JAG (1995–2005): Season 1, Episode 6 - Pilot Error - full transcript
A Navy pilot and his radar-intercept officer (RIO) die in a crash of an F-14 Tomcat while using a new Air Force fly-by-wire navigation system; the pilot was a friend and shipmate of Harm. Harm and Meg investigate. The vendor of the system insists that the cause of the crash was a pilot error; Harm believes otherwise. While Harm duplicates the fatal flight, he tries to induce an error by the system while flying a simulator, then the does so while flying a Tomcat; he and Meg eventually discover the cause. Harm also comforts the widow and her son.
[engines roaring]
(Pendry) OOH, YEAH!
HAWK-EYE HAS 2 INBOUND BOGIES.
WE NAIL THEM, WE'LL HAVE
BAGGED THE WHOLE SQUADRON.
THAT'LL TEACH THE SQUIDS
NOT TO MESS WITH MARINES.
(Pendry on radio) MIRAMAR
CONTROL, RED DOG 15,
THIS IS POINT ALPHA
WITH A FLIGHT OF 2.
(ATC) 15, MIRAMAR CONTROL.
YOU ARE CLEARED TO THE RANGE.
15, ROGER.
WILD CAT. RED DOG. YOU READY
TO SAVE THE SQUADRON'S HONOR?
READY AND ABLE, RED DOG.
HOW LOW YOU GONNA GO?
HEY, BURROWING ANIMALS
BETTER NOT STICK THEIR HEADS UP.
[laughing]
SEE YOU ON DECK, WILD CAT.
COPY THAT, RED DOG.
[engines screaming]
POINT BRAVO IN 10 SECONDS.
BETTER PICK YOUR FEET UP.
(Marcus) ALREADY
SITTING ON THEM, SIR.
(Pendry) APTERN ENGAGED.
[beeps] I'M HANDS OFF.
RED DOG AT POINT BRAVO.
(McKee) 39. COMING DOWN.
APTERN'S GOT US TOO
HIGH. THEY'RE GONNA NAIL US.
(Marcus) WE NEED TO
TEACH THIS COMPUTER
SOME MOVES, SIR.
CONTACT, I THINK.
THERE!
[alarm beeping]
HAWK-EYE! FLY CATCHER!
AIRCRAFT DOWN! AIRCRAFT DOWN!
(ATC) 39, MIRAMAR
CONTROL. ABORT. ABORT.
CLIMB TO ANGELS 15. ESTABLISH
LEFT HAND ORBIT. OVER.
(McKee) 39 CLIMBING
TO ANGELS 15.
WHY THE ABORT, MIRAMAR?
WE HAVE AN AIRCRAFT DOWN.
39, DO YOU SEE A
PARACHUTE? OVER.
NEGATIVE, MIRAMAR. 39
DOES NOT SEE A PARACHUTE.
[people chattering]
SIR!
LIEUTENANT PENDRY'S MISSION
WAS TO SIMULATE TAKING
OUT AN AVENGER MISSILE UNIT
MANNED BY MARINES.
IT WAS THE TOUGHEST
MISSION PROFILE
IN OUR INTRA-SQUADRON
COMPETITION.
NONE OF THE HOWLERS, THAT'S LIEUTENANT
PENDRY'S SQUADRON, TOOK IT OUT.
HE... WHAT WAS THE
MISSION PROFILE?
WELL, BASICALLY IT WAS
COMING IN LOW IN ONE DIRECTION,
WHILE HIS WINGMAN MADE
HER APPROACH FROM ANOTHER.
HIS WINGMAN'S A FEMALE?
LIEUTENANT TESS McKEE.
ONE OF THE BEST
FROM WHAT I HEAR.
DID THE MARINES GET A LOCK ON
LIEUTENANT PENDRY BEFORE HE AUGURED IN?
NOPE. THEY DIDN'T SEE HIM
TILL HE CAME OVER THAT HILL.
INVERTED.
HIS PROFILE CALLED FOR
LOW-LEVEL INVERTED FLIGHT?
NO, SIR. AND HE
WAS FLYING APTERN.
IT'S DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND
WHY HE WAS INVERTED.
APTERN?
AUTO PRECISION TERRAIN
RADAR NAVIGATION.
I KNOW WHAT IT IS. BUT
IT'S AN AIR FORCE SYSTEM.
WHAT'S IT DOING
IN A NAVY TOMCAT?
DEFENSE CUTBACKS, SIR.
D.O.D. IS PUSHING HARD FOR
INTER-SERVICE SYSTEMS COMMONALITY.
IT SAVES R&D.
WELL, UNFORTUNATELY SOMETIMES
YOU SAVE MONEY, YOU LOSE LIVES.
THE TRUTH IS, WE'VE NEVER HAD ANY
PROBLEM WITH THE APTERN SYSTEM.
UNTIL NOW.
THIS CRASH WASN'T CAUSED
BY APTERN, LIEUTENANT.
JAMES REID, MACROPLEX.
LIEUTENANTS RABB
AND AUSTIN, JAG.
I TAKE IT MACROPLEX
MANUFACTURES APTERN.
THAT'S RIGHT, LIEUTENANT. WE CHECK EVERY
INCIDENT INVOLVING ONE OF OUR SYSTEMS.
IN FACT, THE
PENTAGON REQUIRES IT.
NOT ALL OF OUR PRODUCTS ARE
PERFECT, BUT APTERN'S CLOSE TO IT.
EVEN IF IT CAUSED THIS CRASH?
TELL YOU WHAT, LIEUTENANT RABB.
IF YOU DON'T JUMP TO
CONCLUSIONS ABOUT APTERN,
I WON'T JUMP TO CONCLUSIONS
ABOUT LIEUTENANT PENDRY.
FAIR ENOUGH?
FAIR ENOUGH.
OBVIOUSLY, LIEUTENANTS PENDRY
AND MARCUS WERE KILLED INSTANTLY.
WE HAVE REMOVED THEIR BODIES.
BUT THERE MAY STILL BE
BODY PARTS IN THE AREA.
(Bishop) LUKE WAS ONE
OF THE BEST. A NATURAL.
MAYBE THAT'S WHY HE COULD PUSH THE
ENVELOPE A LITTLE FURTHER THAN MOST.
(Meg) HE TOOK CHANCES, SIR?
IN THIS BUSINESS,
YOU TAKE A CHANCE
EVERY TIME YOU
GO UP, LIEUTENANT.
YES, SIR. BUT YOU IMPLIED
THAT HE TOOK MORE THAN MOST,
OR DO I NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT
"PUSHING THE ENVELOPE" MEANS, SIR.
PERHAPS YOU DON'T.
AS I UNDERSTAND IT, SIR,
IT MEANS GOING TO THE
KNOWN LIMIT OF AN AIRCRAFT,
AND THEN A LITTLE BEYOND.
CLOSE ENOUGH. AND WE ALL DO IT,
AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER.
YES, SIR. BUT YOU SAID
LIEUTENANT PENDRY
PUSHED THE ENVELOPE A
LITTLE FURTHER THAN MOST.
BECAUSE HE HAD THE
TALENT TO GET AWAY WITH IT.
LIEUTENANT AUSTIN,
WASN'T LIEUTENANT McKEE
SCHEDULED TO JOIN US BY NOW?
WOULD YOU MIND STEPPING
OUTSIDE, SEE WHAT'S KEEPING HER?
CERTAINLY, SIR.
I CAN SEE TRYING IT IN
COMBAT, BUT IN AN EXERCISE?
LUKE DIDN'T GIVE A DAMN IF THE
MISSION WAS REAL OR SIMULATED.
HE WANTED TO WIN.
YEAH, BUT TO GO INVERTED
TO AVOID NEGATIVE Gs?
MAN, YOU'VE GOT TO BE CRAZY
TO TRY SOMETHING LIKE THAT
ON THE DECK. (Cabrese)
THAT'S A GOOD SHOT.
LIEUTENANT McKEE.
LIEUTENANT AUSTIN, JAG.
I'M SORRY ABOUT LIEUTENANT
PENDRY. I HEARD HE WAS A GOOD MAN.
YOU HAVE NO IDEA, LIEUTENANT.
I HEARD ABOUT WHAT
YOU DID ON THE SEAHAWK.
HELL OF A FEAT.
CONSIDERING YOU HADN'T
FLOWN A TOMCAT IN 4 YEARS.
I GOT LUCKY, SIR.
IT TAKES THAT SOMETIMES.
ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE
HIGHLY COMPETITIVE.
AREN'T MOST GOOD PILOTS, SIR?
OF COURSE.
BUT LUKE WOULD HAVE LOVED
BEING THE ONLY ONE TO NAIL THAT SAM.
COMMANDER.
COULD HE HAVE PUSHED IT TOO FAR?
NO. HE JUST RAN OUT OF LUCK.
NOTHING MORE THAN THAT.
CONDITIONS WERE IDEAL.
CLEAR VISIBILITY, NO TURBULENCE.
IT WAS BY THE NUMBERS.
THEN JUST AS I BEGAN MY RUN,
MIRAMAR TOLD ME TO ABORT AND
ASKED ME TO LOOK FOR CHUTES.
THERE WEREN'T ANY.
DID LIEUTENANT PENDRY
COMMUNICATE WITH YOU
DURING HIS RUN AT THE TARGET?
JUST TO BREAK.
TO START MY ATTACK.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU
BEEN FLYING WITH APTERN?
ABOUT 3 MONTHS.
ANY PROBLEMS? NO.
THE TERRAIN-SEEKING
RADAR IS ACCURATE.
AND IT PERFORMS SPECIFIC MANEUVERS
AS PROGRAMMED BY THE MISSION PROFILE.
BUT YOU DON'T LIKE IT.
NO PILOT LIKES TO TURN
CONTROL OVER TO A BLACK BOX.
DID LIEUTENANT PENDRY
DISLIKE APTERN, TOO?
HE FELT THE SAME
AS THE REST OF US.
WOULD HE HAVE SHUT DOWN APTERN
TO FLY THE TOMCAT HIMSELF?
NO.
THE MISSION PROFILE CALLED
FOR THE USE OF APTERN.
HE WOULD NOT HAVE TURNED IT OFF
UNLESS IT WERE MALFUNCTIONING.
WAS IT MALFUNCTIONING?
I DON'T KNOW. I WASN'T IN
HIS COCKPIT, LIEUTENANT.
BUT LIEUTENANT PENDRY
LIKED TO FLY ON THE EDGE.
ON THE EDGE OF WHAT?
I THINK YOU KNOW
WHAT I MEAN, LIEUTENANT.
NO, I DON'T THINK
I DO, LIEUTENANT.
IF NONE OF THE HOWLERS FLEW A
SUCCESSFUL MISSION USING APTERN,
MAYBE LIEUTENANT PENDRY THOUGHT
HE COULD DO BETTER WITHOUT IT.
HE PROBABLY COULD.
BUT THE COMPETITION
CALLED FOR THE USE OF APTERN
AND LUKE WAS A PROFESSIONAL.
THANK YOU, LIEUTENANT.
UH, I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS, SIR.
SO DO I, LIEUTENANT. BUT WE CAN ASK
THEM AS THE INVESTIGATION PROCEEDS.
WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT?
SHE JUST LOST HER
WINGMAN, GO A LITTLE EASY.
WE HAVE AN
INVESTIGATION TO RUN...
SIR.
I'M AWARE OF THAT, LIEUTENANT.
WHICH IS WHY I WANT YOU TO PULL
ALL THE GRIPE SHEETS ON APTERN,
FOR NAVY AND AIR FORCE.
I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT EVERY
PROBLEM THEY'VE EVER HAD,
OR THOUGHT THEY'VE HAD,
NO MATTER HOW TRIVIAL.
YES, SIR.
I'M GOING TO VISIT
LIEUTENANT PENDRY'S WIFE.
I'LL MEET YOU LATER, SIR.
[dogs barking]
[jet engine droning]
[exhaling]
[chokes] HARM?
HI, ANNIE.
GOD, I... I FEEL
LIKE CALLING OUT,
TELLING HIM YOU'RE HERE.
