0019:25 WAT450 boston good evening navy alfa tango four five zero with you
two zero zero
0019:30 R32 navy alfa tango four fifty boston center roger
0019:34 WAT450 and ma'am do you have our request
0019:37 R32 affirmative
0019:39 WAT450 thanks
0020
0020:04 R32 *(okay) navy alfa tango four fifty i'm gonna be unable to do
direct to bergh here to ah cut you right across the kennedy departure track and
ah *(in event) you have no transponder i need to leave you on airways until you
get into the until you get into the warning area
0020:17 WAT450 and alfa tango four five zero roger we understand we'll stay
with the airways
0020:21 R32 roger
0020:22 WAT450 thanks for trying
0020:58 N161X boston center westwind one six one x-ray's with you out of
flight level two zero zero for one niner zero
0021:07 R32 one six one x-ray boston center roger
0021:10 TWA842 boston t w a eight forty two heavy out of seven point five for
one one thousand
0021:16 R32 t w a eight forty two boston center roger climb and maintain
flight level one niner zero
0021:20 TWA842 climb to one niner zero eight forty two heavy 0021:25 R32 one
six one x-ray once you level off at nineteen proceed direct to nantucket
0021:29 N161X nineteen direct nantucket six one x-ray
0021:32 R32 roger
0021:42 R32 t w a eight forty two ah
0021:43 ZNY hampton ah kennedy
0021:44 R32 reset your transponder squawk three four zero four
0021:47 TWA842 three four zero four eight forty two heavy
0021:50 R32 atlantic sixty seven hampton
0021:59 UNKN two four five two one forty heavy
0022:01 ZNY atlantic's on
0022:02 R32 i got a question for you
0022:03 ZNY whatta you got
0022:04 R32 actually lemme uhm i'm gonna flash this guy to you please don't
take the handoff he's too far away
0022:08 ZNY *(yes)
0022:09 R32 northeast of hampton that navy alfa tango four fifty
0022:11 ZNY navy alfa tango four fifty i've got a ticket on him
0022:14 R32 alright he wants to go to bergh i'm flashing at ya now just so
you can actually he's flashing at ah eighty six let's try this - no he's not
flashing at-ya-forget it anyway he's north of hampton he wants to go direct to
bergh he's at twenty thousand if he doesn't go there he's primary only i still
got him down the airway i don't know how that's gonna conflict with your kennedy
departures trying to climb above him
0022:33 ZNY he's primary only i can't i really can't ah work him primary only
in that corridor there that's gonna be a problem
0022:38 R32 so just tell him well his routing is bergh and then i guess he's
doing some air work at bergh
0022:42 ZNY yeah i mean i can take him direct bergh is he gonna go
operational at bergh do you know
0022:45 R32 ah lemme check with him and ask iii think he is
0022:49 ZNY if he's gonna go v f r that's not a problem then but ah working
him i f r that'd be a problem without a transponder
0022:54 R32 okay so tell him if he's gonna go v f r you can work him if he's
not then you cannot take him that way
0022:59 R32 yeah pretty much
0023:00 R32 see like at all like even direct to bergh or even down jet one
twenty one amber three hundred
0023:04 ZNY we can take him see the problem is if he's sitting at bergh he's
0023:07 R32 uh huh
0023:07 ZNY right in the middle of the corridor for all the departures and
stuff like that and if he's sitting at twenty thousand i gotta climb through him
and i won't be able to see him too well out there
0023:13 R32 okay i'll let him know thanks
0023:14 ZNY *(r y)
0023:14 R32 *(r e)
0023:16 R32 navy alfa tango four fifty ah whenever you got a minute i got a
couple questions for ya for the next controller
0023:25 WAT450 alfa tango four five zero roger we're ready
0023:28 R32 roger sir ah do you plan on going v f r when you get down to the
bergh intersection
0023:34 WAT450 that's affirmative v f r
0023:36 R32 okay
0023:37 R32 t w a eight forty two if you could give me a good rate of climb
through fifteen please for traffic
0023:41 TWA842 okay we'll hurry through fifteen t w a eight forty two
