Transcript of communications with NWA Flight 305, 5:05 P.M. to 5:59 P.M. PST

Time Period: 5:05 P.M. to 5:59 P.M., PST

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The following is a transcribed copy of the original recording of communications with Northwest Airlines Flight 305. This transcription covers the period from approximately 0105 Greenwich November 24, 1971, to approximately 0159 Greenwich, November 24, 1971. This is [REDACTED] b6 per FAA [REDACTED] b7C per FAA [REDACTED] supervising the reproduction and I certify that this is a true copy of the original recording.

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CONTROL (C): Northwest 305 traffic twelve to one o'clock five miles northbound Western 720 out at 6,000 descending.

C: Northwest 305 traffic at one o'clock, six miles northbound Air Force C1 41 at 5,000 enroute to Paine.

PILOT (P): Northwest Air 305 roger, we've got some lights on for them, we're looking, we don't see them.

C: Seattle approach Northwest 305 put your (altimeter?) setting down and out.

P: (E:altimeter?) 2991.

C: 91, thank you.

P: Seattle approach Northwest 305, we're ready to make our approach now and understand that... oh, we're standing by for approach (unintelligible).

C: Okay Northwest 305, would you have any objection to a right turn from your present position back on

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DB Cooper-444

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. a base light with a turn on at about 16 miles.

P: That should not present any problem and we understand we'll be landing at 1608. Is that correct.

C: Correct. 16 right this'll be an ILS approach to the left and change over to land 16 right. Turn right heading 360. Maintain 6,000. I'll have a low altitude for you in just a moment.

P: I understand turning right to heading at 360 and maintaining 6. 305, and, okay.

C: Northwest 305 descend and maintain 4,000.

P: Northwest 305 out of 6 to 4.

C: Northwest 305 continue right to heading 070.

P: My times 070 and I'll approach 305.

C: Northwest 305 descend and maintain 3,000.

-P: Okay, we're out of 5 thou we're descending to 3.

C: Alright.

C: Northwest 305 traffic at eleven o'clock, two miles southbound slow.

P: Northwest 305, no contact

C: Roger

C: Northwest 305, turn right heading 110.

P: Right turn 110, Northwest 305. We're out of 3,500.

C: You'll be intercepting final about 7 miles north of park.

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P: Understand.

C: That slow moving traffic southbound for 305 at twelve o'clock a mile, turn right heading 130, 9 miles from park, cleared for (the islands?). 16 left approach tower, park 119.

P: (unintell) 16 left approach, 130 on the heading. Negative contact traffic and 119.9 at park. Northwest 305.

C: Correct.

C: Northwest 305 is by the traffic now no longer effective.

P: Northwest 305, thank you.

C: Northwest 305, traffic at eleven o'clock, four miles northwest bound. Looks like possibly a light aircraft in the pattern east in Boeing on the down north first south landing.

P: Northwest 305, roger, we don't see him at the present.

C: Disregard that traffic, it's a skywatch airplane over the freeway, traffic slicer.

P: Understand.

This ends communications with Seattle approach control on 119.5 megahertz. The time at this point is approximately 0141 Greenwich.

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The following recorded communications are between Northwest Airlines Flight 305 and the Seattle-Tacoma Tower. These communications were conducted on 119.9 megahertz and commence at approximately 0140 Greenwich time.

P(?): Seattle tower and approach. 305 is (unintell) and we'll break it off now for the right one.

C: (Unintell) 305 Seattle-Tacoma Tower 1196 of 8, ready to land when 130 degrees at 8 and then plan on keeping out on the runway if you wish. If you want some light we can turn the high intensity runway lights up after you land and they're pretty bright.

P: Okay, that'll be okay, we'll pick the lights as they are right now and will advise after we land. But we'll stay on the runway now.

C: (Unintell)

P: (Unintell)

P(?): Okay, you can turn the lights up if you like. Slowly, okay?

C(?): What do you think?

C: Northwest 305 ground control 121.7.

P: 1217, okay. Thanks for the help.

This ends communications with Seattle-Tacoma Tower on 119.9 megahertz. The time at this point is approximately 0143 Greenwich time.

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The following recorded communications are between Northwest Airlines Flight 305 and Seattle-Tacoma Tower ground control position. These communications were conducted on 121.7 megahertz and commence at approximately 0143 Greenwich time.

P: 1217. Okay, thanks for the help. P: Northwest 305 is on 1217. C: 305 roger. Until the end the vehicles on the left and they'll start out as you return. GROUND CONTROL (GC): 305, this is (Al?). Can you get (unintell). If you want to stay on the runway that's fine with us, we'll just (unintell). P: Okay, we might pull off to the right side just a little bit of the runway, we'll stay out of there and we'll, ah we'll... GC(?): You can stay there for just a half, for just a moment until we (get court made?) with our friend in the back. (Unintell). P: Okay, thank you. GC: 305, that runway is closed now, it's yours, if you want to stay on the runway. P: Thank you. GC: 305, do you want the runway lights on bright?

