How Alaska Airlines Pilot Calmly Navigated Flight To Safety After Mid-Air Mishap

An Alaskan Airlines flight pilot made an emergency landing after the window and portion of fuselage blew out mid-air. Read the conversation between the pilot and ATC during emergency.

The audio conversation of the pilot who was flying an Alaskan Airlines flight that had its window and a portion of its fuselage blown out mid-air has surfaced. The pilot made an emergency landing to save 170 passengers who were onboard the flight during the time of the mishap. No one was seriously hurt in the incident and the plane returned safely to Portland International Airport about 20 minutes after it had departed, as reported by news agency AP. The calmness with which the pilot handled the situation was commendable. 

AP shared the audio of the pilot communicating with air traffic control during the emergency. The transcript of the audio is below.

Transcript Of The Conversation Between Pilot & Air Traffic Controller

Pilot: “Seattle Alaska 1282, we just depressurized, we’re declaring an emergency. We need to descend down to 10,000. We just need to depressurize and we need to return back to Portland."

Pilot: "Hey Portland approach Alaska 1282 emergency aircraft we’re now leveling 12,000 and left turn heading 340.”

Air Traffic Controller: “1282 foreign approach. Good afternoon. You still have information zero?”

Pilot: "Yeah, we do have information zero, we’d like to get lower, if possible.”

Air Traffic Controller: “Possibility 1282 descend and maintain 7,000.”

Air Traffic Controller: “Alaska 1282 did you declare an emergency or did you need to return to …”

Pilot: “Yes, we are in an emergency, we are depressurized, we do need to return back to, we have 177 passengers. Fuel is 18-eight.”

Pilot: “Our fuel is 18,900 pounds and we have 177 passengers on board.”

Air Traffic Controller: “Alaska 1282 Roger. And do you need time to burn off some fuel before you land?”

Pilot: “Negative.”

Air Traffic Controller: “Alaska 1282 so you’re ready for the approach now? Runway 28 left OK?”

Pilot: “We need about ten minutes. Alaska 1282.”

Air Traffic Controller: “Roger, just let me know when you’re ready.”

Pilot: “We’ll let you know. Alaska 1282.”

Air Traffic Controller: “Coming in a little bit, uh, unreadable, very quiet. The only information we have is a pressurization issue and 177 passengers and 18,900 pounds of fuel, and as of right now, we do not know the intentions of the aircraft.”

Air Traffic Controller: “The emergency aircraft will be the next arrival, they are on a two-mile final you can expect access to the runway.”