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Cases › CEN09MA117 › Cockpit voice recorder

SIKORSKY S-76CPHI INC

237 lines · 12:06:19.3 – 14:09:58.0 · Morgan City, LA, 2009-01-04

The NTSB cautions that a transcript is not a precise science and, taken out of context, can mislead. These are the last words of real people — handle with care.
237 of 237 lines
CaptainFirst officerControllersWarningsSounds
The final secondsjump to the end ↓

Crew communication

237 lines readobservations a human-factors reviewer takes from a transcript — the sterile cockpit, the Board's own notations, rhythm, CRM markers. Not emotions, not scores: the affect is in the audio, and the audio is sealed
37 / 59
floor share · CA / FO %
3%
non-pertinent talk in sterile window
1 · 8 · 0
laughter · delivery · expletives
5 of 54
crew questions unanswered in 8 s
0 of 4
warnings with a crew response in 5 s
CaptainCaptain: 3 in minute 107Captain: 1 in minute 108Captain: 1 in minute 109Captain: 14 in minute 110Captain: 14 in minute 111Captain: 11 in minute 112Captain: 7 in minute 113Captain: 3 in minute 114Captain: 13 in minute 115Captain: 5 in minute 116Captain: 1 in minute 117Captain: 2 in minute 118Captain: 3 in minute 119Captain: 3 in minute 121Captain: 8 in minute 122Captain: 1 in minute 124First officerFirst officer: 1 in minute 107First officer: 5 in minute 108First officer: 4 in minute 109First officer: 18 in minute 110First officer: 17 in minute 111First officer: 14 in minute 112First officer: 8 in minute 113First officer: 4 in minute 114First officer: 13 in minute 115First officer: 7 in minute 116First officer: 3 in minute 117First officer: 5 in minute 118First officer: 4 in minute 119First officer: 1 in minute 120First officer: 3 in minute 121First officer: 9 in minute 122First officer: 1 in minute 123First officer: 2 in minute 124Controllers12:0612:1612:2612:3612:4612:5613:0613:1613:2613:3613:4613:5614:06
Utterances per minute, one row per speaker on one clock. shaded = sterile-cockpit window · red = end of recording.
Sterile cockpit · 14 CFR 121.542

Window: 13:57:00–14:09:57 · basis: recorder pressure altitude below 10,000 ft. Candidate non-pertinent lines below are a first reading for the investigator, not a finding.

  • 14:02:26.0“well still can't get 'em on deck here.”
  • 14:07:40.9“the guy we're repositioning?”
  • 14:07:55.4“alright I just got to make sure his bag doesn't get off.”
The Board’s own notations

Delivery and physiological notes the transcribers added in brackets, plus # expletives. 8 words are marked unintelligible (*).

  • sound similar to grunting13:52:49.4“[sound similar to grunting]”
  • sound similar to grunting13:54:56.3“[sound similar to grunting]”
  • sound similar to increasing engine rpm13:56:56.4“[sound similar to increasing engine rpm]”
  • sound similar to increasing engine rpm13:57:29.6“[sound similar to increasing engine rpm]”
  • sound similar to door closing and decrease in background noise13:58:29.1“[sound similar to door closing and decrease in background noise]”
  • sound similar to increasing engine rpm14:00:56.2“[sound similar to increasing engine rpm]”
  • sound of decreasing rotor and engine rpm14:09:41.9“[sound of decreasing rotor and engine rpm]”
  • sound of grunt14:09:58.0“[sound of grunt]”
Silences of 45 s or more
Concerns voiced, and what followed

Hedged or questioning lines from one pilot in the critical window, with the other pilot’s next words.