[sobbing] HE WOULD'VE
LIKED TO HAVE SEEN YOU.
HEY, JOSH, YOU REMEMBER HARM?
HI, JOSH.
I DON'T THINK HE REALLY
UNDERSTANDS YET.
I THINK HE DOES.
(Annie) HARM.
SIT DOWN.
[crunching]
I'M SORRY. I... I'LL FIX IT.
OH, DON'T BOTHER. I
WANT TO GET RID OF 'EM.
[sighing]
YOU MISS FLYING?
I GO UP EVERY NOW AND THEN.
WHEN I CAN FIND A C.O.
WHO'LL LET ME PLAY.
THAT'S WHAT IT IS, ISN'T IT?
PLAYING.
YOU'RE ALL JUST BOYS
PLAYING WITH BIGGER TOYS.
WELL, I LIKE TO THINK IT'S A
LITTLE MORE THAN THAT, ANNIE.
IT'S NOT.
LISTEN, ANNIE.
I'M HEADING UP
THE INVESTIGATION.
I'M SURPRISED
THEY'RE LETTING YOU.
I MEAN, YOU AND LUCAS BEING
SUCH GOOD FRIENDS AND ALL.
I DON'T THINK THEY KNOW.
OH.
WELL, YOU KNOW, LUCAS WOULDN'T
WANT YOU TO GET YOURSELF
IN ANY TROUBLE ON HIS ACCOUNT.
YES, HE WOULD.
(Josh) HEY, MOM.
(Annie) HEY.
YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO
BE CLEANING YOUR ROOM.
IT'S CLEAN. MMM-HMM.
DID YOU FLY WITH MY DADDY?
A LONG TIME AGO.
HE WAS THE BEST
THOUGH, WASN'T HE?
YES, HE WAS.
WHY DID HE CRASH?
I DON'T KNOW, JOSH.
BUT I'M GOING TO FIND OUT.
(Harm) THIS IS THE LAST
TIME I TAKE DIRECTIONS
FROM AN O'CLUB WAITRESS.
(Meg) THE WAY SHE LOOKED AT YOU,
THEY WERE PROBABLY
DIRECTIONS TO HER HOUSE.
VERY FUNNY, LIEUTENANT.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING THERE?
NO APTERN-RELATED ACCIDENTS
HAVE EVER BEEN REPORTED.
HOW FREQUENTLY DO THEY
HAVE TO BE RECALIBRATED?
ABOUT ONCE EVERY 16.5
HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME.
THAT'S ACTUALLY PRETTY GOOD
FOR A CHIP-DRIVEN
AVIONICS SYSTEM.
HERE IT IS.
ARE THOSE FIGURES
FOR NAVY OR AIR FORCE?
THEY DIDN'T SEPARATE THEM.
DO IT. YES, SIR.
SORRY WE'RE LATE, SIR.
WE WERE MISDIRECTED.
IS THAT A PILOT'S WAY OF
SAYING "LOST," LIEUTENANT?
PILOTS DON'T GET LOST, MR. REID,
JUST MOMENTARILY DISORIENTED.
(Bishop) LET'S GET
STARTED, LIEUTENANT STANS.
AYE, SIR.
WE HAVE 2 VISUALS FOR YOU TODAY.
FIRST, BASED UPON
THE MISSION PROFILE,
WE HAVE A COMPUTER-ANIMATED
COCKPIT VIEW
OF LIEUTENANT PENDRY'S ATTACK
AS IT WAS INTENDED
TO BE EXECUTED.
(man) READY, SIR.
HERE LIEUTENANT PENDRY IS MAKING
HIS DESCENT TO INITIATE HIS ATTACK,
[computer beeping] POINT BRAVO.
THIS IS WHERE HE ENGAGED APTERN
AND RADIOED LIEUTENANT
McKEE TO INITIATE HER ATTACK.
AS YOU CAN SEE, APTERN, WITH
ITS PREPROGRAMMED FLIGHT PATH,
IS TAKING MAXIMUM
ADVANTAGE OF THE TERRAIN
AS IT APPROACHES THE TARGET.
POINT CHARLIE.
[computer beeping] THIS IS
WHERE HE FIRES HIS MAVERICKS,
AND BREAKS AWAY TO ESCAPE
ON A PREPROGRAMMED ROUTE.
THAT'S WHAT WAS
SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN.
HERE'S WHAT DID.
LIEUTENANT PENDRY MADE
HIS DESCENT ON PROFILE.
AND HE CROSSED
POINT BRAVO ON PROFILE.
[men chattering on radio]
BUT AT 1.5 SECONDS
BEFORE POINT CHARLIE...
HE GOES INVERTED AND
IMPACTS THE GROUND
SEVEN-TENTHS OF A SECOND LATER.
LOOKED TO ME LIKE
LIEUTENANT PENDRY SHIFTED
TO SHUT OFF THE APTERN AND TAKE
CONTROL BEFORE GOING INVERTED.
I DIDN'T SEE THAT.
IT APPEARS THAT
HE DID, LIEUTENANT.
THE APTERN SYSTEM
USES AN INDENTED SWITCH
DESIGNED TO LOCK INTO
PLACE WHEN IT IS ENGAGED.
BUT IT WAS IN THE
"OFF" POSITION.
CAN'T BLAME APTERN
IF IT WASN'T EVEN ON.
UNLESS HE SHUT IT OFF
BECAUSE IT WAS MALFUNCTIONING.
APTERN DOESN'T
MALFUNCTION, LIEUTENANT RABB.
THOSE GRIPE SHEETS LIEUTENANT
AUSTIN HAS WILL BEAR ME OUT.
EVEN IF IT DID,
APTERN'S DESIGNED
TO AUTOMATICALLY
ROLL THE WINGS LEVEL,
AND INITIATE A 4G PITCH UP.
WHAT IF THAT WAS MALFUNCTIONING?
FACE IT, LIEUTENANT.
HE THOUGHT HE COULD
DO BETTER ON HIS OWN.
SO HE SHUT APTERN DOWN AND
WENT OVER THE HILL INVERTED.
TO AVOID NEGATIVE Gs.
EXACTLY.
TO STAY LOW OVER THE HILL WOULD HAVE
SUBJECTED HIM TO TOO MANY NEGATIVE G's.
INVERTED, HE COULD HAVE STAYED
ON THE DECK AND GOT OFF HIS SHOT.
FROM ALL I HEAR, LIEUTENANT
PENDRY WAS A MAN WHO LIKED TO WIN.
MAYBE HE THOUGHT
THIS WAS THE ONLY WAY.
HE WASN'T RECKLESS, MR. REID.
I APPRECIATE YOUR
POSITION, LIEUTENANT RABB.
I REALLY DO.
YOU ROOM WITH A MAN IN
FLIGHT SCHOOL, IT FORMS A BOND.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO DROP A
BOMBSHELL, LIEUTENANT.
I ASSUMED YOU DISCLOSED YOUR
RELATIONSHIP WITH LIEUTENANT PENDRY
BEFORE ACCEPTING
THIS ASSIGNMENT.
IT WILL IN NO WAY UNDERMINE
MY OBJECTIVITY, MR. REID.
IT ALREADY HAS, LIEUTENANT.
♪ [music playing]
[people laughing]
[chattering]
MIND IF I JOIN YOU, LIEUTENANT?
NOT AT ALL.
I HEARD THAT YOU
STUCK UP FOR LUKE.
I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU HOW
MUCH THE HOWLERS APPRECIATE THAT.
I'M STANDING UP FOR
THE TRUTH, LIEUTENANT,
WHICH I HOPE IS ON LUKE'S SIDE.
[man hammering]
[people laughing]
(man) WHAT'S THAT
GOING UP THERE FOR?
I THOUGHT THESE GUYS WERE
ALL SUPPOSED TO BE LEGENDS?
THEY ARE.
SOME LEGEND. HE ALMOST
TOOK 2 OF MY MEN WITH HIM.
(Moore) ALL A FLYBOY'S GOT TO DO
TO GET UP ON THAT WALL
IS SCREW THE POOCH.
[men laughing]
[men exclaiming]
(man #1) COME ON, MOORE!
SORRY, SHE WAS HIS WINGMAN.
WELL, SHE'S ACTING LIKE SHE
WAS MORE THAN JUST HIS WINGMAN.
[McKee grunts]
[crowd heckling]
[glass shatters] WHAT
THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?
I DON'T HIT WOMEN!
NEITHER DO I.
[men exclaiming]
[crowd cheering]
(man #2) LET'S GO, COME ON.
I'M ALL FOR EQUALITY, HONEY.
BUT YOU DON'T WANT
TO BE TREATED EQUAL
IN A MARINE BRAWL.
WOULD YOU... LIEUTENANT,
LET'S GET OUT OF HERE!
(man #3) COME ON
BACK HERE! COME ON!
(guard) THANK YOU, SIR.
HAVE A GOOD EVENING
♪ [music playing on radio]
[sighing] SORRY, LIEUTENANT.
THANKS FOR JUMPING IN THERE.
THAT GYRENE TICKED ME OFF.
REALLY?
IT'S THIS NEXT LEFT.
HOW LONG DID YOU FLY WITH LUKE?
6 MONTHS.
HANG OUT TOGETHER MUCH?
[laughs]
YOU KNOW, OTHER PILOTS
HANG OUT WITH EACH OTHER.
PEOPLE... PEOPLE DON'T AUTOMATICALLY
ASSUME THEY'RE SLEEPING TOGETHER.
THIS IS IT.
THANKS FOR THE RIDE.
YOU SAVED ME CAB FARE.
ANYTIME, LIEUTENANT.
YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GONNA SAY I
DIDN'T HAVE FEELINGS FOR LUKE.
I WANT HIM BACK
MORE THAN ANYTHING.
SO DO I.
[officer sounding off]
[guns cocking]
TAKE AIM, AND...
FIRE!
AIM.
FIRE!
AIM.
FIRE!
[continues sounding off]
[jet planes roaring]
MRS. PENDRY, JAMES REID.
I REPRESENT A
MILITARY CONTRACTOR.
I WANTED TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH
WE RESPECTED YOUR HUSBAND.
HE'S A GREAT LOSS FOR ALL OF US.
THANK YOU, MR. REID.
YOUNG MAN, YOUR
FATHER WAS A FINE MAN
AND A FINE PILOT.
YOU SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF HIM.
COME ON, HONEY.
I'LL BE IN TOUCH.
OK.
I WISH YOU MEANT THAT, MR. REID.
LIEUTENANT, NONE
OF THIS IS PERSONAL.
JUST BECAUSE I HAVE A JOB TO DO,
DOESN'T MEAN I'M NOT SORRY THE MAN'S DEAD.
GEE, YOU'RE A
REAL SENSITIVE GUY.
SO LONG AS IT DOESN'T
INTERFERE WITH THE BOTTOM LINE.
EVERYBODY'S GOT A
FAMILY TO FEED, LIEUTENANT.
EVEN PEOPLE WHO
WORK FOR CORPORATIONS.
MRS. PENDRY SEEMS
LIKE A FINE WOMAN.
LITTLE BOY'S NICE, TOO.
IT WOULD BE A SHAME IF LIEUTENANT
PENDRY'S MEMORY WAS MARRED BY SOMETHING...
UGLY.
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?
SOMETIMES IT'S BETTER JUST TO
LET THINGS GO, LIEUTENANT RABB.
WHAT DID HE MEAN?
I'M NOT SURE.
I OWE YOU AN
APOLOGY, LIEUTENANT.
YOU'RE MY PARTNER.
I SHOULD HAVE TOLD YOU ABOUT MY
FRIENDSHIP WITH LIEUTENANT PENDRY.
NO APOLOGY NECESSARY, SIR.
SIR, IS IT POSSIBLE YOU MIGHT BE
A LITTLE TOO
PERSONALLY INVOLVED?
I DON'T QUESTION YOUR
INTEGRITY FOR A SECOND, HARM.
BUT YOU ARE HUMAN.
YOU CARE ABOUT
LIEUTENANT PENDRY,
YOU CARE ABOUT HIS FAMILY.
