[man 1] Lebanon Airport information,
Yankee-One-Seven-Zero-Zero-Zulu.
Flight 2866.
[man 2] Jazz. Jazz 124.
[man 3] Jazz 1509.
[man 2] She wanted to sit
in the left side of the bay.
Just a short change.
[man 3] Jazz 124, nobody behind you,
so hold short of runway one to your left.
[man 2 replies, indistinct]
[happy instrumental music playing]
[engine sputtering]
[engine revving]
What's the point of a discovery flight
if you can't even enjoy your
first time flying an airplane?
So they'll know
where to discover our bodies.
You're doing fine, Doug.
Bring her down easy
and nail your first landing.
Or the last.
[man, over radio] Cessna 898,
you are clear to land.
Cessna 898, are you okay?
You're looking a little wonky.
Have the emergency vehicles standing by.
Uh Uh
[engine revving]
- Ooh!
- Ugh! Oh!
- You got it. You got it.
- I got it. I got it.
- Okay.
- We'll try it again.
I am so gonna fight you
if we survive this.
[engine revving]
Jeff, will you just stop yapping
and relax? I'm trying to focus.
How am I supposed to relax?
I'm sitting in my lunch.
- Try it one more time. I got it.
- Okay.
Ninth time's the charm. [Chuckles]
What am I doing wrong?
Flying. That's what you're doing wrong.
Listen, just think of it as
you hit your first home run
or the first time on a bike.
Just... [stammers]
You just gotta believe you can...
[Jeff retching]
Naples Tower, Cessna 898,
we'll try it again.
- [man] Copy, 898.
- I got the airplane?
Keep your eyes down the runway next time.
You've got the airplane.
It's like I'm driving a car.
Flaps, you got that?
- All right. Drop your flaps.
- [Rick] Perfect.
[whirring]
This yoke,
it's really heavy to hold this thing up.
[Rick] Use your trim wheel there.
Give it a few turns down.
[Jeff yells]
- We're stalling!
- Take it. Take it. Take it.
[Rick] Right, okay.
I have the airplane.
Good job. Good job. Way to go.
[Jeff] Mission accomplished.
What do you say, Dougie?
Why don't we just go out
and get you a new hobby, huh?
Get yourself an aviation radio
to listen to the radio traffic
control in your spare time.
Yeah. Or listen to me and go bowling.
Now, I mean this outta love.
[exhales] What's that?
Take up pottery.
Because you really suck at flying.
Well, you really suck at running.
- Oh, yeah? Prove it.
- Yeah.
On your mark, get set
Hey! You always cheat!
- You always lose!
- Wait!
- Come on. You can't
- Loser.
- No, come on. I got you. I'm coming.
- Loser.
["American Me" playing]
Route 66
[man] Yeah, up top.
Highway 41
Like an old friend
Shaking hands
With you as one
I'm a traveling man
An American son
Oh, yeah
I don't have my glasses.
That Fahrenheit or centigrade?
Fahrenheit. You wanna put another log in?
[Doug] Yeah. What'd we use
last time, pecan?
No, we got hickory in there now.
- Yeah. Yeah.
- All right?
I don't know if that brisket's
gonna reach 205
- before we have to take it to the judges.
- Well
It won't matter. Just slather on my sauce.
Sauce?
Hey! Oh, hey, let me have a taste, okay?
I just wanna have a little taste.
Put it in that cup.
Oh, yeah. I'm looking forward to this.
Oh, yeah. We are gonna be just fine.
Let me have a taste.
I'll save you some for later tonight.
Hey, hey, hey.
We got children around here.
- How you think they get here?
- You're bad.
- I know. I'm so bad, I'm good.
- Okay. [Chuckles]
I'm so stupid.
I can't believe that I choked
that fire off for that long.
Hey, it's all right.
We gonna crutch it.
What, with aluminum foil?
It's a competition.
We'll get laughed outta here.
Hey, it's gonna be fine.
We'll be walking to the bank
with the prize money.
'Cause, guess what, I got butcher paper.
- Ooh!
- All right.
Genius.
Y'all can all go home now
'cause my uncle and daddy don't lose.
Bailey White, be humble and respectful.
Respectfully, please go home now
because my uncle and daddy don't lose.
[Jeff] Yep. She's your kin, all right.
The ribs almost ready, Daddy?
Well, uh, ribs are done.
Briskets take a little longer.
- Yeah, but we gonna crutch it.
- Crutches?
That cow was dead a long time ago.
It don't need to walk.
[all laughing]
- "Crutch it" means it cooks faster, right?
- Yeah, I know. [Giggles]
Okay. All right. Okay. Just checking.
Okay. How much longer?
Ribs are done. Brisket's gonna take...
No. How much longer do we have to be here?
'Cause I need to go do my nails.
Hey, Maggie. I got to know
this place just down the street.
It's got way better reception
for these little phones.
Why don't you and I, Bailey,
we all go there?
I'll buy you some candy
like when you were kids.
- Yeah. Like back when you had respect.
- Yeah.
- Nice save.
- Thank you very much.
Come on. Let's go. It'll be fun.
Just will be the three of us.
She's gonna do something
about her attitude.
- She's 18. She's trying to figure it out.
- I don't care how old she is.
- I won't tolerate it.
- Maggie's just different than Bailey.
My house, my rules.
But then there's the golden rule.
What's that? "Do as I say, not as I do"?
No. Girls melt
their daddies' hearts forever.
[chuckles]
Here, let's try this.
Mmm, look. Mmm!
Mmm!
- Mmm-mmm-mmm!
- Mm-hmm.
- It's really good.
- Mm-hmm.
Your grill temperature's
getting a little high.
Oh, sh**t.
- You go get 'em, 'cause we don't lose.
- All right. I will.
You crutch this brisket?
Yes, sir. We did.
And whose idea was that?
Well, it's not really an idea.
It's more of a philosophy.
[Jeff] Yeah.
You do this for a living?
- [both chuckle]
- No. I am your local pharmacist.
And love barbecuing.
It's one of my many hobbies.
I tell you what. This hobby has just
won you a barbecue contest.
[all cheering and applauding]
[Terri] We did it!
Oh!
[Jeff exclaiming excitedly]
- Oh, hey. Thank you.
- Thank you very much.
Thanks.
[both whooping]
That brisket was perfect.
This rib sauce is the best I ever had.
I told y'all, we don't lose!
Get off the stage.
- Get down.
- That's rude.
Excuse my daughter.
Rumor has it that you boys
barbecued a whole lotta ribs
and it wasn't part of the competition.
Well, uh, like our daddy always said,
"When the fire's hot,
don't waste the log."
"And when you cooking ribs,
might as well feed 'em all."
So, we now gonna be feeding the masses.
[Doug] Big Moe, thank you. Thank you.
[Jeff] Isn't that something?
- Congratulations, guys.
- Thank you.
[crowd applauding]
Yeah, baby! Yeah, baby! Come on!
- You bet. See?
- Right there.
Come on. Smile.
Excuse me. Here you go.
- You gonna pray?
- [Jeff] God bless you.
Yeah.
Yeah, hold up. We'll do it right here.
- All right.
- Dear Lord, uh
Bless this food
and those it's about to nourish.
May we be a blessing to more.
In your name, amen.
[all] Amen.
All right, spread out,
everybody. Go ahead.
[Bailey] God bless you.
[man] Appreciate you. Thank you.
Hey, how you doing? Good to see ya again.
[Maggie] You okay?
- Thank you.
- Here you go.
- [woman] Thank you.
- You're welcome.
If y'all need anything, just let us know.
- And have a blessed Easter.
- Thank you, man.
Dad would be proud of you.
I didn't think you'd make it this far.
Oh, really? What makes you think that?
