Airbus Industrie A300-605R, N14053Belle Harbor, New YorkNovember 12, 2001

Aircraft Accident ReportNTSB/AAR-04/04PB2004-910404Notation 7439B

National TransportationSafety Board

Washington, D.C.

Aircraft Accident Report

In-Flight Separation of Vertical Stabilizer

American Airlines Flight 587

Airbus Industrie A300-605R, N14053

Belle Harbor, New York

November 12, 2001

NTSB/AAR-04/04

PB2004-910404 National Transportation Safety Board

Notation 7439B 490 L’Enfant Plaza, S.W.

Adopted October 26, 2004 Washington, D.C. 20594

E PLUR IBUS UNUM

NATIONAL TRA S PORTATION

B OAR D

SAFE T Y

N
National Transportation Safety Board. 2004. In-Flight Separation of Vertical Stabilizer, American

Airlines Flight 587, Airbus Industrie A300-605R, N14053, Belle Harbor, New York, November 12, 2001.

Aircraft Accident Report NTSB/AAR-04/04. Washington, DC.

Abstract: This report explains the accident involving American Airlines flight 587, an Airbus

Industrie A300-605R, N14053, which crashed into a residential area of Belle Harbor, New York,

following the in-flight separation of the airplane’s vertical stabilizer and rudder. The safety issues

discussed in this report focus on characteristics of the A300-600 rudder control system design,

A300-600 rudder pedal inputs at high airspeeds, aircraft-pilot coupling, flight operations at or

below an airplane’s design maneuvering speed, and upset recovery training programs. Safety

recommendations concerning these issues are addressed to the Federal Aviation Administration

and the Direction Général de l’Aviation Civile.

The National Transportation Safety Board is an independent Federal agency dedicated to promoting aviation, railroad, highway, marine,

pipeline, and hazardous materials safety. Established in 1967, the agency is mandated by Congress through the Independent Safety Board

Act of 1974 to investigate transportation accidents, determine the probable causes of the accidents, issue safety recommendations, study

transportation safety issues, and evaluate the safety effectiveness of government agencies involved in transportation. The Safety Board

makes public its actions and decisions through accident reports, safety studies, special investigation reports, safety recommendations, and

statistical reviews.

Recent publications are available in their entirety on the Web at <http://www.ntsb.gov>. Other information about available publications also

may be obtained from the Web site or by contacting:

National Transportation Safety Board

Public Inquiries Section, RE-51

490 L’Enfant Plaza, S.W.

Washington, D.C. 20594

(800) 877-6799 or (202) 314-6551

Safety Board publications may be purchased, by individual copy or by subscription, from the National Technical Information Service. To

purchase this publication, order report number PB2004-910404 from:

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(800) 553-6847 or (703) 605-6000

The Independent Safety Board Act, as codified at 49 U.S.C. Section 1154(b), precludes the admission into evidence or use of Board reports

related to an incident or accident in a civil action for damages resulting from a matter mentioned in the report. 
iii Aircraft Accident Report

Contents

Figures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii

Abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii

Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi

1. Factual Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

1.1 History of Flight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

1.2 Injuries to Persons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

1.3 Damage to Airplane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

1.4 Other Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

1.5 Personnel Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

1.5.1 The Captain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

1.5.1.1 Pilot Interviews Regarding the Captain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

1.5.2 The First Officer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

1.5.2.1 Pilot Interviews Regarding the First Officer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

1.6 Airplane Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

1.6.1 Vertical Stabilizer and Rudder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

1.6.2 Rudder Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

1.6.2.1 Public Hearing Testimony on the A300-600 Rudder Control System . . . . . . . . 23

1.6.2.2 Airbus Changes to the A300-600 Rudder Control System Design . . . . . . . . . . . 24

1.6.2.3 A300-600 Rudder Control System Design Compared

With Other Airplanes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

1.6.3 Powerplants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

1.6.4 Airplane Certification. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

1.6.4.1 Loads Certification for the Vertical Stabilizer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

1.6.4.1.1 Federal Aviation Regulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

1.6.4.1.2 Public Hearing Testimony on Section 25.351. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

1.6.4.1.3 Complementary Conditions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

1.6.4.2 Design Loads for the Vertical Stabilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

1.6.4.3 Vertical Stabilizer Certification Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

1.6.4.3.1 Validity of the Full-Scale Vertical Stabilizer Certification Test. . . . . . . . . . 39

1.6.4.3.2 Validity of the Attachment Fitting Certification Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

1.6.4.4 Yaw Axis Certification Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

1.6.4.5 Design Maneuvering Speed Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

1.6.5 Maintenance Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

1.7 Meteorological Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

1.8 Aids to Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

1.9 Communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

1.10 Airport Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

1.10.1 Air Traffic Control Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

1.11 Flight Recorders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

1.11.1 Cockpit Voice Recorder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

1.11.2 Flight Data Recorder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
iv Aircraft Accident Report

1.12 Wreckage and Impact Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

1.12.1 General Wreckage Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

1.12.2 Vertical Stabilizer and Rudder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

1.12.3 Rudder Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

1.12.4 Powerplants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

1.13 Medical and Pathological Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

1.14 Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

1.15 Survival Aspects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

1.16 Tests and Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

1.16.1 Video Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

1.16.2 Airplane Performance Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

1.16.2.1 Wake Vortex Investigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

1.16.2.2 Flight 587 Simulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

1.16.2.3 Loads on the Vertical Stabilizer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

1.16.3 Examinations of the Flight 587 Vertical Stabilizer and Rudder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

1.16.3.1 Nondestructive Inspections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

1.16.3.2 Materials Testing and Microstructural Examination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

1.16.3.3 Fractographic Examination of the Main Attachment Lugs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

1.16.4 Structural Analyses and Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

1.16.4.1 Finite Element Analysis and Progressive Failure Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

1.16.4.2 Postaccident Lug Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

1.16.4.3 Summary of Structural Analyses and Tests. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

1.16.5 Systems Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

1.16.5.1 Rudder Servo Controls and Linkages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

1.16.5.2 Artificial Feel and Trim Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

1.16.5.3 Rudder Control System Ground Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

1.16.5.4 Yaw Autopilot and Yaw Damper Actuators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

1.16.5.5 Flight Control Linkages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

1.16.6 Human Performance Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

1.16.6.1 Vertical Motion Simulator Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

1.16.6.2 Control Force and Control Surface Displacement Ground Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

1.16.7 Temperature Tab Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

1.16.8 Cockpit Voice Recorder Sound Spectrum Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

1.16.9 Speech Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

1.17 Organizational and Management Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

1.17.1 Flight Crew Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

1.17.1.1 Selected Event Training. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

1.17.1.2 Advanced Aircraft Maneuvering Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

1.17.1.2.1 Development of the Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

1.17.1.2.2 Ground School Training Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

1.17.1.2.3 Simulator Training Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

1.17.1.2.4 Training Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

1.17.1.2.5 Comments on the Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

1.17.1.2.6 Training Simulator Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

1.17.1.2.7 Comparison of Rudder Pedal Responses in the A300-600 

Airplane and the American Airlines A310/300 Training Simulator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

1.17.1.3 Postaccident A300 Pilot Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

1.17.2 Flight and Operations Manuals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

1.17.2.1 Use of Rudder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

1.17.2.1.1 Manufacturer’s Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Contents
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1.17.2.2 Unusual Attitude Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

1.17.2.2.1 Manufacturer’s Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

1.17.2.2.2 Airplane Upset Recovery Training Aid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

1.17.2.3 Design Maneuvering Speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

1.17.2.3.1 Manufacturer’s Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

1.17.3 Federal Aviation Administration Oversight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

1.17.3.1 National Simulator Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

1.18 Additional Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

1.18.1 Flight 587 Witness Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

1.18.2 Airbus Vertical Stabilizers That Reached High Loads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

1.18.2.1 1997 American Airlines Flight 903 Accident . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

1.18.2.1.1 Flight 903 Postaccident Actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

1.18.2.2 1991 Interflug Incident . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

1.18.2.3 2002 American Airlines Incident. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

1.18.3 Federal Aviation Administration Airworthiness Directives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

1.18.3.1 Airworthiness Directive 2001-23-51 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

1.18.3.2 Airworthiness Directive 2002-06-09 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

1.18.4 Previous Safety Recommendations Related to the Circumstances 

of the Flight 587 Accident . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

1.18.4.1 Safety Recommendations A-02-01 and -02. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

1.18.4.1.1 American Airlines Flight Operations Technical 

Informational Bulletin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

1.18.4.1.2 Airbus Flight Crew Operating Manual Bulletin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

1.18.4.1.3 Boeing Flight Operations Technical Bulletin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

1.18.4.2 Safety Recommendations A-03-41 Through -44. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

1.18.5 Previous Safety Recommendations Related to the Circumstances 

of the Flight 903 Accident . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

1.18.6 Previous Safety Recommendations Related to Upset 

Recovery Training. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

1.18.6.1 Safety Recommendation A-96-120 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

1.18.6.2 Other Upset Recovery Training Safety Recommendations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

1.18.7 Previous Safety Board Actions Regarding Data Filtering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123

1.18.7.1 Safety Recommendations A-94-120 and -121. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123

1.18.7.2 Postaccident Correspondence on Data Filtering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126

1.18.7.3 Safety Recommendation A-03-50 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

1.18.7.3.1 Public Meeting on Safety Recommendation A-03-50 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

1.18.8 Aircraft-Pilot Coupling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

1.18.8.1 Aircraft-Pilot Coupling Testing Maneuvers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130

1.18.9 Reports of Rudder Use in Upset Recovery Efforts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

1.18.10 Airbus Technical Note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

2. Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

2.1 General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

2.2 Separation of the Vertical Stabilizer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134

2.3 Analysis of the First Officer’s Rudder Pedal Inputs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

2.3.1 First Officer’s Reactions to Wake Turbulence Encounters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

2.3.2 Training Factors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

2.3.2.1 Lack of Pilot Exposure Regarding Airplane Response 

to Large Rudder Pedal Inputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

2.3.2.2 American Airlines Advanced Aircraft Maneuvering Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140

Contents
vi Aircraft Accident Report

2.3.2.2.1 Ground School Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140

2.3.2.2.2 Simulator Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

2.3.2.3 Lack of Pilot Training on Restricted A300-600 

Rudder Pedal Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143

2.3.3 Characteristics of the A300-600 Rudder Control System Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144

2.4 Analysis of the Accident Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146

2.4.1 Initial Rudder Pedal Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146

2.4.1.1 First Officer’s Reactions to Wake Turbulence Encounters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147

2.4.1.2 Training Factors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148

2.4.1.3 A300-600 Rudder Control System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149

2.4.2 Subsequent Rudder Pedal Inputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149

2.4.2.1 Role of Training. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149

2.4.2.2 Airplane Response to Initial Input as Triggering Event 

for an Adverse Aircraft-Pilot Coupling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150

2.4.2.3 Characteristics of the A300-600 Rudder Control System Design 

That May Be Conducive to Sustained Alternating Inputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151

2.4.3 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

2.5 Prevention of High Loads Resulting From Pilot Rudder Pedal Inputs. . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

2.5.1 Rudder Pedal Inputs at High Airspeeds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

2.5.2 Alternating Full Control Inputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154

2.5.3 Pilot Guidance on Design Maneuvering Speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155

2.6 Upset Recovery Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156

3. Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159

3.1 Findings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159

3.2 Probable Cause . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160

4. Recommendations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161

4.1 New Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161

4.2 Previously Issued Recommendations Resulting From 

This Accident Investigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162

4.3 Previously Issued Recommendations Classified in This Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164

5. Appendixes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167

A: Investigation and Public Hearing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167

B: Cockpit Voice Recorder Transcript . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168

C: Differences Between American Airlines Flights 903 and 587. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197

Contents
vii Aircraft Accident Report

Figures

1. Control Wheel and Rudder Pedal Movements During the Second Wake Encounter. . . . . . . 6

2. American Airlines Flight 587 and Japan Air Lines Flight 47 Flightpaths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

3. Flight 587’s Flightpath and Key Events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

4. Vertical Stabilizer-to-Aft Fuselage Attachment Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

5. Main Attachment Lug . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

6. Rudder Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

7. Rudder Travel Limiter System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

8. A300-600 and A300B2/B4 Rudder Pedal Sensitivities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

9. Shear, Bending, and Torsion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

10. Net Torsion Versus Net Bending . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

11. Vertical Stabilizer After Recovery From Jamaica Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

12. Right Rear Main Attachment Fitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

13. Bending Moment About the Root Chord in the Vertical Stabilizer Axis System . . . . . . . . . 58

14. Bending Moment Load Range at the Time of Vertical Stabilizer Separation . . . . . . . . . . . 60

15. Estimated Aerodynamic Loads in Relation to the Torsion Versus 

Bending Correlated Shear Force Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

16. Comparison of Lug Forces at the Time of Fracture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

17. Load on the Flight 587 Right Rear Main Attachment Lug and a Depiction 

of the Cleavage-Tension Failure Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

18. Rudder Pedal Motion With Normal and High Pilot Pedal Force in the A300-600 

Airplane and the American Airlines A310/300 Training Simulator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
viii Aircraft Accident Report

Abbreviations

AAMP advanced aircraft maneuvering program

AC advisory circular

AD airworthiness directive

AFM airplane flight manual

AFS auto flight system

agl above ground level

AOA angle of attack

APC aircraft-pilot coupling

APM aircrew program manager

APU auxiliary power unit

ASOS automated surface observing system

ASR-9 airport surveillance radar-9

ASRS aviation safety reporting system

ATC air traffic control

ATCT air traffic control tower

ATIS automatic terminal information service

ATP airline transport pilot

C Celsius

CC complementary conditions

CFD computational fluid dynamics

CFIT controlled flight into terrain

CFR Code of Federal Regulations

CFRP carbon fiber reinforced plastics

cg center of gravity

CMO certificate management office

CT computed tomography
Abbreviations ix Aircraft Accident Report

CVR cockpit voice recorder

DGAC Direction Général de l’Aviation Civile

EICAS engine instrument crew alert system

FAA Federal Aviation Administration

FARs Federal Aviation Regulations

FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation

FCOM flight crew operating manual

FDAU flight data acquisition unit

FDR flight data recorder

FEA finite element analysis

GFRP glass fiber reinforced plastic

HBAT handbook bulletin for air transportation

Hg mercury

Hz Hertz

JFK John F. Kennedy International Airport

KCAS knots calibrated airspeed

kN kiloNewton

MAC mean aerodynamic chord

METAR meteorological aerodrome report

MIA Miami International Airport

MPD maintenance planning document

MRB maintenance review board

msl mean sea level

N Newton

NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration

nm nautical mile

Nm Newton times meter(s)

NPRM notice of proposed rulemaking

NRC National Research Council
Abbreviations x Aircraft Accident Report

NSP National Simulator Program

NWS National Weather Service

PFA progressive failure analyses

POI principal operations inspector

S/N serial number

SDAC system data analog converter

SDR service difficulty reports

SEM scanning electron microscopy

SPECI special weather observation

TAF terminal aerodome forecasts

TRACON terminal radar approach control

TWA Trans World Airlines

UTC coordinated universal time

VA design maneuvering speed

VB design gust speed

VC design cruise speed

VD design dive speed

VMC minimum control speed

VMS vertical motion simulator

VSR reference stall speed

VSR1 reference stall speed in a specific configuraton
xi Aircraft Accident Report

Executive Summary

On November 12, 2001, about 0916:15 eastern standard time, American Airlines

flight 587, an Airbus Industrie A300-605R, N14053, crashed into a residential area of

Belle Harbor, New York, shortly after takeoff from John F. Kennedy International Airport,

Jamaica, New York. Flight 587 was a regularly scheduled passenger flight to Las

Americas International Airport, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, with 2 flight

crewmembers, 7 flight attendants, and 251 passengers aboard the airplane. The airplane’s

vertical stabilizer and rudder separated in flight and were found in Jamaica Bay, about

1 mile north of the main wreckage site. The airplane’s engines subsequently separated in

flight and were found several blocks north and east of the main wreckage site. All

260 people aboard the airplane and 5 people on the ground were killed, and the airplane

was destroyed by impact forces and a postcrash fire. Flight 587 was operating under the

provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 on an instrument flight rules flight

plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. 

The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of

this accident was the in-flight separation of the vertical stabilizer as a result of the loads

beyond ultimate design that were created by the first officer’s unnecessary and excessive

rudder pedal inputs. Contributing to these rudder pedal inputs were characteristics of the

Airbus A300-600 rudder system design and elements of the American Airlines Advanced

Aircraft Maneuvering Program.

The safety issues discussed in this report focus on characteristics of the A300-600

rudder control system design, A300-600 rudder pedal inputs at high airspeeds,

aircraft-pilot coupling, flight operations at or below an airplane’s design maneuvering

speed, and upset recovery training programs. Safety recommendations concerning these

issues are addressed to the Federal Aviation Administration and the Direction Général de

l’Aviation Civile.

1 Aircraft Accident Report

1. Factual Information

1.1 History of Flight

On November 12, 2001, about 0916:15 eastern standard time,1 American Airlines

flight 587, an Airbus Industrie A300-605R,2 N14053, crashed into a residential area of

Belle Harbor, New York, shortly after takeoff from John F. Kennedy International Airport

(JFK), Jamaica, New York. Flight 587 was a regularly scheduled passenger flight to Las

Americas International Airport, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, with 2 flight

crewmembers, 7 flight attendants, and 251 passengers3 aboard the airplane. The airplane’s

vertical stabilizer and rudder separated in flight and were found in Jamaica Bay, about

1 mile north of the main wreckage site.4

 The airplane’s engines subsequently separated in

flight and were found several blocks north and east of the main wreckage site.5 All

260 people aboard the airplane and 5 people on the ground were killed, and the airplane

was destroyed by impact forces and a postcrash fire. Flight 587 was operating under the

provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 121 on an instrument flight rules

flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. 

The accident airplane arrived at JFK about 2231 on the night before the accident.

The airplane had been flown from San Jose, Costa Rica, to JFK with an intermediate stop

in Miami International Airport, Miami, Florida. During postaccident interviews, the pilots

of the flight leg from MIA to JFK indicated that the flight was smooth and uneventful.

Flight 587 was the first leg of a 1-day roundtrip sequence for the flight crew.

American Airlines records indicated that the captain checked in for the flight about 0614

and that the first officer checked in about 0630. The gate agent working the flight arrived

at the departure gate about 0645. She stated that the flight attendants were already aboard

the airplane at that time and that the captain and the first officer arrived at the gate about

0700.

1 Unless otherwise indicated, all times in this report are eastern standard time based on a 24-hour

clock.

2 The A300-605R is one of several variants of the A300-600 series airplane. The “5” refers to the type

of engine installed on the airplane (see section 1.6.3 for information), and the “R” refers to the airplane’s

ability to carry fuel in the horizontal stabilizer.

3 Of the 251 passengers, 5 were lap children under 2 years of age.

4 The vertical stabilizer is attached to the airplane’s aft fuselage. The vertical stabilizer provides

supporting structure for the rudder, which is an aerodynamic control surface that is used to make the airplane

yaw, or rotate, about its vertical axis. An airplane cannot be flown without its vertical stabilizer.

5 Section 1.12 provides additional information about the wreckage area.
Factual Information 2 Aircraft Accident Report

About 0710, the airplane fueling process began.6 The airplane fueler indicated that,

during the fueling process, he saw one of the pilots perform an exterior inspection of the

airplane. He finished the fueling process about 0745 and stated that he saw nothing

unusual regarding the airplane.

Statements provided to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police

Department by American Airlines maintenance and avionics personnel indicated that,

sometime between 0730 and 0800, the captain reported that the number 2 pitch trim and

yaw damper system would not engage. Two avionics technicians were sent to the airplane

to investigate the problem. They performed an auto flight system (AFS) check, which

indicated a fault with the number 2 flight augmentation computer. The circuit breaker was

then reset, another AFS check was performed, and no fault was detected. In addition, an

autoland system check was performed, and that test also did not detect a fault. The

avionics technicians estimated that they were in the cockpit for 5 to 7 minutes. 

The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) recording began about 0845:35. The CVR

indicated that, about 0859:58, the airplane was cleared to push back from the gate. About

0901:33, the ground controller provided the flight crew with taxi instructions to

runway 31L, and the first officer acknowledged these instructions. About 0902:05, the

captain told the first officer, “your leg, you check the rudders.” (The first officer was the

flying pilot, and the captain was the nonflying pilot.) Data from the flight data recorder

(FDR) showed that, about 0902:07, the rudder pedal check began. The FDR data also

showed that a maximum right rudder pedal deflection of about 3.7 inches was recorded

about 0902:11 and that a maximum left rudder pedal deflection of 3.6 inches was recorded

about 0902:19. About 0902:23, the first officer responded, “rudders check.” The FDR

data showed that the rudder pedals returned to their neutral position about 0902:25.

About 0906:53, the ground controller provided the pilots of Japan Air Lines

flight 47, a Boeing 747-400, with taxi instructions to runway 31L. About 0908:01, the

ground controller instructed the Japan Air Lines pilots to contact the local (tower)

controller. About 0908:58, the ground controller instructed the flight 587 pilots to follow

the Japan Air Lines airplane and to contact the local controller. The first officer

acknowledged this instruction.

About 0911:08, the local controller cleared the Japan Air Lines airplane for

takeoff. About 0911:36, the local controller cautioned the flight 587 pilots about wake

turbulence and instructed the pilots to taxi into position and hold for runway 31L. The

first officer acknowledged the instruction. About 0913:05, the local controller instructed

the Japan Air Lines pilots to fly the bridge climb7

 and to contact the departure controller at

the New York Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON). About 0913:21, the

flight 587 captain said to the first officer, “you have the airplane.”8

6 The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey collected samples of fuel from the fuel truck that

serviced the accident airplane and from the two tanks that supplied fuel to the truck. The fuel samples were

sent to a New Jersey laboratory for analysis and were determined to conform to specifications. 

7 The bridge climb is one of several standard instrument departure routes from JFK.

8 According to FDR data, the autopilot was not engaged at any time during the accident flight.
Factual Information 3 Aircraft Accident Report

About 0913:28, the local controller cleared flight 587 for takeoff, and the captain

acknowledged the clearance. About 0913:35, the first officer asked the captain, “you

happy with that [separation] distance?”9 About 3 seconds later, the captain replied, “we’ll

be all right once we get rollin’. He’s supposed to be five miles by the time we’re airborne,

that’s the idea.” About 0913:46, the first officer said, “so you’re happy.” 

The National Transportation Safety Board’s airplane performance study for this

accident10 determined that flight 587 started its takeoff roll about 0913:51 and lifted off

about 0914:29, which was about 1 minute 40 seconds after the Japan Air Lines airplane.11

About 0914:43, the local controller instructed the flight 587 pilots to turn left, fly the

bridge climb, and contact the New York TRACON departure controller. About 5 seconds

later, the captain acknowledged this instruction. Radar data indicated that the airplane

climbed to 500 feet above mean sea level (msl) and then entered a climbing left turn to a

heading of 220o. About 0915:00, the captain made initial contact with the departure

controller, informing him that the airplane was at 1,300 feet msl and climbing to

5,000 feet msl. About 0915:05, the departure controller instructed flight 587 to climb to

and maintain 13,000 feet msl, and the captain acknowledged this instruction about

5 seconds later. About 0915:29, the CVR recorded the captain’s statement “clean

machine,” indicating that the gear, flaps, and slats had all been retracted.

About 0915:35, flight 587 was climbing through 1,700 feet msl with its wings

approximately level. About 1 second later, the departure controller instructed flight 587 to

turn left and proceed direct to the WAVEY navigation intersection (located about 30 miles

southeast of JFK). About 0915:41, the captain acknowledged the instruction. The

controller did not receive any further transmissions from flight 587.

FDR data indicated that, about 0915:36, the airplane experienced a 0.04 G drop in

longitudinal load factor, a 0.07 G shift to the left in lateral load factor, and about a 0.3 G

drop in normal (vertical) load factor.12 The airplane performance study found that these

excursions were consistent with a wake turbulence encounter. Between 0915:36 and

0915:41, the FDR recorded movement of the control column, control wheel, and rudder

pedals. Specifically, the control column moved from approximately 0o (neutral) to 2o nose

up, 2o nose down, and back to 0o; the control wheel moved a total of seven times, with

peaks at 18o right, 30o left, 37o right, 34o left, 5o left, 21o left, and 23o right, before moving

to between 5o and 6o left;13 and the rudder pedals moved from about 0.1 inch left (the

starting point for the pedals) to about 0.1 inch right and 0.2 inch left before moving to

9 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Order 7110.65, “Air Traffic Control Handbook,”

paragraphs 3-9-6, “Same Runway Separation,” and 5-5-4, “Minima,” indicate that the separation for a heavy

airplane behind another heavy airplane is 2 minutes or 4 nautical miles (nm), respectively.

10 See section 1.16.2 for detailed information from the airplane performance study.

11 Japan Air Lines flight 47 and American Airlines flight 587 were separated at all times by at least

4.3 nm horizontally and 3,800 feet vertically.

12 G is a unit of measurement that is equivalent to the acceleration caused by the earth’s gravity

(32.174 feet/second2

).

13 The control wheel can be moved to a maximum of 78o either left or right.
Factual Information 4 Aircraft Accident Report

0.1 inch left. The airplane performance study indicated that, during this time, the rudder

moved from 0o (neutral) to about 2o left, about 0.6o right, and back to 0o.14

During the wake turbulence encounter, the airplane’s pitch angle increased from 9o

to 11.5o, decreased to about 10o, and increased again to 11o. The airplane’s bank angle

moved from 0o (wings level) to 17o left wing down, which was consistent with the turn to

the WAVEY navigation intersection.

At 0915:44.7, the captain stated, “little wake turbulence, huh?” to which the first

officer replied, at 0915:45.6, “yeah.” At 0915:48.2, the first officer indicated that he

wanted the airspeed set to 250 knots, which was the maximum speed for flight below

10,000 feet msl. At that point, the airplane was at an altitude of about 2,300 feet msl. 

FDR data indicated that, about 0915:51, the load factors began excursions that

were similar to those that occurred about 0915:36: the longitudinal load factor dropped

from 0.20 to 0.14 G, the lateral load factor shifted 0.05 G to the left, and the normal load

factor dropped from 1.0 to 0.6 G. The airplane performance study found that these

excursions were also consistent with a wake turbulence encounter. According to the FDR,

the airplane’s bank angle moved from 23o to 25o left wing down at 0915:51.5, the control

wheel moved to 64o right at 0915:51.5, and the rudder pedals moved to 1.7 inches right at

0915:51.9.

At 0915:51.8, 0915:52.3, and 0915:52.9, the CVR recorded the sound of a thump,

a click, and two thumps, respectively. At 0915:54.2, the first officer stated, in a strained

voice, “max power.”15 At that point, the airplane was traveling at 240 knots. About

0915:55, the captain asked, “you all right?” to which the first officer replied, “yeah, I’m

fine.” One second later, the captain stated, “hang onto it. Hang onto it.” The CVR

recorded the sound of a snap at 0915:56.6, the first officer’s statement “let’s go for power

please” at 0915:57.5, and the sound of a loud thump at 0915:57.7. According to the

airplane performance study, the vertical stabilizer’s right rear main attachment fitting

fractured at 0915:58.4,16 and the vertical stabilizer separated from the airplane

immediately afterward. At 0915:58.5, the CVR recorded the sound of a loud bang.17 At

that time, the airplane was traveling at an airspeed of about 251 knots.

14 These rudder movements are within the authority of the yaw damper, which can move the rudder

without a pilot or autopilot input. (Section 1.6.2 provides information about the A300-600’s rudder control

system, including the yaw damper.) Between 0915:41 and 0915:48, the rudder oscillated twice between 0o

and 1o left and then moved to 0.5o left until 09:15:51. These rudder movements are also within the authority

of the yaw damper.

15 The FDR indicated that the captain did not subsequently change the airplane’s power setting.

16 For information about the vertical stabilizer’s attachment fittings, see section 1.6.1. For information

about the fracture of the right rear main attachment fitting, see sections 1.16.2.3 and 1.16.4.

17 It took 0.14 second for the sound of the vertical stabilizer separation to travel from the back of the

airplane to the front to be recorded on the CVR.
Factual Information 5 Aircraft Accident Report

According to the FDR, the rudder pedals moved from 1.7 inches right to 1.7 inches

left, 1.7 inches right, 2.0 inches right, 2.4 inches left, and 1.3 inches right between 0915:52

and 0915:58.5.18 Also, the FDR showed that the control wheel moved 64o to the right at

0915:51.5, 78o (full) to the left at 0915:53.5, 64o to the right at 0915:55.5, and 78o to the

left at 0915:56.5.19 Figure 1 shows these cockpit control movements.

The airplane performance study estimated that, at 0915:53.2, the rudder was

deflected 11o to the left,20 and the sideslip angle at the airplane’s center of gravity (cg) was

about 4o to the left (after peaking temporarily at 5o to the left).21 At 0915:56.8, the rudder

was deflected 10.2o to the left, and the sideslip angle was about 7o to the left. At 0915:58.4

(the time that the right rear main attachment fitting fractured), the rudder was deflected

between 10o and 11o to the right, the sideslip angle was between 11o and 12o to the right,22

and the airplane experienced a 0.2 G shift to the right in lateral load factor.

The CVR recorded, at 0916:00.0, a sound similar to a grunt and, 1 second later, the

first officer’s statement, “holy [expletive].” At 0916:04.4, the CVR recorded a sound

similar to a stall warning repetitive chime, which lasted for 1.9 seconds. At 0916:07.5, the

first officer stated, “what the hell are we into...we’re stuck in it.” At 0916:12.8, the

captain stated, “get out of it, get out of it.” The CVR recording ended 2 seconds later. The

airplane was located at 40o 34' 37.59" north latitude and 73o 51' 01.31" west longitude.

The accident occurred during the hours of daylight.

Figures 2 and 3 show flight 587’s radar track based on JFK Airport Surveillance

Radar-9 (ASR-9) information. Figure 2 shows flight 587’s flightpath, from takeoff to

impact, in relation to the flightpath for Japan Air Lines flight 47, and figure 3 shows

flight 587’s flightpath overlaid on a topographical map, along with key events.

18 After 0915:58.5, the rudder pedals moved briefly to 0.7 inch right and then to 3.9 inches right, where

they remained for the remainder of the FDR recording. (The FDR stopped recording 13.6 seconds before

impact.)

19 The directional movements of the control wheel between 0915:51.5 and 0915:58.5 mostly paralleled

those of the rudder pedals. The only control wheel movements with directions that did not parallel those of

the rudder pedals occurred between 0915:53.5 and 0915:56.0, when the pedals moved to 1.7 inches right and

then 2.0 inches right; the control wheel showed a right-to-left movement between 0915:53.5 and 0915:54.5

and a left-to-right movement between 0915:54.5 and 0915:55.5. Also, between 0915:51 and 0915:53.5, the

rudder pedal movements lagged behind the control wheel movements by about 0.2 second; after 0915:55.5,

the pedal movements lagged behind the wheel movements by 0.5 second.

20 The rudder angle data detected by the rudder position sensor at the vertical stabilizer were filtered

before they were recorded on the FDR. As a result, the rudder angles during the second set of load factor

excursions had to be reconstructed using the recorded FDR data, the characteristics of the filter (as

determined from a test performed during this investigation), and constraints imposed by the rudder control

system and the recorded motion of the airplane. See section 1.11.2 for information about the data filter and

section 1.16.2 for information about the reconstruction of rudder angles.

21 Sideslip is the angle between the longitudinal stability axis of the airplane and the direction of motion

that produces an airspeed component along the airplane’s lateral axis; simply stated, sideslip is a measure of

the “sideways” motion of the airplane through the air. The sideslip angle was not recorded on the FDR but

was calculated using FDR parameters, including heading, roll, and pitch angles and longitudinal, lateral, and

normal load factors. See section 1.16.2 for more information.

22 Afterward, the sideslip angle continued to increase and reached 31o at the end of the FDR recording.
Factual Information 6 Aircraft Accident Report

Figure 1. Control Wheel and Rudder Pedal Movements During the Second Wake 

Encounter
Factual Information 7 Aircraft Accident Report

Figure 2. American Airlines Flight 587 and Japan Air Lines Flight 47 Flightpaths
Factual Information 8 Aircraft Accident Report

Note: The toll booth video and the white streak that appears on it are explained in section 1.16.1 of this report.

Figure 3. Flight 587’s Flightpath and Key Events
Factual Information 9 Aircraft Accident Report

1.2 Injuries to Persons

Table 1. Injury chart

Note: Five fatalities occurred on the ground.

1.3 Damage to Airplane

The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and a postcrash fire. 

1.4 Other Damage

In the immediate vicinity of the impact area, four homes were destroyed, three

homes received substantial damage, and three homes received minor damage. In addition,

the in-flight separation of the engines resulted in property damage where the engines came

to rest. A gas station received minor damage as a result of the impact of the left engine,

and a home and a boat (parked in the driveway) received severe damage as a result of the

impact of the right engine. 

1.5 Personnel Information

1.5.1 The Captain

The captain, age 42, was hired by American Airlines in July 1985. He held an

airline transport pilot (ATP) certificate and a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

first-class medical certificate dated June 5, 2001, with no limitations. The captain received

a type rating on the A30023 in September 1988 while serving as a first officer24 and

Injuries Flight Crew Cabin Crew Passengers Other Total

Fatal 2 7 251 5 265

Serious 0 0 0 0 0

Minor 0 0 0 0 0

None 0 0 0 - 0

Total 2 7 251 5 265

23 The A300 is designated as the A310 on pilot certificates.

24 Title 14 CFR Section 121.543, “Flight crewmembers at controls,” (b) (3) (i), states, in part, that a

second-in-command can act as a pilot-in-command during the en route portion of the flight if the pilot holds

an ATP certificate and an appropriate type rating, is currently qualified as pilot-in-command or

second-in-command, and is qualified as pilot-in-command of that aircraft during the en route cruise portion

of the flight.
Factual Information 10 Aircraft Accident Report

received a type rating on the Boeing 727 in December 1991. He completed initial

operating experience as an A300 captain in August 1998.

According to American Airlines records, the captain joined the U.S. Air Force

Reserves in June 1982. He flew T-37, T-38, and C-141 airplanes while on duty and

received an honorable discharge in 1992. He had accumulated 1,922 hours total flying

time in military and general aviation before his employment with American Airlines. 

American Airlines records also indicated that the captain had accumulated

8,050 hours total flying time,25 including 3,448 hours as pilot-in-command and

1,723 hours as an A300 pilot-in-command. He had flown approximately 146 and 52 hours

in the 90 and 30 days, respectively, before the accident. The captain’s last recurrent

training occurred from June 18 to 22, 2001; his last recurrent proficiency check was on

June 21, 2001; and his last pilot-in-command line check occurred on July 31, 2001. FAA

records indicated no accident or incident history or enforcement action, and a search of the

National Driver Register database indicated no record of driver’s license suspension or

revocation.

According to American Airlines records, the captain had a scheduled day off on

November 8, 2001. He flew a trip that started on the morning of November 9 and ended

on the night of November 10. The captain had a day off on November 11. According to

his wife, the captain’s activities on November 11 included going to church in the morning

and watching television and attending a Cub Scouts committee meeting in the afternoon.

He went to sleep about 2200. On November 12, the captain awoke about 0416 and left his

residence about 0500 to check in for the flight.

The captain’s wife said that he was in good health and that he exercised regularly.

She indicated that he consumed alcohol occasionally but abstained from alcohol within

the required period before reporting for duty. The captain’s wife also stated that he did not

smoke, use tobacco products, or suffer from any sleep disorders. In addition, she indicated

that no changes had occurred in the captain’s eating or sleeping habits, off-duty activities,

or financial situation in the year before the accident.

American Airlines records indicated that the captain and the first officer had flown

together on 36 flight segments before the accident. The captain’s wife stated that he and

the first officer “got along well.”

1.5.1.1 Pilot Interviews Regarding the Captain

The first officer who flew with the captain on November 9 and 10, 2001, described

the captain’s management style as “ideal.” The first officer stated that the captain would

let him fly the airplane but would not hesitate to make suggestions or offer an opinion.

Another first officer who flew recently with the captain stated that he was “confident,

25 This figure includes time as a captain and a first officer. The captain received a flight engineer

certificate in August 1985, but American Airlines’ records did not reflect the captain’s flight times as a flight

engineer.
Factual Information 11 Aircraft Accident Report

respected, and able to get a point across in a nice way.” A first officer who indicated that

he had often flown with the captain on the 727 stated that the captain was an “extremely

good pilot” who was “very relaxed and competent.” This first officer also stated that he

“couldn’t imagine him [the captain] panicking.”

1.5.2 The First Officer

The first officer, age 34, was hired by American Airlines in March 1991. He held

an ATP certificate and an FAA first-class medical certificate dated October 18, 2001, with

a limitation that required him to wear correcting lenses while exercising the privileges of

the certificate. The first officer received a type rating on the A300 in November 1998. 

According to American Airlines records, the first officer had flown Shorts 360,

Beechcraft 99, and DeHavilland DHC-6 airplanes in commuter and regional operations

under 14 CFR Parts 121 and 135. He had accumulated 3,220 hours total flying time in

commercial and general aviation before his employment with American Airlines.

American Airlines records also indicated that the first officer had accumulated

4,403 hours total flying time,26 including 1,835 hours as an A300 second-in-command.

He had flown approximately 135 and 52 hours in the 90 and 30 days before the accident.

The first officer’s second-in-command qualification line check occurred on December 12,

1998; his last recurrent training occurred from December 17 to 21, 2000, and on

January 5, 2001; and his last recurrent proficiency check was on December 23, 2000.27

FAA records indicated no accident or incident history or enforcement action, and a search

of the National Driver Register database indicated no record of driver’s license suspension

or revocation.

American Airlines records indicated that the first officer flew 1-day trip sequences

on November 8 and 9 and was off duty on November 9 at 2209. He then had a 48-hour

crew rest period on November 10 and 11. According to his father, the first officer’s

activities on November 11 included helping a friend prepare her sailboat for the winter and

then going out to lunch, having friends over to his home for dinner, and speaking by

telephone with his parents about 2230. A friend of the first officer’s (an American

Airlines flight attendant), who spoke with him by telephone earlier in the evening of

November 11, indicated that he planned to go to bed between 2200 and 2300. The friend

also indicated that the first officer was excited about his trip the next day because he liked

the captain and enjoyed working with him. The first officer’s father indicated that his

son’s alarm clock had been set for 0530 on the morning of the flight.

26 The first officer received a flight engineer certificate in April 1990, but American Airlines’ records

did not reflect the first officer’s flight times as a flight engineer.

27 The first officer completed the ground school portion of the training on January 5, 2001, because the

classroom presentation for human factors had been canceled (for unknown reasons) during the December 17

through 21, 2000, time period. Also, the first officer’s proficiency check was not accomplished until

December 23, 2000, because of mechanical problems with the simulator during the December 17

through 21, 2000, time period.
Factual Information 12 Aircraft Accident Report

The first officer’s father indicated that his son was in good health and was “very

health conscious” and that no recent changes had occurred in his son’s health. The first

officer’s father also stated that his son consumed alcohol occasionally and never used

illicit drugs or tobacco products. The first officer’s friend indicated that he enjoyed his

flying schedule because he liked getting up early for trips and returning home the same

day.

1.5.2.1 Pilot Interviews Regarding the First Officer

An American Airlines captain who flew several times with the first officer on the

727 (when they were a junior captain and junior first officer, respectively) told Safety

Board investigators that, during one flight sometime in 1997,28 the first officer had been

“very aggressive” on the rudder pedals after a wake turbulence encounter. Specifically,

the captain indicated that, when the airplane was at an altitude of between 1,000 and

1,500 feet, the first officer “stroked the rudder pedals 1-2-3, about that fast.” The captain

thought that the airplane had lost an engine and was thus focused on the engine

instruments. The captain stated that he then asked the first officer what he was doing and

that the first officer replied that he was “leveling the wings due to wake turbulence.” The

captain, who had his feet on the rudder pedals, thought that the first officer had pushed the

rudder to its full stops.

The captain did not recall what type of airplane the 727 was following. He thought

that the wake turbulence encounter required only aileron29 inputs to level the wings but did

not think that the first officer had made any such inputs during the encounter. The captain

recalled being startled by the first officer’s rudder inputs and indicated that they did not

level the wings but created left and right yawing moments and heavy side loads30 on the

airplane. He further indicated that the first officer did not need to be so aggressive

because the 727 was “a very stable airplane.”

According to the captain, he and the first officer discussed this event later in the

flight. The captain pointed out to the first officer that his use of the rudder pedals was

“quite aggressive,” but the first officer insisted that the American Airlines Advanced

Aircraft Maneuvering Program (AAMP)31 directed him to use the rudder pedals in that

manner. The captain disagreed with the first officer and told him that the AAMP directed

that the rudder was to be used at lower airspeeds. The captain told the first officer to

review the AAMP when he returned home and to be less aggressive on the rudder pedals

when they flew together. The captain indicated that, during a wake turbulence encounter

28 American Airlines records indicated that the flight occurred during a 3-day trip sequence from

August 31 to September 2, 1997. 

29 An aileron is an aerodynamic control surface that is attached to the trailing edges of each wing. The

ailerons, when commanded, rotate up or down in opposite directions.

30 Sideload is an effect of lateral acceleration that is typically the result of sideslip or yaw acceleration.

31 According to American Airlines, AAMP is “advanced training for experienced aviators involving

upsets in aircraft attitude.” AAMP consists of ground school and simulator flight training. At the time of

the 1997 flight, the first officer had attended AAMP ground school but had not yet attended AAMP

simulator training. For more information about AAMP, see section 1.17.1.2.
Factual Information 13 Aircraft Accident Report

on a subsequent flight, the first officer modified his wake turbulence maneuver;

specifically, the first officer used the rudder during the encounter but did not push the

rudder to its full stop. The captain added that the first officer was still “very quick” on the

rudder. 

The captain stated that he did not document or report this event at the time that it

occurred. The captain further stated that he remembered the event with such clarity

because he had never seen any pilot other than the first officer perform this maneuver.

The flight engineer who flew with the captain and the first officer during the 1997

trip sequence recalled that the captain and the first officer had a discussion regarding

piloting skills but added that he was not part of that conversation. The flight engineer

indicated that he did not recall anything remarkable (such as a yawing event associated

with wake turbulence) that would have provoked the discussion. The flight engineer also

indicated that the first officer did not discuss the incident with him but that the captain

made a “passing comment” to him about the incident after the flight.

The flight engineer did remember a different event involving the first officer that

he thought also occurred sometime in 1997. Specifically, the flight engineer and the first

officer (the flying pilot) were on final approach (about 7 miles from the runway) in

instrument meteorological conditions to LaGuardia International Airport, New York,

when a Boeing 737 ahead of their 727 performed a go-around. The 727 encountered the

wake from the 737. The flight engineer thought that the airplane rolled as a result of the

wake encounter but that the bank angle did not exceed 30o. The flight engineer stated that

the first officer made a “fast” decision to go around because of the wake. The first officer

called for maximum power without “discussion or hesitation.” The flight engineer

explained that the airplane’s tail went down as the nose of the airplane pitched up. The

flight engineer stated that the go-around felt “weird” but that the first officer “flew the

airplane to do what was necessary to keep the airplane under control.” The flight engineer

also stated that the event happened when the airplane was at an altitude of between 3,000

and 5,000 feet above ground level (agl) and that the airplane was not in immediate danger

of ground contact. In addition, the flight engineer stated that the event was one of the

more memorable ones of his career.

