JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Audio recordings obtained by First Coast News detail the interaction between Jacksonville Air Traffic Control and Miami Air 293 as it approached NAS JAX Friday night.
That plane came to a rest in the St. Johns River where it remains at this hour.
In the recordings, the pilot is initially on track to land at base Runway 28, but as the plane is turning over the Nocatee area, the exchange begins to focus on the weather.
We asked several pilots to analyze the audio recording between the pilot and the controller. They said finding another option to land would have been the safer move.
JAX APPROACH AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER:
"Biscayne 293, just talked to Navy Jax tower.
He said both runways look pretty bad and pretty (inaudible).
Showing moderate to heavy precipitation east and west of the airfield.
Do you want to try RNAV 28?"
Miami Air International 293 Pilot:
"28 looks better, and then when I get closer, I check how it is."
From there the controller asks the pilot if he wants to try Runway 10, and the pilot accepts.
While it is not known what elements caused the crash, we know that the plane was approaching the runway at almost 200 miles per hour.
Also, a piece of equipment that could have helped slow it down — the left reverse thruster -- was broken and listed on the maintenance log.
The full raw audio recording can be heard below.
Watch First Coast News at 5 p.m. for more of this audio exchange, plus the insight of a pilot and attorney about what it meant for passengers.