A twin-engined Manx 2 Fairchild commuter airplane takes off from Belfast, Ireland, and attempts to land at Cork. Cork is foggy, as usual, and visibility is poor at the airport. The two pilots nevertheless persist in their attempts to land instead of going to an alternate.
On the third attempt, the airplane suddenly rolls to the right and lands upside down next to the runway, killing several passengers, and causing the worst airplane disaster in Ireland in 45 years.
I'll skip the details of the investigation but the results were that the pilots were tired, overworked, unpaid, and unskilled. Moreover, proper maintenance was lacking, so that one engine was putting out more power than the other.
Behind all of this evidence lay a sort of mystery. Manx 2 wasn't an airline at all. It was a Spanish holding company that leased all the work out to other companies, mostly in Spain, who sometimes subleased it to still other companies. Manx 2 Airlines did nothing but sell tickets. This is known as a "shell company." The airline existed in name only. All the work of maintenance, scheduling, and management was farmed out to several other corporate entities.
As usual it's a fascinating episode with a judicious use of reenactors, a few experts and witnesses, and superb graphics. It takes effort to put together a story like this. It must be clearly written so that even a novice can grasp the technical details. Applause to the producers.
On the third attempt, the airplane suddenly rolls to the right and lands upside down next to the runway, killing several passengers, and causing the worst airplane disaster in Ireland in 45 years.
I'll skip the details of the investigation but the results were that the pilots were tired, overworked, unpaid, and unskilled. Moreover, proper maintenance was lacking, so that one engine was putting out more power than the other.
Behind all of this evidence lay a sort of mystery. Manx 2 wasn't an airline at all. It was a Spanish holding company that leased all the work out to other companies, mostly in Spain, who sometimes subleased it to still other companies. Manx 2 Airlines did nothing but sell tickets. This is known as a "shell company." The airline existed in name only. All the work of maintenance, scheduling, and management was farmed out to several other corporate entities.
As usual it's a fascinating episode with a judicious use of reenactors, a few experts and witnesses, and superb graphics. It takes effort to put together a story like this. It must be clearly written so that even a novice can grasp the technical details. Applause to the producers.
