In this episode a Peruvian Airline Boeing 737 leaves Lima for a small airport in the Amazon basin. In the approach, the pilots run into a heavy thunderstorm. The airplane loses altitude rapidly and leaves a mile-long swath through the jungle.
It's the usual mixture of newsreel, reenactments, computer-generated graphics, and talking experts, and it's all well written and blended together.
In this instance, the cause of the crash lay with the pilot. He was experienced, had many hours in the air, had made the trip many times, and was confident. The problem was that he didn't obey the rules. His most important error was in deciding to fly through the severe storm in the first place. Every other event followed from that.
He had enough fuel to reach the alternate airport but his training and background were in the Peruvian Air Force. He'd been in air battles and was decorate. The experience caused him to be overconfident and determined to complete the mission -- landing at the original destination despite the danger.
Thou shallt not throttle thy fighter jocks.
It's the usual mixture of newsreel, reenactments, computer-generated graphics, and talking experts, and it's all well written and blended together.
In this instance, the cause of the crash lay with the pilot. He was experienced, had many hours in the air, had made the trip many times, and was confident. The problem was that he didn't obey the rules. His most important error was in deciding to fly through the severe storm in the first place. Every other event followed from that.
He had enough fuel to reach the alternate airport but his training and background were in the Peruvian Air Force. He'd been in air battles and was decorate. The experience caused him to be overconfident and determined to complete the mission -- landing at the original destination despite the danger.
Thou shallt not throttle thy fighter jocks.
