Hobie, Gayle and Ken are trapped inside the plane. Ken finds the pilot Elaine, but she is dead. Inside the rapidly flooding compartment, Hobie courageously works to free Gayle, who is unconscious and pinned under her seat. Hobie can't pry his mother loose and asks Ken to help him. But Ken panics and tries unsuccessfully to escape the cabin by himself, using up valuable oxygen in the process.
This long-running series follows the adventures of a team of lifeguards on the crowded beaches of Los Angeles County. Veteran lifeguard Mitch Buchannon watches over the younger lifeguards that come and go with each passing season as they keep the beaches safe for vacationers. Frequently he must take action to save them from the raging seas and from the raging tempers that sometimes flare up between the young guards in this stressful job.