Transcript of American Airlines Flight 77

Following is a transcript of the radio communications of American Airlines Flight 77 (AAL77), which took off from Dulles International Airport outside Washington on Sept. 11 and then was crashed into the Pentagon. The transcripts were obtained by The New York Times.

8:12:29 — AAL77: Good morning ground American seven seven is off of dixie twenty six with information tango.

8:12:36 — Ground Control West: American 77 Dulles taxi to runway three zero.

8:12:39 — AAL77: Taxi three zero American seven seven.

8:16:01 — Local Control West: American 77, Dulles tower. Runway three zero taxi into position and hold you'll be holding for landing traffic one left and for spacing wake turbulence spacing behind the DC 10.

8:16:29 — AAL77: And American ah seven seven is ready.

8:16:32 — Local Control West: American 77, Dulles tower. Runway three zero. Taxi into position and hold you're holding for wake turbulence landing traffic one left and you need to be fifteen in trail of that DC 10.

8:16:41 — AAL77: Position and hold three zero, American seven seven.

8:19:20 — Local Control West: American 77 your departure frequency will be one two five point zero five. Runway three zero cleared for take off.

8:19:27 — AAL77: One two five oh five. Runway three zero cleared for takeoff, American 77.

8:20:26 — Local Control West: American 77, turn left heading two seven zero contact departure.

8:20:31 — AAL77: Two seventy heading departure, American 77. Good day.

8:20:38 — AAL77: Is with you passing one decimal one for three.

8:20:43 — North Departure: American 77, Dulles departure radar. Contact climb and maintain five thousand.

8:20:47 — AAL77: Five thousand, American 77.

8:22:05 — North Departure: American 77 climb and maintain one one thousand eleven thousand

8:22:08 — AAL77: up to one one thousand American 77.

8:23:23 — North Departure: American 77 (whistling sound) cleared cleared direct linden contact Dulles one one eight point six seven.

8:23:28 — AAL77: direct linden eighteen sixty seven American 77 good day

8:23:28 — North Departure Low: O.K. O.K. O.K.

8:23:34 — Radar Control: Got the board there already

8:23:36 — North Departure Low: All right we got normal frequencies all the way around nothing hot at this time. Ah, traffic where is this where is this go one twenty-eight where the hell is that? O.K., O.K.

8:23:43 — AAL77: American 77 with you passing nine decimal one for eleven one one thousand.

8:23:47 — North Departure: American 77 Dulles approach climb and maintain one seven thousand.

8:23:50 — AAL77: one seven thousand American 77.

8:23:55 — North Departure Low: O.K., alright. Point outs at this time you got seven lima vector direct d c a seven thousand november zero nine romeo is at five thousand he's already talking to north north sees the traffic, he's going to climb do whatever he has to do. American 77 is direct linden climbing to eleven switched and gone one tango seven is a point out to manassas seven nine xray's been pointed out to west he's at six thousand on going to join victor one sixty eight other than that that's all you have.

8:24:23 — Radar Control: I got it.

8:25:33 — NH: American 77 contact Washington center one two zero point six five good luck.

8:25:37 — AAL77: point six five American 77 thank you ma'am good day.

8:25:49 — AAL77: center American 77 with you passing one three decimal zero for one seven thousand.

8:25:57 — Controller 5: American 77 Washington center roger climb and maintain flight level two seven zero.

8:26:00 — AAL77: two seven zero American 77.

8:30:38 — Controller 5: American 77 contact Washington center one three three point two seven.

8:30:42 — AAL77: ah thirty three twenty seven American 77.

8:31:08 — AAL77: (unintelligible) American 77 passing two five decimal one for two seven oh.

8:31:23 — Controller 3: American 77 ah climb climb and maintain flight level two niner zero sir.

8:31:30 — AAL77: two niner zero American 77.

8:34:16 — Controller 3: American 77 turn twenty degrees right vector for your climb.

8:34:17 — Controller 3: American 77 turn twenty degrees right vector for your climb.

8:34:19 — AAL77: turn twenty right American 77.

8:37:33 — Controller 3: American 77 recleared direct Charleston climb and maintain cor correction recleared direct Henderson sir climb and maintain flight level three niner zero.

8:37:39 — AAL77: direct Henderson out of two nine for three nine oh requesting three five zero for a final American 77.

8:37:57 — AAL77: center American 77 you copy request for three five zero as a final.

8:38:03 — AAL77: three five zero for a final American 77 thank you sir.

