The NCIS team, driven by Sam’s relentless defense of his son, uncovers a corporate conspiracy. They discover that the aircraft's autopilot system, manufactured by Starling Aeronautics, had a known flaw that was intentionally reintroduced for sabotage by Master Chief Frazier. Frazier was acting on behalf of a rival company seeking to acquire the program for itself. Key Subplots and Character Development
: Special Agent Devin Rountree continues his arc regarding the LAPD's racial profiling incident . He struggles with whether to fight for accountability when the officer involved is likely to only receive paid leave, eventually finding support in Admiral Kilbride and Fatima. "NCIS: Los Angeles" Dead Stick(2022)
: Regulars Kensi Blye and Marty Deeks are notably absent from this episode. This allowed for more focus on Sam's family and gave characters like Shyla Dahr a chance to step into field operations. Thematic Significance The NCIS team, driven by Sam’s relentless defense