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Cases › DCA15LA173 › Cockpit voice recorder

AIRBUS A321AMERICAN AIRLINES INC

197 lines · 22:23:13.5 – 22:38:38.8 · Charlotte, NC, 2015-08-15

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.
197 of 197 lines
CaptainFirst officerControllersWarningsSounds
The final secondsjump to the end ↓

Crew communication

197 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
43 / 57
floor share · CA / FO %
0%
non-pertinent talk in sterile window
2 · 8 · 1
laughter · delivery · expletives
3 of 7
crew questions unanswered in 8 s
2 of 3
warnings with a crew response in 5 s
CaptainCaptain: 7 in minute 1Captain: 5 in minute 2Captain: 7 in minute 3Captain: 4 in minute 4Captain: 1 in minute 5Captain: 3 in minute 6Captain: 2 in minute 7Captain: 1 in minute 8Captain: 4 in minute 9Captain: 6 in minute 10Captain: 2 in minute 11Captain: 5 in minute 12Captain: 6 in minute 13Captain: 6 in minute 14Captain: 8 in minute 15Captain: 4 in minute 16First officerFirst officer: 7 in minute 1First officer: 7 in minute 2First officer: 7 in minute 3First officer: 5 in minute 4First officer: 5 in minute 5First officer: 4 in minute 6First officer: 3 in minute 7First officer: 1 in minute 8First officer: 6 in minute 9First officer: 7 in minute 10First officer: 4 in minute 11First officer: 6 in minute 12First officer: 9 in minute 13First officer: 5 in minute 14First officer: 11 in minute 15First officer: 3 in minute 16ControllersControllers: 2 in minute 1Controllers: 1 in minute 2Controllers: 1 in minute 3Controllers: 2 in minute 5Controllers: 1 in minute 6Controllers: 1 in minute 8Controllers: 2 in minute 9Controllers: 1 in minute 10Controllers: 1 in minute 11Controllers: 1 in minute 13Controllers: 1 in minute 14Controllers: 3 in minute 1522:2322:2522:2722:2922:3122:3322:3522:3722:39
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: 18:34:00–18:37:00 · basis: critical phases in the extracted recorder events (approximate). Candidate non-pertinent lines below are a first reading for the investigator, not a finding.

No candidate non-pertinent conversation inside the window.

The Board’s own notations

Delivery and physiological notes the transcribers added in brackets, plus # expletives. 29 words are marked unintelligible (*).

  • electronic voice22:34:20.6“two thousand five hundred [electronic voice].”
  • electronic voice22:35:55.1“one thousand [electronic voice].”
  • electronic voice22:36:39.3“hundred above [electronic voice].”
  • electronic voice22:36:46.8“minimum [electronic voice].”
  • electronic voice22:36:57.5“one hundred [electronic voice].”
  • electronic voice22:36:59.5“wind-shear, wind-shear, wind-shear [electronic voice].”
  • electronic voice22:37:02.1“ten. [electronic voice].”
  • #22:37:03.4“# #.”
  • sound of single chime, similar to ECAM alert22:37:48.9“[sound of single chime, similar to ECAM alert]. DCA15LA173”
Concerns voiced, and what followed

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

  • 22:36:05.6“ah probably the RJ in front of us? I don't see him on the runway.”
    → 22:36:16.3“there's a little gain right there.”
Warnings and the response
Questions between the pilots left unanswered
Standard callouts
Positive rateGear upGear downGo aroundV1 · not in transcriptRotate / Vr · not in transcriptV2 · not in transcript1,000 ft · not in transcript500 ft · not in transcriptMinimums · not in transcriptRunway in sight · 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
Captain386322216
First officer510550013

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.