0023:57 ZNY hampton kennedy jet ex eighteen all right
0024 0024:02 R32 air shuttle five five two three fly heading two seven zero
vectors traffic
0024:06 ASH5523 okay ah two seven zero air shuttle fifty five twenty three
0024:09 R32 t w a eight forty two fly heading one two zero vectors traffic
0024:12 TWA842 heading one two zero t w a eight forty two
0024:16 VIR009 boston center virgin zero zero nine heavy out of two seven
zero for two four zero trait
0024:20 R32 virgin nine boston center roger
0024:25 DAL76 delta seventy six leveling (unintelligible)
0024:25 ZNY hampton kennedy thirty nine handoff
0024:30 R32 delta seventy six roger standby for higher
0024:33 DAL76 roger
0024:42 TWA800 new york center t w a's ah lifeguard eight hundred heavy eight
thousand two hundred climbing one one thousand
0024:49 R32 t w a eight hundred boston center roger climb and maintain one
three thousand
0024:53 TWA800 t w a's eight hundred heavy climb and maintain one three
thousand
0024:57 R32 delta seventy six boston center one two four point five two
0025:00 DAL76 delta seventy six twenty four fifty two good day
0025:02 R32 one six one x-ray boston center one two eight point seven five
0025:06 N161X twenty eight seventy five six one x-ray take care
0025:09 R32 roger
0025:15 TWA900 and good evening boston t w a niner hundred ah coming up on
nine thousand for one one thousand
0025:24 R32 t w a nine hundred climb and maintain flight level one niner zero
0025:27 TWA900 one niner zero t w a nine hundred
0025:31 R32 t w a eight hundred what's your rate of climb
0025:34 TWA800 t w a's eight hundred heavy ah about ah two thousand feet a
minute here until ah accelerating out of ten thousand
0025:42 R32 roger sir climb and maintain flight level one niner zero and
expedite through fifteen
0025:47 TWA800 a's eight hundred heavy climb and maintain one niner zero and
expedite through one five thousand
0025:53 UNKN okay you prefer something else 0025:56 VIR009 boston virgin zero
zero nine heavy is over trait at two four zero
0026
0026:06 R32 virgin double oh nine cross calverton at one two thousand two
hundred and fifty knots kennedy altimeter three zero zero seven
0026:12 VIR009 roger calverton one two thousand *(two hundred) fifty knots
virgin zero zero nine
0026:24 R32 t w a eight hundred amend the altitude maintain ah one three
thousand thirteen thousand only for now
0026:30 TWA800 t w a's eight hundred heavy okay stop climb at one three
thousand
0026:35 R32 t w a eight forty two direct to nantucket on course
0026:38 TWA842 direct nantucket on course t w a eighty forty two
0026:41 R32 air shuttle fifty five twenty three you can fly heading of ah two
two zero rejoin the airway thank you
0026:47 ASH5523 okay two twenty to join up air shuttle fifty five twenty
three
0026:53 BBE507 hello boston it's stinger bee five oh seven checking on two
four oh request
0026:58 R32 stinger bee five oh seven boston center roger ah standby on the
request please
0027:08 PDT3112 and boston piedmont thirty one twelve at one one thousand
0027:12 R32 piedmont thirty one twelve boston center roger kennedy altimeter
three zero zero seven
0027:16 PDT3112 three zero zero seven thirty one twelve
0027:28 R32 t w a nine hundred fifteen left for your climb please
0027:31 TWA900 fifteen degrees left t w a nine hundred roger
0027:57 N90 sardi kennedy ninety two handoff
0028:00 UNKN (unintelligible)
0028:13 R32 t w a eight hundred you have traffic at one o'clock and ah seven
miles southbound a thousand foot above he's a beech nineteen hundred
0028:20 TWA800 t w a's ah eight hundred heavy ah no contact
0028:24 R32 t w a nine hundred leaving one five thousand direct nantucket on
course
0028:27 TWA900 out of one five thousand direct nantucket t w a ah nine
hundred
0028:31 R32 t w a eight forty two boston one two four point five two
0028:34 TWA842 twenty four fifty two t w a forty two good day
0028:38 R32 alright
0028:39 AZA609 boston alitalia six zero nine good evening one one thousand