- [chuckles]
- The time I drove the truck into the lake,
or was it me drinking a beer
while the truck was in the lake?
No. It was that nine-pound bass
you pulled from the lake
when the tow truck
yanked you out. [Chuckles]
That was a good fish.
Remember what Dad said?
Oh, yeah. "Dougie,
you want the strap or the switch?"
"It's gonna hurt me a lot more
than it's gonna hurt you."
[both, chuckling] That was a lie.
[vehicle approaching]
[Jeff laughing]
"ever had."
Let's just say that a few times.
Come on. Let's go.
- [Jeff] Winner, winner, chicken dinner.
- Maggie.
[Terri] We're great.
Good to be acknowledged.
- Keep going. You deserve it.
- Thank you.
Go on. Go for it.
- Two points for Terri.
- [Terri squeals]
- A 3-pointer.
- [Jeff] From half court!
- 3-pointer.
- Half court.
No. Get that trash out of here.
- Really? Come on.
- [Jeff laughing]
[Bailey] And how many points for a dunk?
At the buzzer? You win, honey.
[Terri] Wait. Unless Maggie can top that.
Come on, Maggie. I got your alley-oop.
- Hey, girl.
- She must play for the other team.
- Thanks for helping out.
- There you go.
[Terri] Maggie.
Are you all right?
Great, Mom. I love feeding
homeless people, cleaning up their mess
when I could be home
doing what I wanna do.
- Which is what?
- Anything but that.
All right, young lady.
We are spending
quality family time together
helping people who don't have what we got.
You need a better perspective.
Spend the night out there.
[scoffs]
What, outside in the park?
Mom.
Be grateful for what you got
before it's gone.
And the next time I throw you an alley-oop
you better toss it on home. You hear me?
I don't even know what that is.
The answer is, "Yes, ma'am."
Say it.
[sarcastically] Yes, ma'am.
9-6-Bravo-Bravo,
enter pattern on left downwind.
Follow Cessna. Mooney's waiting to taxi.
Make sure he gives way to the Cirrus.
5-Z-Z, you're number two to land.
Caution wake turbulence.
[pilot] Two-Six-Delta-Bravo,
I have 3 jet aircraft by runway 30.
9-6-Bravo-Bravo, enter the pattern
on left downwind. Follow Cessna.
Confirm traffic in sight.
Cessna 4-H-L, extend downwind.
I'll call your base.
["Rock n' Roll Shoes" playing]
Me and Mama were
Down at the mall
Looking for a dress
Tried 'em all
She's saying
"That's too short and that's too tight"
"No way, not on your life"
We finally came up with one
That we both agreed upon
When I got home
I found Mama's
Rock and roll shoes
She's pretty good.
Let's do this.
The pictures in the box
Were living proof
Yes! That's how it's done.
All right. Let's hear
it for Fort Myers's own.
[country music playing]
One more time.
You gonna save some for the rest of us?
What is the rest of us drinking?
Bourbon.
- Big drink for a little girl.
- What are you drinking?
Uh
Tequila.
Vodka.
Gin.
Why all the clear liquor?
Closest thing I'll get to drinking water.
What are you trying to forget?
Heavy question for a bar, ain't it?
Well, I like to get inside of a man's head
before he tries to get me into his bed.
Is that what I'm doing?
Probably.
Is it working?
Probably not.
[bartender] There you go.
[thunder rumbling]
[Doug] I was just fluffing your pillow.
- Oh, honey bear, you're such a sweetheart.
- [chuckles]
- You forgot something.
- What?
You left your prize in the truck.
[Terri giggles]
No, I didn't.
- You know why?
- [Terri] Why?
Because I get to hold
my prize every night.
Aw. What did the judge say
about my special sauce?
- That it was the best he ever had.
- I told you.
[chuckles] They were some lucky ribs.
I'm lucky I get to sleep with
the barbecue champion.
Yes, you do.
- Yes, you do!
- [Terri squeals]
- Ah!
- Oh!
[laughing] Ow.
- Love hurts.
- [Jeff laughs]
Ouch.
Aw, poor you.
Mmm.
[phone ringing and vibrating]
[Terri, whispering] Don't answer.
Just one second.
[grunts]
[sighs] Hello?
[thunder rumbles]
Yeah, this is he.
Yeah, that's my brother.
[scoffs]
Well, that ain't right. Who is this?
I was just with him yesterday.
[Terri] What is it?
I just saw him.
What's wrong?
Hold on. Hold on. Hold on.
We gotta go back to Naples.
[choir singing] Amazing Grace
How sweet the sound
That saved
A wretch
Like me
I once was lost
But now am found
Was blind
But now I see
This never gets easy.
Never gets old.
We never know why,
yet we always know the answer.
God is here for us in these moments.
He will comfort us in the night
as we weep and moan.
And in the morning, when joy returns,
he will give us the strength
to keep going.
Life and loss are intertwined,
as are hurt and healing.
One cannot exist without the other,
and one makes the other stronger. Amen.
[all] Amen.
At this time, we will hear words
of reflection from the family,
offered by Jeff's brother, Doug White.
[thunder rumbles]
You can do it, honey.
You can do it.
Uh.
I'm.
I'm sorry.
[soft piano music playing]
Honey, I know. But he's gonna be okay.
- I'm gonna take a walk.
- You haven't eaten in two days.
- You don't wanna get hangry.
- I don't wanna eat.
And I don't want anybody saying
"my condolences" either. I'm tired of it.
Is there something I can do?
Something to help?
I'm just tired of losing people, Terri.
My brother's gone.
Before that, my dad, my uncle.
Those guys were my heroes.
Three heart att*cks.
I mean, they didn't deserve that.
Good people trying to live their life
the right way, do the right thing.
They didn't deserve that.
I'm so sorry you're hurting.
God's gonna get us through.
What, is that the same God
that let this happen?
- You need to know...
- It's not gonna bring him back.
God is there for you.
Why would he let this happen?
I've always been a believer, but I just
This is either some kinda test,
or maybe all that stuff
they told me in church,
it just doesn't mean
what I thought it did.
- God won't ever leave you.
- Just stop for the scriptures, okay?
- Just some pretty saying
- Doug!
- you hang on your kitchen wall.
- What?
- It's not gonna bring my brother back.
- God is always there for you.
[scoffs] I'm gonna go for a walk,
if I don't have a heart attack myself.
Don't say that.
[door closes]
[sighs]
like it's been forever
Sitting here like this
Sometimes I miss the band
Burning the midnight oil again
I just thought you'd want to protect them
instead of thumbtacking them.
Well, if I wanted them protected,
I would've done it a long time ago.
Was just trying to help.
Yeah. Well, next time, don't.
Is this about something else?
Like what?
Like, I don't know...
Like maybe you need closure
- about your dad, or...
- Hey.
Here's what I don't need.
Some psychobabble nonsense.
You have no idea what you're saying.
Okay.
I see what's happening.
You're never gonna let me in, are you?
You're standing here in my garage.
Emotionally, Kari.
You're never gonna let me in emotionally.
I don't know what that means.
It means there's no reason
for me to be here anymore.
Burning the
Midnight oil again
Sitting out here
Listening to the wind
[plane engine whirring]
Make my heading 160 north.
You'll call my base.
I have the traffic in sight.
Lima-Hotel-three-four.
Donna, honey, get dressed.
Your dad will be here in less than an hour
to take you to the Easter egg hunt.
Mom, here's the thing.
Since I turned 13, things that
I don't see, I don't believe in.
That includes the Easter Bunny,
the boogeyman, and Dad.
Well, he said he would be here,
so I would be prepared if I were you.
Again, make my heading 160 north.
You'll call my base.
I have the traffic in sight.
Lima-Hotel-three-four.