22:23:13.5FOHOT-2is that approach, I forget.p.8
22:23:14.8CAHOT-1yup Charlotte approach.p.8
22:23:16.3FORDO-2approach good afternoon American eighteen fifty one ah one one thousand with ah information tango.p.8
22:23:23.6APRAPRAmerican eighteen fifty one Charlotte approachp.8
22:23:23.6ATCATISuniform is now current expect three six left.p.8
22:23:28.4FORDO-2three six left we'll * up uniform.p.8
22:23:31.6CAHOT-1unicorn?p.8
22:23:35.8CAHOT-1what's changed?p.8
22:23:46.3CAHOT-1now you had the full thing so it's gonna, message.p.8
22:23:50.1FOHOT-2yeah.p.8
22:23:52.3CAHOT-1if you put just C-L-T in, it prints. DCA15LA173p.8
22:23:53.3FOHOT-2I know, yeah, but sometimes when you do that it doesn't give you the arrival.p.9
22:23:57.0CAHOT-1it'll always give you the arrival, it won't give you the departure.p.9
22:23:58.4FOHOT-2oh right.p.9
22:24:01.6FOHOT-2so that's how it works.p.9
22:24:02.2CAHOT-1if you have split, ATISs.p.9
22:24:21.2CAHOT-1(since) we've all learned by trial and error you know there's no [sound similar to chuckle].p.9
22:24:27.1FOHOT-2(roger that).p.9
22:24:39.6APRAPRAmerican eighteen fifty one turn right heading zero eight zero descend and maintain seven thousand.p.9
22:24:46.1FORDO-2heading zero eight zero seven thousand American eighteen fifty one.p.9
22:24:49.5CAHOT-1seven thousand. DCA15LA173p.9
22:24:50.2FOHOT-2seven.p.10
22:24:50.9FOHOT-2would you like me to clean it up for you?p.10
22:24:52.5CAHOT-1ah I got it, thanks.p.10
22:24:53.8FOHOT-2all right then.p.10
22:24:54.7CAHOT-1you're working on, unicorn.p.10
22:24:56.6FOHOT-2ah no, but apparently unicorn * unicorn just got here.p.10
22:25:11.1CAHOT-1ten thousand.p.10
22:25:12.5FOHOT-2ding ding.p.10
22:25:18.0CAHOT-1* * * *.p.10
22:25:18.3CAPA-1flight attendants prepare for landing.p.10
22:25:22.6FOHOT-2same thing.p.10
22:25:24.2FOHOT-2nothing's changed. DCA15LA173p.10
22:25:25.1CAFA-1to prepare for landing please close your tray table and put away carry-on items. place your seat in the original upright position. we will now collect any items you wish to discard. please put away large electronic devices including laptops computers, secure smaller handheld devices in your hand or seat pocket. devices must remain in airplane mode until after we land. we'll be landing soon.p.11
22:25:36.4CAHOT-1* the weather's the same there must some, bird or (I don't know), mowing.p.11
22:25:42.0FOHOT-2yeah.p.11
22:25:43.7CAHOT-1what is the difference? ah.p.11
22:25:45.6FOHOT-2I didn't see any.p.11
22:25:47.0CAHOT-1mowing adjacent *, use caution taxiway charlie detour in effect okay, low level - ah - low level wind-shear advisory's in effect with the weather at zero, * winds at zero.p.11
22:25:47.0FOHOT-2* * *.p.11
22:25:53.3FOHOT-2ah. DCA15LA173p.11
22:26:01.4CAHOT-1what does that mean?p.12
22:26:03.3APRAPRAmerican eighteen fifty one when you reach seven thousand reduce speed to two one zero.p.12
22:26:07.6FORDO-2once at seven thousand two ten on the speed American eighteen fifty one.p.12
22:26:12.0CAHOT-1roger.p.12
22:26:14.0FOCAM-2I think we (can) * *.p.12
22:26:26.2CAHOT-1hey there's a cell really pretty close to the airport now.p.12
22:26:29.9FOHOT-2what that one there?p.12
22:26:31.5CAHOT-1yep.p.12
22:26:34.7CAHOT-1that's probably why they put that out. in case it generates a little, breeze, with it.p.12
22:26:38.9FOHOT-2rumble.p.12
22:26:42.3FOHOT-2a little rumble in the jungle.p.12
22:26:59.9CAHOT-1eight for seven. DCA15LA173p.12
22:27:01.4FOHOT-2eight for seven.p.13
22:27:19.5APRAPRAmerican eighteen fifty one contact Charlotte final one three two point seven good day.p.13
22:27:25.2FORDO-2thirty two point seven American eighteen fifty one see ya.p.13
22:27:33.9FORDO-2final good afternoon American eighteen fifty one seven thousand.p.13
22:27:57.3FOHOT-2(want five) right, (want five) left.p.13
22:27:57.5APRAPRAmerican eighteen fifty one Charlotte approach descend and maintain six thousand.p.13