0028:42 R32 alitalia six zero nine boston center roger climb and maintain
flight level ah one niner zero
0028:47 AZA609 climb and maintain flight level one niner zero six zero nine
0028:50 JEX18 boston jet express eighteen out of twenty five for two zero
zero
0028:53 R32 jet express eighteen boston center roger cross forty five
actually descend and maintain flight level two one zero
0029
0029:01 JEX18 two one zero for jet express eighteen
0029:35 AFR008 ah boston center air france ah zero zero eight good evening
level two eight five for down ah flight level two four zero
0029:47 R32 stinger bee ah five zero seven descend and maintain flight level
two zero zero no delay down please
0029:52 BBE507 down to twenty thousand quickly stinger five oh seven
0029:58 AFR008 boston air france zero zero eight good evening out of two
eight zero down ah two four zero
0030:02 R32 air shuttle fifty five twenty three new york now on one three
three point zero five
0030:06 ASH5523 okay thirty three zero five air shuttle fifty five twenty
three see ya
0030:08 R32 air france zero zero eight boston center roger
0030:11 R32 jet ex eighteen descend and maintain flight level one eight zero
0030:13 JEX18 one eight zero ex eighteen
0030:16 R32 t w a eight hundred climb and maintain one five thousand
0030:19 TWA800 t w a's eight hundred heavy climb and maintain one five
thousand leaving (unintelligible) three thousand
0030:24 R32 piedmont thirty one ah thirty one twelve descend and maintain
niner thousand
0030:27 PDT3112 roger niner thousand thirty one twelve
0030:31 TWA900 t w a nine hundred leveling one nine zero
0030:34 R32 t w a nine hundred thank you ah higher in just a bit
0030:38 TWA900 *(alright)
0030:40 R32 stinger bee five oh seven if i give you lower can you be out of
eighteen here in ah a minute and a half
0030:45 BBE507 sure we can do that stinger five oh seven
0030:47 R32 stinger bee five oh seven descend and maintain one six thousand
the ah kennedy altimeter is three zero zero seven thanks for your help
0030:53 BBE507 okay three zero zero seven down to sixteen thousand any chance
of a shortcut
0030:58 R32 stinger bee five oh seven ah well you're just about to about to
turn down the airway now i really can't take you off the airway
0031:04 BBE507 all right
0031:04 ZNY hampton camm? thirty nine line
[The TWA 800 disaster reportedly took place at approximately
00:31:12 at about 13,800 feet]
0031:17 R32 piedmont thirty one twelve new york approach on one three two
point two five
0031:21 PDT3112 one three two two five thirty three thirty one twelve
0031:32 R32 jet ex sixteen descend and maintain one five thousand the ah
providence altimeter three zero zero four
0031:38 JEX18 ah i think that was one five thousand for jet express eighteen
is that correct
0031:41 R32 that's correct thank you
0031:50 BBE507 we just saw an explosion out here stinger bee five oh seven
0031:57 R32 stinger bee five oh seven i'm sorry i missed it ah you're out of
eighteen did you say something else
0032:01 BBE507 ah we just saw an explosion up ahead of us here *(somewhere's
about) about sixteen thousand feet or something like that it just went down - in
the water
0032:10 AZA609 alitalia six oh nine confirms just ahead of us
0032:17 R32 t w a nine hundred for higher contact boston now on ah one two
four point five two
0032:22 TWA900 two four five two t w a nine hundred
0032:24 R32 thank you
0032:25 VIR009 boston virgin zero zero nine i can confirm that out of my nine
ah three my nine o'clock position we just had an exp it looked like an explosion
out there about five miles away six miles away
0032:36 R32 virgin zero zero nine i'm sorry your transmissions broken up
*(what'd you say)
0032:38 N90 sardi kennedy ninety two another handoff please
0032:39 VIR009 our at nine o'clock position sir it looked like an explosion
of some sort about maybe six to five mi miles out from my nine o'clock position
0032:49 R32 an explosion six miles out at your nine o'clock position thank
