:29:16,266 All right, that's huge. 596 00:29:16,266 --> 00:29:18,567 So take me through it. What did you see in the footage 597 00:29:18,567 --> 00:29:19,600 and what did you find? 598 00:29:19,600 --> 00:29:21,767 The very first step is we analyze the unknown. 599 00:29:21,767 --> 00:29:22,967 -Right. -Which is the film. 600 00:29:22,967 --> 00:29:26,500 As we're watching this video, it's shaky, there's noise 601 00:29:26,500 --> 00:29:28,734 involved from the degradation of the film. 602 00:29:29,867 --> 00:29:33,467 And the camera is trying to follow this aircraft. 603 00:29:33,467 --> 00:29:35,266 -Right. -As it pans to this scene, 604 00:29:35,266 --> 00:29:37,600 we see pretty clearly some sort of ridgeline. 605 00:29:37,600 --> 00:29:38,467 Yes. 606 00:29:38,467 --> 00:29:39,667 That was my first impression too. 607 00:29:39,667 --> 00:29:42,066 -There's something behind this plane. -Yes. Absolutely. 608 00:29:43,467 --> 00:29:45,667 [Josh] So there's our unknown mountain ridgeline. 609 00:29:45,667 --> 00:29:46,700 -[Michael] Yes. -Okay. 610 00:29:46,700 --> 00:29:49,166 And in order to see these peaks more clearly, 611 00:29:49,166 --> 00:29:50,934 we equalize the contrast. 612 00:29:52,166 --> 00:29:54,467 [Josh] Right. And we can see them quite clearly here now. 613 00:29:54,467 --> 00:29:55,634 [Michael] Yes. 614 00:29:55,634 --> 00:29:58,100 Based on the images that you sent us that you had captured, 615 00:29:58,100 --> 00:30:01,166 directly behind Point Loma, this appears to be 616 00:30:01,166 --> 00:30:02,500 the Otay mountain ridgeline. 617 00:30:02,500 --> 00:30:04,667 The Otay mountain ridgeline? Okay. 618 00:30:04,667 --> 00:30:06,667 And so we think that this could be 619 00:30:06,667 --> 00:30:08,667 -the top of Otay mountain? -That's correct. 620 00:30:09,967 --> 00:30:12,166 [Josh] Okay, that's huge. We may not know exactly 621 00:30:12,166 --> 00:30:14,800 where we are in relation to that peak, 622 00:30:14,800 --> 00:30:16,400 but we certainly know we're not 623 00:30:16,400 --> 00:30:17,867 -fifty miles up the coast. -Absolutely. 624 00:30:17,867 --> 00:30:20,667 So the question is, can we get any more specific 625 00:30:20,667 --> 00:30:22,367 as to where this plane might've crashed? 626 00:30:22,367 --> 00:30:23,300 I think that we can. 627 00:30:23,300 --> 00:30:26,066 Josh, let's go ahead and look at the footage. 628 00:30:26,066 --> 00:30:28,867 Yeah, we're back to the crash footage here. Where am I looking? 629 00:30:28,867 --> 00:30:30,467 So as you're watching the video, 630 00:30:30,467 --> 00:30:32,400 as the camera pans around the plane, 631 00:30:32,400 --> 00:30:35,467 there is a perpendicular line that was detected 632 00:30:35,467 --> 00:30:37,867 amongst what looks to be like a shoreline. 633 00:30:37,867 --> 00:30:41,000 This perpendicular line is strange. 634 00:30:41,000 --> 00:30:42,266 Oh, this is what you're talking about here. 635 00:30:42,266 --> 00:30:44,467 -This dark line here? -Correct. 636 00:30:44,467 --> 00:30:46,367 [Josh] By carefully enhancing the footage 637 00:30:46,367 --> 00:30:48,667 Michael has found a unique feature, 638 00:30:48,667 --> 00:30:50,767 a dark line that resembles water 639 00:30:50,767 --> 00:30:52,567 jutting inland from the coast. 640 00:30:52,567 --> 00:30:56,100 And within that water what looks like a sliver of land. 641 00:30:56,100 --> 00:30:58,367 So is there a place that matches this? 642 00:30:58,367 --> 00:31:01,967 There is. Just north of Point Loma in the ridgeline, 643 00:31:01,967 --> 00:31:03,533 a place known as Mission Bay. 644 00:31:05,100 --> 00:31:09,367 Mission Bay is a manmade 2,000 acre saltwater inland 645 00:31:09,367 --> 00:31:13,300 developed in the late 1940s as a recreational waterpark 646 00:31:13,300 --> 00:31:15,367 north of Point Loma. 647 00:31:15,367 --> 00:31:17,500 You can very easily make a case that 648 00:31:17,500 --> 00:31:19,100 that's exactly what you're seeing here, 649 00:31:19,100 --> 00:31:21,900 that that's the entrance to the harbor and the river 650 00:31:21,900 --> 00:31:24,900 and that this, over on the left is Mission Bay itself. 