JAG s03e04 Episode Script

Target's in sight.
Here we go.
Your hit is 10 feet at 9 o'clock.
Good shooting, deadeye.
Let's get a cold one.
Roger that.
One hundred percent fun, Gerter.
Stick to my six.
- Damn it to hell.
- Eject, eject, eject! Following in his father's footsteps as a Naval aviator, Lieutenant Commander Harmon Rabb Jr.
Suffered a crash while landing his Tomcat on a storm-tossed carrier at sea.
Diagnosed with night blindness, Harm transferred to the Navy's Judge Advocate General Corps, which investigates, defends and prosecutes the law of the sea.
There, with fellow JAG lawyer Major Sarah MacKenzie, he now fights in and out of the courtroom with the same daring and tenacity that made him a top gun in the air.
The captain's pretty depressed about the accident, sir.
It's the first time one of his men's been called on the carpet.
He was happy to hear you were investigating.
- You trained with him, right, sir? - I did.
Then you know how much the captain loves his flyboys, sir.
Flyboys? Excuse the inappropriate terminology, sir.
I gotta work on that.
Make a left here.
- Question, lieutenant.
- Shoot, sir.
What did you do in civilian life, anyway? - Drove a cab, sir.
- Right.
- How were you? - Commissioned? Captain Hochausen pulled me out of the administration office, recommended me for Officer Candidate School.
Said I had "the mettle to settle.
" I think that's how he put it.
Anyway, I help him out when he needs me.
Drag him around, run errands for him, stuff like that.
You all right back there, lieutenant? If you could slow down, it would be really Who is it you look like, sir? You like Thai food, sir? Me too.
Boy, I wish they had a place around here.
They chicken-fry everything here, sir, even the salad.
We'll be switching to the captain's car now, sir.
- He's not here? - We're going to his house.
How far is that? About 30 minutes.
I can do it in 20.
- Harm.
- Yeah.
- Looking crisp, commander.
- Starch in the boxers, sir.
- Lieutenant, is my car in one piece? - Yes, so far, sir.
Then you are joining us for dinner.
No arguments.
You won't get one.
- Welcome back, Harm.
- Hi, Gail.
- Even under the circumstances.
- I'll roger that.
Gail, this is Lieutenant JG Bud Roberts.
- Hello, Bud.
- It's a pleasure, ma'am.
And this is the Hawk.
- I've heard a lot about you, sir.
- And you came anyway.
Rabb says you're the best flight instructor in the Navy.
Let's go sit down.
I hope he's not claiming he was my best student.
- Well, he really didn't specify, sir.
- Smart answer, lieutenant.
Hey, cap, remember the time you came up in my back seat? He told me he wouldn't say anything unless I was screwing up, right? Ten minutes into the flight I haven't heard anything.
I figure I'm acing it, right? Suddenly he clobbers me on the back of the helmet with his flight stick.
He'd unscrewed it, put a note through it that said: "Plug in your headset.
" I'd wager there was another word between "your" and "headset.
" You remember the drill.
Every six months I take my junior instructors out on a tune-up ride to blow the dust off them.
- Lieutenant Judd was your wingman? - Correct.
Can you take me to the point of the accident, captain? Where were you when he clipped the telephone pole? Leading.
- He didn't see it? - He couldn't avoid it.
A severe downdraft sucked it into his path.
Now, if he was below your wing, how did you avoid the same fate? A few metres made the difference.
So you were ascending in formation, you were approaching the ridge, the turbulence swept under you and caught him? That's actually better than the way I put it.
Think you could get that put in writing for me, captain? It's always better when I see things on paper.
I'll have Lieutenant Schiparelli drop it by.
You know, we told Admiral Locksley it was an act of God.
Next thing I know, you show up to investigate Peter Judd on an Article 32.
The FAA is breathing down our necks here because of the civilian casualties.
The lieutenant's wife is pregnant.
He doesn't need the FAA to remind him that this is a tragedy.
I stand by him, Harm.
He's my best junior instructor.
If anybody could have avoided that pole, it was him.
I take it back.
You would've missed it and made an overseas call at the same time.
I'll see you later.
What exactly happened up there, lieutenant? You should ask Lieutenant Judd, sir.
