12 November 1995 - American 1572
American Airlines Flight 1572, registration N566AA, was a McDonnell Douglas MD-83 flying from Chicago O'Hare that was damaged while landing short of runway at Hartford's Bradley International Airport on November 12, 1995.
Flight 1572 was enroute from Chicago O'Hare to Hartford's Bradley International Airport on November 12, 1995. The flight departed O'Hare over 90 minutes late due to bad weather and delayed connecting passengers. Enroute the flight received an ACARS printout for the weather at Hartford. It noted altimeter setting of 29.42 inches of mercury (996 hPa) adding that pressure was falling rapidly in the area. Before making their final approach they were further advised of a wind shear warning and severe thunderstorms for Hartford. Winds were now out of 170° at 29 knots (15 m/s) gusting to 39 knots (20 m/s). The First Officer checked the ATIS automated weather broadcast for Hartford which reported an altimeter setting of 29.40 inHg (996 hPa). For reasons unknown he entered this as 29.47 inHg (998 hPa) on the altimeter causing it to read approximately 70 feet (21 m) high. The Captain checked the weather radar before beginning the non precision approach to runway 15. It showed no convective cells on their path and he turned it off. As Flight 1572 began its final approach they were advised that the control tower was closing temporarily due to severe weather buckling a window inside the cab. The tower supervisor remained behind to assist the flight. The Captain noticed the autopilot was having difficulty maintaining altitude and heading in the buffeting winds. Five miles from the airport the plane encountered heavy rain and some turbulence. The flight continued descending to 908 ft (277 m), the minimum descent altitude (MDA) for the approach. This was likely 838 ft (255 m) due to the incorrect altimeter setting. As they began searching for the airport the plane continued descending.
At some point during the descent, the sink rate alarm went off immediately followed by a loud thump as the plane began shearing off treetops along Peak Mountain ridge. It was later estimated the plane was at 770 ft (230 m) elevation at this point. The Captain advanced the throttles full but the trees had been ingested into the engines causing them to flame out and shut down. The Captain immediately lowered flaps to 40° hoping it would momentarily cause the plane to "balloon" upwards. While not standard operating procedure it worked to a limited extent until the plane clipped a tree near the end of the runway. The plane then impacted the runway 33 ILS antenna equipment at the approach end of runway 15 before rolling to a stop with only one passenger sustaining minor injury.
Download the full NTSB report
Transcript of the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR)
Legenda:RDO = Radio transmission from accident aircraft
CAM = Cockpit area microphone voice or sound source
APR = Radio transmission from Bradley approach control
TWR = Radio transmission from Bradley control tower
-1 = Voice identified as pilot-in-command (PIC)
-2 = Voice identified as copilot
-4 = Aircraft mechanical voice
-? = Voice unidentified
* = Unintelligible word
# = Expletive
[ ] = Editorial insertion
... = Pause
| Time | Source: | Content: |
