08 May 1997 - China Southern Airlines CZ3456

On 8th May 1997 flight CZ3456 a Boeing 737-31B crashed during the landing phase of the flight from Chongqing, in the central province of Sichuan (China) to Shenzhen (China). The domestic flight landed at 9:32 pm.in bad weather (thunderstorms, rainfall) at Shenzhen-Huangtian Airport, on the border between Macau and Hongkong.

The aircraft approached in bad weather and made a heavy landing, bouncing three times and pushing the nosegear up into the fuselage. The crew performed a go-around and tried to land 9 minutes later. The aircraft touched down at high speed, ran off the runway, broke up in three pieces and caught fire.

Transcript of the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR)


[00:20.38] CAM [Sound of autopilot disconnect tone]
[00:22.56]APP: 3456 descend to 1500 meters please.
[00:39.13]APP: The rain is heavy on final, tell me when you see the runway
[00:48.89]GPWS: (sink rate)
[00:50.01]APP: What is your heading?
[01:18.45]PILOT 2: Heading 135
[01:24.29]PILOT 2: It looks like the weather is bad on the runway.
[01:29.20]APP: Descend to altitude 900
[01:31.48]PILOT 2:3456 ESTABLISHED APPROACH/LOC
[01:33.97]PILOT 2:3456 contact tower 118.55, goodbye.
[01:36.71]PILOT 1: Watch your altitude.
[01:41.00]PILOT 1: Look at that rain!
[01:45.97]TWR: CZ3456?
[01:49.30]PILOT 1: Er, CZ3456 ESTABLISHED APPROACH/LOC
[01:54.59]PILOT 2: Heading 330
[02:03.12]PILOT 2: 3456, altitude 6000 feet
[02:25.55]PILOT 1: Watch the wind
[02:34.74]]PILOT 2: 3456 APPROACH LIGHTS IN SIGHT
[02:47.05]PILOT 1: Decision altitude
[02:49.49]PILOT 2: Watch the wind ------ Good
[03:02.36]PILOT 2: LOC too low
[03:04.61]CAM: ( LOC low)
[03:06.35]PILOT 2: Watch you speed
[03:06.75]PILOT 1: Speed is OK.
[03:08.75]PILOT 1: A little high
[03:12.54]PILOT 2: A little left.
[03:20.62] [Ground contact first time]
[03:25.62]PILOT 2: Power! Increase power
[03:27.36] [Ground contact second time]
[03:27.90]PILOT 2: Increase power! Increase power!
[03:29.91] [Ground contact third time]
[03:31.08]PILOT 2: Increase power, increase power!
[03:33.25]CAM (Main warning- - Configuration warning)
[03:40.69]PILOT 1: The gear is broken!!
[03:45.84]PILOT 1: Increase speed!
[03:52.80]PILOT 1: Is it checked?
[04:34.68]PILOT 1: Turn around again!
[04:49.55]CAM:( Hydraulic System)
[04:57.08]PILOT 1: Do not climb so fast!
[05:03.83]PILOT 2: 3456, MISSED APPROACH
[05:18.34]PILOT 1: I lost visual contact, the rain is too heavy
[05:21.03]PILOT 1: Climb to 1200 meters
[05:26.90]PILOT 2: Tower, check my position please.
[05:45.05]PILOT 2: Right, turn right
[05:49.02]PILOT 1: The weather on the left is too bad!
[05:57.74]PILOT 2: Passed the missed approach point, ready to turn left.
[06:02.61]TWR: What is your position
[06:06.18]PILOT 2: In the left turn
[06:32.35]TWR: What is your position?
[06:49.91]PILOT 2: We have an emergency situation!!
[06:51.91]PILOT 2: We have an emergency situation!!
[07:46.72]TWR: 111.3
[08:11.94]TWR: CZ3456, We have an emergency situation!!
[08:20.15]CAM (gear broken)
[08:47.28]TWR: 3456 Emergency evacuation after landing
[08:49.28]PILOT 2: Roger, I will tell them
[08:56.73]PILOT 2: Turn around again
[09:04.34]TWR: What is your position?
[09:10.46]PILOT 2: Altitude 1200
[09:16.76]PILOT 2: North of airport, turning left
[09:38.64]PILOT 1: Where is the runway? I can't see it!!!!!!
[09:45.08][broken record]
[10:09.54]CAM (FLAP)
[10:16.05]TWR: CLEARED TO LAND, both runways are clear!
[10:25.82]PILOT 2: Attention to the NAV.
[10:29.88]PILOT 1: The runway is in sight
[10:59.72]TWR: CZ3456, the ambulance and the fire services are ready.
[11:03.59]TWR: Use runway 05!
[11:08.45]TWR: Cleared to land! Other planes tell me that the weather north is better, south of finals the rain is very heavy
[11:22.20]PILOT 1: The situation is too bad!
[11:50.49]PILOT 1: Watch your altitude!
[12:06.01]PILOT 2: Are we too high?
[12:08.88]PILOT 2: Aim for the beginning of the runway!
[12:15.72]GPWS: (sink rate)
[12:18.25]GPWS: (pull up)
[12:23.99]PILOT 2: Rate of descend is too high!!!!!!!!!
[12:26.66]PILOT 2: Rate of descend is too higt!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[12:27.65]HOOO~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(CRASH)