PLANE CRASHED OUTSIDE IRAN’S CAPITAL MINUTES AFTER TAKING
CAPITAL MINUTES AFTER TAKING OFF.
OFF. 176 PEOPLE ON BOARD WERE KILLED.
176 PEOPLE ON BOARD WERE KILLED. TONIGHT WE STILL DON’T KNOW WHAT
TONIGHT WE STILL DON’T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, WHETHER IT WAS AN
HAPPENED, WHETHER IT WAS AN AVIATION ACCIDENT THAT STRUCK
AVIATION ACCIDENT THAT STRUCK COINCIDENTALLY LAST NIGHT OF ALL
COINCIDENTALLY LAST NIGHT OF ALL NIGHTS IN TEHRAN OF ALL PLACES.
NIGHTS IN TEHRAN OF ALL PLACES. FOR OBVIOUS BUT CERTAINLY
FOR OBVIOUS BUT CERTAINLY CIRCUMSTANTIAL REASONS, THERE’S
CIRCUMSTANTIAL REASONS, THERE’S SPECULATION OVER CONCERN ABOUT
SPECULATION OVER CONCERN ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY THE PLANE MIGHT
THE POSSIBILITY THE PLANE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SHOT DOWN SOMEHOW,
HAVE BEEN SHOT DOWN SOMEHOW, PERHAPS ACCIDENTALLY, A CASE OF
PERHAPS ACCIDENTALLY, A CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY IN THE MIDST
MISTAKEN IDENTITY IN THE MIDST OF LAST NIGHT’S MILITARY
OF LAST NIGHT’S MILITARY CONFLICT BETWEEN IRAN AND THE
CONFLICT BETWEEN IRAN AND THE UNITED STATES.
UNITED STATES. HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET THOSE
HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET THOSE ANSWERS?
ANSWERS? JOINING US NOW IS JEFF GO ZETTY,
JOINING US NOW IS JEFF GO ZETTY, FORMER NTSB INVESTIGATOR AND FAA
FORMER NTSB INVESTIGATOR AND FAA ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION CHIEF.
ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION CHIEF. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
HERE. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS AND
THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS AND CONCERNING SERIES OF EVENTS.
CONCERNING SERIES OF EVENTS. THAT’S A PLEASURE AND AN HONOR
THAT’S A PLEASURE AND AN HONOR TO HAVE YOU WITH US TONIGHT.
TO HAVE YOU WITH US TONIGHT. >> IT’S GOOD TO BE WITH YOU,
>> IT’S GOOD TO BE WITH YOU, RACHEL.
RACHEL. >> SO LOOKING AT THIS CRASH FROM
>> SO LOOKING AT THIS CRASH FROM THIS DISTANCE, OBVIOUSLY WE
THIS DISTANCE, OBVIOUSLY WE DON’T KNOW ANYTHING IN TERMS OF
DON’T KNOW ANYTHING IN TERMS OF WHAT’S BEEN LOOKED AT, WE DON’T
WHAT’S BEEN LOOKED AT, WE DON’T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT KIND OF
KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT KIND OF INVESTIGATION IS ULTIMATELY
INVESTIGATION IS ULTIMATELY GOING TO HAPPEN.
GOING TO HAPPEN. BUT YOU TOLD "THE WASHINGTON
BUT YOU TOLD "THE WASHINGTON POST" TONIGHT, QUOTE, TO ME IT
POST" TONIGHT, QUOTE, TO ME IT HAS ALL THE EAR MARKS OF AN
HAS ALL THE EAR MARKS OF AN INTENTIONAL ACT.
INTENTIONAL ACT. I DON’T KNOW WHETHER IT WAS A
I DON’T KNOW WHETHER IT WAS A BOMB OR AN MISSILE OR INCENDIARY
BOMB OR AN MISSILE OR INCENDIARY DEVICE, BUT IF THE VIDEO WAS
DEVICE, BUT IF THE VIDEO WAS FLAMING PLANE WAS ACCURATE, I
FLAMING PLANE WAS ACCURATE, I CAN’T CONCEIVE OF A FAILURE THAT
CAN’T CONCEIVE OF A FAILURE THAT WOULD CAUSE THAT CONFLAGRATION.
WOULD CAUSE THAT CONFLAGRATION. WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?
WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT? >> PROBABLY THE WORD INTENTIONAL
>> PROBABLY THE WORD INTENTIONAL ACT WOULD BE SOMETHING I WOULD
ACT WOULD BE SOMETHING I WOULD PROBABLY CORRECT IN THAT, BUT IT
PROBABLY CORRECT IN THAT, BUT IT DOES HAVE ALL THE EAR MARKS IN
DOES HAVE ALL THE EAR MARKS IN SOMETHING THAT ISN’T TYPICALLY
SOMETHING THAT ISN’T TYPICALLY AN AVIATION ACCIDENT FAILURE,
AN AVIATION ACCIDENT FAILURE, THAT YOU EXPLAINED IN THE
THAT YOU EXPLAINED IN THE OPENING.
OPENING. THE CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE THAT
THE CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE THAT IS OUT THERE IN THE PUBLIC NOW,
IS OUT THERE IN THE PUBLIC NOW, BASICALLY THE RADAR TRACK, THE
BASICALLY THE RADAR TRACK, THE NORMAL PROFILE RIGHT AFTER
NORMAL PROFILE RIGHT AFTER TAKEOFF, A NORMAL, SMOOTH,
TAKEOFF, A NORMAL, SMOOTH, WITHIN PARAMETERS CLIMB TO
WITHIN PARAMETERS CLIMB TO 7,900 FEET AND THEN SUDDENLY
7,900 FEET AND THEN SUDDENLY NOTHING.
NOTHING. THERE’S NO MORE TRANSPONDER.
THERE’S NO MORE TRANSPONDER. IT’S AS IF THE ENTIRE ELECTRIC
IT’S AS IF THE ENTIRE ELECTRIC SYSTEM, TO INCLUDE THE REDUNDANT
SYSTEM, TO INCLUDE THE REDUNDANT BATTERY BACKUP ALL GOES AWAY.
BATTERY BACKUP ALL GOES AWAY. AND THEN WHEN YOU PAIR THAT UP
AND THEN WHEN YOU PAIR THAT UP WITH THE VIDEO, AND IF YOU TAKE
WITH THE VIDEO, AND IF YOU TAKE THE VIDEO ON ITS FACE THAT
THE VIDEO ON ITS FACE THAT THAT’S THE VIDEO OF THE,
THAT’S THE VIDEO OF THE, AIRPLANE, YOU GOT TO REMEMBER
AIRPLANE, YOU GOT TO REMEMBER THE PARALLAX.
THE PARALLAX. THAT FLAME IS PROBABLY TWO,
THAT FLAME IS PROBABLY TWO, THREE MILES AWAY FROM WHOEVER
THREE MILES AWAY FROM WHOEVER WAS FILMING IT.
WAS FILMING IT. AND THAT WAS NOT JUST A LIGHT.
AND THAT WAS NOT JUST A LIGHT. THAT WAS A LARGE FIRE BALL WHERE
THAT WAS A LARGE FIRE BALL WHERE CHUNKS OF, IT APPEARED CHUNKS OF
CHUNKS OF, IT APPEARED CHUNKS OF FIRE WAS COMING OFF THAT FIRE
FIRE WAS COMING OFF THAT FIRE BALL.
BALL. AND THEN IT HITS THE GROUND AND
AND THEN IT HITS THE GROUND AND YOU SEE THIS GIANT PLUME OF
YOU SEE THIS GIANT PLUME OF FLAME.
FLAME. THINGS LIKE THAT JUST DON’T
THINGS LIKE THAT JUST DON’T HAPPEN OUT OF THE BLUE IN AN
HAPPEN OUT OF THE BLUE IN AN AVIATION TYPE OF ACCIDENT.
AVIATION TYPE OF ACCIDENT. IT CAN, LIKE TWA 800 AND OTHER
IT CAN, LIKE TWA 800 AND OTHER ACCIDENTS, BUT THAT WAS A WHILE
ACCIDENTS, BUT THAT WAS A WHILE AGO.
AGO. TODAY’S AIRPLANES -- THIS WAS A
TODAY’S AIRPLANES -- THIS WAS A FAIRLY YOUNG AIRPLANE -- ARE
FAIRLY YOUNG AIRPLANE -- ARE BUILT TO BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND
BUILT TO BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND THESE FAILURES.
THESE FAILURES. A MISSILE OR A BOMB, NOT SO
A MISSILE OR A BOMB, NOT SO MUCH.
