Fate Is the Hunter

- Good evening, Mr. McBane. - Good evening.

Hi there, Sam. Going fishing, want to come along?

There's a low-pressure area just off Vancouver here now.

Keep your eye on it and let me know which direction it moves in.

Sam, what happens when you leave here at night?

They got a spot for you in the hangar to give you a regular check?

Oh, they couldn't spare the time any more than I can.

Well, I hear it's gonna pay off for you next week.

If that's your idea of a pay off.

What are you talking about?

Oh, come on, Sam!

Stillman's moving up to top exec and you move into Stillman's spot...

...and you're the last to know, huh?

Try that on Sawyer, not me.

No, I'm afraid he couldn't.

You tell him why, Sam.

Ben Sawyer's up for the same job.

I thought you knew.

My money's on you, Sam.

Let's get together soon, it's been too long.

Alright.

Take it easy.

Here you are, Bob. Thank you.

Why don't you start with the galley, I'll take this.

- Alrighty. Fifty passengers, is that it? - No, no, forty-nine. One cancellation.

I'll be there in a minute.

Uh-oh!

Well, well. Welcome.

- Hi, Webster. - Oh, hi, um...

First Officer Murray, I'd like you to meet Miss D'Arcy,

she's a last-minute replacement for Simpson.

Well, it's a real pleasure.

And I'm Jack Savage.

Yeah, he's the one I warned you about.

Hey, how about that, huh?

- Hello, Captain. - Hello, Art.

I was wondering if, um...

- Oh, hi. - She's busy now.

Well, when she's unbusy, have her bring me a cup of coffee, hm?

- Ready for checklist? - Yeah, sure.

Gear lever and lights.

Down and checked.

- Parking brake. - On.

I think you'll be comfortable here, Mr. Richards.

- May I take your hat and coat? - What?

Your hat and coat, I'll take care of it for you.

Oh, yes... yes.

Oh, if you need anything, you just signal me right there, alright?

My name is Susan and I'm going to Seattle.

My name is Susan and I'm going to Seattle.

Come on, darling.

Here's Dolly.

Now, you be a good girl. Granny's gonna meet you at Seattle.

Kiss Mommy.

- Bye. - Bye.

We'll take good care of her.

Flight instruments?

Uh... checked.

Hey, hey, Mark.

They tell me there's a stream up around Walla Walla that is loaded with trouts.

- Ever hear about that? - I'm ready.

One is clear.

Two is clear.

Consolidated 22 over.

Consolidated 22.

Consolidated 22 clear to runway 25 left.

Wind 280º at 7.

Oximeter 3018.

Time, 0:8 and a half, over.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. On behalf of Captain Savage and the crew,

I'd like to welcome you aboard Consolidated flight 22.

Our flying time to Seattle will be 2:10 at an altitude of 29000 feet.

Climb on a heading of 270º, acknowledge. Over.

270, Roger. Consolidated 22.

- Rudder power. - On and checked.

She's still busy.

Los Angeles Tower, Consolidated 22.

We're ready for takeoff.

Consolidated 22 clear for takeoff, over.

- Consolidated 22, Roger. - Still busy.

Anyway, she only likes young men.

Thanks, pal, for the coffee. Now sit down and fasten your seat belt.

Roger, Pops.

Get that overhead light, Joe.

80 knots.

Put the gear up, Joe.

You are in radar contact, Consolidated 22. Proceed on heading.

Consolidated 22, Roger.

Rudder auxiliary pump.

Off and checked.

Masterful.

I'll go back and tell D'Arcy how great you are, maybe it'll help.

I'll speak for myself if you don't mind.

Right engine's on fire. Cut everything to it.

Pull the fire bottle.

Left engine feels okay so we're in good enough shape.

I'll go back and see to the passengers, Jack, hm?

Good girl.

Los Angeles approach control. This is Consolidated 22.

Consolidated 22, this is Los Angeles approach control. Over.

Our right engine just blew. Fire warning light and bell.

Cut off the damn bell!

