Air Disasters

No, no no no no no.

Security footage of Flydubai Flight 981

captures its final moments.

Oh, it's diving hard.

The level of violence of the impact

was catastrophic.

62 people are killed in a fatal dive.

Investigators soon discover the pilots

had aborted two landings.

We're going around.

A go-around is done just when

conditions are not perfect.

Did they say why they were going around the second time?

They just said going around.

Check your speed.

The next thing I knew, the plane

was diving towards the runway.

Investigators needed to find out how the two

go-arounds were different.

One turns to disaster.

Why?

PILOT (ON RADIO): Mayday!

Mayday!

Go up!

Flydubai Flight 981 closes

in on Rostov-on-Don International

Airport in Southwest Russia.

Rostov tower, Skydubao 981, we're at 2,600 feet.

2,300 feet is our next target altitude.

11 miles out, Captain Aristos Sokratous and First

Officer Alejandro Alava Cruz prepare the Boeing 737-800

for touchdown.

Both pilots had a pretty good amount of flying

hours in the 737, specifically.

These were experienced pilots.

Flight 981, Rostov Tower.

Wind, 240 degrees.

Gusts, 30 knots.

You're cleared to land on Runway 22.

The controller reports the weather

conditions at the airport.

Thick clouds cover Rostov-on-Don.

High winds are battering the runways.

The weather in Rostov at that time was pretty low

cloud with wind gusts.

It was typical for that time of year for Rostov.

If you look at the geography, with the sea and the hills

around it, then yes, you can expect some challenges.

Flydubai Flight 981 departed Dubai International

Airport at 10.37 PM.

It's a four hour flight Northwest to Rostov-on-Don.

It's a bumpy ride for the 55 passengers on board.

The flight is expected to land in minutes.

150 knots.

Eight miles out, the pilots reduce speed as they

begin the final descent.

On approach, pilots know exactly

what the airplane is doing.

They know the conditions that they're flying in.

Flaps 30.

Flaps 30.

They're going to drop the flaps bit by bit, when

to drop their landing gear.

It's a very gradual process.

It should be a bit bumpy and then later it should be calm.

The pilots expect turbulence on approach,

but anticipate a smooth landing, The runway

is just four miles away, but there's a threat ahead.

Go around.

Wind shear ahead.

The onboard radar has detected dangerous winds.

Wind shear ahead.

Wind shear ahead.

Wind shear is a rapid change in direction and speed

of wind.

If a pilot experiences a strong headwind that suddenly changes

to a tailwind, the aircraft might not

have enough lift to remain airborne, especially

at low altitude.

The wind shear alert is built into the aircraft's avionics

to tell you you're going into wind currents

that could be problematic.

Wind shear ahead.

Wind shear, go-around.

Just 1,000 feet above the ground,

landing at Rostov-on-Don becomes too risky.

Rostov Tower, this is 981.

We are conducting a go-around due to wind shear.

The pilots abort their approach.

Every pilot is prepared to make

a go-around on every approach.

It's something that pilots do off the top of their heads.

There's no manual involved.

They have no limit to the amount of approaches

that they can try as long as they have enough fuel.

So why not go around and just try it again?

Flight 981, copy.

Flight 981 is one of four

incoming flights controllers are managing

as high winds delay landings.

Aeroflot 1166, be advised Skydubai 981 reports

wind shear on landing.

The air traffic controller's workload

was definitely increased in this environment,

and they have to start juggling all of those cards in the air.

As Flight 981 climbs...

Aeroflot 1166, you're cleared to land on runway 22.

...an Aeroflot flight prepares to land.

Captain Sokratous pays close attention

to its communications.

I want to see what this guy will do.

The crew, at this point,

is hoping that the crews of other flights

are able to give them some information

that they might be able to use to make some decisions

about what to do next.

That flight can't land at Rostov-on-Dov either.

PILOT (ON RADIO): Aeroflot 1156.

We're going around, due to wind shear.

The Aeroflot pilots also encounter

wind shear on final approach.

They're forced to abort.

That kind of seals the deal.

Flydubai is going to have to either wait

or they're going to have to go to an alternate airport.

High over Rostov-on-Don, passengers

on Flight 981 are restless.

The pilots are holding at 15,000 feet,

circling near the airport, waiting for a chance to land.

The pilots sit in a holding pattern, since they had

enough fuel to be able to do so, to wait for weather conditions

to improve.

Three other planes are also in a holding pattern.

The storm pounding Rostov-on-Don isn't passing.

PILOT (ON RADIO): Aeroflot 1166.

We're diverting.

CONTROLLER (ON RADIO): Skydubai 981,

for your information, previous traffic

went to alternate airports.

All the other flights decide to divert

to alternate airports instead.

The problem with diverting

is that it's expensive and, yes, it's inconvenient.

The passengers don't end up at their destination.

They have to be put up in hotels.

And with a low cost airline, it's the last thing it wants.

Captain Sokratous continues

monitoring the weather radar.

Finally, he spots a clearing.

I think I'd like to give it a try.

I agree.

Let's try.

It's not unusual for crews

to take advantage if there happens

to be a break in the weather pattern

that provides safe conditions to land the aircraft.

Skydubai 981 request descent for another approach.

15,000 feet over Rostov-on-Don, the pilots

again prepare to land.

Skydubai 981, Rosoff Tower.

You're cleared to land on runway 22.

ALEJANDRO ALAVA CRUZ (ON INTERCOM):

Good evening, your first officer here.

We will be learning shortly.

Once again, we apologize for the delay.

13 miles from runway 22,

the pilots line up for a second approach.

Be advised, low altitude head

wind 53 knots, light icing.

Even though winds are strong,

controllers aren't reporting wind shear at the runway.

Flaps 30.

Flaps 30.

But as they approach, they soon

realize something's not right.

Check your speed.

OK.

Go-around.

The pilots execute another go-around.

Keep it at 15 degrees.

Nose up.

Just 2,000 feet in the air,

Captain Sokratous kratos is wrestling with the Boeing 737.

Seconds later...

...Flight 981 is diving straight at the runway.

Oh, my god.

Fire and emergency crews

rush to the end of Runway 22.

The aircraft punched

a crater in the runway about a meter and a half deep,

with wreckage...

wreckage thrown everywhere.

Firefighters battle the flames through the night,

but there's no one to be rescued.

All 62 people on board Flight 981 are killed in the crash.

Grieving families and the world demand answers.

Hours after Flydubai Flight

981 crashes on the runway at Rostov-on-Don,

investigators from the IAC, the Interstate Aviation Committee,

arrive on the scene.