Page:CAB Accident Report, American Airlines Flight 383.pdf/3

– 2 – There were 56 passengers and six crewmembers on board. The aircraft crashed and burned approximately two miles north of the Greater Cincinnati Airport at 1902 while attempting a visual landing approach to runway 18.

The crew filed an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan which called for a standard instrument departure from LaGuardia Airport with transitions to the Philipsburg, New Jersey, VORTAC, thence via Jet Airway (J) 49 to Allegheny, J80 to Dayton, and J43 to Cincinnati. The requested cruising altitude was 35,000 feet with an estimated time en route of 1 hour 23 minutes. The alternate airport was listed as Standiford Airport, Louisville, Kentucky.

After departure from LaGuardia the flight proceeded in accordance with its clearance to the Philipsburg VORTAC. After passing Philipsburg the flight requested and received a change of routing via J78 to Charleston, J24 to Cincinnati. However, when about 100 miles from Charleston the flight requested, and was cleared direct to the York VOR, thence direct to Cincinnati.

At 1845 AA 383 contacted the company radio (ARINC) and reported their estimated time of arrival at Cincinnati as 1905. They were advised at this time that the Covington altimeter setting was 30.01 inches and that the airport barometric pressure setting was 815 feet "above."

At approximately 1855, when the flight was about 27 miles southeast of the Greater Cincinnati Airport, radar traffic control was effected by Cincinnati Approach Control. Subsequent descent clearances were issued to the flight and at 1857:38 American 383 reported: "... out of five for four and how about a control VFR, we have the airport." The Approach Controller replied: "... continue to the airport and cleared for a visual approach to runway one eight, precip lying just to the west boundary of the airport and its ... southbound."

The crew acknowledged the clearance and the controller cleared the flight to descend to 2,000 feet at their discretion.

At 1858:41 Approach Control advised the flight that its radar position was six miles southeast of the airport and instructed them to change to the Cincinnati tower radio frequency.

The recorded transmissions between American 383 and the Cincinnati Tower are as follows: