CVR transcript Japan Air Lines Flight 123 - 12 AUG 1985
Cockpit voice recorder transcription of the August 12, 1985 accident near Tokyo of a Japan Air Lines Boeing 747, Flight 123.
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.
All conversations were spoken in Japanese and later translated.
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:
CA = Captain
FO = First officer
FE = Flight engineer
ST = Stewardess
URV = Unreadable voices
GPWS = Ground Proximity Warning System
FO = First officer
FE = Flight engineer
ST = Stewardess
URV = Unreadable voices
GPWS = Ground Proximity Warning System
| time | source | content |
|---|---|---|
| 18:24:10 | ST: | Some passenger is pushing a switch. May I? |
| CA: | Be careful...be careful and quickly. | |
| ST: | Thank you. | |
| 18:24:34 | (large bang) (warning sound) | |
| FE: | Oh (warning stopped) | |
| CA: | What have you identified? | |
| CA: | Check gear...Gear. | |
| ?: | Ah... | |
| CA: | Gear... | |
| ?: | URV | |
| ?: | URV | |
| 18:24:44 | (Prerecorded announcement) Put on oxygen mask, fasten seat belt, we are making an emergency descent | |
| ST: | May we ask you...passengers with infants,...nearby passengers ....please be ready...for | |
| 18:24:46 | CA: | Squawk 77 |
| ?: | URV | |
| ?: | URV | |
| ?: | ehh... | |
| ?: | URV | |
| 18:24:54 | ?: | Hydro pressure dropped. |
| ?: | Amber light on. URV | |
| 18:25:03 | (warning sounds) | |
| 18:25:13 | CA: | Right turn. |
| 18:25:14 | CA: | Right turn. |
| FO: | I did it. | |
| CA: | Yes. | |
| 18:25:50 | CA: | Do not bank so deeply |
| FO: | Yes, sir. | |
| CA: | Do not bank so deeply | |
| FO: | Yes, sir. | |
| 18:26:08 | CA: | Recover it. |
| FO: | It does not recover. | |
| 18:26:12 | CA: | Pull up. |
| 18:26:25 | CA: | All hydraulics failed. |
| FO: | Yes, sir. | |
| CA: | Descend. | |
| FO: | Yes, sir. | |
| FE: | It is... | |
| CA: | Descend. (warning sounds) | |
| CA: | Why this sound? | |
| ?: | URV | |
| 18:26:45 | CA: | Right turn. |
| FO: | Right turn. | |
| CA: | Your side is cleared. | |
| FO: | Yes, sir. | |
| 18:27:37 | CA: | Turn left. |
| 18:27:46 | ?: | Hydro pressure is all lost. All lost? |
| ?: | All lost. All lost. Yes. | |
| FO: | Ah...Please contact with company (radio) ah...them through 235 company (radio) | |
| FE: | Yes. | |
| ?: | URV | |
| CA: | Why are they so noisy? | |
| 18:28:48 | CA: | Left turn. |
| 18:29:00 | CA: | ... dropped |
| FO: | Yes, sir. I try... | |
| FO: | Yes, sir. | |
| CA: | Do not say, yes. | |
| FO: | Yes, sir | |
| 18:29:19 | FO: | Yes, sir. |
| 18:29:56 | CA: | What is this? |
| 18:30:27 | FE: | (through interphone) How about cabin pressure? Have cabin masks dropped? So? Well, cabin pressure... please. |
| 18:30:49 | ?: | URV |
| 18:30:52 | FE: | Because cabin masks dropped... |
| ?: | URV | |
| FE: | Cabin pressure dropped. | |
| 18:31:35 | FE: | What? more aft...ah...What was damaged? Where? ah...ah...ah... ah... Coat room? for rear-most, is it not? Understood. Ah...Coat room...general...It dropped in baggage space. It would be better to land. |
| FE: | All persons inhale masks... | |
| 18:32:59 | ?: | Do we descend slightly? |
| 18:33:12 | >?: | R... |
| FE: | R5 window? Roger. Yes, roger. Yes, roger. | |
| 18:33:33 | FE: | Captain |
| CA: | Yes | |
| FE: | R5 window...it would be better to make an emergency descent. | |
| CA: | Yes | |
| 18:33:55 | FE: | Do we put on masks? |
| CA: | Yes, it would be better | |
| FE: | I think it would be better to inhale emergency mask | |
| CA: | Yes | |
| 18:34:06 | (warning sounds) | |
| FO: | Please by company (radio) | |