I JUST DON'T BELIEVE
HE SCREWED THE POOCH.
HOW CAN YOU BE SO SURE WITH
ALL THE EVIDENCE AGAINST HIM?
I CAN'T EXPLAIN IT, MEG.
YOU FLY WITH A GUY,
YOU GET TO KNOW HIM.
MAYBE BETTER THAN
YOU KNOW YOURSELF.
THAT WAS YEARS AGO.
PEOPLE CHANGE.
IN SOME WAYS, MAYBE.
BUT IF ANYTHING,
MOST PILOTS I'VE KNOWN
BECOME MORE CAREFUL
ONCE THEY HAVE KIDS.
LUKE MAY HAVE BEEN
COMPETITIVE, BUT HE WASN'T CRAZY.
THE ONLY PROBLEM IS,
HOW ARE YOU GONNA
PROVE IT, HARM?
SENDING MALFUNCTION NOW.
[engines roaring]
HAVEN'T WE SEEN ENOUGH? THAT'S THE 8TH
MALFUNCTION WE'RE CREATED FOR APTERN.
AND EVERY TIME IT'S PUT HIM INTO
A WING LEVEL, NOSE-UP RECOVERY.
CALL IT A DAY, LIEUTENANT RABB.
I'D LIKE TO TRY ANOTHER, SIR.
LIEUTENANT,
WE'VE FED EVERY MALFUNCTION
WE'VE CREATED FOR APTERN
AND IT HASN'T CRASHED YOU YET!
IF YOU WANT TO TRY SOMETHING,
TRY FLYING THE MISSION INVERTED
LIKE LIEUTENANT PENDRY DID.
(Harm) ROGER THAT.
(Stans) ARE YOU SURE
YOU WANT TO TRY
THIS WITHOUT APTERN?
ONLY WAY TO KNOW.
(Stans) COMING UP
ON POINT BRAVO.
[beeping]
HERE WE GO.
[engines whining]
[alarm beeping]
(Stans) PULL OUT! PULL OUT!
I'M TOO LOW!
(technician) AFTERBURN
SIM, STANDING BY.
(Reid) YOU'RE DEAD,
LIEUTENANT. BASELINE GRID ZERO.
ONCE YOU INVERTED THAT
LOW, YOU DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE.
NOW WILL YOU WRITE
UP YOUR REPORT?
WE STILL DON'T KNOW WHY
LIEUTENANT PENDRY WAS INVERTED.
BECAUSE HE WANTED TO WIN!
COULD THERE BE AN
INTERFACE PROBLEM
BETWEEN APTERN
AND THE AUTOPILOT?
IT WOULD'VE SHOWN
UP ON THE PRINTOUT.
LIEUTENANT RABB, I'D LIKE TO
BELIEVE IT WAS APTERN AND NOT LUKE,
BUT YOU'VE EXHAUSTED
ALL POSSIBILITIES.
(Bishop) I THINK IT'S
TIME WE FACED REALITY.
PERHAPS NOT, SIR.
DO YOU KNOW HOW OFTEN
APTERN HAS TO BE RECALIBRATED?
AN AVERAGE OF ONCE
EVERY 16.5 FLIGHT HOURS.
WELL, THAT'S A COMBINED FIGURE
FOR THE AIR FORCE AND THE NAVY.
THE AIR FORCE FIGURE IS 22.3.
AND IN THE NAVY, IT HAS TO BE
RECALIBRATED EVERY 8.1 HOURS.
THAT'S NEARLY 3 TIMES AS OFTEN.
IT'S RELATIVELY NEW TO THE NAVY.
YOUR TECHNICIANS AREN'T AS
PROFICIENT AS THE AIR FORCE YET.
I WONDER WHEN LIEUTENANT
PENDRY'S APTERN WAS RECALIBRATED?
I'LL CHECK IT OUT.
NO, MR. REID. WE WILL.
YOU DON'T QUIT, DO
YOU, LIEUTENANT?
NO, SIR.
WELL, NEITHER DO
I, LIEUTENANT RABB.
[officer sounding off]
WHAT'S WRONG, LIEUTENANT?
WE MAY FINALLY BE ON
TO SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT.
I DON'T THINK SO, SIR.
I LOOKED UP THE
MAINTENANCE REPORT
ON LIEUTENANT PENDRY'S TOMCAT.
APTERN WAS RECALIBRATED
THE MORNING OF HIS FINAL FLIGHT.
WELL, WHY DIDN'T YOU
SAY SO IN THE ROOM?
I DIDN'T WANT TO GIVE
MR. REID THE SATISFACTION.
WE HAVE TO PROMPTLY
DISCLOSE FACTS, LIEUTENANT.
PRO OR CON. YES, SIR.
THERE HAS TO BE A REASON
FOR THE INTERVAL DIFFERENCE
BEYOND TECHNICIANS
GETTING UP TO SPEED.
IF YOU SAY SO, SIR.
YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME?
I BELIEVE LIEUTENANT PENDRY
WAS A CLOSE PERSONAL FRIEND,
AND YOU'RE GRASPING AT
STRAWS AND YOU HAVE ME DOING IT.
SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING
REID WOULD SAY.
I DON'T LIKE HIM ANY
MORE THAN YOU DO, HARM.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN EVERYTHING
THAT COMES OUT OF HIS MOUTH IS WRONG.
ANYTHING ELSE?
I'VE BEEN HEARING RUMORS ABOUT
LIEUTENANT PENDRY AND McKEE.
SO HAVE I. I DON'T BELIEVE THEM.
WELL, IF TRUE, IT COULD EXPLAIN
WHY HE WOULD TRY SOMETHING
AS RISKY AS GOING IN INVERTED.
WHAT, YOU WANT TO WRITE THIS UP
AS SHOWING OFF FOR A GIRLFRIEND?
IF HE WAS HAVING
PERSONAL PROBLEMS,
IT COULD HAVE
AFFECTED HIS FLYING.
NOT LUKE!
REID'S PROBABLY
HEARD THE RUMORS.
I'M SURE HE HAS.
HE'LL USE THEM. YES, HE WILL.
HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT HOW
THAT COULD AFFECT HIS FAMILY?
MEG, THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT
SALVAGING LUKE'S REPUTATION
OR PROTECTING HIS FAMILY.
IF APTERN'S FLAWED,
FINDING THE FLAW
WILL SAVE LIVES.
AND THAT IS OUR
ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY.
YOU SOUND LIKE MY DAD.
UH-OH.
I'M IN TROUBLE WHEN YOU START
COMPARING ME TO YOUR FATHER.
MY BROTHER?
EVEN WORSE.
[giggles]
[sighing]
[dog barking]
HELLO?
ANNIE?
(young boy's voice) MOM?
(Annie) HARM! I'M SORRY. I
DIDN'T HEAR YOU COME IN.
UH, THAT'S OK. I'M EARLY.
YOU FIXED IT!
GOOD AS NEW.
WILL YOU HELP ME FLY IT, SIR?
WELL...
GO ON. JOIN YOU OUTSIDE.
COOL.
(Josh) BZZZ!
[jet engine droning]
LET ME SEE. I'M NOT
CHECKED OUT IN THIS MODEL.
HOW'D YOU DO THAT?
TWEAKED IN A LITTLE UP ELEVATOR.
WHAT'S THAT DO?
IT PUTS DOWN
PRESSURE ON THE TAIL
WHICH CAUSES THE NOSE TO RISE.
THE AIR TRAVELS AT
DIFFERENT SPEEDS
OVER THE TOP AND
BOTTOM CONTROL SURFACES,
BREAKING THE LIFT ON THE...
NEXT TIME YOU'RE IN A CAR,
STICK YOUR HAND OUT THE WINDOW.
TILT IT LIKE THIS AND
YOUR ARM WILL FLY UP
JUST LIKE YOUR TOMCAT.
(Annie) GO WASH UP, YOUNG MAN.
I'M CLEAN.
(scoffs) YEAH.
YOU'RE FILTHY! I SHOULD MAKE
YOU TAKE A BATH BEFORE DINNER.
I'M GONNA FLY FIRST.
(Harm) JOSH!
LISTEN TO YOUR MOM.
YES, SIR.
A MAN'S VOICE.
WOMEN LIKE TO THINK IT DOESN'T
MAKE A DIFFERENCE, BUT IT DOES.
OH, I DON'T KNOW.
AFTER MY DAD WENT DOWN,
MY MOM KEPT A PRETTY
TIGHT REIN ON ME.
HARM, I FORGOT ALL ABOUT THAT.
HOW OLD WERE YOU?
JOSH'S AGE.
AND YOU BECAME A NAVAL AVIATOR
BECAUSE YOUR DAD WAS ONE.
WELL, I SUPPOSE THAT
HAD A LOT TO DO WITH IT.
I DON'T WANT JOSH FLYING.
HE'S ONLY 6, ANNIE.
YEAH, THAT'S WHEN IT STARTS.
I SUPPOSE LUKE WASN'T
AROUND ANY MORE THAN MY DAD.
2 YEARS AND 6 MONTHS OUT OF
NEARLY 8 YEARS OF MARRIAGE.
BUT WHEN HE WAS HOME...
[crying] IT WAS PERFECT.
MAYBE BECAUSE OF ALL THE
TIME HE WAS AWAY, I DON'T KNOW.
HOW DO THE WIVES FEEL
NOW THAT WOMEN ARE
BEING DEPLOYED AT SEA?
[sighing] MOST OF
THEM DON'T LIKE IT.
IT NEVER BOTHERED ME.
EVEN WITH A WINGMAN AS
PRETTY AS LIEUTENANT McKEE?
[scoffs]
HE WASN'T SLEEPING WITH TESS.
ANNIE... NO, LISTEN!
I'VE HEARD THE RUMORS. AND
THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE. RUMORS.
ANNIE, I'M SORRY. I...
IT'S JUST BEEN SUGGESTED
THAT PERSONAL PROBLEMS
MIGHT HAVE PLAYED A
PART IN THE ACCIDENT.
WITH WHAT LUKE AND I HAD,
HE DIDN'T HAVE TO
LOOK ANYWHERE ELSE.
LUKE WAS MINE.
[voice breaking] AND I WAS HIS.
AND THAT'S JUST
THE WAY IT WAS, OK?
DON'T SHOW 'EM TO ME.
LIEUTENANT RABB'S THE
INSPECTING OFFICER THIS EVENING.
(Josh) ZZZZ!
[people chattering]
(Meg) LIEUTENANT PENDRY
SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF FUN.
♪ [music playing]
YEAH, HE WAS THAT.
YOU SPEND MUCH TIME
WITH HIM AND ANNIE?
SOME. UH-OH.
LIEUTENANTS.
CAN I BUY YOU A DRINK
AS A WAY OF APOLOGIZING?
SOME OTHER NIGHT.
NAME IT.
I'LL LET YOU KNOW.
I'LL BE WAITING.
(marine) YOU AREN'T
PLAYING WITH A FULL DECK.
MARINES.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THE
ONLY SPECIES ON THE PLANET
THAT WOULD DEVELOP A CRUSH
ON YOU IF YOU PUNCH 'EM OUT?
SO WHERE WERE WE?
OH, I THINK YOU KNOW
WHERE WE WERE, LIEUTENANT.
OR AT LEAST, WHERE
WE WERE HEADED.
YOU KNOW WHAT, LET ME ASK
THE QUESTIONS FOR A SECOND.
DO YOU FIND LIEUTENANT
RABB ATTRACTIVE?
UM, YEAH.
YOU WORK TOGETHER, SEE
HIM OFF DUTY OCCASIONALLY.
YEAH.
DO YOU SLEEP WITH HIM?
[laughs]
FAIR'S FAIR, LIEUTENANT.
I'M THE ONE CONDUCTING
THE INVESTIGATION.
WELL, LET ME PUT IT THIS WAY.
DO YOU THINK IT'S POSSIBLE YOU
MIGHT SLEEP WITH HIM SOME DAY?
I... I DON'T KNOW. I GUESS
ANYTHING'S POSSIBLE.