651 00:31:24,900 --> 00:31:28,000 The artificial islands and waterways of Mission Bay 652 00:31:28,000 --> 00:31:31,867 are clearly a close match to the historic footage. 653 00:31:31,867 --> 00:31:33,300 So if that is Mission Bay, 654 00:31:33,300 --> 00:31:35,000 then where's our plane? 655 00:31:35,000 --> 00:31:37,700 Somewhere between Mission Bay and Point Loma. 656 00:31:37,700 --> 00:31:39,266 Which is a distance of how far? 657 00:31:39,266 --> 00:31:40,900 Approximately six miles. 658 00:31:40,900 --> 00:31:43,500 Okay. That gives us a real bounding box 659 00:31:43,500 --> 00:31:45,066 -on either end. -Yeah. 660 00:31:45,066 --> 00:31:48,867 [Josh] The original search area focused on the waters off Point Loma. 661 00:31:48,867 --> 00:31:51,400 But this analysis of the crash footage 662 00:31:51,400 --> 00:31:54,800 draws us six miles north to an area between 663 00:31:54,800 --> 00:31:57,166 four and eight miles from shore. 664 00:31:57,166 --> 00:31:59,667 This is a big deal because it gives us 665 00:31:59,667 --> 00:32:02,300 an actual targeted search area 666 00:32:02,300 --> 00:32:04,400 which is something that we've never had 667 00:32:04,400 --> 00:32:06,667 in this investigation for three-quarters of a century. 668 00:32:06,667 --> 00:32:07,667 Right. 669 00:32:07,667 --> 00:32:09,767 [Josh] And so somewhere in that six miles 670 00:32:09,767 --> 00:32:12,100 by four to eight miles, 671 00:32:12,100 --> 00:32:13,967 -there should be a plane. -There should be a plane. 672 00:32:14,500 --> 00:32:15,767 That's huge. 673 00:32:16,867 --> 00:32:18,467 -Thanks, man. -Thanks for the opportunity. 674 00:32:18,467 --> 00:32:19,533 Incredible. 675 00:32:20,467 --> 00:32:24,100 We may be closer than ever to finding the XP5Y, 676 00:32:24,100 --> 00:32:27,367 but searching this much ocean is still a daunting task. 677 00:32:27,367 --> 00:32:29,266 And I'm going to need some help. 678 00:32:30,867 --> 00:32:33,500 I link back up with under water investigator 679 00:32:33,500 --> 00:32:36,367 Brett Eldridge who leads me down a local dock 680 00:32:36,367 --> 00:32:38,266 to meet renowned marine surveyors 681 00:32:38,266 --> 00:32:40,500 Dave Carlisle and Chris Catalano 682 00:32:40,500 --> 00:32:42,066 of Orca Maritime. 683 00:32:42,066 --> 00:32:45,900 So for this case we have some really cool new forensic data. 684 00:32:45,900 --> 00:32:49,000 So I'm hoping you guys have some awesome technology on board 685 00:32:49,000 --> 00:32:50,867 that can help locate this plane. 686 00:32:50,867 --> 00:32:53,367 We do, Josh. We have some pretty powerful sonars. 687 00:32:53,367 --> 00:32:56,400 We have a multi beam sonar, we have a side scan sonar, 688 00:32:56,400 --> 00:32:57,600 we have the vessel sonar 689 00:32:57,600 --> 00:33:00,800 as well as a ROV capable to do a thousand feet 690 00:33:00,800 --> 00:33:02,467 with high definition cameras. 691 00:33:02,467 --> 00:33:03,567 [Josh] Okay. 692 00:33:03,567 --> 00:33:06,100 -So that plane's down there. -We're gonna find it. 693 00:33:06,100 --> 00:33:07,667 -Let's go do it. -I like his attitude. 694 00:33:07,667 --> 00:33:08,834 Let's go to sea. Come on. 695 00:33:18,867 --> 00:33:21,667 The boat speeds out to sea toward the search zone 696 00:33:21,667 --> 00:33:23,934 established by our photo analysis. 697 00:33:25,567 --> 00:33:28,266 And before long, we're parked right in the middle 698 00:33:28,266 --> 00:33:31,367 and deploy Orca Maritime's impressive sonar 699 00:33:31,367 --> 00:33:33,066 to scour the sea floor. 700 00:33:35,567 --> 00:33:37,700 -So our sonar unit is up and running. -Yep. 701 00:33:37,700 --> 00:33:40,367 We're in the right spot here based on the forensic data. 702 00:33:40,367 --> 00:33:43,567 That's six miles off shore behind the Otay mountains there. 703 00:33:43,567 --> 00:33:44,967 So what do we do? 704 00:33:44,967 --> 00:33:46,367 So now we're gonna make a track, 705 00:33:46,367 --> 00:33:48,166 then set up a grid for Dave to follow. 706 00:33:48,166 --> 00:33:49,767 I'm gonna create a long lane 707 00:33:49,767 --> 00:33:50,967 and then I'm gonna duplicate it. 708 00:33:50,967 --> 00:33:52,700 -Okay. -Then Dave will follow those lanes. 