Commercial airline pilot Whip Whitaker has a problem with drugs and alcohol, though so far he's managed to complete his flights safely. His luck runs out when a disastrous mechanical malfunction sends his plane hurtling toward the ground. Whip pulls off a miraculous crash-landing that results in only six lives lost. Shaken to the core, Whip vows to get sober -- but when the crash investigation exposes his addiction, he finds himself in an even worse situation.

A U.S. Marshal escorts a government witness to trial after he's accused of getting involved with a mob boss, only to discover that the pilot who is transporting them is also a hitman sent to assassinate the informant. After they subdue him, they're forced to fly together after discovering that there are others attempting to eliminate them.