Delta 928

CW: This story contains themes of physical violence and suicide.

The following is the transcript of the cockpit conversation captured by the onboard black box recorder, which was recovered following the crash of Delta 928 in Denver, Colorado on June 16, 2025. The National Transportation Safety Board will include this as a key exhibit in the incident file and it will very likely have a significant bearing on issues related to causation and legal liability. We caution you in advance that this transcript is highly disturbing in nature.

Captain David Starnes: Morning, Pete. How are you doing today?

Co-Pilot Peter Markley: Oh, I’m good. Just glad I made it on time. Traffic was a bitch this morning. How are you, Captain?

Starnes: Feeling just fine. Once I fly this turn I have the next three days off and me and Jenny are going out to Sedona to play some golf and enjoy the spa at the Hilton.

Markley: Sounds nice. I’m on for the next four days at least.

Starnes: Hey, do me a favor. I have to call home real quick. Ask Marcy to bring up some coffee for us and then we can start with the pre-flight routine. We’re scheduled to be nose-up in about twenty.

Markley: Will do, Captain. (Pause) Hey Marcy? Can you please bring up two cups of coffee? (Muffled response) Thanks. Get one for yourself too. It’s on me.

Starnes: Hey Jenny, I just wanted to let you know that I didn’t have time to get the laundry into the dryer. The washer was still running when I had to leave. Just wanted to let you know. I’ll call you when we touch down in Chicago. Love you.

Markley: Well ain’t that sweet!

Senior Flight Attendant Marcy Nichols: Here you are gentleman. Can I get you anything else?

Starnes: Thanks. I’m good.

Markley: Same here. Thanks, Marcy. How are we looking back there?

Nichols: We’re almost ready. Just a few more passengers getting settled. We should be able to do the final cabin walk-through in the next five to ten minutes.

Markley: Sounds good. We’ll be right here waiting for your thumbs up.

Nichols: Be back soon.

[Dead Air for 32 seconds, with the exception of a brief cough.]

Starnes: All right, let’s check it down. Auxiliary fuel pump?

Markley: Off

Starnes: Flight controls?

Markley: Free and correct

Starnes: Instruments and radios?

Markley: Checked and set

Starnes: Landing gear position lighting?

Markley: Checked

Markley: Altimeter

Starnes: Set

Markley: Directional gyro?

Starnes: Set

Markley: Fuel gauges?

Starnes: Checked

Markley: Trim?

Markley: Set

Starnes: Magnetos?

Markley: Checked

Starnes: Engine idle?

Markley: Checked

Starnes: Flaps?

Markley: In position

Starnes: Seat belts, shoulder harnesses?

Markley: Fastened

Starnes: Parking brake

Markley: Off

Starnes: All right, we are good to go.

[24 seconds of dead air]

Markley: You heard the latest on Kendall?

Starnes: What a mess. It wasn't just alcohol you know. He tested positive for cocaine too, and they found some in his suitcase.

Markley: I heard his wife left him after Delta shit-canned him. What the hell happened to that guy?

Starnes: Who can say? Kendall was a solid pilot and a good enough guy most of the time, but he definitely has a short fuse and he likes to drink. I saw him deck a guy in the bar at the Sheraton in Atlanta one night over something that was really nothing at all. I kept my distance from him after that. I wasn’t really too surprised when everything blew up that day, to be honest. Seems like he’s just in a tailspin now. He was in jail until just a couple of days ago. Out on bail now I heard.

Markley: Yeah. I feel bad though. He seemed like a decent guy to me but I couldn’t let him take off that morning. He literally stumbled into the cockpit wreaking of booze, slurred speech…he fell asleep about a minute after he took his seat. Miranda was the Senior Flight Crew Member that day and she noticed it right away.

Starnes: You did the right thing. I wouldn’t give it a second thought.

Markley: Yeah, I know. I just feel bad for the guy.

Starnes: Don’t. Not your problem. How we looking back there?

Markley: Marcy’s walking this way now. They look like they’re all settled in.

Nichols: Ok guys, we are all set.

Markley: Thanks, Marcy. Ready for takeoff.

