A Wintry Night's Descent and the Tragic End Captured in the Cockpit

The passengers and crew of Colgan Air Flight 3407, en route from Newark, New Jersey to Buffalo, New York, were unaware of the tragedy that awaited them. On February 12, 2009, the aircraft experienced an aerodynamic stall and crashed into a house, resulting in the deaths of all 49 people on board, as well as one person on the ground. The final moments of the flight were captured on the cockpit voice recorder, revealing the chilling last words of Captain Marvin Renslow, followed by a scream from First Officer Rebecca Shaw, just seconds before the fatal impact.

In the moments leading up to the crash, as the plane approached Buffalo Niagara International Airport, Renslow and Shaw were engaged in casual conversation, discussing Shaw's career and their concerns about flying in icy conditions. The twin-engine turboprop Dash 8-Q400 Bombardier then entered an aerodynamic stall and plummeted into a house, causing widespread destruction and loss of life.

The cockpit transcript reveals a conversation between Renslow and Shaw about the ice accumulation on the wings, less than seven minutes before the crash. As the plane descended from 6,000 to 4,000 feet on a wintry night, Shaw remarked on the amount of ice, to which Renslow responded. Renslow also mentioned his experience flying in the region. Shaw expressed her inexperience with icing conditions and her apprehension about making critical decisions in such situations. Renslow reassured her, stating he would have been fine. The crew then lowered the landing gear and adjusted the flaps.

Seconds later, the cockpit recorded the sounds of the stick shaker, a warning indicating the aircraft was approaching an aerodynamic stall. This warning lasted for several seconds. A distinct horn then sounded, signaling the disengagement of the autopilot. Shortly after, the engine thrust increased. Renslow exclaimed, followed by Shaw's statement about putting the flaps up and asking about the landing gear. Renslow responded. As the sounds in the cockpit intensified, Renslow stated, "We're down." A thump followed, and Shaw screamed. The transcript ended at 10:16.52 pm. Documents released by the Safety Board also revealed that safety investigators were told by a training instructor that Renslow “was slow learning” the Dash 8 at the beginning, however his abilities had reportedly “picked up at the end”. The training instructor further shared that Renslow had struggled to acquaint himself with that particular aircraft model’s flight management system and also demonstrated difficulties in learning how to switch positions which were opposite from the throws he had previously been used to on another aircraft. This instructor did, however, describe the captain’s decision-making skills as very good. Cogan Air was also forced to acknowledge that Renslow's training of the craft did not include a simulation or demonstration of the plane’s stick-pusher system.