IF HE WERE MARRIED?
NO.
THAT'S NOT A POSSIBILITY.
WHY NOT?
BECAUSE THAT'S NOT WHO I AM.
AND THAT'S NOT WHO HE IS.
THAT'S NOT WHO WE WERE, EITHER.
IF I HAD TO BET,
I'D BET AGAINST IT.
BUT YOU'RE NOT SURE. NO.
BUT HE IS.
GOING TO WRAP THIS
UP TODAY, LIEUTENANTS?
(Harm) I DOUBT IT, SIR.
THEN I THINK YOU
SHOULD READ THIS.
"A SOURCE CLOSE TO THE
INVESTIGATION OF THE CRASH
"WHICH CLAIMED THE
LIVES OF NAVY LIEUTENANTS
"LUCAS PENDRY AND STUART MARCUS
"REVEALED THAT LIEUTENANT
PENDRY HAD AN AFFAIR
"WITH HIS FEMALE WINGMAN,
RESULTING IN HER PREGNANCY
AND SUBSEQUENT ABORTION."
YOU BASTARD! HARM, NO!
CHECK THE DATE.
THE PAPER. CHECK THE DATE.
IT'S THE 5TH. THAT'S TOMORROW.
THAT'S A MOCK-UP OF WHAT
THE WORLD WILL SEE TOMORROW,
IF YOU DON'T CONCLUDE
YOUR INVESTIGATION TODAY.
YOU CAN'T BLACKMAIL
US WITH AN UGLY LIE.
IT'S NOT A LIE, LIEUTENANT.
AFFIDAVITS.
FROM PEOPLE WHO SAW
LIEUTENANTS PENDRY AND McKEE
TOGETHER IN BARS.
A DOCTOR'S BILL FOR A D&C,
WHICH WE ALL KNOW, IS A
EUPHEMISM FOR ABORTION.
AND AFFIDAVITS FROM 2 NURSES
WHO SAW LIEUTENANT PENDRY
PICK LIEUTENANT McKEE
UP AT THE HOSPITAL.
ALL CIRCUMSTANTIAL.
WE'RE NOT IN A COURT
OF LAW, LIEUTENANT.
EVEN IF IT'S TRUE, IT
DOESN'T PROVE PILOT ERROR.
SOMEHOW I DON'T THINK THE
NAVY WOULD AGREE WITH YOU.
AND THE PUBLIC CERTAINLY WON'T.
I DON'T WANT TO TARNISH
THE MEMORY OF A BRAVE MAN,
OR EMBARRASS HIS FAMILY.
BUT I DO INTEND TO
PROTECT MACROPLEX
FROM INVESTIGATING
OFFICERS WEARING BLINDERS.
HOW FAR I HAVE
TO GO TO DO THAT...
IS UP TO YOU.
[plane engines roaring]
PERMISSION TO COME ABOARD, SIR.
PERMISSION GRANTED.
NOT MUCH ROOM IN HERE.
YOU WEAR A FIGHTER COCKPIT.
LIKE A PAIR OF PANTYHOSE.
DID SHE DENY IT?
NOPE.
AND IT WASN'T AN ABORTION.
SHE MISCARRIED.
I THOUGHT BETTER OF LUKE.
NO NEED TO CHANGE YOUR OPINION.
HE WASN'T THE FATHER.
WHO WAS?
PRIVILEGED INFORMATION.
WE'RE ON THE SAME TEAM, MEG.
MY TELLING YOU IS
NOT GOING TO CHANGE
THE OUTCOME OF OUR
INVESTIGATION, HARM.
WHERE'S APTERN?
HERE. NEXT TO THE AUTOPILOT.
YOU STILL THINK IT'S AT FAULT?
THERE IS NO WAY LUKE WOULD HAVE
INTENTIONALLY INVERTED THAT LOW.
DID LIEUTENANT STANS FEED
EVERY POSSIBLE APTERN
MALFUNCTION INTO THE SIMULATOR?
EVERYTHING ANYONE
COULD THINK OF.
MAYBE IT'S SOME SEEMINGLY
INSIGNIFICANT THING LUKE DID
THAT HAD NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE.
FATE IS THE HUNTER.
WHAT?
IT'S A FILM. EVERYONE
WANTS TO BLAME
A FATAL CRASH ON THE
DEAD PILOT, ROD TAYLOR.
WHO'S ROD TAYLOR?
AN ACTOR.
THEY SAID IT WAS PILOT ERROR
BUT GLENN FORD DIDN'T BELIEVE 'EM.
ANOTHER ACTOR?
SO HE RECREATES THE FLIGHT
DOWN TO THE SMALLEST DETAIL.
ON A COMPUTER?
THEY DIDN'T HAVE COMPUTERS.
I SAW THIS MOVIE
WHEN I WAS A KID.
OH, YOU MEAN WAY BACK.
EVEN HAD SUZANNE PLESHETTE,
WHO PLAYED THE
SURVIVING STEWARDESS...
OH, I KNOW HER.
BRING COFFEE TO THE COCKPIT,
LIKE SHE DID THE
NIGHT OF THE CRASH.
TURNS OUT TO BE THE KEY
TO WHY THEY WENT DOWN.
COFFEE?
HE PUT THE CUP ON THE CONSOLE.
WHEN THEY LOST AN
ENGINE, IT SPILLED,
SHORTING OUT ALL THE INSTRUMENTS
WHICH THEN GAVE
THEM FALSE READINGS.
I DON'T THINK LIEUTENANT
PENDRY HAD COFFEE IN HIS COCKPIT.
OH, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT HE
HAD OR DID THE NIGHT OF THE CRASH
AND NO COMPUTER CAN EXACTLY
DUPLICATE THAT, UNLESS I...
PLAY GLENN FORD. EXACTLY!
BUT THERE IS NO WAY IN
HELL I'LL EVER GET PERMISSION.
MAYBE THERE IS.
LIEUTENANT RABB, IT IS
OUT OF THE QUESTION.
SIR, THERE ARE UNKNOWNS
THE COMPUTER CAN'T FACTOR.
LIEUTENANT, THERE WAS
NOTHING WRONG WITH APTERN.
THE ONLY PERSON WHO
WON'T ACCEPT THAT IS YOU.
I'D LIKE A CHANCE TO
FIND OUT, COMMANDER.
IF SOMETHING WENT WRONG,
IT COULD END MY
CAREER AND YOUR LIFE.
I'M WILLING TO RISK IT, SIR.
I'M NOT.
LIEUTENANT PENDRY
WAS A GOOD MAN.
BUT HE WAS HUMAN.
HE MADE A MISTAKE.
HE WASN'T THE ONLY
ONE, COMMANDER.
MEANING?
I UNDERSTAND LIEUTENANT McKEE
BECAME PREGNANT RECENTLY, SIR.
THAT'S HER BUSINESS, LIEUTENANT.
PROVIDED IT DOESN'T
INTERFERE WITH HER DUTIES.
YES, SIR.
BUT THE FATHER WAS A
MEMBER OF THIS SQUADRON
AND MR. REID IS GOING
TO MAKE THAT PUBLIC.
DAMN HIM!
HE BELIEVES LIEUTENANT
PENDRY WAS THE FATHER.
PEOPLE MAKE MISTAKES.
A MAN SHOULDN'T HAVE
TO RISK LOSING HIS CAREER
FOR ONE MISTAKE.
NO, SIR.
IF I CAN'T PROVE IT
WASN'T PILOT ERROR,
MR. REID WILL MAKE PUBLIC
WHAT HE BELIEVES TO BE TRUE.
IT'S HARD ENOUGH FOR A BOY
TO GROW UP WITHOUT HIS FATHER.
HE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO
BE ASHAMED OF HIM, TOO.
(Stans) WEIGHT, BALANCE,
ORDNANCE, FUEL LOAD.
EVERY SPEC IDENTICAL TO
LIEUTENANT PENDRY'S LAST FLIGHT.
(Meg) EXCEPT NO
ONE'S IN THE BACK SEAT.
(Harm) CAN'T RISK IT. I CAN.
NO, WAY, LIEUTENANT.
HE WAS MY FRIEND, TOO.
IF NO ONE'S IN THE BACK SEAT,
THEN IT WON'T BE THE
SAME AS LUKE'S LAST FLIGHT.
I'LL COMPENSATE
WITH DEAD WEIGHT.
DEAD WEIGHT CAN'T HAND
YOU A CUP OF COFFEE, SIR.
WHAT?
FATE IS THE HUNTER, SUZANNE PLESHETTE
GAVE GLENN FORD A CUP OF COFFEE.
SEE... GO GET YOUR
FLIGHT GEAR, LIEUTENANT.
YOU TAKE OFF IN 5 MINUTES.
PROCEED TO THE AMERICA,
THEN MAKE 5 LANDINGS,
THEN FLY THE MISSION.
5 TRAPS?
THAT'S WHAT LIEUTENANT PENDRY
DID THE MORNING OF HIS FLIGHT.
THAT'S LIKE PREPARING
FOR A FOOTBALL GAME
WITH 5 BOXING MATCHES.
GOOD LUCK, HARM.
THANKS, MEG.
(McKee) HOOK DOWN,
GEAR DOWN AND LOCKED.
TOMCAT 04.
BALL. 8.9.
[both grunting]
SORRY. I'M A LITTLE RUSTY.
[laughing] YOU'RE NOT RUSTY,
LIEUTENANT. YOU'RE CORRODED.
[jet engines revving]
[both grunting]
[continue grunting]
THANK GOD THAT'S OVER.
YOU'RE MAKING ME WISH
I'D JOINED THE AIR FORCE.
[engines roaring]
(Harm) MIRAMAR CONTROL,
TOMCAT 04, POINT ALPHA.
(ATC) 04, MIRAMAR CONTROL.
YOU ARE CLEARED TO THE RANGE.
04, ROGER.
HERE WE GO.
APTERN ZEROED AT POINT BRAVO.
ENGAGING APTERN.
[beeps]
(Harm) I'M HANDS OFF.
APPROACHING POINT CHARLIE.
THE APTERN ALTITUDE
INDICATOR JUST INVERTED!
SHUT IT OFF!
NEGATIVE! I'M OVER-RIDING FIRST!
APTERN'S STILL
INDICATING WE'RE INVERTED.
SHUTTING IT DOWN NOW.
[alarm beeping]
COME ON, HARM. PULL UP.
[continues beeping]
WHEN YOU DISENGAGE APTERN,
IT'S PROGRAMMED TO ROLL
WINGS LEVEL WITH A 4G PITCH UP.
WHICH IS FINE UNLESS APTERN
THINKS YOU'RE FLYING UPSIDE DOWN.
THEN IT THROWS YOU
ON YOUR BACK AND DOWN.
IT MUST HAVE INVERTED
ON LUKE, TOO. YES!
IT ROLLED HIM OVER AND
DOVE HIM INTO THE GROUND.
WHAT MADE APTERN
THINK YOU WERE INVERTED?
MY GUESS IS THOSE 5 TRAPS
I MADE BEFORE THE MISSION
DID SOMETHING TO IT.
(Meg) THAT'S WHY THE
RECALIBRATION FREQUENCY
IS HIGHER FOR THE NAVY
THAN THE AIR FORCE.
APTERN WASN'T DESIGNED TO TAKE
THE POUNDING OF CARRIER LANDINGS.
IT WILL BE.
THANKS TO LIEUTENANTS
RABB AND McKEE.
IT WASN'T LUKE'S FAULT, TESS.
(ATC) 04, MIRAMAR.
WILL YOU BE RETURNING TO BASE?
MIRAMAR, 04.
WE'RE GONNA ORBIT
THE AREA FOR A WHILE.
(Annie) COME ON, JOSH.
WE'RE GONNA BE
LATE FOR THE MOVIES.
YOU KNOW, YOUR UNCLE JIM WANTS TO
TAKE YOU TO THE PADRES GAME THIS WEEKEND.
COOL. HE'S A DOCTOR.
I KNOW. DOCTORS ARE
VERY IMPORTANT, JOSH.