[device beeping]
[keyboard clacking]
- Maggie, do you want this Tootsie Roll?
- Mm-mmm.
- [Bailey] Why not?
- [Maggie] It's the grossest thing.
[Doug] Hey, Joe.
- Hi, Doug.
- [Doug] Hey.
Appreciate you sacrificing
your Easter Sunday just to fly us home.
- Glad I could help.
- [Bailey] Maggie, you're rude.
- And my condolences.
- Yeah, well, thank you.
Let's go.
- How long's the flight, Daddy?
- Well, I'll tell ya.
If you start taking a nap on the runway,
when you wake up,
we'll be back home in Louisiana.
I'm glad I don't have to fight
for the window.
You girls are lucky to be able to do this.
A "thank you" would be nice.
On behalf of me and my older sister,
the family zombie, thank you.
I'm standing right here.
I could hear that.
How's it going, Mr. Joe?
[chuckles] Well, I get to fly
with a wonderful family today.
- Don't get much better than this.
- [Terri] Bailey, come here.
- How are the skies?
- [Bailey] What's up?
Like flying out of a blender,
but it'll smooth out quickly.
He's having a tough time.
I'm trying to lift his spirits,
but anything you could do,
I'd really appreciate it.
- Not a problem.
- Thank you.
Come on, girls.
Oh, my God. Maggie, you took everything.
- Seniority rules.
- Maggie, give that back.
That is not fair.
Small, huh?
First time on a private plane.
Fancy.
Thank you.
All set.
You can ride up front, Doug.
Oh. No, I don't wanna get in the way.
You're not in the way.
Besides, I could use the company.
[whispers] Thank you.
[Terri] It sounds fun.
- Well, maybe I will.
- [Bailey] You are being so rude. Stop.
[Maggie] Just give me the seat.
- You gotta have girl talk.
- [Bailey] Stop being so rude.
Girl talk. Sounds good.
- This thing looks like a space shuttle.
- Yeah. Welcome up.
[exhales]
Hey.
[Ralph] Hey, man!
Hey, your training's going great.
Chances are looking good
for that control center job.
[Dan] Appreciate that.
Any aspirin over there?
My head is k*lling me.
Hup!
Must've been a good night.
What was her name?
All I know is that she loved bourbon.
Lots of it.
Dang it. This stupid phone.
You ready to head back up to the tower?
Still on my break.
Yeah, it should be about over.
Ten more minutes.
I don't know if you remember,
but the planes don't wait for us.
Ralph, I've got a headache.
Be back on in a minute.
Hey. Hey. How long's it been
since your last drink?
Why does that matter?
If you have alcohol in your system,
they can fire you on the spot.
Don't forget that.
Is there a problem?
Hey.
I vouched for you. Okay?
Your screw ups are now on me.
So, look, hey, I'm rooting for you
to get this permanent position. I am.
But, Dan, I won't lose my job over it.
Now, come on. Let's get back to work.
[pop song playing over MP3 player]
Talk to your sister.
Good to be sociable.
You're gonna go to LSU soon,
and you're gonna miss her.
Oh, my God. Give me your hand.
Your nails look disgusting.
Free manicure in the skies. I'll take it.
You got any more of that purple candy?
No, I just have two of
whatever these weird bars are.
I'll give you two sour apples
for that one.
Three sour apples, and a bag
of your chocolate-covered raisins.
Deal.
Jeez.
Do you remember when y'all were little
and you entered your cloud projects
in the county science fair?
Ah.
This is a good time to see what clouds
we're gonna see up there.
Ooh, I already see a cumulus.
No. That's a cirrus cloud.
Uh, no. It's a cumulus.
I got a blue ribbon for my entry,
so I'm pretty sure I should know.
Mmm, okay, I actually did all my own work,
so I think I should know better than you.
[Terri chuckles] sh*ts fired.
How do you talk on that radio?
Put on your headset.
You can listen to me talk
to Air Traffic Control.
Oh, okay.
Take off my hat.
You just tap this little button
on the yoke. See that?
- That's
- Right there.
Right there.
That's just like that little
plane that I almost crashed. [Chuckles]
[engine whirring]
Except, uh, I was sitting over there.
It feels weird over here
on the right side.
Takes a little getting used to.
- Yeah. Like flying in England.
- Yeah.
- Right.
- I guess.
Marco Traffic. King Air
November-Five-Five-Niner-Delta-Whiskey.
Runway 1-7 for a southwest departure.
Marco Traffic.
I, uh.
I usually say a little prayer
before takeoff.
Knock yourself out.
["Spirit in the Sky" playing]
Marco Traffic. King Air
November-Five-Five-Niner-Delta-Whiskey.
Runway 1-7 for a southwest departure.
- Are you steering with your feet?
- Yep.
All right.
[Joe] Marco Traffic. King Air.
Five-Five-Niner-Delta-Whiskey.
Runway 1-7 for a southwest departure.
Marco Traffic.
Here we go.
When I die
And they lay me to rest
Gonna go to the place
That's the best
When I lay me down to die
Going up to the spirit
In the sky
Going up to the spirit
In the sky
That's where I'm gonna go
When I die
When I die
And they lay me to rest
I'm gonna go to the place
That's the best
Airspeed's alive.
V1, rotate.
Prepare yourself
You know it's a must
Gotta have a friend In Jesus
So you know
That when you die
He's gonna recommend you
To the spirit in the sky
It's gonna get bumpy,
but it'll smooth out fast.
It'll smooth out quickly
once we get above the clouds.
Yeah. Uh
Are you on autopilot
or you flying the airplane?
- Autopilot.
- Right.
Yeah. Don't worry.
Relax, I got this.
Miami Center, King Air Five-Five-Niner-
Delta-Whiskey through 8,000,
climbing to 10,000.
[groans]
United 25, contact Miami Center.
Please maintain 12,000.
That's 12,000.
King Air Niner-Delta-Whiskey,
Miami Center, roger.
Climb and maintain 14,000.
Hey, aren't you supposed to
repeat back what he just
Joe?
Joe, I just buried my brother.
That's not very funny.
Joe. Hey, Joe!
Joe!
Joe. Joe.
Joe!
Joe!
Joe!
Joe! Joe!
Joe, wake up!
Joe! Joe!
Joe.
[breathing heavily]
Uh, hello?
I, uh Miami Center. Is anyone there?
Tail number and intention?
Uh [mutters]
Uh, what's my tail number?
Where is it? Where's my tail number?
Should be on the cockpit, starts with "N."
Uh, N Uh, N-5-5-9
D-W.
[Bill] Five-Five-Niner-Delta-Whiskey,
Miami Center hears you loud and clear.
Uh
[Bill] Are you the pilot?
Uh, Mayday, Mayday, Mayday, Mayday.
I've got an emergency up here.
I've, uh [stammers]
I've got a, uh, unconscious pilot.
Did you say "unconscious"?
Not today, Buggy.
I'm just gonna fly my simulator.
[Doug, over radio]
I need some help up here.
I've got an emergency situation.
I've got an unconscious pilot.
I've got to get this thing on the ground,
and I mean now.
Hey, Buggy.
Get over to my house right now.
- I have a real emergency.
- [Doug] Miami?
No! Like, a real emergency.
Doug, what's going on?
Just stay back there
with the kids. All right?
What... What's going on?
Terri, just stay back there!
Joe!
Joe!
- Joe!
- He got no pulse.
Oh, my God. Oh, my God.
- Gotta get him out.
- Okay.
I need a King Air pilot to talk to.
[Terri grunts]
- Joe!
- I need a King Air pilot to talk to.
- We're in trouble.
- [Terri] Oh, my God.
- Oh, my God.
- He's dead.
Should we move him?
We gotta get him out.