He was at the wheel.
Hey, you were in the back seat.
I'm asking you.
He's a cowboy, sir.
Shouldn't be allowed to drive a Buick, let alone an F-14.
Are you saying he was flat-hatting? An end-zone dance, sir.
He was rocking and whooping.
When did he do that? - After the strike.
- Where was Captain Hochausen? Not sure, sir.
I lost him.
So you don't know if the lieutenant stayed with the captain's pullout? All I know is the lieutenant was pulling a hell of a lot of G's, sir.
How many? Enough to almost black out.
That's when we hit the pole.
Next thing I know, I'm here.
That was my first and last punchout.
Knee's blown, sir.
I'm grounded.
I'm sorry, lieutenant.
Commander, affidavits from Captain Hochausen, sir.
Thank you, lieutenant.
The captain must like you, sir.
He usually puts off his paperwork.
Well, I like the captain.
Oh, I gotta put my hat in the ring with you there, sir, because he's like a father to me.
Has me over to the house for dinner.
Last year, for my birthday, he had a New York pizza delivered on the mail run just for me.
The pizza here, sir, is disgusting.
Doughy, gloppy.
It should be banned.
And the toppings.
Don't even get me started on the toppings.
If I were president, I would seriously consider some sort of automatic sterilization for anyone who ordered pineapple and Canadian bacon.
Well, that's a point of view, lieutenant.
- You from the Big Apple? - The Bronx.
Why do they call it that, sir? Do you know? No, I don't know.
Because when I think of New York, fruit doesn't come to mind.
Like no fruit.
Nothing even fruity.
The Big Cheese, maybe.
The Big Noise, the Big Hurt.
Lieutenant, are you presently available? Yes, sir, I am.
Because Lieutenant Roberts could use a lift over to Weather Control.
Actually, sir, I was planning on walking over.
Well, I'm sure the lieutenant would be happy to give you a ride, Bud.
Yeah, no problem.
That's okay, I could use the exercise, sir.
Bud, I need that information yesterday.
Yes, sir.
We'll be there before you can blink, sir.
I know a shortcut across the tarmac.
Excuse me, sir.
This is an investigation site.
I'm gonna have to ask you to refrain from touching or handling anything.
This belonged to my son.
Mr.
Lanier, l I'm deeply sorry for your loss, sir.
Lieutenant Commander Rabb, JAG.
Mac.
I thought you were in Pensacola.
I was.
The admiral called me in.
Lieutenant Judd requested representation.
I wish that this had never happened, commander.
This is Mr.
Lanier, husband and father of the victims.
Were you flying this plane? Yes.
Why'd it go down? Don't worry, Mr.
Lanier.
Before this is over, sir, I promise you'll have an answer to every single question.
- I only received the order last night.
- You can't phone? What would you have said? "Don't come"? So how's the Hawk? He have you over for dinner yet? - Don't bother, Mac.
- I know you're old friends.
He supports your boy.
Well, that couldn't be very encouraging for you.
I interviewed Lieutenant Judd, and I have reason to believe that he's not responsible for this accident.
Oh, yeah? What's his story? A severe downdraft caught him off guard.
That wouldn't be the captain's version, would it? Yeah, it would.
His RIO says he was hot-dogging.
That doesn't preclude the interference of a downdraft.
Mac, turbulence is nothing new to pilots.
If he was caught off guard, he wasn't paying attention.
- He was following his leader.
- He was lagging behind.
Because of a downdraft.
Sir, should I order lunch? So you were scoring the exercise on the day of the accident, correct, lieutenant? Yes, sir.
From your vantage point in the bunker, did it look to you like Lieutenant Judd was hot-dogging? I don't know if I'd call it that, sir.
The lieutenant has an aggressive style of flying.
I'm not in the mood for semantics, lieutenant.
- May I speak freely, sir? - Please.
Lieutenant Judd once accidentally cut a phone line with his tail fin.
Put half the county out of service.
The admiral investigated, eventually dropped it.
See, the thing was, the lieutenant had left out an important piece of information.
He was upside down at the time.
Upside down, So in your opinion, Lieutenant Judd is an irresponsible aviator.
- No, he's a good one, sir.