THEY HELP PEOPLE WHO ARE SICK.
THEY SAVE LIVES.
IT'S JUST SOMETHING YOU
MIGHT WANT TO THINK ABOUT,
WHEN YOU'RE GETTING OLDER, AND YOU
DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT TO DO WITH YOUR LIFE.
[roaring]
(Pendry) OOH, YEAH!
HAWK-EYE HAS 2 INBOUND BOGIES.
WE NAIL THEM, WE'LL HAVE
BAGGED THE WHOLE SQUADRON.
THAT'LL TEACH THE SQUIDS
NOT TO MESS WITH MARINES.
(Pendry on radio) MIRAMAR
CONTROL, RED DOG 15,
THIS IS POINT ALPHA
WITH A FLIGHT OF 2.
(ATC) 15, MIRAMAR CONTROL.
YOU ARE CLEARED TO THE RANGE.
15, ROGER.
WILD CAT. RED DOG. YOU READY
TO SAVE THE SQUADRON'S HONOR?
READY AND ABLE, RED DOG.
HOW LOW YOU GONNA GO?
HEY, BURROWING ANIMALS
BETTER NOT STICK THEIR HEADS UP.
[laughing]
SEE YOU ON DECK, WILD CAT.
COPY THAT, RED DOG.
[engines screaming]
POINT BRAVO IN 10 SECONDS.
BETTER PICK YOUR FEET UP.
(Marcus) ALREADY
SITTING ON THEM, SIR.
(Pendry) APTERN ENGAGED.
[beeps] I'M HANDS OFF.
RED DOG AT POINT BRAVO.
(McKee) 39. COMING DOWN.
APTERN'S GOT US TOO
HIGH. THEY'RE GONNA NAIL US.
(Marcus) WE NEED TO
TEACH THIS COMPUTER
SOME MOVES, SIR.
CONTACT, I THINK.
THERE!
[alarm beeping]
HAWK-EYE! FLY CATCHER!
AIRCRAFT DOWN! AIRCRAFT DOWN!
(ATC) 39, MIRAMAR
CONTROL. ABORT. ABORT.
CLIMB TO ANGELS 15. ESTABLISH
LEFT HAND ORBIT. OVER.
(McKee) 39 CLIMBING
TO ANGELS 15.
WHY THE ABORT, MIRAMAR?
WE HAVE AN AIRCRAFT DOWN.
39, DO YOU SEE A
PARACHUTE? OVER.
NEGATIVE, MIRAMAR. 39
DOES NOT SEE A PARACHUTE.
[people chattering]
SIR!
LIEUTENANT PENDRY'S MISSION
WAS TO SIMULATE TAKING
OUT AN AVENGER MISSILE UNIT
MANNED BY MARINES.
IT WAS THE TOUGHEST
MISSION PROFILE
IN OUR INTRA-SQUADRON
COMPETITION.
NONE OF THE HOWLERS, THAT'S LIEUTENANT
PENDRY'S SQUADRON, TOOK IT OUT.
HE... WHAT WAS THE
MISSION PROFILE?
WELL, BASICALLY IT WAS
COMING IN LOW IN ONE DIRECTION,
WHILE HIS WINGMAN MADE
HER APPROACH FROM ANOTHER.
HIS WINGMAN'S A FEMALE?
LIEUTENANT TESS McKEE.
ONE OF THE BEST
FROM WHAT I HEAR.
DID THE MARINES GET A LOCK ON
LIEUTENANT PENDRY BEFORE HE AUGURED IN?
NOPE. THEY DIDN'T SEE HIM
TILL HE CAME OVER THAT HILL.
INVERTED.
HIS PROFILE CALLED FOR
LOW-LEVEL INVERTED FLIGHT?
NO, SIR. AND HE
WAS FLYING APTERN.
IT'S DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND
WHY HE WAS INVERTED.
APTERN?
AUTO PRECISION TERRAIN
RADAR NAVIGATION.
I KNOW WHAT IT IS. BUT
IT'S AN AIR FORCE SYSTEM.
WHAT'S IT DOING
IN A NAVY TOMCAT?
DEFENSE CUTBACKS, SIR.
D.O.D. IS PUSHING HARD FOR
INTER-SERVICE SYSTEMS COMMONALITY.
IT SAVES R&D.
WELL, UNFORTUNATELY SOMETIMES
YOU SAVE MONEY, YOU LOSE LIVES.
THE TRUTH IS, WE'VE NEVER HAD ANY
PROBLEM WITH THE APTERN SYSTEM.
UNTIL NOW.
THIS CRASH WASN'T CAUSED
BY APTERN, LIEUTENANT.
JAMES REID, MACROPLEX.
LIEUTENANTS RABB
AND AUSTIN, JAG.
I TAKE IT MACROPLEX
MANUFACTURES APTERN.
THAT'S RIGHT, LIEUTENANT. WE CHECK EVERY
INCIDENT INVOLVING ONE OF OUR SYSTEMS.
IN FACT, THE
PENTAGON REQUIRES IT.
NOT ALL OF OUR PRODUCTS ARE
PERFECT, BUT APTERN'S CLOSE TO IT.
EVEN IF IT CAUSED THIS CRASH?
TELL YOU WHAT, LIEUTENANT RABB.
IF YOU DON'T JUMP TO
CONCLUSIONS ABOUT APTERN,
I WON'T JUMP TO CONCLUSIONS
ABOUT LIEUTENANT PENDRY.
FAIR ENOUGH?
FAIR ENOUGH.
OBVIOUSLY, LIEUTENANTS PENDRY
AND MARCUS WERE KILLED INSTANTLY.
WE HAVE REMOVED THEIR BODIES.
BUT THERE MAY STILL BE
BODY PARTS IN THE AREA.
(Bishop) LUKE WAS ONE
OF THE BEST. A NATURAL.
MAYBE THAT'S WHY HE COULD PUSH THE
ENVELOPE A LITTLE FURTHER THAN MOST.
(Meg) HE TOOK CHANCES, SIR?
IN THIS BUSINESS,
YOU TAKE A CHANCE
EVERY TIME YOU
GO UP, LIEUTENANT.
YES, SIR. BUT YOU IMPLIED
THAT HE TOOK MORE THAN MOST,
OR DO I NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT
"PUSHING THE ENVELOPE" MEANS, SIR.
PERHAPS YOU DON'T.
AS I UNDERSTAND IT, SIR,
IT MEANS GOING TO THE
KNOWN LIMIT OF AN AIRCRAFT,
AND THEN A LITTLE BEYOND.
CLOSE ENOUGH. AND WE ALL DO IT,
AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER.
YES, SIR. BUT YOU SAID
LIEUTENANT PENDRY
PUSHED THE ENVELOPE A
LITTLE FURTHER THAN MOST.
BECAUSE HE HAD THE
TALENT TO GET AWAY WITH IT.
LIEUTENANT AUSTIN,
WASN'T LIEUTENANT McKEE
SCHEDULED TO JOIN US BY NOW?
WOULD YOU MIND STEPPING
OUTSIDE, SEE WHAT'S KEEPING HER?
CERTAINLY, SIR.
I CAN SEE TRYING IT IN
COMBAT, BUT IN AN EXERCISE?
LUKE DIDN'T GIVE A DAMN IF THE
MISSION WAS REAL OR SIMULATED.
HE WANTED TO WIN.
YEAH, BUT TO GO INVERTED
TO AVOID NEGATIVE Gs?
MAN, YOU'VE GOT TO BE CRAZY
TO TRY SOMETHING LIKE THAT
ON THE DECK. (Cabrese)
THAT'S A GOOD SHOT.
LIEUTENANT McKEE.
LIEUTENANT AUSTIN, JAG.
I'M SORRY ABOUT LIEUTENANT
PENDRY. I HEARD HE WAS A GOOD MAN.
YOU HAVE NO IDEA, LIEUTENANT.
I HEARD ABOUT WHAT
YOU DID ON THE SEAHAWK.
HELL OF A FEAT.
CONSIDERING YOU HADN'T
FLOWN A TOMCAT IN 4 YEARS.
I GOT LUCKY, SIR.
IT TAKES THAT SOMETIMES.
ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE
HIGHLY COMPETITIVE.
AREN'T MOST GOOD PILOTS, SIR?
OF COURSE.
BUT LUKE WOULD HAVE LOVED
BEING THE ONLY ONE TO NAIL THAT SAM.
COMMANDER.
COULD HE HAVE PUSHED IT TOO FAR?
NO. HE JUST RAN OUT OF LUCK.
NOTHING MORE THAN THAT.
CONDITIONS WERE IDEAL.
CLEAR VISIBILITY, NO TURBULENCE.
IT WAS BY THE NUMBERS.
THEN JUST AS I BEGAN MY RUN,
MIRAMAR TOLD ME TO ABORT AND
ASKED ME TO LOOK FOR CHUTES.
THERE WEREN'T ANY.
DID LIEUTENANT PENDRY
COMMUNICATE WITH YOU
DURING HIS RUN AT THE TARGET?
JUST TO BREAK.
TO START MY ATTACK.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU
BEEN FLYING WITH APTERN?
ABOUT 3 MONTHS.
ANY PROBLEMS? NO.
THE TERRAIN-SEEKING
RADAR IS ACCURATE.
AND IT PERFORMS SPECIFIC MANEUVERS
AS PROGRAMMED BY THE MISSION PROFILE.
BUT YOU DON'T LIKE IT.
NO PILOT LIKES TO TURN
CONTROL OVER TO A BLACK BOX.
DID LIEUTENANT PENDRY
DISLIKE APTERN, TOO?
HE FELT THE SAME
AS THE REST OF US.
WOULD HE HAVE SHUT DOWN APTERN
TO FLY THE TOMCAT HIMSELF?
NO.
THE MISSION PROFILE CALLED
FOR THE USE OF APTERN.
HE WOULD NOT HAVE TURNED IT OFF
UNLESS IT WERE MALFUNCTIONING.
WAS IT MALFUNCTIONING?
I DON'T KNOW. I WASN'T IN
HIS COCKPIT, LIEUTENANT.
BUT LIEUTENANT PENDRY
LIKED TO FLY ON THE EDGE.
ON THE EDGE OF WHAT?
I THINK YOU KNOW
WHAT I MEAN, LIEUTENANT.
NO, I DON'T THINK
I DO, LIEUTENANT.
IF NONE OF THE HOWLERS FLEW A
SUCCESSFUL MISSION USING APTERN,
MAYBE LIEUTENANT PENDRY THOUGHT
HE COULD DO BETTER WITHOUT IT.
HE PROBABLY COULD.
BUT THE COMPETITION
CALLED FOR THE USE OF APTERN
AND LUKE WAS A PROFESSIONAL.
THANK YOU, LIEUTENANT.
UH, I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS, SIR.
SO DO I, LIEUTENANT. BUT WE CAN ASK
THEM AS THE INVESTIGATION PROCEEDS.
WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT?
SHE JUST LOST HER
WINGMAN, GO A LITTLE EASY.
WE HAVE AN
INVESTIGATION TO RUN...
SIR.
I'M AWARE OF THAT, LIEUTENANT.
WHICH IS WHY I WANT YOU TO PULL
ALL THE GRIPE SHEETS ON APTERN,
FOR NAVY AND AIR FORCE.
I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT EVERY
PROBLEM THEY'VE EVER HAD,
OR THOUGHT THEY'VE HAD,
NO MATTER HOW TRIVIAL.
YES, SIR.
I'M GOING TO VISIT
LIEUTENANT PENDRY'S WIFE.
I'LL MEET YOU LATER, SIR.
[dogs barking]
[jet engine droning]
[exhaling]
[chokes] HARM?
HI, ANNIE.
GOD, I... I FEEL
LIKE CALLING OUT,
TELLING HIM YOU'RE HERE.
[sobbing] HE WOULD'VE
LIKED TO HAVE SEEN YOU.
HEY, JOSH, YOU REMEMBER HARM?
HI, JOSH.
I DON'T THINK HE REALLY
UNDERSTANDS YET.
I THINK HE DOES.
(Annie) HARM.