MUCH. BUT AN UNCONTAINED ENGINE
BUT AN UNCONTAINED ENGINE FAILURE OR CARGO FIRE, IT TAKES
FAILURE OR CARGO FIRE, IT TAKES A WHILE FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT
A WHILE FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO TURN INTO A FULL-FLEDGED
TO TURN INTO A FULL-FLEDGED FLAMING FIRE BALL, AND THAT
FLAMING FIRE BALL, AND THAT IS -- IT DIDN’T TAKE A WHILE IN
IS -- IT DIDN’T TAKE A WHILE IN THIS CASE.
THIS CASE. IT WAS JUST TWO MINUTES INTO THE
IT WAS JUST TWO MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT.
FLIGHT. >> WHAT DO YOU EXPECT IN TERMS
>> WHAT DO YOU EXPECT IN TERMS OF THE INVESTIGATION OF THIS
OF THE INVESTIGATION OF THIS MATTER?
MATTER? OBVIOUSLY THERE’S A LOT OF
OBVIOUSLY THERE’S A LOT OF UNIQUE THINGS ABOUT THESE
UNIQUE THINGS ABOUT THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, WHERE IT
CIRCUMSTANCES, WHERE IT HAPPENED, THE NIGHT ON WHICH IT
HAPPENED, THE NIGHT ON WHICH IT HAPPENED, THE IMMEDIATE AND
HAPPENED, THE IMMEDIATE AND CONFUSED STATEMENTS ABOUT WHAT
CONFUSED STATEMENTS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED HERE.
HAPPENED HERE. WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL HAPPEN IN
WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL HAPPEN IN TERMS OF INVESTIGATING THE CAUSE
TERMS OF INVESTIGATING THE CAUSE OF THIS CRASH?
OF THIS CRASH? >> RACHEL, I’M HOPEFUL IT’S
>> RACHEL, I’M HOPEFUL IT’S GOING TO BE A TRANSPARENT
GOING TO BE A TRANSPARENT INVESTIGATION.
INVESTIGATION. QUITE FRANKLY, YOU KNOW, THE
QUITE FRANKLY, YOU KNOW, THE HEAD OF THE IRANIAN CIVIL
HEAD OF THE IRANIAN CIVIL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION ACTUALLY
AVIATION ADMINISTRATION ACTUALLY SAID THAT.
SAID THAT. YOU KNOW, HE DOESN’T WANT TO
YOU KNOW, HE DOESN’T WANT TO SPECULATE, AND THAT’S THE RIGHT
SPECULATE, AND THAT’S THE RIGHT THING TO SAY.
THING TO SAY. THEY FOLLOW THE INTERNATIONAL
THEY FOLLOW THE INTERNATIONAL PLAYBOOK FOR AVIATION ACCIDENTS.
PLAYBOOK FOR AVIATION ACCIDENTS. IT’S CALLED IS INTERNATIONAL
IT’S CALLED IS INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ORGANIZATION
CIVIL AVIATION ORGANIZATION ANNEX 13.
ANNEX 13. IT’S BEEN IN FORCE FOR DECADES.
IT’S BEEN IN FORCE FOR DECADES. MOST COUNTRIES PLAY BY THOSE
MOST COUNTRIES PLAY BY THOSE RULES.
RULES. AND IT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO PLAY IN
AND IT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO PLAY IN THE INVESTIGATION LIKE BOEING OR
THE INVESTIGATION LIKE BOEING OR NTSB OR FAA.
NTSB OR FAA. I THINK THERE MIGHT BE AN ISSUE
I THINK THERE MIGHT BE AN ISSUE WITH IRAN BEING A SANCTIONED
WITH IRAN BEING A SANCTIONED COUNTRY WHERE THERE’S ACTUAL
COUNTRY WHERE THERE’S ACTUAL LAWS IN OUR COUNTRY THAT WILL
LAWS IN OUR COUNTRY THAT WILL MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR US TO
MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR US TO EXCHANGE TECHNICAL INFORMATION.
EXCHANGE TECHNICAL INFORMATION. AND HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, THINGS
AND HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, THINGS CAN BE WORKED OUT, WAIVERS CAN
CAN BE WORKED OUT, WAIVERS CAN BE WRITTEN FOR THAT.
BE WRITTEN FOR THAT. BUT SOMETHING LIKE THIS, IT’S
BUT SOMETHING LIKE THIS, IT’S VERY TOUGH IN THE AVIATION
VERY TOUGH IN THE AVIATION SAFETY WORLD TO KEEP UNDER WRAPS
SAFETY WORLD TO KEEP UNDER WRAPS AND TO KEEP A SECRET.
AND TO KEEP A SECRET. AND I THINK THAT WE WILL GET TO