The captain indicated that the first officer’s aggressive response to wake

turbulence was out of character. Specifically, the captain described the first officer’s

overall flying skills as “excellent” and did not recall aggressive movements or abnormal

rudder inputs during other trips with him. Also, the flight engineer stated that the first

officer flew airplanes “smoothly and accurately.” In addition, the Safety Board

interviewed other pilots who provided similar information about the first officer’s flying

abilities. For example, one captain who flew with the first officer on the 727 stated that he

was an “excellent” pilot who was “well above the norm.” This captain also stated that he

never had to question the first officer’s flying ability and that he never saw the first officer

fly the airplane aggressively.
Factual Information 14 Aircraft Accident Report

1.6 Airplane Information

 Airbus Industrie,32 the manufacturer of the A300-600 airplane, is headquartered in

Toulouse, France. The airplane is type-certificated for operation in the United States

under 14 CFR 21.29 and a bilateral airworthiness agreement between the U.S. and French

governments. (See section 1.6.4 for A300-600 certification information.)

The development of the A300 airplane began in May 1969, and the first flight of

an A300 occurred in October 1972. The A300B2 and A300B4 models entered service in

May 1974 and June 1975, respectively. The development of the A300-600 series airplane

(a derivative of the A300B2/B4) began in December 1980, the first flight of an A300-600

occurred in July 1983, and the airplane was certificated in March 1984. Before the

accident, 242 A300-600 series airplanes were in service worldwide.

The accident airplane’s official designation was A300B4-605R. A review of the

American Airlines air carrier certificate, which included the standards, terms, conditions,

and limitations contained in the FAA-approved operations specifications, revealed no

discrepancies regarding the company’s operation of the A300B4-605R airplane. A review

of the FAA’s type certificate data sheet for the A300B4-605 airplane, which prescribes the

conditions and limitations under which the airplane meets airworthiness requirements,

revealed no discrepancies.

The accident airplane, N14053, serial number (S/N) 420, was delivered new to

American Airlines on July 12, 1988.33 At the time of the accident, the airplane had

accumulated 37,550 flight hours and 14,934 cycles.34 All applicable FAA airworthiness

directives (AD) were accomplished on the airplane.

The airplane’s weight and balance on the day of the accident were calculated

according to the American Airlines takeoff performance system and the procedures in the

Airbus A300-600 Flight Crew Operating Manual (FCOM). Both computations determined

that the airplane’s weight and balance were within limitations. The airplane departed JFK

with a takeoff weight of 349,370 pounds, which was below the maximum takeoff weight

limitation of 353,500 pounds, and the corresponding cg was 29.1 percent mean

aerodynamic chord (MAC). The airplane had a forward limit of 20.3 percent MAC and an

aft limit of 34.3 percent MAC.

32 Airbus Industrie is a consortium of aerospace companies located in countries throughout Europe,

including France, Germany, Great Britain, and Spain. A300-600 parts are manufactured in Airbus facilities

throughout Europe, but the final assembly of the A300-600 occurs at company headquarters in Toulouse.

33 In a final commitment letter dated July 12, 1988, Airbus indicated that “delamination and bonding

failure have been found in the aircraft fin central fittings.” (The terms “fin” and “vertical stabilizer” are

synonymous.) A repair was performed that reinforced the defect area with additional fabric layers attached

by rivets. The final commitment letter also stated, “further to the several actions and repairs accomplished,

there are no further aircraft limitations.”

34 An airplane cycle is one complete takeoff and landing sequence.
Factual Information 15 Aircraft Accident Report

1.6.1 Vertical Stabilizer and Rudder

The A300-600 vertical stabilizer and rudder were constructed with composite

materials, that is, mixtures that contain two or more distinct materials that are unified into

one combined material. The composite materials used in the vertical stabilizer and the

rudder consisted primarily of long fibers of carbon or glass held together by an epoxy

polymer. These materials are identified as carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) or

glass fiber reinforced plastics (GFRP). The materials are manufactured as plies (or sheets)

of fibers that are premixed with an uncured, flexible epoxy. The plies in the sheets are

either oriented in one direction or are woven with fibers oriented at right angles. The plies

are shaped and stacked in a mold and are then cured under heat and pressure to form a

solid structure. The stiffness and strength of a structure made of composite materials

depend on the number of plies and the orientation of the fibers in the plies.

The vertical stabilizer consists of a torque box, a leading edge and tip, and a

trailing edge. The torque box is the main structural component. It is made from a CFRP

material and has a front, center, and rear spar; left and right skin panels; 18 ribs (including

top and bottom closure ribs);35 and 24 stringers on each skin panel. The leading edge and

tip are curved panels made from a GFRP material with a honeycomb core and are

mechanically fastened to (but removable from) the torque box. The trailing edge panels

are made from a GFRP material with a honeycomb core and are mechanically fastened to

(but removable from) the trailing edge support structure, which is made of a light alloy

framework that is mechanically fastened to the torque box.

The vertical stabilizer is attached to the aft fuselage by three pairs of main

attachment fittings and three pairs of transverse load fittings, as shown in figure 4. All of

the fittings are made from a CFRP material. The main attachment fitting pairs, which are

up to 1.6 to 2.5 inches thick, are located at the bottom of the front, center, and rear spars

and are integrated in the skin panels. The transverse load fittings pairs, which are up to

0.5 inch thick, are integrated in the front, center, and rear spars. Each main attachment

fitting (left forward, left center, left rear, right forward, right center, right rear) has its own

assembly that consists of inboard and outboard fitting halves that are bonded to the skin

panels during the curing process. The fitting assemblies and skin panels have lug

portions,36 which extend below rib 1. Figure 5 shows a main attachment lug in detail. 

35 The ribs are numbered sequentially from bottom to top; thus, rib number 1 is the bottom closure rib,

and rib number 18 is the top closure rib. 

36 The part of a fitting through which a pin passes to fasten mating parts is the lughole, and the area that

immediately surrounds the lughole is the lug portion of the fitting.
Factual Information 16 Aircraft Accident Report

Source: Airbus

Note: Letter A in the left corner shows the location of a main attachment lug (which is shown in detail in figure 5).

Figure 4. Vertical Stabilizer-to-Aft Fuselage Attachment Points

A

Main

attachment

fitting

Transverse

load

fittings

Main

attachment

fitting

Transverse

load

fittings

Transverse

load

fittings

Main

attachment

fitting

Main

attachment

fitting

Main

attachment

fitting

Main

attachment

fitting
Factual Information 17 Aircraft Accident Report

Source: Airbus

Figure 5. Main Attachment Lug

The rudder is attached to the aft portion of the vertical stabilizer and is used for

controlling engine-out situations and aligning the airplane with the runway during

crosswind landings. The rudder consists of the rudder torque box and rudder leading edge

and tip. These parts are made from a CFRP and GFRP material over a honeycomb core.

The rudder torque box, which is assembled from the left and right skin panels and the spar

web, is the main structural component and has a front spar and top and bottom closure

ribs. The rudder leading edge and tip are mechanically fastened to (but removable from)

the rudder torque box. Three mechanically controlled hydraulic actuators, referred to as

servo controls, operate the rudder. Information about the rudder control system is

discussed in section 1.6.2. 

The rudder is attached to the vertical stabilizer rear spar by seven hinge arm

assemblies. These assemblies consist of a hinge arm, a hinge attachment fitting on the

vertical stabilizer skin panels and rear spar, and a hinge attachment fitting on the rudder

Lughole

Lug

Bushing

Pin

Clevis
Factual Information 18 Aircraft Accident Report

skin panels and rudder front spar. Hinge arm numbers 1, 5, 6, and 7 are made from

aluminum alloy, and hinge arm numbers 2, 3, and 4 are made from tubular steel. Each

hinge arm has three self-aligning bearings that allow the rudder to rotate about the hinge

line (that is, the axis about which the rudder rotates).37 The vertical stabilizer hinge

attachment fittings are made from a CFRP material, and the rudder hinge attachment

fittings are made from aluminum. The three rudder servo controls are part of hinge arm

assembly numbers 2, 3, and 4 (one per assembly) and are attached with fittings to the

vertical stabilizer rear spar and the rudder front spar.

The rudder is also attached to the vertical stabilizer rear spar by a support strut

assembly, which maintains vertical alignment of the rudder. This assembly consists of a

support strut and a support strut attachment fitting on the vertical stabilizer skin panels and

rear spar. The support strut and its attachment fitting are made of an aluminum alloy. The

support strut assembly is installed above and attached to hinge arm assembly number 4.

1.6.2 Rudder Control System

The rudder control system includes (1) the rudder pedals, the rudder trim actuator,

the yaw damper actuator, and the yaw autopilot actuator, which command the rudder to

move; (2) pushrods, bellcranks, a tension regulator, and cables (also referred to as

linkages), which transmit rudder commands; (3) three servo controls (upper, middle, and

lower), which operate the rudder; (4) a rudder travel limiter system, which provides a

variable stop that limits rudder pedal travel with increasing airspeeds; and (5) a differential

unit, which is a mechanical device that sends the rudder servo controls a command that is

the sum of a pilot or an autopilot input and a yaw damper input. The maximum rudder

deflection is 30o either left or right, the maximum rate of rudder movement (with no loads)

is 60o ±5o per second, and the maximum rudder pedal displacement is 4 inches.38 The

rudder control system is shown in figure 6.

Each pilot position has a pair of rudder pedals (left and right).39 The rudder pedals

are connected through pushrods and bellcranks to a cable tension regulator under the

cockpit. The cable tension regulator maintains constant cable tension and transmits rod

motion to two cables that run the length of the fuselage to a rudder control quadrant

located aft of the pressure bulkhead and below the vertical stabilizer. The rudder control

quadrant converts cable motion to bellcrank and rod movements that travel along the rear

spar of the vertical stabilizer to the rudder servo controls. The rudder pedals have a

22-pound breakout force,40 that is, the rudder pedal does not begin to move until

22 pounds of pedal force has been applied.

37 The rudder hinge line lies on the 70 percent chord of the vertical stabilizer and rudder assembly and

is swept back 30o.

38 The rudder deflection limits and the rudder pedal limits decrease with increasing airspeed, as

discussed later in this section.

39 A pushrod provides a rigid connection between the pedals at one pilot position and the pedals at the

other pilot position. As a result, rudder motion can only occur if one pilot solely operates the pedals or if

both pilots move their pedals in the same direction.

40 The purpose of the breakout force is to prevent any inadvertent rudder pedal input.
Factual Information 19 Aircraft Accident Report

Source: Airbus

Figure 6. Rudder Control System

The rudder trim actuator implements rudder trim by adjusting the length of the

artificial feel and trim unit through an internal jackscrew. The artificial feel and trim unit,

which is connected through a bellcrank to the rudder control quadrant, also provides

rudder pedal feel and centering forces. The artificial feel and trim unit provides force

feedback to the pilot during a pedal input and a one-to-one correspondence between pedal

position and pedal force. The springs in the artificial feel and trim unit provide rudder

pedal force feel loads that are proportional to the rudder pedal input. The artificial feel

and trim unit brings the rudder pedals and rudder deflection back to zero (assuming no

trim is commanded) when all forces are released from the rudder pedals. If trim is

commanded, the artificial feel and trim unit brings the pedals and rudder back to the trim

position.

The yaw damper actuator is an electrohydraulic mechanism that operates the yaw

damper system.41 The yaw damper actuator has two cylinders, each of which is controlled

by a flight augmentation computer. The two yaw damper cylinders have a common output

axis that is connected to two output levers that lead to the differential unit. One of the yaw

damper cylinders is referred to as the driving cylinder, and the other yaw damper cylinder

41 The three functions of the yaw damper system are Dutch roll damping (that is, overcoming the

yawing and rolling oscillations that are inherent in swept-wing airplanes), turn coordination, and engine

failure compensation. Dutch roll damping is active throughout the flight envelope. Turn coordination is not

active if the autopilot is engaged. Engine failure compensation is active only if the autopilot is engaged. 

Servo control

Variable stop transducer unit

Variable stop actuator

Yaw autopilot actuator

Variable stop lever

Stop

Yaw damper actuator

Artificial feel

and trim unit

Trim actuator

Differential unit

Pushrods and bellcranks

First officer's

pedals

Captain's

pedals

Cables and pulleys

Tension regulator
Factual Information 20 Aircraft Accident Report

is referred to as the driven cylinder. The yaw damper system commands small rudder

position changes to minimize the effects of yaw rate. For example, if the airplane were

yawing to the left, small right rudder deflections, as commanded by the yaw damper,

would tend to slow the yaw rate and minimize the yaw angle that would develop.

Yaw damper commands are limited by software in the flight augmentation

computers to a maximum of 39o of rudder per second. The maximum allowable

displacement of the rudder by the yaw damper for airspeeds up to 165 knots is 10o, and the

maximum allowable displacement for airspeeds greater than 165 knots is determined by

the formula 10 x (165/knots indicated airspeed)2. The maximum displacement of the

rudder by the yaw damper at an airspeed of 250 knots (the approximate airspeed of the

flight 587 airplane at the time of the accident) is 4.4o. The yaw damper and the rudder

pedals are not linked, so yaw damper inputs do not result in pedal motion (because such

inputs can be transmitted independent of the main bellcrank).

Rudder position is determined by the sum of the rudder pedal input and the yaw

damper command. However, a rudder pedal input can negate the effect of the yaw

damper. Specifically, the rudder position can be held at its limit (shown in table 2 later in

this section) by a continuous push of the pedal, regardless of the yaw damper command.

For example, if the pedal commanded a rudder position at the limit, a yaw damper

command could allow the rudder position to decrease from that limit, but pushing the

pedal farther forward would cause the rudder position to again achieve the limit.

Conversely, if a yaw damper command resulted in a rudder position that was greater than

the limit, the system would push the pedal aft while the rudder position remained at the

limit. In either case, the rudder would remain at the limit while the yaw damper

commanded a left or right input and the pedals moved in the opposite direction. 

The yaw autopilot actuator, which produces yaw autopilot commands,42 is a single

unit that houses two electrohydraulic actuators, each of which is controlled by a flight

control computer. The yaw autopilot actuator has an output lever that is connected

through a torque limiter to the main bellcrank. The torque limiter allows a pilot to

override an autopilot output as long as the pilot applies about 143 pounds more than the

rudder pedal feel forces. Yaw autopilot commands are limited by software in the flight

control computers to a maximum of 34o of rudder per second. The yaw autopilot actuator

and the rudder pedals are rigidly linked, so a yaw autopilot input (through the main

bellcrank) results in pedal motion.

The rudder travel limiter system reduces the maximum allowable rudder deflection

as airspeed increases. Specifically, the system reduces the maximum rudder deflections

from ±30o at speeds at and below 165 knots to ±3.5o at speeds of 395 knots and above, as

shown in table 2. Rudder pedal and yaw damper commands are restricted to the limits

imposed by the rudder travel limiter system.

42 The yaw autopilot is active only if the slats are extended and the autopilot is engaged.
Factual Information 21 Aircraft Accident Report

Table 2. Rudder Limits at Various Airspeeds

The rudder travel limiter system is controlled by two feel and limitations

computers. Each feel and limitations computer receives indicated airspeed data from two

air data systems and uses the data from the system with the higher values to determine the

appropriate rudder limit.43 Feel and limitations computer number 1 is normally the active

computer, and feel and limitations computer number 2 is normally the backup computer.

Both feel and limitations computers are powered by a.c. electricity, but computer

number 1 receives a.c. electrical power from the airplane’s emergency bus. Each feel and

limitations computer operates one of the motors of the variable stop actuator. Figure 7

shows the rudder travel limiter system along with the maximum rudder deflections shown

in table 2.

The variable stop actuator motors are rigidly connected and are powered by a.c.

electricity. The motors drive a jackscrew through a reduction gear and torque limiter to

adjust the position of a variable stop lever, which limits the travel of the bellcrank that is

located above the differential unit. Two transducers (one for each feel and limitations

computer) indicate the position of the variable stop actuator. The transducers are

connected to the variable stop lever by a pushrod. In the event that a.c. electrical power is

lost, the feel and limitations computers would drive the variable stop actuator to provide

full authority (that is, 30o either side of neutral) to the rudder control system. 

Airspeed (knots) Rudder limit (degrees)

0 to 165 30

220 14.5

250 9.3

270 7

310 5

350 4

395 and above 3.5

43 If one of the air data systems were to fail, then both feel and limitations computers would use

indicated airspeed data from the operating air data system.
Factual Information 22 Aircraft Accident Report

Source: Airbus

Figure 7. Rudder Travel Limiter System

The variable stop limits the rudder pedal travel as airspeed increases over

165 knots. As the pedal travel limit is reduced, the pedal force required to reach the new

travel limit is also reduced. Table 3 shows the pedal force and pedal travel required to

achieve the maximum deflection of the A300-600 rudder at a low airspeed (135 knots

Rudder travel limiter

Feel and limitations computer 1

Feel and limitations computer 2

Variable stop transducer unit

To rudder

Variable stop lever

From pedals Variable stop actuator

Actuator

motor

Actuator

motor

0 100 200 300 400 500

Rudder limit (degrees)

35

20

15

10

5

0

30

25

Indicated airspeed (knots)
Factual Information 23 Aircraft Accident Report

calibrated airspeed [KCAS]) and at the approximate airspeed that the flight 587 airplane

was traveling at the time of the accident (250 KCAS).

Table 3. Rudder Pedal Force Required for Full Rudder Deflection

a

 This amount of pedal travel may change slightly because of the response of the yaw damper.

1.6.2.1 Public Hearing Testimony on the A300-600 Rudder Control System 

At the public hearing for this accident,44 the vice president of Airbus’ flight control

and hydraulic department stated that the rudder was not normally used during cruise flight

to control roll.45 The vice president of training for Airbus North America customer

services stated that the ailerons and spoilers were used to control roll.46 This Airbus vice

president also stated that the rudder was used to control yaw and sideslip and that the

rudder “is not a primary flight control to induce roll under any circumstances unless

normal roll control is not functional.” He further stated that, if pilots were to experience a

roll for any reason, “they will intuitively try and counter the roll with their normal roll

control. If they exhaust their normal roll control, they will then go to rudder to try and

induce a roll.” He added that it would be “a long path to get down to that level of

degradation to where a pilot would be exposed to using rudder.”

Regarding the rudder travel limiter system, American Airlines’ A300 fleet

standards manager47 stated that, before the flight 587 accident, he thought that pilots knew

“quite a bit” about the rudder limiter system but that, after the accident, it became apparent

that pilots, as well as the aviation industry as a whole, “didn’t know much about rudder

Airspeed (KCAS) Pedal force 

(pounds) Pedal travel (inches) Full rudder deflection (degrees)

135 65 4 30

250 32 1.2a 9.3

44 The Safety Board held a public hearing for this accident from October 29 to November 1, 2002, in

Washington, D.C. (see appendix A). The Board may hold a public hearing as part of its investigation into an

accident to supplement the factual record of the investigation. The Board calls technical experts as witnesses

to testify, and Board investigative staff and designated representatives from the parties to the investigation

ask questions to obtain additional factual information. The hearing is not intended to analyze factual

information for cause.

45 Roll is the rotation of an airplane about its longitudinal axis.

46 A spoiler is a device located on a wing’s upper surface that, when commanded, provides increased

drag and decreased lift. The A300-600 has one aileron and five spoilers on each wing.

47 The A300 fleet standards manager has been in that position since July 2002. At the time of the

accident, he was the Fokker F.100 and A300 fleet training manager.
Factual Information 24 Aircraft Accident Report

limiter systems and in fact possibly had wrong perceptions.” The A300 fleet standards

manager also stated the following:

Most pilots think that a limiter on some system will protect...the pilot from

exceeding whatever parameter that limiter is limiting. And in this case...and it’s

not unique to Airbus aircraft...the pilots think that the rudder limiter will protect

the aircraft structurally, and if it can’t...they think...that there would be a

limitation or a warning or caution or a note that would indicate...that the rudder

limiter couldn’t protect [the aircraft] structurally.

Regarding the rudder pedals, the A300 fleet standards manager stated that, before

the flight 587 accident, American Airlines did not teach its pilots during training that

rudder pedal movement would become restricted as airspeed increased. The fleet

standards manager also stated that he did not know that the rudder pedal movement would

become restricted because the pedals are not normally pushed to the stop in flight. In

addition, the fleet standards manager stated that, before the flight 587 accident, he did not

think that any pilot would have thought that full rudder could be gained from about

1 1/4 inch of pedal movement and 10 pounds of pressure (above the breakout force) at an

airspeed of 250 knots.

1.6.2.2 Airbus Changes to the A300-600 Rudder Control System Design 

In designing the A300-600 rudder control system, Airbus made two changes to the

rudder control system that was used on the airplane’s predecessors, the A300B2 and

A300B4. First, Airbus decreased the forces required to depress the rudder pedals on the

A300-600. At the public hearing, the vice president of Airbus’ flight control and

hydraulic department stated that pilots suggested that roll control (aileron) forces be

reduced to allow for more precise piloting. As a result, Airbus decided to reduce control

wheel forces by about 30 percent and to reduce rudder pedal forces to maintain

consistency with control wheel forces. According to an Airbus flight control systems

engineer, the reduced pedal force was achieved because (1) the springs in the A300-600

artificial feel and trim unit were different than those in the A300B2/B4 artificial feel and

trim unit; (2) the A300-600’s design included a variable stop actuator, whereas the

A300B2/B4’s design included a variable lever arm; and (3) the ratio between the pedals

and the artificial feel and trim unit in the A300-600 was different than that in the

A300B2/B4. 

Second, Airbus changed the rudder travel limiter system on the A300-600 from a

variable ratio design,48 which was used on the A300B2/B4, to a variable stop design.

Airbus indicated that the variable stop design was chosen for the A300-600 over the

variable ratio design because it was less complex and had less severe failure modes.

The two changes to the A300-600’s rudder control system resulted in a substantial

increase in the airplane’s response to a given amount of force above the pedal breakout

48 The variable ratio design allows a constant range of pedal travel but reduces the amount of

commanded control surface movement at higher airspeeds through an internal limiter. 
Factual Information 25 Aircraft Accident Report

force at higher airspeeds. The magnitude of the airplane’s response to forces applied on

the controls is a measure of the sensitivity of those controls. A more sensitive control

requires less pilot force on, and less displacement of, the control to obtain a given airplane

response than a less sensitive control. The sensitivity of the controls has an important

influence on the handling qualities of the airplane, and a pilot’s feel for the airplane is

largely a matter of familiarity with the sensitivity of the controls.

The sensitivity of an airplane’s pitch axis control (that is, the control column) is

carefully engineered during design and is affected by certification requirements, such as

the speed stability requirement contained in 14 CFR 25.173(c), which regulates the “stick

force per knot” gradient required to deviate from the trim airspeed using the column.

Military specifications for fighter and transport aircraft (MIL-STD-1797A, appendix A)

further regulate the sensitivity of the pitch axis through specifications for “stick force per

G” characteristics, which measure the amount of column force required to hold the

airplane in a steady pull-up or a steady level turn at a given normal load factor. As a result

of these requirements, the sensitivity of the pitch controls do not change substantially as

airspeed increases. 

No Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) or military specifications are analogous to

the pitch control sensitivity requirements governing the sensitivity of the pedal controls,

except for the requirement in 14 CFR 25.177 that the angle of sideslip must be

“substantially proportional” to the rudder angle (see section 1.6.4.4). As a result, the

sensitivity of the pedals can be either relatively constant with airspeed (as it is for variable

ratio systems), or it can increase significantly with airspeed (as it does for variable stop

systems). 

There is also no industry standard measure of rudder pedal sensitivity that is

analogous to the stick-force-per-knot or stick-force-per-G measures of sensitivity in the

pitch axis. Developing such an analogous measure for pedal sensitivity is difficult

because the airplane response to a pedal input can quickly become very complicated,

involving motion about all three axes of the airplane as the sideslip angle resulting from

the initial yawing motion produces a roll, and the roll is followed by a drop in pitch and an

increase in airspeed. However, if a pedal input were initiated from steady, level flight, the

initial response of the airplane would be a yaw acceleration in the direction of the pedal

input. This yaw acceleration would produce a lateral acceleration at the cockpit, and the

more sensitive the pedals, the larger the lateral acceleration will be for a given input.

Thus, a measure of pedal sensitivity that is similar to the stick-force-per-G measure of

pitch sensitivity is the amount of initial lateral acceleration produced in the cockpit per

pound of pedal force above the breakout force. 

The sensitivity of the rudder pedals, measured in this way, is proportional to the

square of the airplane’s airspeed, the amount of rudder deflection per pedal deflection, and

the amount of pedal deflection per pedal force. With either variable ratio or variable stop

rudder control systems, the amount of pedal deflection per pedal force remains constant.

For airplanes with variable ratio systems, as airspeed increases, the amount of rudder

deflection per pedal deflection decreases, which offsets the effect of increasing airspeed

and keeps the pedal sensitivity relatively constant. For airplanes with variable stop
Factual Information 26 Aircraft Accident Report

systems (such as the A300-600), the rudder deflection per pedal deflection remains

constant, so the sensitivity of the pedals increases with the square of the airspeed. These

characteristics are illustrated in figure 8, which compares the A300-600 and A300B2/B4

rudder pedal sensitivities as a function of airspeed and shows that the A300-600 is twice

as responsive to a pedal displacement at 250 knots KCAS than at 165 KCAS.

Figure 8. A300-600 and A300B2/B4 Rudder Pedal Sensitivities

1.6.2.3 A300-600 Rudder Control System Design Compared

With Other Airplanes

The Safety Board compared the rudder control system design characteristics of the

A300-600 with the A300B2/B4, other Airbus airplanes, and Boeing- and McDonnell

Douglas-designed airplanes, as shown in table 4. Also, the Board used four metrics to

quantify aspects of pedal sensitivity at 250 knots for the same airplane models, as shown

in table 5. These four metrics were (1) the ratio of maximum force to breakout force,

(2) the degrees of rudder commanded per pound of force above the breakout force, (3) the
Factual Information 27 Aircraft Accident Report

pedal displacement as a percent of total displacement at low airspeed, and (4) the work

involved in pushing the pedal to maximum. For the second metric (degrees of rudder

commanded per pound of force above the breakout force), a higher value suggests a more

sensitive rudder pedal design; for the other three metrics, a lower value suggests a more

sensitive pedal design.

Table 4. A300-600 Rudder Control System Design Characteristics Compared With Those 

of Other Airplanes

135 knots 250 knots

Airplane

Breakout 

force 

(pounds)

Pedal 

force 

(pounds)

Pedal 

travel 

(inches)

Rudder 

deflection 

(degrees)

Pedal 

force 

(pounds)

Pedal 

travel 

(inches)

Rudder 

deflection 

(degrees)

Airbus-designed airplanes

A300B2/B4 22.0 125.0 4.0 30.0 125.0 4.0 9.3

A310 22.0 65.0 4.0 30.0 32.0 1.2 9.3

A300-600 22.0 65.0 4.0 30.0 32.0 1.2 9.3

A320 21.3 80.0 4.0 30.0 36.0 1.1 8.3

A330-300 32.0 80.5 4.0 30.0 45.0 1.2 9.5

A340-300 32.0 80.5 4.0 30.0 45.0 1.2 9.5

Boeing-designed airplanes

707 a 70.0 2.3 24.0 100.0 1.3 9.0

727 17.0 80.0 3.0 18.0 50.0 1.3 7.0

737 15.0 70.0 2.8 18.0 50.0 1.0 4.0

747 19.0 80.0 4.0 30.0 80.0 4.0 12.0

757 16.0 80.0 4.0 26.0 80.0 4.0 6.0

767 17.0 80.0 3.6 26.0 80.0 3.6 8.0

777 18.0 60.0 2.9 27.0 60.0 2.9 9.0

McDonnell Douglas-designed airplanes

DC-8 a 85.0 3.6 32.0 65.0 1.5 13.0

DC-9 16.0 75.0 2.6 22.0 60.0 1.1 8.0

MD-80 15.0 75.0 2.6 22.0 60.0 1.1 8.0

MD-90 20.0 75.0 3.3 29.0 65.0 1.6 13.0

DC-10 10.0 80.0 3.8 23.0 65.0 2.0 14.0
Factual Information 28 Aircraft Accident Report

a These data were not supplied to the Safety Board. 

Table 5. Metrics Used to Compare Rudder Pedal Sensitivity at 250 Knots

135 knots 250 knots

Airplane

Breakout 

force 

(pounds)

Pedal 

force 

(pounds)

Pedal 

travel 

(inches)

Rudder 

deflection 

(degrees)

Pedal 

force 

(pounds)

Pedal 

travel 

(inches)

Rudder 

deflection 

(degrees)

McDonnell Douglas-designed airplanes

MD-11 10.0 80.0 3.8 23.0 65.0 2.2 15.0

717 20.0 75.0 3.3 29.0 65.0 1.6 13.0

Metric of rudder pedal sensitivity

Airplane System

Ratio of 

maximum 

force to 

breakout 

forcea

Rudder 

commanded 

(degrees) per 

pound of 

force above 

the breakout 

force 

Pedal 

displacement 

as a percent 

of total 

displacement

Work 

involved 

(pound 

inches) in 

pushing the 

pedal to 

maximum 

Airbus-designed airplanes

A300B2/B4 Variable ratio 4.68 0.09 100 294

A310 Variable stop 1.45 0.93 30 32

A300-600 Variable stop 1.45 0.93 30 32

A320 Variable stop 1.69 0.56 28 32

A330 Variable stop 1.41 0.73 31 48

A340 Variable stop 1.41 0.73 31 48

Boeing-designed airplanes

707 Force limitb c c 57 c

727 Force limit 2.94 0.21 43 44

737 Force limit 3.33 0.11 36 33

747 Variable ratio 4.21 0.20 100 198

757 Variable ratio 5.00 0.09 100 192

767 Variable ratio 4.71 0.13 100 175

777 Variable ratio 3.33 0.21 100 113
Factual Information 29 Aircraft Accident Report

Note: These metrics are not provided for the 135-knot airspeed (which was shown in table 4) because rudder control 

characteristics at that airspeed are relatively similar among all transport-category airplanes.

a This number was achieved by dividing the maximum pedal force by the breakout force. 

b In the force limit design (also referred to as a blowdown limited design), the pedal displacement reduces with airspeed, but 

the hydraulic power available to move the rudder is limited and cannot overcome high vertical stabilizer aerodynamic loads, 

even with a pilot-commanded rudder input. Because this design adds an extra safety feature to prevent high vertical 

stabilizer loads, the pedal sensitivity measures may not be directly comparable with the other two rudder pedal designs. 

c Because the Safety Board did not receive breakout force data for these airplanes, the Board was unable to make these 

computations.

1.6.3 Powerplants 

The accident airplane was equipped with two General Electric CF6-80C2A5

engines. The left (number 1) engine, S/N 695-211, was installed on the accident airplane

on August 13, 2001, and had accumulated 31,112 hours and 12,282 cycles since new,

2,887 hours and 1,072 cycles since overhaul, and 694 hours and 264 cycles since

installation. The right (number 2) engine, S/N 690-280, was installed on the accident

airplane on July 30, 1998, and had accumulated 25,131 hours and 13,216 cycles since

new, 11,658 hours and 5,421 cycles since overhaul, and 2,618 hours and 1,229 cycles

since installation. 

The engine condition monitoring data from October 31 to November 11, 2001, for

both engines showed no abnormal shifts in N1 and N2 rpm,49 exhaust gas temperature,

fuel flow, vibration, oil temperature, and oil pressure. The engine takeoff performance

data for the accident flight and for the nine previous flights showed that neither engine

exceeded any of the operating limits for N1 and N2 rpm, exhaust gas temperature, fuel

Metric of rudder pedal sensitivity

Airplane System

Ratio of 

maximum 

force to 

breakout 

forcea

Rudder 

commanded 

(degrees) per 

pound of 

force above 

the breakout 

force 

Pedal 

displacement 

as a percent 

of total 

displacement

Work 

involved 

(pound 

inches) in 

pushing the 

pedal to 

maximum 

McDonnell Douglas-designed airplanes

DC-8 Force limit c c 42 c

DC-9 Variable stop 3.75 0.18 42 42

MD-80 Variable stop 4.00 0.18 42 41

MD-90 Variable stop 3.25 0.29 48 68

DC-10 Force limit 6.50 0.26 53 75

MD-11 Force limit 6.50 0.27 58 83

717 Variable stop 3.25 0.29 48 68

49 N1 is the low pressure rotor speed; N2 is the high pressure rotor speed.
Factual Information 30 Aircraft Accident Report

flow, N1 and N2 vibration, oil temperature, and oil pressure. Also, the engine

performance data for the flight that preceded flight 587 in the accident airplane indicated

that the takeoff was at maximum engine power.50

The accident airplane was also equipped with an AlliedSignal (Honeywell)

GTCP331-250H auxiliary power unit (APU), S/N P-1077. The APU is mounted in the aft

fuselage and consists of three main components: the power section, the load compressor,

and the accessory gearbox. The power section has a two-stage centrifugal compressor

driven by a three-stage axial flow turbine that is governed by a fuel control unit and an

electronic control box. The load compressor has a single-stage centrifugal compressor

that is directly driven by the power section and provides bleed air to the airplane’s

pneumatic system. The accessory gearbox is directly driven by the power section and

carries the fuel control unit, a.c. generator, cooling air fan, and starter motor. The accident

APU was installed in the accident airplane on September 20, 2001, and had accumulated

19,723 hours and 12,104 cycles since new and 426 hours and 215 cycles since installation.

1.6.4 Airplane Certification 

As previously stated, the A300-600 is type certificated for operation in the United

States under 14 CFR 21.29 and a bilateral airworthiness agreement between the U.S. and

French governments. According to the FAA, a bilateral agreement is reached after a

foreign authority establishes a demonstrated level of competency and the ability to

interpret and comply with U.S. airworthiness regulations. To achieve this agreement, the

foreign authority first submits an application and information on the airplane to the FAA,

which then determines whether the airplane has any unique features or unusual

characteristics. Afterward, the FAA determines the extent that it wants to participate in

the foreign certification. For airplanes that are a model change from an airplane that has

already been evaluated and has a satisfactory service history, and for which the foreign

certification authority is believed to be capable of evaluating the airplane according to

U.S. regulations, the FAA accepts the foreign certification authority’s findings of

compliance.

At the public hearing, an FAA airframe engineer stated that the FAA did not make

findings of compliance for the A300-600 because it was a derivative of the A310 airplane

but that the FAA made findings of compliance for several areas on the A310.51 For

example, the FAA made findings of compliance on the design and strength of the A310

vertical stabilizer, which is structurally identical to the A300-600 vertical stabilizer. The

FAA also worked closely with Airbus and European airworthiness agencies to establish

certification and test programs for the A310 vertical stabilizer.

50 Depending on airplane weight, runway length, and weather conditions, an airplane may take off with

less than maximum engine power. The use of reduced engine power for takeoff decreases the deterioration

of an engine, thus permitting it to remain in service longer. An airplane must make a maximum engine

power takeoff within a specified number of days to demonstrate that its engines are capable of attaining

maximum engine power. 

51 A310 development began in July 1978, and the A310’s first test flight was in April 1982.
Factual Information 31 Aircraft Accident Report

The loads certification for the A300-600 vertical stabilizer is discussed in

section 1.6.4.1. The design loads for the vertical stabilizer are discussed in section 1.6.4.2.

For information on the structures certification basis of the vertical stabilizer, see the public

docket for this accident.

1.6.4.1 Loads Certification for the Vertical Stabilizer

1.6.4.1.1 Federal Aviation Regulations

Airbus airplanes are designed and certificated according to the requirements of

14 CFR Part 25, “Airworthiness Standards: Transport-Category Airplanes.” The loads

and structures certification basis for the A300-600 vertical stabilizer were Subpart C,

“Structure,” and Subpart D, “Design and Construction,” Amendments 1 through 44, in

Part 25.52

Section 25.301, “Loads,” was at amendment level 23 (enacted in May 1970) at the

time that the A300-600 was certificated (March 1984). However, Airbus asked (and the

European certification authorities agreed) to apply the original 1965 version of this

regulation, which was in effect at the time of the original A300B2 type certificate

application date. The FAA accepted the regulation’s original 1965 language as part of the

A300-600’s certification basis; thus, Airbus was not required to comply with amendment

level 23 for the regulation.

The original 1965 Section 25.301 language stated the following:

(a) Strength requirements are specified in terms of limit loads (the maximum

loads to be expected in service) and ultimate loads (limit loads multiplied by

prescribed factors of safety).[53] Unless otherwise provided, prescribed loads are

limit loads.

(b) Unless otherwise provided, the specified air, ground, and water loads must be

placed in equilibrium with inertia forces, considering each item of mass in the

airplane. These loads must be distributed to conservatively approximate or

closely represent actual conditions.

(c) If deflections under load would significantly change the distribution of

external or internal loads, this redistribution must be taken into account.

Amendment 23 added the following sentence to Section 25.301(b): “Methods

used to determine load intensities and distribution must be validated by flight load

52 The applicable FARs appear in an Airbus document titled A310, A300-600, A300-600R airworthiness

requirements (AI/V-C 600/78, Issue 9, November 1994), which can be found in the public docket for this

accident.

53 In public hearing testimony, the FAA airframe engineer stated that an airplane was expected to

experience limit load once in its lifetime and that an airplane was never expected to experience ultimate

load.
Factual Information 32 Aircraft Accident Report

measurement unless the methods used for determining those loading conditions are shown

to be reliable.”

Section 25.303, “Factor of safety,” was at amendment level 44 (enacted in

December 1978) at the time that the A300-600 was certificated. This section stated the

following:

Unless otherwise specified, a factor of safety of 1.5 must be applied to the

prescribed limit load which are considered external loads on the structure. When

a loading condition is prescribed in terms of ultimate loads, a factor of safety need

not be applied unless otherwise specified.

Section 25.305, “Strength and deformation,” was at amendment level 23 at the

time that the A300-600 was certificated. However, Airbus asked (and the European

certification authorities agreed) to apply the original 1965 version of this regulation,

which stated the following:

(a) The structure must be able to support limit loads without detrimental

permanent deformation. At any load up to limit loads, the deformation may not

interfere with safe operation.

(b) The structure must be able to support ultimate loads without failure for at least

3 seconds. However, when proof of strength is shown by dynamic tests

simulating actual load conditions, the 3-second limit does not apply. Static tests

conducted to ultimate load must include the ultimate deflections and ultimate

deformation induced by the loading. When analytical methods are used to show

compliance with the ultimate load strength requirements, it must be shown that—

(1) The effects of deformation are not significant;

(2) The deformations involved are fully accounted for in the analysis; or

(3) The methods and assumptions used are sufficient to cover the effects

of these deformations.

(c) Where structural flexibility is such that any rate of load application likely to

occur in the operating conditions might produce transient stresses appreciably

higher than those corresponding to static loads, the effects of this rate of

application must be considered. 

Amendment 23 added Section 25.305(d), which stated, “the dynamic response of the

airplane to vertical and lateral continuous turbulence must be taken into account.”

Section 25.351, “Yawing Conditions,” was at amendment level 44 at the time that

the A300-600 was certificated. This section stated the following:

The airplane must be designed for loads resulting from the conditions specified in

paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section. Unbalanced aerodynamic moments about
Factual Information 33 Aircraft Accident Report

the center of gravity must be reacted in a rational or conservative manner

considering the principal masses furnishing the reacting inertia forces:

(a) Maneuvering. At speeds from VMC [minimum control speed] to VA

[design maneuvering speed], the following maneuvers must be

considered. In computing the tail loads,[54] the yawing velocity may be

assumed to be zero:

(1) With the airplane in unaccelerated flight at zero yaw, it is assumed

that the rudder control is suddenly displaced to the maximum

deflection, as limited by the control stops, or by a 300 lb. rudder pedal

force, whichever is less.

(2) With the rudder deflected as specified in subparagraph (1) of this

paragraph, it is assumed that the airplane yaws to the resulting

sideslip angle.

(3) With the airplane yawed to the static sideslip angle corresponding to

the rudder deflection specified in subparagraph (1) of this paragraph,

it is assumed that the rudder is returned to neutral.

(b) Lateral gusts. The airplane is assumed to encounter derived gusts normal

to the plane of symmetry while in unaccelerated flight. The derived gusts

and airplane speeds corresponding to conditions B’ through J’ (in

§ 25.333(c)) (as determined by §§ 25.341 and 25.345 (a)(2) or 25.345

(c)(2)) must be investigated. The shape of the gust must be as specified in

§ 25.341. In the absence of a rational investigation of the airplane’s

response to a gust, the gust loading on the vertical tail surface must be

computed [according to a specific equation].[55]

Section 25.351(a) does not require a return of the rudder from the overswing

sideslip angle to neutral or a full rudder movement in one direction followed by a

movement in the opposite direction. 

At the public hearing on this accident, an Airbus senior specialist in composites

testified that the design of the A300-600 vertical stabilizer met or exceeded all U.S.

certification standards. He also stated that the certification of the composite structure has

been validated by more than 40 million flight hours by Airbus airplanes.

1.6.4.1.2 Public Hearing Testimony on Section 25.351 

The FAA’s chief scientific and technical advisor for loads and aeroelasticity

explained that Section 25.351(a) defines a single maneuver that encompasses a few points

that are of special interest to loads. The maneuver is performed at wings level and is not

coupled with roll, although some sideways motion of the airplane will occur. He stated

that the maneuver is performed as follows: A pilot makes and holds a rapid, sudden, full

54 The terms “vertical tail” and “vertical stabilizer” are synonymous.

55 For details on the FAR sections and the specific equation for computing the gust loading on the

vertical stabilizer surface, see Airbus’ document, A310, A300-600, A300-600R airworthiness requirements,

in the public docket for this accident. 
Factual Information 34 Aircraft Accident Report

rudder control input up to a maximum of 300 pounds at any speed between VMC and VA.

56

The airplane yaws sideways; the rolling motion is held by the ailerons, and, as the rudder

is held, the sideslip builds dynamically to a peak value before settling down to a final

steady-state value. Afterward, the pilot suddenly returns the rudder to neutral. The peak

sideslip value, referred to as the overswing sideslip value, is typically about 1.5 to

1.6 times the steady-state value.

The loads and dynamics manager at Airbus stated that Airbus analyzed the yawing

maneuver in accordance with Section 25.351(a). He indicated that, at overswing sideslip,

the loads on the vertical stabilizer induced by the rudder are opposite from those induced

by the sideslip. He also indicated that, when the rudder is returned from steady sideslip to

neutral, the loads on the vertical stabilizer are only those induced by sideslip.

The FAA’s chief scientific and technical advisor for loads and aeroelasticity stated

that, if the rudder were returned to its neutral position at the point of overswing sideslip,

the aerodynamic loading on the vertical stabilizer would increase. The local domain

manager for loads and aeroelasticity at Airbus indicated that a return of the rudder from

the overswing sideslip angle to neutral or a full rudder movement in one direction

followed by a movement in the opposite direction would result in external loads that were

“a little bit higher” than those that were developed using the current regulation.

The FAA airframe engineer stated that, since the 1953 implementation of Civil

Aeronautics Regulation 4B (the predecessor to the FAR that described the maneuvering

conditions for the design of the vertical stabilizer), no historical evidence would lead the

FAA to believe that the design loads envelope for the vertical stabilizer was inadequate.

The airframe engineer stated that a maneuver with alternating rudder inputs was an

extreme maneuver and that, if the maneuver were performed, loads would build that

would exceed the current requirements. He further stated that, if two sets of alternating

rudder inputs were performed, a series of dynamic maneuvers would start that could be

benign or “could lead the airplane into a severe dynamic situation where, at the proper

frequency, this continued application of this surface would allow the motion of the

airplane to build up to the point where the sideslip would become excessive and overload

the airplane.”

