Factual error: The suits worn by dangerous disease researchers would definitely never tear if the hose was pulled.
Factual error: In the scenes where Daniels and Salt are flying together in the helicopter, the pilot, Salt, would be in the right seat. Although it is possible to fly the helicopter from either seat, the primary controls are on the right of the helicopter (Loach, Hughes OH-6 included). Even an inexperienced pilot would never jump into the left seat when the other person has no flight experience. Left seat primary controls are in fixed wing aircraft.
Factual error: When the camera is panning through the different rooms of USAMRIID it exits out of BSL-3 and as it does a female technician takes her breathing mask off before she opens the door. This is supposed to be the highly infectious room that tests things like Anthrax or H.I.V. yet this woman not only takes her mask off she's not even quarantined or decontaminated.
Factual error: The "African" monkey that they're chasing around is actually a South American species. It's also Marcel from Friends.
Continuity mistake: When Kevin Spacey is rushed into the hospital after collapsing, the medical people rip his shirt off to apply ice bags. In the next shot they are stuffing ice bags up under his intact shirt. (01:15:25)
Factual error: Every centrifuge ever made comes with a locking system that prevents the lid being opened while the centrifuge is in motion, so even if someone was as stupid as the lab assistant who put his hand in a spinning centrifuge, they would not be able to.
Continuity mistake: As "Sandman" is making its bombing run, the bomb door is opened - in the next side angle shot of the plane, the door is shut again. (01:56:00)
Continuity mistake: Throughout the film, Maj. Casey Schuler's hair is dyed strawberry blonde. In the scene where he convulses from being infected with the virus and is rushed to an available hospital bed, his hair color changes to his natural dark locks. In his death scene a few minutes later, his hair color is back to being strawberry blonde.
Factual error: The bomber used as "Sandman" is a C-123. That aircraft was no longer in use by the US Air Force or any military branch in the US by the early 80s. The movie takes place in 1995. The C-123 was replaced by the C-130.
Other mistake: The plot of this film can't seem to make up its mind whether or not the Cedar Creek virus is airborne or not. Several scenes show characters walking around in infected areas with and without protection in the same area. At one point Casey's suit breaks implying that he immediately contracts the virus within mere seconds without even having breathed it in yet we see other people walking around with either their face or eyes unprotected.
Factual error: When Sam Daniels and Casey are walking to the BSL-4 lab we see the shoulder insignia on Casey's coat are silver oak leaves. Silver oak leaves are the insignia of an O-5, Lieutenant Colonel, but Casey is supposed to be an O-4, Major (which would be represented by gold oak leaves). The only possible explanation is that Casey was promoted after the trip to Zaire, however this is extremely unlikely; if he were promoted to O-5 he would likely be given his own crew and no longer a member of Daniel's staff. (00:23:10)
Suggested correction: It's a guess with no basis of fact.
Audio problem: Between 1:12:26 and 1:12:37 into the film, as the chopper lands near the outer perimeter of the cordon for Cedar Creek, the audio has mixed into it civilian ATC conversations from a commercial airport, instead of military center. Specifically, ".cleared to land 24R.Delta 1781 cross runway 24L.". The chopper should not be on civilian freq at an airport far from his operating area or landing zone. You can compare the audio at 1:25:20 when the army loach leaves the flight line, ATC audio is presumed to be on the right freq and is ordered to RTB / land. (01:12:25)
Other mistake: About half an hour into the film, Schuler and Daniels go down to the level 4 bio-lab. They pass through a number of doors that earlier and later in the film reqire an ID card or hand-print scan to access, but they don't use either on any door. (A security guard seems to usher them through one door, but surely such a high security lab would require positive ID at each entry point).
Continuity mistake: The bomber approaching the town is military green in all scenes but one. One shot, however, is of a bright yellow plane. If that's just the sunlight, then note that a minute and a half later, the plane (which has supposedly been approaching from the same direction) now has sun shining on its right side rather than left. (01:51:20 - 01:52:40)
Continuity mistake: Two Humvees rush toward hospital; an old lady in a pink top is hit by the first Humvee which fails to break sufficiently. She is OK in the next camera shot.
Factual error: At the beginning of the movie, a military plane that appears to be a DC-3 drops a large bomb out from its tail area. Problem being, the DC-3 has no door under its tail, as is found on modern military transport planes or the one used at the end of the film. The DC-3 only has side doors.
Character mistake: Salt states that the range of their Hughes OH-6A helicopter is 400 miles. The actual range of this model is 267 miles. (Source: FAS.ORG).
Suggested correction: The FAS site lists 4 different ranges, but according to Boeing's own website, the range was 413 miles.
Suggested correction: The range of the OA-6 is 380 statute miles.
