Continuity mistake: While landing at Lerner, the C-123 has to lift and fly over the Cessna to avoid a crash. As it touches down again, the pilot of the Cessna has to duck to avoid being hit. Given the landing speed of the C-123 it would be a very long way down the runway at touchdown and no where near were the pilot jumped from the Cessna. (01:06:15)
Continuity mistake: Cameron Poe's stubble length changes noticeably while they are on the plane. At one point when him, the guard and Baby-O are about to jump off the plane after taking off from Lerner Airfield it has almost disappeared. (01:13:25 - 01:28:10)
Continuity mistake: When the car crashes into the tower, you can clearly see when it goes through that the car is not attached to anything, the rope that was pulling the car has gone, yet when the car lands on the ground you can see the rope still attached to the car. (01:28:30)
Plot hole: When Larkin runs towards the crane to use it to stop/damage the business jet, he totally outruns it. In the beginning shot he is right next to it (alongside), and as the plane accelerates he starts running, he makes it to the crane, then in one shot from the front you can see how close the plane is already to the crane, and in the shot from the side you can see that it's farther away again but much faster, with Larking already sitting in the crane. Cindino is in a rush, they taxi/accelerate as fast as they can. It's impossible to outrun it, climb into the crane, and start operating it in a desired manner. (01:18:50)
Continuity mistake: When Pinball is looking for the three convicts who are to get off at Carson City, Cyrus and Billy Bedlam are standing near the front of the plane. Cyrus says, "The pilot's white," which prompts a laugh from Billy Bedlam. When Billy smiles his teeth are perfectly white - in the rest of the movie they are yellow and stained. (00:32:10)
Continuity mistake: When Diamond Dog opens the door in the floor and tells Poe to go down to take care of the landing-gear problem, he has plenty of sweat in his face (downright wet and reflecting). In the next shot he has barely a trace of sweat in his face. (00:52:55)
Factual error: In the final chase scene at the end of the film where Poe and Grissom are fighting on the ladder of the fire truck, and Poe handcuffs Cyrus to the ladder rail, Poe activates the ladder causing it to raise....this is not possible. The transmission of fire apparatus do not permit aerial ladders to be operational while the vehicle is moving. (01:43:20)
Factual error: After the hijacked plane departs Carson City, they are pressed for time. We can assume they fly a direct route to Lerner Airfield, not flying any doglegs. So flying over Fresno can not have been a deviation, it must be on a direct route from Carson City. Lerner Airfield, however, is exremely dry, wide-spread desert land, but such type of land doesn't exist in the lush areas of California South of Fresno, on a straight line extended from Carson City beyond Fresno. (00:43:40 - 01:04:35)
Plot hole: Removing the radar transponder from the C123 would not render it invisible to radar – it's a huge aircraft with a large radar signature. It would be easily tracked by airport radar, and anyone who wanted to know would know exactly where it was going. How to identify which radar track is theirs? Easy. It's the one without the transponder signal.
Factual error: When the plane is flying down the strip in Las Vegas it crashes through the guitar of the Hard Rock Cafe (or possibly the hotel). Neither are located on the Strip.
Continuity mistake: When the plane is at Carson City for exchange of prisoners, the guards have jackets with 'Dept of Prisons' printed on the back, but there is a bus with 'Bureau of Prisons' written on the side. (00:35:50)
Continuity mistake: When the C-123 lands at Lerner it stops with its nose down in the dirt which would have done serious damage to the thin skin. Later as it heads toward Las Vegas, there is no visible damage to the nose. (01:06:55 - 01:27:45)
Factual error: When Pinball falls from the aircraft, he lands in Fresno, California supposedly. Fresno does not have more than two buildings over 30 stories - the city in the movie has many more. (00:54:00 - 00:54:55)
Revealing mistake: When the fake block is discovered in Cyrus's cell, the back of the block is painted and surfaced to match the surround blocks. This cannot be done from the inside of the cell (Cyrus doesn't have access to the other side to properly hide the fakeness of the block). (00:35:10)
Continuity mistake: When Sandino is getting ready to leave the others behind, Larkin opens the tarp to the garage and is blown backwards by the engines. He then runs from the garage, the plane then comes from the garage nose first facing Larkin after it's engines were just facing Larkin. How could it turn around in that small of space? (01:18:20)
Continuity mistake: When Steve Buscemi and the little girl are sitting at the table in the swimming pool, right before they start to sing, the fruit on the plate changes position. (01:17:10)
Continuity mistake: When Larkin is in the tower, the C-123 heads straight to the tower. When the shot cuts away, the plane flies right over it. In the next shot, from the side, the plane flies past the tower next to it. And in the next shot it's even banked in a curve, again next to the tower, although the camera is on the tower. (01:05:50)
Factual error: The tour plane flies way too fast and way too close to the buttes on its scenic tour. For one thing, that prop plane type cannot fly that fast, and secondly, no tour pilot would ever fly that fast and close to the surrounding terrain. Such a tour would most definitely be operating according to Part 135 of the Federal Aviation Regulations, but even if operating under Part 91 (which a commerial tour cannot be) it would violate the FARs in terms of minimum safe altitudes, minimum lateral distance from obstacles/terrain, and the catch-all "reckless and careless" clause would apply as well. (Notice this happens already before they're confronted with the Cobras.) (01:02:20)
Continuity mistake: During the battle at Lerner field, Poe drives a burning police car from the boneyard and leaves it right at the ramp at the rear of the plane, and then ties the plane up to the post. When the plane goes to take off and Cyrus sees the plane is tied up, the burning police car is nowhere to be seen.
Revealing mistake: When Pinballs is squeezed in between the landing-gear door and the fuselage/landing-gear, you can see in the face that it's a dummy. (00:53:35)
Suggested correction: That absolutely looks like Dave Chappelle and not a dummy.