SIT DOWN.
[crunching]
I'M SORRY. I... I'LL FIX IT.
OH, DON'T BOTHER. I
WANT TO GET RID OF 'EM.
[sighing]
YOU MISS FLYING?
I GO UP EVERY NOW AND THEN.
WHEN I CAN FIND A C.O.
WHO'LL LET ME PLAY.
THAT'S WHAT IT IS, ISN'T IT?
PLAYING.
YOU'RE ALL JUST BOYS
PLAYING WITH BIGGER TOYS.
WELL, I LIKE TO THINK IT'S A
LITTLE MORE THAN THAT, ANNIE.
IT'S NOT.
LISTEN, ANNIE.
I'M HEADING UP
THE INVESTIGATION.
I'M SURPRISED
THEY'RE LETTING YOU.
I MEAN, YOU AND LUCAS BEING
SUCH GOOD FRIENDS AND ALL.
I DON'T THINK THEY KNOW.
OH.
WELL, YOU KNOW, LUCAS WOULDN'T
WANT YOU TO GET YOURSELF
IN ANY TROUBLE ON HIS ACCOUNT.
YES, HE WOULD.
(Josh) HEY, MOM.
(Annie) HEY.
YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO
BE CLEANING YOUR ROOM.
IT'S CLEAN. MMM-HMM.
DID YOU FLY WITH MY DADDY?
A LONG TIME AGO.
HE WAS THE BEST
THOUGH, WASN'T HE?
YES, HE WAS.
WHY DID HE CRASH?
I DON'T KNOW, JOSH.
BUT I'M GOING TO FIND OUT.
(Harm) THIS IS THE LAST
TIME I TAKE DIRECTIONS
FROM AN O'CLUB WAITRESS.
(Meg) THE WAY SHE LOOKED AT YOU,
THEY WERE PROBABLY
DIRECTIONS TO HER HOUSE.
VERY FUNNY, LIEUTENANT.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING THERE?
NO APTERN-RELATED ACCIDENTS
HAVE EVER BEEN REPORTED.
HOW FREQUENTLY DO THEY
HAVE TO BE RECALIBRATED?
ABOUT ONCE EVERY 16.5
HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME.
THAT'S ACTUALLY PRETTY GOOD
FOR A CHIP-DRIVEN
AVIONICS SYSTEM.
HERE IT IS.
ARE THOSE FIGURES
FOR NAVY OR AIR FORCE?
THEY DIDN'T SEPARATE THEM.
DO IT. YES, SIR.
SORRY WE'RE LATE, SIR.
WE WERE MISDIRECTED.
IS THAT A PILOT'S WAY OF
SAYING "LOST," LIEUTENANT?
PILOTS DON'T GET LOST, MR. REID,
JUST MOMENTARILY DISORIENTED.
(Bishop) LET'S GET
STARTED, LIEUTENANT STANS.
AYE, SIR.
WE HAVE 2 VISUALS FOR YOU TODAY.
FIRST, BASED UPON
THE MISSION PROFILE,
WE HAVE A COMPUTER-ANIMATED
COCKPIT VIEW
OF LIEUTENANT PENDRY'S ATTACK
AS IT WAS INTENDED
TO BE EXECUTED.
(man) READY, SIR.
HERE LIEUTENANT PENDRY IS MAKING
HIS DESCENT TO INITIATE HIS ATTACK,
[computer beeping] POINT BRAVO.
THIS IS WHERE HE ENGAGED APTERN
AND RADIOED LIEUTENANT
McKEE TO INITIATE HER ATTACK.
AS YOU CAN SEE, APTERN, WITH
ITS PREPROGRAMMED FLIGHT PATH,
IS TAKING MAXIMUM
ADVANTAGE OF THE TERRAIN
AS IT APPROACHES THE TARGET.
POINT CHARLIE.
[computer beeping] THIS IS
WHERE HE FIRES HIS MAVERICKS,
AND BREAKS AWAY TO ESCAPE
ON A PREPROGRAMMED ROUTE.
THAT'S WHAT WAS
SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN.
HERE'S WHAT DID.
LIEUTENANT PENDRY MADE
HIS DESCENT ON PROFILE.
AND HE CROSSED
POINT BRAVO ON PROFILE.
[men chattering on radio]
BUT AT 1.5 SECONDS
BEFORE POINT CHARLIE...
HE GOES INVERTED AND
IMPACTS THE GROUND
SEVEN-TENTHS OF A SECOND LATER.
LOOKED TO ME LIKE
LIEUTENANT PENDRY SHIFTED
TO SHUT OFF THE APTERN AND TAKE
CONTROL BEFORE GOING INVERTED.
I DIDN'T SEE THAT.
IT APPEARS THAT
HE DID, LIEUTENANT.
THE APTERN SYSTEM
USES AN INDENTED SWITCH
DESIGNED TO LOCK INTO
PLACE WHEN IT IS ENGAGED.
BUT IT WAS IN THE
"OFF" POSITION.
CAN'T BLAME APTERN
IF IT WASN'T EVEN ON.
UNLESS HE SHUT IT OFF
BECAUSE IT WAS MALFUNCTIONING.
APTERN DOESN'T
MALFUNCTION, LIEUTENANT RABB.
THOSE GRIPE SHEETS LIEUTENANT
AUSTIN HAS WILL BEAR ME OUT.
EVEN IF IT DID,
APTERN'S DESIGNED
TO AUTOMATICALLY
ROLL THE WINGS LEVEL,
AND INITIATE A 4G PITCH UP.
WHAT IF THAT WAS MALFUNCTIONING?
FACE IT, LIEUTENANT.
HE THOUGHT HE COULD
DO BETTER ON HIS OWN.
SO HE SHUT APTERN DOWN AND
WENT OVER THE HILL INVERTED.
TO AVOID NEGATIVE Gs.
EXACTLY.
TO STAY LOW OVER THE HILL WOULD HAVE
SUBJECTED HIM TO TOO MANY NEGATIVE G's.
INVERTED, HE COULD HAVE STAYED
ON THE DECK AND GOT OFF HIS SHOT.
FROM ALL I HEAR, LIEUTENANT
PENDRY WAS A MAN WHO LIKED TO WIN.
MAYBE HE THOUGHT
THIS WAS THE ONLY WAY.
HE WASN'T RECKLESS, MR. REID.
I APPRECIATE YOUR
POSITION, LIEUTENANT RABB.
I REALLY DO.
YOU ROOM WITH A MAN IN
FLIGHT SCHOOL, IT FORMS A BOND.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO DROP A
BOMBSHELL, LIEUTENANT.
I ASSUMED YOU DISCLOSED YOUR
RELATIONSHIP WITH LIEUTENANT PENDRY
BEFORE ACCEPTING
THIS ASSIGNMENT.
IT WILL IN NO WAY UNDERMINE
MY OBJECTIVITY, MR. REID.
IT ALREADY HAS, LIEUTENANT.
♪ [music playing]
[people laughing]
[chattering]
MIND IF I JOIN YOU, LIEUTENANT?
NOT AT ALL.
I HEARD THAT YOU
STUCK UP FOR LUKE.
I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU HOW
MUCH THE HOWLERS APPRECIATE THAT.
I'M STANDING UP FOR
THE TRUTH, LIEUTENANT,
WHICH I HOPE IS ON LUKE'S SIDE.
[man hammering]
[people laughing]
(man) WHAT'S THAT
GOING UP THERE FOR?
I THOUGHT THESE GUYS WERE
ALL SUPPOSED TO BE LEGENDS?
THEY ARE.
SOME LEGEND. HE ALMOST
TOOK 2 OF MY MEN WITH HIM.
(Moore) ALL A FLYBOY'S GOT TO DO
TO GET UP ON THAT WALL
IS SCREW THE POOCH.
[men laughing]
[men exclaiming]
(man #1) COME ON, MOORE!
SORRY, SHE WAS HIS WINGMAN.
WELL, SHE'S ACTING LIKE SHE
WAS MORE THAN JUST HIS WINGMAN.
[McKee grunts]
[crowd heckling]
[glass shatters] WHAT
THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?
I DON'T HIT WOMEN!
NEITHER DO I.
[men exclaiming]
[crowd cheering]
(man #2) LET'S GO, COME ON.
I'M ALL FOR EQUALITY, HONEY.
BUT YOU DON'T WANT
TO BE TREATED EQUAL
IN A MARINE BRAWL.
WOULD YOU... LIEUTENANT,
LET'S GET OUT OF HERE!
(man #3) COME ON
BACK HERE! COME ON!
(guard) THANK YOU, SIR.
HAVE A GOOD EVENING
♪ [music playing on radio]
[sighing] SORRY, LIEUTENANT.
THANKS FOR JUMPING IN THERE.
THAT GYRENE TICKED ME OFF.
REALLY?
IT'S THIS NEXT LEFT.
HOW LONG DID YOU FLY WITH LUKE?
6 MONTHS.
HANG OUT TOGETHER MUCH?
[laughs]
YOU KNOW, OTHER PILOTS
HANG OUT WITH EACH OTHER.
PEOPLE... PEOPLE DON'T AUTOMATICALLY
ASSUME THEY'RE SLEEPING TOGETHER.
THIS IS IT.
THANKS FOR THE RIDE.
YOU SAVED ME CAB FARE.
ANYTIME, LIEUTENANT.
YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GONNA SAY I
DIDN'T HAVE FEELINGS FOR LUKE.
I WANT HIM BACK
MORE THAN ANYTHING.
SO DO I.
[officer sounding off]
[guns cocking]
TAKE AIM, AND...
FIRE!
AIM.
FIRE!
AIM.
FIRE!
[continues sounding off]
[jet planes roaring]
MRS. PENDRY, JAMES REID.
I REPRESENT A
MILITARY CONTRACTOR.
I WANTED TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH
WE RESPECTED YOUR HUSBAND.
HE'S A GREAT LOSS FOR ALL OF US.
THANK YOU, MR. REID.
YOUNG MAN, YOUR
FATHER WAS A FINE MAN
AND A FINE PILOT.
YOU SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF HIM.
COME ON, HONEY.
I'LL BE IN TOUCH.
OK.
I WISH YOU MEANT THAT, MR. REID.
LIEUTENANT, NONE
OF THIS IS PERSONAL.
JUST BECAUSE I HAVE A JOB TO DO,
DOESN'T MEAN I'M NOT SORRY THE MAN'S DEAD.
GEE, YOU'RE A
REAL SENSITIVE GUY.
SO LONG AS IT DOESN'T
INTERFERE WITH THE BOTTOM LINE.
EVERYBODY'S GOT A
FAMILY TO FEED, LIEUTENANT.
EVEN PEOPLE WHO
WORK FOR CORPORATIONS.
MRS. PENDRY SEEMS
LIKE A FINE WOMAN.
LITTLE BOY'S NICE, TOO.
IT WOULD BE A SHAME IF LIEUTENANT
PENDRY'S MEMORY WAS MARRED BY SOMETHING...
UGLY.
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?
SOMETIMES IT'S BETTER JUST TO
LET THINGS GO, LIEUTENANT RABB.
WHAT DID HE MEAN?
I'M NOT SURE.
I OWE YOU AN
APOLOGY, LIEUTENANT.
YOU'RE MY PARTNER.
I SHOULD HAVE TOLD YOU ABOUT MY
FRIENDSHIP WITH LIEUTENANT PENDRY.
NO APOLOGY NECESSARY, SIR.
SIR, IS IT POSSIBLE YOU MIGHT BE
A LITTLE TOO
PERSONALLY INVOLVED?
I DON'T QUESTION YOUR
INTEGRITY FOR A SECOND, HARM.
BUT YOU ARE HUMAN.
YOU CARE ABOUT
LIEUTENANT PENDRY,
YOU CARE ABOUT HIS FAMILY.
I JUST DON'T BELIEVE
HE SCREWED THE POOCH.
HOW CAN YOU BE SO SURE WITH
ALL THE EVIDENCE AGAINST HIM?
I CAN'T EXPLAIN IT, MEG.