| 0049:41 | APR: | American fifteen seventy-two, you're five miles from MISTR. Cross MISTR at or above three thousand five hundred, cleared for the VOR runway one five approach. |
| 0049:49 | RDO-2 | OK we'll uh, we're cleared for the approach. And we'll cross MISTR at or above uh, thirty-five hundred. American fifteen seventy-two. |
| 0049:55 | CAM-1: | Set. Comin' down. |
| 0049:57 | APR: | American fifteen seventy-two, roger and uh, be advised uh, the tower is closed at this time. It's a, temporary closure, due to uh, problem with uh one of the windows uh, so I'll need a uh, a down uh time on you but you can stay on this frequency uh, for that. |
| 0049:59 | CAM: | [Sound similar to stabilizer in motion horn] |
| 0050:16 | RDO-2 | Roger and, what happened on the window? |
| 0050:19 | APR: | It's just loose. They've got carpenters up there now boarding it up ... |
| 0050:23 | CAM-2: | It blew out. |
| 0050:23 | APR: | ... but once that's done the tower should open. |
| 0050:25 | RDO-2 | Copy. |
| 0050:28 | CAM-1: | Flaps eleven, please. |
| 0050:30 | CAM-2: | You got it. |
| 0050:34 | CAM: | [Sound of rattling similar to aircraft going through turbulence] |
| 0050:51 | CAM-2: | OK, five hundred feet, looking good, you can go down to, step down to two thousand by five miles. But then it ... |
| 0050:58 | CAM-1: | What's your **? |
| 0051:03 | CAM-2: | I think it's gonna be smoother once we get out of the weather. |
| 0051:05 | CAM-1: | Yeah. |
| 0051:10 | CAM-2: | OK, you're at thirty-five hundred *. |
| 0051:16 | CAM-1: | OK, we're cleared down to where? |
| 0051:17 | CAM-2: | You're cleared down to two thousand MSL at DILLN. By DILLN ... |
| 0051:21 | CAM-1: | OK, two thousand set and armed. |
| 0051:22 | CAM-2: | ... five miles * so it's good. Two thousand is set and armed. |
| 0051:27 | CAM-1: | Flaps fifteen. |
| 0051:28 | CAM-2: | Down to flaps fifteen. |
| 0051:30 | CAM: | [Sound similar to flap/slat handle being moved and sound of rattling similar to aircraft going through turbulence] |
| 0051:44 | CAM-1: | OK, comin' down. |
| 0051:44 | CAM-2: | Ten miles. |
| 0051:48 | CAM-1: | Comin' back to idle. |
| 0051:49 | CAM-2: | Roger. |
| 0051:56 | APR: | American fifteen seventy-two uh, you show yourself on the final? Looks like you're uh, a bit to the left of it. |
| 0052:01 | CAM-1: | Yeah, looks like we're to the left of it. |
| 0052:02 | RDO-2 | Copy. |
| 0052:03 | APR: | American fifteen seventy-two roger, and the wind's now one seven zero at two four, gusts three five. |
| 0052:07.9 | RDO-2 | Roger. |
| 0052:11 | CAM-1: | How 'bout gear down, please. |
| 0052:12 | CAM: | [Sound similar to landing gear handle being operated followed sound similar to nose gear door opening] |
| 0052:24 | CAM-2: | * thousand and five. |
| 0052:24 | APR: | American fifteen seventy-two uh, K, there is someone in the tower, it's not really officially open, but you can change to tower frequency one two zero point three. |
| 0052:34.5 | RDO-2 | OK, you're not gonna need that down time? |
| 0052:36 | APR: | Negative. |
| 0052:39.0 | RDO-2 | See ya. |
| 0052:39 | APR: | Good day. |
| 0052:42 | CAM-1: | OK, it's two thousand feet until five miles. |
| 0052:43 | CAM: | [Sound similar to stabilizer-in-motion horn] |
| 0052:45 | CAM-2: | That's it. |
| 0052:46 | CAM-1: | Coming back. Flaps twenty-eight. |
| 0052:47 | CAM: | [Sound similar to flap handle being moved] |
| 0052:50 | CAM-2: | OK, going down to nine oh eight, huh? |
