

May 9, 1987

Warsaw, Poland

LOT Polish Airlines, Flight 5055

Ilyushin Il-62M

SP-LBG



The No. 2 engine failed, causing an engine fire, cabin decompression, damage to the No. 1

engine,loss of elevator control and damage to the electrical system. A fire in the cargo hold

was not detected because of damage to the fire warning system. While attempting to return

to Warsaw and attempting a turn to land, the aircraft crashed into a forest, 9 miles short of

the runway. The cause of the engine failure was an overheated bearing. All 183 aboard were

killed.

CVR fragment - the moment of engine explosion

10.41.28

Intermittent acoustic signal of autopilot disengage

10.41.30

Crew: Hey! Pressurization!

10.41.32

Acoustic ringing signal of cabin decompression

10.41.34

Crew: Is [there a] fire? What's going on?

10.41.35

Crew: Probably a fire.

10.41.37

Crew: Engine? Shut it down!

10.41.39

Crew: ...shut down. That first one is burning!

10.41.42

Crew: ...fire...

10.41.44

Crew: ...all small [referring to engines' throttles]

10.41.45

Crew: Warsaw?

10.41.46

Crew: ...all small. Decompression.

10.41.48

Crew: Two engines are gone!

10.41.49

Continuous acoustic signal of engine fire.

10.41.50

Crew: Two engines are gone!

Crew: Shut down...

Crew: We're turning around! Fire!

10.41.55

Crew: Danger!!! Warsaw radar LOT! Warsaw radar! [calling flight control]

Okęcie Tower: From your current position you have about 15 kilometers to the runway.

Crew: Understood.

Crew: ...[turn] to the left! Engines to the left!

11.10.13 am

Tower: 5055, to the left, to the left zero-five-zero.

Crew: OK.

11.10.40 am

Tower: 5055, to the left, course 360.

Crew: We want to turn. That's just what we want. [implied meaning: "we're trying"]

Tower: Keep turning, turn to three-six-zero. Now you have about 12 kilometers to the runway.

Crew: OK.

11.11.02 am

Tower: 5055, to the left, course 330.

Crew: We are turning to the left.

Tower: Start final approach about 11 kilometers from the runway.

Crew: We will do all we can.

Tower: Understood.

Tower: [Turn] to the left, course 320.

Crew: Understood.

11.11.34 am

Tower: You've come to the right hand side of the runway centreline, continue left, course 300.

Tower: Wind is 290 degrees, 22 kilometers per hour. You are cleared for runway three-three.

Crew: OK.

11.12.10 am

The transmitter was turned on four times. Fragments of unintelligible utterances.

11.12.13 am

Crew: Goodnight!!! Goodbye!!! (scream) Bye!!! We perish!



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