- I'm gonna take off his seat belt.
- He's too heavy.
We could try. Let's try.
- [Terri yells]
- [both yelling]
Don't touch anything.
[Doug grunting]
Maggie! Maggie!
[Terri yelling]
Maggie! Oh, my God!
Oh, my God! Oh, my God!
Maggie, Maggie! Can you help?
Maggie!
Help me get him out!
- Pull.
- Okay.
Oh, my God! Mom, what happened?
- [Terri] Pull!
- Look at me!
- Be careful!
- [Maggie] Mom, what happened to him?
[Doug] Pull this back!
- There are switches!
- I can help.
Okay, wait, let's take this thing off.
Okay, Maggie. Just pull, baby, pull!
Okay. [Yells]
Oh, my God. [Whimpers]
- [yells]
- [Bailey] Maggie!
You're doing good, baby. Baby, just pull.
Bailey, we'll be okay.
Everything's gonna be okay.
You're doing good, babe.
I'm gonna get a blanket. Cover him.
- [Bailey] Mom
- We're gonna cover him. Here, baby.
- [Bailey] Daddy?
- [Terri] Sorry, Joe.
[Bailey] What's going on? What's going on?
[Terri] Everything'll be okay.
Daddy's on it.
We're gonna be all right.
We're gonna be fine.
We're gonna be fine.
Keep your seat belt on.
Careful. Careful. Careful.
I'm trying. Okay?
- What are they doing?
- I don't know.
- Right.
- Can you hear me?
- Yeah.
- Push this up here like that.
We're gonna be fine.
And if not, everything's
gonna be all right.
Do you believe me?
I don't know what to believe, Terri.
Listen, you be in charge of praying.
All right?
I'm gonna try to figure out
how to fly this airplane.
And I don't know what anything is.
Might as well be a space shuttle to me,
as far as I'm concerned.
- You can do it.
- [Bill] All right. All aircraft, stand by.
Five-Five-Niner-Delta-Whiskey.
Are you in the cockpit right now?
I'm in the copilot seat.
Five-Niner-Whiskey.
Niner-Delta-Whiskey, I understand.
You rated to fly that aircraft?
I am not.
I need help.
Lisa, I need you to come with me.
Unconscious pilot.
Passenger's flying the plane.
- What? Where's the first officer?
- There isn't one.
Is there another pilot on the manifest?
What should I do?
I need you to talk him down.
What? I don't understand.
Uh, why me?
Move these aircraft
away from the King Air.
Get Fort Myers on the phone.
Let's try and divert him there.
0-6-1, contact Miami Approach, 133.77.
American Nine-Lima-Lima,
contact Miami Approach, 120.5.
American Nine-Lima-Lima,
contact Miami Approach, 120.5.
How far is that from us?
Can't be more than 50 miles.
They lost the pilot?
Who's flying the plane?
I don't know. If he tries to land here,
I don't wanna see the results.
[Maggie] Mom, what's happening?
Yeah. Yeah. I found the manual.
- Good. See if you can find a picture.
- Right. I'll try.
- Of the instruments.
- Yeah.
- Tell what everything is.
- Confused.
Five-Five-Niner-Delta-Whiskey,
are you able to maintain 12,000?
That's 12,000 feet.
Five-Niner-Delta-Whiskey.
I don't know if my autopilot is on or not.
I am in a steady climb, but my altimeter
My altitude just keeps going up.
I don't know, but, uh
Should I try to level off?
You think autopilot is on?
- There's a button there. It says "A-P."
- My wife found a switch.
Uh, I believe it's the autopilot.
[stammering]
- I believe it's on.
- Fort Myers Approach. Fort Myers Low.
[man] Fort Myers Approach. Fort Myers Low.
Fort Myers Approach,
I have full-on emergency.
State your emergency.
King Air Niner-Delta-Whiskey
has an unconscious pilot.
He needs help. Can you assist?
Ralph, I need your assist on this one.
We got an emergency.
Tower supervisor. What's your emergency?
What's wrong? What's the emergency?
Don't have an emergency.
I'm listening to one.
- [Ralph] Delta-Whiskey, I got it.
- Who's that?
Air traffic chatter. Dead pilot on board.
No way. How do you know?
[Donna] These are all the planes,
we're following this one.
Dad showed me how to use it.
I track him when he's flying.
- This is happening right now?
- Yeah, with a slight delay.
- And somebody's about to crash?
- It's possible.
And we're gonna hear everything?
That's, like, messed up.
[Doug] It's all I can do
to push this thing.
It's heavy. What do I do?
[Bill] King Air Niner-Delta-Whiskey,
I'm here. Don't worry.
You hear that? He's gonna keep climbing,
might get too high, run out of oxygen.
They gotta level him out.
Here.
You can use this laptop
to track the plane.
The tail number is N-5-5-9-D-W,
but they'll say Niner-Delta-Whiskey.
That's how you know it's this plane.
What? Why?
They talk fast. Use less words.
They're talking to thousands of planes.
Okay, this is...
This is crazy. How do you know this?
I'm gonna be a pilot one day.
Okay, why?
Because one time after science class,
Mr. Jones told me I couldn't.
Listen, I already busted 10,000.
I am steady climbing.
I need to stop this climb.
I need help.
If we turn the autopilot off,
that might stop the climb?
Miami, are you with me?
Miami, are you still with me?
Okay. November-Five-Five-
Niner-Delta-Whiskey,
when you look at the center console there,
you don't see "autopilot"?
[Doug] The switch in the middle
of the panel is on.
Do you want me to turn it off?
November-Five-Delta-Whiskey, that's fine.
Disengage the autopilot.
We're gonna have you hand-fly the plane.
Okay.
Hold the yoke level,
and disengage the autopilot.
[automated voice] Caution.
- Mom, what is that? What's going on?
- Manual. Caution.
All right.
I turned it off.
Just me and the Good Lord
flying the airplane.
Have you ever piloted a plane before, sir?
One discovery flight.
Ma'am, you find me the longest
and the widest runway you can.
He won't make it. The difference in
this plane and a Cessna is night and day.
- Lisa, we have to...
- It's a su1c1de mission.
That may be the case, but we gotta try.
Is there anything I can do to help?
Bow your head.
Put your hands on the instrument panel.
- Dear Lord, please send us some angels.
- No. That's not for praying.
Terri, that's the impact position.
- It'll come to that?
- Be ready.
- Stay positive!
- Miami, you gotta stay with me.
My wife and daughters are on this plane.
We need help.
Hold the plane level.
You are doing pretty good.
17,000. Just try to keep
the plane level at 17,000.
I just started speaking
Air Traffic Control just a few days ago
so if you could just speak
a little slower,
and in English
Roger that.
I mean, sure thing.
Fly the plane straight at 17,000 feet.
Now, that I can do.
Move these planes out of his way.
I need it clear.
Circus 86, contact Miami Approach, 133.17.
[pilot] Circus 86, copy.
[Lisa] Okay, November-Five-Delta-Whiskey,
just start a slow, shallow descent.
Just ease down on the yoke.
Slight descent.
We're gonna go to 11,000.
Pull back on the throttle slightly,
and just ease over the yoke.
Gently.
We're gonna try a nice, shallow,
500-feet-per-minute descent.
One moment.
Those are the same two levers to the left?
- [Lisa] Yes.
- All right.
All right.
Pull it back.
Okay, there. It's going down.
[keyboard clacking]
He's supposed to be flying
a straight line.
He's going up and down, left and right.
So, is he going down?
Look at all the planes
moving out of his way.
He might actually die.
This is, like, so bad.
[Lisa] November-Niner-Delta-Whiskey,
so you know what we're doing,
we're gonna get you down to 11,000,
give you a turn to the west.