- Which is it, lieutenant? Sir, I'm a scorekeeper.
I'm qualified to judge whether a shooter hits the target.
Lieutenant Judd usually does.
There's no getting away from it, cap.
Lieutenant Judd has a major rep as a cowboy.
Are you concerned with his reputation or the evidence? Okay, let's talk evidence.
Flight records indicate he had a takeoff mishap on July 24th.
He jettisoned his external fuel tanks onto the runway.
He didn't check his drop-tank switches? He didn't see them.
The warning lights were too dim.
Instrument panel was in full morning sun.
Too dim? You never once considered pilot error? I can tell the difference between a problem and an excuse.
Come on, one more.
Yep.
Yep.
Captain, even if a downdraft can be proven, your ability to clear the ridge before he did suggests he was late on his pull-up.
He's in trouble for being late? If he wasn't pulling major G's, why was Gerter blacking out? I have no idea.
Hey.
Cap, I'm just trying to make some sense of this.
You're looking for a bogey that isn't there, Harm.
Now, look, I'm not trying to be difficult, really.
The problem is, I'm talking to you like we're still flying together.
- I forget you gave up your wings.
- I keep my hours up.
I can tell.
You still know how to lock in a target.
Some instincts you never lose, huh? I had a good teacher.
- Oh, yeah? All right.
- You know what? It's in the bag.
Eight ball, corner pocket.
Damn.
Corner pocket.
That's game.
That was fast.
- Now, if you could play like you look - Hey, be nice.
Got a need for competition, honey.
A little eight ball, Blevins? - I know that game.
- You're out, angel.
No, you can't do that.
I came here to play pool.
I wanna play pool.
The sign on the door says, "Ladies welcome.
" That's why I'm here.
It's a unisex game.
Hey, do you ever shut up? You've had your shot.
Now it's Blevins' turn.
- Anyway, we play for drinks.
- Why don't we play partners? Her and I against you two, if that's all right with you.
- Can you play? - I'm all right.
- The question is, do you fly? - Sometimes.
- What's your ride? - Tomcats.
- Hornet pilots.
- But of course.
Well, then we have to play.
- Not for drinks.
- Money? Your boots.
My boots against your pants.
Add her bra and we've got a deal.
Hey, now.
Break.
You feeling lucky? Hey, look at that.
I just figured out who you look like, sir.
He's an actor.
He was in a medical drama.
What was it called? He did that episode where he had to stick his hands into the patient's chest cavity and massage his heart.
I can't think of his name.
I had his poster on my wall.
It's the eyes.
What? Something wrong? Nope.
You sure? Because you're not Hey, Mac.
Stop by for a drink? You know better than that.
Where's my head? This is Lieutenant Schiparelli.
Major MacKenzie's defending Peter Judd.
- Good evening, major.
- Good evening.
May I ask you what your duties are here, lieutenant? Sure, I work in the Public Affairs Office, and I help out the captain when I can.
I'm sorry, and what would that have to do with the commander? - He needs help getting around? - Apparently not.
May I ask you what you mean by that, ma'am? Mac, we played pool tonight.
Beat the pants off a couple of flyers from El Toro.
Is that what you do in your spare time, Schiparelli? Hustle Marines? No, ma'am, I usually prefer a challenge.
We'll probably need a ride around 9, if that's all right with you.
Don't you need me to drive you back, sir? No, I'll catch a ride with the major.
I'll see you in the morning.
Good night, lieutenant.
It could've been, sir.
Gee.
I'm sorry, sir.
I didn't know you'd be here tonight.
It's okay, Bud.
I bumped into Mac.
Why shouldn't I bump into you tonight? Well, I don't think your night's over yet.
I think you should take a look at these wind conditions from the day of the accident.
No, wait, I'm sorry.
That's not what I wanted to show you.
Wait.
Here it is.
No.
Where did it? Bud, I'm losing brain cells every second.
Okay.
Here it is, sir.
Now, the updated convective SIGMETs noted area forecasts of clear air at the ridge with wind gusts of up to 30 knots.
Now, since airflow is far worse on the leeward side of a ridge and the captain and Lieutenant Judd were ascending on the windward side, that meant they were caught in an Updraft.
