July 2, 1994
Charlotte, North Carolina
USAir, Flight 1016
McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30
N954VJ
The aircraft crashed into trees and a private
residence after a missed approach during adverse weather conditions. Microburst
induced windshear. Crew's inability to recognize windshear and microburst
conditions. Thirty-seven of 57 aboard killed.
US1016: Radio transmission from the flight
CAPT: Captain cockpit communication
FO: First officer cockpit communication
APPR: Charlotte Approach Control
TWR: Charlotte Tower
18:36:59 APPR: "Tell you what, USAir 1016, may get some rain just south of the field. Might be a little bit just coming off the north. Just expect the ILS now. Amend your altitude...maintain 3,000."
18:39:02 CAPT: "If we have to bail out.... (unreadable)"
18:39:06 CAPT: "It looks like we bail out to the right."
18:39:09 FO: "Amen."
18:39:09 CAPT: "Ten miles to the VOR which is off the end of the runway. 'Bout a mile off the end of the runway."
18:39:14 FO: "Yeah."
18:39:16 CAPT: "So I think we'll be all right."
18:39:20 CAPT: "Chance of shear."
(The dialog in italics occurred on the tower frequency before USAir 1016 switched over at 18:39:30.)
18:39:12 US806 (on the ground, waiting to depart from Charlotte): "And 806, looks like we've gotten a storm right on top of the field here."
18:39:16 TWR: "USAir 806, affirmative."
18:39:20 US806: "We'll just delay for a while."
18:39:44 TWR: "...Charlotte Tower, Runway 18 Right, cleared to land. Following an F[okker] 100 (an airliner about the same size as a DC-9) on short final. Previous arrival reported a smooth ride all the way down final."
18:39:49 US1016: "USAir 1016, I'd appreciate a pirep from the guy in front of us."
18:40:10 FO: "Yep, laying right there this side of the airport, isn't it?"
18:40:14 CAPT: "Well."
18:40:15 FO: "The edge of the rain is, I'd say."
18:40:15 CAPT: "Yeah."
18:40:42 TWR: "USAir 1016, company FK 100 just exited the runway, sir; he said smooth ride."
18:40:48 TWR: "USAir 916, wind is showing 100 at 19."
18:40:56 FO: "One hundred at 19, eh?"
18:40:59 TWR: "USAir 1016, wind now 110 at 21."
18:41:05 CAPT: "Stay heads up."
18:41:06 TWR: "Wind shear alert, northeast boundary winds 190 at 13."
18:41:18 TWR: "Carolina 5211, Charlotte Tower, runway 18R, cleared to land, wind 100 at 20. Wind shear alert, northeast boundary wind 190 at 17."
18:41:32 TWR: "USAir 806, you want to just sit tight for a minute, sir?"
18:41:35 US806: "Yes, sir, we'd like to just sit tight."
18:41:37 TWR: "USAir 797, company aircraft in front of you is going to sit and wait a while, sir. Do you want to go in front of him?"
18:41:43 US797: "No, no, it wouldn't sound like a good plan. We'll, uh, it didn't look like a whole lot to us on the radar taxiing out, so it shouldn't be, uh, shouldn't be too many minutes."
18:41:54 CAPT: "Here comes the wipers."
18:41:56 FO: "All right."
18:41:57.6 (sound similar to rain concurrent with sound similar to windshield wipers starts. The sound continues until impact)
18:41:58.9 FO: "There's, ooh, 10 knots right there."
18:42:06.4 CAPT: "OK, you're plus 20."
18.42.14.0 CAPT: "Take it around; go to the right."
18:42:16.1 US1016: "USAir 1016's on the go (the DC-9's altitude is approximately 200 feet agl)."
18:42:17.7 CAPT: "Max power."
18:42:18.5 FO: "Yeah, max power.... "
18:42:18.5 TWR: "USAir 1016, understand you're on the go sir, fly runway heading. Climb and maintain 3,000."
18:42:19.4 FO: "Flaps to 15 [degrees]."
18:42:20.8 (clicks similar to flap handle being moved)
18:42:22.0 CAPT: "Down, push it down."
18:42:25.5 US1016: "Up to three, we're takin' a right turn here."
18:42:27.9 TWR: "USAir 1016, understand you're turning right? [US1016's altitude begins decreasing below 350 feet agl]."
18:42:28.4 ("Whoop whoop terrain" sound begins and continues to first sound of impact)
18:42:28.5 CAPT?: " – power."
18:42:32.7 (vibrating sound similar to aircraft stick shaker begins)
18:42:35.6 (sound of impact)