According to the FAA’s chief scientific and technical advisor for loads and

aeroelasticity, the gust event in FAR 25.351(b) is not an instantaneous condition. He

stated that the airplane traverses a gust and that the gust intensity builds initially from zero

to a maximum in the time it takes the airplane to travel a distance equal to 12.5 mean

geometric chord lengths of the wing. Afterward, the gust velocity decreases back to zero

as the airplane again travels a distance equal to 12.5 mean geometric chord lengths of the

wing. The equation in Section 25.351(b) provides a means for estimating the peak load

occurring during this event. The peak gust loads are examined at VC, the design cruising

speed (the nominal case); VB, the design speed for maximum gust intensity (a lower speed

56 Even though Section 25.351(a) states that yaw maneuvers must be analyzed for all speeds between

VMC and VA, an additional requirement (discussed in section 1.6.4.1.3), states that yaw maneuvers must be

analyzed for all speeds up to VD, the design diving speed.
Factual Information 35 Aircraft Accident Report

than VC, but a higher gust velocity is assumed); and VD, the design diving speed (a speed

that is outside the normal operating envelope, but a reduced gust velocity is assumed).

1.6.4.1.3 Complementary Conditions

The French and the German civil aviation authorities—the Direction Général de

l’Aviation Civile (DGAC) and the Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (commonly referred to as the

LBA), respectively—established complementary conditions (CC) to be addressed during

airplane design and certification. These conditions are requirements in addition to those in

the FARs.

CC5-1, “Design Manoeuvre Condition, A—General,” requires the following in

addition to Section 25.331(a):

The manufacturer will carry out a rational analysis of the specified manoeuvres

taking into account the effects of flexibility. Under no circumstances is it

necessary for the speed of deflection of the control surfaces to exceed the

maximum speed permitted by the servo controls, with control surfaces under

appropriate aerodynamic load. 

CC5-1, “Design Manoeuvre Condition, C—Yaw Manoeuvre,” requires the

following in addition to Section 25.351(a):

The deflection of the control surfaces should correspond to the smallest angle

corresponding to 

Maximum travel compatible with the stops

Maximum power of the servo controls

Maximum pilot effort of 300 lbs

Yaw manoeuvres must be analysed for all speeds between VMC and VD 

CC6, “Design Gust Condition,” requires the following in addition to

Section 25.341(a): “the values for gust speeds...also apply for the recommended speed in

turbulent air shown in the flight manual.” Also, CC6 requires the following in addition to

Section 25.341(c) and 25.351: 

the following method [for calculating the gust loading on the vertical stabilizer

surfaces] may be applied at the request of the certification authorities: taking into

account the aeroelastic and dynamic effects of flexibility, the most unfavourable

response of the flexible aircraft will be calculated for an isolated gust.[57]

57 The equation for making this calculation is included in the public docket for this accident.
Factual Information 36 Aircraft Accident Report

Last, CC6 requires the following in addition to Section 25.305: “a study of the behaviour

of the aircraft in continuous turbulence should be made.” 

At the time of the A300-600 certification, the European airworthiness authorities,

especially the British Civil Aviation Authority, asked for a “tuning” of the discrete gust

event described in Section 25.351(b), that is, a variation of gust length, with a fully

flexible airplane (which deforms dynamically). At the public hearing for this accident, the

FAA’s chief scientific and technical advisor for loads and aeroelasticity testified that, even

though CC6 was not in effect at the time that the A300-600 was certificated, Airbus

elected to use a “discrete tuned gust model” to show compliance with the conditions

described in CC6. 

Airbus’ discrete tuned gust model was based on the discrete gust model described

in Section 25.351(b), which had a fixed gust gradient of 12.5 times the mean geometrical

chord. According to the FAA’s chief scientific and technical advisor for loads and

aeroelasticity, the discrete tuned gust model employed a calculation procedure that

determined the actual loads at all times during the gust event, from which the peak load

could be extracted. Such a model was necessary to fully account for the aeroelasticity and

the dynamic effect of flexibility. The gust to be considered had the same profile as that

defined in Section 25.351(b), but, instead of being limited to a fixed gust gradient of

12.5 times the mean geometrical chord, it was allowed to vary within a specified range.

For A300-600 series airplanes, the gust gradient varied between 7 and 18 times the mean

geometric chord using the same gust velocities prescribed in Section 25.341.

The FAA’s chief scientific and technical advisor for loads and aeroelasticity and

the FAA airframe engineer testified that CC5-1 and CC6 exceeded the FAA requirements

in place at the time that the A300-600 was certificated. 

1.6.4.2 Design Loads for the Vertical Stabilizer

Airbus established vertical stabilizer loads for specific conditions, as defined by

the applicable airworthiness requirements in 14 CFR Part 25. These conditions were the

yawing maneuver that results from rudder displacement conditions; an engine failure (the

loss of thrust) and the associated pilot corrective action; potential systems failures, in

particular, flight control systems; and atmospheric anomalies (for example, a lateral gust). 

Airbus performed a loads assessment of the A300-600 using a theoretical model

that involved aerodynamic, mass, structural stiffness, engine, and systems data. The

model was validated by data generated during ground and flight tests. With the use of this

model, airplane movements resulting from yawing maneuvers, gusts, and engine failures

were simulated, and the associated internal forces induced by the external aerodynamic

and mass inertial loadings (the net external loading) on the vertical stabilizer were

calculated. These internal forces are transmitted to the fuselage through the six main

attachment fittings and the six transverse load fittings. The internal forces within each lug

are characterized by the local stress (force per unit area of material), which can be

compared directly with measured material strength values. 
Factual Information 37 Aircraft Accident Report

The external aerodynamic and mass inertial loadings on the vertical stabilizer can

also be quantified as a net shear (a side load), a net bending (a moment about the

longitudinal axis), and a net torsion (a moment about the vertical axis), as shown in

figure 9. The correlated shear force diagram, which is used to define the limit and the

ultimate load design envelopes, consists of one diagram plotting net shear versus net

torsion and, as shown in figure 10, one diagram plotting net torsion versus net bending.58

Figure 9. Shear, Bending, and Torsion

Figure 10. Net Torsion Versus Net Bending

58 Any design condition can be located as a point on the correlated shear force diagram.

Shear Bending Torsion

-550,000

0

550,000

-2,000,000 2,000,000

Root bending moment (Nm)

Maneuver loading

Maneuver loading Gust loading

Full-scale test

fracture loads 

Limit load design envelope

Ultimate load design envelope

Torsion moment (Nm)
Factual Information 38 Aircraft Accident Report

During the design and certification process, Airbus considered all of the critical

loading conditions that formed the vertical stabilizer’s design load envelope. The lateral

gust condition produced the largest bending moment at the root (the location where the

vertical stabilizer attaches to the aft fuselage) compared with the other critical loading

conditions and produced the critical margins of safety59 for the rear main attachment

fittings; as a result, the rear main attachment fittings were designed by the lateral gust

condition. The gust condition also produced the critical margins of safety for portions of

the skin panels and several internal ribs. (Other parts of the vertical stabilizer had their

lowest margins of safety produced by different conditions.) Airbus conducted a full-scale

structural test during certification to demonstrate that the vertical stabilizer could

withstand limit and ultimate loads and to validate the analysis tools and methodology that

were used in designing the vertical stabilizer. Section 1.6.4.3 provides details about this

test. 

1.6.4.3 Vertical Stabilizer Certification Tests

In 1986, Airbus performed a full-scale static structural test of the entire A310-300

vertical stabilizer. (As stated previously, the A310 vertical stabilizer is structurally

identical to that of the A300-600, but the A310-300 vertical stabilizer has higher design

loads.) The test was performed with the vertical stabilizer attached to a laboratory fixture

and not an airplane fuselage. The aerodynamic loading for the lateral gust and yaw

maneuver conditions was simulated by applying loads to the left side of the vertical

stabilizer and to the fuselage clevises. The tests were conducted in hot and wet conditions

to capture environmental effects that could degrade the performance of composite

materials.60

Airbus certification documents showed that, for the lateral gust and yaw maneuver

conditions, the A310-300 vertical stabilizer withstood loads up to limit load without

permanent deformation and loads up to ultimate load for 3 seconds. The documents also

showed that the vertical stabilizer was loaded to about two times the design limit load for

the lateral gust condition, as shown in table 6, before the left rear main attachment lug

59 Airbus used the stresses calculated for limit and ultimate loads, along with measured material strength

values, to compute the margins of safety for the vertical stabilizer structure.

60 The test structure was conditioned in an environmental chamber (which controlled heat and humidity)

for 3 weeks until the structure reached an average temperature of about 70o C and increased in weight by

about 1.2 percent as a result of moisture absorption.
Factual Information 39 Aircraft Accident Report

fractured. The loads in table 6 are presented in Newtons61 for consistency with the

certification documents. 

Table 6. A300-600 Design Limit Loads for the A300-600 and A310-300 and the 1986 

Full-Scale Certification Test Loads

The full-scale test revealed that the left rear main attachment lug fractured because

of a tensile static overload. The test further revealed that the lug fractured with a resultant

lug force of about 905 kN, which is about twice the resultant lug forces at limit load for the

A300-600 and A310-300 lateral gust conditions (454 and 466 kN, respectively, when

calculated using hot and wet conditions).62

In 1985, Airbus performed static tests on two right rear main attachment fittings at

room temperature ambient conditions (20o C). The first fitting was tested for strength in

compression and tension,63 and the second fitting was tested for strength in tension. The

first fitting experienced a compression failure of the skin and stringers away from the lug

at a load of 1,003 kN. The second fitting experienced a cleavage-tension failure64 at the

lughole at a load of 1,036 kN. Both tests were conducted using in-plane loads only and

did not account for the lateral component of load at the lug. The exclusion of this loading

component caused a reduction in the local lug bending moment and the transverse shear;

thus, the lug fractured at a larger resultant force than that experienced during the full-scale

test.

1.6.4.3.1 Validity of the Full-Scale Vertical Stabilizer Certification Test 

The Safety Board asked the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s

(NASA) Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia (NASA-Langley), to review and

61 A Newton is a unit of force that is equal to 0.2248 pounds. In this report, loads are presented as

Newtons (N) and kiloNewtons (kN). One kN equals 1,000 N. Bending and torsion moments are presented

in this report in Newton-meters, or Newtons times meters (Nm). 

Load type

A300-600 design 

limit loads

A310-300 design limit 

loads

A310-300 full-scale 

certification test loads

Shear (in N) -215,800 -223,390 -424,440

Bending moment in Nm) 861,650 883,300 1,677,700

Torsion (in Nm) 152,680 161,000 340,720

62 The resultant lug forces are 475 kN for the A300-600 and 487 kN for the A310-300 when calculated

using room temperature ambient conditions (20° C). 

63 Compression refers to loading in which two ends are pushed in directions toward each other, and

tension refers to loading in which two ends are pulled in directions away from each other.

64 According to the ASM Handbook, volume 21, “Composites,” a cleavage-tension failure is one of

several failure modes for mechanically fastened composite joints. This failure mode typically initiates by a

translaminar fracture (that is, a fracture that occurs across composite layers, or plies) in a plane parallel to

the load direction between the fastener hole and the end of the piece (lug). Susceptibility to

cleavage-tension failures over other failure modes generally increases as the fastener is located closer to the

end of the specimen.
Factual Information 40 Aircraft Accident Report

assess Airbus’ 1986 full-scale vertical stabilizer certification test. One concern with the

full-scale test was that, because the vertical stabilizer was tested off the airplane, the loads

applied at the main attachment fittings might not have represented the condition with the

vertical stabilizer attached to the airplane. During the Airbus certification test, the loads

applied to the fittings were prescribed exactly from Airbus’ global finite element analysis

(FEA) of the vertical stabilizer, rudder, and aft fuselage. As a result, the validity of the

vertical stabilizer loading during the full-scale certification test depended on the validity

of the global FEA.

Under the direction of Safety Board investigators, NASA-Langley conducted test

and analysis correlations and stiffness sensitivity studies on the fuselage and vertical

stabilizer to determine the validity of Airbus’ global FEA. NASA-Langley’s work

confirmed that the applied forces in Airbus’ full-scale test represented the condition with

the vertical stabilizer attached to the airplane. The insensitivity of attachment lug forces to

stiffness variations demonstrated that the attachment lug forces were primarily the result

of the aerodynamic load distribution and the overall geometry of the structure rather than

the local stiffness representation of the attachment lug itself.

1.6.4.3.2 Validity of the Attachment Fitting Certification Tests 

The Safety Board requested that NASA-Langley conduct a detailed strength

analysis of the vertical stabilizer main attachment fittings to determine whether Airbus’

1985 certification tests on two right rear main attachment fittings were valid. Under the

direction of Board investigators, NASA-Langley performed FEA and progressive failure

analyses (PFA) to assess Airbus’ certification tests. 

According to NASA-Langley, the lug allowable strength (force) applied by Airbus

during design and certification was expressed in terms of a resultant force and did not

explicitly represent the effect of local bending moments on the strength of the fittings.

The local lug bending moment of concern was the moment about the airplane’s

longitudinal axis. NASA-Langley conducted a detailed strength analysis that showed that

the bending moment at the rear lug influenced the failure strength of the lug. 

NASA-Langley found that Airbus’ allowable strength for the fittings was based on

a “building block” test sequence65 that ultimately incorporated local bending moment

effects. This bending moment was primarily the result of (1) the eccentricity in the

skin-panel-to-lug transition region of the vertical stabilizer structure coupled with large

in-plane loads in the vertical stabilizer skin and (2) the lateral loads on the lug. Thus, the

bending moment at the lug was directly related to the forces on the lug.

During the full-scale test, the loads introduced into the fittings resulted in forces

and moments that were representative of those that would be experienced by the airplane

during flight. The full-scale test generated a representative local bending moment in

response to the applied forces to the fittings; thus, the right rear main attachment lug

65 The building block test sequence involved coupons first followed by subcomponent tests and then

full-scale tests. 
Factual Information 41 Aircraft Accident Report

fractured at a lower resultant force than that experienced during the tests on the fittings.

According to NASA-Langley, when Airbus reduced the allowable attachment fitting

strength, the effect of a representative bending moment on the fitting strength was

captured, even though the magnitude of the bending moment was not computed or

measured. 

1.6.4.4 Yaw Axis Certification Requirements 

Section 25.143, “Controllability and Maneuverability—General,” paragraph (b),

states that it must be possible for the airplane to make a smooth transition from one flight

condition to another without exceptional piloting skill, alertness, or strength and without

danger of exceeding the airplane limit load factor under any probable operating

conditions, including the sudden failure of the critical engine. Paragraph (c) includes a

table that prescribes the maximum control forces permitted during the testing required by

this section. The table indicates that, for short-term application of yaw control,

150 pounds of force can be applied to the rudder pedals and that, for long-term application

of yaw control, 20 pounds of force can be applied to the rudder pedals. Paragraph (f)

describes qualitative limits on pitch force sensitivity to prevent overstress and

overcontrol,66 but no such paragraph exists for roll or yaw force sensitivity.67

Section 25.147, “Directional and Lateral Control,” paragraph (a), states that it

must be possible for the airplane, with its wings level, to yaw into the operative engine

and, at 1.3 VSR1 (the reference stall speed in a specific configuration), to safely make a

reasonably sudden change in heading of up to 15° in the direction of the critical

inoperative engine. 

Section 25.149, “Minimum Control Speed,” paragraph (b), states that, when the

critical engine is suddenly made inoperative, it must be possible to maintain control of the

airplane with that engine still inoperative and to maintain straight flight with a bank angle

of no more than 5°. Paragraph (d) states that the rudder forces required to maintain

control at VMC cannot exceed 150 pounds.

Section 25.177, “Static Directional and Lateral Stability, paragraph (c), states that,

in straight, steady sideslips, aileron and rudder control movements and forces must be

66 Paragraph (f) states the following: “When maneuvering at a constant airspeed or Mach number (up

to VFC/MFC [the maximum speed for stability characteristics]), the stick forces and the gradient of the stick

force versus maneuvering load factor must lie within satisfactory limits. The stick forces must not be so

great as to make excessive demands on the pilot’s strength when maneuvering the airplane, and must not be

so low that the airplane can easily be overstressed inadvertently. Changes of gradient that occur with

changes of load factor must not cause undue difficulty in maintaining control of the airplane, and local

gradients must not be so low as to result in a danger of overcontrolling.”

67 Section 25.177 (discussed later in this section) places qualitative requirements on the proportionality

between the rudder control movements and forces and the sideslip angle in steady sideslips, which affects

the sensitivity of the rudder control system. 
Factual Information 42 Aircraft Accident Report

substantially proportional to the angle of sideslip and that the factor of proportionality

must lie between limits found necessary for safe operation.68

 Section 25.181, “Dynamic Stability, paragraph (b), states that any combined

lateral/directional oscillations (that is, Dutch roll) occurring between 1.13 VSR (the

reference stall speed) and the maximum allowable speed appropriate to the configuration

of the airplane must be positively damped with the controls free and must be controllable

with normal use of the primary controls and without exceptional pilot skill.

1.6.4.5 Design Maneuvering Speed Information

VA is an important airspeed related to load factors. Section 25.1583, “Operating

Limitations,” requires that transport-category airplane pilots be provided with information

on the airplane’s VA airspeed. Section 25.1583 also requires that the pilots receive “a

statement that full application of rudder and aileron controls, as well as maneuvers that

involve angles of attack near the stall, should be confined to speeds below this value.”

FAA Advisory Circular (AC) 61-23C, “Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical

Knowledge,” states that “any combination of flight control usage, including full deflection

of the controls, or gust loads created by turbulence should not create an excessive air load

if the airplane is operated below [design] maneuvering speed.” 

 In a postaccident interview, American Airlines’ managing director of flight

operations technical stated that the rudder should be able to be fully displaced and stay

within its structural limit as long as the rudder travel limiter were working properly and

the airplane were traveling below VA. Also, he thought that the rudder travel limiter

would protect the airplane with a full deflection of the rudder followed by a deflection in

the opposite direction as long as the airplane was traveling below VA. He further stated

that most of the company pilots believed that, if the pilot made right, left, and right rudder

inputs, the airplane would be protected as long as it was traveling below VA.

At the public hearing, American Airlines’ A300 fleet standards manager stated

that, before the flight 587 accident, he thought that the rudder could be exercised to its full

authority in alternating sideslips on airplanes that were traveling below VA. He also

thought that the rudder travel limiter would preclude any risk of damaging the airplane.

68 At the public hearing, an FAA flight test pilot stated that the FAA’s steady heading sideslip tests were

accomplished in “a very slow, methodical way.” He further stated that, during the tests, pilots applied force

to the rudder pedals “very carefully and slowly” to generate sideslip.
Factual Information 43 Aircraft Accident Report

1.6.5 Maintenance Records

American Airlines developed its maintenance program for its fleet of A300-600

airplanes using the FAA’s A300-600 Maintenance Review Board (MRB) report69 and

Airbus’ A300-600 Maintenance Planning Document (MPD).70 The required maintenance

tasks for the A300-600 were included in American’s engineering specification

maintenance document, and the specific work to be accomplished was found within

American’s Maintenance Check Manual work cards or the applicable engineering

specification orders. 

American’s engineering specification maintenance intervals for A300-600

airplanes included “periodic service;” “A,” “B,” and “C” checks (the C checks were

divided into “1C,” “2C,” “3C,” “4C,” “5C,” “6C,” and “8C” checks); and “main base

visit” checks. Periodic service checks are to be accomplished at a maximum of 2 flying

days from the last periodic service or higher check. A and B checks are to be

accomplished every 65 and 500 flight hours, respectively.71 All but one of the C checks are

performed every 15 months.72 The main base visit check is to be accomplished at a

maximum of every 30 months.

The accident airplane’s last periodic service check occurred on November 11,

2001; the last A check occurred on November 9, 2001; and the last B check was

performed on October 3, 2001. (All of these checks were performed at JFK.) The last C

and main base visit checks occurred on December 9, 1999, at American Airlines’

Maintenance and Engineering Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. As part of the last main base

visit check, a detailed visual inspection of the vertical stabilizer attachment was

performed. (American Airlines conducts this inspection once every 5 years—every other

Main Base Visit—in accordance with the requirements of the A300-600 MRB report.)

69 The FAA’s A300-600 MRB report, dated March 2000, outlined the initial minimum maintenance and

inspection requirements to be used in developing an approved continuous airworthiness total maintenance

program for A300-600 airplanes. The requirements in the report were developed using the task-oriented

Maintenance Steering Group 3 risk analysis methodology, dated September 1993. (The Maintenance

Steering Group 2 risk analysis methodology, dated March 1988, was in effect between the time that the

accident airplane entered American’s fleet and the time that the Maintenance Steering Group 3 risk analysis

methodology was issued.) The MRB report was based on an airplane utilization of between 2,500 and

5,000 hours and 2,500 flight cycles in 15 months. The report indicated that the basic check intervals were

400 flight hours for an “A” check and 15 months for a “C” check. The maintenance tasks and intervals with

which to perform these tasks were defined in the “Systems and Powerplant Program,” the “Structures

Program,” and the “Zonal Inspection Program.”

70 Airbus’ A300-600 MPD provided scheduled maintenance recommendations and information to

assist operators in establishing their own maintenance program. The MPD included task numbers, task

description/preparation data/access requirements, and maintenance intervals/thresholds. The MPD assumed

that the 2,500-flight hour C check would be accomplished about every 12 to 15 months. The version of the

MPD that was current at the time of the accident was dated April 30, 2001.

71 The MRB weekly check became the American Airlines A check. The MRB A check became the

American Airlines B check.

72 The 1C, 2C, 3C, 4C, 5C, 6C, and 8C checks are to be accomplished every 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, and

120 months, respectively. 
Factual Information 44 Aircraft Accident Report

The airplane maintenance logbook for N14053 was recovered after the accident.

The last entry for November 11, 2001, indicated, “no items.” The only entry for

November 12, 2001, was an informational note to the crew that the first flight security

check had been completed at 0130. No minimum equipment list (deferred maintenance)

items were found in the logbook. Also, American’s field maintenance reliability report (a

computerized report that indicates the maintenance status of an airplane and includes data

fields not found on logbook discrepancy forms) for N14053 between January 1 and

November 12, 2001, did not note any minimum equipment list items.

The aircraft damage log for N14053 (a computerized program that contains a

record of external damage to the airplane structure that was not permanently repaired at

the time the damage was noted) was reviewed for events between February 22, 1991, and

August 17, 2001 (the date of the last entry). No damage involving the vertical stabilizer

was recorded.

According to the FAA’s incident data system, the accident airplane was involved in

a turbulence incident on November 28, 1994. Specifically, American Airlines flight 1218

was en route from Bridgetown, Barbados, to San Juan, Puerto Rico, when the airplane

encountered severe clear air turbulence while in normal cruise flight. After the turbulence

encounter, the airplane landed at San Juan without further incident. Of the 221 people

aboard the airplane, 47 were injured.

After the incident, American Airlines performed a special inspection of the

airplane because of the excessive turbulence that the flight encountered. Records on the

completed inspection were not available (the records were required to be retained only for

1 year), but the work cards that were used during this special inspection were available.

The work cards indicated that the vertical stabilizer torque box was to be inspected

externally for distortion, cracks, pulled or torn fasteners, or damaged paint work. If

damage was found, the work cards instructed that the attachment fittings and front and

rear spar webs be inspected for distortion, cracks, pulled or torn fasteners, or damaged

paint work and that, on the rear spar, the hydraulic lines, mechanical linkages, electrical

looms, and their mounts be inspected for distortion, cracks, rupture, and fluid leakage. 

FAA accident and incident data indicated that American Airlines’ Airbus airplanes

were involved in 16 maintenance-related events from January 1, 1996, to November 29,

2001. None of these events involved N14053. 

FAA service difficulty reports (SDR) between January 1995 and November 2001

were reviewed for A300 maintenance-related “vibration” involving the airplane’s flight

controls, fuselage, stabilizers, and wings; “flutter;” “group control flight system;” and

“group empennage structure.” Regarding the A300 vibration category, 19 SDRs were

submitted. Regarding the A300 flutter category, one SDR was submitted. Regarding the

group control flight system category, 54 SDRs were submitted. Regarding the “group

empennage structure” category, 12 SDRs were submitted. All of the SDRs were cleared

by maintenance actions; no maintenance trends were found.
Factual Information 45 Aircraft Accident Report

In addition, 62 SDRs were submitted for N14053 from January 1, 1995, to the

accident date. No significant findings related to the circumstances of the flight 587

accident were identified.

1.7 Meteorological Information

Weather observations at JFK are made by an automated surface observing system

(ASOS), which is maintained by the National Weather Service (NWS). The ASOS

records continuous information on wind speed and direction, cloud cover, temperature,

precipitation, and visibility.73 The ASOS transmits an official meteorological aerodrome

report (known as a METAR) each hour and a special weather observation (known as a

SPECI) as conditions warrant; such conditions include a wind shift, change in visibility,

and change in ceiling (cloud cover or height). ASOS observations at JFK are augmented

and edited by certified weather observers under contract with the FAA. 

Weather observations are transmitted in coordinated universal time (UTC).

(Eastern standard time is 5 hours behind UTC time.) The 1351Z METAR74 (0851 local

time) on the day of the accident indicated the following: winds 310o at 11 knots, visibility

10 miles, few clouds at 4,300 feet, temperature 6o C (about 42o F), dew point -6o C, and

altimeter setting 30.44 inches of mercury (Hg). At 1425 (0925 local time), a SPECI was

issued because of the accident (which had occurred about 9 minutes earlier). The SPECI

indicated the following: winds 270o at 8 knots, visibility 10 miles, few clouds at

4,800 feet, temperature 6o C, dew point -6o C, altimeter setting 30.44 inches of Hg, aircraft

mishap,75 smoke plume south. 

Automatic terminal information service (ATIS) information is based on ASOS

observations. ATIS information Delta, which the flight crew was using,76 was based on

the 1251Z METAR (0751 local time). ATIS information Echo, which was in effect at the

time that the airplane departed JFK,77 was based on the 1351Z METAR.

 American Airlines’ flight release for flight 587 contained, among other items,

METARs for JFK, Santo Domingo, and the alternate airport (San Juan) and terminal

aerodrome forecasts78 (TAF) for the three airports. American Airlines Weather Services

provided the following TAF information for JFK, which was valid from 1300Z to 2300Z

73 Cloud cover is expressed in feet agl. Visibility is expressed in statute miles.

74 The “Z” designation that follows the time in a weather observation stands for Zulu, which indicates

UTC time.

75 This remark was only transmitted locally.

76 About 0901:24, the first officer contacted the ground controller and informed him that he had

received ATIS information Delta, which stated the wind was 330o at 11 knots, visibility was 10 miles, a few

clouds were at 3,400 feet, temperature was 4o C, dew point was -6o C, and altimeter was 30.42 inches of Hg.

77 The CVR and air traffic control (ATC) transcripts do not indicate that the flight crew had received

ATIS information Echo.

78 TAFs are prepared by the NWS and are normally issued every 6 hours with amendments issued as

conditions warrant.
Factual Information 46 Aircraft Accident Report

(0800 to 1800 local time) on the day of the accident: winds 310o at 12 knots, gusting to

22 knots; visibility greater than 6 miles; few clouds at 5,000 feet; temporary clouds

scattered at 5,000 feet.

1.8 Aids to Navigation

No problems with any navigational aids were reported.

1.9 Communications

No communications problems were reported between the pilots and any of the air

traffic controllers who handled the flight.

1.10 Airport Information

 JFK is located 1/2 mile southeast of the city of New York limits and has an

elevation of 13 feet msl. The airport has four runways: runway 13L/31R is 10,000 feet

long and 150 feet wide; runway 13R/31L (the accident airplane departed from runway

31L) is 14,572 feet long and 150 feet wide; runway 4L/22R is 11,351 feet long and

150 feet wide; and runway 4R/22L is 8,400 feet long and 150 feet wide. Runway 31L has

an elevation of 12 feet msl.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department stated that,

after the crash of flight 587 had been confirmed, a Port Authority employee conducted a

visual inspection of the full length of runway 31L and the taxiways used by the accident

airplane. No debris was found on the runway or the taxiways.

1.10.1 Air Traffic Control Information

ATC radar coverage for the JFK area is provided by an ASR-9 radar located on the

airport. The ASR-9 is a short-range (60 nm) radar that provides position and track

information to controllers at the New York TRACON and the JFK air traffic control tower

(ATCT) for aircraft operating within terminal airspace. ASR-9 antennas rotate about

13 times per minute, resulting in a radar return about every 4.6 seconds.

Flight 587 was handled by three air traffic controllers on the day of the accident: a

ground controller and a local controller at the JFK ATCT and a departure controller at the

New York TRACON. A controller-in-charge was also present at the JFK ATCT at the

time of the accident.79

79 The controller-in-charge was performing duties in the absence of the tower supervisor. He was not

monitoring any particular controller position and did not see flight 587 during taxi, takeoff, or departure.
Factual Information 47 Aircraft Accident Report

The ground controller first became aware of flight 587 when the flight crew called

for taxi clearance. He instructed the flight crew to taxi out of the ramp area to a taxiway

for sequencing into the departure queue. When the airplane arrived at the taxiway, the

ground controller instructed the flight crew to follow the Japan Air Lines 747 into the

queue, and the crew followed this instruction.80 The departure controller indicated that he

had “a good look” at the accident airplane during its taxi and did not notice anything

unusual.

The local controller first became aware of flight 587 when she cleared the airplane

to taxi into position and hold on the runway. She then issued a wake turbulence advisory

because the Japan Air Lines 747 was a heavy jet. The local controller also indicated that

she added extra radar separation between the Japan Air Lines 747 and the flight 587

airplane because 747s are often “slow climbers.” Once the separation was established, the

local controller issued the current wind and cleared flight 587 for takeoff. She watched

the airplane during its takeoff roll and did not see anything unusual. 

The last time the local controller saw the accident airplane was when it made the

left turn needed to follow the bridge climb. She then instructed the flight crew to contact

departure control. The local controller first became aware of the accident when she heard

an unidentified pilot stating, over radio frequency, that an airplane was crashing south of

the airport. She reported that she said this information out loud and that everyone in the

tower turned to look for the accident. The local controller reported that she then saw a

black plume of smoke.

The controller-in-charge first became aware of the accident from the local

controller and an outside telephone call. The controller-in-charge then called the New

York TRACON to see if it had lost an airplane. The flight data controller at the TRACON

answered the telephone and indicated that flight 587 was missing. When the

controller-in-charge went to get the flight strip for flight 587, he noticed a large plume of

smoke outside. The controller-in-charge stated that he notified the Port Authority Police

Department of the accident and that the tower supervisor had returned almost immediately

to the ATCT after the accident occurred.

The departure controller first became aware of flight 587 when the flight crew

reported on frequency. At that point, the airplane was climbing through 1,300 feet msl.

The departure controller’s radar identified the airplane, and he issued an instruction for the

airplane to climb to 13,000 feet msl. The departure controller subsequently issued an

instruction for the airplane to turn left and proceed direct to the WAVEY intersection.

Soon afterward, he noticed that the airplane’s radar target had disappeared and that its data

block was no longer showing airspeed or altitude. One of the pilots of American Airlines

flight 686, which departed JFK after American Airlines flight 587, reported seeing fire

and smoke south of Long Island, New York. When the JFK ATCT called to see if the

TRACON had lost any airplanes, the departure controller informed the TRACON’s flight

data controller that flight 587 was lost.

80 The departure controller indicated that the sequencing of flights in the queue was decided by airplane

type and departure fix. He estimated that between 8 and 10 airplanes were waiting in the queue to take off.
Factual Information 48 Aircraft Accident Report

The departure controller stated that nothing was unusual on the day of the accident

about the spacing between airplanes coming from JFK to the TRACON. The departure

controller thought that the Japan Air Lines 747 was about 7 miles ahead of flight 587 and

that the 747’s flight track was normal. The departure controller also stated that he had not

received any turbulence reports from other airplanes in the area.

1.11 Flight Recorders

1.11.1 Cockpit Voice Recorder

The accident airplane was equipped with a Fairchild model A-100A CVR (S/N

unknown). According to Airbus documents, the CVR was operating off the emergency

bus, which allowed the CVR to continue recording after the engines separated from the

airplane.

The exterior of the CVR showed evidence of significant structural damage. The

front panel, including the underwater locator beacon, was missing. The outer metal

enclosure was heavily covered with soot and was dented, and it had to be cut to gain

access to the tape reel. The exterior of the crash case was not damaged. The tape did not

show evidence of heat damage, but several inner windings were crinkled.81

The CVR was sent to the Safety Board’s audio laboratory in Washington, D.C., for

readout and evaluation. The CVR data started at 0845:35 and continued uninterrupted

until 0916:14.8. The recording consisted of four channels of audio information, three of

which were excellent quality and one of which was poor quality.82 The three channels that

contained the excellent quality information were the cockpit area microphone, the

captain’s audio panel, and the first officer’s audio panel. The fourth channel contained a

high-frequency squeal and was mostly unreadable.83 A transcript was prepared of the

entire 30-minute 39-second recording (see appendix B).

1.11.2 Flight Data Recorder 

The accident airplane was equipped with a Fairchild model FA2100 FDR,

S/N 1186, that was manufactured by L-3 Communications. The FDR used solid-state

flash memory, stored in a crash-survivable memory unit, as the recording medium. The

FDR was sent to the Safety Board’s laboratory for readout and evaluation. 

81 This portion of the recording contained the oldest data, which recorded the events before flight 587

left the gate.

82 The Safety Board rates the quality of CVR recordings according to a five-category scale: excellent,

good, fair, poor, and unusable. See appendix B for a description of these ratings.

83 The fourth channel is used to record a third crewmember’s audio information if the CVR is installed

into a three-crewmember airplane. The fourth channel is usually not used on a two-crewmember airplane.
Factual Information 49 Aircraft Accident Report

The FDR showed extensive fire and impact damage. The memory module inside

the memory unit did not show any damage, but the memory cable needed to be replaced

before the data could be read out.

The FDR contained more than 81 hours of recorded data, and American Airlines

provided conversion formulas for the data.84 The FDR recorded about 1 minute

33 seconds of flight data for the accident airplane, beginning at 0914:28.45 (the time that

the right main landing gear squat switch changed from ground to air) and ending at

0916:01.23 (before airplane impact).

The analog signals from the rudder position, aileron right position, aileron left

position, elevator position, and horizontal stabilizer position were processed through the

airplane’s system data analog converter (SDAC)85 computer before they were sent to the

flight data acquisition unit (FDAU)86 as a digital signal. The SDAC computer applied a

filter to the data,87 and the FDR recorded the filtered digital value. (Uncertainties in the

FDR data associated with data filtering are discussed in section 1.16.2.)

An SDAC bench test was conducted on February 4 and 5, 2002, at Airbus’ facility

in Toulouse. One purpose of the test was to define the filtering function and the associated

processing delay of the SDAC. The Safety Board and Airbus independently analyzed the

results of the test and concluded that the SDAC applied a first-order lag filter with a

0.434-second time constant. 

Another purpose of the test was to input data into the SDAC and compare the

SDAC output data to the calculated filtered output data. The input data were Airbus’ first

estimation of the accident airplane’s flight control surface movements. The calculated

filtered output data were computed by applying a filter to the input data. These results

supported the conclusion that the SDAC filter was a first-order lag filter with a

0.434-second time constant.

84 During the initial readout of the FDR, the conversion equation for the rudder pedal parameter was

found to be incorrect. Thus, the FDR data had to be examined to obtain reference data to establish the

proper equation for the rudder pedal position parameter. In addition, revised equations for the control wheel

and control column positions were established based on the FDR data. (The airplane was not initially

configured with the rudder pedal position, control wheel position, and control column position parameters

because they were not mandatory when the airplane was manufactured.) American Airlines added flight

control input sensors and the associated hardware to the airplane to comply with 14 CFR 121.344, which

required that, no later than August 20, 2001, all transport-category airplanes be equipped with FDRs that

record control input positions.

85 In some Airbus documents, the SDAC is also referred to as the system data acquisition concentrator.

86 The FDAU converts and conditions Aeronautical Radio, Inc. (better known as ARINC), data into a

serial data stream, which the FDR records in a digital format.

87 See sections 1.18.7.1 and 1.18.7.3 for information regarding the Safety Board’s recommendations to

the FAA regarding the filtering of flight control position data.
Factual Information 50 Aircraft Accident Report

1.12 Wreckage and Impact Information

1.12.1 General Wreckage Description

The main wreckage area was located about 4 miles southwest of runway 31 at the

intersection of Newport Avenue and Beach 131st Street. The main wreckage was

confined to an area of about 500 by 300 feet and was oriented on a magnetic heading of

about 040o. The vertical stabilizer and the rudder separated from the airplane in flight and

were recovered from Jamaica Bay, which was about 3/4 mile north of the main wreckage

area. Figure 11 shows the vertical stabilizer after it was recovered from Jamaica Bay. The

left and right engines also separated from the airplane in flight. The left engine was

recovered at 441 Beach 129th Street, which was about 800 feet north-northeast from the

main wreckage area. The right engine was recovered at 414 Beach 128th Street, which

was about 800 feet northeast of the main wreckage area. 

The largest piece of airplane structure recovered on land away from the main

wreckage area and the engines was the left wing tip, which was recovered at the

intersection of Beach 125th Street and Cronston Avenue. Smaller pieces of airplane

debris were found from Beach 116th Street to the accident site (between Jamaica Bay and

the Atlantic Ocean) and in Jamaica Bay. All major sections of the airplane were

accounted for in the wreckage. Most of the airframe and its associated systems showed

severe impact and fire damage. 

Figure 11. Vertical Stabilizer After Recovery From Jamaica Bay
Factual Information 51 Aircraft Accident Report

1.12.2 Vertical Stabilizer and Rudder

The vertical stabilizer was mostly intact. The left and right skin panels did not

exhibit any significant damage, but the six main attachment fittings and the three pairs of

transverse load fittings were fractured.

 The right rear main attachment fitting fractured at the lughole (see figure 12). The

right center main attachment fitting remained attached to the aft fuselage but separated

from the vertical stabilizer when it fractured just above ribs 1 and 4 and the skin/stringer

interface. The right forward main attachment fitting fractured at the lughole. The left rear

main attachment fitting assembly (that is, the inboard and outboard fitting assembly halves

and the lug portion of the skin laminate) fractured from the vertical stabilizer but remained

attached to the aft fuselage. The left center main attachment fitting separated from the

vertical stabilizer at the fastener line along the rib 1 attach angle. The left forward main

attachment fitting fractured at the lughole, but the lower part of the fitting remained

attached to the aft fuselage. 88

Figure 12. Right Rear Main Attachment Fitting

The transverse load fittings at the rear and center spars fractured at the location

where the spars and aft fuselage interfaced. The transverse load fittings at the front spar

fractured from the vertical stabilizer along with part of the front spar web, which remained

attached to the forward main attachment and transverse load fittings. 

88 For information on the damage to the main attachment fittings, see section 1.16.3.3.
Factual Information 52 Aircraft Accident Report

The entire rudder separated from the vertical stabilizer, except for portions of the

rudder spar structure that remained attached to hinge arm assembly numbers 2, 3, 4, 5, and

7. The rudder had numerous fractures and broke into a section including and above hinge

arm assembly number 7, a section between hinge arm assembly numbers 4 and 7, and

many pieces below hinge arm assembly number 4. For additional information on the

damage to the vertical stabilizer and rudder, see Materials Laboratory Factual Report

number 02-077 in the public docket for this accident. For information on tests performed

on the vertical stabilizer and rudder, see section 1.16.3. 

1.12.3 Rudder Control System

The three rudder servo controls remained attached to the vertical stabilizer. The

fittings that attached the servo controls to the rudder fractured at the rudder attachment

locations, and the bulk of the fittings and small pieces of rudder structure remained

attached to the servo controls.

The rudder frame assembly89 components detached from the empennage. The

artificial feel and trim unit, rudder trim actuator, yaw damper actuator, yaw autopilot

actuator, and variable stop actuator were located; all had suffered heat damage. Most of

the linkages (that is, pushrods and bellcranks), the rudder control quadrant, and the rudder

travel limiter were fractured and melted. No rudder control system components forward

of the rudder frame assembly were identified in the wreckage. For information on tests

performed on rudder control system components, see section 1.16.5.

1.12.4 Powerplants

Neither the left engine nor the right engine had any indications of an

uncontainment, case rupture, in-flight fire, preimpact malfunction, or bird strike. The

thrust reversers were found in the stowed position.

Between November 28 and December 4, 2001, the engines were disassembled and

examined at American Airlines’ Maintenance and Engineering Center in Tulsa. The

examination revealed that the high pressure compressor and turbine rotors’ blades were

bent opposite of the direction of rotation and that the fan and low pressure turbine rotors’

blades were bent or broken only where they were crushed by the engines’ case.

The APU was found in the airplane’s aft fuselage, which was recovered at the

corner of Beach 131st Street and Newport Avenue. The APU had broken loose from its

supports and was found slightly forward of its normal position. The APU showed no

indications of an uncontainment, case rupture, or in-flight fire.

89 The rudder frame assembly houses the rudder control quadrant, artificial feel and trim unit, rudder

trim actuator, yaw damper actuator, yaw autopilot actuator, main bellcrank, differential unit, variable stop

actuator, and variable stop lever.
Factual Information 53 Aircraft Accident Report

On December 13, 2001, the APU was disassembled and examined at Honeywell’s

engine teardown facility in Phoenix, Arizona. The APU showed no evidence of any

rotational damage to the compressor impellers and turbine rotors. The APU also showed

no evidence of an in-flight fire, case rupture, uncontainment, or hot air leak across a case

flange.

1.13 Medical and Pathological Information

Tissue specimens from the captain and the first officer were sent to the FAA’s Civil

Aerospace Medical Institute in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, for toxicological analysis. The

captain’s specimens tested negative for major drugs of abuse and for prescription and

over-the-counter medications but tested positive for ethanol.90 The first officer’s

specimens tested negative for major drugs of abuse and ethanol but tested positive for

ephedrine and pseudoephedrine.91

1.14 Fire

A postcrash fire developed after airplane impact. The parts of the vertical

stabilizer and rudder that separated in flight showed no evidence of fire damage.

1.15 Survival Aspects

The accident was not survivable for any of the airplane occupants. 

1.16 Tests and Research

1.16.1 Video Study

Two security cameras from the Metropolitan Triborough Bridge and Tunnel

Authority of New York captured a portion of the accident flight. These cameras, which

shared a common time base, were located in two lanes (1 and 5) at the Gil Hodges Marine

Parkway Bridge toll plaza. The video from the camera in lane 1 showed the airplane as a

small black dot moving from left to right across the sky. The dot then became obscured by

a building. At that point, the video from the camera in lane 5 showed a small black dot

emerging from behind another obstruction (part of a toll booth). The dot continued

initially to move left to right but then started to descend. During the descent, a white

90 Ethanol in specimens can be the result of the postmortem production of ethanol. 

91 These substances are present in many over-the-counter medications used to treat upper respiratory

symptoms. The first officer had reported, on his FAA medical certificate application, a history of mild

seasonal allergies. The substances were also found in nutritional supplements marketed for various

purposes. These substances do not usually result in impairment. 
Factual Information 54 Aircraft Accident Report

“streak” was briefly seen trailing behind the dot before it became obscured by the

building.92 About 40 seconds later, black smoke was seen rising in the background.93

Detailed examination of the video in the Safety Board’s laboratory revealed no images of

an object or objects falling off the airplane.

The Safety Board conducted a video study to accomplish three objectives. First,

the study was to compare the elapsed time information from the video recordings with that

of the radar/CVR/FDR data. Second, the study was to determine the time and location of

the white streak. Third, the study was to calculate the position of the airplane after the loss

of FDR and radar data.

The study estimated that the first indication of the white streak occurred when the

alignment of the airplane was directly above column 3 of the building seen in the video

from lane 5. On the basis of the elapsed time between the last recorded radar return and

the end of the CVR recording, the white streak was calculated to have begun at

0916:06.14, or about 4.3 seconds after the last recorded radar return.