709 00:33:52,700 --> 00:33:54,800 -So we just zigzag back and forth? -Yep. 710 00:33:54,800 --> 00:33:56,166 -Okay. -Mowing the lawn. 711 00:33:56,166 --> 00:33:57,567 -Exactly. -That's right. 712 00:33:57,567 --> 00:33:59,500 The more times you pass, the more data we get. 713 00:33:59,500 --> 00:34:00,367 Perfect. 714 00:34:00,367 --> 00:34:02,567 Okay. So how long is this gonna take? 715 00:34:02,567 --> 00:34:03,867 It's gonna be a while. 716 00:34:03,867 --> 00:34:05,667 He didn't even give an amount of time. 717 00:34:05,667 --> 00:34:06,867 It's a bad sign. 718 00:34:06,867 --> 00:34:08,100 -Should we take a nap? -Yeah, okay. 719 00:34:08,100 --> 00:34:09,000 We'll be on the deck. 720 00:34:09,000 --> 00:34:10,367 All right. I'll call you when I need ya. 721 00:34:10,367 --> 00:34:11,700 Here we go. 722 00:34:14,266 --> 00:34:18,233 Covering our entire search zone takes long tedious hours. 723 00:34:19,467 --> 00:34:22,834 Time which Brett and I use to maximum productivity. 724 00:34:28,667 --> 00:34:29,500 [sea lions barking] 725 00:34:29,500 --> 00:34:31,100 What can I say? We're becoming one 726 00:34:31,100 --> 00:34:33,667 with San Diego's other sea mammals. 727 00:34:33,667 --> 00:34:34,834 [sea lions barking] 728 00:34:38,700 --> 00:34:40,467 Okay, guys, we got data. 729 00:34:40,467 --> 00:34:42,166 Oh, I think we got something. 730 00:34:42,166 --> 00:34:43,367 Okay, here we go. 731 00:34:43,367 --> 00:34:44,367 Here we go. 732 00:34:47,367 --> 00:34:49,900 Okay, so, what do we got? 733 00:34:49,900 --> 00:34:52,767 Well, we processed all the data and I think we got some things. 734 00:34:52,767 --> 00:34:53,567 -You do? -Yeah. 735 00:34:53,567 --> 00:34:54,500 All right, what do we got? 736 00:34:54,500 --> 00:34:55,567 -So this is the first one. -Ooh. 737 00:34:55,567 --> 00:34:56,867 Oh, there's something there. 738 00:35:02,467 --> 00:35:03,567 [Chris] Let's take a look. 739 00:35:03,567 --> 00:35:05,800 [Josh] I mean, that is a clear sandy bottom 740 00:35:05,800 --> 00:35:07,467 with some piece of wreckage on it. 741 00:35:07,467 --> 00:35:10,100 I'm with a team conducting a sonar sweep 742 00:35:10,100 --> 00:35:13,667 of a newly established search zone near Mission Bay, California, 743 00:35:13,667 --> 00:35:17,600 looking for the secret seaplane known as the XP5Y, 744 00:35:17,600 --> 00:35:19,634 the only one in existence. 745 00:35:21,300 --> 00:35:24,867 Now the crew of Orca Maritime has found a promising hit 746 00:35:24,867 --> 00:35:26,300 on the ocean floor. 747 00:35:26,300 --> 00:35:27,500 That's definitely interesting. 748 00:35:27,500 --> 00:35:29,667 -Yes, that's debris, right? -That's debris. 749 00:35:29,667 --> 00:35:31,166 [Josh] There could be a big engine sitting down here. 750 00:35:31,166 --> 00:35:32,867 I think we have to check that out. 751 00:35:32,867 --> 00:35:34,667 -So that one's a for sure. -Let's mark that. 752 00:35:34,667 --> 00:35:36,000 What else you got? 753 00:35:36,000 --> 00:35:38,166 The next target, I kind of put together a 3D model 754 00:35:38,166 --> 00:35:40,266 to kind of see where things stick up off the bottom. 755 00:35:40,266 --> 00:35:42,367 And you kind of see it stands out, yeah. 756 00:35:42,367 --> 00:35:43,867 And you can see there's something 757 00:35:43,867 --> 00:35:45,967 that's sticking out off the bottom, about five feet. 758 00:35:45,967 --> 00:35:47,867 -Five feet off the bottom? -Yeah. 759 00:35:47,867 --> 00:35:49,767 So these spikes that we see coming up, 760 00:35:49,767 --> 00:35:51,800 that's wreckage rising off the bottom? 761 00:35:51,800 --> 00:35:53,467 That's... that's what I'm hoping, yeah. 762 00:35:53,467 --> 00:35:55,500 [Josh] And this is over a larger area here, 763 00:35:55,500 --> 00:35:57,867 so this may be a bigger piece of wreckage? 764 00:35:57,867 --> 00:35:59,166 -Yeah. -What do you think? Is that a plane? 765 00:35:59,166 --> 00:36:01,400 It could be a plane. I'm feeling good about that. 766 00:36:01,400 --> 00:36:04,100 Well, certainly, size wise, this is the biggest thing we've seen. 767 00:36:04,100 --> 00:36:05,867 This was the deepest, at 660. 