| FE: | Roger (warning stopped) | |
| FE: | Ah... Where? | |
| FE: | Ah.Now... | |
| 18:34:37 | (warning sounds) | |
| FE: | Ah. Where now | |
| FE: | Ya | |
| 18:35.00 | FE: | Which section of Japan Air? |
| ?: | It is Osaka | |
| FE: | Yes | |
| FE: | Japan Air Osaka? Japan Air Tokyo 1 Japan Air Tokyo. | |
| 18:35:05 | (warning stopped) | |
| 18:35:49 | ?: | URV |
| FE: | Ehh.. | |
| ?: | URV | |
| CA: | Do not care it. | |
| 18:37:08 | ST: | ... now ... please... |
| 18:37:09 | ?: | ah...Ah...ah..ah |
| 18:37:30 | CA: | Nose down. |
| 18:37:37 | CA: | Lower nose |
| FO: | Yes, sir. | |
| 18:38:02 | CA: | Lower nose. |
| FO: | Yes, sir. | |
| 18:38:15 | CA: | Lower nose. |
| FO: | Yes, sir. | |
| 18:38:28 | CA: | Do it with both hands. With both hands. |
| FO: | Ya, sir. | |
| 18:38:39 | FE: | Do we down gear? gear down... |
| FO: | Gear down' | |
| 18:33:44 | CA: | Speed does not drop. |
| FO: | Speed does not drop. | |
| 18:38:53 | CA: | Lower nose. |
| FO: | Yes, sir. | |
| 18:39:11 | FE: | Do I set it in alternate position? |
| CA: | Wait a moment... | |
| 18:39:50 | CA: | Lower nose. |
| FO: | Yes, sir | |
| 18:39:54 | CA: | Lower now. |
| FO: | Yes, sir | |
| ?: | URV | |
| 18:39:59 | CA: | Lower nose. |
| FO: | Ya, sir. | |
| CA: | What is this? | |
| ?: | URV | |
| CA: | Lower nose | |
| 18:40:21 | FE: | Gear was lowered |
| FO: | Ya, sir. | |
| 18:40:40 | CA: | Lower nose. |
| FO: | Yes, sir. | |
| 18:40:59 | CA: | Lower nose, do not care it |
| ?: | ...URV | |
| ?: | URV | |
| ?: | URV | |
| ?: | URV | |
| 18:42:15 | CA: | Lower nose. |
| FO: | Yes, sir. | |
| 18:42:41 | CA: | Power |
| CA: | Power | |
| 18:43:17 | CA: | Lower nose. |
| 18:43:46 | CA: | It is heavy. Lower nose slightly more |
| FO: | Yes, sir. | |
| CA: | It is heavy. | |
| CA: | It is heavy | |
| 18:44:21 | CA: | Did you do it to full? |
| FO: | Yes, to full Controlled to full. | |
| 18:44:41 | CA: | Oh...it is heavy. |
| FO: | How about flap, sir? Do I extend it? | |
| CA: | It is a bit too early. | |
| FO: | Is it too early? | |
| CA: | It is too early, too early | |
| ?: | Was gear extended? | |
| 18:41:51 | FO: | Gear was extended. |
| ?: | URV | |
| CA: | Lower nose. | |
| FO: | Do I contact? | |
| ?: | URV | |
| ?: | URV | |
| CA: | Where? | |
| 18:46:20 | ST: | ..Those passengers who accompany babies, please keep your heads on seat backs and hold your babies firmly. Did you fasten seat belts? All tables are retracted? Please check it.. sometimes we land ... without notice...we keep contact with ground ... |
| 18:46:22 | CA: | Lower nose. |
| CA: | We go? | |
| FO: | Yes, sir. | |
| 18:46:33 | CA: | It may be hopelas. |
| 18:46:43 | FE: | Do I contact? |
| FO: | Yes, sir. | |
| ?: | URV | |
| ?: | URV | |
| ?: | ...aileron hydro off | |
| 18:47:15 | FE: | Hydro quantity all lost ... |
| 18:47:28 | (warning stopped) | |
| ?: | ... quantity... | |
| ?: | Yes | |
| ?: | 119.7 to Haneda. | |
| CA: | It is a mountain | |
| ?: | Yes, please. | |
| CA: | Raise nose. | |
| CA: | It is a mountain. | |
| FO: | Yes, sir. | |
| CA: | Control to right. | |
| 18:47:45 | CA: | Right turn, raise nose. |
| CA: | We may hit the mountain | |
| FO: | Ya, sir | |
| 18:47:54 | CA: | Right turn. (warning sounds) |
| 18:47:58 | CA: | Max power. |
| FO: | Max power. | |
| CA: | Hold out. | |
| FE: | Ah..Do you do it by two persons? | |
| CA: | We are two. | |
| 18:48:07 | CA: | Left turn. |
| FO: | Yes, sir. | |
| FE: | Hold out. | |
| CA: | Left turn, now .. | |
| 18:48:12 | CA: | Left turn. |
| 18:48:16 | FO: | Decrease power slightly... |
