Type: 747-244B
Registration:
Operator: South African Airways - SAA
Where: Indian Ocean Descent
Report No:
Report Date:
Crashed into sea after a fire on the rear cargo deck. Fumes possibly
incapacitated the crew or caused a structural break-up.
COMBINATION COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER AND ATC TAPE:
CA = Captain
FE = Flight Engineer
MA = Mauritius ATC
23:49h UTC
CA: Er, good morning, we have, er, a smoke problem and
we are doing an emergency descent to level one
five, er, one four zero.
MA: Confirm you wish to descend to flight level one
four zero?
CA: Ja, we have already commenced, er, due to a smoke
problem in the aeroplane.
MA: Eh, roger, you are clear to descend immediately to
flight level one four zero.
23:50h UTC
CA: Roger, we will appreciate it if you can alert, er,
fire, er, er, er.
MA: Do you request a full emergency please? A full
emergency?
CA: Affirmative, that's Charlie Charlie
MA: Roger, I declare a full emergency.
CA: Thank you.
23:51h UTC
MA: (asks for a position report)
CA: Now we have lost a lot of electrics. We haven't
got anything on the aircraft now.
MA: (asks for an ETA and positions updates)
CA: (gives both)
MA: (advises that both runways are available)
CA: Er, we'd like to track in er, on, er, one three.
MA: Confirm runway one four?
CA: Charlie Charlie.
00:03h UTC
MA: (gives clearence and asks to report passing FL050)
00:04h UTC
CA: Kay. [Last radio contact with ATC]
...
[fire alarm bell sounds, followed by interphone
chime]
FE: What's going on now - cargo?
FE: It came on now afterwards.
[loud click sounds]
??: Say again?
FE: Main deck cargo...then the other one came on as
well. I've got two.
CA: (calls for checklist to be read)
[sound of movements with clicks and clunks]
CA: ****. It is the fact that both came on, it dis-
turbs one.
[intercom chime while CA is speaking]
??: Aag!, ****
CA: What's going on now?
[sudden loud sound & rapide changes tape testtone]