Upon developing a new type of electronically driven plane, Walter Fielding, an inventor, offers the United States government first option on his creation. However, when William Fornay, a foreign agent, offers him three times the army's price, Fielding decides to insure that the government tests end in failure, thus enabling him to sell his patent to the highest bidder.
After the initial flight crashes and kills its pilot, Lieutenant Gray, army flyer Major Roston begins to suspect sabotage. Hoping to flush out the saboteurs, Roston arranges for his own court martial, then feigns resentment towards the army.
His ruse works, and Roston is soon contacted by enemy agent Carol Rayder. But Roston's first lead is sidetracked, however, when Carol and her employer, Joseph Dure, are found murdered. While investigating Carol's murder, Roston picks up a clue which leads to Fornay.
Upon discovering that Fornay is behind the plane's mysterious failures, Roston deduces that Fielding must also be involved in sabotage. Roston substantiates his theory when he lures Fielding into taking a test flight with him, and by threatening to crash the plane, forces a confession from the inventor.