CVR transcript Airborne Express Flight 827
Last updated: 16 October 2004
Cockpit voice recorder transcript of the December 22, 1996 crash of an Airborne Express DC-8, Flight 827 at White River Mountain (USA).
Source: Accident Prevention Vol.54, no.9 (Sept. 1997) / Flight Safety Foundation (FSF)

The reader of these transcripts is cautioned that the transcription of a CVR tape is not a precise science but is the best possible product from a group investigative effort. The transcript, or parts thereof, if taken out of context can be misleading. Therefore, the CVR transcripts should only be viewed as an investigative tool to be used in conjunction with other evidence. Conclusions or interpretations should not be made using the transcript as the sole source of information.
Furthermore, this transcript is made available for educational purposes, so the reader is encouraged to read the accident description associated with the transcripts for better understanding of the circumstances.

Legenda
RDO = Radio transmission from accident aircraft
CAM = Cockpit area microphone voice or sound source
CTR = Radio transmission from Atlanta Center
-1 = Voice identified as co-pilot
-2 = Voice identified as pilot-in-command (PIC)
-3 = Voice identified as flight engineer
-7 = Aircraft mechanical voice
-? = Voice unidentified
* = Unintelligible word
( ) = Questionable insertion
[ ] = Editorial insertion
.... = Pause
time source content
1805:37 CAM-3 next thing is our stall series.
1805:40 CAM-1 ... K.
1805:47 CAM-? ** stall.
1805:49 CAM-2 ** that's uuuuuh.
1805:51 CAM-1 we got two oh. what's our uh ... one eighty-eight or one eighty-four.
1805:56 CAM-2 one eighty-four, and ... we should get uh, stall at uh, one twenty-two. I'm gonna set that in my, interior bug.
1806:07 CAM-1 mine's set *.
1806:08 CAM: [sound similar to stabilizer-in-motion warning horn]
1806:10 CAM-3 shaker one twenty-eight if you just hall out call out your numbers, I'll record 'em.
1806:14 CAM-1 that's shaker and the stall?
1806:15 CAM-3 yeah, shaker and stall both.
1806:17 CAM-1 all right.
1806:18 CAM-2 the only trick to this is just don't unspool.
1806:25 CAM-2 I just swapped the igniters. I'll leave 'em on the for the stall.
1806:34 CAM-3 standby rudder pump back on.
1806:36 CAM-1 OK.
1807:08 CAM: [sound similar to stabilizer-in-motion warning horn]
1807:21 CAM-1 looks like, are you saying you don't want to pull all the way back to it and then spool back or just wait.
1807:23 CAM: [sound similar to stabilizer-in-motion warning horn]
1807:25 CAM-2 aw you can do that, just when you get close to the stall you don't want to be unspooled.
1807:28 CAM-1 unspool and then I'll respool.
1807:29 CAM-2 that's fine.
1807:31 CAM-1 speed it up.
1807:41 CAM: [sound similar to stabilizer-in-motion warning horn]
1807:43 CAM-1 guess I better not trim below * two *.
1807:51 CAM-1 yeah, I'm gonna spool now.
1807:52 CAM-2 all right.
1807:55 CAM: [sound similar to engine increasing in RPM]
1808:06 CAM-1 some buffet.
1808:07 CAM-2 yeah, that's pretty early. *
1808:09 CAM: [sound of rattling]
1808:11 CAM-3 that's a stall right there. * ain't no shaker.
1808:13 CAM: [sound similar to increase in engine RPM]
1808:13 CAM-1 set max power.
1808:14 CAM-2 one thirty-three.
1808:17 CAM-3 * p ower.
1808:19 CAM-1 one forty's about where I'm at.
1808:20 CAM: [sound of irregular popping similar to engine compressor stall starts]
1808:23 CAM-2 that's number two engine.
1808:25 CAM: [sound similar to altitude alert signal]
1808:25 CAM-3 ** pull her back.
1808:26 CAM-2 you got it.
1808:29 CAM: [sound of irregular popping similar to engine compressor stall stops]
1808:30 CAM-2 you can take a little altitude down. take it down.
1808:32 CAM-1 ** control. [spoken with buffeting voice]
1808:36 CAM: [sound similar to engine decreasing in RPM]
1808:38 CAM-2 a little rudder.
1808:39 CAM-1 all right.
1808:40 CAM-2 OK.
1808:42 CAM-2 start bringing the nose back up.
1808:43 CAM-1 got it.
1808:45 RDO-2 center, ABX uh, eight two seven is in a descent.
1808:48 CAM-2 now a little back pressure.
1808:49 CAM-1 got it.
1808:50 CTR ... X eight two seven, change to Indianapolis one two eight point four.
1808:52 CAM-2 easy on the rudder.
1808:53 CAM-1 yaw damper on?
1808:54 CAM-2 yaw damper's on.
1808:56 CAM: [sound of rattling increases]
1808:58 CTR ABX eight twenty seven, Indianapolis one two eight point four.
1809:02 RDO-2 ABX eight two seven, we're going to stay on this frequency a minute, we're descending through eight thousand call you right back.
1809:07 CAM-2 nose down.
1809:08 CAM-2 * power in, your gonna get * ....
1809:10 CAM-? *
1809:10 CTR ABX eight twenty seven, you emergency descent?
1809:12 RDO-2 yes sir.
1809:14 CTR OK uh, can you hold seven thousand?
1809:17 CAM-2 now, need some power in, 'n you can use just your outboards if number two is giving you some problems.
1809:19 CAM: [sound similar to engine increasing in RPM]
1809:22 CAM-1 OK.
1809:24 CAM-2 uh, bring two back.
1809:26 CAM: [sound of click]
1809:27 CAM: [sound similar to engine decreasing in RPM]
1809:28 CAM-2 rudder, rudder.
1809:28 CAM-1 I got it.
1809:29 CAM-2 left rudder.
1809:30 CAM-1 left rudder's buried.
1809:32 CAM-2 OK, easy, don't. OK now, easy bring it back.
1809:35 CAM-7 terrain, terrain, whoop, whoop, pull up.
1809:36 CAM-? (really, really)
1809:38 CAM: [sound of impact]
1809:39 End of recording