Arriving in the Greater Cincinnati area from the southeast, American Airlines flight 383 contacted their company radio at 6:45 PM to report an estimated arrival time of 7:05 PM. Shortly thereafter a right turn was initiated to setup for the downwind leg of the approach to the airport. Air traffic control cleared the airliner to continue it's descent. FLIGHT 383: "out of five for four and how about a control VFR, we have the airport."Heavy weather...
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Arriving in the Greater Cincinnati area from the southeast, American Airlines flight 383 contacted their company radio at 6:45 PM to report an estimated arrival time of 7:05 PM. Shortly thereafter a right turn was initiated to setup for the downwind leg of the approach to the airport. Air traffic control cleared the airliner to continue it's descent.
FLIGHT 383: "out of five for four and how about a control VFR, we have the airport."
Heavy weather, over Ohio, was moving towards the airport from the northwest. From the left side of the airliner, crew and passengers would have been able to see the airport off to their left about 3.5 miles away.
APPROACH CONTROLLER: "continue to the airport and cleared for a visual approach to runway one eight, precip lying just to the west boundary of the airport and it's... southbound".
6:58:41: 383 was 6 miles southeast of the airport and was handed over to the Cincinnati Tower radio.
AA 383: "Cincinnati tower its American Airlines 383, we're six southeast and ah control VFR".
6:59:10: the aircraft was just to the west of Crestview Hills Kentucky at an altitude of 1,859 feet above the airport.
CINCINNATI TOWER: "American three eight three Cincinnati tower runway one eight, wind two three zero degrees five, altimeter three even".
6:59:21 PM AA 383: "Roger runway one eight"
6:59:23 PM CINCINNATI TOWER: "In sight cleared to land runway one eight American three eighty three"
6:59:28 PM AA 383: "We're cleared to land , roger"
6:59:29 PM AA 383: "How far west is that precip line now?"
6:59:30 PM CINCINNATI TOWER: "Looks like it's just about over the field at this time sir, we're not getting any on the field, however".
6:59:35 PM: AA 383: "Okay"
American Airlines 383 continues to descend northbound over Kentucky, altitude above the airport, 1,233 feet.
6:59:40 PM: CINCINNATI TOWER: "If we have a windshift I'll keep you advised as you turn onto final".
6:59:44 PM: AA 383: "Thank you very much we'd appreciate it".
American Airlines flight 383 flies over an oil storage facility, crosses the Ohio River, turning onto the baseleg of it's approach to runway 18 and is now located over the State of Ohio, westbound at 953 feet.
7:00:11 PM: CINCINNATI TOWER: "American three eighty three we are beginning to pick up a little rain now".
7:00:11 PM: AA 383: "Okay"
7:00:53 PM: American 383 begins a left turn over the State of Ohio where the tower visually sees the plane for the last time.
7:01:09 PM: American Airlines 383 had one last chance to pull up and out of the valley without having an accident.
7:01:11 PM CINCINNATI TOWER: "three eighty three you still got the runway?"
7:01:14 PM AA 383: "Ah just barely we'll pick up the ILS here."
American Airlines 383 crosses the Ohio River descending below the published altitude of the airport as it continues to lineup for final approach to runway 18 over the State of Kentucky, heading 253 degrees.
7:01:19 PM: CINCINNATI TOWER: "American three eighty three approach lights, flashers and runway lights are all high intensity."
7:01:22 PM AA 383: "Okay"
All communications with 383 are lost as the aircraft smashes into an Ohio River Valley hillside in Hebron, Kentucky, 2.5 miles short and a 1/4 mile to the east of the centerline for runway 18....
Source: Civil Aeronautics Board Aircraft Accident Report Released October 7,1966
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