China Southern Airlines Flight 3456

China Southern Airlines Flight 3456
Accident summary
A China Southern airlines Boeing 737-300 similar to the accident aircraft
Date	May 8, 1997
Summary	Foul weather and pilot error, crash on approach
Site	Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
Passengers	65
Crew	9
Injuries (non-fatal)	9
Fatalities	35
Survivors	39
Aircraft type	Boeing 737-31B
Operator	China Southern Airlines
Registration	B-2925
Flight origin	Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport
Destination	Shenzhen Huangtian Airport (now Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport)

China Southern Airlines Flight 3456 (CZ3456) was a flight from Chongqing to Shenzhen Huangtian Airport (now Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport), Guangdong Province, China that crashed while attempting to land in a thunderstorm. China Southern continues to operate the Chongqing-Shenzhen route as Flight 3456 but it now uses an Airbus A320.

Aircraft

Model: Boeing 737-31B
Registration: B-2925
Serial Number: 27288
Engine: CFM International CFM56-3B1
Year of Delivery: 1994

Accident

The aircraft crashed on its third landing attempt in severe weather with a high vertical speed. The first landing attempt caused damage to the plane's hydraulic systems, landing gear, and flaps. The main warning, hydraulic system, and gear warnings all sounded. The crew decided on a go-around and warned the passengers to prepare for a crash landing. The aircraft skidded off the runway, broke into three pieces and caught fire, killing 33 passengers and 2 crew members.^[1]

Cockpit voice recording

In June 2007, an audio recording reputed to be from China Southern Airlines Flight 3456's cockpit voice recorder was posted on a Chinese internet site. A 12-minute clip of the recording was uploaded to YouTube. According to the analysis of an expert at the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the probability that the recording is fake is extremely small.^[2]

Cockpit voice recording transcript (12 minutes 27 seconds) (Translated in English)

[00:20.38] Disengaged auto pilot.

[00:22.56] Approach: Descend and maintain 1500 meters, China Southern 3456.

[00:24.64] Co-pilot:Clear to descend and maintain 1500 meters.

[00:30.88] Approach: There is a plane close to you ahead.

[00:39.13] Approach: It is raining heavily for your airfield traffic pattern. Can you see the runway?

[00:40.26] Approach: Oh,You can't see in the cloud, right, China Southern 3456?

[00:42.26] Co-pilot: Affirmative.

[00:48.89] Disengage auto pilot.

[00:53.94] Co-pilot: 308

[01:02.76] Co-pilot: Contact Guangzhou Control at 160.35

[01:08.29] Co-pilot: Request to descend, China Southern 3456.

[01:18.45] Co-pilot: Fly heading 135.

[01:24.29] Co-pilot: I can see the bad weather on the runway.

[01:29.20] Approach: China Southern 3456, descend and maintain 900 meter.

[01:31.48] Captain: China Southern 3456 is setting the ILS approach.

[01:33.97] Co-pilot:China Southern 3456 is contacting Huangtian tower. 6855, bye.

[01:36.71] Captain: Watch the altitude.

[01:41.00] Captain: Watch the rain.

[01:45.97] Shenzhen Airport control tower: China Southern 3456.

[01:49.30] Captain: Er...we are setting the ILS approach, China Southern 3456.

[01:54.59] Co-pilot: About 330 degrees.

[02:03.12] Co-pilot: Altitude 6000 feet.

[02:11.92] Co-pilot: I can see the runway light.

[02:18.16] Captain: Ready for throttle.

[02:25.55] Captain: Watch for yaw.

[02:36.50] Co-pilot: China Southern 3456, we can see the approach light now.

[02:47.05] Captain: Resolve the height.

[02:49.49] Co-pilot: Watch for yaw. Alright.

[03:00.63] Co-pilot: Glide Slope indicate it is too low.

[03:04.61] Ground Proximity Warning System warning: Glide Slope!

[03:06.35] Co-pilot: Watch for speed.

[03:06.75] Captain: It's alright for speed.

[03:08.75] Captain: Speed can be increased.

[03:12.54] Co-pilot: Turn left a little bit.

[03:18.02] Captain: Hold the control and throttle.