22:28:01.3FORDO-2six thousand *, American eighteen fifty one.p.13
22:28:03.9CAHOT-1six thousand.p.13
22:28:04.6FOHOT-2six.p.13
22:28:16.7CAHOT-1flaps one.p.13
22:28:17.8FOHOT-2flaps one.p.13
22:28:40.0CAHOT-1I cheated a little left. he'll never know. DCA15LA173p.13
22:28:41.8FOHOT-2yeah.p.14
22:28:43.9FOHOT-2got my vote.p.14
22:29:06.9FOHOT-2there's a balloon right there.p.14
22:29:08.2CAHOT-1whoa.p.14
22:29:13.1APRAPRAmerican eighteen fifty one turn right heading zero niner zero.p.14
22:29:16.0FORDO-2heading zero niner zero American eighteen fifty one.p.14
22:29:24.7CAHOT-1Mylar balloon six thousand feet.p.14
22:29:27.1FOHOT-2six thousand.p.14
22:29:35.0FOHOT-2that's the ah, paper mill (I think it's) about twenty miles away from ah * threshold.p.14
22:29:40.4CAHOT-1(Bowater).p.14
22:30:21.4CAHOT-1tell you what I'm gonna put a baro in there just in case I lose it. DCA15LA173p.14
22:30:43.4APRAPRAmerican eighteen fifty one turn left heading zero three zero intercept runway three six left localizer.p.15
22:30:47.9FORDO-2zero three zero to intercept the three six left localizer American eighteen fifty one.p.15
22:31:20.3APRAPRAmerican eighteen fifty one descend and maintain four thousand.p.15
22:31:22.9FORDO-2four thousand American eighteen fifty one.p.15
22:31:25.0CAHOT-1four.p.15
22:31:25.6FOHOT-2four.p.15
22:31:32.0CAHOT-1*, that's that same shower we were lookin' at.p.15
22:31:49.2FOHOT-2it's right over there.p.15
22:31:50.6CAHOT-1I see the - field in general I just was. can't see the runway in particular. [sound similar to chuckle].p.15
22:31:58.2FOHOT-2right. DCA15LA173p.15
22:31:59.3APRAPRAmerican eighteen fifty one. five miles fromp.16
22:31:59.3CUNCUNUKcross CUNUK at four thousand clearedp.16
22:31:59.3ILSILSrunway three six left approach.p.16
22:32:00.7FOHOT-2no I didn't.p.16
22:32:06.6FORDO-2cross CUNUK at four thousand cleared for the ah ILS three six left approach American ah eighteen fifty one.p.16
22:32:12.9CAHOT-1alright.p.16
22:32:17.3FOHOT-2American.p.16
22:32:19.1CAHOT-1five for four.p.16
22:32:20.2FOHOT-2five four.p.16
22:32:33.7FOHOT-2huh. That thing a really is just like on the approach end isn't it?p.16
22:32:37.7CAHOT-1hmm hum.p.16
22:32:38.2APRAPRAmerican eighteen fifty one maintain one seven zero knots until NLSON. DCA15LA173p.16
22:32:42.5FORDO-2okay one seventy until NLSON American eighteen fifty one.p.17
22:32:45.6CAHOT-1flaps 2.p.17
22:32:47.3FOHOT-2flaps.p.17
22:32:48.5CAHOT-1that is right over the, field.p.17
22:32:51.8CAHOT-1oh I can see the, field.p.17
22:32:54.3FOHOT-2right.p.17
22:32:55.7CAHOT-1its already cleared the right half.p.17
22:32:57.5FOHOT-2correct.p.17
22:33:19.4FOHOT-2glideslope and *.p.17
22:33:21.5CAHOT-1missed, set, it's four thousand.p.17
22:33:23.6FOHOT-2thank you.p.17
22:33:27.9APRAPRAmerican eighteen fifty one contact tower atp.17
22:33:27.9NLSNLSONone three three point three five. DCA15LA173p.17
22:33:32.0FORDO-2tree tree tree five American eighteen ah fifty one see ya.p.18
22:34:06.9CAHOT-1Carowind’s busy.p.18
22:34:08.4FOHOT-2yeah it is.p.18
22:34:16.7CAHOT-1well, low autobrake with the wet runway there.p.18
22:34:19.0FOHOT-2rog.p.18
22:34:20.6◦CAMtwo thousand five hundred [electronic voice].p.18
22:34:22.1FOHOT-2(that's) what she says.p.18
22:34:34.0CAHOT-1autopilot's off.p.18
22:34:35.7◦HOT[sound of autopilot disconnect warning].p.18
22:34:38.6◦HOT[sound of mode reversion alert].p.18
22:34:51.7CAHOT-1gear down flaps three landing checklist.p.18
22:34:54.0FOHOT-2gear down. flaps three. DCA15LA173p.18
22:34:54.3◦CAM[sound of increased background noise].p.19
22:35:03.9CAHOT-1flaps full.p.19
22:35:06.7FOHOT-2flaps full.p.19
22:35:06.8CAHOT-1we're inside NLSON for tower.p.19
22:35:08.0FOHOT-2yup.p.19
22:35:09.6FORDO-2tower American eighteen fifty one inside NLSON.p.19
22:35:17.1CAHOT-1three three three five.p.19
22:35:19.2FOHOT-2three three three five?p.19