Stand by, 22.

- Alright, let's get him back in. - He'll have to wait.

There are planes here, here, here.

Not three at once. Have 22 hold while we get them out of there.

Radar control to Consolidated 22.

22, Roger.

You're cleared for immediate descent to 3000 and maintain heading 350.

Do not assume any easterly heading. Three inbound planes in your area.

22, Roger.

Yeah... alright.

Alright, go take a look from the cabin.

Walk, don't run!

Tell them we're going back, nothing to be worried about.

Ladies and gentlemen, we're sorry to inform you...

...that due to mechanical difficulties,

we'll have to return to the Los Angeles airport.

Please keep your seatbelts fastened, thank you.

That whole right engine's cockeyed on the mounts.

And to about 30º. She really blew.

It really spilled my coffee too.

- Want another cup? - No, I'll wait till we get in.

Consolidated 22, this is Los Angeles approach control. Over.

22, Roger.

We give you approach clearance now, 22.

You're a good boy.

Make right turn to a heading of...

What happened to him?

Radar control to 22, over.

It went dead.

Other engine!

- Radar control! - Chop it, chop it off!

Martha, get them ready for a crash landing.

He's gone. He's dropped too low for the radar.

Oh, you beautiful beach.

We're in.

- Hold it right there! - No, no, no, it's all right.

They're from Consolidated Airlines.

This is Mr. Stillman, vice president in charge of transportation.

Look at that.

Equal pressure on all points when it touched down.

Yeah.

He might have made it if that pier hadn't been there.

We're holding up the passenger list. At least it's got a total.

- Survivors from that? - Yeah, three of them over there.

They were thrown clear. One of those unaccountable things.

One of them was our stewardess, a girl named Martha Webster.

The other two are passengers.

- What are her chances? - Too soon to tell.

She's in pretty heavy shock.

See that she's given everything necessary.

This was Consolidated Airlines flight 22.

There were 54 people aboard, 49 passengers and 5 crew members.

The accident occurred only five minutes after the takeoff.

The plane was airborne but it crashed only ten miles from the airport.

All these people killed.

Why?

Sam! Ben!

This is Mr. Proctor, from the Civil Aeronautics board.

We're taking over the investigation.

What about a place to put this plane back together?

We'll make room for you.

We'll answer all your questions, just take it easy, everybody take it easy.

Excuse me, Mr. McBane, we'd appreciate something from you, sir.

Mr. Wilson here is our public relations man. He can speak for us.

Well, I know, but since you're in charge of...

This is all sort of your bailiwick, isn't it, a thing like this?

Mr. McBane handles flight operations.

Mr. Sawyer here is director of engineering and maintenance.

It's the bailiwick of all of us. Excuse me.

Anythig further to add, Mr. McBane?

All I can say is, uh...

...apparently it was a failure of the right engine soon after takeoff.

- That's all we know. - And you think that...

- I said that's all we know for now! - No, not quite!

We also know that that was not the direct cause of the crash.

And after the apparent failure,

the left engine was known to be functioning perfectly and supporting the plane.

Then how do you explain this?

When not only ten miles from here...

...was the world's biggest airport where everything had been cleared for your pilot.

And he acknowledged approach clearance.

And ceiling and visibility were unlimited.

Wouldn't this indicate some kind of pilot error?

Captain Savage was a veteran pilot and he was a very fine one.

- Yeah, but isn't it possible that he might... - No, it is not possible.

- Mr. McBane, please... - Wait a minute, fellows, wait a minute.

Wait just a minute!

All we can tell you right now is a complete mystery.

We're doing everything we can to solve it.

We have the flight recorder, that's one thing right there.

Would you explain exactly what a flight recorder is?

That's an instrument the plane records while she's flying.

Anything goes wrong mechanically, it'll show up on the graphs.

The FBI they may have something. Deliberate interference from outside.

- Sabotage? - Why not, it's happened before.

Okay, keep us posted.

Seems one of the passengers took out a special three-day flight insurance policy.

As much as he could get.