Today, February 12 2026, marks the 17th anniversary of the tragic crash of Colgan Air Flight 3407, which occurred on this day in 2009 while approaching Buffalo Niagara International Airport inNew York.
The aircraft, a Bombardier Q400, plummeted into a house in Clarence Center, New York, claiming the lives of all 49 passengers and crew members on board, as well as one individual in the house it struck five miles from the airport.
Following an inquiry by the National Transportation Safety Board, a transcript detailing the aircraft's final moments was made public.
In the transcript, Captain Marvin Renslow and First Officer Rebecca Shaw can be heard discussing various issues, including the condition of the aircraft. The pair are heard conversing about the significant ice accumulation on the wings as they descended from 6,000 to 4,000 feet.
Moments later, the twin-engine turboprop aircraft suffered an aerodynamic stall and began a descent from which it would never recover. Tragedy struck at 10:16pm, shortly after the pair lowered the landing gear and adjusted the flaps on the plane's wings, when Shaw uttered: "Uhhh."
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A warning alerting the pilots to the impending stall can be heard. This is followed by a horn sound lasting for 6.7 seconds, signalling that the autopilot had been disconnected, and then the sound of engine power being increased.
At 10:16.34.8pm Renslow says: "Jesus Christ", before Shaw confirms she put the flaps up and asks if she should put the landing gear up as well.
Then, as the noise increases, Renslow replies: "We're down." The final entry in the transcript is Shaw, who said: "We."
Source: Daily Express :: World Feed