Starnes [over cabin intercom): Hello ladies and gentlemen. Welcome aboard Delta Airlines flight 928 from Phoenix to Chicago O’Hare. Our flight time today should be three hours and twenty two minutes. The weather looks good the whole way so it should be a smooth flight but we will notify you if we expect any turbulence. Your flight crew members will be coming through the cabin with an assortment of snacks and beverages once we level off. We’d like to thank you for flying Delta Airlines. We are third for takeoff and we should be in the air shortly.

[Sound of jet thrusters increasing and decreasing for next six minutes and 14 seconds. Muffled dialogue between pilot and co-pilot.]

PHX Tower Air Traffic Controller Mike Reynolds [over radio]: Delta 928 you are clear for takeoff.

[Sound of increased volume of jet thrust for next 12 minutes and 35 seconds.]

Starnes: All right, we are up and running. Activating auto-pilot.

[Dead air for next 2 minutes and 43 seconds.]

Reynolds [over radio]: Delta 928 please adjust your altitude to 32,500 feet.

Markley: Copy. Descending to 32,500 feet.

[Dead air for next 2 minutes and 32 seconds.]

Markley: How’s that course at the Sedona Hilton? I’ve played a few of those courses out there but not that one.

Starnes: Ah, you know. They’re all kind of the same? Pretty wide open. The greens are usually pretty fast though, so that can hurt you. It’s nice though. Well maintained.

Markley: I gotta get out there next time. Haven’t played much this year. I’m scared to find out where my handicap really is right now. At least an 18.

Starnes: (Chuckling) I brought in a 78 with 4 birdies at Sun Valley last week.

Markley: Nice shooting. You gotta teach me how to keep it in the fairway. My drives are all over the place. I swear.

[Dead air for next 54 seconds.]

Starnes: This is my third turn in the last 24 hours. Alright with you if I catch a little shut-eye for a while?

Markley: No problem, Captain. I’ll rouse you back up if necessary.

Starnes: Thanks, Pete.

[Dead air for next 54 minutes and 22 seconds.]

[Sound of knocking on cabin door. Sound of door opening.]

Nichols: (Gasping and speaking quietly) I’m so sorry. He made me open the door. He has a knife.

Former Delta Airlines Pilot Marcus Kendall: Enough! You’ve done your part. Just give me all those little whiskey bottles and get back there and keep everything cool. If I hear one sound near that cabin door everyone is going to regret it quickly. Remember, if I kill these two then I’m the only one left to land this plane. [Overlapped with sounds of motion as well as inaudible comments from Starnes and Markley, followed by the closing of the cockpit door.]

Starnes: Marcus, what the fuck? What is this?

Kendall: This has nothing to do with you, Dave. I'm here to see Pete. Here, take this though.

[Sounds of a struggle followed by painful gasps, cries and heavy breathing for next 18 seconds from Starnes. Shouting from Markley.]

Markley: Jesus, Kendall! What the hell are you doing? Stop.

Kendall: You better get back into that co-pilot seat before you get hurt, Pete. I think we both know how a fight between me and you would end even if I didn’t have this knife. And Delta suspended the Federal Flight Deck Program three months ago after that incident in Salt Lake City so I know you don’t have a gun in this cockpit. Besides, I’m here to speak with you. This doesn’t involve Dave. He was an asshole anyway. I need this seat.

[Sounds of seat belt unclicking, followed by a thud.]

Kendall: Shit, look at all the blood in this seat. Give me your jacket. I gotta wipe this up a little.

Markley: How did you even get on this flight? How did you get a knife onboard?

Kendall: I worked for this airline for 17 years, Pete. You don't think I know how to get around? You don't think I know some people who will help me out if I hand them five hundred cash? Baggage handlers make shit for pay, you know? It's a pretty thankless job. Those guys aren't exactly rocket scientists.

[Dead air for next 16 seconds.] 

Markley: Christ, Marcus. What are you doing?

Kendall: I came to talk to you, Pete. About what you did. And don’t even think about triggering that handset. God help me, if I hear a 7500 squawk come out of your mouth I’m gonna cut off your right thumb. Don’t test me. Look at Dave down there. You think I’m fucking around?