That's 11,000 feet,
I reckon, ma'am. Right?
Yes, sir. That's correct.
Sorry about the jargon.
Second nature for me.
This is my first rodeo, ma'am,
so if you're losing me,
I'm gonna let you know.
Roger that.
[Ellis] Lisa.
All right. Bring her to 132.07
We're gonna hand you off
to Fort Myers Approach.
They got controllers with pilot experience
and they're gonna take their time
and talk you all the way
into the landing there.
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Wait a minute.
You're gonna hand me off to someone else?
[Lisa] That's affirmative.
You'll be crossing into their airspace.
These are good people.
We've got you, okay?
I understand this can be stressful,
but we're here for you.
We see everything in your path
much further than you can imagine.
All you gotta do is just keep on
flying the plane
perfectly like you're doing right now.
- We'll get you through this.
- [Bailey] What are they saying?
- Can you hear them?
- Well
You're all we've got.
So, roger. Niner-Delta-Whiskey.
Doug,
I'm looking for the emergency procedures.
No doubt we're gonna need them.
Has anyone seen Brian?
A plane took off from Marco Island.
Dead pilot on board.
- You're kidding.
- They're sending him here.
Have you ever flown a King Air?
Anyone have hours in a King Air?
Brian's shift just got over.
You might catch him in the parking lot.
- I... I might be able to make a phone call.
- I've got it.
Uh, no, I've never had
a Spam and broccoli casserole. [Chuckling]
But, well, I'm sure it's gonna be fine.
I'll be happy to make
my special corn bread.
Hey! Brian!
Wait! Brian!
- [brakes screech]
- [Ralph grunts]
What?
[Ralph groans]
Ralph. What are you doing?
We got
We got an emergency inside.
We need you. Come on.
- Let me move my truck.
- Go.
They're bringing him here to Fort Myers.
They're bringing him here!
Oh, whoa. Aren't we, like,
pretty close to the airport?
[airplane passing overhead]
Too close.
They'll probably turn him out west.
Over the ocean.
[Buggy] Why?
I saw this in an airplane documentary.
If he drops, he won't k*ll anybody.
Except the people on the plane.
[engine sputtering]
Come on.
[Brian] All right, what do we got?
Do you need me to redirect or anything?
[cell phone vibrating]
Well, well, my man, Dan.
What's going on, brother?
Kari, listen.
I need your help. I'm at work.
I'm in the control room at Fort Myers.
There's a guy flying a plane.
You're calling me from the
control room on a cell phone?
Yeah.
[sighs] Okay.
Kari?
[cell phone vibrating]
Hello. Hey, Dan. Yeah, he's right here.
He's all yours.
- I forgot my keys.
- Can't talk to him right now.
Seems he doesn't wanna
communicate with you either.
Take it.
Have you lost your mind,
or trying to get me arrested?
Kari, listen. I'm at work.
I need your help.
I'm in the control room,
and there's a guy...
It's illegal to use a cell phone in there.
- Listen!
- If I'm on that call
I need you to stop a plane crash.
- What?
- There's a plane to Fort Myers.
Pilot's dead,
passenger's flying but no one here
has hours in that type of aircraft.
What's going on?
[Dan] Kari, we need your help.
There's a family on board.
I'm sure right about now
they're scared senseless.
Kari,
we need you, buddy.
Look [stammers]
I don't know if I can do this.
You hear me?
You're the only one who can save them.
I need the tail number.
Get me next to the controller talking
to the guy flying the plane.
- Does he have flight experience?
- A couple hours in a Cessna.
[keyboard clacking]
[Ashley] Kari, what's going on?
[laptop beeps]
It's November-Five-Five-
Niner-Delta-Whiskey.
- Are the girls okay?
- The girls are fine.
I don't want them to see me panic.
You're not gonna panic.
The girls are fine.
You can do this, Doug,
you sorta have to if you ever wanna eat
my barbecue sauce again.
Honey bear.
[laughs]
That's almost funny.
November-Niner-Delta-Whiskey,
we're ready to hand you off to Fort Myers.
Do everything the way you are.
You're keeping your heading.
You're doing a real nice descent.
You've got me headed
almost due north here.
Number Niner-Delta-Whiskey,
that's affirmative.
I just didn't wanna turn you
while you were descending,
but if you feel ready to give it a try
Okay, let's do it.
I can try to make a turn.
I don't need any weather up here now,
ma'am.
[Terri] The weather's good here,
but if we fly back to Naples,
it could get bad.
Need reports from the last hour.
Give me new ones as you get them.
All right. Got it.
I wanna know what weather
pilots are running into
- where he's flying.
- Right.
- Get me someone from the NOAA.
- Copy.
- Check weather systems in Fort Myers area.
- Already on it.
I've got a tropical depression in
the Gulf moving inland towards the coast.
- How long before it hits their heading?
- Not long enough.
If he's not wheels down in 45 minutes,
this turns into an FAA emergency to
a Coast Guard recovery mission.
[Lisa] Niner-Delta-Whiskey,
just to confirm,
you sure you wanna turn left
while descending?
I could try.
Bailey? Bailey, what's wrong?
What's wrong? Is everything okay?
"This product has been processed in
a facility that processes peanuts."
[breathing heavily]
Mom!
Everything's gonna be okay, baby.
No, Mom. Bailey's sick! Bailey's sick!
She needs her shot!
Is she swelling up? Does she have a rash?
Mom, she had candy that might've had nuts.
I need her EpiPen. Where is it?
It's in the luggage compartment,
pink backpack. I'm coming.
No, you stay up there,
and you help Daddy, okay?
I can, uh
I can do this.
You can do it, baby.
I can do this. I can
I can I can do this.
[grunting]
Niner-Delta-Whiskey,
you're gonna turn to the left
and fly a heading of about 2-7-0.
Then continue that descent
down to 11,000 feet.
All right. Niner-Delta-Whiskey,
turn left to 2-7-0 down to 11,000 feet.
I can't see the land. Just water.
You'll be on ground
before weather's a problem.
You said there's no weather.
How far away is the system?
A storm, or showers?
- Should we climb?
- [Doug] How far away is it?
[Terri] To get above the weather?
Don't worry. You're gonna be fine.
[keyboard clacking]
[laptop beeping]
- They lied to him.
- What?
If he's here, and this
weather system is here,
he's moving south
in a south-by-southeast heading.
It's going right for him.
You're like a baby Al Roker.
How do you know all this?
Planes have been my thing
since I could walk.
I'm gonna finish
Amelia Earhart's flight one day.
You wanna come?
Are you crazy?
I'm about to hear some random
dude die on a plane crash.
Kari, what's going on?
[Kari] Pilot's dead.
Passenger's flying the airplane.
- What can I do to help?
- I don't know.
You can fly anything with wings.
We'll follow your lead.
November-Five-Five-
Niner-Delta-Whiskey, right?
Holy hell.
- Has he flown a King Air?
- Never.
Dan, this guy's got no chance.
He'll be dead long before
he gets to Fort Myers.
Lucky if he can slow the
airplane enough to approach.
Best case, he doesn't k*ll anyone within
a five-mile radius of the airport.
Be his simulator.
Hang on, Dan. What?
When you were teaching me how
to fly blind in the simulator,
you stood behind me and you talked me
through the instructions.
This is real-world flying.
We can't hit reset if the plane skids off
the runway and into a building.
It's all the more reason.
How far out is he,
and what's his altitude?
I don't know.
He's not on our radar yet.
- He can't configure the plane to land.
- What you wanna do?
When he's in your airspace, tell me how
high he is and how fast he's going.
- Got it.
- How long's he been in the air?
Uh
Less than an hour.
Damn it.
It's full of fuel.
Probably.
