UAAG CH34

On January 17, 2003, an American Airlines Flight 384 took off from New York bound for Seattle and crashed at Seattle-Tacoma Airport.

The direct cause of the accident was severe weather.

AA384 was an afternoon flight. According to normal flight time, it should have landed around four o’clock in the afternoon. However, a blizzard was raging in Seattle that day, causing over a hundred flights to be delayed. After circling in the air for an hour, AA384 finally received clearance from air traffic control to land. However, tragedy struck the moment it landed.

AA384 touched down nose-first, overshot the runway, and crashed into the grassy area beside the runway.

In the investigation report released by the NTSB afterwards, apart from the severe weather, the erroneous operation of Co-pilot Michael Harrison was also one of the causes of the crash.

Michael Harrison, 29 years old at the time, had 489 flight hours on the accident aircraft, a Boeing 747. Undoubtedly, he was a young and inexperienced pilot. When AA384 took off from New York, it was decided that he would fly this leg of the mission, while Captain Joseph would be responsible for radio communications.

No one knew why Harrison still chose to land the plane himself in such terrible weather without asking the experienced captain for help. At that time, Lawrence, who was still an ordinary investigator, found Joseph, who had woken up in the hospital, and asked him this question.

This was how Joseph answered him.

“I don’t know.”

Seventeen years later, beside the beach of Boston Bay.

The setting sun slowly fell, sinking into the sea. All things returned to tranquility, the deep blue gradually swallowing the entire sky. Night invaded, and the winter cold used the sea breeze to force its way into people’s collars in an instant.

Fu Cheng looked at the man in front of him in astonishment: “Don’t know?”

A cigarette was completely finished. The tobacco burned out its last spark in the air, resembling the setting sun extinguishing its light at the same moment. Zhuo Huan nodded lightly, his voice distant and prolonged: “Yeah, he said he didn’t know. Harrison never showed any sign of needing help. He operated the plane very calmly, methodically, without a single error, as if he knew everything about landing at Tacoma Airport and had done it a hundred times… Until the plane was about to crash and it was impossible to go around, Old Joseph suddenly realized that the pilot beside him didn’t seem as calm and skilled as his outward appearance suggested.”

Fu Cheng fell silent. “The cockpit voice recorder of AA384 should be audible.”

Zhuo Huan glanced at him: “Of course. The black box wasn’t damaged. The conversation between the pilots is still stored in the NTSB database.”

Fu Cheng: “They didn’t say anything strange?”

Zhuo Huan: “No.”

“Harrison didn’t ask for help once, didn’t raise any questions about whether he could land safely?”

“No.”

Fu Cheng asked: “What about Old Joseph? He didn’t offer to help his co-pilot?”

Zhuo Huan laughed. He took a silver cigarette case from his pocket, pressed it lightly, and a cigarette popped out. After lighting it, he took a drag of smoke, looked at Fu Cheng, and asked back: “If you were asked to fly a fighter jet and land on an aircraft carrier, do you think it’s something that needs to be specifically brought up for others to praise?”

Fu Cheng was stunned: “Does this need to be praised? All carrier-based pilots can do this.”

“So, when Lawrence asked this question in the hospital, that’s how Old Joseph answered him.”

『 It was just landing in a blizzard. I really didn’t know it was a difficult thing. 』

The man’s clear voice gradually faded in the howling evening wind.

Fu Cheng’s lips moved, but he didn’t know what to say.

After a long time.

“Didn’t you say you were out of cigarettes just now, Teacher Zhuo?”

The hand holding the cigarette paused slightly. Zhuo Huan turned his head and looked at Fu Cheng.

Under the night sky, the black-haired young man looked at him expressionlessly.

Zhuo Huan thought for a moment: “There was one last one left. After this one, really gone. I wanted to smoke one more, so I didn’t want to give it to you, so… practically considered gone?”

Fu Cheng: “…”

“Heh.”

Dropping a cold scoff, Fu Cheng turned and left, leaving a ruthless back to a certain man.

Zhuo Huan moved his eyebrows but didn’t follow him back to the investigation headquarters. He watched Fu Cheng walk into the investigation headquarters step by step, then slowly finished his last cigarette before putting his hands in his pockets and walking back.

Back at the investigation headquarters, Zhuo Huan casually found a glass bottle from a cabinet, filled it halfway with water, and inserted the rose into it.

The thorns of the rose had long been removed. Without soil and roots, keeping it in water like this only slightly prolonged the flowering period.

Lina passed by and stopped: “Where did you pick the rose, Reid?”

Zhuo Huan: “Fu Cheng gave it to me.”

Lina: “…”

Pausing for a moment, she said: “Fu would go to a flower shop specifically to buy flowers for you?”

Why didn’t she believe it?

Seeing his friend’s suspicious look, Zhuo Huan sneered and roughly told the story. Including how Old Joseph stopped a flower boy on the road, bought lilies for Fu Cheng to give away. He also very boringly bought all the flowers and threw them to Fu Cheng. As a result, Fu Cheng specifically picked a rose and gave it to him.

Although he gave the flowers to Fu Cheng first, it was an indisputable fact that Fu Cheng gave the flower to him. Great Master Zhuo didn’t think the order had any effect on this fact.

However, Lina was silent for a long time.

“Do you think anyone can grow roses, lilies, and jasmine in their own garden in this season, Reid?”

Great Master Zhuo froze instantly.

Lina held back her laughter and kindly reminded: “It’s winter now, Reid. I think you were probably tricked by that child. He should have bought flowers at the flower market and then taken them to the seaside to sell at a high price, unexpectedly…” He just happened to run into you, a sucker.

Stopping there, Lina quietly looked at her friend’s face. She suddenly didn’t understand. With Reid’s IQ, how could he not even think of such a simple thing?