YOU FLY WITH A GUY,
YOU GET TO KNOW HIM.
MAYBE BETTER THAN
YOU KNOW YOURSELF.
THAT WAS YEARS AGO.
PEOPLE CHANGE.
IN SOME WAYS, MAYBE.
BUT IF ANYTHING,
MOST PILOTS I'VE KNOWN
BECOME MORE CAREFUL
ONCE THEY HAVE KIDS.
LUKE MAY HAVE BEEN
COMPETITIVE, BUT HE WASN'T CRAZY.
THE ONLY PROBLEM IS,
HOW ARE YOU GONNA
PROVE IT, HARM?
SENDING MALFUNCTION NOW.
[engines roaring]
HAVEN'T WE SEEN ENOUGH? THAT'S THE 8TH
MALFUNCTION WE'RE CREATED FOR APTERN.
AND EVERY TIME IT'S PUT HIM INTO
A WING LEVEL, NOSE-UP RECOVERY.
CALL IT A DAY, LIEUTENANT RABB.
I'D LIKE TO TRY ANOTHER, SIR.
LIEUTENANT,
WE'VE FED EVERY MALFUNCTION
WE'VE CREATED FOR APTERN
AND IT HASN'T CRASHED YOU YET!
IF YOU WANT TO TRY SOMETHING,
TRY FLYING THE MISSION INVERTED
LIKE LIEUTENANT PENDRY DID.
(Harm) ROGER THAT.
(Stans) ARE YOU SURE
YOU WANT TO TRY
THIS WITHOUT APTERN?
ONLY WAY TO KNOW.
(Stans) COMING UP
ON POINT BRAVO.
[beeping]
HERE WE GO.
[engines whining]
[alarm beeping]
(Stans) PULL OUT! PULL OUT!
I'M TOO LOW!
(technician) AFTERBURN
SIM, STANDING BY.
(Reid) YOU'RE DEAD,
LIEUTENANT. BASELINE GRID ZERO.
ONCE YOU INVERTED THAT
LOW, YOU DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE.
NOW WILL YOU WRITE
UP YOUR REPORT?
WE STILL DON'T KNOW WHY
LIEUTENANT PENDRY WAS INVERTED.
BECAUSE HE WANTED TO WIN!
COULD THERE BE AN
INTERFACE PROBLEM
BETWEEN APTERN
AND THE AUTOPILOT?
IT WOULD'VE SHOWN
UP ON THE PRINTOUT.
LIEUTENANT RABB, I'D LIKE TO
BELIEVE IT WAS APTERN AND NOT LUKE,
BUT YOU'VE EXHAUSTED
ALL POSSIBILITIES.
(Bishop) I THINK IT'S
TIME WE FACED REALITY.
PERHAPS NOT, SIR.
DO YOU KNOW HOW OFTEN
APTERN HAS TO BE RECALIBRATED?
AN AVERAGE OF ONCE
EVERY 16.5 FLIGHT HOURS.
WELL, THAT'S A COMBINED FIGURE
FOR THE AIR FORCE AND THE NAVY.
THE AIR FORCE FIGURE IS 22.3.
AND IN THE NAVY, IT HAS TO BE
RECALIBRATED EVERY 8.1 HOURS.
THAT'S NEARLY 3 TIMES AS OFTEN.
IT'S RELATIVELY NEW TO THE NAVY.
YOUR TECHNICIANS AREN'T AS
PROFICIENT AS THE AIR FORCE YET.
I WONDER WHEN LIEUTENANT
PENDRY'S APTERN WAS RECALIBRATED?
I'LL CHECK IT OUT.
NO, MR. REID. WE WILL.
YOU DON'T QUIT, DO
YOU, LIEUTENANT?
NO, SIR.
WELL, NEITHER DO
I, LIEUTENANT RABB.
[officer sounding off]
WHAT'S WRONG, LIEUTENANT?
WE MAY FINALLY BE ON
TO SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT.
I DON'T THINK SO, SIR.
I LOOKED UP THE
MAINTENANCE REPORT
ON LIEUTENANT PENDRY'S TOMCAT.
APTERN WAS RECALIBRATED
THE MORNING OF HIS FINAL FLIGHT.
WELL, WHY DIDN'T YOU
SAY SO IN THE ROOM?
I DIDN'T WANT TO GIVE
MR. REID THE SATISFACTION.
WE HAVE TO PROMPTLY
DISCLOSE FACTS, LIEUTENANT.
PRO OR CON. YES, SIR.
THERE HAS TO BE A REASON
FOR THE INTERVAL DIFFERENCE
BEYOND TECHNICIANS
GETTING UP TO SPEED.
IF YOU SAY SO, SIR.
YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME?
I BELIEVE LIEUTENANT PENDRY
WAS A CLOSE PERSONAL FRIEND,
AND YOU'RE GRASPING AT
STRAWS AND YOU HAVE ME DOING IT.
SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING
REID WOULD SAY.
I DON'T LIKE HIM ANY
MORE THAN YOU DO, HARM.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN EVERYTHING
THAT COMES OUT OF HIS MOUTH IS WRONG.
ANYTHING ELSE?
I'VE BEEN HEARING RUMORS ABOUT
LIEUTENANT PENDRY AND McKEE.
SO HAVE I. I DON'T BELIEVE THEM.
WELL, IF TRUE, IT COULD EXPLAIN
WHY HE WOULD TRY SOMETHING
AS RISKY AS GOING IN INVERTED.
WHAT, YOU WANT TO WRITE THIS UP
AS SHOWING OFF FOR A GIRLFRIEND?
IF HE WAS HAVING
PERSONAL PROBLEMS,
IT COULD HAVE
AFFECTED HIS FLYING.
NOT LUKE!
REID'S PROBABLY
HEARD THE RUMORS.
I'M SURE HE HAS.
HE'LL USE THEM. YES, HE WILL.
HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT HOW
THAT COULD AFFECT HIS FAMILY?
MEG, THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT
SALVAGING LUKE'S REPUTATION
OR PROTECTING HIS FAMILY.
IF APTERN'S FLAWED,
FINDING THE FLAW
WILL SAVE LIVES.
AND THAT IS OUR
ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY.
YOU SOUND LIKE MY DAD.
UH-OH.
I'M IN TROUBLE WHEN YOU START
COMPARING ME TO YOUR FATHER.
MY BROTHER?
EVEN WORSE.
[giggles]
[sighing]
[dog barking]
HELLO?
ANNIE?
(young boy's voice) MOM?
(Annie) HARM! I'M SORRY. I
DIDN'T HEAR YOU COME IN.
UH, THAT'S OK. I'M EARLY.
YOU FIXED IT!
GOOD AS NEW.
WILL YOU HELP ME FLY IT, SIR?
WELL...
GO ON. JOIN YOU OUTSIDE.
COOL.
(Josh) BZZZ!
[jet engine droning]
LET ME SEE. I'M NOT
CHECKED OUT IN THIS MODEL.
HOW'D YOU DO THAT?
TWEAKED IN A LITTLE UP ELEVATOR.
WHAT'S THAT DO?
IT PUTS DOWN
PRESSURE ON THE TAIL
WHICH CAUSES THE NOSE TO RISE.
THE AIR TRAVELS AT
DIFFERENT SPEEDS
OVER THE TOP AND
BOTTOM CONTROL SURFACES,
BREAKING THE LIFT ON THE...
NEXT TIME YOU'RE IN A CAR,
STICK YOUR HAND OUT THE WINDOW.
TILT IT LIKE THIS AND
YOUR ARM WILL FLY UP
JUST LIKE YOUR TOMCAT.
(Annie) GO WASH UP, YOUNG MAN.
I'M CLEAN.
(scoffs) YEAH.
YOU'RE FILTHY! I SHOULD MAKE
YOU TAKE A BATH BEFORE DINNER.
I'M GONNA FLY FIRST.
(Harm) JOSH!
LISTEN TO YOUR MOM.
YES, SIR.
A MAN'S VOICE.
WOMEN LIKE TO THINK IT DOESN'T
MAKE A DIFFERENCE, BUT IT DOES.
OH, I DON'T KNOW.
AFTER MY DAD WENT DOWN,
MY MOM KEPT A PRETTY
TIGHT REIN ON ME.
HARM, I FORGOT ALL ABOUT THAT.
HOW OLD WERE YOU?
JOSH'S AGE.
AND YOU BECAME A NAVAL AVIATOR
BECAUSE YOUR DAD WAS ONE.
WELL, I SUPPOSE THAT
HAD A LOT TO DO WITH IT.
I DON'T WANT JOSH FLYING.
HE'S ONLY 6, ANNIE.
YEAH, THAT'S WHEN IT STARTS.
I SUPPOSE LUKE WASN'T
AROUND ANY MORE THAN MY DAD.
2 YEARS AND 6 MONTHS OUT OF
NEARLY 8 YEARS OF MARRIAGE.
BUT WHEN HE WAS HOME...
[crying] IT WAS PERFECT.
MAYBE BECAUSE OF ALL THE
TIME HE WAS AWAY, I DON'T KNOW.
HOW DO THE WIVES FEEL
NOW THAT WOMEN ARE
BEING DEPLOYED AT SEA?
[sighing] MOST OF
THEM DON'T LIKE IT.
IT NEVER BOTHERED ME.
EVEN WITH A WINGMAN AS
PRETTY AS LIEUTENANT McKEE?
[scoffs]
HE WASN'T SLEEPING WITH TESS.
ANNIE... NO, LISTEN!
I'VE HEARD THE RUMORS. AND
THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE. RUMORS.
ANNIE, I'M SORRY. I...
IT'S JUST BEEN SUGGESTED
THAT PERSONAL PROBLEMS
MIGHT HAVE PLAYED A
PART IN THE ACCIDENT.
WITH WHAT LUKE AND I HAD,
HE DIDN'T HAVE TO
LOOK ANYWHERE ELSE.
LUKE WAS MINE.
[voice breaking] AND I WAS HIS.
AND THAT'S JUST
THE WAY IT WAS, OK?
DON'T SHOW 'EM TO ME.
LIEUTENANT RABB'S THE
INSPECTING OFFICER THIS EVENING.
(Josh) ZZZZ!
[people chattering]
(Meg) LIEUTENANT PENDRY
SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF FUN.
♪ [music playing]
YEAH, HE WAS THAT.
YOU SPEND MUCH TIME
WITH HIM AND ANNIE?
SOME. UH-OH.
LIEUTENANTS.
CAN I BUY YOU A DRINK
AS A WAY OF APOLOGIZING?
SOME OTHER NIGHT.
NAME IT.
I'LL LET YOU KNOW.
I'LL BE WAITING.
(marine) YOU AREN'T
PLAYING WITH A FULL DECK.
MARINES.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THE
ONLY SPECIES ON THE PLANET
THAT WOULD DEVELOP A CRUSH
ON YOU IF YOU PUNCH 'EM OUT?
SO WHERE WERE WE?
OH, I THINK YOU KNOW
WHERE WE WERE, LIEUTENANT.
OR AT LEAST, WHERE
WE WERE HEADED.
YOU KNOW WHAT, LET ME ASK
THE QUESTIONS FOR A SECOND.
DO YOU FIND LIEUTENANT
RABB ATTRACTIVE?
UM, YEAH.
YOU WORK TOGETHER, SEE
HIM OFF DUTY OCCASIONALLY.
YEAH.
DO YOU SLEEP WITH HIM?
[laughs]
FAIR'S FAIR, LIEUTENANT.
I'M THE ONE CONDUCTING
THE INVESTIGATION.
WELL, LET ME PUT IT THIS WAY.
DO YOU THINK IT'S POSSIBLE YOU
MIGHT SLEEP WITH HIM SOME DAY?
I... I DON'T KNOW. I GUESS
ANYTHING'S POSSIBLE.
IF HE WERE MARRIED?
NO.
THAT'S NOT A POSSIBILITY.
WHY NOT?
BECAUSE THAT'S NOT WHO I AM.
AND THAT'S NOT WHO HE IS.
THAT'S NOT WHO WE WERE, EITHER.