you very much sir contact new york approach one two five point seven
0032:55 VIR009 two five seven
0032:56 R32 t w a eight hundred center
0032:58 UNKN (unintelligible)
0033:01 UNKN investigate that explosion if you get a lat long
0033:04 R32 t w a eight hundred center
0033:09 R32 t w a eight hundred if you hear center ident
0033:15 USA217 u s air two seventeen two one oh 0033:17 R32 stinger bee ah
five zero seven you reported an explosion is that correct sir
0033:21 BBE507 yes sir about ah ah five miles at at my eleven o'clock here
0033:27 AZA609 boston center six zero nine
0033:31 R32 alitalia six oh nine contact boston now on ah one two four point
five two
0033:36 AZA609 one two four point five two and just for your information sir
we are just overhead the explosion right overhead at this time now a hundred and
three miles from j f k it's about forty eight miles from *(j a p) on the one
zero two radial
0033:48 BBE507 and center for stinger bee ah five oh seven we are directly
over the site with that airplane or whatever it was just exploded and went into
the water
0033:56 UNKN i have eighteen or nineteen miles from the two thirty six radial
off ah hampton
0034
0034:01 R32 roger that thank you very much sir we're investigating that right
now t w a eight hundred center t w a eight zero zero if you hear center ident
0034:11 AZA609 and six oh nine could you say again the frequency please
0034:14 R32 virgin nine one two five point seven good day
0034:20 R32 jet express ah eighteen descend and maintain one one thousand
expedite down
0034:24 JEX18 expedite to one one ah jet express eighteen
0034:26 R32 air france zero zero eight descend and maintain ah flight level
two two zero
0034:34 USA217 u s air two seventeen two one oh
0034:37 R32 virg air france zero zero eight descend and maintain flight level
two two zero
0034:41 AFR008 ah descend and maintain flight level two two zero air france
ah zero zero eight
0034:45 UAL2 ah new york united two heavy one one thousand
0034:48 R32 united two boston center roger climb and maintain one five
thousand
0034:51 UAL2 climb to one five thousand united two heavy
0034:55 USA217 and boston u s air two seventeen two one oh
0034:58 R32 u s air two seventeen boston center roger descend and maintain
one one thousand i realize you're a little bit high but you have to do your best
down providence altimeter three zero zero four
0035:06 USA217 one one thousand double oh four you have a turn back towards
providence for us
0035:10 R32 u s air seventeen direct providence at this time
0035:12 UNKN (unintelligible) *(two five zero)
0035:16 DAL92 delta ninety two heavy leveling at eleven
0035:18 R32 delta ninety two boston center roger climb and maintain one five
thousand
0035:22 DAL92 delta ninety two heavy one five thousand
0035:24 R32 navy alfa tango four five zero new york center one three three
point zero five
0035:30 WAT450 switching one three two zero five
0035:36 R32 t w a eight hundred center
0035:43 UNKN i think that was him
0035:45 R32 i think so
0035:48 UNKN god bless him
0035:52 N90 boston sar boston sardi kennedy on the ninety two line
0035:56 R32 air france zero zero eight descend and maintain one two thosuand
the kennedy altimeter is *(three zero zero seven)
0035:59 N90 boston sardi kennedy ninety two
0036:01 AFR008 three zero zero seven descend and maintain ah ah twelve
thousand ah air france ah zero zero eight
0036:07 R32 jet express eighteen providence now one two five point seven five
0036:11 JEX18 two five (unintelligible)
0036:12 N90 do you want us to hold onto air france or are you alright with
him
0036:38 R32 u s air two seventeen contact the ah providence approach now one
two five point seven five thanks for your help today
0036:44 USA217 one seventy five you have a good one
0036:53 R32 united two climb and maintain flight level one niner zero 0036:56
UAL2 climb to one zero united two heavy
0036:58 R32 stinger bee five oh seven thanks for that report ah new york on