Get the fire and rescue trucks ready,
get the first responders ready
near businesses and neighborhoods
around the airport.
[thunder rumbling]
King Air.
[Ashley] Uh
- You find it?
- Kari, it's on the other shelf.
[Kari] Got it.
[grunts]
[grunts] Aw, dang it!
Number Five-Delta-Whiskey,
you're approaching a lower altitude.
Start easing off of those controls
so the plane can fly level.
What happens if I turn
the autopilot back on?
I can do it. I'm ready.
November-Five-Delta-Whiskey,
if that makes you comfortable, you can.
[grunts]
Yeah, go ahead.
- Yes?
- [Doug] Yeah, do it.
[grunting]
All right.
Bad idea! Bad idea!
Five-Delta-Whiskey, roger.
There's a button to help with autopilot,
called slewing the heading bug.
I saw it in the manual.
[man] Niner-Delta-Whiskey,
turn the knob to 270 degrees.
- 270 degrees.
- Okay. I could do that.
[grunts in frustration]
God, help!
[Terri] I got it. It's the same.
- [Doug] Good. All right.
- [Terri] There! All right.
[Lisa] Roger that. Five-Delta-Whiskey,
you'll be talking to Fort Myers Airport
in a minute.
All right.
[Lisa] They'll take their time
and talk to you to get you down safe.
Tune your radio
to the Fort Myers Airport frequency.
Can you do that?
Well, we got a real good copilot up here,
so I think we can do just about anything.
I think she can. Yeah.
[Lisa] Roger that.
The frequency is 132.07.
[Terri] Got it.
Fort Myers... Fort Myers Airport. Got it.
[static hissing]
[Brian] Niner-Delta-Whiskey,
Fort Myers Tower. How do you read?
Holy crap. Holy crap.
He's gone. Is he gone? Did that dude die?
[Brian] Fort Myers Tower. How do you read?
I've never heard anybody die before
Okay. This is freaking me out.
I'm going home.
He's not talking.
That means they lost him.
[Dan] All right. Here we go.
I got some help.
- What are you doing?
- My friend...
Don't do that. That's a federal violation.
- He can help.
- He can't. Nor can you.
I'm still in charge
of this whole control center.
- Listen to what he says.
- Get the cell phone out of here.
He can save his life!
- Get that phone...
- [Kari] Tell the pilot
he needs to slow down
before he gets close to the airport,
or he won't make it.
The plane will drop if he's too slow.
Has your friend ever flown a King Air?
[Kari] Upside down.
Take a seat.
Relax.
Brian, this goes bad, it's not on you.
Relax? We need all the help we can get
if we want these people to survive.
Dan, take me off speaker.
Everybody doesn't need
to hear what I tell you.
He's got to do about five things right
to land that plane.
That's good to know.
But if he misses one of them,
he won't make it to see the other four.
[Brian] King Air Five-Five-
Niner-Delta-Whiskey, you on?
King Air Five-Five-Niner-Delta-Whiskey,
are you with us?
King Air Five-Five-Niner-Delta-Whiskey,
you on? Fort Myers Airport.
[Terri sighs]
I am.
What do you want me to do?
Lisa.
They've got him.
- They got him!
- What? He's alive?
No way!
- [Doug] Turn it to 2-7-0? Niner-Delta
- [grunting]
- Maggie, you all right? You find the pen?
- Working on it!
Where is it?
[grunts]
There it is.
Okay. I got it, Mom!
I got it! I got it, Mom!
Give your sister the shot, honey.
Bailey.
[grunts]
Bailey, look at me.
Look at me, okay?
This is gonna hurt me
more than it hurts you, okay?
You can do it, baby.
Bailey. Bailey, wake up!
Bailey.
Bailey. Bailey.
Bailey, we're almost on the ground.
- Look, we're almost on the ground.
- I feel weak. Where are we?
We got it.
- Look at the instruments there.
- Okay, I got it.
- See that turn?
- Yeah. Wow.
- See that dial?
- Doing good.
- Keep an eye on it.
- Right.
[Kari] Hang on, Dan.
[Brian] All right, King Air
Five-Five-Niner-Delta-Whiskey.
Fort Myers Approach.
And are you descending
in the airplane right now, sir?
I am. What do you want me to do?
Actually, if you can,
we can just keep descending.
We're getting you some help
from another pilot
who's familiar with the airplane.
Is he in the control tower with you?
He is in
- Connecticut.
- In Connecticut,
but I understand he's a very
skilled and experienced airman.
I can use all the help I can get.
It's just me, and my wife,
and my girls up here.
He's coming in fast.
Help me with this.
Here. Help me with this.
[Doug] Thank you, sir.
You're gonna stay
on the horn with me, right?
That's correct. I'm here for the duration.
I've got nothing else to do but make sure
you get all the help you need.
[Dan] Yeah. It's a King Air 200.
Cockpit looks like nothing
he's ever seen before.
Probably.
What are you doing?
Building you a cockpit.
[dramatic music playing]
[no audio]
[no audio]
- Did I get it right?
- Not quite.
Well, what's missing?
I could use a copilot.
Listen, Dan, we've got a very tight window
for how fast he needs to fly.
Got it.
[Kari] Is he on autopilot?
- Ask if he's using autopilot.
- November-Niner-Delta-Whiskey,
are you using autopilot
or are you flying the airplane?
[Doug] The autopilot is off.
Slow him down. He's all over the place.
- We gotta slow him down.
- [phone beeps]
[John]
The plane's over the Gulf of Mexico.
He's supposed to turn inland
to set up his approach to Fort Myers.
If he doesn't make it to land,
we got backup.
Fort Myers, can you see how fast
we're going on the radar?
Faster. He's gotta go faster.
- They slowed him too much. It'll stall.
- Like a car?
If he goes too slow,
wind will stop flowing over the wing
and the plane can drop out of the sky.
It's probably what happened to Amelia.
Faster. Go faster!
He's gotta speed up. The plane will drop.
[Brian] Okay.
Looks like you're coming up on 5,000 feet
just a little slower than we'd like. Um
So, when you're able,
make a, make a left turn.
We're turning him.
Get his speed up.
He can't turn going that slow.
Make sure he speeds up before he turns.
Yeah, how many first responders
do you have? Get more.
Are you sure I'm in a turn?
I can't see very well up here.
That compass ain't moving.
I don't see land, only water.
We over the ocean?
- Do you see the horizon?
- [Terri] No.
[Doug] I cannot see the horizon.
All I see is baby blue sky
and baby blue water.
I don't see land, just ocean.
We going the right way?
- Look out the window. See anything?
- It's all blue. Everything is blue.
He's having trouble making the turn.
[Lisa] He's flying right toward the storm.
It picked up too fast.
I thought he had time.
If he's over the Gulf,
he's looking at blue sky and water.
He's disoriented,
can't tell where he's turning.
Kari, his heading has him flying
into a weather system.
Damn it! We should've turned him sooner.
[dramatic music playing]
What is it? What do you see?
[Kari] The flight control systems.
King Air is built on a Cessna.
It may be bigger and fancier,
but it still flies the same.
Single engine. Tell him to fly it
like a single-engine plane.
Just like a Cessna.
Don't worry about anything else.
Just tell him to remember
when he was in a Cessna.
Tell him to fly it
like a single-engine plane.
Just like a Cessna. Tell him to remember
the last time he was in a Cessna.
Okay. Niner-Delta-Whiskey,
the information I have is, to fly the
aircraft like you would a single-engine.
Well, I can do that.
The only thing is, the only time
I was in one of those was with my brother,
and there weren't dark clouds
in front of me.
Well, your turn looks good.
We ain't going down that easy.
Very good, sir.
[Doug] Okay. I'm at zero-niner-zero.
Starting to get the hang of this thing.