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P: Yeh, yeh it probably would be better. You could probably turn them down a step or two.

P: Okay, Al can you hear me?

GC: Yes sir.

P: Okay, he at the present time is in the lavatory and apparently desires to stay there at the present time. We have the aircraft shut down and we have the APU on and we ask that the fuel truck come out first and initiate fueling.

GC: Are you sure you want (unintell) or you want the fuel truck only?

P: (Unintell) we'll stand by to get the next word from him.

GC: And I'll stay right here. I'll go back and get the fuel truck started.

P: Okay, fine. You're on the first vehicle, is that correct?

GC: Yes sir, they have a portable radio and a dialer here and we can answer your questions if you have any.

P: Okay, fine. Okay, be sure to get the fuel out here right now.

P: Are you there, Al, or whomever?

GC: (Unintell)

P: Okay, now you can send the air stair, or the stair

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truck up and pull it up into position and we'll initiate the door and so forth and advise the individuals not to get out of the vehicle.

GC: Okay, is it okay if I positioned it at your (unintell) position or do you want it out here?

P: Oh, that's fine. You can bring it up.

GC: Okay, I'll have to get out of the vehicle to get the pack out of the (truck, the chutes that we [guess: took]?).

P: Okay, please wait until we request that you do so.

GC: Yup. I know (unintell).

P: Okay, we'll wait for the stairs now.

GC: Okay, we're bringing the stairs up now.

P: Understand

C: We're going to position (unintell).

P(?): Okay.

C: I've already got 305 parked, 337.

GC: 305, this is [REDACTED]

P: Go ahead [REDACTED]

GC: These passengers are coming off (to do refueling, right?)?

P: The passengers will begin coming off the aircraft right now, [REDACTED] and after they have completely... I might suggest that you come out of the automobile

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b6 per FAA b7C per FAA

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now if you will and direct the passengers to gather behind the automobile where they have been so directed to go, just to make sure that they all stand clear and as far back as possible.

GC: Okay, I'll get them all behind the automobile and, you're going to leave them all off now or...

P: At the affirmative and, we're going to try to allow him to let the girls go, but we're going to work on that later. Right now, we're just allowing the passengers to come off. Once they have all gotten off the aircraft, we'll get the chutes.

GC: You know, I got the maps here and I have a deal from Boeing on how to jump out of that thing if you have to get out, if somebody wants to get out.

P: They understand in the back now that the passengers will be deplaned first, then (Peg, a stewardess?) will come down and begin picking the chutes up one at a time and she'll direct you once she gets down there. He will not allow anyone else but her to bring the chutes on. She will make four trips. He understands that, this is his request.

GC: Yeh, but one thing I want to say now is I have the chutes in the trunk of this car and I'll go ahead and open up the trunk of the car.

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P: Okay, we've got a lot of conversation going on here.

GC(?): So long.

P: Al, we've got to have somebody at the bottom of the steps. We've had a passenger who just came back up the aircraft. Please come to the bottom of the steps and monitor the unloading of the passengers.

GC: Repeat (did not read that?)

P: Alright. Is this Al?

GC: Yeh.

P: Okay, please go stand by the bottom of the stairs and secure that area. We just had a passenger that came back up the steps because he forgot a bag. We just had to literally push him back off the steps.

P: Okay, all the passengers are now off the aircraft. We re-emphasize that you can turn your headlights off. We can better see the passengers and keep an eye on them and we want to make sure that they're (curtained off?) and that no one will make any attempt to come towards the aircraft. The aisles have to remain cleared. No one is to come near the aircraft.

GC(?): Seattle ground from 305.

C: (Unintell).

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P: Okay, we want as rapidly as possible another fuel truck and a third fuel truck to stand by. We've got some difficulty in pumping at the present time and we're not able to take on fuel. We need another fuel truck and a third fuel truck to stand by in case of another backup. Understand?

GC: Certainly (unintell). Third vehicle on ground. Fourth vehicle on ground. Over.

GC: Did you call gate control maintainance to send out another fuel truck?

P(?): Two fuel trucks, and get them out there as fast as you can.

GC: Well listen, can I take the car and go back and get them and bring them back out again. Listen ground control, 305, this is [REDACTED] b6 per FAA b7C per FAA GC: Right [REDACTED]

GC: Yeh. You take and call gate 31 9, you know our company, and tell them to get two more fuel trucks out here.

GC(?): Yeh, we're working on it. They've been alerted to it. We have one more request. We asked the passengers to go back on the taxi strip (unintell) there's no reason for them to be standing there. They're only going to create confusion and some

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DB.Cooper-453

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b6 per FAA b7C per FAA

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apprehension, so please direct those passengers to move back about 200 yards onto the common taxiway, please.

?: Roger.

This ends reel number 3 and the time at this point is approximately 0159 Greenwich. The aircraft, Northwest Airlines Flight 305 is in communications with the Seattle- Tacoma Tower Ground Radar position on this portion of the recording.

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