one three three point zero five good day sir
0037:05 BBE507 thirty three oh five so long stinger five oh seven anything we
can do for ya before we go
0037:11 R32 well i just wanna confirm that ah that you saw the ah splash in
the water approximately ah twenty southwest of hampton is that right
0037:20 BBE507 ah yes sir it just blew up in the air and then we saw two
fireballs go down to the to the water and there was a big small ah smoke *(from)
ah coming up from that also ah there seemed to be a light i i thought it was a
landing light *(eye) and it was coming right at us at about i don't know about
fifteen thousand feet or something like that and i pushed on my landing lights
ah you know so i saw him and then it blew
0037:40 R32 roger that sir ah that was a seven forty seven out there you had
a visual on that anything else in the area when it happened
0037:47 BBE507 i didn't see anything he seemed to be *(alone) i thought it
had a landing light on maybe it was a fire i don't know
0037:51 R32 stinger bee five oh seven ah roger that and anything else comes
to your mind ah you can use your other radio come back to this frequency and
tell me about it
0037:58 BBE507 that's all i can think of at this time
0038:00 R32 united two boston one two four point five two
0038:05 UNKN *(blocked)
0038:06 R32 united two boston on one two four point five two
0038:08 UAL2 one two four five two and is that airplane right in front of us
now
0038:12 R32 ah he should be right underneath neath you they reported the
splashdown right underneath you about ah twelve and ah four miles
0038:18 UAL2 it's still burning down there
0038:20 R32 in the water
0038:21 UAL2 well there's ah there's bright red and there's there's smoke
coming up
0038:25 R32 i'm sorry say that again gimme that report again
0038:28 UAL2 there's fire with smoke
0038:30 R32 fire with smoke coming out of water
0038:32 UAL2 right at our position right now i can give you a lat long if you
want
0038:35 R32 absolutely thank you
0038:37 AFR007 boston good evening air france zero zero seven
0038:40 R32 air france zero zero seven standby one united two go
0038:44 UAL it's ah north forty thirty nine point one west zero seven two
three eight point zero
0038:51 R32 alright we got forty thirty nine point one west zero seven two
three eight point zero
0038:56 UAL2 that's correct
0038:57 R32 alright thanks for the report boston one two four point five two
0039:00 UAL2 g'day
0039:01 R32 delta ninety two ninety five descend and maintain one one
thousand direct to providence
0039:04 DAL9295 down to eleven and direct providence ninety two ninety five
0039:08 R32 delta ninety two ninety five normal airspeed thank you
0039:11 DAL9295 okay sir we'll pick it up normally ah have you got a air a ah
altimeter
0039:15 R32 sorry about that providence three zero zero four
0039:18 DAL9295 thirty oh four and any idea who that was
0039:20 R32 delta ninety two climb and maintain flight leven one niner zero
delta ninety two
0039:24 DAL92 delta ninety two heavy up to flight level one nine zero
0039:27 R32 air france zero zero seven climb and maintain flight level one
niner zero
0039:30 AFR007 air france zero zero seven heavy climb and maintain one niner
zero
0039:33 N90 boston sardi kennedy ninety two
0039:34 R32 air france zero zero eight ah no delay in the descent please
after you get to ah twelve slow to two hundred and fifty knots
0039:39 AFR008 increasing rate of descent air france zero zero eight
0039:48 N90 boston sardi kennedy ninety two line
0040
0040:07 R32 delta ninety two contact boston on one two four point five two
0040:11 DAL92 *(ah ninety two one two four five two)
0040:13 R32 i just wanna confirm that's for delta ninety two you got like ah
call signs ninety two ninety five on the frequency and ah delta ninety two there
seems to be a loud ah tone whenever you transmit
0040:23 DAL92 okay ah delta ninety two understand ah frequency one two four
five two
0040:29 R32 that's right and ah there is a loud tone ah accompanying your