| 0052:53 | CAM-1: | Yeah. |
| 0052:54 | CAM-2: | Set and armed *. |
| 0052:56 | CAM-1: | Naw you don't have to do *, three thousand **. |
| 0052:58 | CAM-2: | Three thousand, missed. |
| 0053:04 | CAM: | [Sound similar to stabilizer-in-motion horn.] |
| 0053:11 | CAM-2: | * VOR, right on track. |
| 0053:13 | CAM-1: | OK. |
| 0053:16 | CAM-2: | Gear's down and green spoiler lever? |
| 0053:18 | CAM: | [Sound of click similar to spoiler lever being armed] |
| 0053:19 | CAM-1: | Armed. |
| 0053:20 | CAM-2: | You got brakes are going to medium. |
| 0053:23 | CAM: | [Unidentified high-frequency sound of decreasing pitch for approximately one second duration] |
| 0053:26 | CAM-1: | **. |
| 0053:27 | CAM: | [Sound similar to stabilizer-in-motion horn] |
| 0053:27.7 | RDO-2 | Hey tower, American fifteen seventy-two, we're on a six-mile final for runway five. |
| 0053:32 | TWR: | American fifteen seventy-two, 's Bradley tower uh, landing is at your discretion sir. The wind is one seven zero at two five, peak gust to four zero. And the runway does appear clear. You can land and taxi to the gate at your discretion. |
| 0053:40 | CAM: | [Unidentified high-frequency sound of decreasing pitch for approximately one second duration] |
| 0053:43 | CAM-2: | Showing you going through the course. |
| 0053:46.3 | RDO-2 | Are you uh and uh, what are you showing right now for winds? |
| 0053:50 | TWR: | One seven zero at two four. |
| 0053:53.3 | RDO-2 | Copy. |
| 0053:58 | CAM: | [Sound of rattling similar to aircraft going through turbulence] |
| 0054:01 | CAM-1: | Flaps forty. |
| 0054:03.3 | CAM: | [Sound of click similar to flap/slat handle being moved] |
| 0054:04 | CAM-2: | OK, annunciator lights checked, flaps and slats at forty forty and land, you're cleared to land dude. |
| 0054:22 | CAM-1: | OK, give me a thousand down. |
| 0054:23 | CAM-2: | One thousand down, you got it. |
| 0054:34 | CAM-2: | You're showin' **. |
| 0054:35 | CAM-1: | **. |
| 0054:41 | CAM-2: | You got a long ways to go. |
| 0054:47 | CAM: | [Sound similar to stabilizer-in-motion horn] |
| 0054:51 | TWR: | Wind-shear alert uh, center field one seven zero at two five, the uh, northeast boundary, one seven zero at two four, one niner zero at twelve at the southeast boundary. |
| 0055:01.6 | RDO-2 | Copy. |
| 0055:06.5 | CAM-2: | There's a thousand feet. You got forty forty land, cleared to land. |
| 0055:09 | CAM-1: | OK. |
| 0055:11 | CAM-2: | * now. Nine hundred and eight is your uh ... |
| 0055:14 | CAM-1: | Right. |
| 0055:16 | CAM-2: | Your * bug. |
| 0055:18 | CAM: | [Sound of rattling similar to aircraft going through turbulence] |
| 0055:26.3 | CAM-2: | You're going below your ... |
| 0055:26.8 | CAM-4: | Sink rate ... |
| 0055:28 | CAM-2: | **. |
| 0055:29.5 | CAM-4: | Sink rate ... |
| 0055:30.4 | CAM: | [Sound of impact] |
| 0055:31.2 | CAM-4: | Sink rate ... |
| 0055:31.2 | CAM-4: | [Sound of four beeps followed by] |
| 0055:31.8 | CAM-4: | Wind shear, wind shear ... |
| 0055:32 | CAM-?: | Go. |
| 0055:33.5 | CAM-4: | Wind shear ... |
| 0055:32.9 | CAM-2: | Go, go around. |
| 0055:33 | CAM-1: | We're going, going, going around, going around. |
| 0055:34.3 | CAM: | [Sound of horn] |
| 0055:35.3 | CAM-4: | Landing gear ... |
| 0055:36.9 | CAM: | [Sound of horn] |
| 0055:37.7 | CAM-4: | [Sound of four beeps followed by] |
| 0055:38.4 | CAM-4: | Wind shear, wind shear, wind shear. |
| 0055:39.1 | CAM-1: | Flaps fifteen, positive rate, gear up. |
| 0055:41.7 | CAM: | [Sound of horn] |
| 0055:42.7 | CAM-4: | Landing gear. |
| 0055:43 | CAM-2: | You want the gear up? |
| 0055:43 | CAM-1: | Yep. |
| 0055:44.4 | CAM: | [Sound of horn] |
| 0055:45.4 | CAM-4: | Landing gear. |
| 0055:46 | CAM-?: | ###. |
| 0055:46.9 | CAM: | [Sound of horn] |
| 0055:47 | CAM-4: | Landing gear. |
| 0055:48 | CAM: | [Sound of horn] |
| 0055:50 | CAM-4: | Landing gear. |
| 0055:51 | CAM: | [Sound of horn.] |
| 0055:52 | CAM-4: | Landing gear. |
| 0055:53 | CAM-1: | Left motor's failed. |
| 0055:56 | CAM-1: | **. |
| 0055:57 | CAM-2: | There's the runway straight ahead. |
| 0055:58 | CAM-1: | OK. |
| 0056:00 | CAM-1: | Tell 'em we're goin' down. Tell 'em emergency. |
| 0056:02.6 | RDO-2 | Tower call for emergency equipment. We have, we're goin' down on the runway. |
| 0056:06 | CAM-2: | You want the gear back down? |
| 0056:07 | CAM-1: | Yes, throw it down. |
| 0056:10 | CAM-4: | Sink rate ... sink rate ... |
| 0056:12 | CAM-1: | Oh God. |
| 0056:12 | TWR: | Is that State on ground control? |
| 0056:12 | CAM-2: | You're gonna make it. |
| 0056:12 | CAM-1: | OK. |
| 0056:13 | CAM-4: | Sink rate ... |
| 0056:13 | CAM-2: | Flaps? |
| 0056:14 | CAM-4: | Sink rate ... |
| 0056:17 | CAM-1: | Put 'em down. |
| 0056:18 | CAM-2: | ***. |
| 0056:20 | CAM-1: | Whata we got? |
| 0056:21 | CAM-2: | We're still flying. |
| 0056:21 | CAM-1: | OK. |
| 0056:22 | CAM-4: | Sink rate ... sink rate. |
| 0056:23 | CAM-1: | God #. |
| 0056:23 | CAM-2: | Keep goin', you're gonna make it. |
| 0056:24 | CAM-4: | Sink rate ... |
| 0056:25 | CAM-2: | Keep coming. |
| 0056:25 | TWR: | Wind one seven zero at two two. |
| 0056:26 | CAM-4: | Too low, flaps. |
| 0056:27 | CAM-4: | Terrain, terrain. |
| 0056:27.2 | RDO-2 | Yeah, call for emergency. Call for emergency equipment. |
| 0056:30 | TWR: | They're comin', they're comin'. |
| 0056:30 | CAM-4: | Terrain. |
| 0056:31 | CAM-4: | Too low. |
| 0056:32 | CAM-2: | You got it dude, you're gonna make it. |
| 0056:33 | CAM-1: | OK. |
| 0056:34 | CAM-2: | You got a long *. |
| 0056:35 | CAM-1: | Flaps, flaps forty. All the way down. |
| 0056:36 | CAM-4: | Don't sink. |
| 0056:37 | CAM-1: | All the way, flaps forty. |
| 0056:38 | CAM-2: | They're all the way. |
| 0056:39 | CAM-1: | OK, hold on guy. |
| 0056:40.6 | CAM: | [Sound of impact] |
| 0056:41 | CAM: | [Sound of horn] |
| 0056:42 | CAM-4: | F-u-l-a-p-s. |
| 0056:44 | CAM: | [Sound of vibration begins and continues for nine seconds] |
| 0056:45 | TWR: | One seven zero at two two. |
| 0056:46 | CAM-1: | Get it on, on the deck. |
| 0056:47.4 | CAM: | [Sound of impact] |
| 0056:48 | CAM-1: | Hold it down buddy, hold it down, hold it down, hold it down, hold it down... |
| 0056:48 | CAM: | [Sound of horn] |
| 0056:48 | CAM-1: | Hold it down. |
| 0056:53 | CAM-2: | God bless you, you made it. |
| 0056:55 | CAM: | [Sound of horn] |
| 0056:56 | CAM-4: | Landing gear. [Continues to the end of the recording.] |
| 0056:59 | CAM: | [Sound similar to engine RPM decreasing] |
| 0057:02 | CAM-1: | Shut down the motors. |
| 0057:04 | CAM-?: | Throttles closed. |
| 0057:05 | CAM-2: | Pull 'em both? |
| 0057:06 | CAM-1: | Yeah, pull both fire handles. |
| 0057:08.1 | [End of recording] |
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