Special report saying air Traffic Control had lost contact with a wide body jet en route from kuala lumpur to beijing. Come to find out that was the last contact anyone had with the aircraft. And now, two full weeks later, 26 nations are involved in this search using everything from satellites to binoculars, to scan a vast area of ocean, and still no word on what went wrong, no word on the lives of the 239 souls on board. And again tonight we begin with tom costello covering the story from our d. C. Newsroom. Tom, good evening. Reporter hi, brian. The telegraph out of london has released these transcripts of the calls between the pilots and air Traffic Controllers. Experts say it all looks very routine. Meanwhile, this is the kind of flight data recorder search teams hope to recover. But first they have to find the debris that will lead them to the wreckage. At the australian Maritime Command center theyre coordinating an International Effort growing more complicated by the day. Still focused on a grid 1500 miles southwest of perth. Although the search area is much smaller than we started with, it nonetheless is a big area when you look out the window and try to see something by eye. Reporter in the air on friday, three p3 aircraft from australia and new zealand, an american p8 sub hunter, and a c130 dropping buoys that drop ocean data. A norwegian cargo ship is keeping watch. Today crews rely more on binoculars than radar, but still no sign of the debris photographed by satellite five days ago. It is certainly disappointing. And i have every confidence if there is an object there well find it. And every time we launch, we hold that hope. Reporter while conditions improved today, the south indian ocean is famous for swirling high winds, white caps, half a world away at Science Research in seattle, she runs computer models on how far the debris may have traveled since a potential crash. In 14 days going by what ive seen over five days, i would say it could easily travel 300 miles, if not a thousand miles. Reporter if search teams find debris, they will then have to calculate where the wreckage may rest. That will mean listening for the pinging sounds coming from the black boxes. Today, malaysian authorities asked the pentagon for hydrophones that would be towed by ships to help to listen to the pingers, but u. S. Experts say the search zones would have to be dramatically reduced before any underwater devices would be used. You cant track off the pingers if you dont know where to look. They are not that powerful. Basically they were not intended to sit at the above 15,000 feet of ocean. Reporter also tonight, the Insurance Company has confirmed to nbc news the initial payouts are beginning for start to the passengers and missing crew members. They must move it without delay. Tom costello, thank you, from our d. C. Newsroom again tonight. Thanks. And again as we come on the air, day has broken on the other side of the world and the search has resumed. Nbcs bill neely has found his way to the Royal Air Force base near perth, australia, where the search flights originate. Bill, good evening. Reporter yes, good evening, brian from western australia. It is the dawn as you say, a new day. A third day of searching here. Six aircraft will take to the skies in the next couple of hours. Mostly australian. They will take three to four hours to get to the site. And then they will have two or three hours searching. The visibility yesterday was good. The day before it was terrible. The results so far, of course, they have come up with nothing. That australian that american u. S. Navy plane that was flying for the last two days will not actually fly today. It is due for routine maintenance and crew rest hours, but there will be also joining the search, two japanese planes, three chinese planes coming from malaysia. Also three chinese ships and a chinese icebreaker that normally works in the antarctic. The Australian Defense minister said today this search will continue until the black box is found. And he said those satellite Images Released on thursday are credible. The australian Prime Minister has been lowering expectations about the search saying that those satellite images could show shipping containers that are often found in the ocean off this coast. And he also says this is the most inhospitable, inaccessible spot on earth to conduct this site. And that is what most aviation and maritime experts agree. High seas, high swells, high winds. This multinational hightech search is about to begin again but, brian, this is a very, very difficult job. Bill neely, perth, australia. Tonight, Eastern Ukraine remains a highly watched piece of land on earth and they worry that russia could increase their land grab. What russias president , vladimir putin, will do next is anyones guess, especially now that crimea is officially part of russia. Our chief foreign correspondent, richard engle, has our report tonight. Reporter fireworks exploded over moscow tonight celebrating the return of crimea to russia. 