Gusts on the windward side tend to force you up, not down.
Apparently Lieutenant Judd and Captain Hochausen are confused what side of the mountain they were on, Bud.
How can that be, sir? How, indeed, Bud? How, indeed? - Good morning, lieutenant.
- Good morning, sir.
- You got a minute, captain? - Yeah, have a seat.
Can you give me a sense of the power of the downdraft the day of the accident? Well, that would be a question for Lieutenant Judd.
You said you felt some turbulence, sir.
- I shook a little.
- How much is a little? Where are you going with this? Can you prove Lieutenant Judd was caught in a downdraft, sir? No more than you could prove you and I are having this conversation.
We are a witness to each other's story.
Well, I'm having problems with the story, captain.
You're having problems believing me, and quite frankly, I'm resenting it.
Captain, I can personally attest to the aid and support you give your men.
But if you are helping Lieutenant Judd avoid responsibility, sir The short version, commander.
- You're protecting him.
- From unfounded speculation.
It is my job to investigate, captain.
I have seen too many good pilots skewered by rulebook barons and ignorant COs.
If you don't give a man room to make mistakes, you take away his ability to learn from them.
What about consequences? You don't believe a man should learn the price of his mistakes? You remember when you almost lost your flight status because of the High Noon gunnery competition? Judge declared you were shooting inside the minimum range.
The command was unwilling to tolerate a major safety violation.
Until it was determined I was within range, captain.
Until I convinced him it didn't matter.
You were the best aviator out there.
You deserved a second chance.
I saved your windswept butt, commander.
- Morning, lieutenant.
- Hello, sir.
- Thanks a lot.
- No problem.
Good day, sir.
Well, you surprise me, Bud.
I didn't think you had much faith in the lieutenant's driving.
Well, the Tech.
Pub.
Library is only a mile and a half away, sir.
And I took my contacts out before I got in.
What were you doing at the library? Reading up on some aircraft-maintenance manuals to see if anything jumped out at me.
Do you know there's such a thing as a G-measuring device? Yeah, it's a gauge on the instrument panel.
Yes, sir, but that one can be reset by the pilots.
What I'm talking about is a thing called a statistical accelerometer.
Statistical accelerometer.
Where have I been, Bud? It's a little device that Yeah, the device maintenance crews put in the wheel well.
- It keeps a record of vertical velocity.
- Vertical velocity.
This will dispel or substantiate Gerter's claim - that they were pulling major G's.
- Major G's.
That's exactly what I was thinking, sir.
Good work, Bud.
Great work, Bud.
Morning, chief.
How are you doing today? I could be richer and younger, but I have a good time, sir.
How's it coming with the postmortem? Well, sir, I can tell you she crashed and burned.
You didn't happen to find a statistical accelerometer? In fact, we did.
You wanna take a peek, commander? The crew found her in a scorpion nest about a quarter mile away.
Hell of a scorpion.
Okay, final numbers show, at the time she hit the pole, she was pulling, let's see seven G's.
That'll suck the enamel right off your teeth.
- Can I see that, chief? - Yes, sir.
That would confirm Lieutenant Gerter's story, wouldn't it, sir? One for the evidence box, Bud.
- Thanks, chief.
- Commander.
Lieutenant Judd was in a seven-G pullout.
There's no way he was on Captain Hochausen's wing.
Looks to me, Mac, like your guy was playing catch-up, grayed out, and lost control.
Grayed out? Heavy G's narrow the cone of vision, ma'am.
Without peripheral spectrum, you're flying with blinders.
Well, that's speculation, commander.
His RIO testified that he was hot-dogging, and this proves he was pulling major G's.
- Well, what about the captain? - What about him? Did his plane have a statistical accelerometer? I'm sorry, but the device seems to be missing.
- How could that happen? - Don't know, ma'am.
That's an inadequate answer, Petty Officer Rivas.
I'm inclined to agree with you, ma'am.
I wish I could be more helpful.
I'm as confused as you are.
Maintenance personnel are the only ones with official access to the aircraft.
Incorrect, Mac.
You're forgetting the pilots.
- Thanks, Rivas.
- You are reaching.
There's no way Lieutenant Judd could've tampered with the evidence.
- Did I say? - I think the major's right.