  • 14:05:05.2“...stay down a while. I think I'll just punch it off and hand fly it for a little bit.”
    → 14:05:31.6“there's the apartment complex...those things been there since seventy nine.”
  • 14:06:22.3“yeah I think we're gonna be okay comin' back. we'll be back before four oh clock...what's our uh route what are we doing? three oh— three oh one. dropping? picking up? what?”
    → 14:06:37.4“yeah going to three oh one first...see here...alright. only showing one guy here going to three hundred. that means we're dropping yeah dropping.”
  • 14:09:47.6“what the hell happened?”
    → 14:09:50.0“low rotor.”
Warnings and the response
  • 14:09:52.5terrain terrain.
    → no crew words within 5 s
  • 14:09:53.8pull up. CEN09MA117
    → no crew words within 5 s
  • 14:09:55.2pull up.
    → no crew words within 5 s
  • 14:09:57.2altitude altitude.
    → no crew words within 5 s
Questions between the pilots left unanswered
  • 13:54:05.9“huh?”
  • 13:56:12.2“IIDS caution and warning lights?”
  • 13:58:15.5“flight controls and servos?”
  • 13:58:39.6“there we go. uh performance planning?”
  • 14:06:22.3“yeah I think we're gonna be okay comin' back. we'll be back before four oh clock...what's our uh route what are we doing? three oh— three oh one. dropping? picking up? what?”
Standard callouts
V1 · not in transcriptRotate / Vr · not in transcriptV2 · not in transcriptPositive rate · not in transcriptGear up · not in transcript1,000 ft · not in transcript500 ft · not in transcriptMinimums · not in transcriptGear down · not in transcriptRunway in sight · not in transcriptGo around · not in transcriptStabilized · not in transcript

“Not in transcript” never means “not said”: a line may be unintelligible, or the recording may not cover that phase.

Language, as counts
Speakerwordsquestionshedgesexclamationsexpletiveschecklistsnon-pertinent lines
Captain360330001
First officer5695220003
Observer / jumpseat38120000

Read next to the Board’s coded human-factors findings on the case page. The NTSB cautions that a transcript is not a precise science; these are pointers into it, for a trained reader to weigh.

Hover a line to bookmark it or write a note against it — the note keeps the line’s time, speaker and words.

