When an airborne lightning strike kills the entire flight crew of a Europe-bound Boeing 747 during take-off, it is up to a brave senior flight attendant and a host of people on the ground to see the passengers to safety. The stewardess finds assistance from a passenger, and together they figure out that their best hope lies with the planes sophisticated autopilot system. Unfortunately, it is working indiscriminately and guiding the crippled jet towards airports not large enough to safely land the giant craft. They are on the own when radio contact is lost. While the two them try to handle the jet and keep passengers calm, federal officials on the ground are faced with a horrendous decision. With no working autopilot and no experienced person to land the jet, the loss of life could be disastrous if the plane goes down in a heavily populated area. The officials are therefore faced with the prospect of shooting down the jet before that happens. But what about the passengers on board? ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide