Federal Aviation Administration

SUBJECT: Full Transcript; Aircraft Accident: AAL1420; Little Rock, AR; June 2, 1999

DATE: June 21, 1999

FROM: Little Rock ATC Tower

TO: Aircraft Accident File, LIT-ATCT-253

This transcription covers the Little Rock ATCT Local Control One position for the time period from June 2, 1999, 0428:09 UTC to June 2, 1999, 0510:32 UTC.

Agencies Making Transmissions

Little Rock ATCT, Local Control One
Cessna Centurion N2056S
Beech Baron Starcheck 198
MD-80 American 1420
Memphis ARTCC
ARFF Vehicles, Red Ball
City Vehicle, Mobile 5

Abbreviations

LC1
N56S
USC198
AAL1420
ZME
 RB1, RB2, RB3
MOB5


I hereby certify that the following is a true transcription of the recorded conversations pertaining to the subject aircraft accident involving AAL1420:

<signed>

David A. Vechik
Support Specialist
Little Rock ATCT

0428:09 LC1 Centurion five six sierra there has been uh severe thunderstorn warning issued for the uh uh southern faulkner county upper around the uh vitonia and Conway area if your familiar with that area
0426:24 N56S uh roger uh that could you uh repeat those points again five six sierra again
0428:28 LC1 uh let me pull it up here again stand by just a second centurion five six sierra
0428:31 N56S (unintelligible)
0428:52 LC1 centurion five six sierra there's a severe thunderstorm warnings been issued for the southern part of faulkner county and the northern part or pulaski county uh the weather was let's see twelve miles south of conway or four miles west of morgan moving east at uh three zero knots
0429
0429:11 N56S roger roger five six sierra
0429:21 LC1 starcheck one ninety eight how does it look out to the east there
0429:24 USC198 uh starcheck one ninety eight I'm not I'm not uh I'm not showing much right now maybe (unintelligible) light echoes
0429:31 alrighty thanks
0430
0430:22 LC1 starcheck one ninety eight contact memphis center one three five point three we'll see you later
043C:25 USC198 starcheck one ninety eight one three five point three we'll see ya
0431

0432

0433

0434

0434:08 AAL1420 american uh fourteen twenty at eleven three for ten thousand
0434:11 LC1 american fourteen twenty little rock approach roger we have a thunderstorm just northwest of the airport moving uh through the area now the wind is two eight zero at two eight gust four four and uh i'll have new weather in just a moment i'm sure
0434:24 AAL1420 yeah we can see the uh lightning and uh you want us to repeat the winds again
0434:29 LC1 right now the wind current wind is two niner zero at two eight gust four four
0434:44 LC1 american fourteen twenty expect an ils runway two two left
0434:46 AAL1420 two two left we got that fourteen twenty
0434:56 LC1 who called
0435
0435:02 ZME helena
0435:03 LC1 yeah
0435:06 ZME uh two zero five six five i'm just curious about him
0435:12 LC1 he's (unintelligible)
0435:16 ZME how's he plan to get radar vectors when uh he's going to be non radar most of his trip
0435:18 LC1 uh i have no earthly idea
0435:19 ZME i need him on a either he's receiving jonesboro or need him on. non radar routing
0435:20 LC1 (unintelligible) i'll see what he's receiving hang on
0435:24 LC1 centurion five six sierra you're receiving jonesboro
0435:33 N56S uh that's affirmative five six sierra
0435:35 LC1 centurion five six sierra roger proceed direct
0435:37 LC1 american fourteen twenty descend at pilot's discretion maintain four thousand
0435:41 AAL1420 down to four thousand american uh fourteen twenty
0435:45 LC1 hey helena little rock
0435:48 ZME yeah
0435:49 LCl he's said he's got it he's going direct
0435:60 ZME okay good that's all I need to know
0435:51 LC1 kk
0435:56 LC1 centurion five six sierra contact memphis center one three five point three good night
0436:00 56S one three five point three five six sierra good night
0437

