Air Collision

An unprecedented electromagnetic storm erupts, crippling global communications and sending satellites spiraling into failure. The disruption triggers cascading problems for air travel and air traffic management. Airlines scramble to adapt as ground systems fail.

The new satellite based Airborne collision avoidance system, ACAT, is caught in the chaos, threatening its pilot project deployment along the US East Coast. The malfunctioning network begins issuing errant commands that could push aircraft toward disaster. Human operators scramble to assess risk as automated guidance falters.

A crowded commercial airliner and Air Force One find themselves on a perilous trajectory that could explode into a catastrophe. The failing ACAT system compounds the tension as the two planes converge in the compromised airspace. Ground controllers and pilots race to regain control before impact.

Dr. Antonia Pierce stumbles onto scattered wreckage and realizes the magnitude of the crisis. She reaches out to Bob Abbot, a Cleveland FAA controller, who begins to push for action despite bureaucratic pushback. Their early warning sets the stage for a higher level response.

Abbot's stubborn determination becomes a counterweight to the system's failures, pressing for ground stops and to prevent further chaos. He navigates resistance from authorities in a bid to keep aircraft out of danger. His leadership becomes a crucial line of defense against automated misdirection.

The atmosphere is a brutal mix of electrical storms and technical failures; the two aircraft endure repeated lightning strikes that degrade their systems. The F-16 escorts assigned to oversee the corridor get tangled in misleading ACAT commands, reducing their effectiveness. The overall sense of chaos intensifies as pilots and controllers struggle to distinguish reality from faulty automation.

The airliner’s engines falter and lose power, only to regain a fragile restart moments before disaster would strike. The crew and passengers brace for impact as the window of survival narrows. Ground and air response teams strain to keep the plane from sliding into an uncontrolled descent.

A rogue Sidewinder missile fired from Air Force One clips the other plane, tipping the balance toward catastrophe. The impact sends the commercial flight into a perilous path and triggers a crash landing in Cleveland. Rescue and recovery teams race to respond amid the widening emergency.

A rescue operation using a C-130 Hercules is mounted to reach Air Force One, but cascading electrical impulses continually disrupt life support and communications. The effort falters as crews fight to reach the stricken aircraft and save survivors. Time is running out as systems fail across the flight.

Milani Phillips, the President's daughter, takes an unlikely role by attempting to override ACAT from within the cockpit. Her actions reflect both courage and desperation as she fights to restore control and safeguard the passengers. Her intervention becomes a pivotal turning point in the crisis.

With automated guidance erased, the President seizes command of Air Force One and stabilizes the approach. The crew follows a tense, precise plan to bring the plane toward a controlled landing. The moment marks a decisive shift from automated catastrophe to human leadership.

The final act culminates in a high-stakes landing in Detroit, forcing the city to confront how fragile modern flight can be when technology designed to save lives can also threaten them. The passengers endure the consequences of the crisis, and the system's vulnerabilities become undeniable. The city prepares to assess the lessons learned from the event.