On a long-distance flight over the US a handful of Arabic terrorist with US-passports hijacks a plane. In a suicide attack they intent to crash the fully occupied plane on an American air craft carrier.
Also on board is air marshal Bred Prescott. After a first fight he pretends to be dead, and starts a hit-and-run campaign from the consealed areas of the machine. In order to protect the passengers, Prescott not only risks his life but is also confronted with a long forgoten incident of his CIA past.
Time for his rescue attempt is about to run up: To protect the carrier, US military considers to shoot down the plane.