0438

0439:00 LC1 american fourteen twenty descend end maintain three thousand
0439:04 AAL1420 out of four for three uh american fourteen twenty
0439:07 LC! american fourteen twenty uh your equipment's a lot better than what I have how is the final for two two left lookin'
0439:12 AAL1420 okay we can uh see the airport from here we can barely make it out but uh we should be able to make two two uh that storm is moving this way like your radar says it is but a little farther off then you thought
0439:23 LC1 american fourteen twenty roger would you just want to a shoot a visual approach
0439:28 AAL1420 uh at this point we can't really make it out we're gonna stay with you as long as possible
0439:32 LC1 american fourteen twenty roger and uh the winds kinda kicked around right now its three three zero at uh one one
0439:42 AAL1420 okay well that's a little bit better than it was
0439:43 LC1 right (unintelligible)
0439:45 LC1 and uh right now i have uh wind shear alert the centerfield wind is three four zero at one zero north boundary wind is three three zero at two five northwest boundary wind zero one zero at one five
0440
0440:01 AAL1420 is there a possibility to get runway four
0440:02 LC1 american fourteen twenty yes sir we can do runway four if you would prefer that
0440:07 AAL1420 (unintelligible) we would rather do the headwinds sir
0440:10 LC1 i'm sorry say again american fourteen twenty
0440:12 AAL1420 yeah we're going to want the headwind of course - runway four
0440:15 LC1 american uh fourteen twenty uh turn right heading of uh two five zero vectors for the ils runway four right final approach course
0440:25 AAL1420 okay a right turn to two five zero uh the long way around
0440:30 LC1 uh yes sir you're a little close to the airport
0440:33 AAL1420 two five zero that'll work
0441
0441:22 LC1 american fourteen twenty uh maintain three thousand three hundred for now please
0441:25 AAL1420 three thousand three hundred we just saw it thanks
0442
0442:26 LC1 american fourteen twenty it appears we have uh a second part of the storm moving through the winds now three four zero at one six gust three four
0442:34 AAL1420 roger that
0442.38 LC1 did you call
0442:39 ZME this is pine bluff high at memphis are you guys
0442:41 LC1 this little rock
0442:43 ZME landin'
0442:48 LC1 this is little rock huh
0442:44 ZME are you guys still being are they still gettin' in there
0442:47 LC1 well we got a guy trying right now uh i'll let you know here in just a minute
0442:50 ZME are you landin' to the southwest
0442:52 LC1 no we're landing right now i've got it to the north hold on a second okay
0442:51 LC1 american :fourteen twenty did you call me
0443:00 AAL1420 well we got the airport we're going between clouds I think its right off my uh three o'clock low about four miles
0443:06 LC1 american fourteen twentv that's it do you want to shoot the visual approach or do you want to go out for the ils
0443:10 AAL1420 we'll we'll shoot the visual if we we can do it
0443:12 LC1 american fourteen twenty cleared visual approach runway four right if you lose it need some help let me know please
0443:16 AAL1420 i'll stay with you as long as possible okay
0443:18 LC1 yeah that's fine i'm working everything american fourteen twenty
0443:21 AAL1420 works for me
0443:22 LC1 all right yep
0443:25 ZME we've got a couple of aircraft comin' in there wantin' to know if they're going to be able to get in
0443:27 LC1 alright well i don't know american uh he came in from the south there he's on a visual approach right now but it's uh it's kind of rockin' and rollin' here
0443:35 ZME alI right
0443:30 LC1 so you might wanna put it off a little bit if they can its gots about uh because mv radar is not that good by the weather you know but uh
0443:43 ZME better than ours
0443:44 LC1 well then you don't yeah it looks like it maybe out of here in I don't know thirty minutes or so it's moving kinda quickly it looks like
0443:51 ZME be there in thirty minutes or leavin' in thirty minutes
0443:53 LC1 well hopefully cut of here by thirty minutes don't hold me to that because I'm not sure
0443:54 ZME i gotcha
0443:56 LC1 all righty
0443:58 ZME (unintelligible)
0443:50 LC1 alright kk
0444:00 LC1 american fourteen twenty you can monitor one one eight point seven runway four right cleared to land the wind right now is three three zero at two one
0444:06 AAL1420 eighteen seven we'll monitor american fourteen twenty thanks cleared to land runway four
0444:23 AAL1420 hold on and uh-and approach american fourteen twenty
0444:30 LC1 arnerican fourteen twenty yes sir
0444:31 AAL1420 there's a cloud between us end the airport we just lost the field and i've uh on this vector here i have the uh the basically last vector you gave us we're on a kind of a dog leg it looks like
0444:39 LC1 american fourteen twenty you can fly heading two two zero I'll take you out for the ils
0444:44 AAL1420 two two zero is fine
0444:45 LC1 all right and it will be just probably just one turn on from downwind to final for the ils
0444:49 AAL1420 that's how it's going to have to be thanks
0444:54 LC1 american fourteen twenty descend and maintain two thousand three hundred
0444:57 AAL1420 two thousand three hundred american fourteen twenty
0445
0448:46 AAL1420 and approach american fourteen twenty we know you're doing you're best but we're getting pretty close to this storm we'll keep it tight if we have to
0445:52 LC1 i'm sorry american fourteen twenty uh turn right heading of uh two seven zero
0445:57 AAL1420 two seven zero american fourteen twenty
0445:59 LC1 and uh when you, join the final you're going to be right at the just a little bit outside the marker if that's going to be okay for you
0446
0446:05 AAL1420 that's great with us
0446:06 LC1 american fourteen twenty roger
0446:26 LC1 american fourteen twenty turn right heading three zero zero
0446:29 AAL1420 right turn three zero zero american fourteen twenty
0446:39 LC1 american fourteen twenty is uh three miles from the marker turn right heeding zero two zero maintain thousand three hundred until established on the localizer cleared ils runway four right approach
0446:47 AALl420 two two zero until established american fourteen twenty cleared four left approach
0446:52 LC1 american fourteen twenty right now we have uh heavy rain on the airport the current weather on the atis is not correct i don't have new weather for you but the visibility is uh less than a mile runway four right rvr is three thousand
0447
0447:04 AAL142O roger that three thousand american fourteen twenty this is four right correct
0447:08 LC1 american fourteen twenty that's correct sir and runway four right cleared to land the wind three five zero at three zero gust four five
0447:16 AAL1420 zero three zero at four five american fourteen twenty
0447:53 LC1 wind shear alert center field wind three five zero at three two gust four five north boundary wind three one zero at two niner northeast boundary wind three two zero at three two
0448
0448:13 LC1 american fourteen twenty the runway four right rvr now it one thousand six hundred
0448:25 AAL1420 american fourteen twenty we're established inbound
0448:26 LC1 american fourteen twenty roger runway four right cleared to land and the wind three four zero at three one north wind north boundary wind is three zero zero at two six northeast