12:06:19.3STASTARTOF RECORDINGp.7
13:52:20.9STASTARTOF TRANSCRIPTp.7
13:52:20.9FOCAM-2**.p.7
13:52:40.4CACAM-1uh excuse me.p.7
13:52:49.4CACAM-1[sound similar to grunting]p.7
13:53:10.8CACAM-1we ought to be back before four.p.7
13:53:34.9CAMCAM-?[sound of laughter]p.7
13:53:43.8FOCAM-2okay.p.7
13:53:44.5CAMCAM-?two back here?p.7
13:53:45.9CACAM-1two in the front.p.7
13:53:46.5FOCAM-2two in the front three in the middle two in the back.p.7
13:53:51.2CAMCAM-?two in the back three in the middle.p.7
13:53:55.9CAMCAM-?two in the back three in the middle.p.7
13:54:02.9OBCAM-3if you can give me that book...somebody else's book. it's not yours huh? CEN09MA117p.7
13:54:05.9FOCAM-2huh?p.8
13:54:06.3OBCAM-3it's not your novel huh?p.8
13:54:07.6FOCAM-2nope not mine. you better take it inside.p.8
13:54:10.4CAMCAM-?that's my novel.p.8
13:54:11.1FOCAM-2somebody might be looking for it.p.8
13:54:31.5FOCAM-2it's not goin' in.p.8
13:54:40.5FOCAM-2** diamond. first stop'll be three oh one.p.8
13:54:53.2CACAM-1yeahhh.p.8
13:54:56.3CAMCAM-?[sound similar to grunting]p.8
13:55:04.5OBCAM-3you guys have a good one.p.8
13:55:06.5FOCAM-2thanks @.p.8
13:55:07.7OBCAM-3alright have a good one.p.8
13:55:08.2FOCAM-2alright bud.p.8
13:55:08.7OBCAM-3* waitin' on you. CEN09MA117p.8
13:55:29.2FOHOT-2hello.p.9
13:55:29.8CAHOT-1hello.p.9
13:55:30.8FOHOT-2alright ehh...uhh.p.9
13:55:35.5FOHOT-2chocks tiedowns ADELT safety straps?p.9
13:55:37.3CAHOT-1removed.p.9
13:55:38.5FOHOT-2life raft safety pins?p.9
13:55:39.6CAHOT-1removed.p.9
13:55:40.2FOHOT-2ADELT panel switches?p.9
13:55:41.4CAHOT-1off.p.9
13:55:42.1FOHOT-2radio EFIS master switches?p.9
13:55:46.3CAHOT-1uh they're off.p.9
13:55:48.0FOHOT-2battery master start?p.9
13:55:49.1CAHOT-1on.p.9
13:55:49.7FOHOT-2ADELT test? CEN09MA117p.9
13:55:51.4CAHOT-1ohh test.p.10
13:55:53.4FOHOT-2generators?p.10
13:55:55.4CAHOT-1on.p.10
13:55:55.9FOHOT-2inverters?p.10
13:55:56.8CAHOT-1off.p.10
13:55:57.4FOHOT-2arming switches?p.10
13:55:59.8CAHOT-1off.p.10
13:55:59.9FOHOT-2my side too. remaining overhead switches AC off?p.10
13:56:02.8CAHOT-1uh as required.p.10
13:56:05.1FOHOT-2okay CVR FDR?p.10
13:56:06.6CAHOT-1tested.p.10
13:56:07.6FOHOT-2standby attitude indicator?p.10
13:56:09.2CAHOT-1alright tested.p.10
13:56:10.3FOHOT-2DECU fault? CEN09MA117p.10
13:56:11.7CAHOT-1clear.p.11
13:56:12.2FOHOT-2IIDS caution and warning lights?p.11
13:56:15.0FOHOT-2* upper. * upper.p.11
13:56:18.3FOHOT-2uh overspeed bleed valve lights?p.11
13:56:20.7CAHOT-1they're on.p.11
13:56:21.8FOHOT-2engine...let's see...landing gear?p.11
13:56:24.9CAHOT-1down three green safetied.p.11
13:56:26.8FOHOT-2flight control servo switches?p.11
13:56:28.9CAHOT-1uh centered.p.11
13:56:30.2FOHOT-2parking brake?p.11
13:56:33.2CAHOT-1reset.p.11
13:56:33.9FOHOT-2essential bus recovery?p.11
13:56:35.5CAHOT-1off.p.11
13:56:36.5FOHOT-2stick trim switches? CEN09MA117p.11
13:56:37.6CAHOT-1on.p.12
13:56:38.7FOHOT-2circuit breakers?p.12
13:56:39.7CAHOT-1in.p.12
13:56:40.4FOHOT-2rotor brake?p.12
13:56:41.9CAHOT-1off.p.12
13:56:42.8FOHOT-2engine control switch?p.12
13:56:44.3CAHOT-1auto.p.12
13:56:45.1FOHOT-2all other overhead switches?p.12
13:56:46.3CAHOT-1off or normal.p.12
13:56:47.5FOHOT-2T handle?p.12
13:56:48.0CAHOT-1forward.p.12
13:56:48.5FOHOT-2levers?p.12
13:56:48.8CAHOT-1back.p.12
13:56:49.4FOHOT-2selectors? CEN09MA117p.12
13:56:49.8CAHOT-1crossfeed.p.13
13:56:50.9FOHOT-2before checklist is completed. today's the fourth. clear left.p.13
13:56:54.7CAHOT-1two comin’ through.p.13
13:56:55.7FOHOT-2ready.p.13
13:56:56.4◦CAM[sound similar to increasing engine rpm]p.13
13:56:58.1FOHOT-2N one's spin up.p.13
13:57:01.3FOHOT-2T five's lit. blades turning. oil pressure on the rise.p.13
13:57:14.6FOHOT-2T five's stable. forty seven percent.p.13