- The fact is - I think the captain - Lieutenant.
- Yes, sir? Do you mind if I talk while you interrupt? - Sorry, sir.
- Now, Bud, I think you and I concur.
It is conceivable that the Hawk, knowing he was pulling less G's, took his own statistical accelerometer to protect his wingman.
But if it's missing, we can't substantiate that.
Yes, we can.
Do you wanna bring me up to speed? Well, I don't know if you wanna go this fast, Mac.
This is a hell of a way to waste taxpayer dollars.
We want an exact duplicate of the strike exercise on the day of the accident.
Wind conditions won't duplicate.
- Let's do it anyway.
- Your call, commander.
Mac, if you're not feeling up to it, it's not too late to have someone more experienced put in the back seat.
Are you suggesting I can't handle this? Don't "semper fi" me on this one, Mac.
She's no biplane.
They put me through the drill.
I know what buttons to push.
Okay.
As long as they're not mine.
Hey, Mac, how you doing? - Mac? - Yeah? - Are you all right? - Yeah.
- You sure? - Yeah.
Two, this is the lead.
I'm popping up.
Roll in to the left.
- Target in sight.
- Roger, One.
Scorer noted 10 feet at 9 o'clock.
Bull's-eye.
I'm done.
We're not gonna make it.
How was it for you, Mac? Just cleared it, didn't you? - That would be correct.
- Yeah.
Sudden downdraft, you would've popped that pole.
Looks that way.
Listen, I wanna let this go and put it behind us, okay? Let's take them in.
Which one of those landings should I count? Now, that I didn't expect.
As I've been saying, we all make our share of mistakes.
It's called being human.
Well, I'm gonna drain a draught.
Anybody wanna join me? No, I better stay with the major, cap.
You go on.
- How you feeling, major? - Lighter.
I apologise for all the flying jokes I ever made.
How many G's was that? Twelve million? Seven G's.
Lieutenant Judd was following his leader over the ridge.
- What are you talking about? - Captain had to pull seven to clear it.
He never specified his G-count when I questioned him.
The Hawk didn't steal the statistical accelerometer to protect Judd.
He did it to divert attention from himself.
- What? - And he almost got away with it too.
- You're losing me.
- I probably would've overlooked it if he hadn't landed high.
That's a mistake reserved for rookies or veterans with diminishing skills.
And? If a young buck like Gerter passes out at seven G's, what do you think that'll do to a man 20 years his senior? - Yeah, but he was okay up there.
- Until touchdown.
The captain's vulnerable to mistakes.
The kind of mistakes that cause one to misjudge landings and the height of telephone lines.
Are you saying that he led Lieutenant Judd into that pole? Come on, let's sit down.
Put your head between your legs and breathe deep.
It'll pass in a couple minutes.
That is what you're saying.
That's incredible.
Your investigation just changed from wingman to leader.
That That would put us on the same side, Harm.
Where are you going? To test my theory.
Take a stroll? You spend a lot of time with the captain I shouldn't have kissed you, sir.
It was a teenage stunt, incredibly stupid.
There was no excuse for it, and I'm so mad at myself because Lieutenant.
You seized the moment.
That's why you're an officer.
Now, what can you tell me about Captain Hochausen that might help me with my investigation? Like what, sir? Is he having problems with mental alertness? - No, sir.
- What about sleep? Is he getting enough? Does he appear fatigued? - No, sir.
- Any problems with his eyesight? Lieutenant.
Sir, the captain knows what he's doing.
Yeah, but can he see what he's doing up there? If you take him out of a plane, he'll die.
He may die if I don't take him out.
He may take a couple people with him.
Now, specifically, lieutenant, what do you know? Well, sir, between you and me - For the record.
- Sir, you're not making this easy.
I think the captain cheats on his eye exam.
- He's been doing it the last few years.
- He told you this? No, I overheard him on the phone with another senior aviator.
They They trade techniques on how to pass the tests.
- Like what? - I don't know.
I just get bits and pieces.
If you think this has anything to do Thank you, lieutenant.
I appreciate your candour.
What do you want to talk to a gimp retiree for? Is your life that uninteresting? - How's the new hip, sir? - Indestructible.