60 years after the soviet union gave it away. President putin made it official. [ applause ] reporter the annexation has sent his Approval Rating soaring. Russias first epansixpansion s world war ii. And it has the new Ukrainian Government running in the opposite direction, today, committing ukraine to closer tieses with europe, which along with washington, has imposed sanctions on putins inner circle. It has hurt the economy, the stock market taking a dive. But it could get a lot worse for russia if putin invades Eastern Ukraine. That is where washington has drawn the line with the threat of tougher sanctions. Ukrainians are drawing lines of their own. This trench was dug about a week ago. The local governor in the area paid for it with his own money. It is not very wide and is tanks, but it might make people feel better. It may be the most closely watched strip of mud in europe. A few miles away, a ukrainian farmer told us he think the trench is a joke. He would love to join russia. Putin is a strong leader, stronger than our government, he said. Ukraine is poor. Its army, ill equipped. The paratroopers were digging along the russian border, slowly. If they dont detain russia, they dont stand much of a chance. Richard engle, nbc news, ukraine. In this country, the death toll rose from an awful overnight fire. It happened at a beautiful spot, Point Pleasant beach on the jersey shore. And the flames raged from the motel where the people who lost everything from Hurricane Sandy were staying, and had nowhere else to live. Nbcs ron allen has more. Reporter good evening, brian, the death toll now stands at four. And investigators are focusing on the top floor of the motel, completely destroyed. A number of people who escaped say they think the fire started in a lounge used by cigarette smokers, an inferno that started while dozens of hotel guests were asleep. The predawn blaze roared quickly through the woodframed motel. The flames fanned by flames gusting from the beach a couple blocks away. A kayottchaotic scene, people banging on doors, screaming to wake people up. Some jumped from the second floor. Fire already coming through the roof. Reporter joe frysac was at the motel since december, the latest temporary home because of Hurricane Sandy, says he wanted to go back in to help. But the stairs were already covered in flames. And the second floor was covered in flames. Got a subject on the west side trapped. Reporter rescuers spotted a woman standing in the shower, water running to protect herself. We had to break the window. There was fire overhead. We had to bring a hose line up, put the fire out. Reporter Point Pleasant got hit hard by sandy 18 months ago, floodwater four feet deep, thousands displaced. More than 40 of its homes damaged or destroyed. Sandy flooded the first floor of the motel. The owners opened the second to evacuees. This family has now survived the storm and the fire. It is like we just keep getting hit one after another. It is a toll on your emotions, your on everything. Reporter as firefighters comb through the destruction, the Seaside Community of mom and pop businesses looked forward. You work in a shore town, you expect some ups and downs, and everyone has their share of catastrophes that we have to deal with. Reporter investigators now say that everyone has been accounted for and there is more rebuilding to do here along the jersey shore. Brian . Ron allen, back in the town where he covered the arrival of Hurricane Sandy in the first place, thank you, ron. Tonight, federal officials warn about what theyre calling the largest tax scam they have ever seen. The irs has received complaints from americans in nearly every state now, targeting by people posing as agents over the phone claiming they owe unpaid taxes, demanding payment using a Prepaid Debit Card or wire transfer. In all, victims of this have been conned out of a million dollars. We have put more information on our website tonight at nbcnews. Com. And fair warning, the National WeatherService Tonight has released a preemptive warning that they call the potential for a noreaster bomb, could be in store for the midatlantic tuesday into wednesday. It is a long ways out but they say the weather pattern shaping up across the country has the potential to produce late season heavy snowfall from virginia on up through new england, along with big winds and seas. Well keep an eye on it as our friends at the weather channel. We have covered the tumbleweeds in colorado, and here is what can happen with a fire. This started as a controlled burn, 150 acres north of denver when things got out of control because of the winds turning the thick brush into the aerial burning dust devils, everybody was fine here, but it is a stark reminder of the problem of tumbleweeds in some spots during a very dry season. Still ahead tonight as the focus intensifies on the pilots of the missing airliner, what the passengers want to know about the airline crews. And later, the sister act that stunned the judges and everybody else for that matter. [ woman ] ive had it with my moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. The frustration. Covering up. So i talked with my doctor. He prescribed enbrel. Enbrel is clinically proven to provide clearer skin. Many people saw 75 clearance in 3 months. And enbrel helped keep skin clearer at 6 months. [ male announcer ] enbrel may lower your ability to fight infections. Serious, sometimes fatal, events including infections, tuberculosis, lymphoma, other cancers, nervous system and blood disorders, and allergic reactions have occurred. Before starting enbrel, your doctor should test you for tuberculosis and discuss whether youve been to a region where certain fungal infections are common. You should not start enbrel if you have an infection like the flu. Tell your doctor if youre prone to infections, have cuts or sores, have had hepatitis b, have been treated for heart failure, or if you have symptoms such as persistent fever, bruising, bleeding, or paleness. [ woman ] finally, clearer skin for more than a few days, weeks, or months. Enbrel works for me. Ask your dermatologist if you can have clearer skin with enbrel. But when we put something in the ground, feed it, and care for it, dont we grow something more . We grow big celebrations, and personal victories. We grow new beginnings, and better endings. Grand gestures, and perfect quiet. We grow escape, bragging rights, happier happy hours. So lets gro something greater with miraclegro. What will you grow . Share your story at miraclegro. Com. As we have been reporting night after night, still no o trace of the missing wide body 77 jetliner, and tonight the authorities are looking closely at the captain and first officer. And watching all of this a lot of people wonder about how the pilots here in the u. S. Are screened. We get more from that tonight from nbcs john yang. Reporter according to pilots and government officials at u. S. Carriers, the screening starts in the hiring process. Medical exams and criminal background checking. The Transportation Security Administration routinely checks the names of commercial pilots flying around and into the United States against terrorism watch lists. But trickier to spot . Psychological or emotional issues. In 2012, the jetblue pilots stopped a pilot after he began to act erratically. The judge found him not guilty on criminal charges by reason of insanity. In the United States, pilots are asked to report mental disorders or suicide attempts during faa mandated physical exams. Once a year for those under 40, every six months for those older. The faa teaches doctors to form a general impression of a pilots emotional stability and mental state but does not expect a formal psychiatric evaluation. If somebody has a psychological history that they dont selfdisclose to us there is no way we can second guess them unless the faa has flagged them somewhere in the past. Reporter and flight crews are told to keep an eye on each other. Were instructed as crew members to observe one another. If there is a problem, to bring it to the proper authoritys attention. Reporter standards vary around the world, the Civil Organization provides guidance on Mental Health screenings but leaves the implementation up to each country. There were cases of pilots deliberately crashing with catastrophic results, after an egyptair wide body jet plunged into massachusetts in 1999, the ntsb concluded the first officer caused the crash. The u. S. Investigators in the 1997 crash of a silk air flight in indonesia that killed 104 people blamed the captain who had recent financial problems. In the case of the missing airliner, they say the pilots go through psychological screening but spotting problems before they happen can be as imperfect as human nature. John yang, nbc news. And in a moment well be back with a farewell to a television icon. Right back with a goodbye to a television icon, right after this. To a fidelity ira. It gives you a wide range of investment options. And the free help you need to make sure your investments fit your goals and what youre really investing for. Tap into the full power of your fidelity green line. Call today and well make it easy to move that old 401 k to a fidelity rollover ira. 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These could be signs of rare but serious side effects. Crestor yes [ female announcer ] ask your doctor about crestor. If you cant afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help. Plays a key role throughout our lives. One a day mens 50 is a complete multivitamin designed for mens Health Concerns as we age. With 7 antioxidants to support cell health. One a day mens 50 . This is a big weekend for this is a big weekend for the blue angels, the always thrilling precision naval aviators have been grounded for at least a year because of the budget sequester. But they will be back in the air at just under mach 1 in lancaster, california, our cameras will be there. Well have it for you on tomorrow nights broadcast. That sound you hear across the country is ncaa brackets crumbling after duke lost to mercer, dayton beat ohio state, north dakota state beat oklahoma, all bets are off. It is a mess out there. Espn reports going into tonight about 2,000 fans still have perfect brackets out of 11 million starting out. Further evidence of why they call it march madness. As we mentioned, there is a star of italys version of the voice, and shes a nun. How about that . She belted out the alicia keys song no one, and to cheers from her fellow nuns, she got all the cheers to go around and the judges wore the surprise on their faces. A Sentimental Journey across town for the legendary nbc studios in burbank, california. This weekend, they shut down, and the whole operation moves in with the rest of the company at universal studios. It has made us all sentimental about the amount of tv history that was made on the old lot. The following program is brought to you in living color on nbc. From the back room of bennys beanery and fireworks fablg factory in beautiful downtown burbank while it was technically always los angeles county, burbank is a city all its own. To us noncalifornians, they made fun of the name mercilessly. So did johnny carson. Many tried to catch a glimpse of johnnys parking space. In this case, johnny himself encountered a young reporter named maria shriver. The list is extensive, from jack benny to jay leno to flip wilson, bob hope, the Midnight Special and hollywood squares. And if you want to know the real history of