22:35:21.8FOHOT-2thank you.p.19
22:35:22.9FORDO-2tower American eighteen fifty one inside NLSON. DCA15LA173p.19
22:35:26.9ATCTWRAmerican eighteen fifty one Charlotte tower following a CRJ three ahead (runway) three six left cleared to land wind three one zero at six gust one six runway three six left arrival wind- shear alert two zero knot loss on a one mile final several aircraft reported between eight and a fifteen knot gain around three hundred feet.p.20
22:35:41.0CAHOT-1*.p.20
22:35:41.1FORDO-2copy all that and ah we're cleared to land American eighteen fifty one.p.20
22:35:44.8FOHOT-2alright * (landing) altimeters verify thirty ten sixteen sixty.p.20
22:35:50.0CAHOT-1thirty ten checks.p.20
22:35:51.6FOHOT-2engine mode is normal landing gear verify down and three green.p.20
22:35:55.1CAHOT-1down three green. stable.p.20
22:35:55.1◦CAMone thousand [electronic voice].p.20
22:35:56.3FOHOT-2* verify landing * * check? DCA15LA173p.20
22:35:58.5CAHOT-1landing signs (blue status) check.p.21
22:36:00.1FOHOT-2landing check(list) is complete.p.21
22:36:03.1CAHOT-1somebody just went around.p.21
22:36:05.6FOHOT-2ah probably the RJ in front of us? I don't see him on the runway.p.21
22:36:16.3CAHOT-1there's a little gain right there.p.21
22:36:38.5FOHOT-2* five hundred, stable, target, sink seven.p.21
22:36:39.3◦CAMhundred above [electronic voice].p.21
22:36:42.0CAHOT-1landing.p.21
22:36:46.8◦CAMminimum [electronic voice].p.21
22:36:52.8◦CAM[increase in high frequency background noise, sound similar to windshield wiper].p.21
22:36:56.5CAHOT-1nice.p.21
22:36:57.5◦CAMone hundred [electronic voice].p.21
22:36:58.8FOHOT-2alright here's the wind-shear. DCA15LA173p.21
22:36:59.5◦CAMwind-shear, wind-shear, wind-shear [electronic voice].p.22
22:37:00.8CAHOT-1go around, TOGA.p.22
22:37:02.1◦CAMten. [electronic voice].p.22
22:37:02.7◦CAM[sound of impact].p.22
22:37:03.4CAHOT-1# #.p.22
22:37:05.2FOHOT-2alright.p.22
22:37:05.7◦HOT[sound similar to triple click alert].p.22
22:37:06.1FORDO-2American eighteen fifty one on the go around.p.22
22:37:08.2ATCTWRAmerican eighteen fifty one, roger, climb maintain four thousand, when able, turn left heading two seven zero.p.22
22:37:12.3FOHOT-2TOGA set.p.22
22:37:13.4CAHOT-1thanks.p.22
22:37:14.0FOHOT-2* rate. DCA15LA173p.22
22:37:16.1FOHOT-2you want, flaps go around?p.23
22:37:18.4CAHOT-1no not yet.p.23
22:37:19.2FOHOT-2no? okay.p.23
22:37:19.6CAHOT-1now, now we're out of it.p.23
22:37:21.1CAHOT-1go around flap - positive rate gear up.p.23
22:37:23.0FOHOT-2positive rate gear up.p.23
22:37:24.6CAHOT-1go around flaps.p.23
22:37:25.5FOHOT-2go around flaps, flaps two.p.23
22:37:34.8ATCTWRAmerican eighteen fifty one maintain four thousand when able fly heading two seven zero.p.23
22:37:39.0FORDO-2okay four thousand heading two seven zero American ah eighteen fifty one and we had a about a twenty knot wind shear at a loss of speed at about ah oh - ten feet about.p.23
22:37:48.9◦CAM[sound of single chime, similar to ECAM alert]. DCA15LA173p.23
22:37:49.2CAHOT-1ten feet.p.24
22:37:51.0ATCTWRyou said a twenty knot loss about ten feet?p.24
22:37:53.0FORDO-2yes sir.p.24
22:37:53.7ATCTWRroger.p.24
22:38:00.4CAHOT-1alright.p.24
22:38:00.8FOHOT-2alright.p.24
22:38:01.6FOHOT-2so, let’s see.p.24
22:38:02.5CAHOT-1four thousand feet heading two seven zero.p.24
22:38:04.9FOHOT-2two seven zero and we are flaps two.p.24
22:38:08.4CAHOT-1flaps one.p.24
22:38:09.1FOHOT-2flaps one.p.24
22:38:18.0CAHOT-1well, that wasn't good.p.24
22:38:20.3FOHOT-2* * * *. DCA15LA173p.24
22:38:34.6CAHOT-1flaps up.p.25
22:38:34.6◦CAM[sound similar to altitude alert tone].p.25
22:38:35.3FOHOT-2flaps up.p.25
22:38:37.0CAHOT-1three for four.p.25
22:38:38.0FOHOT-2three for four.p.25
22:38:38.8CARDO-1American eighteen fifty one had a wind shear warning at ten feet. wind shear warning. 22:38:50 End of Transcript 23:03:04 End of Recording DCA15LA173p.25