[03:20.97] Plane first touch down.

[03:22.28]Ground Proximity Warning System warning: TERRAIN! PULL UP!

[03:23.62] Captain: Throttle! Throttle up!

[03:25.26] Plane second touch down.

[03:27.90]Captain: Throttle up! Go around!

[03:28.28]Plane third touch down.

[03:31.08] Captain: Throttle up! Go around!

[03:33.25] Structural damage alarm from Electronic Flight Instrument System

[03:40.69] Co-pilot: I can't feel any control from the yoke!

[03:45.84] Captain: Throttle up!

[03:52.64] Captain: Have you checked?

[04:34.68] Captain: Turn around and land again.

[04:49.34] Hydraulic system damage alarm from Electronic Flight Instrument System.

[04:56.08] Captain: It doesn't need to throttle up too much.

[05:03.83] Co-pilot: China Southern 3456 is going around now.

[05:05.96] Shenzhen Airport control tower: Copy.

[05:07.30] Co-pilot: Huangtian tower, louder please.

[05:14.78] Shenzhen Airport control tower: Can you tell me the heading? I can't see you.

[05:18.34] Captain: Negative. It is raining heavily.

[05:21.03] Captain: Climb to 1200 feet.

[05:26.90] Co-pilot: Find my position, China Southern 3456.

[05:45.05] Co-pilot: Right, turning to the right.

[05:49.02] Captain: The weather is bad on the left!

[05:57.74] Co-pilot: I'll get ready to turn left when we pass the cross.

[06:02.61] Shenzhen Airport control tower: China Southern 3456, please report your position.

[05:57.74] Co-pilot: We are now turning to the left into downwind.

[06:32.35] Shenzhen Airport control tower: Is it the position right now?

[06:36.28] Co-pilot: Ya, Downwind.

[06:40.39] Another airplane: I can't stay away. Altitude 600 meters. 14 kilometers away from the airport.

[06:49.91] Co-pilot: China Southern 3456 declaring emergency!

[06:51.91] Co-pilot: Huangtian tower, China Southern 3456 declaring emergency! Please tell them to stay clear!

[07:46.72] Shenzhen Airport control tower: Contact 111.3

[08.11.94] Shenzhen Airport control tower: China Southern 3456 reported to stay clear they are declaring an emergency.

[08:20.15] Landing gear down.

[08:47.28] Shenzhen Airport control tower: China Southern 3456 please evacuate immediately when you have landed.

[08:49.28] Co-pilot: Copy. I have already mentioned it now.

[08:56.23] Co-pilot: I'll turn around again.

[09:04.34] Shenzhen Airport control tower: Where is your position?

[09:10.46] Co-pilot: 1200 feet.

[09:16.76] Co-pilot: I'm north from the airport, turning left.

[09:21.78] Shenzhen Airport control tower: I have instructed every plane to stay clear.

[09:38.64] Captain: Where is the runway? I cannot find it!

[09:45.08] Damage warning.

[10:09.54] Flaps up.

[10:11.94] Captain: Don't turn it on, don't!

[10:16.05] Shenzhen Airport control tower: There is no plane left. Runway is clear.

[10:25.82] Co-pilot: Use the navigation tower!

[10:29.88] Captain: I can see the runway!

[10:59.72] Shenzhen Airport control tower: China Southern 3456, fire trucks and ambulances are ready.

[11:03.59] Shenzhen Airport control tower: Clear to land runway 15.

[11:08.11] Captain: I want to land on opposite site.

[11:08.45] Shenzhen Airport control tower: Roger. And the landed plane reported the weather in the north is better than the south. It's raining heavier on the south side of downwind.

[11:22.20] Captain: It seems not good.

[11:50.49] Captain: Watch the altitude.

[12:06.01] Co-pilot: Is it too high?

[12:08.88] Co-pilot: It's the end of the runway!

[12:15.72] Ground Proximity Warning System warning: SINK RATE!

[12:18.28] Ground Proximity Warning System warning: PULL UP!

[12:23.99] Co-pilot: Sink rate is too high.

[12:26.66] Co-pilot: Sink rate is too high!!!

[12:27.65] Plane crashed.