13:57:23.3CAHOT-1seventy.p.13
13:57:24.8FOHOT-2overspeed warning light?p.13
13:57:25.6CAHOT-1out.p.13
13:57:26.2FOHOT-2caution lights?p.13
13:57:27.2CAHOT-1normal.p.13
13:57:27.6FOHOT-2temperature pressures? CEN09MA117p.13
13:57:28.2CAHOT-1all in range.p.14
13:57:29.4FOHOT-2copilot's IIDS is working. remaining engine.p.14
13:57:29.6◦CAM[sound similar to increasing engine rpm]p.14
13:57:33.5CAHOT-1comin' up.p.14
13:57:37.9FOHOT-2N1 spin up. T five is lit. oil pressure's on the rise.p.14
13:57:51.5FOHOT-2T five's under control. forty seven percent. adjust idle.p.14
13:57:59.5CAHOT-1okay.p.14
13:58:00.3FOHOT-2overspeed warning light?p.14
13:58:01.3CAHOT-1out.p.14
13:58:01.7FOHOT-2caution lights?p.14
13:58:02.8CAHOT-1normal.p.14
13:58:03.3FOHOT-2temperature pressures?p.14
13:58:03.9CAHOT-1normal.p.14
13:58:04.8FOHOT-2inverters? CEN09MA117p.14
13:58:05.4CAHOT-1on.p.15
13:58:06.1FOHOT-2FMS radio EFIS master switches and radar?p.15
13:58:06.6◦HOT[sound of tone]p.15
13:58:09.8CAHOT-1on.p.15
13:58:10.7FOHOT-2air conditioners on high.p.15
13:58:13.1FOHOT-2emergency HEELS lights are armed.p.15
13:58:15.5FOHOT-2flight controls and servos?p.15
13:58:24.1CAHOT-1tested.p.15
13:58:25.3FOHOT-2alright. start engine checklist complete. before takeoff VFR.p.15
13:58:29.1◦CAM[sound similar to door closing and decrease in background noise]p.15
13:58:29.9FOHOT-2passenger— aww fudge. passenger brief?p.15
13:58:36.5CAHOT-1in progress.p.15
13:58:39.6FOHOT-2there we go. uh performance planning?p.15
13:58:42.3◦CAM[sound of recorded passenger briefing] CEN09MA117p.15
13:58:42.4FOHOT-2aww fudge. let's see temperature twenty five. and we're at eleven seven. okay forty nine and one twenty two.p.16
13:59:01.1CAHOT-1okay. forty nine and one twenty two.p.16
13:59:05.8FOHOT-2yeah.p.16
13:59:06.7CAHOT-1set. now we won't crash.p.16
13:59:09.1FOHOT-2yeah.p.16
13:59:09.6CAHOT-1and DP is?p.16
13:59:10.6FOHOT-2DP is forty two.p.16
13:59:12.1CAHOT-1set.p.16
13:59:16.4CAHOT-1heck what would I do without that.p.16
13:59:19.0FOHOT-2I know it.p.16
13:59:29.6FOHOT-2three zero one. three hundred...morg.p.16
14:00:06.6CAHOT-1okay set.p.16
14:00:07.9FOHOT-2transponder mode C?p.16
14:00:10.0CAHOT-1it's on forty two thirty six. CEN09MA117p.16
14:00:11.8FOHOT-2autopilots?p.17
14:00:15.9CAHOT-1both on ATT two's in command.p.17
14:00:18.1FOHOT-2A-L three hundred?p.17
14:00:21.4CAHOT-1let's see here...A-L three hundred. I'll leave it uh I'll just catch it low.p.17
14:00:28.8FOHOT-2good enough.p.17
14:00:29.9CAHOT-1I'll put it thirty five hundred eventually.p.17
14:00:32.6FOHOT-2EFIS display standby instruments?p.17
14:00:35.2CAHOT-1uncaged.p.17
14:00:36.4FOHOT-2and heading bugs course selectors?p.17
14:00:39.6CAHOT-1set.p.17
14:00:40.5FOHOT-2door locks?p.17
14:00:41.9CAHOT-1locked.p.17
14:00:43.2FOHOT-2Outerlink's on the way. stick guard?p.17
14:00:44.7CAHOT-1stowed. CEN09MA117p.17
14:00:46.0FOHOT-2engine levers?p.18
14:00:47.0CAHOT-1comin' up.p.18
14:00:47.7FOHOT-2*.p.18
14:00:56.2◦CAM[sound similar to increasing engine rpm]p.18
14:01:00.2CAHOT-1fly one oh seven.p.18
14:01:02.0FOHOT-2selectors?p.18
14:01:02.9CAHOT-1direct.p.18
14:01:03.7FOHOT-2condition instruments?p.18
14:01:04.8CAHOT-1it's in limits.p.18
14:01:05.8FOHOT-2fuel quantity?p.18
14:01:07.2CAHOT-1uh seventeen.p.18
14:01:08.3FOHOT-2floats and lights?p.18
14:01:11.0CAHOT-1uhh leave the floats off lights are on.p.18
14:01:14.0FOHOT-2ADELT? CEN09MA117p.18
14:01:16.5CAHOT-1it's armed.p.19
14:01:17.5FOHOT-2DECU fault?p.19
14:01:19.3CAHOT-1clear.p.19
14:01:20.1FOHOT-2caution advisory?p.19
14:01:22.7CAHOT-1clear.p.19
14:01:23.6FOHOT-2takeoff brief?p.19
14:01:25.0CAHOT-1looks like uh make a south.p.19
14:01:27.1FOHOT-2yup and uh passenger brief?p.19