768 00:36:05,867 --> 00:36:06,967 Six hundred and sixty feet? 769 00:36:06,967 --> 00:36:08,467 -Yeah. -Okay. 770 00:36:08,467 --> 00:36:09,867 [Josh] So we've got really interesting targets here. 771 00:36:09,867 --> 00:36:11,000 Absolutely. 772 00:36:11,000 --> 00:36:13,000 -You wanna go diving? -Uh... 773 00:36:13,000 --> 00:36:14,567 -It's a little deep for me. -[laughs] 774 00:36:14,567 --> 00:36:15,767 Me, too. 775 00:36:16,700 --> 00:36:19,767 At nearly 700 ft deep, these sonar hits 776 00:36:19,767 --> 00:36:22,367 are out of reach of even technical divers, 777 00:36:22,367 --> 00:36:24,066 but Dave has a solution 778 00:36:24,066 --> 00:36:27,200 as I learn when we approach the first target. 779 00:36:27,200 --> 00:36:28,767 So we're about how far off this target? 780 00:36:28,767 --> 00:36:30,567 We're about a hundred feet off the target. 781 00:36:30,567 --> 00:36:31,934 Approaching it quickly. 782 00:36:33,567 --> 00:36:35,900 [Josh] We hover over the sonar anomaly, 783 00:36:35,900 --> 00:36:38,433 then bring out the star of our show. 784 00:36:38,967 --> 00:36:40,667 This is our vLBV 300. 785 00:36:40,667 --> 00:36:42,200 Let's talk about it. What's on board here? 786 00:36:42,200 --> 00:36:43,900 All right, so the main point of interest is gonna be 787 00:36:43,900 --> 00:36:45,467 our forward looking sonar and that's gonna paint 788 00:36:45,467 --> 00:36:48,166 a pretty picture of what we hope to be a plane when we get down there. 789 00:36:48,166 --> 00:36:50,767 So this has its own independent sonar system on board? 790 00:36:50,767 --> 00:36:52,266 [Chris] That's correct. We have two functioning cameras, 791 00:36:52,266 --> 00:36:55,367 two work lights. We have six vector thrusters. 792 00:36:55,367 --> 00:36:57,667 We have a grabber arm if we need to recover something. 793 00:36:57,667 --> 00:36:58,867 Should we see if that's what happens? 794 00:36:58,867 --> 00:37:00,367 -[chuckles] Sure, let's do it. -Let's do it, come on. 795 00:37:04,700 --> 00:37:06,667 -All right, going in. -Going in. 796 00:37:12,967 --> 00:37:14,367 You're in. ROV's in. 797 00:37:14,367 --> 00:37:15,367 Okay, let's see what it sees. 798 00:37:15,367 --> 00:37:16,233 Here we go. 799 00:37:17,500 --> 00:37:19,166 Our robot is away. 800 00:37:19,166 --> 00:37:21,233 Next stop, the bottom of the ocean. 801 00:37:22,800 --> 00:37:25,767 Okay. So the ROV's got side of the line there 802 00:37:25,767 --> 00:37:27,700 and so now it's just descend, descend. 803 00:37:27,700 --> 00:37:30,266 Yep. Now it's the waiting game, yeah. 804 00:37:30,266 --> 00:37:32,300 Now our thrusters are up to about 70%. 805 00:37:32,300 --> 00:37:34,667 So I don't wanna go too fast. I don't wanna lose a line. 806 00:37:37,266 --> 00:37:39,467 So just passing 300 ft. 807 00:37:39,467 --> 00:37:40,767 Yeah, we're about halfway there. 808 00:37:40,767 --> 00:37:42,567 [Josh] Okay. 809 00:37:42,567 --> 00:37:44,500 -We're right about 400 ft now. -Yep. 810 00:37:44,500 --> 00:37:46,100 [Chris] Coming up on 400 here. 811 00:37:46,100 --> 00:37:48,000 [Josh] It looks cold and dark. 812 00:37:48,000 --> 00:37:49,166 Definitely looks dark. 813 00:37:49,166 --> 00:37:50,266 It's a little spooky down here. 814 00:37:51,767 --> 00:37:55,066 There's something about watching ROV footage live 815 00:37:55,066 --> 00:37:56,867 that's actually really exciting because 816 00:37:56,867 --> 00:38:00,433 it feels like a horror film, like anything could come out of that darkness. 817 00:38:03,467 --> 00:38:04,533 [Chris] Five hundred feet. 818 00:38:05,867 --> 00:38:07,166 [Brett] There's bottom right there. 819 00:38:07,166 --> 00:38:09,367 -[Josh] Yep. Oh, there it is. -There it is. 820 00:38:09,367 --> 00:38:11,266 -Boom. -[Brett] We got crabs. 821 00:38:11,266 --> 00:38:13,100 -Some crabs. -They're crabs. Lots of 'em. 822 00:38:13,100 --> 00:38:13,867 Wow, look at that. 823 00:38:14,867 --> 00:38:17,000 If the ROV feed is a horror film, 824 00:38:17,000 --> 00:38:19,066 then I guess these are the monsters. 825 00:38:20,166 --> 00:38:23,166 Hoping to find the monster of a plane wreck next, 826 00:38:23,166 --> 00:38:25,266 we continue scanning the bottom. 827 00:38:27,667 --> 00:38:30,567 So far a lot of little divots in the sand 828 00:38:30,567 --> 00:38:33,400 but nothing associated with any debris. 