In addition, the study determined the airplane’s position at several points after the

loss of FDR and radar data. The airplane’s altitudes were calculated using data from the

site survey, still images from the video recordings, and an architectural drawing of the

building in the cameras’ view. The alignment of the airplane was over the roof midpoint

(lane 1) at 0916:02.26 and at an altitude of 2,398 feet msl.94 The airplane’s alignment was

over column 3 (lane 5) at 0916:06.14 (the same time as the white streak appeared) and at

an altitude of 2,428 msl. The airplane’s alignment was over column 4 (lane 5) at

0916:09.38 and at an altitude of 2,012 feet msl. The airplane’s alignment was over the

roofline at column 5 (lane 5) at 0916:12.08 (the end of the period that the airplane is

visible in the video) and at an altitude of 1,470 feet msl.

1.16.2 Airplane Performance Study

The Safety Board conducted an airplane performance study to describe the motion

of the accident airplane, identify the causes of the motion, and calculate the resulting

aerodynamic loads on the vertical stabilizer. The data used to determine the airplane’s

motion and the resulting loads included ATC radar, CVR, and FDR data; wreckage

location and condition; ground scars, markings, and damage to surface structures; weather

information; and outputs from computer programs and simulations. 

92 The video recorded by the camera in lane 1 included the midpoint of the building’s roof. The video

recorded by the camera in lane 5 included columns 3 through 7 of the building.

93 The Safety Board received another videotape that captured the accident flight. The video was

reportedly taken by a construction crew working near runway 4R at JFK on the day of the accident. The

video showed the departures of both Japan Air Lines flight 47 and American Airlines flight 587. The video

depicted the accident airplane as it taxied into position for takeoff, began its takeoff roll, lifted off the

runway, and began a left turn. The video then panned away from the airplane, and the camera was turned off

for a short time. The next image on the video was smoke rising from the ground in the distance. (This video

was not part of the video study.) 

94 All altitudes derived from the video study are estimated to be accurate within 65 feet.
Factual Information 55 Aircraft Accident Report

The computational tools used in the airplane performance study included an

engineering flight simulation of the A300-600 to compute the airplane’s dynamic response

to control inputs and a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code to compute the

aerodynamic loads over both rigid and flexible models of the vertical stabilizer. The

Safety Board developed its A300-600 engineering simulation using data from Airbus’

A300-600 engineering simulator. The CFD computations were performed by Airbus at

the direction of, and in cooperation with, Board investigators.

Many performance parameters required to define the motion of the airplane were

recorded directly by the FDR. Other parameters required to define the airplane motion

were not recorded by the FDR and had to be derived from the available FDR parameters

and/or supplemented with information obtained from simulator studies and other

computations. The performance parameters of most interest to this investigation were

those required to determine the aerodynamic loads on the vertical stabilizer; the most

significant of these parameters included the dynamic pressure of the air flowing past the

airplane, the sideslip angle, and the rudder angle. None of these parameters were recorded

directly on the FDR.

Even though the FDR did not directly record rudder angle data, the FDR did record

a filtered rudder signal that could be used to check whether an estimate of rudder position,

obtained by other means, was viable. The dynamic pressure and sideslip angle could be

computed from other FDR parameters.95 However, because of uncertainties in the FDR

data—including data latencies (that is, delays), data filtering, and sampling rate effects—

the rudder and sideslip angles at the time that the vertical stabilizer separated from the

airplane were determined within a narrow range—10° to 11° for the rudder angle and 10°

to 12.5° for the sideslip angle.

1.16.2.1 Wake Vortex Investigation 

As part of the airplane performance study, the Safety Board requested that

NASA-Langley conduct a wake vortex investigation. Specifically, the Board asked

NASA-Langley to investigate whether flight 587 could have encountered the wake

vortexes of Japan Air Lines flight 47. Such an encounter could explain the two sets of

load factor excursions—the first occurring about 0915:35 at an altitude of 1,750 feet agl

and the second occurring about 0915:51 at an altitude of 2,430 feet agl—that were

recorded on flight 587’s FDR. 

NASA-Langley used flightpath and wind information for American Airlines

flight 587 and Japan Air Lines flight 47 provided by the Safety Board, as well as

atmospheric data for the day of the accident, as inputs to four wake prediction models.96

In a report on its investigation,97 NASA-Langley stated the following: A wake vortex

95 These calculations are outlined in “Aircraft Performance Group Chairman’s Aircraft Performance

Study” in the public docket for this accident.

96 These models are described, and their individual results are presented, in appendix B of “Aircraft

Performance Group Chairman’s Aircraft Performance Study.”

97 National Aeronautics and Space Administration, AA 587 Wake Vortex Investigation, Modeling and

Analysis by NASA Langley Research Center (Hampton, VA: NASA, 2002).
Factual Information 56 Aircraft Accident Report

from Japan Air Lines flight 47 was likely transported into the flightpath of flight 587. The

atmospheric conditions aloft were favorable for a slow rate of vortex decay. The wake

vortex from Japan Air Lines flight 47 would have had an age of about 100 seconds, and

flight 587 would have encountered the wake vortex at a time before vortex linking and

rapid vortex decay. The predicted circulation of the wake vortex at the times of the

apparent encounters would have been between 63 and 80 percent of the vortex’s initial

strength.

 In testimony at the public hearing, the main author of the wake vortex

investigation report stated that, even though his work supported a wake encounter, the

wake was “nothing extraordinary.”

1.16.2.2 Flight 587 Simulation 

The Safety Board developed a desktop computer simulation of flight 587 using

A300-600 simulator model data provided by Airbus. The Board developed the desktop

computer simulation to independently compute the response of the A300-600 to the thrust

levels and flight control inputs recorded on the FDR and to compare the expected behavior

of the airplane, as predicted by the simulator, with the actual behavior recorded by the

FDR. This comparison could help determine whether external forces or moments (such as

those from an atmospheric disturbance) were required to produce the motion of the

airplane or whether the motion could be completely accounted for by the forces and

moments produced by the engine thrust and control surface positions.

 The load factor and engine N1 data fluctuations recorded on the FDR suggested

that flight 587 encountered the wake of Japan Air Lines flight 47 for the second time

between about 0915:50 and 0915:54 and that the motion of the airplane was affected by

the wake vortex during this time. To account for the effects of the wake vortex during this

4-second period, the Safety Board’s simulation incorporated external pitching, rolling, and

yawing moments and vertical and horizontal wind gusts designed to make the simulator

motion closely match the motion recorded on the FDR. After the 4-second period, the

airplane was assumed to be free of the wake, so the external moments and wind gusts were

removed. The external moments and wind gusts fully accounted for the effect that the

wake turbulence had on the airplane, as recorded by the FDR. Any additional effects of

the wake turbulence that were not recorded on the FDR (because of limited sampling

rates, for example) would have had a negligible impact on the airplane motion.

Throughout the simulation, the simulator cockpit control positions and aerodynamic

surface positions were driven to match the positions recorded on the FDR as closely as

possible without sacrificing the match of the motion recorded by the FDR. 

To evaluate the magnitude of the effects of the wake vortex-induced external

moments and vertical and horizontal wind gusts required to match the motion recorded on

the FDR, the desktop computer simulation was run without any cockpit control or control

surface movements. The simulator computed the response of the airplane solely to the

forces and moments induced by the wake encounter. 
Factual Information 57 Aircraft Accident Report

The simulation indicated that, although external winds and moments, which were

assumed to be attributable to the wake encounter, were required to match the airplane

motion recorded on the FDR, the large roll and yaw oscillations, lateral load factors, and

sideslip angles achieved during the accident sequence were the result of control wheel and

rudder pedal inputs. The external winds and moments, by themselves, produced only an

initial 10° deviation in bank angle (from the existing 23° bank angle) and only subtle

changes in heading, resulting in sideslip angles of less than 2.5°.

Another simulation incorporated an alternative yaw damper design in which the

yaw damper inputs could not be overridden by pilot pedal deflections at the rudder limits.

The Safety Board evaluated the effects that this yaw damper design would have on the

rudder pedal inputs made during the accident sequence. The results of this simulation

indicated that such a system allowed the yaw damper to attenuate (but not prevent) the

development of the sideslip angle resulting from alternating full rudder pedal inputs.

1.16.2.3 Loads on the Vertical Stabilizer

At any given altitude and airspeed, many parameters affect the loads on the

vertical stabilizer;98 the most significant of these parameters are sideslip angle and rudder

angle. During the design of the A300-600, Airbus developed a model of the loads on the

vertical stabilizer based on linearized wind tunnel data that described the effects of

sideslip angle and rudder angle on the vertical stabilizer structural loads. With the use of

this linear loads model, the Safety Board calculated the shear, bending, and torsion loads

on the vertical stabilizer during the final seconds of flight 587’s recorded FDR data

(before the sound of the loud bang at 0915:58.5). Figure 13 shows the calculated bending

moment about the root chord in the vertical stabilizer axis system.99

98 Aerodynamic loads on the vertical stabilizer are produced by the pressure distribution over its

surface. Inertial loads on the vertical stabilizer result from the acceleration of its mass. During the accident

sequence, the inertial loads on the vertical stabilizer were extremely small compared with the aerodynamic

loads.

99 For structural analysis purposes, loads on the vertical stabilizer are expressed in terms of their

components in the vertical stabilizer axis system, which is rotated about the pitch axis relative to the airplane

body axis system. The airplane body axis system is coincident with the longitudinal, lateral, and vertical

axes of the airplane.
Factual Information 58 Aircraft Accident Report

Figure 13. Bending Moment About the Root Chord in the Vertical Stabilizer Axis System

The Safety Board was especially interested in determining the loads when the right

rear main attachment lug fractured (0915:58.4). This time was established by the

following: 

• The sideslip and heading angles in the Safety Board’s simulations of the

accident flight diverged from those based on the FDR data about the time of

the loud bang recorded on the CVR (0915:58.5), indicating that the accident

airplane’s directional stability was reduced about this time (which is consistent

with the loss of the vertical stabilizer).

• A momentary change in the trend in lateral acceleration (from decreasing to

increasing) occurred at 0915:58.4. This momentary change was associated

with a 0.2 G jump in lateral acceleration recorded about this time. Such a jump

is consistent with the sudden inability of the vertical stabilizer to transfer side

force loads into the fuselage.
Factual Information 59 Aircraft Accident Report

• If the loud bang recorded on the CVR was associated with the fracture of the

right rear lug, then the sound would have had to originate at 0915:58.4 because

of the time that it would take for the sound to travel from the vertical stabilizer

to the CVR microphone. This time is consistent with that of the change in the

trend of the lateral acceleration.

The rudder and sideslip angles about the time of the lug fracture were large enough

that portions of the vertical stabilizer began to exhibit aerodynamic stall behavior, that is,

regions of separated flow. This separated flow affected the loads such that the linear loads

model (which does not account for flow separation) could overestimate the loads in those

conditions (high sideslip and rudder angles) in which separated flow is present. As a

result, a CFD analysis was performed to calculate directly the effects of the separated flow

at the high sideslip and rudder angles of interest. Specifically, the Safety Board asked

Airbus to perform a CFD analysis of the flowfield about the entire A300-600 airplane and

to provide the aerodynamic pressure loads over portions of the vertical stabilizer. The

conditions at which these calculations were made reflected the flight conditions and

airplane orientation at the time that the vertical stabilizer separated from the aft fuselage.

Because of uncertainties in the sideslip angle, rudder angle,100 and the absolute load values

computed by CFD, the final estimate of loads at the time of the lug fracture were

expressed as a range of values. At the time that the vertical stabilizer separated from the

airplane, the range of the shear, bending, and torsion loads on the vertical stabilizer were

as follows:

• shear force: 353,000 to 436,000 N ±5 percent 

• bending moment: 1,580,000 to 1,840,000 Nm ±5 percent (see figure 14) 

• torsion moment: 18,600 to 48,100 Nm ±5 percent

The bending moment load ranges shown in figure 14 are presented along with the

“effective sideslip angle” range101 and the rudder range at the time that the vertical

stabilizer separated from the airplane. Figure 15 compares the estimated aerodynamic

loads with the A300-600 design envelopes (as defined by the torsion versus bending

correlated shear force diagram).

100 Even though Safety Board investigators were eventually able to derive a meaningful time history of

the rudder angle after the second wake encounter, the filtering of the rudder sensor data before they were

recorded on the FDR and the low, 2-Hertz (Hz) sample rate of those data hindered and delayed Board

investigators’ knowledge of this parameter. 

101 The effective sideslip angle at the vertical stabilizer differed from the sideslip angle at the cg because

of yaw rate effects. The left yaw rate at the time of vertical stabilizer separation increased the sideslip angle

at the vertical stabilizer relative to the sideslip angle at the cg.
Factual Information 60 Aircraft Accident Report

Note: The calculated range of the root bending moment is defined by points A through D, which are described in 

addendum 2 to the airplane performance study. See the public docket for this accident for more information. 

Figure 14. Bending Moment Load Range at the Time of Vertical Stabilizer Separation

Note: The four triangles correspond to the four points in figure 14. Specifically, the red triangle is point A, the gray triangle 

is point B, the green triangle is point C, and the orange triangle is point D.

Figure 15. Estimated Aerodynamic Loads in Relation to the Torsion Versus Bending 

Correlated Shear Force Diagram 

0.00

0.20

0.40

0.60

0.80

1.00

1.20

1.40

1.60

1.80

2.00

2.20

2.40

Effective sideslip angle, degrees

Vertical stabilizer root bending moment, millions of Nm

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

A

D

B

C

0

Maneuver loading

Maneuver loading Gust loading

Estimated aerodynamic loads

at vertical stabilizer separation

(including nonlinear effects) 

Full-scale test

fracture loads 

Limit load design envelope 

Ultimate load design envelope

587 flightpath

(linear solution)

-550,000

550,000

-2,000,000 2,000,000

Root bending moment (Nm)

Torsion moment (Nm)
Factual Information 61 Aircraft Accident Report

1.16.3 Examinations of the Flight 587 Vertical Stabilizer and 

Rudder

1.16.3.1 Nondestructive Inspections 

Pieces of the flight 587 vertical stabilizer and rudder underwent several

nondestructive inspections after the accident. The vertical stabilizer was inspected using

ultrasonic inspection, Lamb wave imaging, and x-ray computed tomography (CT)

scanning, and the rudder was inspected using x-ray radiography, Lamb wave imaging,

thermography, ultrasonic inspection, and computer-aided tap testing.102

NASA-Langley conducted an ultrasonic inspection and Lamb wave imaging of the

vertical stabilizer’s left and right skin panels. The ultrasonic inspection detected two

notable delaminations (that is, fractures between the composite layers) near the front and

rear spars on the left skin panel that extended upward from the lower end up to 43 inches

at the front and up to 37 inches at the rear. The ultrasonic inspection detected no notable

delaminations on the right skin panel, except for an area within about 4 inches of the right

center lug. The Lamb wave imaging found no apparent evidence of any change in

stiffness on the left and right skin panels of the vertical stabilizer, except for stiffness

changes associated with thickness variations.

The U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen, Maryland, and the Ford Motor

Company’s Nondestructive Evaluation Laboratory, Livonia, Michigan, conducted CT

scanning of selected fractured pieces and cut sections from the vertical stabilizer lug areas

(specifically, those in which delaminations had been identified during the ultrasonic

inspections). The scanning produced two-dimensional slice images, and a visualization

software program produced three-dimensional images from these two-dimensional slice

images, as shown in Materials Laboratory Factual Report 03-033. Delaminations were

observed, and multiple delaminations through the thickness were visible in some areas. 

Airbus conducted a hand-held ultrasonic inspection of the vertical stabilizer at the

main attachment and transverse load lug areas, the lower ends of the spars, rib number 1,

and the hinge attachment fittings. Airbus also conducted a hand-held ultrasonic inspection

of the rudder hinge attachment fittings and ultrasonic imaging of the vertical stabilizer

skin panels at the stringer locations. An Airbus Inspection Protocol document dated

March 4, 2002, indicated that Airbus found debondings, delaminations, and damages at

102 Ultrasonic inspection is a contact technique that uses a transducer on the surface to measure the

ultrasonic response of the structure. Lamb wave (also known as guided acoustic wave) imaging is a method

for inspecting the stiffness and thickness of composites. CT scanning measures the transmitted x-ray

intensity of a part that has been rotated and translated through an x-ray beam. Computers then use the data

to reconstruct two- or three-dimensional renderings of the part. X-ray radiography is a quick, noncontact

method for imaging subsurface features using x-rays and is commonly used to detect entrapped water in

honeycomb structures. Thermography is a quick, noncontact technique for imaging subsurface features by

measuring surface temperature changes. Computer-aided tap testing involves striking an impactor on the

surface of a composite part and measuring the time of contact of the impactor, which is related to the local

stiffness of the part. The data are collected and mapped into a color image in which each color is related to a

range of stiffness values. For more information on these nondestructive inspection techniques, see Materials

Laboratory Factual Reports 02-078 and 03-033 in the public docket for this accident.
Factual Information 62 Aircraft Accident Report

the lower part of the vertical stabilizer in the lug areas, the spar areas, and rib number 1

area but not in the hinge attachment fitting areas.103 The document also indicated that

Airbus found debondings, delaminations, and damages in and at the rudder hinge

attachment fitting areas.

NASA-Langley conducted x-ray radiography, Lamb wave imaging, and

thermography of a portion of the rudder (from hinge attachment fitting 7 down to between

hinge attachment fitting numbers 5 and 4). Entrapped water was detected at the lower

portion of the rudder section by x-ray radiography and thermography.104 The Lamb wave

imaging determined that the facesheet had fractured from the honeycomb in areas at the

lower portion of the rudder section. According to testimony at the public hearing from the

NASA-Langley official who conducted the nondestructive examination research, the

locations of the water found during the nondestructive examinations seemed to correspond

with areas that showed visible damage and with facesheets fractured from the honeycomb.

He also testified that the water most likely got into the rudder while it was in Jamaica Bay.

Representatives from the Center for Aviation Systems Reliability at Iowa State

University, Ames, Iowa, conducted computer-aided tap testing of the rudder. During tap

testing at Floyd Bennett Field on November 28 and 29, 2001, images of the left and right

skin panels showed that areas of low stiffness were most likely caused by the debonding of

the rudder skin from the honeycomb core structure along a number of buckling failures

and that areas of high stiffness could be caused by manufacturing features such as core

splices, core potting, and ply overlap.105

During tap testing at NASA-Langley from March 6 to 8, 2002, images of the left

and right skin panels showed a high degree of consistency between the inside and outside

surfaces of the rudder skin. The images also showed symmetrical areas of higher stiffness

on the inside and outside surfaces. In addition, the images showed that the patterns for the

large buckle failure near hinge attachment fitting number 5 were different between the left

103 Personnel from Sandia National Laboratory, Albuquerque, New Mexico, manually inspected the

lower end of the vertical stabilizer skin panels and the attachment lugs when the vertical stabilizer was at

Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, New York (before the vertical stabilizer and the rudder were shipped to

NASA-Langley). The results of the inspection were difficult to interpret because of the complex geometry

of the structure in those areas. Those results for which interpretation was possible corresponded well with

the results reported by Airbus and NASA-Langley. 

104 Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, made several thermographic images of the rudder

while it was at Floyd Bennett Field. The results were similar to those of NASA.

105 In addition, personnel from Sandia National Laboratory performed tap testing and ultrasonic

mechanical impedance analysis when the rudder was at Floyd Bennett Field. Tap testing was completed

using an instrument similar to the one used during computer-aided tap testing (a digital readout but no

computer interface). The ultrasonic mechanical impedance analysis method evaluated the object’s

vibrational response to an ultrasonic signal, and the response is related to local stiffness. The locations of

stiffness changes detected by these techniques corresponded well with those detected by the computer-aided

tap testing that was done at Floyd Bennett Field and at NASA-Langley.
Factual Information 63 Aircraft Accident Report

and right skin panels.106 On the right skin panel, the buckle failure was located aft of hinge

attachment fitting number 5 at almost 90o to the spar with a 45o branch angled upward and,

at the aft half of the chord, a 45o branch angled downward. The left skin panel buckle

failure was angled mostly in a downward 45o direction aft of hinge attachment fitting

number 5, although a branch was also present upward along the leading edge spar.

1.16.3.2 Materials Testing and Microstructural Examination

At the Safety Board’s request, NASA-Langley conducted materials testing and

microstructural examination of the vertical stabilizer and rudder.107 Samples were selected

from multiple locations on the vertical stabilizer and rudder to determine chemical

composition, extent of cure, glass transition temperature, fiber and void volume fractions,

and ply stacking sequence (layup).

The chemical composition of each sample from the vertical stabilizer was assessed

using infrared spectroscopy, which measured the total attenuated reflectance through a

microscope. The results were typical for CFRP material with no significant variances in

the spectrums for each specimen.

The extent of cure and the glass transition temperature of one area from the upper

end of the right skin panel were analyzed using modulated differential scanning

calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry in both

the as-received condition and in the dry condition.108 The moisture content for the

as-received condition was approximately 0.58 percent. The modulated differential

scanning calorimetry results corresponded to an extent of cure greater than 97 percent.

The dynamic mechanical analysis results showed that, in the as-received condition, the

onset glass transition temperature measured 134° C, which was between the qualification

values of 144° C for the dry condition and 122° C for the 50 percent relative humidity

(0.7 percent moisture content) condition. The portion of the sample that was tested in the

dry condition had an onset glass transition temperature of 149° C. The differential

scanning calorimetry results showed no significant variance among the extent of cure and

the glass transition temperature of all samples, and the results indicated that the extent of

cure was sufficient.

106 The most severe damage to the rudder occurred near hinge attachment fitting numbers 2 through 4,

but the skin panels near these fittings were difficult to image. The most prominent facesheet-to-honeycomb

fracture damage to the upper two-thirds of the rudder was the large buckles near hinge attachment fitting

number 5.

107 Some testing and microscopy were completed at Airbus’ composites technology division in Bremen,

Germany.

108 The curing temperature for the vertical stabilizer CFRP material is specified to be 250° F. According

to Airbus materials qualification data, the onset glass transition temperature should be 144° C in the dry

condition and 122° C after exposure to a climate of 50 percent relative humidity (corresponding to a

moisture content of 0.7 percent weight).
Factual Information 64 Aircraft Accident Report

Samples of the vertical stabilizer material were cut, mounted, and polished for

microscopic observation and quantitative analysis. Results indicated that the materials

were prepared to the desired fiber volume fractions with acceptable void content.109 No

evidence of microcracking was observed. The observed layup in each sample was

compared with the engineering drawing, and only the sample from the right forward lug

showed layup discrepancies. The observed layup in each sample was compared with the

engineering drawings, and only the sample from the right forward lug showed layup

discrepancies. Among the 124 layers in this sample, 2 layers had orientations that were

different from the drawing. Also, two layers appeared to be missing from one position

through the thickness, but two additional layers were present in another position. The

total number of layers of each orientation in this sample was correct, and the discrepancies

represented a small fraction of the total number of layers. 

For the rudder, the extent of cure and the glass transition temperature of a sample

from the right skin panel were analyzed using modulated differential scanning calorimetry

and dynamic mechanical analysis.110 Portions of the sample were tested in the as-received

condition and in the dry condition. The moisture content for the as-received condition was

approximately 0.81 percent. The modulated differential scanning calorimetry results

corresponded to an extent of cure of 100 percent. The dynamic mechanical analysis

results showed that, in the as-received condition, the onset glass transition temperature

measured 82.9° C, which was between the qualification values of 102° C for the dry

condition and 75° C for the 70 percent relative humidity/70° C (0.75 to 0.90 percent

moisture content) condition. The portion of the right skin sample that was tested in the dry

condition had an onset glass transition temperature of 102.5° C.

Additional details of the testing discussed in this section appear in Materials

Laboratory Factual Report 02-082.

1.16.3.3 Fractographic Examination of the Main Attachment Lugs 

The Safety Board conducted a fractographic examination of the vertical stabilizer

main attachment lugs. The fracture features were initially examined visually and then

were examined using an optical stereoscope and scanning electron microscopy (SEM),

which magnified the features. Fractures observed in the vertical stabilizer consisted

primarily of translaminar fractures and delaminations. (Translaminar fractures require the

breaking of fibers, the main load-bearing component of the composite. Delaminations do

not require fiber breakage.) No evidence of fatigue was observed on any fracture surface.

The right rear lug had translaminar fractures intersecting the lughole. The

translaminar fracture surfaces had a rough appearance consistent with fracture primarily

under tensile loading. When examined using SEM, fibers that were generally

109 According to Airbus engineering drawings, the fiber volume fraction for the vertical stabilizer CFRP

material is 60 percent ± 4 percent. The maximum porosity permitted in the cross-section is 2.5 percent. The

layup consists of fabric and tape layers, with the fabric layers oriented at ±45° and at 0/90° relative to the 0°

fiber direction and the tape layers with fibers all oriented parallel to the 0° fiber direction. 

110 Other samples were selected from the rudder for peel tests and flatwise tensile tests.
Factual Information 65 Aircraft Accident Report

perpendicular to the fracture plane showed radial fracture patterns consistent with

overstress fracture under tensile loading. The right rear lug also had delaminations within

the lug. Examination of a delamination surface using SEM showed evidence of hackles111

associated with shearing at the fracture surface and did not show any evidence of fatigue.

At the outboard side of the lug, the translaminar fractures were in locations and

orientations that were consistent with a cleavage-tension failure mode.

The right center lug area was fractured in the vertical stabilizer structure above the

lughole. The translaminar fracture surfaces had a rough appearance consistent with

fracture under tensile loading. Also, the lugs had delaminations that were limited to

within the lug or within 4 inches of a translaminar fracture.

The right forward lug had translaminar fractures that intersected the lughole. The

translaminar fracture features were generally rough and were consistent with fracture

under tensile loading. Also, the lug had delaminations that did not extend into the main

portion of the vertical stabilizer beyond the lug.

The left rear lug had a translaminar fracture in the vertical stabilizer structure

above the lughole. The translaminar fracture features near the inboard side of the fracture

were generally rough and were consistent with overstress fracture under tensile loading.

Most of the translaminar fracture surface at the outboard side appeared smooth and had

yellow-colored fibers, which were consistent with postfracture damage. The left aft lug

had delaminations extending up to 37 inches from the lower end. Fracture features on the

left aft delamination indicated a shear direction that was consistent with the lower pieces

moving downward relative to the remaining structure.

The left center lug area had a translaminar fracture through the vertical stabilizer

structure at the rib 1 fastener location. Most of the translaminar fracture surface had a

rough appearance that was consistent with overstress fracture under tensile loading, but

fracture features that were consistent with compression loading were observed at the

outboard edge, indicating bending to the left.

The left forward lug had translaminar fractures intersecting the lughole with rough

fracture features that were consistent with overstress fracture primarily under tensile

loading. Multiple delaminations within the lug and a bearing indentation on the outboard

side were consistent with bending to the left. Also, the left forward lug area had a

delamination extending upward into the structure up to 43 inches from the lower end.

Fracture features on the left forward delamination indicated a shear direction that was

consistent with fracture under tensile loading and/or bending to the left.

For detailed information on the fractographic examination of the vertical stabilizer

main attachment lugs, see Materials Laboratory Factual Report 02-083 in the public

docket for this accident.

111 Hackles are matrix fracture features that indicate a significant component of shear across the fracture

surface. Hackles are formed when matrix microcracks that are spaced fairly regularly along planes of

maximum tension join together.
Factual Information 66 Aircraft Accident Report

1.16.4 Structural Analyses and Tests 

1.16.4.1 Finite Element Analysis and Progressive Failure Analysis

At the Safety Board’s request, NASA-Langley and Airbus independently

conducted an FEA to assess flight 587’s most likely failure scenarios. The following

failure scenarios were assessed: (1) fracture of the right rear main attachment lug;

(2) buckling of portions of the vertical stabilizer skin panels, resulting in fracture of the

right rear main attachment lug, rudder hinge line failure, or rudder fracture; (3) rudder skin

fracture; (4) actuation of a bent rudder hinge line, resulting in rudder fracture or rudder

hinge line failure; and (5) flutter of the vertical stabilizer resulting from delamination of

the rudder skin sandwich panel. 

NASA-Langley’s and Airbus’ analyses determined that the fracture of the right

rear main attachment lug was the most probable initial failure. The analyses indicated

that, after the right rear main attachment lug fractured, all of the remaining attachment

fittings would fracture with no increase in external loading.

Under the direction of Safety Board investigators, NASA-Langley and Airbus

evaluated the fracture of the right rear main attachment lug using global (entire vertical

stabilizer) and local (lug area only) models. In the local model, the right rear main

attachment lug was analyzed, including the neighboring skin and stringer region between

ribs 1 and 5, the right half of ribs 1 through 5, and the right half of the rear spar. NASA

and Airbus used detailed FEA models to determine lug contact areas, contact pressures,

and the stress and strain profiles112 under a loading representative of the accident condition

(that is, the loading at the time that the vertical stabilizer separated from the aft fuselage)

and Airbus’ full-scale certification test (see section 1.6.4.3). The FEA results showed that

the lug contact areas, contact pressures, and the stress and strain profiles for the accident

condition were in agreement with those for the full-scale certification test. 

NASA used a PFA model to determine the predicted failure load, failure mode, and

location of failure initiation for the right rear main attachment lug for the accident

condition and the full-scale certification test. The PFA results showed that, for the

accident condition, the predicted failure load for the right rear main attachment lug was

about two times its design limit load, as defined by the lateral gust condition. The PFA

results also showed that the predicted failure load and location of failure initiation for the

rear main attachment lugs during the full-scale certification test and for the accident

condition were in agreement. In addition, the PFA results showed that the predicted

failure mode of the rear main attachment lugs during the full-scale certification test and

for the accident condition was consistent with a cleavage-tension failure.

112 As stated in section 1.6.4.2, stress is the force per unit area of material. Strain is the deformation per

unit length of material.
Factual Information 67 Aircraft Accident Report

1.16.4.2 Postaccident Lug Tests

As indicated in section 1.16.4.1, NASA-Langley’s and Airbus’ FEA models

showed that the stress and strain profiles of the right rear lug at the time of vertical

stabilizer separation were equivalent to those of the full-scale certification test at failure,

and NASA’s PFA results showed that the failure load, failure mode, and location of failure

initiation for the accident condition were equivalent to those of the full-scale certification

test. However, no actual test data for the accident condition existed to validate the FEA

and PFA results for the accident condition and to validate the most likely failure scenario

for flight 587—fracture of the right rear main attachment lug. As a result, the Safety

Board conducted three static lug tests at Airbus’ production facility in Hamburg,

Germany. The purpose of the tests was to demonstrate the behavior of the lugs under the

flight 587 tensile load conditions, which were derived from FDR data and FEA models.

The FEA and PFA models indicated that lug strength was a function of the lug

resultant force and the lug local lateral bending moment applied at the lug pin, which are

primarily influenced by the root bending moment and net side load on the vertical

stabilizer. The computed pin loading from the global and local analysis for the airplane

model and accident condition was used to prescribe loading conditions for the static lug

tests.

The first test was performed on August 13, 2003, using a left rear main attachment

fitting from an A310 skin panel that was used as a manufacturing test article. During the

test, the lateral load application control commanded a shutdown because of a change in the

fitting’s lateral stiffness. (As a result, the second and third static lug tests were conducted

with displacement control instead of load control.) The load level achieved during this

first test was 907 kN. Visible fiber cracks were observed on the outboard surface of the

lug. The location of this damage was consistent with the initiation of failure in the

cleavage-tension mode, as indicated by the PFA model results.

Delaminations within the test lug were similar to those observed within the

flight 587 right rear main attachment lug. Also, the fracture initiation location was

consistent with that predicted by the PFA model and was similar to the location observed

in the accident fitting. Further, the measured strain values for the first test fitting

compared well with the strain values predicted by the FEA models. In addition, the strain

level comparison between the FEA models for the first static lug test and the FEA models

for aircraft configuration indicated that this test represented the behavior of the flight 587

right rear main attachment lug during the accident sequence.

The second and third tests were conducted using fittings from the airplane used for

American Airlines flight 903, which experienced an excursion outside the A300-600

certificated design envelope in 1997. (For more information about the flight 903 accident,

see section 1.18.2.1.) The second test was performed on December 17, 2003, using the

left rear main attachment fitting from the flight 903 airplane. The left rear main

attachment fitting contained nonvisible damage that was not detected during a

March 2002 nondestructive inspection (see section 1.18.2.1.1.) Loads were applied until

the lug fractured at a load level of 893 kN. The type and location of the translaminar
Factual Information 68 Aircraft Accident Report

fractures and delaminations were consistent with those observed during the first test and

with the accident lug.

As with the first test, the fractures occurred at locations that were consistent with

those predicted by the PFA model and similar to the locations observed in the accident lug.

Also, the measured strain values for the second test fitting compared well with the strain

values predicted by the FEA models. In addition, the strain level comparison between the

FEA models for the second test and the FEA models for aircraft configuration indicated

that this test represented the behavior of the flight 587 right rear main attachment lug

during the accident sequence.

The third test was conducted on February 12, 2004, using the right rear main

attachment fitting from the flight 903 airplane. The right rear main attachment fitting

contained nonvisible damage that was greater than the damage that was detected during

the March 2002 nondestructive inspection (see section 1.18.2.1.1). Loads were applied

until a load level of 953 kN was reached; at that point, the maximum programmed load

level had been achieved and maintained. The test was then stopped so that the load

limitation could be removed. When the load application resumed, the test fitting fractured

at a load level of 1,093 kN. Examination of the test data revealed that significant damage

had occurred to the test fitting at a load level of 953 kN. This damage influenced the lug

loading conditions during the subsequent loading.

Overall, the type and location of the fractures and delaminations in the third test

lug were consistent with those observed during the first and second tests and with the

accident lug. As with the first and second tests, the fractures occurred at locations that

were consistent with those predicted by NASA’s PFA model and was similar to the

location observed in the accident lug. Also, the measured strain values for the third test

fitting compared well with the strain values predicted by the FEA models up to 953 kN. In

addition, the strain level comparison between the FEA models for the third test and the

FEA models for aircraft configuration indicated that this test represented the behavior of

the flight 587 right rear main attachment lug during the accident sequence.

In summary, the results of the three static lug tests produced failure load levels, a

failure mode, and a failure initiation location that were consistent with the results of

NASA-Langley’s and Airbus’ FEA models and NASA’s PFA model. Also, the tested lugs

had fracture features that were similar to those observed on the right rear main attachment

lug from the accident airplane. In addition, even though the lugs used in the second and

third test (from the flight 903 airplane) contained nonvisible damage, the tests indicated

that the lugs performed to their design strength and that the nonvisible damage did not

have a detrimental effect on the lugs’ overall performance. 

1.16.4.3 Summary of Structural Analyses and Tests

NASA’s and Airbus’ FEA models determined that failure of the right rear main

attachment lug was the most probable initial failure. The FEA models and NASA’s PFA

model also determined that the failure initiated at the final observed maximum vertical

stabilizer root bending condition during the accident flight, when the vertical stabilizer
Factual Information 69 Aircraft Accident Report

was subjected to a global root bending moment of more than two times the value defined

by the limit load design envelope. (As previously stated, for certification, the vertical

stabilizer is only required to support loads of 1.5 times limit load without catastrophic

failure.) The structural analyses showed that the large aerodynamic loading produced by

the accident scenario would result in the right rear main attachment lug experiencing

reaction forces and associated stresses that were equivalent to those that produced lug

fractures in the Airbus full-scale certification test (lateral gust condition) and the Safety

Board’s static lug tests. Figure 16 compares the resultant lug forces at the time of fracture

for the tests and analyses that were pertinent to the flight 587 investigation. 

Note: The lug forces defined by the gray and orange lines correspond to the conditions defined by the gray and orange 

triangles shown in figure 15.

Figure 16. Comparison of Lug Forces at the Time of Fracture

The stresses developed exceeded the strength values for the CFRP material used in

the manufacturing of the lugs; thus, the accident lug and the tested lugs fractured because

of a tensile static overload. The physical evidence and the structural analyses showed that

the accident lug’s and the tested lugs’ fracture features were consistent with a

cleavage-tension failure observed in composite-bolted joints. Figure 17 shows the load on

the flight 587 right rear main attachment lug and a depiction of the cleavage-tension

failure mode.

AA587 Lug Failure Load Comparison

Lug Resultant Force (kN)

Lateral Gust Limit Load (RT) 475 kN 

Lateral Gust Ultimate Load (RT) 712 

Loading Condition B 944 kN

Load Condition D 804 kN

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

1100

12345678

925 905

922

907 893

953

896 905

Accident Progressive Failure Analysis1986 Full-Scale Test ResultFull-Scale Test Progressive Failure AnalysisNTSB Sub-Component Test #1NTSB Sub-Component Test #2NTSB Sub-Component Test #3Sub-Component Test Progressive Failure AnalysisSub-Component Test Progressive Failure Analysis
Factual Information 70 Aircraft Accident Report

Note: Number 1 is the initiating fracture, and number 2 is the secondary fracture. The circle indicates the location of the 

pin and bushing, which were missing from the lug when it was found in the wreckage. 

Figure 17. Load on the Flight 587 Right Rear Main Attachment Lug and a Depiction of 

the Cleavage-Tension Failure Mode

The structural analyses also indicated that, after the right rear main attachment lug

fractured, all of the remaining lugs fractured sequentially. The fracture of the right rear

main attachment lug initiated a nearly instantaneous separation of the vertical stabilizer

from the aft fuselage.

2 Load 1

Load 1

2
Factual Information 71 Aircraft Accident Report

1.16.5 Systems Testing

1.16.5.1 Rudder Servo Controls and Linkages

Between March 14 and 22, 2002, the three servo controls and linkages were

examined, tested, and disassembled at the TRW Aeronautical Systems (the manufacturer

of the rudder servo controls) facility near Paris, France.113 Each of the rudder servo

controls showed some corrosion and superficial damage, but each one functioned

satisfactorily. No significant discrepancies were noted during the disassembly. 

The control rods and bellcranks were intact from the bottom of the vertical

stabilizer to the rudder servo controls, and no freeplay was observed. The three input

springrods had white deposits on their internal components but no substantial corrosion.

The lower and middle springrods passed a compression test but failed an extension test.

The upper springrod could not be tested because it was bent. 

1.16.5.2 Artificial Feel and Trim Unit 

The artificial feel and trim unit was examined and disassembled on April 11

and 12, 2002, at Airbus’ production facility in Hamburg. The examination found that

some internal parts had been damaged by the postaccident fire and that the spring feel

force could not be tested because melted components impeded the spring from

compressing. The examination also found that the rudder trim jackscrew and nut portion

were in good condition. As part of the examination, the artificial feel and trim unit was

measured and was determined to be in the zero trim position. The disassembly showed no

evidence of a malfunction in the unit. 

1.16.5.3 Rudder Control System Ground Tests

From September 9 to 12, 2002, ground tests were performed on an A300-600

airplane at Airbus’ facility in Toulouse to evaluate the characteristics of the rudder control

system. No significant differences existed between the test airplane and the accident

airplane regarding the rudder control system and related electronic flight control systems.

The tests recorded the response of the rudder to slow and fast pedal inputs and slow and

fast yaw autopilot commands.114

Data showing rudder pedal position versus rudder position were examined from

these tests and from human performance tests that were also conducted in September 2002

at Airbus’ facility in Toulouse (see section 1.16.6.2). The data showed a constant

relationship between the rudder and pedal positions when the rudder was being driven at a

slow rate by the pedal. The data also showed that the pedal led the rudder when the rudder

113 Before this work, the three rudder servo controls had been sent to the Army Research Laboratory,

where CT scans were performed.

114 During the tests, the pedal rates ranged from about 1o per second (slow) to 80o per second (fast), and

the yaw autopilot was commanded to move at rates that ranged from 1o per second (slow) to the maximum

37o per second (fast). 
Factual Information 72 Aircraft Accident Report

was being driven at a fast rate by the pedal (relative to the slow pedal rate data). In

addition, the data showed that the pedal lagged behind the rudder when the pedal was

being driven at a fast rate by the autopilot (relative to the slow pedal rate data).

The Safety Board did not test how a failure condition involving the yaw damper

(specifically, a failure in one of the eight bearings in the differential unit that caused the

yaw damper linkage to become jammed to the main bellcrank) would cause the yaw

damper to move the rudder pedals. However, because yaw damper and autopilot inputs

both occur at the differential unit, which is a relatively rigid structure, the Board

determined that the relationship seen when the pedal was being driven at a fast rate by the

autopilot—the pedal lagging behind the rudder—would also be seen if a yaw damper had

become jammed to the main bellcrank. 

1.16.5.4 Yaw Autopilot and Yaw Damper Actuators

On October 17, 2002, the yaw autopilot actuator was examined at the Safety

Board’s laboratory for proper electrical wiring between the main connectors and the

solenoid valve. No determination could be made because of the extensive heat and

physical damage to the actuator. On June 2 and 3, 2003, the yaw autopilot actuator was

disassembled at the Goodrich Actuation Systems (the yaw autopilot actuator

manufacturer) facility in St. Ouen L’Aumone, France, to determine whether the actuator

was working properly. Again, no determination could be made because of the extensive

heat and physical damage to the actuator.

On June 4 and 5, 2003, the yaw damper actuator was examined at the Goodrich

Actuation Systems (the yaw damper actuator manufacturer) facility in Vernon, France, to

determine whether the actuator was operating properly. No determination could be made

because of the extensive heat and physical damage to the actuator. 

1.16.5.5 Flight Control Linkages

FDR data from the accident flight showed large movements of flight control

linkages and surfaces, primarily in the yaw and roll axes. As a result, on May 15, 2003,

the flight control linkages on an American Airlines A300-600 airplane, N14065, were

inspected at the company’s maintenance facility in Tulsa for possible cross-coupling115 or

interference with moving parts. No areas of potential flight control linkage coupling or

interference with moving parts were identified.

1.16.6 Human Performance Tests

1.16.6.1 Vertical Motion Simulator Tests

The Safety Board conducted tests and observations using the vertical motion

simulator (VMS) at NASA’s Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California. The VMS

is the largest motion-based simulator in the world. The VMS cab is mounted on a

115 Cross-coupling is binding of the roll control linkages with the yaw control linkages.
Factual Information 73 Aircraft Accident Report

6-degrees-of-freedom motion platform that provides a 60-foot vertical, 40-foot lateral, and

12-foot forward and aft motion capability. The cab has two side-by-side pilot stations,

each of which is configured with three side-by-side monitors to indicate cockpit

displays,116 a transport-category-style control wheel and column, adjustable rudder pedals,

and two throttle levers. 

The VMS tests and observations, which were conducted from August 12 to 22,

2002, consisted of a reconstruction of the accident flight sequence using data from the

accident airplane’s FDR and other available sources. One objective for reconstructing the

accident flight sequence was to observe and evaluate accelerations and angular motions

that were similar to those that occurred during the accident flight. Another objective was

to observe and evaluate cockpit displays, visual cues, and flight control motions that were

similar to those experienced during the accident flight. The reconstruction of flight 587

was based on data from the accident airplane’s FDR, calculations from the airplane

performance study for this accident, and audio information from the accident airplane’s

CVR. The reconstruction began just before flight 587 departed from JFK and continued

until the FDR ceased recording.