IF I HAD TO BET,
I'D BET AGAINST IT.
BUT YOU'RE NOT SURE. NO.
BUT HE IS.
GOING TO WRAP THIS
UP TODAY, LIEUTENANTS?
(Harm) I DOUBT IT, SIR.
THEN I THINK YOU
SHOULD READ THIS.
"A SOURCE CLOSE TO THE
INVESTIGATION OF THE CRASH
"WHICH CLAIMED THE
LIVES OF NAVY LIEUTENANTS
"LUCAS PENDRY AND STUART MARCUS
"REVEALED THAT LIEUTENANT
PENDRY HAD AN AFFAIR
"WITH HIS FEMALE WINGMAN,
RESULTING IN HER PREGNANCY
AND SUBSEQUENT ABORTION."
YOU BASTARD! HARM, NO!
CHECK THE DATE.
THE PAPER. CHECK THE DATE.
IT'S THE 5TH. THAT'S TOMORROW.
THAT'S A MOCK-UP OF WHAT
THE WORLD WILL SEE TOMORROW,
IF YOU DON'T CONCLUDE
YOUR INVESTIGATION TODAY.
YOU CAN'T BLACKMAIL
US WITH AN UGLY LIE.
IT'S NOT A LIE, LIEUTENANT.
AFFIDAVITS.
FROM PEOPLE WHO SAW
LIEUTENANTS PENDRY AND McKEE
TOGETHER IN BARS.
A DOCTOR'S BILL FOR A D&C,
WHICH WE ALL KNOW, IS A
EUPHEMISM FOR ABORTION.
AND AFFIDAVITS FROM 2 NURSES
WHO SAW LIEUTENANT PENDRY
PICK LIEUTENANT McKEE
UP AT THE HOSPITAL.
ALL CIRCUMSTANTIAL.
WE'RE NOT IN A COURT
OF LAW, LIEUTENANT.
EVEN IF IT'S TRUE, IT
DOESN'T PROVE PILOT ERROR.
SOMEHOW I DON'T THINK THE
NAVY WOULD AGREE WITH YOU.
AND THE PUBLIC CERTAINLY WON'T.
I DON'T WANT TO TARNISH
THE MEMORY OF A BRAVE MAN,
OR EMBARRASS HIS FAMILY.
BUT I DO INTEND TO
PROTECT MACROPLEX
FROM INVESTIGATING
OFFICERS WEARING BLINDERS.
HOW FAR I HAVE
TO GO TO DO THAT...
IS UP TO YOU.
[plane engines roaring]
PERMISSION TO COME ABOARD, SIR.
PERMISSION GRANTED.
NOT MUCH ROOM IN HERE.
YOU WEAR A FIGHTER COCKPIT.
LIKE A PAIR OF PANTYHOSE.
DID SHE DENY IT?
NOPE.
AND IT WASN'T AN ABORTION.
SHE MISCARRIED.
I THOUGHT BETTER OF LUKE.
NO NEED TO CHANGE YOUR OPINION.
HE WASN'T THE FATHER.
WHO WAS?
PRIVILEGED INFORMATION.
WE'RE ON THE SAME TEAM, MEG.
MY TELLING YOU IS
NOT GOING TO CHANGE
THE OUTCOME OF OUR
INVESTIGATION, HARM.
WHERE'S APTERN?
HERE. NEXT TO THE AUTOPILOT.
YOU STILL THINK IT'S AT FAULT?
THERE IS NO WAY LUKE WOULD HAVE
INTENTIONALLY INVERTED THAT LOW.
DID LIEUTENANT STANS FEED
EVERY POSSIBLE APTERN
MALFUNCTION INTO THE SIMULATOR?
EVERYTHING ANYONE
COULD THINK OF.
MAYBE IT'S SOME SEEMINGLY
INSIGNIFICANT THING LUKE DID
THAT HAD NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE.
FATE IS THE HUNTER.
WHAT?
IT'S A FILM. EVERYONE
WANTS TO BLAME
A FATAL CRASH ON THE
DEAD PILOT, ROD TAYLOR.
WHO'S ROD TAYLOR?
AN ACTOR.
THEY SAID IT WAS PILOT ERROR
BUT GLENN FORD DIDN'T BELIEVE 'EM.
ANOTHER ACTOR?
SO HE RECREATES THE FLIGHT
DOWN TO THE SMALLEST DETAIL.
ON A COMPUTER?
THEY DIDN'T HAVE COMPUTERS.
I SAW THIS MOVIE
WHEN I WAS A KID.
OH, YOU MEAN WAY BACK.
EVEN HAD SUZANNE PLESHETTE,
WHO PLAYED THE
SURVIVING STEWARDESS...
OH, I KNOW HER.
BRING COFFEE TO THE COCKPIT,
LIKE SHE DID THE
NIGHT OF THE CRASH.
TURNS OUT TO BE THE KEY
TO WHY THEY WENT DOWN.
COFFEE?
HE PUT THE CUP ON THE CONSOLE.
WHEN THEY LOST AN
ENGINE, IT SPILLED,
SHORTING OUT ALL THE INSTRUMENTS
WHICH THEN GAVE
THEM FALSE READINGS.
I DON'T THINK LIEUTENANT
PENDRY HAD COFFEE IN HIS COCKPIT.
OH, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT HE
HAD OR DID THE NIGHT OF THE CRASH
AND NO COMPUTER CAN EXACTLY
DUPLICATE THAT, UNLESS I...
PLAY GLENN FORD. EXACTLY!
BUT THERE IS NO WAY IN
HELL I'LL EVER GET PERMISSION.
MAYBE THERE IS.
LIEUTENANT RABB, IT IS
OUT OF THE QUESTION.
SIR, THERE ARE UNKNOWNS
THE COMPUTER CAN'T FACTOR.
LIEUTENANT, THERE WAS
NOTHING WRONG WITH APTERN.
THE ONLY PERSON WHO
WON'T ACCEPT THAT IS YOU.
I'D LIKE A CHANCE TO
FIND OUT, COMMANDER.
IF SOMETHING WENT WRONG,
IT COULD END MY
CAREER AND YOUR LIFE.
I'M WILLING TO RISK IT, SIR.
I'M NOT.
LIEUTENANT PENDRY
WAS A GOOD MAN.
BUT HE WAS HUMAN.
HE MADE A MISTAKE.
HE WASN'T THE ONLY
ONE, COMMANDER.
MEANING?
I UNDERSTAND LIEUTENANT McKEE
BECAME PREGNANT RECENTLY, SIR.
THAT'S HER BUSINESS, LIEUTENANT.
PROVIDED IT DOESN'T
INTERFERE WITH HER DUTIES.
YES, SIR.
BUT THE FATHER WAS A
MEMBER OF THIS SQUADRON
AND MR. REID IS GOING
TO MAKE THAT PUBLIC.
DAMN HIM!
HE BELIEVES LIEUTENANT
PENDRY WAS THE FATHER.
PEOPLE MAKE MISTAKES.
A MAN SHOULDN'T HAVE
TO RISK LOSING HIS CAREER
FOR ONE MISTAKE.
NO, SIR.
IF I CAN'T PROVE IT
WASN'T PILOT ERROR,
MR. REID WILL MAKE PUBLIC
WHAT HE BELIEVES TO BE TRUE.
IT'S HARD ENOUGH FOR A BOY
TO GROW UP WITHOUT HIS FATHER.
HE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO
BE ASHAMED OF HIM, TOO.
(Stans) WEIGHT, BALANCE,
ORDNANCE, FUEL LOAD.
EVERY SPEC IDENTICAL TO
LIEUTENANT PENDRY'S LAST FLIGHT.
(Meg) EXCEPT NO
ONE'S IN THE BACK SEAT.
(Harm) CAN'T RISK IT. I CAN.
NO, WAY, LIEUTENANT.
HE WAS MY FRIEND, TOO.
IF NO ONE'S IN THE BACK SEAT,
THEN IT WON'T BE THE
SAME AS LUKE'S LAST FLIGHT.
I'LL COMPENSATE
WITH DEAD WEIGHT.
DEAD WEIGHT CAN'T HAND
YOU A CUP OF COFFEE, SIR.
WHAT?
FATE IS THE HUNTER, SUZANNE PLESHETTE
GAVE GLENN FORD A CUP OF COFFEE.
SEE... GO GET YOUR
FLIGHT GEAR, LIEUTENANT.
YOU TAKE OFF IN 5 MINUTES.
PROCEED TO THE AMERICA,
THEN MAKE 5 LANDINGS,
THEN FLY THE MISSION.
5 TRAPS?
THAT'S WHAT LIEUTENANT PENDRY
DID THE MORNING OF HIS FLIGHT.
THAT'S LIKE PREPARING
FOR A FOOTBALL GAME
WITH 5 BOXING MATCHES.
GOOD LUCK, HARM.
THANKS, MEG.
(McKee) HOOK DOWN,
GEAR DOWN AND LOCKED.
TOMCAT 04.
BALL. 8.9.
[both grunting]
SORRY. I'M A LITTLE RUSTY.
[laughing] YOU'RE NOT RUSTY,
LIEUTENANT. YOU'RE CORRODED.
[jet engines revving]
[both grunting]
[continue grunting]
THANK GOD THAT'S OVER.
YOU'RE MAKING ME WISH
I'D JOINED THE AIR FORCE.
[engines roaring]
(Harm) MIRAMAR CONTROL,
TOMCAT 04, POINT ALPHA.
(ATC) 04, MIRAMAR CONTROL.
YOU ARE CLEARED TO THE RANGE.
04, ROGER.
HERE WE GO.
APTERN ZEROED AT POINT BRAVO.
ENGAGING APTERN.
[beeps]
(Harm) I'M HANDS OFF.
APPROACHING POINT CHARLIE.
THE APTERN ALTITUDE
INDICATOR JUST INVERTED!
SHUT IT OFF!
NEGATIVE! I'M OVER-RIDING FIRST!
APTERN'S STILL
INDICATING WE'RE INVERTED.
SHUTTING IT DOWN NOW.
[alarm beeping]
COME ON, HARM. PULL UP.
[continues beeping]
WHEN YOU DISENGAGE APTERN,
IT'S PROGRAMMED TO ROLL
WINGS LEVEL WITH A 4G PITCH UP.
WHICH IS FINE UNLESS APTERN
THINKS YOU'RE FLYING UPSIDE DOWN.
THEN IT THROWS YOU
ON YOUR BACK AND DOWN.
IT MUST HAVE INVERTED
ON LUKE, TOO. YES!
IT ROLLED HIM OVER AND
DOVE HIM INTO THE GROUND.
WHAT MADE APTERN
THINK YOU WERE INVERTED?
MY GUESS IS THOSE 5 TRAPS
I MADE BEFORE THE MISSION
DID SOMETHING TO IT.
(Meg) THAT'S WHY THE
RECALIBRATION FREQUENCY
IS HIGHER FOR THE NAVY
THAN THE AIR FORCE.
APTERN WASN'T DESIGNED TO TAKE
THE POUNDING OF CARRIER LANDINGS.
IT WILL BE.
THANKS TO LIEUTENANTS
RABB AND McKEE.
IT WASN'T LUKE'S FAULT, TESS.
(ATC) 04, MIRAMAR.
WILL YOU BE RETURNING TO BASE?
MIRAMAR, 04.
WE'RE GONNA ORBIT
THE AREA FOR A WHILE.
(Annie) COME ON, JOSH.
WE'RE GONNA BE
LATE FOR THE MOVIES.
YOU KNOW, YOUR UNCLE JIM WANTS TO
TAKE YOU TO THE PADRES GAME THIS WEEKEND.
COOL. HE'S A DOCTOR.
I KNOW. DOCTORS ARE
VERY IMPORTANT, JOSH.
THEY HELP PEOPLE WHO ARE SICK.
THEY SAVE LIVES.
IT'S JUST SOMETHING YOU
MIGHT WANT TO THINK ABOUT,
WHEN YOU'RE GETTING OLDER, AND YOU
DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT TO DO WITH YOUR LIFE.
[roaring]