It's the flesh and bone around them that's disintegrating.
- Cognac? - No, thank you, admiral.
Well, I'm not gonna ask if you mind if I indulge, because frankly, I don't give a damn.
- How long's it been? - Since I graduated flight school, sir.
Bet you thought you'd be landing on my gravesite.
It is my personal belief, admiral, that you will outlast us all.
Prosit.
Having fun in Washington? Are you jigging and "JAG-ing"? - Well, it's stimulating, sir.
- What about your old man? Getting closer to finding out what happened to him? Or are those stiffs on the hill still running you around? I have some new leads.
Here's to the Hammer, wherever he may be.
So why am I talking to you, Harmon Rabb? - You flew into your 50s, right? - One of the few.
You ever have any problems with your eyesight? I didn't.
The base optometrist failed to agree.
You ever fudge an eye exam? Are your peepers going? - No, sir.
I'm investigating a crash.
- I know about it.
Terrible thing.
No, commander, I did not.
Know anyone who did? Well, it's been known to be done.
The majority step down when it's time.
What do you know about the techniques used? It's about Gary Hochausen, isn't it? Yes, sir.
Good man.
- A friend.
- Two civilians died, admiral.
Okay, go again.
All right, not bad.
Bring the heat now.
Come on.
Come on.
Now, watch it.
There you go.
Let the old man show you.
Come on.
Harm.
What, are you joining us for dinner? Can we have a word in private, captain? - Is that a no? - This is official, sir.
Okay.
Yeah.
It is my personal belief that you are now, and were at the time of the training accident, physically unsuitable to be flying Category 1.
What are you talking about? I'm in better shape than my trainees.
I didn't come here to argue with you, captain.
I came here to tell you that this makes you personally culpable in the accidental deaths of Melanie and Joshua Lanier.
Now, if you cooperate, I can talk to Admiral Locksley.
He'll support your resignation and you can escape public humili Dump the attitude and get the hell out of my shorts.
- What is this crap? - Gary, I need you to trust me on this.
You wanna kick my ass into oblivion.
Why am I even talking to you? Because you're in deep trouble and I'm trying to help.
- Let me explain how that works.
- Don't try to exploit my loyalty.
- I'm not Lieutenant Judd.
- No, you definitely are not.
Yeah, you convinced him he could take the fall and not jeopardise his career.
And then you covered your tracks by stealing the statistical accelerometer from your own aircraft.
What the hell happened to you, captain? You were the most squared-away officer I ever met.
What changed that would cause you to place your flight status above your principles? Nothing changed.
Sorry.
I haven't lost a skill, an instinct or a millisecond off my reaction time.
I know how hard it is to give it up, captain.
- I've been there.
- I don't have to give anything up.
I'm every damn bit as good as I've ever been, and I could do it with my eyes closed and my stick between my toes.
We all have our limitations, sir, even you.
Well, that's the difference between you and me, commander.
I overcame mine.
I'm still in the air.
And what if that were your wife and child in that car? You do what you have to do.
My story stands.
- Your handiwork, lieutenant? - I don't have to speak to you, sir.
That's okay.
I'll do the talking.
I'd like to tell you a story.
It's about a young aviator who was mentored by a senior instructor.
This mentor liked this young man very much, so much so that he covered for the aviator's occasional mistakes.
It came to pass, however, that the mentor himself made a mistake.
So he went to his protégé and he asked him to return the favour.
The problem was, it was a big mistake.
People died.
The question for the aviator now was: Should he stand by the man who stood by him, or should he do what he felt was right in his heart? Do you know who I'm talking about, lieutenant? - No, sir.
- I'm talking about myself.
And I've made my decision.
Care to know what it is? Ted Lanier deserves to know the truth about the death of his family.
I owe him that as a human being, as a representative of my country, and as a man who hopes to one day have a wife and child of his own.
You can relate to that, can't you? Excuse me, sir.
I have to use the head.
- You wanted to see me, major? - At ease.
Lieutenant, I think it's time we patched things up.
I'd like that, ma'am.
Admiral Locksley's decided to send the charges to an Article 32 hearing.
How does that involve me? The commander has informed me that you have possible incriminating evidence involving Captain Hochausen.