The cab motion was driven with the time histories of computed pilot station

accelerations (longitudinal, lateral, and vertical) and angular position data that were based

on the FDR’s accelerometer and angular position data. The VMS motion was driven with

computed accelerations that matched, as closely as possible, the accident airplane’s

motion during the first and second wake encounters. These accelerations were of

particular interest because they could serve as possible explanations for pilot reactions on

the controls. The VMS was not able to replicate the target longitudinal, lateral, and

vertical accelerations for short periods of time during the accident sequence, and the entire

sequence could not be replicated in a single series of motion because of limitations in the

VMS motion system. Further, it is possible that small differences between the actual

acceleration and the derived values (that is, the acceleration between data points) may

exist because of the low sample rate of the pitch, roll, and heading data recorded on the

FDR.117

During the VMS runs, primary flight control inputs, including the rudder pedals,

control wheel, control column, and throttles, and heading, altitude, airspeed, attitude, and

position data were developed from FDR data and portrayed on the cockpit displays. An

outside visual scene based on a database of prominent visual features and coastline near

JFK was also presented during VMS runs. In addition, selected VMS runs included a

synchronized audio file (played over headsets) that contained portions of the accident

flight’s CVR recording. For each VMS run, time histories of cab motion parameters,

116 The outboard monitor at each station presented graphical strip charts of input and actual accelerations

for the longitudinal, lateral, and vertical axes and flight control positions. The inboard monitor at each

station presented a compass rose navigation display of heading and track information and a wind vector

indicator with digital readouts of windspeed and direction. The center monitor at each station was a primary

flight display that showed altitude, attitude, and airspeed information; displayed a digital readout of event

time; and contained an operable sideslip indicator that presented lateral acceleration data (based on Airbus

specifications for the A300-600 sideslip indicator).

117 Pitch, roll, and heading were sampled only one time per second.
Factual Information 74 Aircraft Accident Report

including input data and measured cab accelerations values and flight control positions,

were displayed on monitors in the VMS control room.118

Members of the human performance group for this accident participated in the

VMS runs. Many participants described the first notable event experienced in the cab

(that is, the first encounter with wake turbulence) as typical of a crossing wake encounter.

Some participants felt a slight yaw before the flight controls moved. The slight yaw was

described as a characteristic motion of an A300 flying through turbulence. The slight yaw

motion was followed by a vertical acceleration, which was described by the participants as

a “bump” that seemed to result from the wake encounter rather than flight control

movements.

Regarding the second notable event experienced in the cab (that is, the second

encounter with wake turbulence), the participants generally agreed that “very slight” cab

motions were felt before the first movements of the control wheel and rudder pedal to the

right. The cab motions were described as “barely perceptible” left lateral accelerations.

Most participants did not experience any cab motion until less than 1 second before the

first wheel motion. The first movements of the control wheel and rudder pedal to the right

were “large and abrupt.” The participants did not observe a visual or acceleration cue that

would cause a pilot to apply the observed initial magnitude of wheel and pedal in response

to the second notable event. After the first movements of the wheel and pedal to the right,

large lateral accelerations were felt, and additional large, abrupt flight control movements

in the yaw, pitch, and roll axes were observed. Although the participants felt lateral

accelerations, they indicated that it was difficult to sense whether vertical and longitudinal

accelerations were also present.

The VMS was also used to evaluate how the same reconstruction would feel with a

variable ratio rudder travel limiter system. During those VMS runs in which a variable

ratio limiter system was simulated, some participants stated that the movements of the

pedals was so fast that it was hard to keep their feet on the pedals as they moved.

1.16.6.2 Control Force and Control Surface Displacement Ground Tests

 Between September 10 and 17, 2002, members of the human performance group

participated in A300-600 ground tests at Airbus’ facility in Toulouse. The purpose of the

tests was to record (1) pilot input forces to the rudder pedal, control wheel, and control

column under dynamic conditions and (2) the corresponding flight control surface

positions. These measurements were compared with the static force versus deflection

curves in the Airbus A300-600 Aircraft Maintenance Manual to better understand the

118 Two monitors displayed graphical strip charts of input and actual accelerations for the longitudinal,

lateral, and vertical axes and flight control positions (identical to those presented in the cab). Two monitors

presented a flight control display that provided dynamic flight control position information and rudder travel

limiter position information in a pictorial format. The remaining four monitors presented the out-of-window

visual scene, the primary flight display, the navigation display, and a chase plane view.
Factual Information 75 Aircraft Accident Report

interaction between the pilots and the airplane during dynamic conditions. The tests were

conducted at 165, 190, 240, and 325 knots.119 The rates of control movements were 0.25,

0.5, and 1 Hz. Direct feedback concerning the pilot’s performance was not provided to the

three pilot subjects who participated in the tests.

The tests showed that the control wheel and rudder pedal forces applied at the

three higher airspeeds—190, 240, and 325 knots—were either similar to, or greater than,

the forces applied at the 165-knot airspeed.120 The tests also showed rate saturation in the

flight control surfaces (that is, when control inputs are made at a rate faster than the

control surface can move). In addition, the force feel system for the rudder pedal requires

a force of 65 pounds for the pedal to reach full travel at 165 knots; the tests showed that

average pedal force for all three subjects was almost always above this value regardless of

the set airspeed.121 Similarly, the force feel system for the control wheel requires a force of

11.2 pounds for the wheel to reach full travel; the tests showed that the applied control

wheel forces were typically between 30 and 40 pounds.

Tests were also conducted in which the subjects were instructed to move the

control wheel and rudder pedal to 50 percent of their available range. The tests showed

that the pedal force applied during the 50-percent condition resulted in full rudder travel,

even though that force was one-half of the force applied at the 100-percent condition. The

tests also showed that the control wheel force applied during the 50-percent condition

resulted in reduced aileron motion.

1.16.7 Temperature Tab Study

To determine if heat in the aft fuselage had compromised the integrity of the

vertical stabilizer’s main attachment and transverse load fittings, a temperature tab study

was conducted. Temperature tabs show the temperatures that result from the radiated heat

from the APU bleed air duct and from radiant heat from the sun. The tabs have windows

that are marked for specific temperatures, and a blackened window indicates that the tabs

were exposed to temperatures greater than that marked by the window. Temperatures of

250o and greater degrade composite materials. 

Five temperature tabs were installed in the aft fuselage of an American Airlines

A300-600 airplane, N70054. The temperature tab ranges were 120o to 180o F, with

windows marked in 20o increments, and 180o to 250o F, with windows marked for 180o,

200o, 230o, and 250o F.

119 These four airspeeds represented different amounts of rudder pedal limiting and different amounts of

control column force. 

120 Even though the amount of force required to achieve full rudder pedal travel on the A300-600

decreases as airspeed increases, the amount of force to achieve maximum control wheel travel is

independent of airspeed.

121 The lowest average peak force value was 61.1 pounds, which one subject applied during the 240-knot

condition.
Factual Information 76 Aircraft Accident Report

Two temperature tabs (one showing the 120o-to-180o F range and the other

showing the 180o-to-250o F range) were placed adjacent to the fuselage skin. Another

temperature tab (showing the 120o-to-180o F range) was placed over the bleed air duct on

the left side of the fuselage. The last two temperature tabs (one showing the

120o-to-180o F range and the other showing the 180o-to-250o F range) were placed on the

vertical stabilizer access cover. The airplane operated for several months with the five

temperature tabs inside the aft fuselage. 

On August 1, 2002, the temperature tabs were examined. The tabs that were

adjacent to the fuselage skin showed exposure to 120o F, the tab that was placed over the

bleed air duct showed exposure to 160o F, and the tabs that were placed on the vertical

stabilizer access cover showed exposure to 120o F.

1.16.8 Cockpit Voice Recorder Sound Spectrum Study

The CVR group performed a sound spectrum study to identify any airframe

vibration or flutter signals or unknown or unusual sounds during the airborne portion of

the CVR recording. The recording was examined on a spectrum analyzer, which presents

the frequency content of the signals graphically. The information from this visual

presentation allows detailed analyses of the analog waveform and provides detailed timing

information.

The CVR group applied a 100-Hz, low-pass filter to the CVR to document any

airframe vibration or flutter. This filter passed sound energy below 100 Hz through a

signal processor, which calculated the frequency content of the sound energy, and eight

spectrograms (also known as voiceprints) displayed the resulting signals. One

spectrogram showed signals for the time that the airplane was starting its takeoff roll, and

seven spectrograms depicted the last 50 seconds of the cockpit area microphone CVR

recording. (Three of the spectrograms were not useable as an examination technique

because the sound spectrum analysis could not compensate for the loud noises toward the

end of the CVR recording.) The spectrograms did not reveal any unusual vibration or

flutter that preceded the sound of two thumps recorded on the CVR at 0915:52.9 (about

1 second before the first officer’s statement, “max power”).

The CVR group examined all of the CVR channels to document any unknown or

unusual cockpit or airplane sounds. The sound of a brief squeak and rattle at 0915:37.3

and the sound of two thumps at 0915:52.9 were associated with movement of cockpit

items in response to the airplane’s encounter with wake turbulence. The CVR group

identified no specific events or noises on the CVR that, by themselves, could be positively

associated with the departure of the vertical stabilizer. Also, the Board did not determine

the sources of sounds after the airplane was believed to have started its uncontrolled

descent.
Factual Information 77 Aircraft Accident Report

1.16.9 Speech Study

The Safety Board examined speech evidence from the CVR recording to

determine whether nonverbal sounds, physical straining, and indications of psychological

stress were present during the accident sequence. The Board made subjective evaluations

and computer scorings of the audio information from the CVR hot microphone channels,

which captured speech through the boom microphones attached to the headsets worn by

each pilot.

The CVR transcript (see appendix B) did not identify any nonverbal sounds for the

captain. The transcript did identify varied sounds for the first officer, including the grunt

sound at 0916.

Research has shown that fundamental frequency122 (pitch) can convey information

about a speaker’s psychological stress.123 With regard to fundamental frequency, the

Safety Board used the following guidelines from two previous accident investigations to

evaluate the approximate degree of psychological stress experienced by a pilot and its

effect on performance:124

• An increase in fundamental frequency by about 30 percent (compared with that

individual’s speech in a relaxed condition) is characteristic of stage 1 level of

stress, which could result in the speaker’s focused attention and improved

performance.

• An increase in fundamental frequency by about 50 to 150 percent is

characteristic of stage 2 level of stress, which could result in the speaker’s

performance being hasty and abbreviated and thus degraded; however, the

speaker’s performance would not likely display gross mistakes.

• An increase in fundamental frequency by about 100 to 200 percent is

characteristic of stage 3 level of stress, or panic, which would likely result in

the speaker’s inability to think or function logically or productively. 

Each CVR statement was analyzed for computer-generated measures of

fundamental frequency. Specifically, average speech measures were examined during the

different stages of flight to assess whether the flight 587 pilots responded to presumed

increases in stress with corresponding increases in the speech measures. Consistent with

122 Fundamental frequency is the rate (in Hz) at which the vocal chords of the larynx open and close

during speech, releasing puffs of air. For example, a fundamental frequency of 150 Hz indicates that the

vocal chords open and close 150 times per second. 

123 M. Brenner, E.T. Doherty, and T. Shipp, “Speech Measures Indicating Workload Demand,” Aviation,

Space, and Environmental Medicine, Vol. 65 (1994): 21-26.

124 For more information, see National Transportation Safety Board, Uncontrolled Descent and

Collision With Terrain, USAir Flight 427, Boeing 737-300, N513AU, Near Aliquippa, Pennsylvania,

September 8, 1994, Aircraft Accident Report NTSB/AAR-99-01 (Washington, DC: NTSB, 1999). Also see

National Transportation Safety Board, EgyptAir Flight 990, Boeing 767-366ER, SU-GAP, 60 Miles South of

Nantucket, Massachusetts, October 31, 1999, Aircraft Accident Brief NTSB/AAB-02/01 (Washington, DC:

NTSB, 2001).
Factual Information 78 Aircraft Accident Report

previous psychophysiological evidence,125 the speech study assumed that, under normal

operations, the pilots would be the most relaxed when the airplane was parked at the gate

(pre-taxi), their stress level would increase as they began taxi operations, and their stress

level would be the greatest during takeoff.

The study found that both the captain and the first officer appeared to respond with

characteristic changes in speech fundamental frequency to the increasing demands of the

different stages of flight (pre-taxi, taxi, and takeoff). The first officer showed a large

response to the wake encounters, but the captain did not show such a response. As a

result, the average fundamental frequency values for each statement made by the captain

and the first officer during the takeoff and wake encounter segments of the flight were

evaluated. The evaluation indicated that the captain displayed a relatively uniform profile

of stress that remained within a generally alerted level (stage 1). The first officer’s last

three statements before 0915:58.4 (when the right rear main attachment fitting fractured)

showed progressively increasing fundamental frequency values that were significantly

higher than those of his previous statements. These last three statements reached a high

stress level associated with degraded performance (stage 2) but remained below a stress

level associated with panic (stage 3). 

1.17 Organizational and Management Information

American Airways was incorporated in 1930, and its name changed in 1934 to

American Airlines, Inc. American Airlines is owned by the AMR Corporation and is

headquartered in Dallas, Texas. American provides passenger and cargo service

throughout North America, South America, the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe, and

the Pacific. AMR Corporation also owns and operates American Eagle, a regional airline

that provides service at American’s hubs and other cities throughout the United States,

Canada, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean. American Airlines acquired Reno Air in

February 1999 and Trans World Airlines (TWA) in April 2001.

As of November 2001, American Airlines’ fleet consisted of

869 transport-category airplanes, 35 of which were A300-600 airplanes (including the

accident airplane).126 Other airplanes in American’s fleet at the time were the Boeing 717,

727, 737, 757, 767, and 777; the Fokker F.100; and the McDonnell Douglas MD-80. As

of March 2002, American Airlines employed 12,746 pilots. (Of the 869 airplanes in

American’s fleet and the 12,746 company pilots, 107 airplanes and 1,906 pilots were

acquired through TWA.)

125 For more information, see J.J. Speyer, R.D. Blomberg, and J.P. Fouillot, “Evaluation of the Impact of

New Technology Cockpits: Onwards From A300FF, A310, A320 to A330, A340.” Presented at the

International Conference, Human Machine Interaction and Artificial Intelligence in Aeronautics and Space,

Toulouse, France, 1990, and reprinted in the Airbus Industrie publication Workload and Vigilance,

Physiologic Ambulant Monitoring, Automation and Error Tolerance, Cockpit Resource Management. Also

see G.F. Wilson, “An Analysis of Mental Workload in Pilots During Flight Using Multiple

Psychophysiological Measures,” International Journal of Aviation Psychology, Vol. 12, No. 1 (2002): 3-18.

126 In 1988, American Airlines became the first A300-600 customer in the United States, ordering

25 airplanes initially and then another 10 airplanes.
Factual Information 79 Aircraft Accident Report

1.17.1 Flight Crew Training

American Airlines’ flight crew training academy is located in Fort Worth, Texas.

The American Airlines General Flight Training Manual (dated September 1, 2001)

indicated that pilot training was grouped into four categories: indoctrination, qualification

(also known as initial training, transition training, and upgrade training), continuing

qualification (also known as recurrent training), and special training (any training that was

not covered by the three other categories). The manual also indicated that courses could

be divided into four segments: distributed training, ground training, flight training, and

qualification.

Distributed training included electronic material distributed via computer system,

computer disk, or the Internet; paper material, such as handouts, study guides, or flight

operations manuals; and videotapes. Ground training consisted primarily of systems and

procedures training conducted by professional ground school instructors who were not

qualified as line pilots. Flight training consisted primarily of maneuvers and line

operational simulator training. The maneuvers training was primarily conducted by

professional simulator instructors who were not qualified as line pilots. The line

operational simulator training was conducted by American Airlines check airmen who

were qualified as line pilots. Qualification training consisted of training to qualify and/or

certify pilots in a specific airplane.

The American Airlines A300 fleet standards manager stated, during public hearing

testimony, that A300 pilots receive about 225 hours of initial training before they qualify

on the airplane. The fleet standards manager also stated that A300 pilots receive about

25 hours of recurrent ground school and simulator training every 9 months.127 The

recurrent training is presented during 2 days of ground school and 2 days (4 hours each) of

simulator training.

1.17.1.1 Selected Event Training

On August 16, 1995, the FAA issued Flight Standards Handbook Bulletin for Air

Transportation (HBAT) 95-10, “Selected Event Training.” The HBAT defined selected

event training as “voluntary flight training in hazardous inflight situations which are not

specifically identified in FAA regulations or directives” and contained guidance and

information on the approval and implementation of selected event training for Part 121

operators that use flight simulation devices as part of their flight training programs. The

FAA issued the HBAT in response to Safety Board recommendations regarding training in

unusual attitude recovery but expanded the HBAT to include recognition and containment

of situations that might lead to unusual attitudes.

HBAT 95-10 indicated that some examples of selected event training were false

stall warning (stickshaker) at rotation; full stalls; excessive (greater than 90o) roll attitudes;

high (greater than 35o) pitch attitudes; engine failure at low altitude and airspeed, after

127 On September 1, 2001, American Airlines changed its recurrent training cycle for pilots from 12 to

9 months.
Factual Information 80 Aircraft Accident Report

takeoff, and during go-around; engine-out minimum control speed on autopilot; and

engine-out instrument landing system to a missed approach with the autopilot engaged.

HBAT 95-10 further indicated that, because of the broad range of operations and

equipment in use in the air transportation industry, the maneuvers included as selected

event training could vary among operators.

Just before HBAT 95-10 was issued, American Airlines initiated a selected events

training program. Specifically, on July 27, 1995, American Airlines’ managing director of

flight training and standards sent a letter to the American Airlines principal operations

inspector (POI), explaining that the company had made changes to its training manual and

asking that these changes be approved. The letter stated, “based on recent NTSB concerns

and recommendations for operators to provide flight crewmembers with flight training in

hazardous inflight situations, we are taking the initiative to conduct this type of training

during simulator flight training periods.” The letter cited examples of maneuvers to be

included during this training, including unusual attitude recoveries at excessive (90o or

beyond) roll attitudes and high (35o or beyond) pitch attitudes. The POI approved the

revisions to American Airlines’ training manual on August 1, 1995.

1.17.1.2 Advanced Aircraft Maneuvering Program 

American Airlines conducts the AAMP as the upset training module of its selected

event training program. The AAMP is presented during initial, recurrent, transition, and

upgrade training with descriptions highlighting the aerodynamic differences in airplane

designs and varying engine, wing, and flight control configurations. According to

American Airlines, the AAMP has evolved during the past several years as additional

input has been received from various sources. Sections 1.17.1.2.1 through 1.17.1.2.5

present information on the development of the program, AAMP ground school training,

AAMP simulator training, AAMP training materials, and comments on the program,

respectively. Section 1.17.1.2.6 presents the results of the Safety Board’s training

simulator study, which examined an AAMP exercise involving recovery from an

excessive bank angle, and section 1.17.1.2.7 discusses the Board’s comparison of rudder

pedal responses in an A300-600 airplane and American Airlines’ A310/300 training

simulator.

1.17.1.2.1 Development of the Program

AAMP development began in 1996 after a review of worldwide accidents from

1987 to 1996 involving large multiengine transport-category airplanes128 found that the

leading causal factor for these accidents was loss of control.129 According to American

Airlines, the aviation industry believed that many of the accidents might have been

prevented if the pilots had been trained to specifically recognize and respond to airplane

upsets. At that time, pilots of large transport-category airplanes generally did not receive

128 This review was done as part of the development of the joint industry Airplane Upset Recovery

Training Aid (see section 1.17.2.2.2).

129 Other causal factors included controlled flight into terrain (CFIT), windshear, and wake vortex

encounters.
Factual Information 81 Aircraft Accident Report

any training in upset recovery or perform upset recovery maneuvers during flight

operations.

American Airlines involved airplane manufacturers in the early development of

the AAMP. The chief test pilot from McDonnell Douglas was one of the airplane

manufacturer representatives who provided comments on the AAMP during its early

development. The AAMP course developer (an American Airlines captain) indicated that

the chief test pilot’s comments were “very helpful” and that he “pretty much wrote the

book” on the flight handling characteristics segment of the program. In a postaccident

interview, the chief test pilot stated that “the rudder was the main area for discussion”

because it needed to be “very well understood.” The chief test pilot was also concerned

about the use of simulation outside of the range of valid data.

The AAMP course developer and American Airlines’ director of training traveled

to the Boeing Company in Seattle, Washington, to present the AAMP. They asked test

pilots and aeronautical engineers to observe the program to help “make the program

better” and “ensure the accuracy of the program.” Airbus was also invited to participate,

but, according to the AAMP course developer, no test pilot or representative from Airbus

attended the course at the time.

American Airlines held a 2-day AAMP Industry Conference on May 29 and 30,

1997, in Dallas. Participants included the FAA, the Safety Board, airlines, Boeing,

McDonnell Douglas, Airbus, and the U.S. military. The first day of the conference was a

presentation of AAMP ground school training, and the second day consisted of a question

and answer session and a simulator demonstration. During the conference, American

Airlines’ chief pilot and vice president of flight requested feedback on the AAMP from

the Boeing Commercial Airplane Group, the Boeing Douglas Products Division, Airbus,

and the FAA. Section 1.17.1.2.5 discusses the coordinated response from these

organizations.

1.17.1.2.2 Ground School Training Information

AAMP initial ground school training consisted of 6.5 hours of classroom

instruction, and recurrent AAMP ground school training consisted of videotapes that

included classroom subjects and a simulator briefing.130 American Airlines provided

initial AAMP ground school training to existing company pilots after the program was

developed. The accident captain attended AAMP ground school training in May 1997,

and the accident first officer attended AAMP ground school training in March 1997.

Company pilots that were subsequently hired received initial AAMP ground school

training during their initial training.

American Airlines also distributed an AAMP flight training booklet to pilots

during their initial AAMP ground school training. The booklet included information that

130 The videotapes shown during recurrent training were excerpts from AAMP videotapes that were

created and distributed to company pilots beginning in December 1997. See section 1.17.1.2.3 for

information about the AAMP videotapes.
Factual Information 82 Aircraft Accident Report

supplemented the AAMP training and provided space for pilots to take notes during the

training. The A300 fleet standards manager indicated that the booklet was not intended to

be a stand-alone document and that the booklet was not handed out during recurrent

AAMP ground school training. Section 1.17.1.2.4 provides additional details on the

AAMP flight training booklet.

American Airlines’ A300 fleet standards manager stated that, as a result of the

flight 587 accident, AAMP ground school training for each fleet now includes discussions

about the design maneuvering speed; the rudder travel limiter system; and the sensitivity,

restrictive movement, and limited displacement of the rudder pedal. Also, the training

now cautions pilots that only a small amount of rudder should be used, if needed, for roll

upset recovery.

1.17.1.2.3 Simulator Training Information

The presentation at the public hearing by the American Airlines A300 fleet

standards manager indicated that the following AAMP simulator profiles were designed to

develop and reinforce specific flying skills:

• High AOA [angle of attack] maneuvering demo – NOT full stalls[131]

• Unusual attitudes – nose high & nose low[132]

• Microburst – demanding level

• Engine failure – low altitude & low energy

• GPWS [ground proximity warning system] – mode 2 ‘Terrain’ profile

• High altitude upset – fleet specific

The accident captain received his initial AAMP simulator training in

December 1997 and his recurrent AAMP simulator training in July 1998, July 1999,

July 2000, and June 2001. The accident first officer received his initial AAMP simulator

training in November 1997 and his recurrent AAMP simulator training in

November 1998, November 1999, and December 2000. The first officer was scheduled to

receive his next recurrent AAMP simulator training at the end of November 2001. 

The A300 fleet standards manager indicated that, in response to HBAT 95-10, one

AAMP simulator exercise involved an uncommanded roll to at least 90o. The fleet

standards manager stated that, for this exercise, the simulator instructor told pilots that

they were following a heavy jet (some instructors specifically stated that the airplane was

a Boeing 747) and issued the appropriate wake turbulence warnings. The Safety Board

notes that the NASA aviation safety reporting system (ASRS)133 contained only a few

wake turbulence reports that involved a large transport-category airplane, such as the

131 According to the A300 fleet standards manager, American Airlines did not conduct full stall

exercises because the simulators could not replicate them.

132 The excessive bank angle exercise discussed later in this section was presented during this AAMP

simulator profile.
Factual Information 83 Aircraft Accident Report

A300, as the trailing airplane, but the available reports of such events between 1988 and

1999 indicated that the maximum bank angle estimated by pilots was usually 30o or less

and was no more than 60o. The Board further notes that a study conducted by the Flight

Safety Foundation,134 which included a review of the Board’s accident data, the FAA’s

incident data, and ASRS pilot reports, concluded that wake turbulence encounters were

less frequent and less severe for large transport-category airplanes, such as the A300-600,

than for smaller transport-category airplanes.

American Airlines’ manager of simulation engineering stated that, during this

exercise, the simulator instructor pressed a touch-screen button that was programmed to

roll the airplane about 10o either left or right and then roll the airplane in the opposite

direction past 90o.135 The simulator inhibited the use of the ailerons, spoilers, and rudder

until the airplane reached a bank angle of 50o or a maximum of 10 seconds had elapsed.

After the airplane’s bank angle reached 50o, yaw and roll control were phased back in

during the next 1.3 seconds. The phasing in of control authority and the angular

momentum of the airplane resulted in a bank angle of at least 90o. The roll rate after about

50o and the final bank angle (that is, the bank angle before recovery) depended on how

effectively the pilot responded to the upset.

According to one of the American Airlines A300 simulator instructors who

provided the first officer’s most recent simulator training, if pilots just used aileron during

the roll maneuver, they would put themselves into a sideslip condition, so “a little bit” of

rudder was necessary. The instructor also stated that recovery from the roll maneuver was

better when the pilots got on the flight controls earlier and that pilots needed to make

corrections immediately.

After the flight 587 accident, American Airlines changed the manner in which it

conducted upset recovery training. The simulator instructor now uses programmed

buttons in the simulator to place the airplane into an upset. Once an unusual attitude is

established, the instructor freezes the simulator at this position, and the pilot is able to

study the situation while the instructor discusses it. Afterward, the instructor initiates the

exercise and releases the simulator back to the pilot, who must execute the proper

recovery. Also, the exercise is no longer described as a departure behind a heavy jet. 

The American Airlines A300 fleet standards manager stated that American

Airlines recognized that simulators had some limitations (for example, a simulator cannot

replicate lateral, positive, and negative G forces or full stalls) but that simulators were the

best tools available to teach upset recovery. His presentation at the public hearing

indicated that American had invited Boeing, McDonnell Douglas, and Airbus to review

AAMP simulator data. Further, the American Airlines manager of simulation engineering

133 ASRS is a national repository for reports regarding aviation safety-related issues and events. ASRS

reports are voluntarily submitted by pilots and other aviation professionals when they want to alert others

about a potentially unsafe condition or event.

134 P.R. Veillette, “Data Show That U.S. Wake-Turbulence Accidents Are Most Frequent at Low Altitude

and During Approach and Landing.” Flight Safety Digest, Flight Safety Foundation, March-April 2002.

135 During climbout, the simulator replicated some light chop.
Factual Information 84 Aircraft Accident Report

stated that sideslip and AOA were monitored when the AAMP simulation exercises were

developed, each AAMP rolling and pitching exercise was flown and evaluated in each

simulator fleet type, AAMP roll and pitch maneuvers stayed within valid simulator data,

and the aerodynamic coefficient data tables provided by aircraft manufacturers for the

simulators were not changed.

According to the A300 fleet standards manager, the AAMP was not intended to be

a turbulence recovery training aid, but the program recognized that some situations

involving wake turbulence could result in an upset.136 The fleet standards manager stated

that, at the time that the AAMP was being developed, more than 50 percent of American’s

fleet consisted of McDonnell Douglas Super 80s and F.100s, which have short wingspans

and are thus possibly susceptible to an upset from an encounter with wake turbulence. He

also stated that American never thought that the larger airplanes in its fleet at the time—

the DC-10, MD-11, Boeing 757, Boeing 767, and A300—could end up in an upset from a

“normal” encounter with wake turbulence.

1.17.1.2.4 Training Materials

As stated in section 1.17.1.2.2, American Airlines distributed an AAMP flight

training booklet to company pilots during their initial AAMP ground school training. The

original booklet, dated October 1, 1996, contained, among other things, information on the

aerodynamics of swept-wing airplanes, unusual attitude recovery procedures, events that

cause airplane upsets, and air mass anomalies (that is, windshear, microbursts, wake

turbulence, and mountain wave activity). The booklet has been revised several times; the

version that was current at the time of the accident was dated May 1, 2000.

The booklet that the accident pilots received during their initial AAMP training

was dated January 1, 1997. That booklet contained the following information regarding

pilot responses to wake turbulence:137

• Rolling moment on aircraft with shorter wing spans can be dramatic.

• Resulting attitude may be nose low with more than 90o of bank.

• Apply the appropriate unusual attitude recovery procedure.

• Do not apply any back pressure on yoke at more than 90o of bank. ROLL

FIRST – THEN PULL.

• High AOA maneuvering = RUDDER.[138]

• Corner speed – high lift devices extended.

136 The Safety Board notes that, in December 1994, the FAA issued HBAT 94-17, “Pilot Training in

Heavy Wake Vortex Turbulence: Awareness and Containment,” to address this issue.

137 The booklet described wake turbulence as a factor that had caused an increase in loss of control

accidents and incidents.

138 The September 1, 1997, booklet deleted the word “maneuvering” and added the word “coordinated”

before “rudder.” American Airlines made this change to address airplane manufacturers’ concerns about the

company’s emphasis on the use of the rudder (see section 1.17.1.2.5).
Factual Information 85 Aircraft Accident Report

The January 1, 1997, booklet contained the following aerodynamic information:

The effectiveness of the rudder as a roll control will increase with increasing

AOA. At the higher angles of attack, THE RUDDER becomes the most effective

roll control.

Smooth application of coordinated rudder[139] will improve roll response

significantly at higher AOA.

The January 1, 1997, booklet contained the following information about high

AOA maneuvering demonstrated during AAMP simulator training:

• Apply climb power

• Maintain 15o to 30o deck angle 

• Respect the stick shaker (Fly in the PLI [pitch limit indication])

• Now roll alternately left and right to 40o of bank – 

MAINTAIN HIGH AOA

• First, use only ailerons and spoilers

– Note: Sluggish roll response – Developing sink rate

• Second, use only rudder – (smoothly)[140]

– Note: Improved roll response – Developing climb rate

• Third, practice combination (both aileron & rudder)

– Note: Optimum roll response

In addition to the AAMP flight training booklet, American Airlines created a series

of five AAMP videotapes, which presented the following subjects: unusual attitude

recoveries, automation dependency, CFIT and mountain wave, control malfunctions and

flight instrument anomalies, and microbursts. The videotapes on unusual attitude

recoveries, automation dependency, and control malfunctions and flight instrument

anomalies were distributed to company pilots for use in their personal libraries. The

videotapes on CFIT and mountain wave and microbursts were not distributed to pilots, but

information from these videos, as well as the other three videos, was presented during

recurrent training.

The videotape on unusual attitude recoveries was dated December 19, 1997, and

was made during an actual AAMP training class that occurred during either March or

April 1997. The class was attended by about 200 company pilots and was taught by the

AAMP course developer. The unusual attitude recoveries videotape emphasized the

139 The vice president of training for Airbus North America customer services stated, during public

hearing testimony, that the term “coordinated rudder” was “essentially to zero sideslip” and that this term

would have been well understood by the airline pilot community. Similarly, American Airlines’ manager of

simulation engineering stated at the public hearing that coordinated rudder was “flying the airplane without

sideslip or yaw.”

140 The September 1, 1997, booklet added the words “note lead/lag [response times]” within the

parentheses. This information was not in the booklet that the captain and the first officer received but was

current at the time of the accident.
Factual Information 86 Aircraft Accident Report

smooth application of rudder with small inputs for coordinated use and suggested

avoiding, at high AOAs, large rudder inputs that would induce large sideslip angles. The

videotape discussed information about lead and lag response times for the rudder and

emphasized that a lack of understanding of the rudder could lead to overcontrolling the

airplane. The videotape also demonstrated a high AOA control application in the

simulator. The instructor on the videotape stated the following regarding recovery from

unusually nose-high situations: 

Now some of you [pilots attending the AAMP training class] out there might say

‘well, I’m going to use a little coordinated rudder[141] to help the nose come

down.’ Fine, that’s fine, that’s good technique. A little, OK, smoothly applied, I

mean, understand right here: if you jam full right rudder, that’s the spin entry

procedure, see?

To address airplane manufacturers’ concerns about the company’s emphasis on the

use of the rudder (see section 1.17.1.2.5), American Airlines included a segment at the end

of the videotape that reinforced the proper use of the rudder. The segment repeated

warnings about how powerful the rudder could be, reiterated that rudder-generated

sideslip could lead to a loss of control, and reemphasized that the rudder must be applied

in smooth, appropriate amounts.

The A300 fleet standards manager indicated that, “AAMP always taught...the

pilots to respect the power of the rudder.” His presentation at the public hearing included

the following excerpts that were included in the December 1997 videotape: 

To complete this unusual attitude recovery procedure segment of the Advanced

Aircraft Maneuvering Program, I’d like to briefly review the proper use of rudder

at high angles of attack. As I stated in the aerodynamics segment, smooth

application of small amounts of rudder, coordinated with the aileron, will

significantly improve the roll response at high angles of attack. I’d like to

emphasize that we have very large, powerful rudders on our aircraft. We do not

want to introduce high sideslip angles at high angles of attack, by either kicking

the rudder or applying the rudder in excess at high alpha. It only requires a small

amount, smoothly applied for a coordinated rudder to achieve the desired result.

This coordinated rudder will significantly improve the roll response at high angles

of attack. 

At the public hearing, the vice president of training for Airbus North America

customer services stated that he had previously reviewed this videotape and was

concerned that it had defined coordinated rudder as “rudder in the direction of the roll.”

The Airbus vice president also stated that he was concerned that the videotape taught

procedures rather than awareness.

The videotape on control malfunctions and flight instrument anomalies, dated

March 1, 1999, also discussed the use of the rudder. The crossover AOA was presented to

141 The AAMP instructor specifically stated that the term “coordinated rudder” meant moving the

control wheel and the rudder pedal in the same direction. 
Factual Information 87 Aircraft Accident Report

show that the rudder became more powerful than the aileron and spoilers at high AOAs.

A Boeing test flight pilot demonstrated that forward yoke pressure on the control column

would regain aileron and spoiler control over the rudder by reducing the AOA.

1.17.1.2.5 Comments on the Program

In a May 22, 1997, letter to the chief test pilot at Airbus, an American Airlines

A300 technical pilot indicated his concern that AAMP handout pages stated that “at

higher angles of attack, the rudder becomes the primary roll control.” The technical pilot’s

letter also expressed concern that “the program infers that aileron application in these

situations is undesirable since it will create drag caused by spoiler deflection.” Further, the

letter stated that the AAMP instructor had been teaching pilots to use the rudder to control

roll in the event of a wake turbulence encounter. The American Airlines A300 technical

pilot asked the Airbus chief test pilot for his thoughts on this subject and suggested a

teleconference a few days later. In a May 23, 1997, facsimile, the chief test pilot stated

that he shared the A300 technical pilot’s concern about the use of rudder at high AOAs

and agreed to a teleconference to discuss the matter.

In a June 13, 1997, internal letter to colleagues, the Airbus chief test pilot indicated

that he had spoken with American Airlines. The letter detailed the chief test pilot’s general

views regarding the use of the rudder at low airspeeds and the use of flight training

simulators, which he had discussed during the teleconference. The letter stated that,

although the rudder becomes more effective for roll control as airspeed is reduced, normal

lateral control (aileron and spoilers) is effective down to the stall speed. The letter

indicated Airbus’ recommendation to use the rudder as necessary to avoid sideslip but not

as the primary source of roll. The letter also indicated that flight training simulators could

not be expected to be accurate at the edges of the flight envelope and did not include

dynamic maneuvers outside the normal flight envelope. In addition, the letter stated that

simulators were “particularly inaccurate for large sideslip angles” and that a pilot might

draw the wrong conclusion from maneuvers involving the use of rudder at low airspeeds.

As stated in section 1.17.1.2.1, during the May 1997 AAMP Industry Conference,

American Airlines’ chief pilot and vice president of flight requested feedback on the

program from the Boeing Commercial Airplane Group, the Boeing Douglas Products

Division, Airbus, and the FAA. In an August 20, 1997, letter, representatives from these

organizations provided their joint response, indicating that the AAMP was already an

“excellent” program and that the intent of the letter was to provide “additional and

corrected technical information as well as the benefit of [the representatives’] experience

in unusual areas of the flight envelope for training pilots in various airplane models.” The

letter addressed six subject areas, including the use of rudder and airplane recovery from

upsets. 

Regarding the use of rudder, the letter stated that “the excessive emphasis on the

superior effectiveness of the rudder for roll control vis-à-vis aileron and spoilers, in high

angle of attack, is a concern” and that a more appropriate standard would be to first use the

full aileron control and, if the airplane is not responding, to then use rudder as necessary to

obtain the desired airplane response. Also, the letter stated that sideslip angle was a
Factual Information 88 Aircraft Accident Report

“crucial” parameter that needed to be discussed in the program because “it is probably not

well understood by many line pilots but has a significant impact on an airplane’s stability

and control.”

Regarding airplane recovery from upsets, the letter indicated that, in a high AOA,

nose-high upset, the wing should be unloaded first using down elevator and down

stabilizer trim before roll is introduced.142 The letter stated that roll should only be

introduced after exhausting the use of pitch axis controls and considering the reduction of

thrust (on airplanes with wing-mounted engines). The letter further stated that

“introducing roll angles at extremely high angles of attack creates sideslip” and that

“sideslip introduced by rapid roll may result in departure from controlled flight.” In

addition, the letter indicated that reducing thrust on wing-mounted engines is another way

to assist a pilot in lowering an airplane’s nose.

In a letter dated October 6, 1997,143 American Airlines’ chief pilot and vice

president of flight responded to the letter from the representatives from the Boeing

Commercial Airplane Group, the Boeing Douglas Products Division, Airbus, and the

FAA. The chief pilot and vice president of flight explained that American Airlines does

not advocate using “rudder first” or “rudder only.” Also, he pointed out that four different

sections of the AAMP emphasized that, when an airplane is not responding to aileron and

spoiler control, smooth application of coordinated rudder should be used to obtain the

desired roll response.

American Airlines’ chief pilot and vice president of flight also disagreed with the

position taken in the representatives’ letter concerning airplane recovery from upsets,

stating that company pilots “will not hesitate to roll the lift vector off the vertical [axis] to

generate the required nose down pitch rate” if unloading with elevator does not result in an

adequate nose-down pitch rate. He further stated, “any delay in initiating the roll (if

required) could lead to a very tenuous situation.” In addition, he stated that American

Airlines would not teach its pilots to use nose-down stabilizer trim as the next step after

unloading because of the “significant risks associated with running stabilizer trim during

an upset recovery” or to reduce thrust before rolling the lift vector off the vertical axis

because it may be “counter-productive” for airplanes with wing-mounted engines.

On February 6, 2003, American Airlines provided the Safety Board with a copy of

a May 27, 1997, memorandum from the company’s managing director of flight operations

technical to the company’s chief pilot and vice president of flight. The memorandum

stated that the managing director of flight operations technical had “grave concerns about

some flawed aerodynamic theory and flying techniques that have been presented in the

AAMP.” The memorandum also stated that it was wrong and “exceptionally dangerous”

142 The AAMP recovery procedure at the time for this type of upset instructed the pilot to unload with

forward yoke pressure toward zero G force and roll (limiting the bank angle to about 70o) toward the nearest

horizon to lower the airplane nose. (The current procedure limits the bank angle to about 60o, as indicated in

section 1.17.2.2.) 

143 In a December 2, 2002, letter to the Safety Board, Airbus indicated that this letter from American

Airlines was not received until January 20, 1998.
Factual Information 89 Aircraft Accident Report

to teach pilots to use the rudder as the primary means of roll control in recoveries from

high AOAs. The managing director of flight operations technical asked the chief pilot and

vice president of flight to consider several points, including the following:

• The use of excessive roll at high AOAs will cause a spin or a snap roll.

• The rolling moment caused by rudder input is generated by sideslip, which is

slow to take effect but then rapidly becomes uncontrollable, resulting in a spin,

snap roll, or pilot-induced oscillation.

• Yaw dampers remain active at high AOAs, with unpredictable and perhaps

adverse consequences.

• Transport-category airplanes are designed so that ailerons are effective at slow

airspeeds and high AOAs. 

• The Boeing chief test pilot said that he “vehemently disagreed” with the

aggressive use of rudder at high AOAs because “it is extremely dangerous and

unpredictable.” The McDonnell Douglas chief test pilot expressed “serious

concerns and disagreement” about the rudder theories presented in the AAMP. 

In addition, the memorandum stated that American Airlines was conducting high

AOA training in simulators that did not accurately replicate the behavior of the airplane

and was “very likely” to provide a false sense of confidence to pilots. The managing

director of flight operations technical suggested that American Airlines take “immediate

corrective action to change our training programs and advise our flight crews of the

correct nature and danger of rudder inputs at high angles of attack.”

1.17.1.2.6 Training Simulator Study

On December 4, 2002, members of the human performance group conducted a

study in the American Airlines A310/300 training simulator to examine the AAMP

excessive bank angle recovery exercise that the accident pilots completed.144 After

receiving initial AAMP ground training and an AAMP simulator briefing,145 six pilots

from the group performed the exercise multiple times using different pilot input strategies.

The simulator instructor set up the exercise as a departure behind a 747 and

initiated a roll event when the airplane was banked at an altitude between 2,000 and

2,500 feet and an airspeed of about 240 knots. The airplane exhibited an uncommanded

roll in one direction (determined arbitrarily by the computer) followed immediately by a

substantial uncommanded roll in the opposite direction. The simulator momentarily

inhibited the airplane’s response to pilot roll and yaw inputs during the event to allow the

144 The training simulator study did not include any of the changes to the excessive bank angle recovery

exercise that were introduced after the flight 587 accident.

145 During the briefing, the simulator instructor stated that the amount of bank generated during the

exercise could be a function of the pilot’s response, a quick reaction might prevent an excessive amount of

roll, and some coordinated rudder should be used during the recovery. This simulator instructor provided

the accident first officer with his A300-600 upgrade training and his initial A300-600 recurrent training. 
Factual Information 90 Aircraft Accident Report

airplane to reach a substantial bank angle before recovery began. Each pilot was

instructed to recover the airplane according to the method detailed in the AAMP ground

training.

This procedure was repeated five additional times for each pilot except that the roll

maneuver was initiated during level flight after the pilot indicated his readiness. Also, the

pilots were instructed to use each of the following five specific recovery methods: partial

wheel and no rudder, full wheel and no rudder, full wheel and partial rudder, full wheel

and full rudder, and the pilot’s preference. 

The first of the six trials had an upset initiation when the airplane was typically

flying with a 20° left bank at an airspeed of 235 knots. All of the pilots responded with a

full control wheel input (between 77° and 80°) supported by a rudder pedal input (ranging

from 6.7° to 14.5° with an average of 10.8°). Five of the six pilots had essentially

simultaneous rudder pedal and control wheel inputs. Three of the pilots recovered the

airplane before it had reached a maximum bank angle of 90°, and the other three pilots

recovered the airplane with a maximum bank angle between 108° and 114°. In post-trial

comments, four of the pilots stated that they were surprised by the onset of the event. 

The four recovery methods used during the second through fifth trials showed little

difference among the average maximum bank angle reached (between 104° and 107°), and

none of the recoveries was achieved before the airplane reached a bank angle of 100°,

even with the wide variation of the inputs made. Three of the six pilots reported that

partial wheel and no rudder was the worst recovery method, and all six pilots questioned

whether this method provided sufficient control authority to achieve recovery. Two of the

pilots reported that a recovery with full wheel and full rudder was the worst method

because of the possibility of overcontrol.