829 00:38:33,400 --> 00:38:38,567 No, not yet. I didn't see anything that would indicate plane debris yet. 830 00:38:38,567 --> 00:38:40,367 [Josh] Something right here for sure. 831 00:38:40,367 --> 00:38:41,867 [Brett] Yeah, you could definitely see something there. 832 00:38:41,867 --> 00:38:45,000 Bright, big bright return. Something sticking up off the bottom. 833 00:38:45,000 --> 00:38:46,834 So that's almost dead ahead of us. 834 00:38:48,266 --> 00:38:49,734 [all exclaiming] 835 00:38:50,166 --> 00:38:51,266 Something there. 836 00:38:51,266 --> 00:38:52,867 -There's definitely something there. -Is that wreckage? 837 00:38:55,367 --> 00:38:57,567 This is clearly not an entire aircraft, 838 00:38:57,567 --> 00:38:59,000 but could this be a piece of something? 839 00:38:59,000 --> 00:39:01,967 Could this be a part of a wing that's ripped off? 840 00:39:01,967 --> 00:39:03,567 [Brett] Yeah, there's nothing specific 841 00:39:03,567 --> 00:39:06,300 that screams airplane, but it's definitely manmade 842 00:39:06,300 --> 00:39:07,800 -and it's definitely a debris field. -But it's manmade. 843 00:39:07,800 --> 00:39:09,367 And it feels like a frame. 844 00:39:09,367 --> 00:39:13,100 It's also hard to know if that netting or that cloth is part of this thing. 845 00:39:13,100 --> 00:39:14,200 I mean, some of it's under it. 846 00:39:14,200 --> 00:39:16,000 -Yeah. -Could that be... 847 00:39:16,000 --> 00:39:19,166 Part of the debris? Or did it get there after? 848 00:39:19,166 --> 00:39:21,500 You know, the other thing that we often see with airplanes, Josh, 849 00:39:21,500 --> 00:39:23,967 is cables and wires running everywhere. 850 00:39:23,967 --> 00:39:24,967 Which we don't see. 851 00:39:24,967 --> 00:39:26,433 -We don't see any of it here. -That's right. 852 00:39:27,200 --> 00:39:28,867 I mean, that could be... 853 00:39:28,867 --> 00:39:30,467 That could be a hundred things. 854 00:39:32,467 --> 00:39:34,200 And even going all the way down there 855 00:39:34,200 --> 00:39:37,100 hundreds of feet, putting a camera an inch away from it. 856 00:39:37,100 --> 00:39:38,767 -You still can't tell. -You still can't tell. 857 00:39:38,767 --> 00:39:40,600 [Josh] That's how hard this is. 858 00:39:40,600 --> 00:39:43,266 The debris in both, size and composition 859 00:39:43,266 --> 00:39:46,166 is inconsistent with aviation wreckage. 860 00:39:46,166 --> 00:39:48,367 We catalog the find before moving on 861 00:39:48,367 --> 00:39:50,000 to the second sonar target 862 00:39:50,000 --> 00:39:53,934 which Brett believes could be large fragments of an aircraft. 863 00:39:56,567 --> 00:40:00,367 We arrive at the next target as conditions begin to get choppy. 864 00:40:04,166 --> 00:40:06,367 Once in position over the coordinates, 865 00:40:06,367 --> 00:40:09,233 we send the ROV down into the deep. 866 00:40:12,000 --> 00:40:15,000 So we think this target's in nearly 700 ft of water, right? 867 00:40:15,000 --> 00:40:16,066 [Chris] Six-eighty. 868 00:40:16,066 --> 00:40:17,367 [Josh] Here we go. We're coming down on it now. 869 00:40:17,367 --> 00:40:19,967 640 ft we're at? 870 00:40:21,400 --> 00:40:24,166 Man, you can hardly even see that guideline anymore. 871 00:40:24,166 --> 00:40:25,867 Fighting some tough conditions today, Josh. 872 00:40:25,867 --> 00:40:27,667 [Josh] Yeah, yeah, yeah. 873 00:40:27,667 --> 00:40:30,333 Oh, that current is just moving down there, isn't it? 874 00:40:31,367 --> 00:40:32,367 She lost power? 875 00:40:32,367 --> 00:40:33,767 Yeah, we lost power. 876 00:40:33,767 --> 00:40:34,900 Did the outside go out? 877 00:40:34,900 --> 00:40:37,000 -[woman] Yeah, it's off. -Did we blow a fuse? What happened? 878 00:40:37,000 --> 00:40:38,867 Did everything shut down? Did that shut down? 879 00:40:38,867 --> 00:40:40,166 Yeah. In the... 880 00:40:40,166 --> 00:40:41,200 -Flip it off. -All right. 