8:39:30 — Controller 3: American 77 amend your altitude maintain flight level three three zero for traffic.

8:39:36 — AAL77: American 77 stop at three three zero.

8:39:52 — Washington Air Route Traffic Control Center in Leesburg, Va: so who wants to talk to American 77 Bobcat or Henderson

8:40:03 — Controller 3: American 77 contact Indy center one two zero point two seven.

8:40:06 — AAL77: twenty five seven American 77 thanks sir good day.

8:40:14 — AAL77: center American 77 with you level three three zero.

8:40:16 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar: American 77 Indy center roger sqauwk three seven four three.

8:40:18 — AAL77: three seven four three American 77.

8:43:52 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar: American 77 climb and maintain flight level three five zero.

8:43:54 — AAL77: thirty three for three five oh American 77.

8:47:20 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar: American 77 turn ten degrees to the right vectors for traffic.

8:47:23 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar: American 77 turn ten degrees to the right vectors for traffic.

8:47:23 — AAL77: ten right American 77.

8:47:33 — AAL77: ten right American 77.

8:50:48 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar: American 77 cleared direct um Falmouth.

8:50:51 — AAL77: uh direct Falmouth American 77 thank you.

8:56:32 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar: American 77 Indy.

8:56:46 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar: American 77 Indy.

8:56:53 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar: American 77 American Indy radio check how do you read.

8:57:12 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar: American 77 American Indy radio check how do you read.

8:57:28 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar: American alt 77 American radio check how do you read.

8:57:35 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar: override beeping.

8:57:35 — Indianapolis Control, Dacos Radar: this is uh — Indianapolis Control, Dacos.

8:57:38 — Indianapolis Control, Dacos Radar: this is uh — Indianapolis Control, Dacos.

8:57:55 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: override line beeping.

8:57:59 — Controller 3: American 77 roger maintain flight level three five zero show that as your final

8:58:08 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: outside line ringing.

8:58:14 — AAL: American dispatch Jim McDonnell.

8:58:19 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: this is indianapolis center trying to get a hold of American 77.

8:58:23 — AAL: uh Indys hang on one second please.

8:58:25 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: what

8:58:26 — AAL: hang on one second sir.

8:58:28 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: all right

8:58:30 — AAL: who ya trying to get a hold of.

8:58:31 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: American 77.

8:58:32 — AAL: O.K.

8:58:33 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: on frequency one two zero point two seven.

8:58:35 — AAL: one two zero.

8:58:36 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: point two seven we were talking to him and all of a sudden it just uh —

8:58:38 — AAL O.K., all right we'll get a hold of him for ya.

8:58:40 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: all right

8:58:41 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar: American ah 77 Indy ah center how do you read.

8:58:51 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar: American 77 Indy radio check how do you read.

9:00:25 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar: American 77 Indy

9:00:29 — AAL2493: center American ah twenty four ninety three.

9:00:31 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar: American twenty four ninety three go ahead.

9:00:33 — AAL2493: yeah we uh sent a message to dispatch to have him come up on twenty twenty seven is that what you want em to do.

9:00:41 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar: yeah we had em on west side of our airspace and they went into coast and ah don't have a track on em and now he's not talking to me so we don't know exactly what happened to him. we're trying to get a hold of him we also contacted you company so thanks for the help.

9:00:51 — AAL2493: all right.

9:01:50 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: over ride line beeping.

9:02:00 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: outside line ringing

9:02:07 — AAL: American dispatch Jim McDonnel.

9:02:09 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: yeah this is indianapolis center we uh I don't know if I'm talking to the same guy about American 77.

9:02:13 — AAL: yeah I I I cell called him but I did not get a reply back from him.

9:02:17 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: we uh we lost track control of the guy he's in coast track but we haven't we don't where his target is and we can't get a hold of him um you guys tried him and no response.

9:02:26 — AAL: no response (background noise).

9:02:28 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: yeah we have no radar contact and uh no communications with him so if you guys could try again.

9:02:35 — AAL: we're doing it.

9:02:37 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: all right thanks a lot.

9:02:38 — AAL: we're doing it thank you.

9:03:07 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar: American 77 Indy.

9:06:20 — Indianapolis Control: override line beeping.

9:06:21 — Indianapolis Control, Dacos Radar Associate: Falmouth Decos

9:06:22 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: this is henderson American seventy seven do you guys have radar on him is he over falmouth or —

9:06:25 — Indianapolis Control, Dacos Radar Associate: no we just moved the track there we never you know.