boundary wind is three two zero at two five and the four right rvr is one thousand six hundred

0448:42 AAL1420 american uh fourteen twenty thanks
0449
0449:11 LC1 wind is three three zero at two eight
0449:32 LC1 wind three three zero at two five
0449:53 LC1 wind three two zero at two three
0450
0450:54 LC1 american fourteen twenty report clear of the runway please
0451
0451:16 LC1 amer american fourteen twenty tower
0451:31 LC1 american fourteen twenty tower
0452:00 LC1 american fourteen twenty tower
0452:22 LC1 american fourteen twenty tower
0453
0453:22 american fourteen twenty tower
0454
0454:06 RB2 ground red ball two
0454:32 LC1 american fourteen twenty adams tower
0464:51 RB1 adams ground red ball one
0454:52 LC1 red ball one ground
0454:54 RB1 uh we have permission to proceed to four right
0454:58 LC1 red ball one affirmative and uh proceed down romeo uh the last the time i saw him he was on runway four right uh he be down a the end somewhere if you'd a go down there please
0455
0455:10 RB1 red ball one uh roger
0455:24 MOB5 adams ground mobile five
0455:26 LC1 mobile five adams ground
0455:28 MOB5 i'd like to accompany red ball units please sir
0455:30 LC1 mobile five proceed as requested
0455:32 MOB5 mobile five
0456
0457
0458
0459:00 RB1 red ball one to red ball - uh you go rorneo the opposite way
0459:21 RB2 red ball one red bell two I didn't hear you
0459:54 RB2 (unintelligible) red ball two
0459:58 RB2 adams ground red ball two
0500:00 LC1 red ball two ground
0500:01 RB1 uh we don't see anything down on this end you need us to sweep the runway
0500:08 LC1 red ball two say again
0500:11 RB2 we didn't sight anything on we didn't sight anything on the end of the runway you need us to sweep the runway
0500:16 red ball uh two proceed on the runway he was down at the other end sir he's he was at the departure end of runway four right red ball units and mobile five proceed down runway four right
0500:32 MOB5 mobile five roger
0500:55 RB2 red ball one what's the red light on your side there
0501:08 LC1 and a red ball two I saw him uh as he went past midfield there sir he's gonna be ah be down in that area beyond that area
0502
0503
0503:16 RB1 adams ground we got him off the end of the runway we have sight on fire - this is an alert three this is an alert three
0503:23 LC1 red ball two roger
0503:31 LC1 red ball three is he in the river
0503:40 *(RB1) which way you goin' dave
0504
0504:07 *(RB1) he's off the end of the runway on the north end - burning
0505
0506
0507
0508
0508:24 *(RB1) communications red ball three
0508:29 RB2 adams ground red ball two
0508:31 LC1 red ball two ground
0508:34 RB2 fuselage is uh is mostly intact we got survivors walking around down here we need to get somebody over to get the bus get down here and get these people many walking wounded
0508:46 LC1 red ball two roger and you need to get a hold of the uh city vehicle he can help you out with the buses sir
0509
0509:18 LC1 mobile five tower
0509:23 MOB5 mobile five
0509:25 LC1 yes sir did you notify anybody to get the buses and stuff out there
0509:28 MOB5 i'm fixin' to do that now i've got a couple of the passengers here in here with me end i'm going to have to get back and get a driver and get the bus down here
0509:35 LC1 mobile five roger is there anything i can do from this end make a phone call down here to maintenance or something
0509:39 MOB5 no I don't think you'll find anybody there it was just right at shift change
0509:42 LC1 all right do you want me to call nine one one maybe for assistance from there or what can we do
0509:47 MOB5 roger i'll get i'll let me get back in touch with you in just a few minutes
0509:51 LC1 all right
0510
0510:03 RB3 adams ground this is red ball three need to be sure the runway in closed down
0510:10 LC1 uh red ball three yes sir we're uh keeping it closed
0510:14 RB3 uh adams ground did I copy runway is closed
0510:20 LC1 red ball three i cannot officially close the runway however i can assure that uh it will not be used
0510:24 RB3 okay
0510:30 MOB5 adarns ground this is mobile five the runway is officially closed i'm closing it
0510:32 LC1 mobile five I understand runway uh four right is closed

End of Transcript

* This portion of the rerecording is not entirely clear, but this represents the best interpretation possible under the circumstances.