Part 4/8:
As the aircraft drew perilously close to the mountain, mere meters separated it from a potential disaster. Just in time, the captain managed to gain enough speed to break free of the immediate danger, allowing the flight crew to declare an emergency to air traffic control. However, while the airplane had avoided disaster, it was now in a phase where landing posed a new challenge due to being heavily overloaded.
Fuel Dilemma
To safely return to San Francisco, the flight crew began dumping fuel in a bid to reduce the aircraft's weight, but as they did, fog began to settle in, complicating their approach. The decision to return was fraught with risk; landing while still overweight could jeopardize the structural integrity of the plane.