Northwest Airlines Flight 255 – CVR Transcript

Date: August 16, 1987

Aircraft: McDonnell Douglas MD-82 (N312RC)

Operator: Northwest Airlines

Fatalities: 154 onboard + 2 on ground

Cause: Improper takeoff configuration; flaps/slats not extended

20:42:08  RDO-2: Northwest Two Fifty Five’s ready on the Center.
20:42:11  TWR: Northwest Two Fifty Five, Metro Tower, roger. I need you to make a—ah, disregard Northwest Two Fifty Five. Runway Three Center, taxi into position and hold. You’ll have about three minutes on the runway. You have an in-trail separation behind traffic just departing.
20:42:21  CAM-1: If we need to pull up in this taxiway we will—and back around and take our turn.
20:42:22  RDO-2: Okay, position and hold, Northwest—ah—Two Fifty Five.
20:42:26  TWR: Simmons Twenty Seven Ninety Six, Metro Tower, winds there-zero-zero at one-three. Traffic is a DC-9, a mile; final Runway Three Left, you’re cleared to land.
20:42:31  CAM-1: No, not holding up for that # Continental ten.
20:42:36  PA-2: Ah, ladies and gentlemen, ah, we’re currently number one for departure—should be rolling in a couple minutes, ah we got ah, two minutes in-trail separation—flight attendants, please be seated. Thank you.
20:42:44  TWR: Northwest One Eighty Five, Metro Tower, if you’re with me, plan to make a right turn in the run-up pad.
20:42:49  NW185: Okay, One Eighty Five, ah, we’ll go in the run-up pad.
20:42:51  TWR: One Eighty Five, thank you. You gotta one-five mile in-trail restriction behind company on the runway and he has the same restriction behind the aircraft that just departed.
20:42:55  CAM [sound similar to cockpit door being closed]
20:42:57  CAM-1: It’s blacker than # out there.
20:42:59  NW185: Okay, One Eighty Five.
20:43:00  CAM-2: A little rain out there.
20:43:02  TWR: Northwest Seven Fifty Two, contact departure. Thanks for all your help this evening.
20:43:04  NW752: Seven Fifty Two, goodnight, sir.
20:43:04  CAM-2: Transponder is set and on.
20:43:06  CAM-2: Annunciator.
20:43:09  CAM-1: Checked.
20:43:11  CAM-2: And ignition. CAM [sound of click]
20:43:12  CAM-1: On.
20:43:18  CAM [sound of click]
20:43:20  TWR: Simmons Twenty Seven Ninety Six, long landing approved if you like.
20:43:30  TWR: Northwest One Eighty Five, you can plan to follow a Continental 737 or—correction, One Eighty Five—disregard that. Taxi up to and hold short of the runway. I’ll be able to get you out. That jet behind you also has a delay.
20:43:38  CAM-1: Well, we ain’t goin’ left.
20:43:39  NW185: Okay, One Eighty Five. We’ll, ah, hold short of the runway.
20:43:40  CAM-2: Nope.
20:43:42  CAM-1: That’s for sure.
20:43:45  594CC: Citation Five Ninety Four Charlie Charlie, with you on the approach for Three Right.
20:43:48  TWR: Citation Five Ninety Four Charlie Charlie, Metro Tower. Winds three-zero-zero at thirteen, Runway Three Right, cleared to land. Where are you parking on the field?
20:43:48  594CC: Three-zero-zero at one-three, and we’ll be going to Page Avjet.
20:43:59  TWR: Northwest Seven Sixty Six, contact ground one-two-one-point-eight.
20:44:04  TWR: Northwest Two Fifty Five, Runway Three Center, turn right heading zero-six-zero, cleared for takeoff.
20:44:08  RDO-2: Right to zero-six-zero, cleared to go, Northwest Two Fifty Five.
20:44:12  CAM [sound of increasing engine power]
20:44:14  CAM [sound similar to parking brake released]
20:44:17  NW185: Okay, position and hold, Northwest One Eighty Five.
20:44:26  CAM-1: Won’t stay on.
20:44:29  CAM [sound of click]
20:44:30  CAM-2: Won’t go on?
20:44:31  CAM-1: But they won’t stay on.
20:44:32  CAM-2: Okay, power’s normal.
20:44:38  CAM [sound of click]
20:44:38  TWR: Northwest Fourteen Sixty Six, Metro Tower, traffic you’re following is a very short final, Runway Three Left, cleared to land. Winds three-zero-zero at one-three.
20:44:38  CAM-1: TCI was unset.
20:44:39  CAM [sound of click]
20:44:39  CAM-2: Can you get ’em now? There you go.
20:44:43  CAM-2: They’re on now. Clamp.
20:44:45  CAM-2: Hundred knots.
20:44:46  CAM-1: Okay.
20:44:51  TWR: Fourteen Sixty Six, so far that’s approved; I’ll advise different.
20:44:55  CAM-1: # [sound of laughter]
20:44:57  CAM-2: V1.
20:44:57  CAM-2: Rotate.
20:44:59  CAM [sound similar to nose wheel strut extension]
20:45:02  CAM [sound similar to nose wheel spinning down]
20:45:05  CAM [sound of stick shaker starts and continues until the end of recording]
20:45:09  CAWS: [sound of four horns] Stall.
20:45:11  CAWS: [sound of six horns] Stall.
20:45:11  CAM-?: *(right up to the V-Bar.)
20:45:13  CAWS: [sound of four horns] (Stall.)
20:45:15  CAM-?: (Ah), #.
20:45:17  CAWS: [sound of six horns] Stall.
20:45:18  102UM: Metro Tower, Lifeguard Copter one zero two Uniform Mike is, ah...
20:45:19  CAM [sound of first impact]
20:45:19  CAM [sound of second impact]
20:45:22  CAM [sound of third impact]
20:45:23  CAM-?: *
20:45:23  CAM [sound of fourth impact]
20:45:24  CAM [sound of fifth impact]
20:45:24  CAM [sound of sixth impact]
20:45:24  CAM [sound of seventh impact]      

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