| ?: | URV | |
| 18:48:19 | CA: | Right, right, ... lower nose. |
| ?: | URV | |
| 18:48:24 | CA: | Lower nose. |
| FO: | Fully controlled now. (warning stopped) | |
| FO: | ...it is totally ineffective ... | |
| 18:48:33 | CA: | Lower nose. |
| FO: | Good. | |
| 18:48:40 | CA: | Here we go. |
| FO: | Ya, sir. | |
| ?: | URV | |
| 18:49:49 | FE: | Do I increase power7 |
| CA: | Power, power (warning sounds) | |
| 18:48:58 | CA: | Power (another warning sounds) Let's increase power, increase power |
| ?: | URV | |
| ?: | URV (stall warning sounds) | |
| CA: | Ah...it is hopeless ... | |
| 18:49:40 | ?: | Stall |
| CA: | Max power | |
| FO or FE: | Max power Max power | |
| 18:49:46 | CA: | Stall (Stall warning stopped) |
| 18:50:04 | FO or FE: | Speed increases, speed |
| CA: | Let's hang tough. | |
| CA: | Hold out. | |
| FE: | Yes sir. | |
| 18:50:28 | CA: | Lower nose. |
| CA: | Hold out, hold out. | |
| FO: | Fully controlled | |
| 18:50:31 | ?: | Speed is decreasing, speed .. |
| 18:50:49 | FE: | Speed is controlled by power. How about power control? Power control, captain? |
| CA: | Yes | |
| 18:50:55 | CA: | Speed is 220 knots. |
| FE: | Yes, sir | |
| CA: | Do not lower nose. It increases speed | |
| FO: | Yes, sir | |
| 18:51:04 | CA: | It's going down. |
| FO: | Yes, sir. | |
| FO: | Raise nose, raise. | |
| ?: | Do I extend flap? | |
| CA: | Unable. | |
| FO: | No, sir, with the alternate. | |
| FE: | It can be extended with the alternate. | |
| 18:51:22 | CA: | Lower nose. |
| ?: | URV | |
| CA: | With both hands... | |
| FO: | Yes, sir. | |
| 18:51:29 | CA: | Lower nose. |
| CA: | Yes. Power. | |
| FE: | I increase power. | |
| ?: | URV | |
| ?: | Yes, sir. | |
| 18:51:41 | CA: | Lower nose. |
| 18:51:47 | CA: | Hold out. (warning stopped) |
| FE: | Flap was extended with the alternate. | |
| ?: | Roger. | |
| CA: | Lower nose. | |
| FO: | Yes, sir. | |
| CA: | Lower nose. | |
| FO: | Yes, sir. | |
| FO: | URV | |
| ?: | URV | |
| 18:53:13 | CA: | Raise nose. |
| CA: | Power. | |
| FE: | Power up. | |
| FO: | It is 119.7. Ah...number two. | |
| FE: | Yes. | |
| ?: | URV | |
| ?: | Yes. (warning sounds) | |
| 18:54:16 | CA: | Yes, left, left turn. |
| FO: | Yes, sir. | |
| FE: | Yes, 110. | |
| CA: | Left turn. | |
| ?: | Yes. It is 119.7.(warning stopped) | |
| CA: | Request position. | |
| FE: | Yes, sir. I will ask them. | |
| FE: | Northwest of Haneda. | |
| 18:54:40 | CA: | Raise nose. |
| FE: | How many miles? | |
| 18:54:47 | CA: | Lower nose. |
| FO: | Yes, sir. | |
| FO: | Controlled fully. | |
| 18:54:55 | FE: | Yes, roger, roger. |
| FE: | They said we are 25 miles west of Kumagaya. | |
| CA: | Flaps all? | |
| 18:55:04 | FO: | Yes, sir. Flap 10. |
| 18:55:15 | CA: | Raise nose. |
| FO: | Yes, roger, sir. | |
| 18:55:17 | CA: | Raise nose. |
| 18:55:19 | CA: | Raise nose. |
| 18:55:25 | CA: | Raise nose. |
| CA: | Since long before. | |
| 18:55:42 | CA: | Stop flap. |
| ?: | Stop it. | |
| 18:55:48 | CA: | Do not extend flap so deeply. |
| ?: | Flap up, flap up, flap up, flap up... | |
| ?: | Flap up. | |
| ?: | Yes, sir. | |
| 18:55:55 | CA: | Power, power. |
| ?: | URV | |
| CA: | Flap. | |
| FO: | I am retracting it. | |
| CA: | URV | |
| 18:56:05 | CA: | Raise nose. |
| CA: | Raise nose. | |
| CA: | Power. | |
| 18:56:14 | GPWS: | Sink rate, pull up, pull up, pull up, pull up |
| 18:56:19 | CA: | URV |
| GPWS: | Pull up pull up | |
| 18:56:23 | (sound of collision with first peak) | |
| GPWS: | Pullup,pullup | |
| 18:56:26 | (sound of impact on the second peak) | |
| 18:56:28 | (tape ends) |