I don't know if I can outrun these clouds.
They're starting to surround us.
Niner-Delta-Whiskey,
is there a landing checklist?
Oh, um
Did you find it, honey?
- Did you find a checklist?
- [Terri] Yeah.
The landing gear levers
should be below the main panel,
should say "landing gear."
I think I know how to put
the landing gear down.
But this...
We're getting bounced around up here.
He's about to put landing gear down.
No. It's too fast. Don't touch the gear.
Not yet. He's too fast. Too hot. Too hot.
They're telling me you're too
fast for your landing gear.
You just tell me when.
Help me get slowed down here.
Okay, sir.
I'll have that for you in a moment.
How much fuel do you have, sir?
Uh, here's the fuel. Right here.
[Doug]
Just so you know, we got plenty of fuel.
- That's not an issue.
- It's an issue for us.
Yeah. Get another fire truck.
Call around. We need as much water
and foam as we can get.
This is a twin-engine coming in full t*nk.
If he's not down soon,
storm could take him out,
and that plane could drop out of the sky.
Okay, but where is he now?
He's about
[keyboard clacking]
15 miles from the airport. Look at this.
Houses and buildings all over.
We're right here.
Shouldn't we, like, not be here?
- That's a really good idea.
- [Buggy chuckles]
- How far out is he?
- About 15 miles.
Damn it!
- Okay, where is he?
- [Dan] 5,300 feet.
- He's got alarms going off.
- Ignore them. Fly the plane.
Brian, Kari said ignore the alarms,
just fly the plane.
4,700.
- 240 knots.
- [Kari] Okay.
When we get you a little bit slower,
um, I will give you the signal.
- [alarm beeping]
- Well, tell me how to get slower first.
Slow to turn, now I'm too fast to land.
What do I do here?
Let's go. You don't wanna
be near that runway when he comes in.
[engines roaring]
- I got it.
- You watch my altitude and speed.
6,000 feet, 210 knots.
Niner-Delta-Whiskey, make a left
turn to zero-six-zero.
That should line you up with the airport,
and then I'll slow you down.
Heading bug. Zero-six-zero.
- I'll do that.
- Put that on.
[Doug] Zero-six-zero.
Clouds are getting awful close.
[Brian] Yes. A few gusts,
but you should be fine.
Trying to get you to a lower airspeed
where you can drop
your landing gear and flaps.
[Doug] I'm ready and waiting.
Can you find the landing checklist?
Okay. Flaps.
- All right. What do I do?
- Right.
First thing is approach speed.
Okay, pull back on your power
a little bit at a time.
Okay? Until you reach 160 knots.
- So, where are we headed?
- The airport.
That seems like the unsafest place to be
during a plane crash!
Five miles out, 3,100 feet, 180 knots.
At 160 knots, let the landing gear down.
All right, I'm lined up for the runway.
Looks like a little...
- It's like a little brown slip.
- [Terri] Yeah.
Do you show me lined up with the runway?
Yes, sir. That is correct.
You have the field in sight.
Bailey.
I feel weak. Where are we?
You know what?
We're in a cumulus cloud. Look.
Remember that?
You always wanted to see one up close.
Pretty sure it's a cirrus.
[laughs]
How are the girls?
They're doing good. They'll be better
when we get on the ground.
Make sure you're buckled up back there!
He's got the field in sight.
Control his speed.
Landing gear's going down soon.
He's gotta control speed.
[Brian] Okay. When you get
your speed under control,
descend down to 2,000 feet.
I am showing your speed at 160 knots.
2,200 feet. 160 knots.
Landing gear down. Now!
I need you to lower your landing gear
down now, sir.
[Terri] Okay, I got it.
I'm ready when you tell me.
- [Doug] Just pull it down.
- Now?
- Yes, pull it down.
- I got it!
[Doug] All right.
Landing gear's going down.
[whirring]
[beeps]
[whirring]
[Brian] All right,
make sure you stay on throttle.
I need you to maintain 140 knots.
400 feet. 120.
I can't hold this thing on the runway.
It's drifting off.
I'm floating left.
I can't hold it on the runway.
I'm floating left.
This is getting real bad.
I can't hold this thing. I need help.
It's a wind shear! Wind'll blow the plane
off the runway before they land!
[automated voice]
Caution! Caution! Manual. Stall.
- I got alarms going off!
- [automated voice] Pull up. Pull up.
Pull up.
Brian, he's not lined up!
[Doug] Help me! Help me!
Pull up! Pull up! Add full power.
[automated voice] Pull up.
He's going around.
Crosswind.
Crosswinds.
[electrical buzzing]
Hello?
- Hello?
- [phone clicks]
Hello?
Dan, you still there?
Dan!
- [phone beeping]
- Damn it.
[line ringing]
This is Dan Favio.
Please leave a message. [Beeps]
Kari?
Kari?
- I've lost him.
- What?
You've gotta be kidding me.
This is getting real bad.
I can't hold this thing! I need help!
What are you doing?
We can use the tail number
to locate the plane and pilot.
The FAA database.
[Ashley] He's in the database.
He should be a registered pilot.
Didn't you tell me that
when I was in flying lessons?
I didn't think you were listening.
I listen to every word you say, Kari.
[keyboard clacking]
[automated voice] Please say a command.
[Dan] Does anyone have a charger?
- Anyone?
- I do.
Come on.
Mom?
Mom, I think we got another problem.
[thunder rumbles]
[thunderclap]
I think we're done.
God, help me. Please help me.
[exhales sharply]
Doug?
[thunder rumbling]
Doug!
Doug?
We're We're done.
No, we've been through
bigger challenges than this,
and we made it through together.
We can make it!
[thunderclap]
Ah!
Can we make it?
[beeping]
[beeping and vibrating]
Okay.
Sorry.
Ugh.
Sorry.
- Hello?
- Hello! Please don't hang up! Hi!
Um, any chance you're in
an airplane right now?
- It's not a good time, honey.
- No, Mom. You're gonna wanna take this.
Hello? [Beeps] Hello?
Who's that?
Doug?
- This is Kari Sorenson.
- Who?
I been talking to the
controllers on the phone.
How in the world did you find me?
[Kari] I'll explain once
we get you on the ground.
[laughs]
Well
[thunderclap]
It's real bad up here.
I can't control this airplane.
Listen. There are three lights
in the center of the control panel.
Middle of the control panel, near the top.
Means your landing gear's still down.
Pull the white lever next to the throttle.
[whirring]
[Kari] Doug, listen.
My family was in a similar situation
to the one that you're in right now.
I couldn't do anything for 'em.
And I lost 'em.
But I'll be damned if I lose you today.
You don't know me, you can't see me,
but I'm here to help you.
Believe in me.
I don't think that's gonna happen.
I got blown off the runway.
I can't control this thing.
Yes. Yes, you can.
You've come this far. We're almost there.
Sometimes you gotta trust
in things you can't see.
[Terri] Doug, you've done things
I didn't think were possible.
You've been a hero to those girls
a thousand times.
And I love you.
And I believe you can do this.
You can do it.
All right. What do you want me to do?
We need to make a turn.
[thunder rumbles]
Don't stop! We're minors!
They won't take us to jail!
- Where is the plane going?
- Over the ocean!
- I'm not riding out to the ocean!
- Hey!
You can't do that!
Come back! No! Come back here!
[siren wailing]
[tires screeching]
All right. This is it, Doug.
Press the left rudder.
Turn your yoke a little to the right.
Keep the runway in your center.
Keep your ailerons and rudder coordinated.
Ride the wind. Don't fight it.
Get ready to touch down on one wheel,
easy as you can.
Release rudder, pull your
throttle all the way back.
What about the brakes when I land?
Don't worry about them.
