Captain Steve Williams (Gary Merrill) is piloting a commercial airliner across the Atlantic when he loses two engines in mid-ocean. With the real prospect of ditching at sea, we see his dedication and perfectionism at work, as he tries to safeguard his plane and passengers -- those attributes have made him one of the best men in his field, but have also alienated most of the people around him, including his wife (Nancy Davis) and young son (Kim Charney). As Williams faces the life-and-death decisions in front of him, he, the crew and passengers try to come to peace with their consciences and their respective pasts.