Data from the fifth trial (full wheel and full rudder) suggested a discrepancy

between the simulator and the airplane concerning compliance in the rudder control

system.146 Specifically, at an airspeed of 240 knots, the maximum pedal travel on the

A300-600 should be limited to 7.9°. When the pilots made full rudder inputs, the

maximum pedal travel varied from 10.3° to 18.9°. Some of the pilots reported that they

did not have a sensation of going past a pedal stop when making the full pedal inputs.

During the last of the six trials (the pilot’s recovery method preference), most of

the pilots responded with nearly full control wheel and partial rudder pedal inputs.

Slightly less input was made on both controls than during the first trial, and the pedal

response was typically delayed by at least 1 second after the control wheel response.

On the basis of post-trial comments and pilot actions during the first and last trial,

the pilots appeared to prefer a recovery strategy of full wheel and limited rudder in

146 Compliance in the rudder control system can result from several factors, but it is predominately the

result of the cables stretching elastically when forces applied to the rudder pedal are in excess of the forces

required to reach the pedal stop. According to American Airlines and Airbus, the compliance of the rudder

control system in the simulator is mathematically computed rather than determined by actual cables.
Factual Information 91 Aircraft Accident Report

response to the simulator exercise. Also, five of the six pilots indicated, at least once

during the six trials, that there was a lack of flight control response during the initial upset.

1.17.1.2.7 Comparison of Rudder Pedal Responses in the A300-600 Airplane 

and the American Airlines A310/300 Training Simulator

From January 31 to February 2, 2002, Safety Board investigators performed tests

on an American Airlines A300-600 airplane at American’s maintenance facility in Tulsa.

With the assistance of an American Airlines representative, the investigators measured

rudder pedal limits at different airspeeds (30, 150, 165, 190, 220, 240, 250, 275, 310, and

335 knots), the travel of the control wheel, and the dimensions of the wheel. To measure

the pedal limits, an investigator sat in the left cockpit seat and pushed the left pedal until

the stop was contacted (normal force) while another investigator in the right cockpit seat

recorded the actual pedal motion. The investigator in the left cockpit seat then pushed the

left pedal as hard as he could (high force), and the actual pedal motion was again recorded. 

Safety Board investigators repeated these tests on April 23, 2003, in the American

Airlines A310/300 training simulator. With the assistance of two American Airlines

representatives, the investigators assessed how the portrayal of rudder pedal

characteristics in the simulator compared with those of the actual A300-600 airplane. The

investigators found that the rudder pedal motion in the simulator and the airplane

produced by normal and high pilot input forces resulted in different pedal displacements

despite the pedal travel limits, as shown in figure 18. The differences were attributed to

the software representation of the elastic cable stretch in the simulator, which was less stiff

than the cable stretch on the A300-600 airplane.

Figure 18. Rudder Pedal Motion With Normal and High Pilot Pedal Force in the A300-600 

Airplane and the American Airlines A310/300 Training Simulator

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400

Airspeed, knots

Pedal travel, inches

A300-600--normal force

Simulator--normal force

A300-600--high force

Simulator--high force
Factual Information 92 Aircraft Accident Report

1.17.1.3 Postaccident A300 Pilot Training

In early 2003, the American Airlines A300 fleet standards manager and an A300

technical pilot provided classroom training to every company A300 pilot on the airplane’s

rudder control system. The training covered vertical stabilizer side force characteristics,

14 CFR Part 25 certification, rudder travel limiter effects, rudder pedal force and

displacement, and pilot input/yaw damper interaction.147

The training emphasized several points. First, certification standards do not

account for a maneuver with alternating rudder inputs, even though such a maneuver may

result in excessive loads on the vertical stabilizer. Second, as airspeed increases, the

rudder pedals become more sensitive. Third, applying a rudder pedal force of 110 pounds

or more will override any yaw damper input. Last, if pilot control inputs cause undesirable

or unexpected airplane motion, the pilot should place the control in its neutral position

until the airplane stabilizes. In addition, the A300 pilots were informed that the training

presentation was available on the company’s pilot Web site and that they would be

receiving additional training on the A300 rudder control system during recurrent training. 

1.17.2 Flight and Operations Manuals

1.17.2.1 Use of Rudder

American’s A300 Operating Manual, Land, page 3 (dated November 15, 2001),

contained a reference to the use of alternating rudder inputs in the “L/G [Landing Gear]

UNSAFE INDICATION” procedure when the landing gear handle is selected down. The

procedure included the following note:

If one gear remains unlocked, perform turns to increase load factor and perform

alternating side slips in an attempt to lock the gear. Prior to performing any side

slip maneuver, ensure all Flight Attendants and passengers are seated.

 On July 17, 2002, American Airlines issued A300 Operating Manual Bulletin

number 300-1-141, “L/G [Landing Gear] UNSAFE INDICATION” procedure. The

bulletin contained a warning not to perform the alternating sideslips described in the note

for the procedure. The bulletin revised the note to state the following:

If one gear remains unlocked, perform coordinated turns to increase load factor

(not to exceed 45o of bank). Prior to performing the turns, ensure that all Flight

Attendants and passengers are seated with seat belts fastened.

147 Training in these areas had been identified as weak or nonexistent.
Factual Information 93 Aircraft Accident Report

American’s A300 Operating Manual, Flight Controls, page 8, dated September 8,

1999, indicated the following information under the heading “Yaw Control

System/Rudder Control”: 

Two independent rudder travel limiting systems, controlled by the rudder travel

feel and limitation computers, progressively decrease the maximum rudder travel

from ± 30o below 165 knots (low speed range) to ± 3.5o above 310 knots (high

speed range).

American’s A300 Operating Manual, Abnormals/Flight Controls, page 6, dated

March 26, 2001, contained procedures for a rudder travel fault, which included the

following note: “use rudder with care above 170 knots to prevent overcontrolling with

loss of rudder travel limiter.”

1.17.2.1.1 Manufacturer’s Information

Airbus’ A300-600 FCOM volume 2, Procedures and Techniques, page 1,

revision 25 (dated February 2001), contained one restriction on the use of rudder, which

appeared in the procedures for a recovery from stall warning. The procedures stated that,

if an airplane was out of a stall and no threat of ground contact existed, the pilot was to

retract the landing gear (if extended), recover normal speed, and select the flaps as

required. If one engine was inoperative, the pilot should “use with care” power and

rudder. In March 2002, Airbus issued an A310/A300-600 FCOM bulletin that included,

among other things, information about restrictions on rudder use. Section 1.18.4.1.2

provides details about the information in this bulletin. 

Airbus’ A300-600 FCOM, volume 2, Abnormal Procedures, page 5, revision 25

(dated February 2, 2001), included the following procedure for a “landing gear unsafe”

indication if the landing gear is selected down: “If one gear remains unlocked, accelerate

to VMAX [maximum selectable speed for landing gear extended], perform turns to increase

the load factor and perform alternating side slips in an attempt to lock the gear.”

Revision 26 (dated March 2002) added a note to the procedure. The note stated the

following:

Sideslip is used to generate aerodynamic loads on the landing gear structure to

force the downlock into position. The sideslip should be initiated using the rudder

on the same side of the aircraft as the unsafe gear indication, i.e., if the right main

landing gear is unlocked, slowly apply right rudder up to full deflection if

necessary while maintaining wings level to generate sideslip. If the gear still fails

to lock, then slowly return the rudder to neutral, allow the airplane to stabilize,

and then slowly apply opposite rudder. If necessary, repeat this cycle in an

attempt to lock the gear.

Airbus’ A300-600 FCOM contained one reference before the accident to the

reduction in rudder pedal travel at higher airspeeds. The reference appeared in volume 1

in the Flight Controls/Yaw Control section, page 1, and stated “the rudder travel limiter
Factual Information 94 Aircraft Accident Report

reduces the pedals and rudder deflection from ± 30o at speeds below 165 kt [knots] to

±3.5o at 310 kt and above.”148 

1.17.2.2 Unusual Attitude Recovery

American Airlines’ A300 Operating Manual, Maneuvers, discussed unusual

attitude recognition and recovery. Page 12, dated November 15, 1997, stated the following

procedure for a nose-high recovery:

• Unload with forward yoke pressure toward “0” g force.

• Roll the airplane toward the nearest horizon – limit bank angle to

approximately 60o.

• Increase thrust in most nose high recoveries.

• As airplane symbol approaches the horizon, make a coordinated roll to wings

level with a slight nose down attitude.

• Adjust airspeed, thrust, and pitch as necessary.

On March 8, 2002, American Airlines issued A300 Operating Manual Bulletin

number 300-1-137, “Upset Recovery/Unusual Attitudes.” The information contained in

the bulletin provided piloting techniques, maneuvers, and guidelines for recovery from an

upset/unusual attitude, as recommended by Airbus, and replaced the unusual attitude

information dated November 1997. The bulletin included the following procedure for a

nose-high recovery:

Pilot-Flying and Pilot-Not-Flying

• Recognize and confirm the situation.

Pilot-Flying

• Apply nose-down elevator up to full deflection.

• Apply nose-down trim as appropriate.

• Reduce thrust (altitude permitting).

• Roll to obtain a nose down pitch rate (if necessary).

• Complete the recovery:

• When approaching the nearest horizon, roll to wings level.

• Check airspeed and adjust thrust.

• Establish pitch attitude.

Pilot-Not-Flying

• Call out attitude, airspeed, and altitude throughout the recovery.

• Verify all required actions have been completed and call out any omissions.

148 This FCOM information was not correctly cited. The rudder deflection is limited to 3.5° at 390 knots

rather than 310 knots, and the rudder deflection is limited to 5° at 310 knots (as stated in section 1.6.2).

According to Airbus, the FCOM has been corrected.
Factual Information 95 Aircraft Accident Report

1.17.2.2.1 Manufacturer’s Information

Airbus’ A300-600 FCOM, volume 2, Procedures and Techniques, page 2 (dated

February 2002), stated the following lateral and directional control information:

Unusually large amounts of aileron and spoiler input may be required to recover

from an upset. 

If during this upset, the angle of attack increases beyond a certain value (stick

shaker and buffeting), then the airflow over the wing separates and the efficiency

of ailerons and spoilers decreases. Since the rudder is rarely aerodynamically

stalled, it is still possible to generate induced roll rate using the rudder.

CAUTION: At high angle of attack, pilots must be extremely careful when using

the rudder for assisting lateral control. Excessive rudder can cause excessive

sideslip, which could lead to departure from controlled flight. 

Page 3 of the Procedures and Techniques section of the FCOM included the

following information regarding recovery techniques from a high bank angle:

Though the bank angle for an upset has been defined as unintentionally more than

45 degrees, it is possible to experience bank angles greater than 90 degrees.

A smooth application of up to full lateral control should provide enough roll

control to establish a very positive recovery roll rate. If full roll control

application is not satisfactory, it may then be necessary to apply some rudder in

the direction of the desired roll.

CAUTION: Only a small amount of rudder is needed. Too much rudder applied

too quickly or held too long may result in loss of lateral and directional control or

structural failure. 

In addition, page 4 of the Procedures and Techniques section of the FCOM

contained the nose-high recovery procedures that American Airlines included in its Upset

Recovery/Unusual Attitudes A300 Operating Manual Bulletin issued in March 2002 (see

section 1.17.2.2).

1.17.2.2.2 Airplane Upset Recovery Training Aid 

 In June 1996, the Air Transport Association proposed that, in response to

increasing Safety Board interest in loss of control airplane accidents (including the

September 1994 accident involving USAir flight 427), a joint industry working group be

formed to produce a training aid for airplane upset recovery. The working group consisted

of representatives from airplane manufacturers (Boeing, Airbus, and McDonnell

Douglas), airlines (including American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta Air Lines,

which were already using upset recovery programs in simulator training), the FAA, and

pilots’ unions. The effort was the first time that the three airplane manufacturers worked

together on technical, noncommercial issues. 
Factual Information 96 Aircraft Accident Report

In public hearing testimony, the vice president of training for Airbus North

America customer services indicated that the manufacturers wanted upset training to be

developed as awareness training because of the infinite number of variables that could be

experienced. The Airbus vice president also stated that many of the carriers wanted to

develop upset training procedures that could be adapted to all of their fleets.

The joint industry Airplane Upset Recovery Training Aid was distributed to

operators in August 1998. The training aid, which included a workbook, videotape, and

CD-ROM, was aimed at preventing loss of control accidents on large, swept-wing

airplanes. The training aid provided information for air carrier pilots and managers on jet

aerodynamics, stability, control, and upset recovery and a model curriculum for classroom

and flight simulator training in unusual attitude recovery. The training aid defined an upset

as an airplane in flight that “unintentionally exceeds the parameters normally experienced

in line operations or training.” The parameters were a pitch attitude greater than 25o

airplane nose up or 10o airplane nose down and a bank angle greater than 45o. The training

aid also defined an upset as an airplane in flight that was “within the above parameters but

flying at airspeeds inappropriate for these conditions.”

The Airbus vice president of training indicated that the Airplane Upset Recovery

Training Aid was intended to be a stand-alone document, as with previous joint industry

training products, such as the Controlled Flight Into Terrain Training Aid and the Wake

Turbulence Training Aid. He also indicated that each operator could decide how to use the

information in the training package and that there could thus be differences among

operators regarding upset training.

The Airbus vice president for training further indicated that consideration was

given to adopting one of the airlines’ existing upset training programs as the joint industry

training aid. He stated that, even though the programs had good points that would be

included in the industry training aid, the idea of including the programs in their entirety

was rejected because the manufacturers had concerns in some areas. For example, the

Airbus vice president indicated that the manufacturers were concerned about the AAMP’s

emphasis on rudder and utilization of simulation. Airbus did not initially favor the use of

simulators for upset recovery training because the forces that a pilot would experience in

terms of increased weight or G loading, both vertically and laterally, could not be

duplicated in a simulator. Also, Airbus was concerned about simulator fidelity and the

“high possibility” of negative training149 if simulator training were not conducted

properly.150

149 Negative training is a situation in which training leads to less effective performance in the operational

environment than would have occurred if no training had been conducted.

150 The Airbus vice president indicated that there could be some value to simulator training if the

simulator is properly tuned, instructors are properly qualified, and parameters are tightly maintained so that

the training a pilot receives is valid. He further stated that, because of the risk that a pilot would not receive

valid training, and considering that the Airplane Upset Recovery Training Aid is for awareness education

and is not a procedure-based initiative, other tools are probably more appropriate than simulators to teach

upset training.
Factual Information 97 Aircraft Accident Report

The joint industry Airplane Upset Recovery Training Aid was also distributed to

the participants at Airbus’ 10th Performance and Operations Conference,151 which was

held in San Francisco, California, from September 28 to October 2, 1998. At the

conference, the chief test pilot in Airbus’ flight division presented a paper on the Airplane

Upset Recovery Training Aid. The Airbus chief test pilot stated that, from the beginning

of the working group’s efforts, a conflict existed between the technical advice provided by

the manufacturers’ training pilots and the views expressed by the airlines that were

already practicing upset training. As a result, the chief flight test pilots from Airbus,

Boeing, and McDonnell Douglas became members of the working group. The Airbus

chief test pilot indicated that the three test pilots, despite different backgrounds and work

experiences, did not disagree with each other’s technical advice but that the disagreement

between the airplane manufacturers and the airlines regarding airplane handling and

recovery techniques continued until January 1998.

Two of the areas in which the airplane manufacturers and the airlines had differing

opinions were the use of rudder and the use of simulators. Regarding the use of rudder,

the Airbus chief test pilot indicated that the existing upset recovery simulator training

courses emphasized using rudder for roll control at low airspeeds. He stated that, although

the rudder remained effective down to very low airspeeds, the airplane manufacturer test

pilots were “very wary” of using rudder close to stall speed.152

According to the Airbus chief test pilot, the airplane manufacturers were able to

convince the airline training managers to deemphasize the use of the rudder in their

existing courses. The airplane manufacturer test pilots advocated that aileron inputs could

be assisted, if necessary, by coordinated rudder in the direction of the desired roll. They

also cautioned, “excessive rudder can cause excessive sideslip, which could lead to

departure from controlled flight.” 

Regarding the use of simulators, the Airbus chief test pilot indicated that the

airplane manufacturers were concerned about the types of maneuvers that were being

flown in simulators and the conclusions that were being drawn from them. Specifically,

the airplane manufacturers were concerned that the airline training managers were

developing handling techniques that were outside of the simulator’s guaranteed domain.

The airplane manufacturers believed that simulator upset training should be confined to an

airplane’s normal flight envelope and that the training should stop at the stall warning.

American Airlines’ A300 fleet standards manager stated, in public hearing

testimony on this accident, that American was “a little surprised” at some of the comments

151 All Airbus operators are invited to attend the Performance and Operations Conferences.

152 The Airbus chief test pilot indicated that fighter pilots are accustomed to using the rudder for evasive

maneuvers when flying not far from stall speed but that large airplanes are not similar to fighter airplanes.
Factual Information 98 Aircraft Accident Report

made by the Airbus chief test pilot and did not think that his comments reflected what

American was teaching in the AAMP. For example:

• The Airbus chief test pilot indicated that “the thrust effects of

underwing-mounted engines were being ignored, whereas it has a significant

influence on recovery.” American’s presentation at the public hearing indicated

that the AAMP flight training booklet states, “the thrust vector effect on all AA

[American Airlines] fleet aircraft is significant. The low-mounted engines on

the B-757/767 & A-300 fleets add a powerful moment to the pitch axis. The

DC-10 & MD-11 can also produce a very significant pitch moment.” 

• The Airbus chief test pilot stated that “the training being given in the airlines at

the time to recover from excessive nose-up pitch attitudes emphasized rolling

rapidly towards 90o of bank.” American’s presentation at the public hearing

indicated that “AAMP taught pilots to roll the aircraft only if pushing the yoke

forward does not lower the pitch attitude. It also noted the danger of loss of

control caused by an overly aggressive roll.”

According to the vice president of training for Airbus North America customer

services, the Airplane Upset Recovery Training Aid was being revised to address, among

other things, the issues discussed in the Safety Board’s Safety Recommendations A-02-01

and -02 (see section 1.18.4.1). On August 5 and 6, 2003, representatives from airlines

(including American), aircraft manufacturers (including Airbus), the FAA, the Safety

Board, the Air Line Pilots Association, and private companies with an interest in upset

training attended a conference to review and provide comments on a draft, dated April 28,

2003, of the revised training aid. The conference participants received another draft of the

revised training aid, dated May 19, 2004, for final review. On August 6, 2004, the revised

training aid was issued. As a result of the flight 587 accident, the training aid now includes

the following language: 

It is important to guard against control reversals. There is no situation that will

require rapid full-scale control deflections from one side to the other. 

The rudders on modern jet transport airplanes are sized to counter the yawing

moment associated with an engine failure at very low takeoff speeds and to ensure

yaw control throughout the flight envelope, using up to maximum pedal input.

This very powerful rudder is also capable of generating large sideslips. An

inappropriate rudder input can produce a large sideslip angle, which will generate

a large rolling moment that requires significant lateral control input to stop the

airplane from rolling. The rudder should not normally be used to induce roll

through sideslip because the transient sideslip can induce very rapid roll rates with

significant time delay. The combination of rapid roll rates and time delay can

startle the pilot, which in turn can cause the pilot to overreact in the opposite

direction. The overreaction can induce abrupt yawing moments and violent out of

phase roll rates, which can lead to successive cyclic rudder deflections, known as

rudder reversals. Large aggressive control reversals can lead to loads that can

exceed structural design limits.
Factual Information 99 Aircraft Accident Report

From a structural capability standpoint, the pilot does not have to be concerned

about how fast or how hard to push the rudder pedal in one direction (from zero to

full available pedal deflection) throughout the normal flight envelope. However,

it is important to emphasize that limiters do not protect against the structural loads

or excessive sideslip angles that can be generated from rapid full deflection flight

control reversals.

In most cases effective situational awareness will avoid an upset from developing

in the first place. However, it is important that the first actions for recovering

from an airplane upset be correct and timely. Exaggerated control inputs through

reflex responses must be avoided. It is worth repeating that inappropriate control

inputs during one upset recovery can lead to a different upset situation. 

1.17.2.3 Design Maneuvering Speed

American’s A300 Operating Manual at the time of the accident contained only one

reference to VA. This reference appeared along with the following information about the

turbulence penetration speed: “Turbulence Penetration Speed—VA (AFM)[153],

270 knots/.78 Mach, whichever is lower.”

1.17.2.3.1 Manufacturer’s Information

The Airbus A300-600 AFM, Limitations, page 1, dated February 3, 1988,

contained a table under the heading “Airspeeds.” Under the table heading “Conditions,”

the following text appeared: “Full application of rudder and aileron controls, as well as

maneuvers that involve angles of attack near the stall, should be confined to speeds below

VA.” Under the table heading “Airspeeds,” a graph showed the relationship of Mach 0.78

(VA) to airspeed and altitude. The Airbus A300 AFM was not distributed to line pilots.

The vice president of training for Airbus North America customer services testified at the

public hearing that VA was a design speed and not an operational speed.

1.17.3 Federal Aviation Administration Oversight

The FAA’s certificate management office (CMO) for the AMR Corporation (which

owns American) is located in Dallas. At the time of the accident, the CMO organizational

staffing consisted of 84 positions, 2 of which were temporary and 10 of which were

vacant. Within the CMO were certificate management units for American Airlines and for

American Eagle. At the time of the accident, staffing for the certificate management unit

for American Airlines consisted of 53 positions, including 1 temporary position and

8 vacant positions.

The American Airlines POI was responsible for supervising 25 inspectors,

including the A300 aircrew program manager (APM). The POI was also responsible for

directing the work of eight geographic inspectors located at remote work sites.

153 AFM is the abbreviation for airplane flight manual.
Factual Information 100 Aircraft Accident Report

The FAA indicated that oversight of the AAMP is performed two ways. First, each

inspector receives AAMP ground and simulator training when the inspector undergoes

initial and recurrent training. Second, the A300 APM and assistant APM monitor the

AAMP during ground instruction observations and initial and recurrent training

observations of check airmen and designated pilot examiners. In March 2002, the

American Airlines POI and A300 APM reviewed the AAMP ground and simulator

portions of the A300 training program. According to the FAA, the training the POI and

APM observed matched the descriptions in the approved training program curriculum.

1.17.3.1 National Simulator Program

The FAA’s National Simulator Program (NSP) helps to ensure that a simulator is

properly programmed to replicate the respective airplane for flight crew training programs

approved by the POI. Two ACs that detail the process for evaluating and qualifying

simulators are AC 121-14, “Airplane Simulator and Visual Systems Evaluation,” and

AC 120-40, “Airplane Simulator Qualification.”

According to the ACs, the simulator evaluation process includes an objective

evaluation and a subjective evaluation. During an objective evaluation, the actual

instrumentation and controls in the flight simulator are examined, and the flight simulators

are tested to ensure that they perform and respond in the same manner as the aircraft being

simulated (within certain specific performance tolerances). The tests described in the ACs

can be replicated in a simulator because they have been accomplished in the actual aircraft

during flight. The data from these flights are the data to which the simulator performance

must be matched (within the published tolerances). During a subjective evaluation, the

simulator is compared with the aircraft in a much broader operational envelope that more

closely represents normal flight operations. According to the FAA, the NSP does not

place limits on the aerodynamic parameters beyond which the simulator is not qualified to

represent the real aircraft.

The unusual flight attitudes (that is, extreme pitch and roll angles) that are

demonstrated during selected event training (including AAMP simulator training) are not

contained in the ACs for simulator qualification. Because the aircraft manufacturers

provided no flight test data to validate these maneuvers, the NSP was not able to ensure

that the simulators were properly programmed to replicate the manufacturers’ respective

airplanes throughout these maneuvers. HBAT 95-10 states that each operator is

responsible for reviewing its simulator capabilities to ensure that the simulators used to

perform selected event training maneuvers have the ability to accurately support the

inclusion of those maneuvers in an approved training program.

The NSP conducts annual recurrent evaluations of simulators in accordance with

the requirements of the applicable AC. The last NSP annual recurrent evaluation of the

American Airlines A300 simulator before the accident was on September 7, 2001.154

154 American Airlines performs secondary evaluations 6 months after an NSP evaluation. The APMs

regularly attend these evaluation sessions. The A300 simulator received a secondary evaluation on

January 9, 2002, and none of the findings related to the circumstances of this accident.
Factual Information 101 Aircraft Accident Report

1.18 Additional Information

1.18.1 Flight 587 Witness Information

Several pilots witnessed the flight 587 accident. The captain of Northwest Airlines

flight 1867, which was in line to take off from runway 31L at JFK, saw pieces falling from

the flight 587 airplane and then saw the airplane enter a nose dive and crash. The

Northwest Airlines first officer indicated that the airplane’s wings appeared to be intact

and that the airplane appeared to be rolling to the left and diving. The first officer also

indicated that no fire was visible but that traces of smoke were visible. 

Jet Blue flight 41 was holding short of runway 31L while Northwest Airlines

flight 1867 was awaiting takeoff clearance. The Jet Blue captain observed an airplane that

was out of control in a left bank position and then in a near-vertical descent. The captain

also observed the airplane rolling back and forth while in a nose-down position and a fire

in the right wing area. The captain stated that the airplane impacted the ground with a

deep orange fireball that was about twice the length of the fuselage and that dark smoke

from the fire turned to light smoke about 10 minutes later. The Jet Blue first officer

observed an airplane in a “vertical rocking nose-down position.” The first officer also

observed a smoke trail and, about 4 seconds before airplane impact, an orange ball of

flame (about the size of an engine) in the middle of the airplane. The first officer stated

that, after airplane impact, a large fireball with bright orange flames and black smoke was

visible. He also stated that the weather was clear with no bird activity visible.

Jet Blue flight 79 was holding short of runway 31L waiting for takeoff clearance.

The captain of that flight observed an airplane spinning and spiraling in a downward

direction. The captain also observed a silver-colored object falling (but not as fast as the

airplane) and described the object to be of a size between an engine and a tail. The captain

stated that, as the airplane descended, a whitish-gray smoke cloud enveloped the airplane.

The captain also stated that the airplane appeared to be intact when it impacted the ground

and that, about 1/2 second after impact, an orange-yellow flame was visible, which was

followed by gray smoke. The Jet Blue first officer of this flight observed an airplane

rolling to the left at a 90o bank and falling. The first officer also observed, about 3 seconds

before airplane impact, a fireball (yellow to white in color and the size of an engine)

behind the wing. The first officer further observed a flying object tumbling through the air

near the airplane, and he stated that the object could have been the horizontal stabilizer.

The first officer also stated that the airplane appeared to be intact when it impacted the

ground at an 85o to a 90o angle and that the airplane exploded instantly, with black smoke

and orange flames visible.

In addition to the pilot witnesses, about 400 witnesses and potential witnesses155 to

this accident were identified through information collected by the Safety Board; the

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

155 A witness was considered to be an individual who reported observing the accident airplane in flight

and was able and willing to provide information regarding the observation.
Factual Information 102 Aircraft Accident Report

Police Department; and the Rockaway, New York, Police Department. The level of detail

provided by the witnesses varied significantly. Some witnesses provided specific details,

whereas the only information provided by other witnesses was that they observed an

airplane crash.

To give the witnesses an opportunity to provide the Safety Board with a first-hand

account of their observations, 355 questionnaires were mailed between November 21,

2001, and January 9, 2002. (Of the 355 questionnaires, 18 were returned to the Board as

undeliverable.) In the questionnaire, the witnesses were asked to provide a written

statement that indicated where they were located and what they observed and/or heard.

The questionnaire also asked the witnesses to discuss the direction the airplane was

traveling, any parts that might have separated or fallen from the airplane, any indications

of smoke or fire coming from the airplane, the duration of their observation, and their final

view of the airplane. The Board also established an Internet e-mail address on its Web site

for witnesses to the accident who had not been in contact with Board personnel. Six

categories were established to document and track the reported witness observations:

sources of witness information, reports of in-flight fire, reports of in-flight smoke,

reported sounds while the airplane was in flight, observed movements while the airplane

was in flight, and reports of in-flight airframe/component separations.

After all of the witness information was received, the Safety Board determined that

a total of 354 witnesses had provided sufficient detail to document. Of the 354 witnesses,

138 (39 percent)156 provided written accounts to the Board, and 66 (19 percent)

participated in interviews with Board personnel. Also, the FBI provided the Board with

interview summaries for 141 witnesses (40 percent), and the Port Authority and

Rockaway Police Departments provided the Board with information for 224 witnesses (63

percent).157 The Board’s review of this information revealed the following regarding the

witnesses’ observations: 

• Fire: 198 witnesses (56 percent) reported observing the airplane or a portion

of the airplane on fire at some point during their observation. The most

frequent response specified as the location of the fire was the fuselage.

• Smoke: 82 witnesses (23 percent) reported that they observed smoke

emanating from the airplane at some point during their observation. The two

most frequent responses specified as the location of the smoke were smoke

involving a miscellaneous area and smoke involving the fuselage.

• Noise: 176 witnesses (50 percent) reported a sound or sounds associated with

the airplane during their observation.

• Motion: 279 witnesses (79 percent) reported seeing downward motion of the

airplane, and 69 witnesses reported seeing spinning, corkscrewing, or

cartwheeling motion. Also, 67 witnesses (19 percent) saw the airplane in a left

bank or turn, and 27 witnesses (8 percent) saw the airplane in a right bank or

156 Percentages in this section have been rounded to the nearest whole number.

157 Some witnesses provided information about the flight 587 accident to more than one organization.
Factual Information 103 Aircraft Accident Report

turn. In addition, 29 witnesses (8 percent) saw the airplane climb, and

47 witnesses (13 percent) described the airplane’s motion as wobbling,

dipping, or rocking in a left-right motion.

• Parts separation: 225 witnesses (64 percent) reported that they saw

something separate or fall from the airplane at some point during their

observation. Of these 225 witnesses, 126 indicated that they had seen a

miscellaneous part or object fall from the airplane, 39 saw a part separate from

the vertical stabilizer, 37 saw a part separate from the left engine, and 26 saw a

part separate from the right engine.

1.18.2 Airbus Vertical Stabilizers That Reached High Loads

In addition to the flight 587 airplane, another A300-600 airplane and an A310

airplane had vertical stabilizers that exceeded ultimate load during in-service events. The

event involving the A300-600 airplane was American Airlines flight 903 in May 1997

(see section 1.18.2.1), and the event involving the A310 was a flight by the German airline

Interflug in February 1991 (see section 1.18.2.2). Table 7 shows information for these

events and for other A300-600 and A310 vertical stabilizer high loading in-service events.

The Safety Board compared the number of A300-600 and A310 vertical stabilizer

high loading events with those for Airbus’ other airplane models. As shown in table 8, the

A300-600 and A310 airplanes each experienced three high loading events in which rudder

pedal use was involved. Table 8 also shows that the A300B2/B4, which has a comparable

number of flight hours as the A310 and more flight hours than the A300-600, experienced

no high loading events and that no later-model Airbus airplanes experienced similar

events.158

158 Although the A340 has experienced two high loading events, neither event showed any evidence of

rudder pedal use. One event, which involved turbulence, reached a limit load of 1.04; the other event, which

involved the loss of the air data computer, reached a limit load of 1.17.
Table 7. A300-600 and A310 Vertical Stabilizer High Loading Events Date Category Speed (knots) Configuration Description Crew rudder input Alternating rudder inputs Side loads (Gs) Limit load (1.0) Inspe

A300-600 Airplanes 11/01 Operation 250 Clean Successive alternating rudder inputs Yes Yes 0.38 1.83 to 2.14 Flight 

airpla

5/97 Operation 190 to 230 Clean Stall; loss of control; several alternating rudder inputs Yes Yes 0.55 and 0.7 1.53 Inspec

Local RHS a

5/99 System malfunction 180 to 190 Slats extended Rudder oscillations during go-around at A/P disconnect No No 0.32 1.16 Inspec

No find

5/89 Operation 250 Clean Rudder jerk Yes Yes 0.38 1.11 Inspec

No find

A310 Airplanes 2/91 Operation 50 to 300 15o slats and 0o flaps Missed approach; three successive stalls; loss of control with repetitive rudder movements Yes Yes 0.36 and 0.69 1.55 and 1.35 Inspec

findin
Source: Airbus Note: American Airlines flight 587 (November 2001), American Airlines flight 903 (May 1997), and the Interflug flight (February 1991) are shown in bold print. Limit load compares the bending moment for the event with the discrete tuned gust condition at the time of certification. The data are estimates based on AThe loads were calculated in early 2002 and are shown for the A300-600 and A310 airplanes in order of severity (most to least). RHS, right horizontal stabilizer; A/P, autopilot. A “clean” configuration indicates that the flaps, slats, and landing gear have all been retracted. Date Category Speed (knots) Configuration Description Crew rudder input Alternating rudder inputs Side loads (Gs) Limit load (1.0) Inspe

A310 Airplanes 9/94 Operation 190 to 225 15o slats and 15o flaps Missed approach and stall Yes No 0.37 1.12 Inspec

finding

11/99 System malfunction 275 Clean Rudder trim runaway with A/P engaged; lateral upset at A/P disconnect Yes Yes 0.49 1.06 Inspec

finding
Factual Information 106 Aircraft Accident Report

Table 8. Airbus Service History of Vertical Stabilizer High Loading Events 

Source: Airbus

Note: The number of flight hours were as of February 2004.

In addition, a Boeing representative stated that his company maintained records of

significant in-flight events, as reported by airlines, involving Boeing- and McDonnell

Douglas-designed airplanes. According to the representative, Boeing was not aware of

any events involving the company’s products in which a vertical stabilizer experienced an

in-flight maneuver or a gust greater than limit load. 

1.18.2.1 1997 American Airlines Flight 903 Accident

On May 12, 1997, American Airlines flight 903, an Airbus A300-600, N90070,

experienced an in-flight loss of control near West Palm Beach, Florida. Of the 2 flight

crewmembers, 7 flight attendants, and 156 passengers aboard the airplane, 1 passenger

sustained serious injuries and 1 flight attendant received minor injuries during the upset.

The airplane sustained minor damage. 

The flight was assigned an airspeed of 230 knots and was cleared to descend from

24,000 to 16,000 feet in preparation for landing at MIA. The FDR indicated that, while

the autopilot was engaged in the descent, the power levers moved from the mechanical

autothrottle limit of 44o to the manual limit of 37o. As the airplane leveled off at

16,000 feet, its airspeed decreased. The pilot began a right turn to enter a holding pattern

and added some power, which stabilized the airspeed at 178 knots. However, the right

bank and the resultant AOA were increasing, despite left aileron input by the autopilot.

The airplane’s bank angle increased past 50o, and the AOA increased rapidly from

7o to 12o. At this point, the stickshaker activated, the autopilot independently

disconnected, and the pilot increased power and used full left rudder to arrest the roll. The

bank angle reached 56o, and the AOA reached 13.7o at 177 knots. The airplane then

pitched down and entered a series of pitch, yaw, and roll maneuvers as the flight controls

Airplane model

Number of events 

exceeding limit load

Number of events 

involving rudder 

pedal input

Number of flight 

hours of fleet 

worldwide

A300B2/B4 0 0 9,765,529

A310 3 3 9,552,784

A300-600 4 3 6,694,865

A320 0 0 32,720,365

A330 0 0 4,210,781

A340 2 0 6,059,301
Factual Information 107 Aircraft Accident Report

oscillated for about 34 seconds. The maneuvers eventually dampened, and the flight crew

recovered the airplane at an altitude of about 13,000 feet. 

The Safety Board determined that the probable cause of this accident was the flight

crew’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed during level-off, which led to an inadvertent

stall, and its subsequent failure to use proper stall recovery techniques. Contributing to

the cause of the accident was the flight crew’s failure to properly use the autothrottle.

Airbus indicated that the bending moment on the flight 903 airplane’s vertical

stabilizer reached 1.53 times that defined by the lateral gust limit load condition when the

first fully recorded alternating rudder input occurred. The high loading was the result of a

5o overtravel of the rudder. Subsequent alternating rudder inputs were not recorded on the

FDR but were estimated to have produced loads beyond ultimate load. At the public

hearing on the flight 587 accident, the Airbus loads and dynamics manager stated that, at

the time of the flight 903 event, Airbus assessed the loads level using “engineering

judgment” that accounted for the movement of the airplane and the rudder deflections but

did not perform a loads evaluation. The Airbus manager further stated that the early 2002

loads calculations (shown in table 8) confirmed the results of the 1997 assessment. 

1.18.2.1.1 Flight 903 Postaccident Actions

In a June 12, 1997, facsimile, Daimler-Benz Aerospace, which assessed the lateral

loads on the flight 903 airplane, urgently recommended that Airbus inspect the vertical

stabilizer and its attachments, the rudder and its attachments, the rear fuselage, and the

horizontal stabilizer attachments because they could have encountered loads that exceeded

the design limit loads for the A300-600. A June 19, 1997, internal Airbus memorandum

indicated that Airbus’ analysis of the FDR data confirmed high longitudinal and lateral

load factors. The memorandum also indicated that design limit loads were apparently

exceeded in some areas of the airplane and that ultimate design loads could have been

reached in some other areas, including the vertical stabilizer. Further, the memorandum

stated that a close inspection of the airplane was needed as soon as possible. That same

day, Airbus informed American Airlines, via e-mail, that some areas of the airplane,

particularly the aft part, had sustained very high loads and that the loads required that the

airplane be “deeply inspected.” Airbus requested that American send the details and the

findings of the airplane inspections already performed. (American had conducted

inspections of the airplane at MIA after the event.)

In a June 20, 1997, facsimile, American Airlines provided Airbus with details on

the inspections that were performed. According to Airbus, American’s inspection report

indicated that all inspections of the vertical stabilizer elements were “OK” and that the

airplane had sheared fasteners, deformed nacelles, and engine component damage. That

same day, an internal Airbus memorandum indicated that, on the basis of the inspection

results, Airbus had no reason to recommend grounding the airplane. The memorandum

also indicated that American Airlines would perform additional inspections no later than

the airplane’s next A check.
Factual Information 108 Aircraft Accident Report

On June 24 and 25, 1997, Airbus provided American with a list of inspection tasks

to be performed on the airplane and indicated that it wanted to receive information on the

inspection results. On June 27, 1997, American forwarded Airbus the results of the

additional inspections tasks. According to Airbus, the inspection report noted some

damage to the wing areas and engine nacelles but no damage on the vertical stabilizer or

fittings. A June 30, 1997, internal Airbus memorandum indicated that American had

conducted the inspections with an airline structural engineer present and that no findings

resulted from the inspections. 

On March 11, 2002, the vertical stabilizer on the airplane was inspected for

damage at American Airlines’ maintenance facility in Tulsa. As stated in section 1.16.4.2

and in table 7, this nondestructive inspection revealed delamination damage (ply

separation) on the right rear main attachment fitting. The delamination area was

connected to the lughole surface, but this area is not normally visible unless the

attachment pin has been removed. After the inspection, American removed the vertical

stabilizer from service, and the left and right rear main attachment fittings were tested at

Airbus’ Hamburg facility (see section 1.16.4.2).

1.18.2.2 1991 Interflug Incident 

On February 11, 1991, an Airbus A310 operated by the German airline Interflug

experienced an in-flight loss of control during a missed approach to runway 25L at

Sheremetyevo Airport in Moscow, Russia. None of the 9 crewmembers and

100 passengers was injured.

The flight, which had departed from Schonefeld Airport in Berlin, Germany, was

uneventful until the airplane was at an altitude of 1,550 feet. At that point, ATC instructed

the pilots to go around because of a blocked runway. The pilots initiated the go-around

maneuver with the autopilot engaged at an altitude of 1,275 feet. Afterward, the airplane

entered an extreme pitch angle, which resulted in a severe loss of speed and, at an altitude

of 4,000 feet, a breakdown of airflow over the wing and a subsequent stall. The airplane

descended to 1,700 feet, at which point the pilots used full engine power to make a steep

climb. The airplane subsequently stalled three more times. After several minutes, the

pilots stabilized the airplane at 11,000 feet. The pilots landed the airplane manually. 

The probable cause of this incident was movement of the control column by the

pilot while the airplane was flying in go-around mode under AFS authority. The crew was

not informed about AFS behavior at this stage of the flight.159

 According to FDR data (provided to the Safety Board after the flight 587

accident), the Interflug pilot made alternating rudder inputs of about one-third of the full

pedal deflection. The speed of the airplane varied during this time. When the airplane

159 Report on the Investigation of the Abnormal Behaviour of an Airbus A310-304 Aircraft on

11.02.1991 at Moscow, Air Accident Investigation Department at the German Federal Office of Aviation,

Reference 6X002-0/91.
Factual Information 109 Aircraft Accident Report

reached high speed, the pedal inputs resulted in ultimate loads on the vertical stabilizer,

but the same pedal inputs at low speed did not result in high loads on the vertical stabilizer.

1.18.2.3 2002 American Airlines Incident

On October 28, 2002, American Airlines flight 934, an A300-600, was en route

from Guayaquil, Ecuador, to MIA. When the airplane was at an altitude of 31,000 feet

and an airspeed of 290 knots, the pilots requested a deviation around clouds south of

Panama. The first officer stated that he wanted to see the winds indicated on the airplane’s

inertial reference system display. When the first officer reached up to select the wind

mode on the display, he inadvertently kicked the left rudder pedal with his left foot and

disconnected the autopilot. The captain (the flying pilot) reported that he felt a violent tail

shift from the left to the right followed instantly by the autopilot disconnect and warning

chime. Less than 1 second later, the airplane began to climb slowly and bank 25o to the

right. The airplane then entered a Dutch roll. 

In a postincident interview, the captain stated that he moved his feet onto the

rudder pedals and his hands onto the control wheel. The captain also stated that he input

some right rudder because he thought the airplane was “skidding” and that, while holding

right rudder, he neutralized the ailerons after rolling wings level to deal with the Dutch

roll. The captain further stated that he asked the first officer to check whether the yaw

dampers were engaged because the captain thought that might have been the cause of the

rudder problems. (The yaw dampers were engaged.) In addition, the captain stated that

the event was “prolonged” and that the airplane might have swung three or four times

before it was under control. Finally, the captain stated that the airplane climbed 750 feet

before the Dutch roll stopped and that, afterward, the airplane descended slowly to rejoin

the airway.

In a postincident interview, the first officer stated that his action caused a “bump”

on the left rudder pedal rather than a steady force application. The first officer also stated

that he did not think he hit the control column with either foot or moved the column. The

first officer reported that, during the event, the airplane began a climbing right turn and the

airplane’s nose was yawing to the right. He also reported that the airplane felt as if it were

“skidding sideways” and that the motion felt “pretty violent.” The first officer stated that

the event lasted about 20 seconds and that he did not get on the flight controls during the

recovery. The first officer further stated that the captain was hand-flying the airplane and

that he was “extremely light” on the controls.

The Safety Board analyzed FDR data from the incident and determined that the

first officer made a rudder pedal input (which did not reach the stop) in one direction and

that the captain made a full rudder pedal input in the other direction, which he held for

several seconds. The captain indicated that he did not know that he had input full rudder

or that the pedal changed its range of travel.160 The Safety Board calculated the loads on

160 At an airspeed of 290 knots, only about 0.8 inch of rudder pedal travel and 28 pounds of pedal force

were needed for full rudder.
Factual Information 110 Aircraft Accident Report

the vertical stabilizer, using Airbus’ linear loads model, and determined that they were

below limit load. 

1.18.3 Federal Aviation Administration Airworthiness Directives 

1.18.3.1 Airworthiness Directive 2001-23-51

On November 16, 2001, the FAA, along with the DGAC, issued emergency

AD 2001-23-51, which required operators of A300-600 and A310 series airplanes to

perform a one-time detailed visual inspection to prevent a failure of the vertical

stabilizer-to-fuselage attachment points and rudder-to-vertical stabilizer attachment

points.161 The AD indicated that such a failure could result in the loss of the vertical

stabilizer and/or rudder and a consequent loss of control of the airplane.

