Transatlantic flight 627 Captain Steve Williams (Gary Merrill) is piloting a DC-7C commercial airliner on a flight from Lisbon to New York when two engines fail. One of the propellers cannot be feathered, causing drag that makes it uncertain whether New York can be reached. The crippled aircraft is not the only concern for Williams as he has been faced with family complications. He is at odds with his wife Helen (Nancy Davis) over raising their son. Williams is also not liked by his co-pilot John Smithback (Roger Smith), engineer Howard Whitney (Sheridan Comerate) and navigator Jed Sutton (Richard Newton) who resent his overbearing attitude.