On October 14, 2011, airline captain William “Whip” Whitaker wakes up in his Orlando hotel room alongside flight attendant Katerina Márquez, following a wild night filled with sex, heavy drinking, and little sleep. Separated from his wife Deana and sharing custody of their 15-year-old son, Whip resorts to using cocaine to shake off the effects of his previous night’s escapades before he boards SouthJet flight 227 to Atlanta. This flight is intended to last just 52 minutes, but it becomes a journey fraught with peril.

Accompanying Whip on the flight are fellow flight attendants Margaret and Camelia Satou, but this trip marks the first time he works with copilot Ken Evans. After takeoff, Whip maneuvers the aircraft through intense turbulence by speeding up and expertly navigating to find a calm passage amid chaos. However, unbeknownst to the crew, Whip is discreetly mixing vodka with his orange juice and taking a nap as Ken Evans takes the controls.

Everything changes abruptly when Whip is jolted awake before the final descent. The plane suddenly experiences a catastrophic failure, sending it into a steep dive. In a desperate attempt to save the flight, he rolls the aircraft upside down and manages to right it, crash-landing in a field. Although he loses consciousness on impact, he later wakes up in an Atlanta hospital, greeted by his friend Charlie Anderson, who informs him that his quick thinking saved 96 lives out of the 102 on board, but tragedy struck as Katerina and two others lost their lives in the crash.

As Whip grapples with the weight of guilt and sorrow, his friend and drug dealer Harling Mays visits him, reminding him of his struggles with alcohol. In the hospital, he meets Nicole, a woman recovering from a heroin overdose, who has faced her own battles with addiction. They bond over their shared experiences, and Whip promises to visit her after they both leave the hospital, deepening his connection to her in a moment of vulnerability.

Amidst the turmoil, Whip retreats to his late father’s farm, hoping to escape the media frenzy and confront his demons. While there, he resolves to quit drinking but finds it increasingly difficult as he faces the repercussions of the NTSB’s findings that could land him in prison for drink, drugs, and manslaughter charges. Whip’s denial leads to tensions as he insists the plane malfunctioned instead of admitting the truth about his intoxication.

In the weeks following, Whip’s relationship with Nicole is strained as he struggles with his alcoholism. When he attempts to reconcile with his ex-wife and son, he is met with hostility, leading to further despair. As the NTSB hearing looms, Whip is isolated, checked into a guarded hotel room to deter any potential drinking. Yet, temptation overwhelms him, and after sneaking alcohol, he wakes up in a state of disarray the following day.

At the hearing, Ellen Block, the lead investigator, outlines the technical failures of the aircraft, but as Whip feels a sense of relief from the acknowledgement of his bravery, she reveals damning evidence of the alcohol containers found on the plane. Faced with mounting pressure, Whip courageously admits to flying under the influence, risking his reputation and freedom.

Thirteen months later, reflecting on his time in prison, Whip shares with fellow inmates that although he is serving a minimum five-year sentence, he finally feels “free.” He maintains contact with Nicole and begins to rebuild his relationship with his estranged son, finally confronting the man he wants to become.