the place, just ask our friend, veteran video engineer chuck klein. If you dug up studio 4, you would find the swimming pool, where they did specials, water ballet. Underneath studio 1, you find a bowling alley. Danny kaye used to bowl there, that is why to this day it is referred to as the bowling alley. As for us, when were in l. A. , this shot will look different. The newsroom will be gone this weekend as nbc news Los Angeles Moves into new digs. When we come back from new york tonight, Something Different about hollywoods newest action thriller, including the audience lining up to see it. We asked people a question, how much money do you think youll need when you retire . Then we gave each person a ribbon to show how many years that amount might last. I was trying to, like, pull it a little further. [ woman ] got me to 70 years old. Im going to have to rethink this thing. Its hard to imagine how much well need for a retirement that could last 30 years or more. So maybe we need to approach things differently, if we want to be ready for a longer retirement. Anybody have occasional constipation, diarrhea, gas, bloating . One Phillips Colon Health probiotic cap each day helps defend against these digestive issues with three types of good bacteria. I should probably take this. Live the regular life. Phillips. Dso i got dr. Scholls massaging gel work insoles. Ired. They absorb the shock of working on my feet all day. I feel energized get dr. Scholls massaging gel work insoles at walmart. Im a believer im the protector of my patio killing weeds where they grow a barrier forms so weeds cant appear serious weed prevention up to a year new roundup max control 365 so im fighting weeds on opening day and preventing weeds while i get away weeds stay dead as we carve this beast and they still arent back when i cook this feast new roundup max control 365 one more time let me make it clear with no more weeds, its your year before we go here and head into the weekend, after a big year for movies in 2013, this may be the first big one of 2014. It all started as a book, that has spread well beyond its intended audience, thanks to an inspiring young hero. We get our report tonight from nbcs tamron hall. Reporter it may just be the next big blockbuster divergent. We divide society into five factions reporter the heroine leaves her family for a new life with those who value bravery above all else. If i wanted to hurt you, i would have. Reporter the movie is based on the bestselling books written for teenagers, but now a favorite of 30somethings. In minneapolis, this book club has been meeting for 13 years. And judging by the look he gives me, he did it on purpose. Reporter courtney is like so many grown women devouring a new genre of new stories. You dont want to put it down. Reporter about young female action heroes, she admits she became obsessed with katniss ev everdeen when she first read the hunger games. Literally couldnt stop thinking about it, the story, what happens next. Reporter marie claire is featuring the actress, shaileen woodley, saying she speaks to teenagers. It is an awakening of people who want to take the world by storm. Reporter a recent survey shows that more than half of the readers of young adult novels are over the age of 18. Almost 30 between 30 and 44. Lisa smith has two daughters too young to read the back now, but she hopes they will someday. I want my kids to know if you get knocked down, you get back up. That is what will make them successful, these characters teach them that. Reporter and they dont see the books meant for teens as a guilty pleasure. Guilty is 50 shades of gray this talks about finding your place in the world, and empowerment, why is that guilty . Reporter stories about young women, for all women, empowering their way to the top of the best seller list and the box office. Tomron hall, nbc news, new york. Brings us to a close on this friday night, thank you for being here with us. Im brian williams. Lester holt will be here this weekend. We, of course, hope to see you back here on monday night. In the meantime, have a great weekend. Good night. Nbc bay area news starts now. All talk but no action. Thats the accusation coming from some students at san jose state university. They say the school has done little to improve conditions since a black student was racially harassed and assaulted inside of his dorm room. Thanks for joining us. Im raj mathai. And im jessica aguirre. Several lawmakers gathered at san jose state to figure out what changed since an africanamerican student came forward with allegations that his white roommates bullied, tormented, and assaulted him simply because of his race. Marianne favro has been on top of this story since it broke. She was there today when teachers and students met with legislators. Reporter legislators had a lot of questions, but after the hearing i spoke with several of them, and they said they didnt feel administrators had answered those questions. Today at san jose state, the Assembly SelectCommittee Held its first hearing on campus climate. At the heart of the hearing were questions about what happened in a dorm room. An africanamerican student says he was tormented and bullied by some of his roommates. The victim, donald williams, jr. , claims his roommates bullied him, usualed racial slurs, and put a bike lock around his neck. The hearing comes two days after williams filed a 5 million claim against the university over the incident. Today the University President admitted change was needed. The abuse