transmissions
0040:32 DAL92 okay thank you
0040:34 R32 air france zero zero eight new york on one two five point seven
thanks for your help sir
0040:38 AFR008 one two five point ah seven air france zero zero eight bye
0040:43 AAL100 boston american one hundred heavy with you out of eight
thousand for one one thousand
0040:46 R32 american one hundred climb and maintain flight level one niner
zero
0040:49 AAL100 climb and maintain one niner zero american one hundred heavy
0041
0042
0042:33 R32 air france zero zero seven climb and maintain flight level two
niner zero
0042:37 AFR007 maintain ah level two niner zero air france zero zero seven
heavy
0042:41 R32 delta ninety two ninety five thanks for your help today boston
actually providence approach on ah one two five point seven five and i should
say when you reach one one thousand slow again to two hundred and fifty knots
0042:50 DAL9295 okay one two five seven five slow to two fifty at eleven and
ah good night ninety two ninety five
0042:56 R32 air france zero zero seven contact boston on one two four point
five two
0043
0043:05 RYN477 ah boston ryan four seventy seven one nine zero
0043:08 R32 ryan four seventy seven boston center roger
0043:11 R32 american one hundred amend the altitude
0043:13 ZNY hampton kennedy
0043:13 R32 maintain flight level one eight zero 0043:15 AAL100 american one
hundred'll maintain flight level one eight zero
0043:17 R32 air france zero zero seven contact boston one two four point five
two
0043:22 AFR007 one two four point five two air france ah zero zero seven
heavy
0043:31 ZNY hampton kennedy thirty nine
0043:56 R17 two zero zero through flight level two two zero
0044:00 UNKN two zero zero to two two zero and where is the position of maine
eight seven
0044:03 R17 maine eight seven is currently uhm well he's at your nine or ten
o'clock and forty miles heading north towards ah bangor
0044:13 UNKN okay thank you very much we're departing two four zero for two
one zero at this time
0044:17 R17 nantucket go ahead override
0044:18 UNKN boston (unintelligible) three four heavy good afternoon three
two zero
0044:22 R32 pointout northwest of sandy point on delta ninety two ninety five
0044:25 R17 delta ninety two ninety five point out approved *(k f)
0044:51 R32 american one hundred maintain flight level one eight zero your
traffic is two o'clock and one five miles northeast bound a thousand foot above
your assigned altitude and he's a seven thirty seven
0019
· *This portion of the recording is not entirely clear, but this
represents the best interpretation possible under the circumstances.
End of
Transcript
· Source - Click
Here
____
The sequence and time of the Airborne Witnesses' taped radio
reports of the Massive Fireball explosion to various Air Traffic Control centers
appears to have been as follows:
BBE507/Boston ARTCC Sardi Sector ATC 00:31:50 PDT3112/New York TRACON Beads ATC 00:31:58 N41142/New York TRACON Calverton ATC 00:32:17 VIR009/Boston ARTCC Sardi Sector ATC 00:32:25 Jolly 14/Gabreski ATC 00:32:32 BTA3678/New York TRACON Liberty East 00:32:52
"We just saw an
explosion out here stinger bee five oh seven".
"Ah Washington Center
Piedmont uh thirty one twelve (unintelligible) Piedmont thirty one twelve me uh
we just had a flash in front of us and uh it looks like uh debris falling".
"Yea we just saw a
big flame in the air uh south of uh Smith's Point southeast of Smith's Point uh
something was coming down out of the air probably about from about three
thousand feet and it went down to the ground".
"Boston Virgin zero
zero nine I can confirm that out of my nine ah three my nine o'clock position we
just had an exp it looked like an explosion out there about five miles away six
miles away".
"Tower Jolly 14 we've got a plane
looks here like a plane going into the water south of the field".
"Just wondered if you
heard the windows rattle over by you we just saw a big fireball come out about
our nine o'clock".