The purpose of the visual inspection was to detect repairs and alterations to, and

damage of, the vertical stabilizer main attachment fittings and transverse load fittings; the

rudder hinge fittings, hinge arms, and support fittings for all rudder hinges; and rudder

actuator support fittings. The AD indicated that (1) damage of the metallic areas would

include pulled or loose fasteners, wear areas, distorted flanges, cracks, and corrosion and

(2) damage of the composite areas would include delamination; distorted surfaces that

might indicate delamination; cracks in the paint surface; evidence of moisture damage;

and cracked, slitting, or frayed fibers. The AD required that any identified damage be

repaired and that operators report the results of their inspection findings to the FAA. The

AD was effective upon receipt and was required to be accomplished within 15 days. 

1.18.3.2 Airworthiness Directive 2002-06-09

On March 15, 2002, the FAA issued AD 2002-06-09, which required detailed

inspections to detect and correct reduced structural integrity of A300 and A310 series

airplanes after an extreme in-flight lateral loading event. The AD stated that operators

were to determine whether the lateral load factor equaled or exceeded 0.3 G and that

acceptable methods for making this determination included aircraft communication

addressing and reporting system information, FDR data, or quick access recorder data.

The AD provided a specific list of tasks that were to be accomplished during the

inspections and indicated that any damage found during the inspections had to be repaired

before the airplane was returned to service. The AD stated that operators were to submit

to Airbus a report of the inspection results and other relevant information. The AD

indicated that, for airplanes with a lateral load factor of greater than or equal to 0.3 G but

less than 0.35 G, operators were to submit the report within 5 days after accomplishing the

161 On November 15, 2001, American Airlines issued Fleet Campaign Directive EF0351X, which

required a detailed visual inspection of the vertical stabilizer-to-fuselage attachment points and the

rudder-to-vertical stabilizer attachment points for the company’s A300-600 fleet. The purpose of the

inspection was to look for evidence of unusual conditions or degradations to the attachment points or

adjacent structure. On November 17, 2001, American Airlines issued Fleet Campaign Directive EF0351B,

which was an upgraded version of Fleet Campaign Directive EF0351X that met the inspection requirements

mandated by FAA AD 2001-23-51. 
Factual Information 111 Aircraft Accident Report

inspections. After the inspection and reporting requirements were accomplished, the

airplane could be returned to service. For airplanes with a lateral load factor of equal to or

greater than 0.35 G, the AD did not specify a time requirement for reporting the inspection

results to Airbus, but the AD did indicate that the airplane could not be returned to service

once the inspection and reporting requirements were accomplished.

The AD also stated that Airbus would develop an airplane loads assessment and

would recommend, if necessary, supplementary inspections of applicable areas of the

airplane. For airplanes with a lateral load factor of greater than or equal to 0.3 G but less

than 0.35 G, supplementary inspections were to be conducted within 30 days of the

extreme lateral loading event, but the airplane could be in service before these inspections

were completed. The AD did not specify a time requirement for conducting

supplementary inspections for airplanes with a lateral load factor of equal to or greater

than 0.35 G, but the AD did indicate that these inspections had to be completed before

further flight of the airplane.

1.18.4 Previous Safety Recommendations Related to the 

Circumstances of the Flight 587 Accident

1.18.4.1 Safety Recommendations A-02-01 and -02

After the flight 587 accident, the Safety Board learned that many pilot programs

did not include information on the structural certification requirements for the vertical

stabilizer and rudder on transport-category airplanes and that sequential full opposite

rudder inputs (even at speeds below VA) might result in structural loads that exceed those

addressed by the requirements. The Board became concerned that pilots might have the

impression that rudder travel limiter systems would prevent sequential full opposite

rudder deflections from damaging the structure. However, the structural certification

requirements for transport-category airplanes do not take such maneuvers into account.

As a result, sequential opposite rudder inputs, even when a rudder limiter is in effect, can

produce loads that are higher than those required for certification and may exceed the

structural capabilities of the airplane. 

Because of its concerns, the Safety Board issued Safety Recommendation A-02-01

and -02 on February 8, 2002. Safety Recommendations A-02-01 and -02 asked the FAA

to take the following actions:

Require the manufacturers and operators of transport-category airplanes to

establish and implement pilot training programs that: (1) explain the structural

certification requirements for the rudder and vertical stabilizer on

transport-category airplanes; (2) explain that a full or nearly full rudder deflection

in one direction followed by a full or nearly full rudder deflection in the opposite

direction, or certain combinations of sideslip angle and opposite rudder deflection

can result in potentially dangerous loads on the vertical stabilizer, even at speeds

below the design maneuvering speed; and (3) explain that, on some aircraft, as

speed increases, the maximum available rudder deflection can be obtained with

comparatively light pedal forces and small pedal deflections. The FAA should
Factual Information 112 Aircraft Accident Report

also require revisions to airplane and pilot operating manuals that reflect and

reinforce this information. In addition, the FAA should ensure that this training

does not compromise the substance or effectiveness of existing training regarding

proper rudder use, such as during engine failure shortly after takeoff or during

strong or gusty crosswind takeoffs or landings. (A-02-01)

Carefully review all existing and proposed guidance and training provided to

pilots of transport-category airplanes concerning special maneuvers intended to

address unusual or emergency situations and, if necessary, require modifications

to ensure that flight crews are not trained to use the rudder in a way that could

result in dangerous combinations of sideslip angle and rudder position or other

flight parameters. (A-02-02)

In an April 15, 2002, letter, the FAA stated that it agreed with the intent of these

safety recommendations. The FAA indicated that several aviation safety inspectors

reviewed the training programs of the three main U.S. operators of Airbus airplanes. This

review determined that none of the operators were training their pilots to use dangerous

combinations of sideslip angles and rudder position or other flight parameters.

The FAA also stated that, on February 15, 2002, it issued Notice N8400.28,

“Transport Category Airplanes – Rudder and Vertical Stabilizer Awareness,” to notify

POIs of air carriers that operate transport-category airplanes about the Safety Board’s

concerns regarding the operational use of rudder pedals and the potential subsequent

effects on the vertical stabilizer. The notice directed POIs to inform their air carriers of the

following: 

Sequential full opposite rudder inputs (sometimes referred to as “rudder

reversals”), even at speeds below the design maneuvering speed, may result in

structural loads that exceed those addressed by the 14 CFR Part 25 requirements.

In fact, pilots may have the impression that the rudder limiter systems installed on

most transport-category airplanes prevent sequential full opposite rudder

deflections from damaging the structure. However, the 14 CFR Part 25 structural

certification requirements for transport-category airplanes do not take such

maneuvers into account; therefore, such sequential opposite rudder inputs, even

when a rudder limiter is in effect, can produce loads higher than those required for

certification and may exceed the structural capabilities of the aircraft.

Pilots may not be aware that, on some airplane types, full available rudder

deflections can be achieved with small pedal movements and comparatively light

pedal forces. In these airplanes, at low speeds the rudder pedal forces required to

obtain full available rudder may be three times greater than those required to

obtain full available rudder at higher airspeeds.

Notwithstanding the concerns noted above regarding the potential danger of large

and/or sequential rudder inputs in flight, it should be emphasized that pilots

should not become reluctant to command full rudder when required and when

appropriate, like during an engine failure shortly after takeoff or during strong or

gusty crosswind takeoffs or landings. The instruction of proper rudder use in such

conditions should remain intact, but should also emphasize the differences
Factual Information 113 Aircraft Accident Report

between aircraft motion resulting from a single, large rudder input and that

resulting from a series of full or nearly full opposite rudder inputs.

The POIs were to provide a copy of FAA Notice N8400.28 to representatives of

each transport-category airplane operator for information and voluntary implementation as

deemed appropriate by the operator.162

In addition, the FAA stated that, on February 15, 2002, it contacted selected

manufacturers and industry organizations to inform them that it shared the Safety Board’s

concerns regarding pilot training on the use of the rudder in transport-category airplanes

and subsequently sent a letter to raise awareness of the Board’s safety recommendations.

In response, the manufacturers prepared flight technical operations bulletins (see

sections 1.18.4.1.2 and 1.18.4.1.3), which the FAA believed would convey the best

information available from each manufacturer regarding the Board’s concerns.

The FAA stated that Notice N8400.28 was an interim step to ensure that the shared

concerns of the Board and the FAA were known to transport-category airplane operators

and that the concerns were conveyed to the operators’ pilots as quickly as possible. The

FAA added that changing training program requirements by rulemaking was “usually a

time-consuming process with no guarantee of final passage into rule.” The FAA indicated

that the procedures contained in HBAT 99-07, “Flight Standards Policy – Company

Operating Manuals and Company Training Program Revisions for Compliance with

Current Airplane [or Rotorcraft] Flight Manual Revisions,” allowed certain changes in the

approved sections of AFMs to be more readily captured into pilot training programs.

The FAA further stated that, as manufacturers developed pertinent safety

information, changes in their respective AFMs might be appropriate. Training programs

could also be changed by mutual agreement between the operator and the FAA based on

the information in the flight technical operations bulletins. The FAA stated that it would

continue to review the information developed by the manufacturers and the information

resulting from the Safety Board’s ongoing investigation of the flight 587 accident. The

FAA indicated that it might consider initiating rulemaking to change training program

requirements, as appropriate, as more information becomes available.

In a July 22, 2002, letter, the Safety Board noted that the FAA’s review of training

programs was limited to the programs of Airbus airplane operators. The Board believed

that the training programs of operators of other manufacturers’ airplanes also needed to be

reviewed. The Board stated that the FAA’s plan to use nonregulatory means to meet the

intent of Safety Recommendation A-02-01 might be an acceptable alternative action but

recognized that the FAA indicated that it might ultimately make a regulatory change. The

Board stated that it would assume, unless the FAA indicated otherwise, that the FAA

162 In a February 19, 2002, letter to American Airlines’ vice president for safety, security, and

environmental, the POI for AMR Corporation relayed the language in Safety Recommendations A-02-01

and -02 and indicated that his office wanted to meet to discuss American Airlines’ response to the Safety

Board’s recommendations. A copy of FAA Notice 8400.28 was enclosed with the POI’s letter. See

section 1.18.4.1.1 for American’s response to the Board’s recommendations.
Factual Information 114 Aircraft Accident Report

would develop some regulatory changes in pilot training programs in response to Safety

Recommendation A-02-01. Pending completion of changes to pilot training programs in

response to the recommendations, the determination of whether these revisions would be

implemented through the procedures in HBAT 99-07 or through regulatory changes, and

the FAA’s consideration of reviewing the training programs of operators of other

manufacturers’ airplanes, Safety Recommendations A-02-01 and A-02-02 were classified

“Open—Acceptable Response.”

1.18.4.1.1 American Airlines Flight Operations Technical Informational 

Bulletin

In February 2002, American Airlines issued Flight Operations Technical

Informational Bulletin 2002-02, “Jet Transport Aircraft Flight Controls,” in response to

the Safety Board’s recommendations. The bulletin included information on rudders,

rudder travel limiters, rudder reversals, sideslip angle, and vertical stabilizer loading. The

bulletin stated that a rudder travel limiter was “designed into the directional control

system to reduce the available rudder throw as airspeed increases to avoid excessive

structural loads on the vertical stabilizer.” The bulletin also stated that a rudder reversal

was also known as a “rudder doublet” and was defined as “a large rudder deflection input

in one direction followed immediately by a rudder deflection input in the opposite

direction.”163 In addition, the bulletin stated that “large ‘rudder reversals’ or ‘rudder

doublets’ must be avoided on Transport Category Aircraft” because “these inputs can

result in loss of control or structural failure of the aircraft.”

During postaccident interviews, American Airlines pilots indicated that they were

familiar with the function of the rudder travel limiter, and most of these pilots thought that

the rudder travel limiter would prevent an overload of the vertical stabilizer. The pilots

also indicated that they did not know about the rudder doublet concept.164

1.18.4.1.2 Airbus Flight Crew Operating Manual Bulletin

In March 2002, Airbus issued A310/A300-600 FCOM Bulletin number 15/1,

“Subject No. 40, Use of Rudder on Transport Category Airplanes, in response to the

Safety Board’s recommendations.” The bulletin emphasized proper operational use of the

rudder and highlighted certification requirements and rudder control system design

characteristics. The bulletin included the following information in a box labeled

“CAUTION:”

Sudden commanded full, or nearly full, opposite rudder movement against a

sideslip can generate loads that exceed the limit loads and possibly the ultimate

loads and can result in structural failure.

163 At the time of the accident, neither American’s AFM nor its A300 Operating Manual used the terms

“rudder doublets” or “rudder reversals.”

164 The American Airlines A300 fleet standards manager and the vice president of training for Airbus

North America customer services indicated, during public hearing testimony, that most pilots would not

have heard of rudder doublets before the flight 587 accident unless they were test pilots.
Factual Information 115 Aircraft Accident Report

This is true even at speeds below the maximum design maneuvering speed, VA.

Certification regulations do not consider the loads imposed on the structure when

there is sudden full, or nearly full, rudder movement that is opposite of the

sideslip. 

The bulletin also made the following operational recommendation:

RUDDERS SHOULD NOT BE USED:

– To induce roll, or 

– To counter roll, induced by any type of turbulence. 

Whatever the airborne flight condition may be, aggressive, full or nearly full,

opposite rudder inputs must not be applied. Such inputs can lead to loads higher

than the limit, or possibly the ultimate loads and can result in structural damage or

failure. 

The rudder travel limiter system is not designed to prevent structural damage or

failure in the event of such rudder system inputs.

Note: Rudder reversals must never be incorporated into airline policy....[165]

As far as dutch roll is concerned, yaw damper action and natural aircraft damping

are sufficient to adequately dampen dutch roll oscillations. The rudder should not

be used to complement the yaw damper.

Note: Even if both yaw damper systems are lost, the rudders should not be used to

dampen the dutch roll. Refer to the YAW DAMPER FAULT procedure.

At the public hearing on this accident, the American Airlines A300 fleet standards

manager testified that American had not received “such specific limitations or prohibited

maneuvers on the rudder use” before the flight 587 accident.

1.18.4.1.3 Boeing Flight Operations Technical Bulletin

On May 13, 2002, Boeing issued a flight operations technical bulletin titled, “Use

of Rudder on Transport Category Airplanes,” in response to the Safety Board’s

recommendations. The bulletin applied to all Boeing, Douglas, and McDonnell Douglas

airplane models and included information on rudder maneuvering considerations, VA, and

165 At the time of the accident, Airbus’ FCOM did not contain the terms “rudder doublets” or “rudder

reversals.” 
Factual Information 116 Aircraft Accident Report

actions taken in response to the Board’s recommendations. The summary section included

the following information:

• It is important to use the rudder in a manner that avoids unintended large

sideslip angles and resulting excessive roll rates. The amount of roll rate that is

generated by using the rudder is proportional to the amount of sideslip, NOT

the amount of rudder input.

• If the pilot reacts to an abrupt roll onset with a large rudder input in the

opposite direction, the pilot can induce large amplitude oscillations. The large

amplitude oscillations can generate loads that exceed the limit loads and

possibly the ultimate loads, which could result in structural damage.

In addition, an attachment to the bulletin provided answers to commonly asked

questions regarding rudder usage.

1.18.4.2 Safety Recommendations A-03-41 Through -44

On November 17, 2002, Delta Connection flight 5109, a Canadair CRJ-2,

N868CA, operated by Comair, encountered severe turbulence while in a descent near

Rockville, Virginia. Flight 5109 was a scheduled passenger flight from Atlanta, Georgia,

to Washington, D.C., with 2 pilots, 1 flight attendant, and 48 passengers aboard. No one

aboard the airplane was injured during the incident, and the airplane was returned to

service the next day after it was visually inspected for damage in accordance with the

manufacturer’s procedures.

Analysis of the data from the incident airplane’s FDR showed that large vertical

accelerations occurred during the turbulence event. Further analysis of the data by

Canadair showed that, during the event, the airplane’s wing experienced loads that were

outside of their certificated design envelopes. Specifically, Canadair’s analysis revealed

that the airplane experienced vertical accelerations ranging from 4.3 G positive to 1.9 G

negative. The inspection procedures in Canadair’s aircraft maintenance manual for severe

turbulence or extreme maneuvers included a minimum positive G threshold for a vertical

acceleration but no minimum threshold for negative G excursions or for lateral G

excursions.166

In addition, the investigations of American Airlines flight 587 and flight 903

revealed that both airplanes experienced lateral accelerations of about 0.4 G. After the

flight 903 accident, American Airlines conducted a visual inspection of the airplane in

accordance with the applicable procedures in its A300 Operating Manual. The inspection

procedures specified the threshold criteria for positive and negative vertical G excursions

but not for lateral G excursions.

166 On December 20, 2002, as a result of its engineering and loads assessment, Canadair performed

supplemental inspections of the airplane to ensure its structural integrity. No damage was identified. 
Factual Information 117 Aircraft Accident Report

The Safety Board found that some manufacturers’ maintenance manuals did not

include inspections for damage caused by extreme (positive or negative) lateral

accelerations or extreme negative vertical accelerations. The Board was concerned that

existing inspection criteria might not be adequate to detect damage after high loading

events that greatly exceeded the manufacturers’ threshold and that airplanes that

encountered such high loads might be returned to service in an unairworthy condition. As

a result, on September 4, 2003, the Safety Board issued Safety Recommendations A-03-41

through -44, which asked the FAA to take the following actions:

Require all manufacturers of transport-category airplanes to review and, if

necessary, revise their maintenance manual inspection criteria for severe

turbulence and extreme in-flight maneuvers to ensure that loads resulting from

positive and negative vertical accelerations, as well as lateral accelerations, are

adequately addressed. (A-03-41)

Require all manufacturers of transport-category airplanes to establish and validate

maximum threshold values for positive and negative vertical and lateral G

accelerations beyond which direct manufacturer oversight and intervention is

required as a condition for returning the airplane to service. (A-03-42)

Require all operators of airplanes that have experienced accelerations exceeding

the threshold values established as a result of Safety Recommendation A-03-42

(or that the operator has reason to believe might have exceeded those thresholds),

as determined from FDR and other available data, to notify the FAA immediately

of such high loading events and provide all related loads assessment and

inspection results. (A-03-43)

Require manufacturers of transport-category airplanes to immediately notify the

appropriate certification authority of any event involving accelerations exceeding

the threshold values (or that the manufacturer has reason to believe might have

exceeded those thresholds) necessitating the intervention of the manufacturer, and

provide all related loads assessment and inspection results. (A-03-44) 

On November 20, 2003, the FAA stated that it issued AD 2002-06-09 on

March 15, 2002, which required certain inspections of A300, A300-600, and A310

airplanes after extreme lateral loading events (see section 1.18.3.2). The FAA also stated

that it planned to work in partnership with industry to address the issues raised in Safety

Recommendations A-03-41, -42, and -44, including pilot reporting, operations and

maintenance manuals, FDR capabilities, and operator/manufacturer/authority interface.

The FAA noted that many of the issues would be challenging and would require

coordination with, and the participation of, numerous civil aviation organizations,

including the Air Line Pilots Association and the Air Transport Association. The FAA

stated that it should have a detailed plan for this work by March 2004. 

In response to Safety Recommendation A-03-43, the FAA stated that

manufacturers have not currently established maximum threshold values for positive and

negative vertical and lateral G accelerations but that implementation of the actions

recommended in Safety Recommendation A-03-43 would occur automatically once
Factual Information 118 Aircraft Accident Report

manufacturers establish such thresholds (as recommended in Safety

Recommendation A-03-42). The FAA further stated that it would develop a bulletin to

provide guidance for inspectors to use in determining that appropriate manufacturer

oversight and intervention occurs as a condition for returning an airplane to service.

On April 21, 2004, the Safety Board stated that it looked forward to reviewing the

FAA’s plan to work with industry in addressing the issues discussed in Safety

Recommendations A-03-41, -42, and -44. Pending the FAA’s development of this plan, its

review by the Board, and the FAA’s actions in response to the recommendations of the

plan, Safety Recommendations A-03-41, -42, and -44 were classified “Open—Acceptable

Response.”

The Safety Board also stated that, although the planned actions in response to

Safety Recommendation A-03-43 are positive steps, the Board was concerned that these

actions might not be fully responsive to the intent of the recommendation. The Board

expressed its concern that airplanes might be exceeding design and certification standards

more frequently than was previously known or expected and that, as a result, such events

needed to be tracked and evaluated. The Board further stated that, at a March 16, 2004,

meeting, staff from the FAA and the Board discussed the Board’s position that relying

solely on the pilot-in-commend to report exceeded threshold values was not a reliable

tracking and evaluation method and that the evaluation of acceleration threshold

exceedances needed to be based on FDR or other available data. The FAA indicated that it

would consider a requirement to regularly check the FDR for evidence of an airplane

having exceeded the acceleration threshold values established in response to Safety

Recommendation A-03-42. Pending the development of a system for the FAA to track

and evaluate acceleration events that exceed a manufacturer’s threshold values, as

determined from FDR and other available data and not solely from pilot-in-command

reports, Safety Recommendation A-03-43 was classified “Open—Acceptable Response.”

On August 23, 2004, the FAA stated that the Aerospace Industries Association and

the Air Transport Association were convening a working group “to review current

maintenance manual inspection process for high load events and to develop an advisory

‘best practices’ standard for using flight data in these processes.” The FAA also stated

that both organizations were in identifying working group participants and developing a

meeting schedule. The FAA anticipated that working group would complete its activities

within 1 year.
Factual Information 119 Aircraft Accident Report

1.18.5 Previous Safety Recommendations Related to the 

Circumstances of the Flight 903 Accident

After the flight 587 accident, the Safety Board reexamined FDR data from the

May 1997 American Airlines flight 903 accident (see section 1.18.2.1).167 The Board

determined that the flight 903 airplane’s rudder exceeded its designed travel limits

because of a rapid increase in airspeed during the upset and apparent high forces applied

to the rudder pedal when it was at the in-flight limit.

As stated in section 1.6.2, the A300-600 rudder has the following travel limits in

terms of indicated airspeed: a maximum of 30° at 165 knots and below; 14.5° at

220 knots; 9.3° at 250 knots; 7° at 270 knots; 5° at 310 knots; 4° at 350 knots; and 3.5° at

395 knots and above. The flight 903 investigation determined that the rudder travel

limiter could only maintain these limits in response to airspeed changes that occurred at a

moderate rate, such as those typically experienced during normal commercial operations.

The investigation also determined that the rudder travel limiter could not maintain these

limits in response to more rapid airspeed changes, such as those experienced during the

flight 903 upset.

The flight 903 investigation specifically determined that, in the airspeed range of

165 to 220 knots, the rudder travel limiter could maintain the designed rudder travel

limitations for airspeed changes up to about 2.4 knots per second. However, during the

flight 903 upset, the airplane experienced a much more rapid airspeed increase—from 190

to 220 knots in 3 seconds—which equated to an increase of up to 10 knots per second and

exceeded the rate at which the rudder travel limiter system could respond by as much as

four times. The airspeed then continued to increase during the next 20 seconds at a rate of

2.6 knots per second. Because of the increasing airspeed, the rudder travel limiter position

lag (introduced by the previous 3-second rapid increase) was present throughout most of

the upset (even though the position lag was decreasing).

Because of the rapid initial airspeed change and continued airspeed increase, the

rudder exceeded its designed rudder travel limit for about 20 seconds. During that time,

the rudder moved four times in response to pilot input; the rudder exceeded the design

limit by about 8° twice and by about 5° twice. The Safety Board stated that rudder travel

beyond the designed rudder travel limits could lead to high loads on the vertical stabilizer

and that this potential would be especially high during in-flight upsets because rapid

airspeed changes accompanied by rudder inputs are more likely to occur during upsets

than during normal flight.

A review of the flight 903 FDR data for rudder position showed that, even after

accounting for the slow response rate of the rudder travel limiter, the rudder still appeared

to exceed the estimated position at which it should have been limited by the rudder travel

167 The Safety Board agreed to include a statement in this report to address the claims that a linkage

exists between American Airlines flight 587 and American Airlines flight 903. By including this statement,

the Board seeks to set forth the reasons for declining to make a causal connection between the two events.

See appendix C for an explanation of the differences.
Factual Information 120 Aircraft Accident Report

limiter. This exceedance was as high as 4° near the end of the upset. Testing of the rudder

travel limiter determined that, if a pilot applied a sufficiently large pedal force when the

pedal was at its travel limit, such a pedal force would further slow or stop the movement

and, consequently, the effectiveness of the rudder travel limiter. The flight 903 event

demonstrated that slowing or stopping the rudder travel limiter by application of large

pedal forces could result in the rudder position substantially exceeding the designed travel

limit. The Safety Board was concerned that such an increase in available rudder beyond its

designed rudder travel limits could permit excessive rudder movements and possibly

result in high loads on the vertical stabilizer.

As a result of its concerns, the Safety Board issued Safety

Recommendations A-04-44 and -45 on May 28, 2004. Safety Recommendations A-04-44

and -45 asked the FAA to take the following actions:

Require Airbus to develop a design modification for the A300-600 rudder travel

limiter system so that it can respond effectively to rapid airspeed changes such as

those that might be experienced during upsets and not be adversely affected by

pedal forces, and issue an airworthiness directive to require the installation of that

modification. (A-04-44)

Evaluate other transport-category airplanes with rudder limiting systems to

determine whether any of those systems are unable to effectively respond to rapid

airspeed changes such as those that might be experienced during upsets, or

whether any of those systems are adversely affected by pedal forces and, if so,

require corrective modifications to those systems. (A-04-45)

The FAA responded to Safety Recommendations A-04-44 and -45 on August 12,

2004. Regarding Safety Recommendation A-04-44, the FAA stated that it was aware that

the Board was considering additional design-related safety recommendations pertaining to

the A300-600 flight control systems. The FAA also stated that it would like to assess

these recommendations before making any final decisions about the design of the

A300-600 flight control system.

Regarding Safety Recommendation A-04-45, the FAA stated that its aircraft

certification offices would ask transport-category airplane manufacturers for information

regarding the maximum expected airplane accelerations and maximum rudder travel

limiter rates. The FAA indicated that the offices would be also asking the manufacturers if

rudder pedal forces might adversely affect their rudder limiting devices. The FAA further

stated that, after the manufacturers’ systems information was received and analyzed, the

FAA would be in a position to determine whether any of those systems would be unable to

respond effectively to airspeed changes, such as those that might be experienced during

upsets, and would be adversely affected by pedal forces. Such information, according to

the FAA, would help determine what airworthiness actions might be required.
Factual Information 121 Aircraft Accident Report

1.18.6 Previous Safety Recommendations Related to Upset 

Recovery Training

1.18.6.1 Safety Recommendation A-96-120

On October 18, 1996, the Safety Board issued Safety Recommendation A-96-120.

This recommendation was issued in response to three uncommanded roll and/or yaw

events that occurred while Boeing 737 airplanes were approaching to land: the March 3,

1991, United Airlines flight 585 accident in Colorado Springs, Colorado; the September 8,

1994, USAir flight 427 accident near Aliquippa, Pennsylvania; and the June 9, 1996,

Eastwind Airlines flight 517 incident in Richmond, Virginia. Safety Recommendation

A-96-120 asked the FAA to take the following action:

Require 14 CFR Part 121 and 135 operators to provide training to flight crews in

the recognition of and recovery from unusual attitudes and upset maneuvers,

including upsets that occur while the aircraft is being controlled by automatic

flight control systems, and unusual attitudes that result from flight control

malfunctions and uncommanded flight control surface movements.

On January 16, 1997, the FAA stated that it agreed with this recommendation and

that it was considering a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) “to require that air

carriers conduct training that will emphasize recognition, prevention, and recovery from

aircraft attitudes normally not associated with air carrier flight operations.” On July 15,

1997, the Safety Board classified A-96-120 “Open—Acceptable Response.” However, on

April 19, 1999, the Board classified the recommendation “Open—Unacceptable

Response” because the FAA had not taken the necessary regulatory action to require

unusual attitude training for air carrier pilots.

On August 11, 1999, the FAA stated that it initiated an NPRM proposing to revise

14 CFR Part 121, Subparts N and O. The FAA indicated that the NPRM would include

training in the recognition and recovery of unusual attitudes and upset maneuvers. The

FAA anticipated that the NPRM would be published in December 2000. On December 20,

1999, the Safety Board stated that, on the basis of the FAA’s planned actions, Safety

Recommendation A-96-120 was classified “Open—Acceptable Response.”

On February 11, 2003, FAA staff advised the Safety Board that an NPRM package

with changes to 14 CFR Subparts N and O was being coordinated internally and was

expected to be submitted to the Office of the Secretary of Transportation in May 2003. On

June 16, 2004, FAA staff advised the Board that an aviation rulemaking committee was

reviewing the NPRM effort and that the issuance of the NPRM was unlikely before the

end of 2004.

1.18.6.2 Other Upset Recovery Training Safety Recommendations

The Safety Board had issued three safety recommendations to the FAA (before

A-96-120) for upset recovery training for airline pilots. First, on May 1, 1970, the Safety

Board issued Safety Recommendation A-70-21 as a result of the November 16, 1968,
Factual Information 122 Aircraft Accident Report

accident in which a flight crew lost control of a Boeing 737 near Detroit, Michigan, during

poor weather conditions. Safety Recommendation A-70-21 recommended that 

Airlines be required to provide additional flightcrew training, whereby pilots

would be required to demonstrate periodically, proficiency in the area of recovery

from unusual attitudes. It was suggested that a simulator be utilized to provide

flightcrew familiarization in the following areas. A. The various instrument

displays associated with and resulting from encounters with unusual

meteorological conditions. B. The proper flightcrew response to the various

displays. C. Demonstration of and recovery from possible ensuing unusual

attitudes.

On May 21, 1970, the FAA stated that unusual attitude maneuvers had been

deleted from the pilot proficiency check in 1965 but that airline training now emphasized

the proper use of trim, attitude control, and thrust, which the FAA believed was far more

effective than the practice of recovery from unusual attitude maneuvers. The FAA also

stated that it was inconceivable to require training maneuvers that would place a large jet

airplane in a nose-high, low airspeed, high AOA situation. On July 8, 1970, the FAA

stated that changes in airline training and operational procedures had resulted from this

safety recommendation and cited a “marked decrease in upset events” as evidence that

these actions had addressed the intent of the recommendation. The FAA further stated that

it would discuss with industry representatives the feasibility of simulating large excursions

from flightpath caused by abnormal meteorological conditions. Because no further action

was taken by the FAA, the Safety Board classified Safety Recommendation A-70-21

“Closed—Unacceptable Action” on August 17, 1972.

Second, on September 15, 1972, the Safety Board issued Safety

Recommendation A-72-152 as a result of the March 31, 1971, accident involving a

Boeing 720B, which yawed and crashed while the flight crew was attempting a

three-engine missed approach from a simulated engine-out instrument landing system

approach. The Safety Board was concerned about the flight crew’s inability to rapidly

assess the situation and recover. Safety Recommendation A-72-152 recommended that 

[Title] 14 CFR 61, Appendix A, and 14 CFR 121, Appendices E and F be

amended to include a requirement for pilots to demonstrate their ability to recover

from abnormal regimes of flight and unusual attitudes solely by reference to flight

instruments. For maximum safety, these demonstrations should be conducted in

an appropriate flight simulator. Should existing or proposed simulators be

incapable of realistically duplicating aircraft performance in the regimes of flight

beyond normal operation, it is further recommended that the FAA take appropriate

measures to require that such existing or proposed simulators be replaced or

modified to include such a capability.

On September 26, 1972, the FAA stated that it did not believe that simulators were

capable of simulating certain regimes of flight that were beyond the normal flight

envelope of an aircraft. The FAA further stated that, because an aircraft simulator was not

a required part of an air carrier training program, the FAA could not require that a

simulator be replaced or modified to simulate regimes of flight outside the flight envelope
Factual Information 123 Aircraft Accident Report

of the aircraft. As a result of the FAA’s response, the Safety Board classified Safety

Recommendation A-72-152 “Closed—Unacceptable Action” on January 16, 1973.

Third, on April 29, 1992, the Safety Board issued Safety Recommendation

A-92-20 as a result of the July 10, 1991, L’Express Airlines Beech C99 accident at

Birmingham, Alabama. The airplane was on an instrument approach into clearly

identified thunderstorm activity, resulting in a loss of control of the airplane from which

the flight crew was unable to recover. Safety Recommendation A-92-20 asked the FAA to

take the following action: 

Require that recurrent training and proficiency programs for instrument-rated

pilots include techniques for recognizing and recovering from unusual attitudes.

On July 9, 1992, the FAA stated that pilots were required to demonstrate recovery

from unusual flight attitudes on their private pilot examination. The FAA also stated that

an instrument rating required a pilot to be proficient in recovery from unusual attitudes.

The FAA noted that, by the time a pilot had the required experience to become a pilot with

an air carrier operating under 14 CFR Part 121 or 135, the pilot would have received

extensive training and flight checks for procedures and techniques in recovery from

unusual attitudes.

 On January 26, 1993, the Safety Board stated that instrument-rated pilots should

receive recurrent training in techniques for recognizing and recovering from unusual

attitudes and that proficiency programs should include this same training. The Board also

stated that requiring such training annually would greatly enhance a pilot’s ability to

safely recover from an unusual attitude. Because the FAA planned no actions on this

recommendation, the Safety Board classified Safety Recommendation A-92-20 “Closed—

Unacceptable Action.”

1.18.7 Previous Safety Board Actions Regarding Data Filtering

1.18.7.1 Safety Recommendations A-94-120 and -121

The Safety Board participated in the investigations of three Boeing 767 accidents

that occurred overseas during either 1992 or 1993. The investigations determined that

flight control position data recorded on the airplanes’ FDRs were filtered by the engine

instrument crew alert system (EICAS). As a result, the Board issued Safety

Recommendations A-94-120 and -121 on June 16, 1994. Safety Recommendation

A-94-120 asked the FAA to take the following action: 

Require design modification to the Boeing 757/767 so that flight control position

data to the DFDR [digital flight data recorder] is accurate and not filtered by the

EICAS. The sample rate should also be increased to an appropriate value.

In an August 29, 1994, letter, the FAA indicated its belief that it was not necessary

to redesign the Boeing 757 and 767 FDR to record unfiltered data control positions

because the airplanes’ FDR installations met the accuracy requirements of
Factual Information 124 Aircraft Accident Report

14 CFR 121.343. In an August 1, 1995, letter, the Safety Board disagreed with the FAA’s

position and stated that the current method used to record flight control position for the

Boeing 757 and 767 would meet the regulatory requirement for static, but not dynamic,

conditions. (Under dynamic conditions, the parameter is undergoing change at the

maximum rate that can be expected.) 

On November 20, 1996, the FAA indicated that it issued NPRM 96-7, which

proposed to upgrade recorder capabilities in most transport-category airplanes, including

the Boeing 757 and 767, and to preclude the use of a filter. On May 16, 1997, the Safety

Board noted that the proposed rule appeared to preclude the use of a filter by a statement

in new appendixes for 14 CFR Parts 121, 125, and 135. The statement indicated that

recorded values had to meet accuracy requirements during dynamic and static conditions;

thus, data filtering techniques, including EICAS-filtered data parameters, would not meet

this proposed requirement. The Board further noted that airplanes using data filtering

systems would need to be retrofitted or would need to undergo design modifications to

meet the proposed requirement. The Board indicated that the NPRM was a positive step

toward ensuring that correct and adequate control position data would be recorded on

FDRs but was concerned that airplane manufacturers and air carriers might overlook the

new rules in the appendixes or not realize that data filtering systems had to be replaced.

The Board stated that it would appreciate information on the FAA’s plans if it did not

intend to issue alerts highlighting the new requirements and the time schedule detailed in

the NPRM.

In a September 10, 1997, letter, the FAA stated that, on July 9, 1997, it issued the

final rule (14 CFR 121.344, Appendix M) to upgrade recorder capabilities in most

transport-category airplanes. (The final rule also amended 14 CFR Parts 125 and 135 to

require certain operators to upgrade recorder capabilities.) The FAA also stated that the

final rule precluded the use of a filter for FDR data and specified the sampling rate for all

parameters. On August 4, 1998, the Safety Board noted that the FAA’s letter did not

mention any alerts or alternate plans to highlight the new requirements. However, the

Board thought that the FAA appeared to refer to the Board’s concern within the

“Discussion of Comments to the NPRM” section of the final rule. In that section, the FAA

agreed that further explanation of the dynamic test condition requirement was necessary

and stated that it intended to issue an AC to clarify the recording of dynamic and static

data and other acceptable means to comply with the rule. The Board stated that it was

pleased that the FAA had recognized the need to further emphasize the means for

compliance with the new requirements and to notify operators of the elimination of

filtered data. The Board urged the FAA to expedite the issuance of the AC because

operators and manufacturers had begun preparations to retrofit their fleets. 

In a February 25, 2000, letter, the FAA indicated that, on October 5, 1999, it issued

AC 20-141, “Airworthiness and Operational Approval of Digital Flight Data Recorder

Systems,” which addressed all filtered data and not just EICAS data. The AC stated that

the applicant must identify any parameters that are filtered before they are recorded and

must show, by test, that “no significant difference” exists between these parameters and

the recorded parameter data under static and dynamic conditions. On May 11, 2000, the
Factual Information 125 Aircraft Accident Report

Safety Board indicated that the final rule and the AC satisfied the intent of Safety

Recommendation A-94-120 and classified it “Closed—Acceptable Action.”

Safety Recommendation A-94-121 asked the FAA to take the following action:

Review other airplane designs to ensure that flight control position data filtered by

systems such as EICAS are not substituted for accurate data. 

In an August 29, 1994, letter, the FAA indicated that it had reviewed the flight

control position data to the FDR on McDonnell Douglas MD-80/90 and MD-11 airplanes

and found that the flight control positions were recorded accurately. On November 20,

1996, the FAA indicated that it reviewed the flight control position data to the FDR of

aircraft manufactured by Aerospatiale, CASA, Cessna, Grumann, Gulfstream, Israel

Aircraft Industries, Lockheed, and Saab and concluded that the data filtered by systems

such as EICAS were not substituted for accurate data. The FAA also indicated that it was

planning to complete similar reviews for airplanes manufactured by Airbus, Canadair,

Dassault (Falcon), DeHavilland, Dornier, Embraer, Fokker, Jetstream, Lear, LET, and

Illyushin. Further, the FAA indicated that it would take “whatever steps were necessary”

to ensure that the recorded data were accurate and representative of control surface

positions. In a May 16, 1997, letter, the Safety Board indicated that it was pleased with

the FAA’s review efforts and commitment to take any necessary action. 

On February 9, 1998, the FAA stated that it had issued its final rule to amend

14 CFR Parts 121, 125, and 135, which required certain operators to record additional

FDR parameters and precluded the use of a filter. The FAA considered its action to be

completed on this safety recommendation. On August 4, 1998, the Safety Board indicated

that the FAA’s February 9 letter made no mention of the status of its planned review of

other manufacturers’ airplane designs. The Board stated that, regardless of the issuance of

the rulemaking and the rulemaking’s elimination of filtering, the FAA should finish its

review and notify the Board of the findings. Further, the Board stated that, if the FAA

found additional airplanes with filtered control surface data, then it should ensure that all

affected operators take the necessary steps to record accurate data.

On April 4, 2000, the FAA indicated that it had completed a review of Embraer

and Dassault (Falcon) aircraft and concluded that the recorded data were accurate and

representative of control surface positions. The FAA stated that there was “no need to

continue an independent review of the remaining existing airplanes” because

“implementation of the final rule ensures that the recorded data are accurate and

representative of control surface positions.” The FAA further stated that its principal

aviation safety inspectors assigned to 14 CFR Part 121, 125, and 135 operators were

familiar with the rule change and that the inspectors would ensure that their operators

comply with the rules. In addition, the FAA stated that it had issued AC 20-141 in

response to Safety Recommendation A-94-120.

On August 9, 2000, the Safety Board indicated that it was disappointed that the

FAA did not complete the review of airplane designs because it would have provided an

additional level of assurance that accurate FDR data were being recorded. However, the
Factual Information 126 Aircraft Accident Report

Board stated that it was pleased overall with the FAA’s actions on this safety

recommendation. As a result, Safety Recommendation A-94-121 was classified

“Closed—Acceptable Action.”

1.18.7.2 Postaccident Correspondence on Data Filtering

In a February 6, 2002, letter, the Safety Board indicated that the flight 587

investigation revealed that vital flight control surface position information was not

directly recorded on the accident airplane’s FDR because of the SDAC filter (see section

1.11.2). The Board believed that the filtered data supplied by the SDAC did not meet the

accuracy requirements under dynamic conditions called for in 14 CFR 121.344,

Appendix M. 

The Safety Board stated that the presence of filtered data was “surprising and

disappointing,” considering the FAA’s actions regarding Safety

Recommendations A-94-120 and -121 (see section 1.18.7.1). Specifically, the Board

indicated that it accepted the FAA’s assertion that the issuance of the 1997 final rule

(which precluded the use of a filter and added the requirement for a dynamic test

condition) and AC 20-141 (which specified test procedures for recorded parameter data

under static and dynamic conditions), as well as the work of POIs, would ensure that

operators would not record filtered FDR data.

The Safety Board believed that the FAA needed to take immediate steps to identify

those A300 airplanes that recorded filtered flight control surface data and to take

corrective actions as soon as possible to bring these airplanes into compliance with

existing regulations. The Board also noted that it was important for the FAA to complete

the review called for in Safety Recommendation A-94-121 to ensure that all aircraft that

record filtered data are identified and brought into compliance with regulations as soon as

possible. In addition, the Board expressed concern that older aircraft, which have not

historically recorded filtered data, could be retrofitted with new or upgraded avionics that

supply filtered data to the FDR. The Safety Board requested that, within 30 days, the FAA

advise the Board, in writing, of the steps that the FAA intended to take to address the

problem involving A300 airplanes that record filtered data and to identify and correct any

other aircraft that are similarly recording filtered data.

In a March 6, 2002, letter, the FAA stated that, when Safety Recommendations

A-94-120 and -121 were issued, it surveyed all transport-category airplane manufacturers

to determine if FDR data on their airplane models were filtered. The FAA indicated that

the manufacturers might not have had a clear understanding of what filtered data meant in

the context of Safety Recommendation A-94-121 and that, as a result, the manufacturers

defined “filtered” as they saw fit. The FAA further indicated that Airbus reported that the

FDRs on its airplanes did not record filtered data.

The FAA recognized that it gave assurances to the Safety Board that the wording

of its 1997 final rule on data filtering would preclude the recording of filtered flight

control position data on most transport-category airplanes. However, the FAA stated the

following regarding the wording of the final rule: 
Factual Information 127 Aircraft Accident Report

Although it [the final rule] did not specifically preclude filtering, it was thought

that filtering was technically unfeasible in a compliant system. However, the

preamble to the rule left the option open for filtering by use of the undefined term

‘readily retrievable.’ Filtered data was accepted as long as there was a method of

readily retrieving the data.

The FAA added that AC 20-141, which was introduced several months after the

final rule, specifically addressed filtering but did not disallow it. The FAA stated, “again,

it was thought that the technical guidance outlined in the AC made filtering unfeasible.”

The FAA stated that, as a result of the recent concerns about data filtering, it

compiled all historical data surrounding Safety Recommendations A-94-120 and -121 and

conducted a new survey of transport-category airplane manufacturers to determine

whether FDRs on their airplane models recorded filtered flight control position data. The

FAA also stated that it contacted Airbus to find out whether the Safety Board’s assertions

regarding FDR data filtering on its models were accurate. Airbus indicated, contrary to its

earlier position, that it did record filtered data but that the filtering did not conflict with the

requirements of 14 CFR 121.344.

