American Air Flight 77American Air Flight 77

A very real ghostA very real ghost

Part 1Part 1Audio clips from NARA records

RG. 148.RFAA.03012527aZDC OMIC 1300-1400 UTC

A copy of certified air traffic control tapes provided by FAA to the 9-11 CommissionTranscribed by Miles Kara, November 18, 2009

ZDC OMIC contacts ZIDZDC OMIC contacts ZIDZID:ZID: 9:17:20 9:17:20 IndyIndy

ZDC:ZDC: Indy, Wash Center watch desk, I need to, I need to find out if Indy, Wash Center watch desk, I need to, I need to find out if you you have; on the TSD, I got a ghost target but it shows have; on the TSD, I got a ghost target but it shows American 77 right in the American 77 right in the middle of Indiana. I want a, I need to middle of Indiana. I want a, I need to know if he is really there or not.know if he is really there or not.

ZID:ZID: Ah, can I ask why?Ah, can I ask why?

ZDC:ZDC: Well, because, you know, yeah, this is, I need to know if you Well, because, you know, yeah, this is, I need to know if you are are workingworking

ZID:ZID: Well, we are trying to find him right nowWell, we are trying to find him right now

ZDC:ZDC: Oh, you are?Oh, you are?

ZID:ZID: Yeah, Yeah,

ZDC:ZDC: OKOK

ZIDZID Hang on a secondHang on a second

ZID checks with its OMICZID checks with its OMIC

ZID:ZID: What is the reason for..? I mean, have What is the reason for..? I mean, have you guys talked to him?, or..you guys talked to him?, or..

ZDC:ZDC: Well, I don’t know what, I don’t know Well, I don’t know what, I don’t know what is what is going on; we don’t have a flight plan going on; we don’t have a flight plan stored on stored on him now and I’m not so sure that him now and I’m not so sure that (pause) the (pause) the Region is calling us Region is calling us about him.about him.

ZID:ZID: OK, hang onOK, hang on

ZID OMIC Picks UpZID OMIC Picks UpZID:ZID: (9:18) This is the ops manager, John Thomas(9:18) This is the ops manager, John Thomas

ZDC:ZDC: Hey John, this is ops manager Cary Johnson, Hey John, this is ops manager Cary Johnson, Washington Center. Washington Center. Hey, I got the Region on the line and we Hey, I got the Region on the line and we show a ghost target on show a ghost target on American Seventy Seven in the American Seventy Seven in the middle of, ah, Indiana; I just, I middle of, ah, Indiana; I just, I need to know if you guys need to know if you guys are actually working him. I don’t think are actually working him. I don’t think he’s there.he’s there.

ZID:ZID: We are not. We were working him in our Henderson We are not. We were working him in our Henderson High Sector High Sector just East of York VOR; disappeared off the just East of York VOR; disappeared off the scope at 35,000 and scope at 35,000 and lost communications with him at the lost communications with him at the same time. Ah we’ve same time. Ah we’ve (pause) American Airlines (pause) American Airlines doesn’t know, they say they’ve had an doesn’t know, they say they’ve had an aircraft hijacked, aircraft hijacked, at least one, they suspect that this may be the at least one, they suspect that this may be the case. case.

Conversation ConcludesConversation ConcludesZID:ZID: We’re trying to notify the state police, and assume that, you know and block We’re trying to notify the state police, and assume that, you know and block

airspace, but we really assume that he’s turned around and headed airspace, but we really assume that he’s turned around and headed somewhere somewhere else.else.

ZID:ZID: So right now I would think, everybody needs to be on the lookout for another So right now I would think, everybody needs to be on the lookout for another possible loose aircraft possible loose aircraft

ZDC:ZDC: at 35 huh?at 35 huh?

ZID: ZID: YepYep

ZDC:ZDC: That’s last altitude?That’s last altitude?