Let the airplane glide,
and bleed off speed when you touch down.
[tires screeching]
[siren wailing]
- [Terri] Gear is down.
- All right.
All right.
[whirring]
I love you, girls!
We love you, Daddy!
[Bailey] I love you, Daddy.
I love you.
[Doug] I love you too.
Girls.
I love you.
I love you, Momma.
- I love you, Momma.
- [Maggie] I love you.
Fasten your seat belts tight.
Let's pray.
Oh, God,
send your angels to hold up the wings
and help us land this plane.
I really wanna see my girls
grow up and graduate.
And fall in love, and get married,
and have their own daughters.
And I just want you to be happy.
Just do whatever you want.
And always love yourself
the way I love you.
I'm just so grateful, God. I'm so grateful
for my beautiful daughters.
Our father who art in heaven.
Hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done.
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us.
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory, forever.
- Amen.
- [Maggie and Bailey] Amen.
[Kari] Okay, Doug. Now I'm gonna
prepare you for a crosswind landing.
Just pull back on the throttle. Easy.
There he is.
Okay.
He's floating. He's floated long.
- He's gonna miss.
- [Dan] He's too high.
[Dan]
First responders are in the wrong place!
[Ralph] On it.
- They need to be further down!
- Yeah.
Not answering.
- Come on!
- Go. Do something.
Oh, my God!
They're back! They went around! They're
coming in for another landing!
[sirens blaring]
[Kari] Pull the yoke all the way back.
k*ll the throttle.
Get off the rudder!
Now, Doug!
Let it go, Doug! Let go!
Easy as you can.
[sirens blaring]
[Doug] Please, God,
help me protect my family.
Let go, Doug! Let go!
[all cheering]
Yes!
[sirens blaring]
[all cheering]
Come here.
Oh, my God! Oh, my God!
[sirens blaring]
["Hallelujah" playing]
We made it. We did it.
I heard there was
A secret chord
That David played
And it pleased the Lord
But you don't really care
For music, do ya?
[Terri] We made it.
Well, it goes like this
The fourth, the fifth
The minor fall
And the major lift
The baffled king
Composing Hallelujah
Hallelujah
I doubted you.
I'm sorry. Forgive me.
Hallelujah
Thank you.
- [blows]
- [groans]
You know, when you drove Dad's
pickup truck into the lake,
I said, "Take your feet
off the gas and the clutch."
It was a stick shift.
The ignition would've cut off.
The truck would've stopped.
I said, "Let go!"
But you didn't.
- Thank God for growth, huh?
- [laughs]
She tied you to
A kitchen chair
She broke your throne
And she cut your hair
[man yelling, indistinct]
[man] Cut the engine!
Cut the engine!
Cut the engine!
I need you to cut that engine!
Cut the engine!
[engine winds down]
Hallelujah
[Donna] "N-5-5-9-D-W."
That's them right there. They made it!
Maybe there's a God above
But all I've ever learned
From love
Was how to sh**t at someone
Who outdrew you
And it's not a cry
That you hear at night
Whoa. This is insane.
I can't believe all of this just happened.
You still wanna be a pilot after all that?
More than ever.
- [siren wailing]
- [chuckles]
- Mr. Johnson can kiss your butt.
- [tires screech]
We should get outta here.
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Oh!
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
[no audio]
Hallelujah
Hallelu
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
They're alive.
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
[Ralph]
You were in violation of federal law.
So you said.
I want my two-week severance.
Yeah, that's not gonna happen.
You know what you are?
- Leaving.
- You
are next on the list to be a controller.
Be a different outcome for that family
if you hadn't stepped in.
Thanks.
You start next week.
Gives you the whole weekend
to hang out with, uh
Bourbon.
[country-rock song playing]
Mmm
Yeah, yeah
Let's count our blessings
And thank our lucky stars
Wow, you've had quite the day.
But don't waste this terrific story
on just me.
[Donna] Dad!
Come here. I have to show you this.
Okay, so there was this guy on a plane
Celebrate making
That yellow light
Celebrate a good friend
And a good hand
I couldn't have done it without you.
I don't want you to go.
- I can't keep doing...
- I never got the chance to tell my family
how much I loved them
before they were gone.
That's gotta change.
That's nice, but
I love you, Ashley.
You finally said it.
Yeah
Why spend our money
On things that we don't need?
Where to?
Wherever you wanna go.
And life is simple
Why do we make it hard?
I don't know
But you know what I mean
Let's celebrate
The good times
Celebrate making
That yellow light
Celebrate a good friend
And a good hand
Come on, let us celebrate
While we can
Let's celebrate
Answered prayers
Celebrate the times
When life is fair
Celebrate the right song
At the right time
Actually, I just came to, uh
- Close out my tab.
- [crowd applauding]
Hi, Dan.
- Linda.
- Your phone is disconnected.
It's dead.
It stopped working in the middle
of an important phone call.
Oh! What's her name?
[both laugh]
Niner-Delta-Whiskey.
I'll drink whiskey. Are you buying?
Probably not.
Oh.
Okay. Well, I guess
I'll, uh, see you around, then.
Keep the change.
Hey.
How about we go someplace and get coffee?
And then what?
Could use some help
picking out a new phone.
Celebrate the right song
At the right time
Come on, let's celebrate
And do it all right
Celebrate the good times
Celebrate making
That yellow light
Celebrate absent friends
Celebrate the times
When life is fair
Celebrate
[automated voice] You have 58 messages.
[beeps]
Hello, my name is James Phillips.
I'm a producer
from The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
We'd love to fly you
and your family out to...
[beeps]
[woman] Hi, Mr. and Mrs. White.
My name's Jessica Jones.
I'm with The Oprah Show.
Ms. Winfrey would like to extend
a personal invitation...
[beeps]
["I'll Fly Away" playing]
One bright morning
When this life is over
I'll fly away
To then land
On God's celestial shoulder
I'll fly away
I'll fly away, oh, Glory
I'll fly away In the morning
When I die
Hallelujah, by and by
I'll fly away
Lisa finally convinces me that I've got to
disconnect that autopilot.
I don't wanna disconnect that autopilot.
[audience laughs]
That autopilot's doing
a perfectly fine job of flying.
It's just going the wrong way.
When the shadows
Of this life are gone
I'll fly away
Like a bird
From these prison walls I'll fly
I'll fly away
I'll fly away, oh, Glory
I will fly away
In the morning
When I die
Hallelujah, by and by
I'll fly away
Just a few more
Weary days and then
I'll fly away
I'd have a question, I'd ask Brian.
Brian would ask Dan.
Dan would get on his cell phone,
ask his buddy,
and that's the way we went
for 20 to 25 minutes.
Didn't even know his buddy's name.
Those are some of the divine things
that fell in place.
And we're at the beach in Florida
in Fort Myers
in the middle of the afternoon,
and there's no wind.
When does that ever happen?
His name is Kari, with a "K."
Kari Sorenson.
He's from Danbury, Connecticut.
He came all the way down here,
at his own expense, I might add,
to see his buddy win this award
and share this night with him.
And I got something for you too, Kari.
Come here.
You gotta do this too. Come on.
- Kari Sorenson.
- [crowd applauds]
I told you, buddy.
Okay.
Okay.
When I die
Hallelujah, by and by
I'll fly away
I will fly away, oh, Glory
I will fly away
In the morning
When I die
Hallelujah, by and by
I will fly away
I will fly away
I will fly away
Fly away
Fly away
Hey!
It's a long ways down, now
Just keep going up
Mm-hmm
Fly away
Fly away
Fly away
Fly away
Fly away
Fly away
Fly away
- Fly away
- Fly away
- Fly away
- Fly away
[instrumental music playing]
On a Wing and a Prayer (2023)
Moderator: Maskath3