The Falling Skies quest in Escape from Tarkov sends you on a two-part objective across different maps. First, you must recover a hidden Flight Recorder on Woods, and then safely transport it to Scav Island on Shoreline and plant it at the designated spot. The steps sound simple, but the route, positioning, and risk of losing the item make this task tricky if you’re going in blind.
Part 1: How to Find the Flight Recorder (Woods)
Your first goal is to reach the downed aircraft on the Woods map. The crash site is large, but the interaction point for the recorder is extremely precise.
Where to Go
Head to the plane wreckage deep in the forest. Your target is the tail section, not the cockpit area.
How to Pick It Up
Once you reach the crash site:
- Move directly to the tail end of the aircraft.
- Look for the point where the tail has split from the main fuselage.
- Crouch down and check the crack on the ground beside the broken section.
- When you position your character correctly, an interaction prompt appears.
- Loot the item to secure the Flight Recorder.
The recorder is easy to miss unless you’re standing at the exact angle, but once spotted, it’s clear and quick to collect.
You must survive and extract after picking it up. If you die before leaving Woods, you’ll need to repeat the entire process.
Part 2: Where to Place the Flight Recorder (Shoreline)
After extracting with the item, head to Shoreline for the second half of the quest. Your objective is located on Scav Island, a small, isolated landmass just off the shore.
How to Reach Scav Island
Scav Island sits near the coastline and is easily recognizable by its huts and exposed wooden structures.
Where to Place the Recorder
Once you reach the island:
- Enter the main moldy hut — the larger building on the island.
- Walk through the main door and turn left.
- Move down the short hallway into the next room with a broken wall facing the water.
- In the corner of this room lies the planting spot.
- Hold the interaction to plant the recorder — the timer is five seconds.
Once the placement completes, the objective updates and the quest progresses immediately.
Tips for Players
The biggest risk of this quest is dying after collecting the Flight Recorder but before planting it. Since the item resets when you die, both sections must be completed as cleanly as possible.
- Bring solid mid-tier or better gear, since Woods and Shoreline both have PMCs and Scavs along your route.
- Avoid unnecessary firefights — especially on your extraction run.
- On Shoreline, plan your path to Scav Island to limit open-water exposure and sightlines.
- If possible, run with a friend to help cover your approach.
The recorder placement itself is fast, but reaching the hut alive is the real challenge.
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The Falling Skies quest can feel tedious on your first attempt, but with the route locked in, the process is straightforward:
- Recover the recorder from the tail section of the crashed plane on Woods.
- Extract safely.
- Travel to Scav Island on Shoreline and plant it inside the moldy hut’s corner room.
Once you know the exact angles and rooms involved, the quest becomes a quick checkpoint run rather than a guessing game. Play Now!