881 00:40:41,200 --> 00:40:42,166 Is it a fuse? 882 00:40:42,166 --> 00:40:43,367 Yeah. 883 00:40:43,367 --> 00:40:46,467 With the ROV more than 600 ft below us, 884 00:40:46,467 --> 00:40:48,767 everything suddenly goes dark. 885 00:40:48,767 --> 00:40:50,467 That ROV's just adrift right now? 886 00:40:50,467 --> 00:40:51,800 Yep, it's drifting with the current right now. 887 00:40:51,800 --> 00:40:53,266 Okay. 888 00:40:53,266 --> 00:40:55,567 I mean, we have no communication whatsoever with that thing down there. 889 00:40:55,567 --> 00:40:57,200 It's the right side, Dave? 890 00:40:57,200 --> 00:40:59,767 -Um, check the breaker on the panel. -Sure. 891 00:40:59,767 --> 00:41:02,500 This is not good because the ROV's now sitting down on this wreck 892 00:41:02,500 --> 00:41:05,800 without power, and so he'd get caught up in the wreckage, so. 893 00:41:05,800 --> 00:41:07,600 Let's see if we can get a new fuse in here. 894 00:41:07,600 --> 00:41:09,467 The crew is cool under pressure 895 00:41:09,467 --> 00:41:11,467 and scrambles to replace the fuse 896 00:41:11,467 --> 00:41:13,867 before the ROV gets snagged. 897 00:41:13,867 --> 00:41:15,233 [Chris] Well, the panel's good, Dave. 898 00:41:17,667 --> 00:41:18,900 [Josh] Okay, we're coming back up. 899 00:41:18,900 --> 00:41:19,867 [Brett] Yeah. 900 00:41:19,867 --> 00:41:21,967 [Chris] Okay, we're rebooting. 901 00:41:21,967 --> 00:41:23,233 [Brett] It's nerve wracking. 902 00:41:24,166 --> 00:41:26,333 -Totally nerve wracking. -Yeah. 903 00:41:27,667 --> 00:41:28,767 All right, here we go. 904 00:41:29,166 --> 00:41:30,233 Hold on to your butts. 905 00:41:31,166 --> 00:41:32,433 That's a Jurassic Park reference. 906 00:41:33,567 --> 00:41:34,567 Doesn't matter. 907 00:41:34,567 --> 00:41:35,767 Here we go. 908 00:41:35,767 --> 00:41:37,467 -We got lights. -We're back up. 909 00:41:37,467 --> 00:41:39,667 [Chris] Let's see if can get a sonar image, maybe. 910 00:41:39,667 --> 00:41:42,000 We're at, like, 645 ft, so we're above it. 911 00:41:42,000 --> 00:41:43,800 And we're not snagged on it to the tether? 912 00:41:43,800 --> 00:41:44,900 [Chris] I don't believe so. 913 00:41:44,900 --> 00:41:47,200 Great news. Okay. Great. 914 00:41:47,200 --> 00:41:49,100 With the power once again flowing 915 00:41:49,100 --> 00:41:51,600 and the ROV fortunately unscathed, 916 00:41:51,600 --> 00:41:54,634 we resume our path toward our sonar target. 917 00:41:55,767 --> 00:41:56,967 [Chris] Some fish. 918 00:41:56,967 --> 00:41:58,834 [Brett] Fish. That's always a sign of a wreck. 919 00:42:00,667 --> 00:42:01,867 All right, sonar, do your thing. 920 00:42:01,867 --> 00:42:03,233 What do you see down there? 921 00:42:04,767 --> 00:42:05,867 Oh. 922 00:42:05,867 --> 00:42:07,367 -Something up there. -[Chris] Yep. 923 00:42:07,367 --> 00:42:09,567 -[Josh] Something big, right in front of us there. -[Brett] Look at that. 924 00:42:09,567 --> 00:42:11,266 [Josh] There is something huge right there. 925 00:42:11,266 --> 00:42:12,667 I got a really good feeling. 926 00:42:13,300 --> 00:42:15,166 Oh, look at that. 927 00:42:15,166 --> 00:42:17,066 That looks like it could be a plane. 928 00:42:17,066 --> 00:42:18,200 [Brett] That could be a plane. 929 00:42:18,200 --> 00:42:19,467 -A big plane. -Just look at the wings. 930 00:42:19,467 --> 00:42:20,867 -The tail. -You can see the props. 931 00:42:20,867 --> 00:42:22,367 You can see the prop right there. 932 00:42:22,367 --> 00:42:24,166 Look at the size of that wing. 933 00:42:24,166 --> 00:42:25,266 [Brett] Big. 934 00:42:25,266 --> 00:42:27,166 That is definitely an airplane. 935 00:42:29,300 --> 00:42:31,767 [Josh] This thing looks really intact. 936 00:42:31,767 --> 00:42:33,533 [Brett] It's totally intact. 937 00:42:35,467 --> 00:42:37,367 What in the world is it doing down there? 938 00:42:37,367 --> 00:42:40,166 [Josh] So those growths are, we think in the cockpit area? 939 00:42:40,166 --> 00:42:42,133 [Brett] I think we're coming up on the prop. 940 00:42:46,467 --> 00:42:48,900 -Oh, there it is. Whoa, right there. -Is that a star? 941 00:42:48,900 --> 00:42:50,266 That's a navy star. 942 00:42:50,266 --> 00:42:52,266 That's a navy star right there. 943 00:42:52,266 --> 00:42:53,767 It's a navy plane. 944 00:42:53,767 --> 00:42:55,500 -Guaranteed. -Holy [bleep]. 