sitemap Last Two Seconds of Tabular Data From FDR
TWA 800 Flight Data Record From Time 20:31:11 to 20:31:13 (Transcribed by M. Hull)

Local Time
(secs)

11

11

11

11

12

12

12

12

13

 Cdr. Donaldson's Analysis of the Flight Data Records Presented
at January 8, 1998 Press Conference in Washington, D.C. 

MSL Alt.
(Feet)

 13772 ***** ***** ***** ***** 10127 ***** ***** ***** Mimimum of 1.32 PSI overpressure causes altimeter to drop 3,645' msl in1/4 sec.

IAS
(Knots)

288

298

*****

 *****

*****

100

 ***** ***** ***** Mimimum of 1.32 PSI overpressure causes airspeed to drop 190 knots in 1/4 sec.

Pitch Angle
(Degs)

3.6

*****

 ***** *****

*****

8.3

2.2

 ***** ***** Nose is pushed up 4.7 degs in 1/4 sec. (~ 15 feet) by blast. Vertical Accelerometer
located aft of center of gravity records -0.89g when the tail snaps down.

Elevator Position
Right (Degs)

0.1

 ***** ***** *****

*****

11.2

-0.2

 ***** ***** Yoke and rudder slammed around by shock wave.

Mag. Heading
(Degs)

82

 ***** ***** *****

*****

163

276

 ***** ***** Analog signal is lost from mag compass components on left wingtip. Gyro
stability fails from shock wave.

Roll Angle
(Degs)

0

 ***** ***** *****

*****

144

0

 ***** ***** Gyro flips almost in vertical to 144 degs from shock wave.

Rudder Position
(Upper) (Degs)

0.72

0.72

0.72

 *****

*****

 77.76

-36.54

0.72

 ***** Yoke and rudder slammed around by shock wave.

Angle of Attack
(Degs)

3

3

3

 *****

*****

106

30

3

 ***** Blast wave pushes angle of attack vane (left side) from 3° (normal) to 106°;
then slip stream restores AOA vane in 1/2 sec.

EPR
Engine 1
(Ratio)

1.30

1.30

 ***** *****

*****

1.14

 ***** ***** ***** Engine EPRs show high pressure on face of #1 and low pressure on #2,
#3, and #4. All are from effects of shock wave.

EPR 
Engine 2
(Ratio)

1.29

1.29

 ***** *****

*****

2.46

 ***** ***** ***** Engine EPRs show high pressure on face of #1 and low pressure on #2,
#3, and #4. All are from effects of shock wave.

EPR 
Engine 3
(Ratio)

1.30

1.29

 ***** *****

*****

2.36

 ***** ***** ***** Engine EPRs show high pressure on face of #1 and low pressure on #2,
#3, and #4. All are from effects of shock wave.

EPR
Engine 4
(Ratio)

1.3

1.29

 ***** *****

*****

2.44

 *****

0

 ***** Engine EPRs show high pressure on face of #1 and low pressure on #2,
#3, and #4. All are from effects of shock wave.

Longitudinal
Acceleration
(g)

0.10

0.10

0.10

0.10

0.10

0.18

0.18

0.05

 ***** *********************************************************

Vertical
Acceleration
(g)

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

-0.89

-0.89

1.02

 ***** Nose is pushed up 4.7 degs in 1/4 sec. (~ 15 feet) by blast. Vertical Accelerometer
located aft of center of gravity records -O.89g when the tail snaps down.

VHF

OFF

OFF

 ***** ***** *****

KEY

 ***** ***** ***** Radio keys from aircrew reflex or mic button hit as by-product of shockwave.

Pitch Trim
Stab Pos
(Degs)

3

 ***** ***** ***** *****

4

 ***** ***** ***** Elevator Trim- goes up one degree, product of blast actuating trim or pushing on tab.

Note - The data in the column at time 20:31:12 was lined out in the 
handouts at the Baltimore hearings with the notation "End of TWA 800 Data".

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