| Partial transcript of Northwest Airlines Flight 255's CVR (Times are expressed in EDT; full transcript in appendix B) |
| = Unintelligible word; () = Questionable text; (()) = Commentary; — = Break in continuity; Shading = Radio communication |
| Time | Source | Content |
| 20:43:48 | Detroit tower (to 594CC) | Citation five ninety four Charlie Charlie, metro tower. Winds three zero zero at thirteen, runway three right, cleared to land. Where are you parking on the field? |
| 20:43:55 | 594CC (to Detroit tower) | Three zero zero at one three, and we'll be going to page avjet. |
| 20:43:59 | Detroit tower (to Northwest Airlines Flight 766) | Northwest seven sixty six, contact ground one two one point eight. |
| 20:44:04 | Detroit tower (to Northwest Airlines Flight 255) | Northwest two fifty five runway three center, turn right heading zero six zero, cleared for takeoff. |
| 20:44:08 | First officer (to Detroit tower) | Right to zero six zero, cleared to go, northwest two fifty five. |
| 20:44:12 | Detroit tower (to Northwest Airlines Flight 185) | Northwest one eighty five metro tower three center taxi into position and hold you have about three minutes two to three minutes on the runway. |
| 20:44:17 | Northwest Airlines Flight 185 (to Detroit tower) | Okay, position and hold, northwest one eighty five. |
| 20:44:14.8 | ((Sound similar to parking brake released)) |
| 20:44:21 | ((Sound of increasing engine power)) |
| 20:44:28 | Captain | Won't stay on. |
| 20:44:29.1 | ((Sound of click)) |
| 20:44:30 | First officer | Won't go on? |
| 20:44:31 | Captain | But they won't stay on— |
| 20:44:32 | First officer | Okay power's normal. |
| 20:44:38 | Detroit tower (to Northwest Airlines Flight 1466) | Northwest fourteen sixty six, metro tower, traffic you're following is a very short final, runway three left, cleared to land. Winds three zero zero at one three. |
| 20:44:38.8 | ((Sound of click)) |
| 20:44:39 | Captain | TCI was un-set. |
| 20:44:39.8 | ((Sound of click)) |
| 20:44:42 | First officer | Can you get 'em now? There you go. |
| 20:44:43 | First officer | They're on now and clamped. |
| 20:44:45.6 | First officer | Hundred knots. |
| 20:44:46.2 | Captain | Kay. |
| 20:44:51 | Northwest Airlines Flight 1466 (to Detroit tower) | Northwest fourteen sixty six, so far that's approved; I'll advise different. |
| 20:44:55 | Captain | Fuck. ((Sound of laugh)) |
| 20:44:57.1 | First officer | V1 |
| 20:44:57.7 | First officer | Rotate. |
| 20:44:59.1 | ((Sound similar to nose gear strut extension)) |
| 20:45:02.7 | ((Sound similar to nose wheel spinning down)) |
| 20:45:05.1 | ((Sound of stick shaker starts and continues until the end of tape)). |
| 20:45:09.1 | ((Sound of secondary stall recognition aural warning starts)) |
| 20:45:11.4 | ((Sound of secondary stall recognition aural warning starts)) |
| 20:45:11.9 | Voice unidentified | (* right up to the V-bar.) |
| 20:45:14.3 | ((Sound of secondary stall recognition aural warning starts)) |
| 20:45:15.7 | Captain | (Ah) fuck. |
| 20:45:17.1 | ((Sound of secondary stall recognition aural warning starts)) |
| 20:45:18 | 102UM (to Detroit tower) | Metro tower, lifeguard copter one zero two Uniform Mike is, ah... |
| 20:45:19.3 | ((Sound of first impact)) |
| 20:45:19.7 | ((Sound of second impact)) |
| 20:45:22.7 | ((Sound of third impact)) |
| Voice unidentified | |
| 20:45:23.1 | ((Sound of fourth impact)) |
| 20:45:24.2 | ((Sound of fifth impact)) |
| 20:45:24.4 | ((Sound of sixth impact)) |
| 20:45:24.6 | ((Sound of seventh impact)) |
| 20:45:24.7 | ((End of recording)) |