Sorry, lieutenant.
I'm obligated to reveal new information to opposing counsel.
You want me to testify against my mentor? If it means clearing Lieutenant Judd of sole responsibility, yes.
If it wasn't for Captain Hochausen This is bigger than your relationship with the captain, lieutenant.
Pardon me, sir, but aren't you speaking for yourself? There's a difference between loyalty and being indebted to someone.
The captain would have us believe they're one and the same.
Permission to speak freely, sir? This sucks.
At that point, a severe downdraft swept under my fuselage and caught Lieutenant Judd's Tomcat, which dropped approximately ten metres, causing it to hit the telephone pole at the western edge of the ridge.
Let the record reflect that I am handing the witness Exhibit 1, a report from Base Weather Control stating turbulence was on the eastern side of the ridge.
The western, or windward, side was not considered hazardous to even private, let alone supersonic, aircraft.
Weather Control was not flying with us, commander.
Are you suggesting the downdraft was undetectable, captain? By electronic instrumentation.
You mean like a phantom wind, captain? No, it was quite real.
Sir, isn't Lieutenant Judd using this wind to avoid a charge of pilot error? It wasn't pilot error, it was a downdraft, magnified by my weight turbulence.
I could sense it.
It was there.
If the prosecution is finished, the defence would like to call to the stand Lieutenant Tina Schiparelli.
The prosecution is not yet finished, counsellor.
Captain, I'd like to discuss those senses.
- Isn't it true, sir? - What's going on? - That on the day of the accident, your diminished depth perception caused you to lead Lieutenant Judd to a point too close to the ridge, and that it was this action, not the wind conditions, which caused him to have neither the time nor the space he needed to avoid striking the top of the telephone pole? No, commander, that is not true.
Let the record reflect that I am submitting Exhibit 2, a stipulation of fact, signed by myself and Major MacKenzie, stating that on the day of the flight re-creation, Captain Hochausen seriously misjudged his landing.
- You've never done that, commander? - Yes, sir, I have.
And as a result, I no longer fly at night.
Captain, what is the general visual response to heavy G-forces? The cone of vision is narrowed.
Peripherals are reduced.
Is this why all pilots undergo such rigorous eye exams? - It is.
- What is your vision, captain? Twenty-twenty.
Are you familiar with a technique called the deep squeeze? I am not.
Apparently, if you squeeze your eyes with your lids shut, it momentarily changes the shape of the eyeball.
It gives you one second of twenty-twenty vision, enough time to read an eye chart.
Are you familiar with the technique now that I've described it, captain? No.
I'm told some senior aviators use it to pass their eye exams.
None that I know of.
Let the record reflect that I am standing on a line previously marked by the base ophthalmologist.
This is a common eye chart, captain.
- I know what it is.
- Please read the fifth line for me, sir.
These are not clinical conditions.
The doctors assured me they're sufficient, captain.
Please.
"F, Z, B, D, E.
" Very good, sir.
Next two lines.
"H, O, F, L, C, T, A, P, E, O, T, F, Q.
" And now the twenty-twenty line? "T, Z, V, E, C, L, G, N.
" There's another technique I haven't yet mentioned.
Since these eye charts are relatively uniform, the individual simply memorizes them.
Read the line again, captain.
Please.
"I, F, L, Y, N, A, V, Y.
" The line was altered, captain.
I submit to the convening authority that Captain Gary Hochausen was unable to properly determine the correct range of the oncoming ridge, endangering his wingman in the process, and inadvertently causing the deaths of Melanie and Joshua Lanier.
Unusual prosecutorial approach, commander.
- I couldn't do it to her, Mac.
- She agreed to testify.
Yeah, it would've been like putting a knife in the hand of Brutus.
So you stabbed him yourself? I would have preferred to do it my way.
Well, we both lost, Mac.
Lieutenant Judd lied.
- He was manipulated.
- He's still facing disciplinary action.
- Good day for flying.
- Or thinking.
You torpedoed me, commander.
We have to do what we have to do, captain, in combat and in life.
- Who fed you that load? - You did, first time I met you.
Well, at least I went down in a dogfight.
I know this changes things, captain.
Doesn't mean that one day we can't mend fences.
Yes, it does.