945 00:42:55,500 --> 00:42:56,533 Look at that! 946 00:43:03,767 --> 00:43:06,166 [Josh] While hunting for the lost XP5Y, 947 00:43:06,166 --> 00:43:08,100 I actually got the chance to fly one. 948 00:43:08,100 --> 00:43:09,066 Sort of. 949 00:43:09,066 --> 00:43:11,000 So this moves? This is a simulator? 950 00:43:11,000 --> 00:43:14,867 It is very dynamic, but it's not anything you can't handle. 951 00:43:14,867 --> 00:43:16,700 -We'll see about that, but... -All right. 952 00:43:16,700 --> 00:43:17,900 We are ready to go. 953 00:43:17,900 --> 00:43:18,967 All right. 954 00:43:18,967 --> 00:43:20,266 [man] All right. Everything out of the pockets. 955 00:43:20,266 --> 00:43:22,166 Why do things need to be out of my pockets? 956 00:43:22,166 --> 00:43:23,100 [man] It's a dynamic ride. 957 00:43:23,100 --> 00:43:25,033 People keep using that word, dynamic. 958 00:43:25,867 --> 00:43:27,300 Okay. Oh, boy. 959 00:43:27,300 --> 00:43:29,667 [Bud] You will start from the air. 960 00:43:29,667 --> 00:43:30,767 Okay. Oh, okay. 961 00:43:30,767 --> 00:43:32,100 Okay, and I'm flying. 962 00:43:32,100 --> 00:43:34,400 Oh, she got some kick. She got some power. 963 00:43:34,400 --> 00:43:35,700 -[Bud] It'll move. -Okay, hold on. 964 00:43:35,700 --> 00:43:37,266 Let me just straighten this. 965 00:43:37,266 --> 00:43:39,300 This thing really actually goes over, doesn't it? 966 00:43:39,300 --> 00:43:40,467 [Bud] It really does. 967 00:43:40,467 --> 00:43:41,400 We are upside down. 968 00:43:41,400 --> 00:43:42,266 -[Bud] Yes, we are. -Okay. 969 00:43:42,266 --> 00:43:43,266 I gotta just-- 970 00:43:43,266 --> 00:43:44,000 Whoa! 971 00:43:44,000 --> 00:43:45,266 Oh, okay. 972 00:43:45,266 --> 00:43:46,100 How am I doing, Bud? 973 00:43:46,100 --> 00:43:47,900 Oh, here we go. Everything's fine. 974 00:43:47,900 --> 00:43:49,634 But there's no sick bags in here, are there? 975 00:43:50,967 --> 00:43:53,800 All right, Josh, this is where I get off. 976 00:43:53,800 --> 00:43:56,066 [laughs] Oh, Bud, that's good. 977 00:43:56,066 --> 00:43:57,333 Bud? 978 00:43:58,266 --> 00:43:59,367 The guy jumped. 979 00:44:03,100 --> 00:44:04,367 [Josh] That's a navy star. 980 00:44:04,367 --> 00:44:05,367 [Brett] That's a navy star. 981 00:44:05,367 --> 00:44:07,934 Dude, unbelievable! 982 00:44:09,367 --> 00:44:12,567 In our search for the lost XP5Y prototype, 983 00:44:12,567 --> 00:44:15,333 it appears we've made a major discovery. 984 00:44:15,333 --> 00:44:19,400 A US navy plane almost 700 ft below the surface. 985 00:44:20,734 --> 00:44:22,100 Do you know how rare this is 986 00:44:22,100 --> 00:44:24,567 to see an airplane this deep underwater 987 00:44:24,567 --> 00:44:25,667 completely intact? 988 00:44:25,667 --> 00:44:27,133 [Chris] Oh, we got some ID numbers. 989 00:44:27,133 --> 00:44:29,367 -[Brett] Oh, oh! -[Chris] Right here. 990 00:44:29,367 --> 00:44:31,400 -It says one, two, zero-- -[Brett] Ending four-two? 991 00:44:32,033 --> 00:44:33,333 One-two-zero-four-two. 992 00:44:33,333 --> 00:44:35,567 Do we have numbers on the XP5Y? 993 00:44:35,567 --> 00:44:38,033 I don't even know if there would be. It's experimental plane. 994 00:44:38,033 --> 00:44:39,767 This is a navy plane. I mean, that's-- 995 00:44:39,767 --> 00:44:40,867 Well, a hundred, guaranteed. 996 00:44:40,867 --> 00:44:43,367 They're big wings, but it doesn't look big enough. 997 00:44:43,367 --> 00:44:44,667 The fuselage doesn't, right? 998 00:44:44,667 --> 00:44:46,867 The XP5Y fuselage is huge. 999 00:44:46,867 --> 00:44:48,734 -Huge. -This looks narrower. 1000 00:44:48,734 --> 00:44:50,133 Yeah, for sure. 1001 00:44:50,133 --> 00:44:53,467 But this isn't a small plane. This isn't like some little combat plane. 1002 00:44:53,467 --> 00:44:55,433 No, this is bigger than that. 1003 00:44:55,433 --> 00:44:57,867 But how is there a navy plane sitting down there 1004 00:44:57,867 --> 00:44:59,233 that's not our plane? 1005 00:44:59,233 --> 00:45:01,734 There's no record of a large navy plane 1006 00:45:01,734 --> 00:45:03,467 lost out here at these coordinates? 1007 00:45:03,467 --> 00:45:06,100 Nope, and nobody's ever seen this before. 