John Mitchell's efforts to improve his family's situation fail, and he blames himself. Mitchell will test the company's new rocket-propulsion transport plane in Wolverhampton, transporting Ministry official Crabtree and buyer's agent Ashmore. Mitchell's supervisor, Reg Conway, tells him that if Ashmore doesn't approve the jet, the company would go out of business and Mitchell will lose his job because the plane isn't even insured. Aloft, an engine catches fire and passengers and crew parachute out, but Mitchell refuses to ditch in the Irish Sea.