Markley: I won’t. I swear I won’t.

Kendall: Good. This won’t take long here. Looks like we will be over Denver in just a few minutes.

Markley: Why Denver? Are you gonna land us at DIA?

Kendall: Not exactly, but close. We’ll get to that. First, let me ask you something. You are a licensed and qualified pilot with plenty of experience flying the Boeing 737, yes?

Markley: Yeah, sure. Not as much as you, but yeah.

Kendall: So, on that morning when you called security to come into the cockpit to wake me up and drag me away, leading to me ending up in jail and losing my job along with my wife and two kids, you could have just…covered for me. Right?

Markley: Hey, you know the airline’s policies. Plus the flight crew already knew you were in no condition to fly. If they call security before I do, then I’m in it with you.

Kendall: Yeah, so you just decided to ruin my life instead of taking that chance. That’s what I thought. You are a little pussy, Pete. Do you know that? I bet you’ve been a little pussy for your whole life.

Markley: Marcus, we’re losing altitude fast. We are well below 20,000 feet and we are way off our flight path.

[Dead air for next 22 seconds.]

Automated Voice from Instrument Panel: Warning! Altitude. Warning! Altitude. 15,000 feet.

Markley: Marcus, we need to pull up right away.

[Dead air for next 14 seconds.]

Kendall: You know what, Pete? I don’t really care what you have to say. I just wanted to be here with you for the end. I was originally planning to fly us straight into one of those high sheer cliffs up in the Rockies, but then I came up with a better plan.

Automated Voice from Instrument Panel: Warning! Altitude. Warning! Altitude. 12,000 feet.

DIA Tower Air Traffic Controller Miles Cordrey: Delta 928. We are showing you coming towards downtown Denver and descending below 10,000 feet. Are you in distress? Do you need us to clear a runway for you at DIA?

Kendall: Kill that speaker.

Automated Voice from Instrument Panel: Warning! Altitude. Warning! Altitude. 8,000 feet.

Kendall: I know you can’t kill that one. Anyway, rather than just pushing us into a mountain face I decided it would be more fun to do this. 

[Sound of increased wind sheer, muffled screaming coming from the cabin.]

Automated Voice from Instrument Panel: Warning! Altitude. Warning! Altitude. 6,000 feet.

Markley: Jesus, Kendall! Please pull up on that stick. We are almost nose-down and we won’t be able to pull out of this dive if you don’t do it now. Please. Don’t do this!

Automated Voice from Instrument Panel: Warning! Altitude. Warning! Altitude. 5,000 feet.

Kendall: You see that down there, Pete? You see that? I timed it pretty damn good, didn’t I? That’s downtown Denver right there. I don’t know if I should target one of those tall buildings or try to put us down on a busy street. I guess I’ll just have to play it as a last-minute decision. You got a preference?

Markley: DEAR GOD, MARCUS! NO!

Automated Voice from Instrument Panel: Warning! Altitude. Warning! Altitude. 3,000 feet.

Kendall: I was considering it and I just thought it would be better to put us down here rather than up there in the mountains. This way there will be some good collateral damage and lots of great fiery video reels for the news. People love watching other people die in horrific ways when they watch the news, ya know. That’s basically what they tune in for mostly, Pete. Let’s give the people what they want today.

Markley: Hail Mary, full of grace, the lord is with thee, and blessed are…

Automated Voice from Instrument Panel: Warning! Altitude. Warning! Altitude. 2,000 feet.

Kendall [over cabin intercom]: Uh, people you might want to buckle up and return your seats to the upright position. We will be making an unscheduled landing in downtown Denver in about 30 seconds and I think it's gonna be a rough one.

Markley: ...and blessed, uh blessed, are thou among [gasp] women and blessed is the fruit of…

Automated Voice from Instrument Panel: Warning! Altitude. Warning! Altitude. 1000 feet.

Kendall: Open your eyes, Pete. Open your eyes! You don’t want to miss this! Look at all those cars and people down there. We are gonna be front page news! Here we go. Here we go, Pete! Count it down with me. Come on now! Three…Two...ONE!!!

THE END