1008 00:45:07,166 --> 00:45:09,667 The physical characteristics of this wreck suggests 1009 00:45:09,667 --> 00:45:11,667 that this can't be our plane, 1010 00:45:11,667 --> 00:45:14,767 which raises an important question of its own. 1011 00:45:14,767 --> 00:45:17,133 -What the hell is it? -Here's what I'm thinking. 1012 00:45:18,100 --> 00:45:20,233 Big engine, huge wings. 1013 00:45:20,934 --> 00:45:23,533 Probably carrier based single pilot. 1014 00:45:24,467 --> 00:45:26,000 If I had a hazard guess, 1015 00:45:26,567 --> 00:45:28,233 I would go with a Skyraider. 1016 00:45:29,934 --> 00:45:34,767 [Josh] The Douglas A-1 Skyraider went into service in 1945, 1017 00:45:34,767 --> 00:45:39,266 a carrier based torpedo bomber that served in every US conflict 1018 00:45:39,266 --> 00:45:41,934 between WWII and Vietnam. 1019 00:45:41,934 --> 00:45:45,634 It's possible this plane was once piloted in battle. 1020 00:45:46,500 --> 00:45:49,233 [Brett] We might be looking at a Skyraider. 1021 00:45:49,233 --> 00:45:51,567 Which there's no record of one of those out here. 1022 00:45:51,567 --> 00:45:52,734 This is a mystery. 1023 00:45:52,734 --> 00:45:54,467 This is a total mystery. 1024 00:45:54,467 --> 00:45:56,066 We're gonna figure out what this is, for sure. 1025 00:45:56,066 --> 00:45:57,300 -[Brett] We have to. -[Josh] Yeah. 1026 00:45:59,133 --> 00:46:02,000 [Josh] It's a historic discovery of the best kind, 1027 00:46:02,000 --> 00:46:05,266 one that may tell us a story we've never heard before. 1028 00:46:05,266 --> 00:46:08,467 We steam for port to put the remaining puzzle pieces 1029 00:46:08,467 --> 00:46:10,300 of our investigation together. 1030 00:46:13,567 --> 00:46:17,166 Our search for the XP5Y has led to not one, 1031 00:46:17,166 --> 00:46:19,867 but two previously uncatalogued wrecks 1032 00:46:19,867 --> 00:46:23,333 now rediscovered off the coast of San Diego. 1033 00:46:23,333 --> 00:46:26,934 After extensive research, Brett was able to identify 1034 00:46:26,934 --> 00:46:31,467 the make of the first plane we found in our near zero visibility dive. 1035 00:46:31,467 --> 00:46:34,333 The sloped fuselage was a telltale sign 1036 00:46:34,333 --> 00:46:37,467 of a Grumman F8F Bearcat. 1037 00:46:37,467 --> 00:46:39,667 The Bearcat was a carrier based fighter 1038 00:46:39,667 --> 00:46:44,233 that was only operational between 1944 and 1952, 1039 00:46:44,233 --> 00:46:46,967 making our find an aviation geek's version 1040 00:46:46,967 --> 00:46:50,467 of stumbling across a Mickey Mantle rookie card. 1041 00:46:50,467 --> 00:46:53,500 And as for the plane we filmed with our ROV, 1042 00:46:53,500 --> 00:46:55,333 the tail number confirms it 1043 00:46:55,333 --> 00:46:57,867 as a Douglas A-1 Skyraider. 1044 00:46:57,867 --> 00:47:00,367 Records indicate that in 1963, 1045 00:47:00,367 --> 00:47:03,767 this Skyraider was one of 50 transferred from the navy 1046 00:47:03,767 --> 00:47:06,734 here in San Diego to the US Air Force 1047 00:47:06,734 --> 00:47:08,433 First Special Operations Wing 1048 00:47:08,433 --> 00:47:10,667 based in Hurlburt Field, Florida. 1049 00:47:10,667 --> 00:47:12,867 There, it was used to train pilots 1050 00:47:12,867 --> 00:47:15,066 for the escalating Vietnam War. 1051 00:47:15,066 --> 00:47:17,667 But how this plane returned to California 1052 00:47:17,667 --> 00:47:21,400 to lie in 700 ft of water is anyone's guess. 1053 00:47:23,166 --> 00:47:27,100 Meanwhile, the XP5Y remains at large, 1054 00:47:27,100 --> 00:47:29,867 a testament to our ability to build big 1055 00:47:29,867 --> 00:47:32,500 and accomplish the seemingly impossible. 1056 00:47:33,433 --> 00:47:34,767 Since the birth of flight, 1057 00:47:34,767 --> 00:47:37,133 aviation innovation has advanced 1058 00:47:37,133 --> 00:47:40,734 one aircraft at a time and testing those planes 1059 00:47:40,734 --> 00:47:44,567 has required heroes like Don Germeraad and his crew. 1060 00:47:44,567 --> 00:47:47,467 The plane they leapt from is still out there 1061 00:47:47,467 --> 00:47:49,667 and with an ever narrowing search zone, 1062 00:47:49,667 --> 00:47:52,233 I have no doubt will soon be found 1063 00:47:52,233 --> 00:47:54,934 to take its place in the great Pantheon 1064 00:47:54,934 --> 00:47:57,066 of extraordinary aircraft.