14:01:29.3CAHOT-1it's uh almost through.p.19
14:01:30.6FOHOT-2brakes?p.19
14:01:31.1CAHOT-1brakes are off.p.19
14:01:36.3FORDO-2Morgan City four eight pappa alpha one reposition for takeoff.p.19
14:01:49.6FORDO-2double zero four and southwest four eight pappa.p.20
14:02:15.7FORDO-2Morgan City four eight pappa.p.20
14:02:26.0FOHOT-2well still can't get 'em on deck here.p.20
14:02:40.2FOHOT-2clear from the left.p.20
14:02:41.3CAHOT-1alright.p.20
14:03:17.5FORDO-2Morgan City traffic Petroleum four eight pappa on flyway for southwest takeoff Morgan City.p.20
14:03:50.2FOHOT-2now we're back at max gross.p.20
14:03:52.6CAHOT-1alright.p.20
14:04:01.7FOHOT-2tail's clear left...hover mid seventies. ready.p.20
14:04:08.9CAHOT-1alright here we go.p.20
14:04:10.1FOHOT-2set.p.20
14:04:16.8FOHOT-2power set.p.20
14:04:19.0FOHOT-2airspeed is alive...DP.p.20
14:04:33.9FOHOT-2passing one fifty...two hundred V-Y...three hundred last call. CEN09MA117p.20
14:04:46.6CAHOT-1okay after.p.21
14:04:54.7FOHOT-2after takeoff complete.p.21
14:04:59.3FOHOT-2here comes the direct.p.21
14:05:00.2CAHOT-1let's see here I'm gonna just...p.21
14:05:03.6FOHOT-2needles centered.p.21
14:05:05.2CAHOT-1...stay down a while. I think I'll just punch it off and hand fly it for a little bit.p.21
14:05:31.6FOHOT-2there's the apartment complex...those things been there since seventy nine.p.21
14:06:22.3CAHOT-1yeah I think we're gonna be okay comin' back. we'll be back before four oh clock...what's our uh route what are we doing? three oh— three oh one. dropping? picking up? what?p.21
14:06:37.4FOHOT-2yeah going to three oh one first...see here...alright. only showing one guy here going to three hundred. that means we're dropping yeah dropping.p.21
14:07:01.4CAHOT-1everybody six— six getting off at three oh one okay.p.21
14:07:06.0FOHOT-2yeah and then uh picking up one two three four five all destined to Amelia.p.21
14:07:13.8CAHOT-1okay. alright.p.21
14:07:16.4FOHOT-2then we take that other guy over to three hundred drop him. CEN09MA117p.21
14:07:27.1FOHOT-2yeah just— oh yeah we're coming back in with the five who got on.p.22
14:07:30.4CAHOT-1okay.p.22
14:07:31.2FOHOT-2yeah.p.22
14:07:32.0CAHOT-1how much does this guy's bag weigh that's staying on at three hundred? I mean at three oh one.p.22
14:07:40.9FOHOT-2the guy we're repositioning?p.22
14:07:42.5CAHOT-1yeah no the guy we just got— we just got one that's his destination is three hundred. how much does his bag weigh?p.22
14:07:48.6FOHOT-2yeah eighty three.p.22
14:07:52.6CAHOT-1okay.p.22
14:07:53.4FOHOT-2he weighs two twenty two and his bag's eighty three.p.22
14:07:55.4CAHOT-1alright I just got to make sure his bag doesn't get off.p.22
14:07:58.1FOHOT-2yeah.p.22
14:08:00.8CAHOT-1invariably it'll be on the wrong side.p.22
14:08:03.5FOHOT-2well it says he's got two pieces that make eighty three. CEN09MA117p.22
14:08:06.7CAHOT-1okay. well we'll look for 'em.p.23
14:08:09.4FOHOT-2yeah.p.23
14:08:10.6CAHOT-1I'll watch out for that. so well we're picking up— dropping all— or dropping six picking up five. one stays on. we'll go over to three hundred drop him and go.p.23
14:08:15.1FOHOT-2then it ought to be—.p.23
14:08:25.5FOHOT-2that's it. alright we got a plan.p.23
14:09:41.8◦CAM[sound of bang and loud air noise]p.23
14:09:41.9◦CAM[sound of decreasing rotor and engine rpm]p.23
14:09:44.1◦CAM[sound of click]p.23
14:09:47.6FOHOT-2what the hell happened?p.23
14:09:50.0CAHOT-1low rotor.p.23
14:09:51.4FOHOT-2I cannot hear you.p.23
14:09:52.5TAWTAWSterrain terrain.p.23
14:09:53.8TAWTAWSpull up. CEN09MA117p.23
14:09:54.6◦HOT[sound similar to landing gear warning tone]p.24
14:09:55.2TAWTAWSpull up.p.24
14:09:57.2TAWTAWSaltitude altitude.p.24
14:09:58.0HOTHOT-?[sound of grunt]p.24