Patting Great Master Zhuo on the shoulder, Lina comforted: “Think about it this way, at least this flower looks pretty good.”

Zhuo Huan: “…”

“And it was given to you by Fu. He really has a crush on you.”

“…”

Fuck.

Fu Cheng didn’t know that a certain man failed to be smug and was instead checkmated.

The next afternoon, Teichi Tsunai’s experimental data was sent to the UAAG mailbox on time.

After downloading the experimental data and conducting rigorous calculation and comparison.

Zhuo Huan concluded: “AA4012 crashed into the water at maximum acceleration.” Then, he quickly assigned tasks, “Lawrence and Su Fei, take people to check the four engines of the aircraft for mechanical failure. Old Joseph, confirm with other NTSB investigators that there are no problems with the aircraft’s fly-by-wire system.”

Finally, he looked at Fu Cheng: “Investigate all backgrounds of the two pilots. You and Lina together. No detail is too small. Every event in their past must be collected and mastered.”

Fu Cheng: “Okay.”

Zhuo Huan was responsible for the scheduling and command of all investigation work. Whether it was the inspection of aircraft wreckage or the investigation of pilot backgrounds, he was involved.

In fact, at this point in the investigation of the AA4012 crash, everyone knew that there was a 90% chance that this crash was caused by human factors.

No matter how faulty the plane was, it was difficult to cause a plane to rush into the ocean at maximum speed.

But without the black box, no one dared to confirm what the real cause of the accident was.

Fu Cheng and Lina were responsible for investigating the backgrounds of the two pilots, but when Fu Cheng looked for Lina, he found that she was not at the investigation headquarters. Surprised, he called Lina and told her about Zhuo Huan’s arrangement.

Lina apologized: “Sorry, Fu, I have to trouble you to investigate the pilot’s background yourself today. I’ll help you tomorrow. I have something to deal with here, but don’t worry, I should be finding the person soon, and I will definitely return to the investigation headquarters tomorrow.”

Fu Cheng: “What is so urgent, do you need my help, Lina?”

“Not a particularly important matter, just looking for a little liar.” On the phone, Lina laughed lightly, “Although Boston is big, with a population of over six hundred thousand in the urban area, finding a person is still very easy for me. After all, I am Lina.”

Fu Cheng felt that Lina was in a good mood. Although she was so busy that she didn’t have time to return to the investigation headquarters, she… seemed very happy?

Without thinking too much, Fu Cheng smiled: “Then I wish you find that person soon.”

“Okay, thank you.”

With Lina absent, Fu Cheng could only contact Captain Kyle’s family himself.

When leaving the investigation headquarters, Fu Cheng caught a glimpse of a certain man discussing something with Old Joseph and several NTSB investigators around the damaged cockpit of the plane.

Seeing Fu Cheng go downstairs, Zhuo Huan walked over. Just as he was about to speak, he remembered first: “Oh, Lina has something to do.”

Fu Cheng: “…?”

Oh, seems it has to do with you.

Zhuo Huan: “Investigate more about Kyle’s situation.”

Fu Cheng came back to his senses and nodded: “Okay.”

It seemed Zhuo Huan placed more importance on the captain’s matters.

The two didn’t speak again. Fu Cheng was busy going out, and Zhuo Huan returned to the wreckage of the aircraft cockpit. After he returned, Old Joseph said: “The fly-by-wire system used by the Airbus A390 is one of the most advanced computer systems currently available. We have checked its sensor groups and servos, and found no problems. What remains are…”

Zhuo Huan nodded: “Mm, continue checking.” As his voice fell, he looked up, and his gaze suddenly paused.

Outside the door of the investigation headquarters, before reaching the car parked on the roadside, Fu Cheng suddenly stopped, showing a surprised expression. A white old man wearing a down jacket with gray hair was also stunned when seeing him, then opened his arms and walked up with a smile. After a brief surprise, Fu Cheng also stepped forward and hugged the white old man.

That was a typical American old man, with a slightly red face and a big nose. He said a few words. Fu Cheng listened seriously while holding his hand, leading him into the small coffee shop by the roadside.

Suddenly, not knowing what Fu Cheng said, the old man’s eyes turned red, and tears suddenly fell.

Fu Cheng stood silently stunned for a moment. Huge negative emotions instantly swallowed this handsome and beautiful young man. The picture instantly turned gloomy and cold. His face was cold, his eyes slightly red, and his lips tightly pursed. However, the moment the old man looked up at him, everything turned from dark to light. He smiled gently and shook his head, his eyes gentle and tolerant.

Zhuo Huan slightly parted his lips, watching the scene not far away.

Fu Cheng half-squatted, looking up at the tearful old man, picked up a tissue, and helped him wipe away the tears.

…Who is that?

Zhuo Huan subconsciously took half a step forward.

Inside the coffee shop.

The old man took the tissue and wiped his tears clean. He showed a forced smile: “Evan, I heard long ago that the plane that fell into Boston Bay half a year ago was found, and the NTSB is investigating. But I didn’t expect you, child, to come too, and that I would meet you here. Sorry, I just remembered that incident. Don’t worry, I’m fine. It’s been more than four years.”

Fu Cheng: “Uncle Vince, I’m also surprised to see you. I never told you, after returning to China from Boston last time, I didn’t continue working in airlines. I was transferred to an air crash investigation organization.”

“Air crash investigation organization?” The old man exclaimed, “Is it because of Rogge 318 that you joined such an organization?”

“It has nothing to do with Rogge 318.”

Vince Presley smiled. Because of the crying just now, his voice was still a bit hoarse: “It’s good to see you. After Amy was gone, if you hadn’t kept coming to see me, I probably wouldn’t have held on.”

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