Five Came Back

Nine passengers, including a wealthy couple, an elderly couple, a gangster's son and his escort, a shady woman, and an anarchist with his guard, board a commercial flight to Panama City. The crew consists of pilot Bill, co-pilot Joe, and steward Larry. The group is diverse, each with their own reasons for the journey.

During the flight, a severe nighttime storm hits the aircraft, causing turbulence and damage to the plane. A gas cylinder is knocked loose, opens a door, and causes a panic among the passengers. The plane struggles to stay in control amidst the storm.

The storm causes engine failure, forcing the pilots to make an emergency crash-landing deep in the Amazon rainforest. The survivors find themselves stranded far from rescue, with the nearest civilization hidden behind mountains and dense jungle.

Over the course of several weeks, the survivors struggle to repair the damaged aircraft and endure the harsh jungle environment. During this time, personal relationships develop; the Spenglers rekindle their love, and Peggy reveals her shady past to Bill.

Judson Ellis falls into despair and escapes into drunkenness, while Alice begins to grow more resilient and develops feelings of attraction towards Joe. Their changed dynamics reflect the trauma and adaptation to their new reality.

Vasquez, initially radical and revolutionary, observes how most survivors cope or adapt, leading him to doubt his beliefs. His perspective shifts as he begins to consider different paths for himself amid the survival ordeal.

Crimp, the guard escorting Vasquez, disappears suddenly. Tommy later finds his body, murdered by a poison dart. Peggy and Pete discover the body, and Pete is killed while attempting to escape the native inhabitants after they find Tommy leading them.

The survivors manage to repair the aircraft but discover that only one engine is operational with a leaking oil line, limiting the plane's capacity to four adults and a child. Vasquez takes charge, deciding who will leave based on his own reasoning during the tense situation.

Vasquez, claiming he has nothing to lose, chooses four passengers—both pilots, two young women, and Tommy—to fly out. When Judson tries to bribe him, Vasquez murders him during a struggle and kills the Spenglers with his last bullets just before departure.

The aircraft takes off, leaving Vasquez and the Spenglers behind in the jungle. As natives approach, Vasquez falsely claims he has bullets left, but then kills the Spenglers to avoid their potential torture, sealing his own grim fate.