ZID:ZID: Well, we don’t know what altitude he would be at nowWell, we don’t know what altitude he would be at now

ZDC:ZDC: OK, all right, thanksOK, all right, thanks

ZID:ZID: Thank youThank you

ZDC:ZDC: Bye bye (time is 9:18:50)Bye bye (time is 9:18:50)

SummarySummary

Real time conversation at 9:18 EDT between Real time conversation at 9:18 EDT between operations managers at Indianapolis ATC (ZID) operations managers at Indianapolis ATC (ZID) and Washington ATC (ZDC)and Washington ATC (ZDC)

ZDC asks about a ghost AA77 over Indiana at the ZDC asks about a ghost AA77 over Indiana at the request of FAA Eastern Regionrequest of FAA Eastern Region

ZDC takes away that AA 77 is at flight level 35ZDC takes away that AA 77 is at flight level 35 According to 84According to 84thth RADES radar and the Flight Data RADES radar and the Flight Data

Recorder, AA 77 is at flight level 25, just crossing Recorder, AA 77 is at flight level 25, just crossing the mountains into Virginia near Harrisonburgthe mountains into Virginia near Harrisonburg

ZDC manager will next consult with his area ZDC manager will next consult with his area supervisors, Part 2 in this seriessupervisors, Part 2 in this series

Google Earth Plot of RADES Google Earth Plot of RADES RadarRadar

ZDC OMIC Briefs Area ZDC OMIC Briefs Area SupervisorsSupervisors

Seven:Seven: SevenSeven

OMIC:OMIC: Stand by one please…Hey Dennis, if you’re on four, get Stand by one please…Hey Dennis, if you’re on four, get three, three, thank you, all right.thank you, all right.

OMIC:OMIC: 9:21:36. I’ve got all the areas but area two.9:21:36. I’ve got all the areas but area two.

OMIC:OMIC: All right, listen guys, this thing seems to be escalating a All right, listen guys, this thing seems to be escalating a little bit, little bit, we have a couple of aircraft, one in Indy Center we have a couple of aircraft, one in Indy Center that they lost on that they lost on radar at 35 thousand, that’s American 77, radar at 35 thousand, that’s American 77, they don’t know where they don’t know where he is so be on the lookout for a he is so be on the lookout for a limited target at 35, he could be limited target at 35, he could be reversing course, reversing course, and also one up in New Jersey, United, at 31, and also one up in New Jersey, United, at 31, they lost him they lost him also. His last altitude was at 31 thousand feet, so also. His last altitude was at 31 thousand feet, so they they could be some deceiving. Tell everyone heads up for could be some deceiving. Tell everyone heads up for limited limited

data tags.data tags.

Area Supervisors ClarifyArea Supervisors ClarifySUP:SUP: Have you got a code, Cary?Have you got a code, Cary?

OMIC:OMIC: Well, they’ve probably turned the codes, you knowWell, they’ve probably turned the codes, you know

SUP:SUP: To seventy-seven, or somethingTo seventy-seven, or something

OMIC: OMIC: Yeah, I’m sure there’s no, ah, probably no beacon code assigned, if it is I’m Yeah, I’m sure there’s no, ah, probably no beacon code assigned, if it is I’m sure they’ve changed itsure they’ve changed it

SUP:SUP: OK, and what’s the numbers again?OK, and what’s the numbers again?

OMIC:OMIC: Well, one of them, one was United seventy-seven, the other was, I mean Well, one of them, one was United seventy-seven, the other was, I mean American seventy-seven, United one-seventy-fiveAmerican seventy-seven, United one-seventy-five

SUP:SUP: OKOK

OMIC:OMIC: All rightAll right

SUP:SUP: Thanks (time is 9:22:30)Thanks (time is 9:22:30)

Google Earth Plot, Google Earth Plot, ContinuedContinued

SummarySummary

Real time conversation at 9:22 EDT Real time conversation at 9:22 EDT between operations manager at between operations manager at Washington ATC (ZDC) and his Area Washington ATC (ZDC) and his Area SupervisorsSupervisors

Estimate of the situation is providedEstimate of the situation is provided Emphasis is on looking for limited data Emphasis is on looking for limited data

tags and a beacon code changetags and a beacon code change ZDC is concerned about both AA 77 and ZDC is concerned about both AA 77 and

UA 175UA 175

AA 77 Flight Data RecorderAA 77 Flight Data Recorderpartial datapartial data

091900

091400

35000

25000

10000

AltitudeAltitude