9:06:27 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: O.K. all right you just have the track out there.

9:06:29 — Indianapolis Control, Dacos Radar Associate: you guys never been able to raise him at all.

9:06:31 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: no we called company they can't even get a hold of him so there's no no uh no radio communications and no radar.

9:06:36 — Indianapolis Control, Dacos Radar Associate: and his last clearance as far as you know is on course to falmouth and then jay one thirty four right well we're just gonna treat him like non radar and we've already told the next sector they're gonna have to sterilize for him until we find out.

9:06:49 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: O.K. thanks.

9:06:50 — Indianapolis Control, Dacos Radar Associate: ID.

9:08:43 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: override line beeping.

9:08:54 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: line ringing.

9:09: 27: AAL: and it was a Boston-L.A. flight and 77 is a Dulles-L.A. flight and uh we've had an unconfirmed report a second airplane just flew into the World Trade Center

9:09:00 — AAL: American dispatch Jim McDonnel.

9:09:02 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector radar associate: Indianapolis Center did you get a hold of American 77 by chance?

9:09:05 — AAL: no sir but we have an unconfirmed report the second airplane hit the World Trade Center and exploded.

9:09:10 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: say again

9:09:11 — AAL: you know we lost American eleven to a highjacking American was off . . . boston to los angeles flight.

9:09:17 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: it was all right i can't really I can't hear what you're saying there you said American eleven.

9:09:23 — AAL: yes we were hijacked.

9:09:25 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: and it —

9:09:27 — AAL: and it was a Boston-L.A. flight and 77 is a Dulles-L.A. flight and uh we've had an unconfirmed report a second airplane just flew into the World Trade Center.

9:09:42 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: thank you very much good bye.

9:10:30 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: calls Indianapolis Control, Dacos Radar Associate line beeps.

9:10:32 — Indianapolis Control, Dacos Radar Associate: Indianapolis Control, Dacos.

9:10:34 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: all right this is Henderson there was an American eleven departed off of uh New York goinh to L.A. got hijacked American 77 departed off of Dulles is going to L.A. dispatch doesn't know where he's at and confirmed that two airplanes have been uh they crashed into uh the world trade center in New York so as far as American 77 we don't know where he is but they say uh American eleven was hijacked off of a new york airport going to lax and uh

9:11:07 — Indianapolis Control, Dacos PA: but we don't have a track on him.

9:11:07 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: affirmative.

9:11:10 — Indianapolis Control, Dacos Radar Associate: you mean like they just took off without a clearance.

9:11:13 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: no you mean American eleven.

9:11:14 — Indianapolis Control, Dacos Radar Associate: yep.

9:11:15 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: he he's depart well I guess he did because he was goin to L.A.

9:11:17 — Indianapolis Control, Dacos Radar Associate: but nobody ever tracked American eleven is what i'm asking.

9:11:20 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: don't know that I don't.

9:11:22 — Indianapolis Control, Dacos Radar Associate: oh O.K.

9:11:23 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: know just where he lefi from or uh.

9:11:25 — Indianapolis Control, Dacos Radar Associate: there's no flight plan in the machine right now and —

9:11:28 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: yeah I just looked at that, too.

9:11:29 — Indianapolis Control, Dacos Radar Associate: I'm

9:11:30 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: as far as what we know that's that's all we know I talked to dispatch and that's what they relayed and they confirmed it here that I guess two airplanes about crashed into the the trade center.

9:11:37 — Indianapolis Control, Dacos Radar Associate: huh?

9:11:39 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: all right.

9:11:40 — Indianapolis Control, Dacos Radar Associate: oh

9:11:40 — Indianapolis Control, Dacos Radar Associate: oh

9:13:54 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: override line beeping.

9:14:04 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: line ringing.

9:14:37 — AAL: American dispatch Jim McDonnel.

9:14:39 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: Indy center here.

9:14:40 — AAL: yes sir.

9:14:42 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: American eleven you guys said he departed off of uh New York.

9:14:45 — AAL: Boston.

9:14:46 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: Boston he was going to L.A. and it was a hijacked airplane.

9:14:49 — AAL: yes.

9:14:50 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: and you have you heard anything from American 77.

9:14:52 — AAL: no.

9:14:52 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: O.K. and if.

9:14:53 — AAL: I talked to a winder in the center up there and I gave em them the information I got.

9:14:55 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: O.K. thanks a lot.

9:14:56 — AAL: O.K.

9:14:57 — Indianapolis Control, Henderson Sector Radar Associate: all right.

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