On September 3, 2002, the Safety Board indicated that it had provided the FAA

with a detailed list of concerns regarding filtered data and was prepared to discuss these

issues at a planned October 1, 2002, meeting with the FAA and Airbus. The specific

issues discussed at this meeting included compliance with FDR rules as they pertained to

the recording of filtered data on Airbus airplanes, the possible impact of data filtering and

sampling rate on a pending flight recorder NPRM, and the FAA’s findings in response to

its new manufacturer survey (see section 1.18.7.3).

1.18.7.3 Safety Recommendation A-03-50

At the October 1, 2002, meeting with Airbus and the Safety Board, the FAA

reported on the results of Phase I of the new manufacturer survey. The FAA stated that

Boeing had reported that the 747-400 recorded filtered data for four parameters. The FAA

also stated that Phase I of the survey would be complete once Airbus’ results were

received. Airbus stated that its understanding of the regulatory requirements pertaining to

filtered data differed from the intent of the rule but that it was willing to work with the

FAA to correct the problem.

In an October 25, 2002, letter to the FAA, Airbus provided the results of its survey,

which indicated that the A310 and A300-600 models recorded filtered data for five

parameters: aileron left, aileron right, rudder, elevator, and stabilizer position. Airbus

also stated that it was willing to develop a service bulletin to increase the sampling rate for

flight control parameters on existing and newly manufactured Airbus airplanes.
Factual Information 128 Aircraft Accident Report

On November 6, 2003, the Safety Board issued Safety Recommendation A-03-50,

which asked the FAA to take the following action: 

Require that within 2 years, all Airbus A300-600/A310 and Boeing 747-400

airplanes and any other aircraft that may be identified as recording filtered data be

retrofitted with a flight data recorder system capable of recording values that meet

the accuracy requirements through the full dynamic range of each parameter at a

frequency sufficient to determine a complete, accurate, and unambiguous time

history of parameter activity, with emphasis on capturing each parameter’s

dynamic motion at the maximum rate possible, including reversals of direction at

the maximum rate possible. 

On February 2, 2004, the FAA stated that FDRs either should not record filtered

flight control surface parameters168 or, if filtered data were recorded, a proven and

unambiguous method must exist for retrieving, to within required tolerances, the original

unfiltered values from the filtered data. The FAA also stated that the most recent

information on filtered flight control surface parameters revealed that the Boeing 747-400

does not filter such data, contrary to what was originally reported. The most recent

information also revealed that the A320 rudder position parameter was filtered and not

retrievable. Thus, the only transport-category airplanes determined by the FAA to have

filtered, nonretrievable flight control surface parameters are the Airbus A310, A300-600,

and A320. 

The FAA stated that it planned to initiate clarifying rulemaking to ensure that

existing airplane FDR systems that record filtered, nonretrievable flight control surface

parameters were corrected and to prevent future occurrences of such filtering. The FAA

expressed its concern that 2 years would not be sufficient time to accomplish the necessary

rulemaking, design, and incorporation of a cost-effective corrective action. 

On May 10, 2004, the Safety Board stated that the FAA’s planned actions were

responsive to the intent of the recommendation. The Board recognized that displays of

information used by a pilot to fly an airplane could be filtered but believed that a global

exception that allowed filtering of all signals displayed to the pilot was unacceptable. The

Board pointed out that unfiltered, high-sampling-rate flight control position data were

critically important for accident/incident investigation purposes. These data could be

displayed to pilots in many A310, A300-600, and A320 airplanes, but the pilots would not

normally use this information to fly the airplane. The Board believed that the recording of

filtered data should be limited only to those data that were normally displayed and used by

the pilot for flying the airplane. Pending the issuance of the FAA’s planned rulemaking,

Safety Recommendation A-03-50 was classified “Open—Acceptable Response.”

168 The FAA stated that it found no regulatory agreement on which non-flight control parameters, if any,

should be unfiltered. According to the FAA, the European airworthiness authorities and the FAA agreed that

certain recorded parameters should reflect the data displayed to the pilots and not the raw sensor data on

which the displayed values were based. The FAA further stated that it planned to address the filtering of

non-flight control parameters at a forum with participation from industry, airworthiness authorities, and the

Safety Board and then take action on this issue based on the results of the forum.
Factual Information 129 Aircraft Accident Report

1.18.7.3.1 Public Meeting on Safety Recommendation A-03-50

On July 7, 2004, the FAA held a public meeting to discuss issues related to Safety

Recommendation A-03-50. The purpose of the meeting was to determine the aviation

industry’s position on the definitions of “parameter filtering” and “readily retrievable

data,” the parameters that should not be filtered, and the impact of incorporating the

Safety Board’s recommendation. Representatives from the Safety Board, Airbus, Boeing,

the Allied Pilots Association, and the Air Line Pilots Association made presentations at

the meeting. All of the meeting participants indicated that they were against data filtering

except Airbus, which indicated that its airplanes met the intent of 14 CFR 121.344.

1.18.8 Aircraft-Pilot Coupling

According to a 1997 report by the National Research Council (NRC),169

“unfavorable aircraft-pilot coupling (APC) events are rare, unexpected, and unintended

excursions in aircraft attitude and flight path caused by anomalous interactions between

the aircraft and the pilot.” APC events can be oscillatory or divergent, and the coupling

between the pilot and the aircraft can either be open- or closed-loop, depending on the

complexity with which the pilot is controlling the aircraft. When the pilot dynamics and

the aircraft dynamics, including the flight control system dynamics, combine to produce

an undesirable and unstable system, an APC event results. Although these events are rare,

they can be catastrophic.

APC events include a trigger, which causes the pilot to alter his or her control

strategy; specifically, the pilot switches from a low-gain to a high-gain piloting

technique.170 The three types of triggers associated with APC events are pilot triggers,

which result when a pilot overcontrols the aircraft or responds with an inappropriate

reaction to a stimulus; environmental triggers,171 which typically involve an

environmental circumstance that causes the pilot to enter destabilizing control inputs (for

example, atmospheric turbulence or the threat of imminent collision); or vehicle triggers,

which typically involve changes in the aircraft’s response to control inputs or changes in

the feedback to the pilot, resulting in inconsistencies between the pilot’s input strategy and

the aircraft dynamics.172

A trigger alone will not result in an APC event; the dynamics of the aircraft’s flight

control system also have to be susceptible to such an event. Although much research has

been completed concerning adverse interactions between pilots and aircraft, APC events

are often complex situations that are difficult to analyze. As a result, during flight testing

169 National Research Council, Aviation Safety and Pilot Control – Understanding and Preventing

Unfavorable Pilot-Vehicle Interactions (Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1997).

170 According to the NRC report, pilot gain is the sensitivity with which the pilot reacts to a given

stimulus. If the situation is urgent, the pilot is likely to react with large corrective inputs, even for small

system errors. When this situation happens, the pilot is said to be exhibiting high gain. More relaxed

responses imply a lower pilot gain.

171 An environmental trigger may increase a pilot’s stress level, resulting in increased pilot gain.

172 Environmental or vehicle triggers often precede pilot triggers.
Factual Information 130 Aircraft Accident Report

and certification, test pilots perform specific maneuvers to help reveal potential aircraft

susceptibility to APC events (see section 1.18.8.1).

The NRC report provided specific design goals to be used in developing flying

qualities requirements for APC prevention. These design goals include the following: 

• The system should perform consistently throughout as much of the flight

envelope as possible so that the pilot will not incorrectly change behavior

based on the system response.

• The system should achieve predictable input-output characteristics, should be

designed for linear proportional responses, and should avoid nonlinear control

system characteristics (that is, responses that are not proportional to input).

• The maximum maneuvering rates and severe turbulence should not result in

actuator rate and/or position limiting. 

• The system should strive to minimize the number of modes and failure states

consistent with aircraft performance requirements.

Finally, the NRC report made the following finding and recommendation,

respectively: 

Operational line pilots have little or no exposure to APC potential and are not

trained to recognize the initial symptoms or to understand that APC does not

imply poor airmanship. This may limit reporting of APC events. 

Insufficient attention to APC phenomena generally seems to be associated with a

lack of understanding and relevant experience. This shortcoming should be

addressed through improved education about APC phenomena for pilots and other

personnel involved in aircraft design, simulation, testing, certification, operation,

and accident investigation. 

1.18.8.1 Aircraft-Pilot Coupling Testing Maneuvers

AC 25-7, “Flight Test Guide for Certification of Transport Category Airplanes,”

which was issued in April 1986, provided guidelines for flight test methods and

procedures to show compliance with the regulations contained in subpart B (airplane

performance and handling characteristics) of 14 CFR Part 25. AC 25-7A was issued in

March 1998 and was revised in June 1999. AC 25-7A contained APC testing guidance

that was not included in AC 25-7.

AC 25-7A stated that capture (gross acquisition) tasks and fine tracking tasks

could highlight APC problem areas that might exist.173 For example, AC 25-7A stated that

173 AC 25-7A states that capture tasks can give the pilot a general impression of the handling qualities of

the airplane. Various capture tasks—for pitch attitude, bank angle, heading, flightpath angle, AOA, and G—

can be done to evaluate different aspects of the airplane’s response as long as the necessary cues are

available to the pilot. AC 25-7A also states that capture tasks should not be used as the only evaluation task

because they would not expose all of the problems that might arise in closed-loop, fine tracking tasks.
Factual Information 131 Aircraft Accident Report

heading capture tasks (usually small heading changes of 5o or less) could be used to

evaluate the “yaw controller” (that is, the rudder) alone. The AC did not include bank

angle capture tasks for evaluating the yaw controller. Also, AC 25-7A stated that fine

tracking tasks using pitch and roll controls would expose APC susceptibility of an airplane

flying in turbulence. These fine tracking tasks would not involve the use of the rudder.

 In addition, AC 25-7A listed upset and/or collision avoidance maneuvers that

were found to be effective in evaluating APC susceptibility when the airplane was flying

at high altitude and under lateral load conditions of 0.3 G. None of these maneuvers

would involve the use of the rudder. Finally, AC 25-7A stated that “artificial trim and feel

systems which produce controllers with too small a displacement and light force gradients

may also lead to severe over control.”

1.18.9 Reports of Rudder Use in Upset Recovery Efforts

NASA’s ASRS included the results of a special study of uncommanded, in-flight

upsets aboard multiengine turbojet aircraft in the United States. During a 6-month period

from May 1 to October 31, 1995, 33 such upsets were reported, most of which were

induced by wake turbulence. Structured telephone interviews were conducted for all

pilots who reported those upsets. The telephone interviews indicated that wake turbulence

was the most common cause of these upsets and that pilots used rudder during recovery

efforts in 11 (one-third) of the 33 reported upset events.

The Safety Board reviewed the ASRS database and found the following reports of

rudder use by transport-category pilots in response to wake turbulence events:

• The flight crew of a 737 being vectored on approach reported that the airplane

sustained a high rate of roll from wake turbulence that resulted in an estimated

bank angle of 20o. The flying pilot responded by applying a substantial

amount of rudder in addition to most of the available aileron.

• The captain of a 737 airplane on final approach reported that the airplane

encountered a steady roll to the left from wake turbulence and reached an

estimated bank angle of about 25o. The flying pilot (a student captain on an

initial operating experience examination) applied full right rudder and aileron

to recover. The flying pilot subsequently stated that unusual attitude training

was an important factor in his “proper” response.

• The flight crew of a 757 on short final reported that the airplane experienced

wake turbulence, resulting in two rolling events. The captain, who was the

flying pilot, reported that he applied rudder and aileron to stop the initial bank

angle, which was estimated to be about 15o to 20o. The airplane then rolled

sharply in the opposite direction. The captain reported that he applied full

rudder and aileron until the airplane reached a bank angle of about 40o to 45o,

at which time he initiated a successful missed approach. The FDR showed

bank angles of 15o or less.
Factual Information 132 Aircraft Accident Report

• The captain of a 727 flying at an altitude of 12,000 feet and an airspeed of

250 knots reported that the airplane experienced wake turbulence, resulting in

two rolling events. The first officer (the flying pilot) applied full rudder and

aileron to stop the first roll at about 35o of bank. The first officer then applied

full rudder and aileron in the opposite direction to stop a second bank, which

began about 3 to 4 seconds later in the opposite direction and might have

resulted in more than 35o of bank. The captain commended the first officer for

regaining control without overcontrolling and aggravating the situation.

1.18.10 Airbus Technical Note

On April 8, 2004, Airbus issued a technical note, titled “AAL 587 – Pedals Force

Analysis,” that provided Airbus’ estimate of the rudder pedal forces during the seconds

before the vertical stabilizer separated from the airplane. Airbus used FDR data for rudder

pedal position, estimates of rudder position, estimates of yaw damper position, and ground

test data to derive the pedal force estimate.

The technical note indicated that, during the accident sequence, the forces applied

by the first officer to the rudder pedals were much higher than the forces required to reach

the rudder travel limit for 240 knots. Airbus found that the highest force applied by the

pilot during the accident sequence was about 140 pounds but that the pedal force required

to reach the rudder travel limit during that time was about 30 pounds. The note further

indicated that the rudder control cable was stretched each time that the rudder travel limit

was contacted.
133 Aircraft Accident Report

2. Analysis

2.1 General

The captain and the first officer (the flying pilot) were properly certificated and

qualified under Federal regulations. No evidence indicates any preexisting medical

conditions that may have adversely affected the flight crew’s performance during the

flight. Flight crew fatigue was not a factor in this accident.

The accident airplane was properly maintained and dispatched in accordance with

Federal regulations. Before takeoff, the number 2 pitch trim and yaw damper system

would not engage. American Airlines avionics technicians found a fault with the number 2

flight augmentation computer, and the fault cleared when the circuit breaker for this

computer was reset. 

The air traffic controllers who handled American Airlines flight 587 were properly

trained and qualified. The local controller complied with Federal Aviation Administration

(FAA) wake turbulence spacing requirements when handling flight 587 and Japan Air

Lines flight 47, which departed immediately before flight 587.

 Flight 587’s vertical stabilizer and rudder separated from the fuselage before

impact and were recovered separately about 1 mile before the main wreckage site. At

0915:58.5, the flight data recorder (FDR) recorded a 0.2 G lateral acceleration, which

corresponded to the sound of a loud bang recorded by the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) at

the same time. The Safety Board’s airplane performance study indicated that this change

in lateral acceleration and the ensuing out-of-control airplane motion resulted from the

separation of the vertical stabilizer from the fuselage. In addition, the study showed that,

before vertical stabilizer separation, the airplane responded properly to all rudder

deflections and that the rudder remained properly attached until the vertical stabilizer

broke off the fuselage. (The vertical stabilizer separation is discussed further in

section 2.2.)

Both engines separated from the airplane before ground impact. Neither engine

showed evidence of uncontainments, case ruptures, or preimpact failure, and engine

operation was normal throughout the airplane’s ground operations, takeoff, and initial

climb. FDR and CVR data showed that engine separation occurred during the

out-of-control airplane motion that followed the separation of the vertical stabilizer. Fuel

may have been ignited during the engine separation and may have caused a flash fire.

Also, during the airplane’s descent, the out-of-control motion would have disrupted the

airflow into the engines and likely caused engine compressor surges. (Visible flames

emanating from the engines are typical during engine compressor surges.) Therefore, the
Analysis 134 Aircraft Accident Report

Safety Board concludes that the witnesses who reported observing the airplane on fire174

were most likely observing a fire from the initial release of fuel or the effects of engine

compressor surges.

Shortly after takeoff, flight 587 encountered wake turbulence from Japan Air Lines

flight 47—first at 0915:36 and again at 0915:51. Immediately after the onset of

flight 587’s second wake turbulence encounter (about 7 seconds before the vertical

stabilizer separation), the FDR recorded a series of five cyclic movements of the rudder

and rudder pedals. The Safety Board’s investigation did not reveal any indication of a

mechanical failure that could have caused these movements. The Board’s ground tests of

the rudder control system on another A300-600 revealed that rudder movement created by

a yaw damper or an autopilot input to the system resulted in an FDR recording of the

rudder and rudder pedal parameters that did not match the timing and sequence of the

movements recorded by flight 587’s FDR. The only way to move the rudder in a manner

that created an FDR trace of these parameters that matched flight 587’s FDR trace was for

the pilot to depress the rudder pedals. Therefore, the Safety Board concludes that flight

587’s cyclic rudder motions after the second wake turbulence encounter were the result of

the first officer’s rudder pedal inputs. (Possible explanations for the first officer’s rudder

pedal inputs are discussed in section 2.3.) 

During the time that the first officer was making the five cyclic rudder pedal

inputs, the captain began to question him (at 0915:55 he asked, “you all right?”) and

coached him (at 0915:56 he said, “hang on to it”). However, the captain did not intervene

or take control of the airplane, which would have been within his authority as

pilot-in-command. It appears that the captain believed that the wake was causing the

airplane motion, even after the vertical stabilizer had separated from the airplane (saying,

at 0916:12, “get out of it, get out of it”). It would have been difficult for the captain to

observe the first officer’s rudder pedal inputs.175 Accordingly, given the captain’s limited

knowledge of the circumstances and the short duration of the accident sequence, the

captain’s response to the situation was understandable.

2.2 Separation of the Vertical Stabilizer

The in-flight separation of the vertical stabilizer from the fuselage of a

transport-category airplane is an extremely rare,176 if not unprecedented, occurrence. To

evaluate and understand the circumstances of the vertical stabilizer separation on

flight 587, the Safety Board examined the vertical stabilizer structure to evaluate its

conformity with design specifications, analyzed the fracture and damage patterns

indicated by the wreckage, calculated the aerodynamic loads on the vertical stabilizer and

analyzed their effects on the structure during flight, assessed the most likely failure

174 Of the 354 witnesses that provided sufficient detail to document, 56 percent reported seeing the

airplane or a portion of the airplane on fire at some point during their observation.

175 It is not possible to determine whether the captain’s feet were resting on his rudder pedals. However,

if his feet had been resting on the pedals, the captain could have felt the pedal movements made by the first

officer.
Analysis 135 Aircraft Accident Report

scenarios using vertical stabilizer structural models, conducted three postaccident static

lug tests, and evaluated certification documents.

No deviations from the original design and materials specifications were found in

the vertical stabilizer (including the repair to the left center lug area that was made during

manufacturing) that would have contributed to the vertical stabilizer separation. Also, a

detailed inspection of flight 587’s wreckage, including an extensive examination of the

vertical stabilizer main attachment fitting fractures, revealed that each main attachment

fitting had features that were consistent with overstress fracture and exhibited no evidence

of fatigue features or other preexisting degradation. Fracture features and damage patterns

on the right forward, center, and rear lugs were consistent with overstress failure under

tensile loading. The right rear lug, in particular, had fracture features that were consistent

with failure in the cleavage-tension mode. Fracture features and damage patterns on the

left forward, center, and rear lugs had features that were consistent with the vertical

stabilizer bending to the left after separation of the lugs on the right side.

Safety Board investigators conducted an airplane performance study to describe

the motion of the accident airplane, identify the causes of the motion, and calculate the

resulting aerodynamic loading on the vertical stabilizer.177 The airplane performance study

revealed that the first officer’s cyclic rudder pedal inputs, which began about 7 seconds

before the vertical stabilizer separation, led to increasing sideslip angles that, along with

the continued rudder deflections, produced extremely high aerodynamic loads on the

vertical stabilizer. The airplane performance study indicated that, at 0915:58.4, when the

vertical stabilizer separation began, the aerodynamic loads on the vertical stabilizer were

about two times the loads defined by the limit load design envelope (see figure 15).178

Given the aerodynamic loads at the time that the vertical stabilizer separated, it can

be determined that the vertical stabilizer’s structural performance was consistent with

design specifications and had exceeded certification requirements. However, to determine

if stresses in the vertical stabilizer at the time of failure corresponded to a material failure,

176 On March 5, 1966, British Overseas Airways flight 911, a Boeing 707, departed Tokyo for Hong

Kong with 124 people and the cabin crew aboard. Because of the clear weather at the time, the pilot asked

for and received an amendment to the scheduled flight plan that would allow his passengers an up-close

view of Mt. Fuji. Shortly after the airplane began its descent toward the mountain, witnesses reported seeing

the airplane trailing white vapor and shedding pieces. The witnesses also reported that they saw a large puff

of vapor that came from the airplane’s vertical stabilizer and that the airplane pitched up and entered a flat

spin. The witnesses further reported that the vertical stabilizer assembly and engines were missing, the

outer wing had failed, the forward fuselage broke off, and the airplane continued in a flat spin until it crashed

into the base of Mt. Fuji. All of the airplane occupants were killed. The report on this accident indicated

that, when approaching Mt. Fuji, the airplane was violently impacted by a severe mountain wave, which led

to vertical stabilizer failure and subsequent in-flight breakup. (A U.S. Navy aircraft, which was dispatched

to search for the flight 911 wreckage, encountered extreme turbulence near the area of the crash. In fact, the

G meter installed on the U.S. Navy aircraft registered +9 to -4 Gs during the flight.) The report also

identified the white vapor as jet fuel flowing out of the airplane after separation of the engines.

177 For more information about the airplane performance study, see section 1.16.2.

178 Limit load is the maximum load to be expected in service, and ultimate load is limit load multiplied

by a safety factor of 1.5. During public hearing testimony, an FAA airframe engineer stated that airplanes

are expected to experience limit load only once in their lifetime and are never expected to experience

ultimate load. For more information, see section 1.6.4.1.1. 
Analysis 136 Aircraft Accident Report

the Safety Board conducted a detailed structural analysis of the accident condition. The

structural analysis was to determine if the aerodynamic loading on the flight 587 vertical

stabilizer was sufficient for fracture of the attachment lugs and subsequent separation of

the vertical stabilizer and the sequence in which such a separation would progress. 

The structural analysis included an assessment of Airbus’ full-scale certification

test, which was conducted during the design and certification process to demonstrate that

the vertical stabilizer could withstand limit and ultimate loads. During the test, the

vertical stabilizer was loaded to about two times the design limit load for the lateral gust

condition before the left rear main attachment lug fractured because of a tensile static

overload. The test revealed that the lug fractured with a resultant lug force of about

905 kiloNewtons (kN), which was about twice the calculated resultant lug force at limit

load for the A300-600 lateral gust condition (454 kN when calculated using hot and wet

conditions). The test also revealed that the failure mode of the rear main attachment lug

was consistent with a cleavage-tension failure. 

In the structural analysis of the accident condition, computational models

predicted that, with increasing aerodynamic loads, the right rear lug would experience

increasingly higher stresses that would eventually exceed the strength of the lug material

and the right rear lug would be the first structural component to fracture. The models

showed that this fracture would occur when the resultant lug forces and associated stresses

reached about twice those defined by the lateral gust limit load condition; that is, they

were well in excess of the forces and stresses corresponding to ultimate load (which are

1.5 times those defined by the lateral gust limit load condition). The models further

showed that the fracture would be consistent with failure in the cleavage-tension mode

and would quickly progress through the lug until it completely fractured. The remaining

five main attachment fittings and six transverse load fittings would then fracture, causing

the vertical stabilizer to separate from the fuselage. 

In addition, the results of a postaccident analysis of Airbus’ full-scale certification

test were consistent with the results of that test. The postaccident analysis revealed that

the lug stress and strain profiles for the accident condition were in agreement with the

full-scale certification test. 

To validate the computational models used in the structural analysis, the Safety

Board performed static lug tests on three vertical stabilizer rear attachment lugs and

compared the test results to the predictions of the models. For all three lug tests, the

resultant forces and strain levels at failure were about twice those defined by the limit load

lateral gust condition, as predicted by the computational models. Further, the fracture of

each lug was consistent with failure in the cleavage-tension mode, as predicted by the

computational models and observed on the accident right rear lug.

Thus, on the basis of all of the evidence discussed in this section, the Safety Board

concludes that flight 587’s vertical stabilizer performed in a manner that was consistent

with its design and certification. The vertical stabilizer fractured from the fuselage in

overstress, starting with the right rear lug while the vertical stabilizer was exposed to

aerodynamic loads that were about twice the certified limit load design envelope and were
Analysis 137 Aircraft Accident Report

more than the certified ultimate load design envelope. Because these aerodynamic loads

were caused by the first officer’s rudder pedal inputs, the analysis of these rudder pedal

inputs is of central importance to this investigation.

2.3 Analysis of the First Officer’s Rudder Pedal Inputs

The Safety Board’s investigation determined that three main factors influenced the

first officer’s rudder use during the accident sequence: a tendency to react aggressively to

wake turbulence, as evidenced by his responses to previous wake turbulence encounters;

his pilot training, including the training he received at American Airlines regarding wake

turbulence, upset recovery, and rudder pedal use; and the characteristics of the A300-600

rudder control system. This analysis describes each of these factors and considers how

they may have affected the first officer’s rudder use (that is, his initial rudder input in

response to the second wake turbulence encounter and his subsequent series of cyclic

rudder pedal inputs) during the flight 587 accident sequence.

2.3.1 First Officer’s Reactions to Wake Turbulence Encounters

Safety Board investigators interviewed several American Airlines pilots who had

flown with the first officer. Even though the comments were generally positive, two pilots

provided noteworthy accounts concerning the first officer’s reaction to wake turbulence

encounters.

One pilot, a 727 captain, recalled a 1997 flight on which the accident first officer

was the flying pilot. According to the captain, the airplane encountered wake turbulence

at an altitude of 1,000 to 1,500 feet during climbout. The captain said that the encounter

was momentary and that he thought it required only a small aileron input to roll the

airplane to wings level. However, the first officer responded by making a series of rapid,

alternating full rudder pedal inputs. The captain recalled being startled by the first

officer’s response and thinking the rudder pedal inputs were quite aggressive. He recalled

that the inputs created an uncomfortable yawing moment with heavy side loads on the

airplane.179 The captain said that he had never seen any other pilot react to wake

turbulence in this manner. On the basis of the captain’s recollections, it appears that the

first officer overreacted to this wake turbulence encounter.

179 The Safety Board notes that the 727, which has fuselage-mounted engines, requires comparatively

less yawing moment from the rudder to counter an engine-out condition than airplanes with wing-mounted

engines, such as the A300-600. Consequently, the yawing moment (and airplane response) resulting from a

given rudder deflection is likely to be less pronounced on the 727 than on the A300-600.
Analysis 138 Aircraft Accident Report

According to the 727 captain, when he questioned the first officer about his rudder

pedal inputs, the first officer stated that he had used the rudder to level the wings and

insisted that the company’s Advanced Aircraft Maneuvering Program (AAMP) training

directed him to use rudder in that manner.180 The captain stated that he counseled the first

officer to be less aggressive in his rudder inputs.181 The captain recalled that, on a

subsequent flight, the first officer was still very quick to use the rudder during a wake

turbulence encounter, although he did not think the first officer had pushed the rudder

pedal to its stops on that occasion. 

The other pilot who provided an account concerning the first officer’s reaction to

wake turbulence encounters was the flight engineer on a 1997 flight in a 727 being flown

by the accident first officer. According to the flight engineer, when the airplane was on

approach at an altitude of between 3,000 and 5,000 feet and about 7 miles from the

runway, the airplane encountered wake turbulence from a preceding 737. The flight

engineer said that the airplane rolled, but he did not think that the bank angle was greater

than 30o

. According to the flight engineer, the first officer reacted by immediately

applying maximum engine power and executing a go-around. The flight engineer said

that it was one of the more memorable events in his flying career. The Safety Board notes

that the 727 is larger than the 737 (the airplane producing the wake) and that the flight was

operating at an altitude with adequate ground clearance at the time of the wake turbulence

encounter. In this situation, a go-around would not have been necessary; therefore, it

appears the first officer overreacted to this wake turbulence encounter.

Two wake turbulence issues were also present before the accident sequence. First,

after receiving clearance for takeoff, the first officer asked the captain whether he was

happy with the separation distance behind Japan Air Lines flight 47.182 The captain

indicated that he was satisfied, and the takeoff proceeded. The first officer’s question

would be expected in this situation and shows that he was aware of the potential for

encountering wake turbulence after flight 587 became airborne. Second, about 0915:36,

flight 587 encountered mild wake turbulence from Japan Air Lines flight 47. The effect of

the turbulence was typical of a minor wake encounter—a momentary 0.3 G drop in normal

load factor, a 0.04 G drop in longitudinal load factor, and a 0.07 G shift in lateral load

factor. However, the first officer reacted to this first wake turbulence encounter by

moving the control wheel rapidly right and left several times, with large control wheel

deflections up to 37o right and 34o left.183 Board investigators noted, during vertical

180 The influence that the AAMP training may have had on the first officer is discussed in

section 2.3.2.2.

181 The Safety Board notes that the captain did not admonish the first officer for using the rudder in

response to wake turbulence but rather for the magnitude of his rudder pedal inputs. The use of rudder by

other pilots in response to wake turbulence is discussed in section 2.4.1.1.

182 Air traffic control had cautioned the pilots about wake turbulence from Japan Air Lines flight 47

while instructing them to taxi into position and hold.

183 The Safety Board notes that the maximum available wheel deflection is 78° in either direction.

Despite the first officer’s rapid wheel movements, the airplane remained in relatively level flight because the

inputs were not held long enough to allow the airplane to respond.
Analysis 139 Aircraft Accident Report

motion simulator testing, that these wheel movements seemed excessive for the

momentary effect that the wake turbulence encounter had on the airplane.

On the basis of the two pilots’ accounts of the accident first officer’s response to

wake turbulence on prior flights and his reaction to flight 587’s first wake turbulence

encounter, the Safety Board concludes that the first officer had a tendency to overreact to

wake turbulence by taking unnecessary actions, including making excessive control

inputs.

2.3.2 Training Factors

The Safety Board’s investigation determined that pilots have generally had little

exposure to, and therefore may not fully understand, the effect of large rudder pedal inputs

in normal flight or the mechanism by which rudder deflections induce roll on a

transport-category airplane. In addition, American Airlines’ AAMP training may have

reinforced the first officer’s tendency to respond aggressively to wake turbulence,

encouraged the use of full rudder pedal inputs and misrepresented the airplane’s actual

response to large rudder inputs. Finally, A300-600 pilots (including those at American

Airlines) were not well trained regarding the airplane’s reduction in rudder pedal travel

with increasing airspeed.

2.3.2.1 Lack of Pilot Exposure Regarding Airplane Response to Large 

Rudder Pedal Inputs

Most control inputs on transport-category airplanes occur in the pitch and roll

axes. Consequently, through flight experience and training, pilots readily understand how

airplanes respond to control column and wheel inputs during normal flight conditions.

However, many pilots have only limited exposure to airplane responses to rudder pedal

inputs (which primarily affect the yaw axis). In transport-category airplanes, rudder pedal

inputs in the yaw axis are generally limited to aligning the airplane with the runway during

crosswind landings and controlling engine-out situations. These maneuvers do not

provide a sense of how large-magnitude rudder inputs at a high airspeed will create a yaw

rate and sideslip angle buildup followed by a very large rolling moment. Abrupt rudder

inputs can result in an overswing,184 which results in much greater yaw and sideslip angles

than a steady-state sideslip. The roll rate resulting from this overswing is also amplified.

Aligning the airplane with the runway during a crosswind landing involves using

the rudder to create a sideslip (the resulting rolling moment is countered with the control

wheel), and controlling an engine-out situation involves deflecting the rudder to

counteract the yaw asymmetry resulting from the failed engine and minimize sideslip.

Crosswind landings are relatively common. Engine-out situations are rare, but pilots

receive extensive simulator training in handling engine-out situations. The most

demanding engine-out situations occur shortly after takeoff, when an engine failure

184 An overswing results when a rapid rudder input is applied. An overswing is a sideslip angle that is

initially greater than the steady-state sideslip angle resulting from the same rudder input and occurs because

of the slightly underdamped nature of the airplane’s motion in the yaw axis.
Analysis 140 Aircraft Accident Report

creates a large yawing moment because of the high thrust setting of the engines and when

the effectiveness of the rudder is reduced by low airspeeds. In such situations, up to full

deflection of the rudder may be required to balance the engine thrust. Both landing

alignment maneuvers and engine-out maneuvers on takeoff occur at low airspeeds, so

pilots’ use of a significant rudder deflection (and, consequently, their exposure to the

characteristics of the rudder control system) occurs predominately at low airspeeds.

Neither maneuver involves using the rudder to roll the airplane.

Further, a pilot who attempts to use the rudder pedals to roll a transport-category

airplane will experience a significant phase lag between the pedal input and the

development of roll rate. The phase lag exists in part because the roll response is a

secondary effect of the yawing moment generated by rudder movement; roll does not

result from the rudder input directly. The airplane will initially yaw in response to a

rudder pedal input, creating a change in sideslip angle; as the sideslip angle develops, it

generates a rolling moment that rolls the airplane. Consequently, the rolling moment

depends primarily on the sideslip angle (not the rudder angle), and the airplane can

continue to develop a rolling moment in one direction, even though the rudder is

subsequently deflected in the opposite direction. The rolling moment will only reverse

after the sideslip angle reverses. If the motion of the airplane becomes highly dynamic

with large yaw and roll rates and sideslip angles (such as those that would result from

large rudder inputs), the relationship between the pedal inputs and the roll response of the

airplane can become confusing.

The coupling of the yaw and roll axes, the magnitude of the rolling moment that

can eventually develop from the large rudder inputs, and the potential for yaw overswing

resulting from abrupt rudder inputs are phenomena that are likely outside of most line

pilots’ experience. Therefore, it is likely that most line pilots have not developed

sufficient awareness and understanding to correctly anticipate an airplane’s response to

such large rudder inputs. As a result, they would likely be surprised and confused if they

were to encounter such responses in flight. (This issue is discussed in more detail in

section 2.3.3.)

2.3.2.2 American Airlines Advanced Aircraft Maneuvering Program 

2.3.2.2.1 Ground School Training

During the AAMP ground school that the first officer attended (in March 1997),

pilots were instructed that the rudder could be used to assist in controlling the airplane’s

roll angle during upsets and unusual attitudes. For example, a videotape that was made

during an actual AAMP class that occurred during March or April 1997 showed the

instructor telling pilots that, under certain circumstances, a small, smooth application of

rudder in the same direction as the control wheel was a good piloting technique. The tape

showed the instructor stating, “Now some of you out there might say, ‘well, I’m going to

use a little coordinated rudder to help the nose come down.’ Fine, that’s fine, that’s good

technique. A little, OK, smoothly applied.”185

185 For more information about the content of the AAMP, see section 1.17.1.2.
Analysis 141 Aircraft Accident Report

Further, the AAMP flight training booklet, which accompanied the AAMP ground

school instruction at the time that the first officer attended the training, discussed wake

turbulence as a factor that had caused an increase in loss of control accidents and incidents

and reiterated the use of rudder as the most effective roll control device at high angles of

attack. Pilots were also instructed during classroom training that even full rudder inputs

could be appropriate in certain extreme situations. Therefore, the Safety Board concludes

that the American Airlines AAMP ground school training encouraged pilots to use rudder

to assist with roll control during recovery from upsets, including wake turbulence. 

2.3.2.2.2 Simulator Training

The AAMP excessive bank angle recovery simulator exercise186 may also have

contributed to an inaccurate understanding of the need for, or effects of, rudder use in

response to wake turbulence. The Safety Board notes that this simulator exercise scenario

was somewhat similar to the circumstances of flight 587. During the simulator exercise,

pilots were told they were taking off behind a heavy 747 and were issued the appropriate

wake turbulence warnings. As a result, pilots would likely expect the possibility of a

wake turbulence encounter. During climbout, the simulator depicted a little light chop,

followed by the airplane rolling in one direction to about 10o. The similarity to flight 587

ended at this point because the simulator then depicted the airplane quickly rolling to

beyond 90o in the opposite direction.187

The presentation of the upset would, more than likely, cause pilots to associate the

uncontrollable roll to beyond 90° with a wake turbulence encounter. However, this wake

turbulence encounter scenario is unrealistic for an A300-600. The Safety Board is aware

of no accidents involving a heavy transport-category airplane departing from controlled

flight as the result of a wake turbulence encounter.188

A study conducted by the Flight Safety Foundation, which reviewed Safety Board

accident data, FAA incident data, and NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS)

pilot reports, concluded that wake turbulence encounters were less frequent and less

severe for large transport-category airplanes such as the A300-600 than for smaller

transport-category airplanes. Also, ASRS wake turbulence reports indicated that the

maximum bank angle estimated by pilots was usually 30o

 or less, and none were greater

than 60o

.

189 Further, the Board’s experience shows that pilot estimates of bank angle

disturbances are often overstated and inaccurately large compared with actual FDR data.

186 For more information about this exercise, see section 1.17.1.2.3.

187 According to American Airlines, the objective of the excessive bank angle recovery exercise was to

force the airplane into an unusual roll attitude (beyond 90o

) to train pilots to recognize and recover from this

flight condition.

188 According to the Safety Board’s aviation accident database, the last fatal air carrier accident caused

by wake turbulence in the United States involved a DC-9 (a large transport-category airplane) in 1972 before

the current air traffic control separation standards were adopted. See Delta Air Lines, Inc., McDonnell

Douglas DC-9-14, N3305L, Greater Southwest International Airport, Fort Worth, Texas, May 30, 1972,

Aircraft Accident Report NTSB/AAR-73/03 (Washington, DC: NTSB, 1973).

189 These wake turbulence events occurred between 1988 and 1999 and involved a large transportcategory airplane, such as the A300-600, as the trailing airplane.
Analysis 142 Aircraft Accident Report

Consequently, the AAMP excessive bank angle simulator exercise, which rolled an A300

to more than 90o as the result of an implied wake turbulence encounter, was misleading

and might have contributed to an inaccurate expectation that wake turbulence encounters

in an A300 could be potentially catastrophic events, requiring immediate and aggressive

pilot response.

The Safety Board also learned that, to ensure that the airplane reached a 90o bank

angle during the excessive bank angle simulator exercise, American Airlines inhibited the

aerodynamic effectiveness of control wheel and rudder pedal inputs during the initial

portion of the roll upset. The effectiveness of the ailerons and rudder was not restored

until 10 seconds after the upset was introduced or a bank angle of 50o was achieved

(whichever came first), allowing the airplane to recover. Pilots were unaware that the

flight controls were ineffective during the initial portion of the upset, yet instructors

commonly briefed pilots to react quickly to the upset.190

The suppression of the aileron and rudder inputs during the initial part of the

excessive bank angle simulator exercise would have promoted an inaccurate

understanding of the proper use and effectiveness of the flight controls. Because no

control input could prevent the airplane from rolling to 90° or more, a pilot might learn to

position the controls at their full deflections to minimize the recovery time after the

maximum bank angle was reached, even though the flight condition at the time might not

call for full deflections. Because such full control inputs would have been an effective and

appropriate recovery technique during the simulator exercise, a pilot might

understandably expect similar results in an actual airplane.

Because the excessive bank angle simulator exercise was programmed so that the

airplane would not initially respond to control inputs, the exercise suggested that an

external influence (the wake) was overpowering the controls and deprived the pilot of an

opportunity to experience the actual airplane response to such inputs (including sideload

accelerations), thus leaving the pilot with a misperception of the real effects of the inputs.

This misperception could cause a pilot to be surprised or confused at the airplane’s actual

significant response to full control wheel and full rudder pedal inputs during flight. 

The Safety Board recognizes that the intent of the AAMP excessive bank angle

simulator training exercise was to teach pilots how to recover from an upset involving an

unusual roll attitude of 90°. However, the scenario was unrealistic and might have had the

unintended consequence of providing pilots with negative training in how to respond to

wake turbulence. The presentation of an unrealistic scenario and the inhibition of flight

controls could cause a pilot to develop control strategies that were effective in the

simulator but might be inappropriate or even dangerous in an actual airplane. Therefore,

the Safety Board concludes that the American Airlines AAMP excessive bank angle

190 Safety Board investigators interviewed three of the instructors who taught AAMP simulator

exercises to the first officer. Two of the instructors stated that they taught pilots to input some rudder in this

exercise; one instructor stated that, if pilots used only aileron to recover, they would put themselves in a

sideslip, so a “little bit” of rudder was necessary. All three instructors indicated that a quick reaction was

important.
Analysis 143 Aircraft Accident Report

simulator exercise could have caused the first officer to have an unrealistic and

exaggerated view of the effects of wake turbulence; erroneously associate wake

turbulence encounters with the need for aggressive roll upset recovery techniques; and

develop control strategies that would produce a much different, and potentially surprising

and confusing, response if performed during flight. 

2.3.2.3 Lack of Pilot Training on Restricted A300-600 Rudder Pedal Travel 

The Safety Board learned that, before the flight 587 accident, A300-600 pilots

(including those at American Airlines) were not trained to understand that rudder pedal

travel becomes limited as airspeed increases. (This feature of the A300-600 rudder

control system is described in more detail in section 2.3.3.) Although the American

Airlines A300 Operating Manual at the time of the accident noted that rudder deflection

progressively decreased with airspeed and specified the amount of the deflection for lowand high-speed ranges, it contained no reference to the reduction in rudder pedal travel at

higher airspeeds. Also, a company representative stated that, before the flight 587

accident, pilots were not instructed about the restricted rudder pedal displacement at

higher airspeeds.191 In addition, although the Airbus A300-600 Flight Crew Operating

Manual (FCOM) at the time of the accident noted that rudder pedal travel and rudder

deflection were restricted as airspeed increased, the FCOM specified only the range of the

restriction for the rudder deflection; the FCOM did not quantify the range of the restriction

for the rudder pedals or mention that the pedal forces required to achieve maximum

available rudder would be reduced as a result of the restricted pedal travel.

A pilot’s lack of knowledge regarding restricted rudder pedal travel could lead to

confusion if an unexpected pedal limit was encountered in flight. Specifically, as

discussed further in section 2.3.3, at high airspeeds, less pedal travel is required to develop

a yaw rate and sideslip angle than at low airspeeds; as a result, the airplane’s high-airspeed

response to pedal inputs may seem out of proportion to the pedal input if the pilot is

unaware of the pedal restriction and expects the range of pedal travel to be the same at all

airspeeds.192 In such a situation, the pilot may fail to associate the airplane response with

control inputs, instead attributing the response to some external cause (such as wake

turbulence). Consequently, the pilot may not recognize the potential risk to the airplane

and may continue making inappropriate control inputs. The Safety Board concludes that,

before the flight 587 accident, pilots were not being adequately trained on what effect

rudder pedal inputs have on the Airbus A300-600 at high airspeeds and how the airplane’s

rudder travel limiter system operates.

The Safety Board addressed this issue in Safety Recommendation A-02-01, which

was issued February 8, 2002. Safety Recommendation A-02-01 asked the FAA to require

191 During the first quarter of 2003, the American Airlines A300 fleet standards manager went to the

pilot bases and gave a presentation to all A300 pilots concerning subject areas that were identified as weak

or nonexistent in training. The subject areas included vertical stabilizer sideforce characteristics, 14 Code of

Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 25 certification, rudder travel limiter effects, rudder pedal force and

displacement, and pilot input/yaw damper interaction. For more information, see section 1.17.1.3. 

192 The use of the rudder at high airspeeds, other than for an engine failure, is rare.
Analysis 144 Aircraft Accident Report

manufacturers and operators of transport-category airplanes to establish and implement

pilot training programs that explained several points regarding rudder use, including that

“certain combinations of sideslip angle and opposite rudder deflection can result in

potentially dangerous loads on the vertical stabilizer, even at speeds below design

maneuvering speed” and that, “on some aircraft, as speed increases, the maximum

available rudder deflection can be obtained with comparatively light pedal forces and

small pedal deflections.” In response, the FAA issued a notice that directed all principal

operations inspectors (POI) to inform their air carriers about the Board’s concerns and

contacted airplane manufacturers to inform them about the Board’s concerns. Airbus and

Boeing prepared flight technical operations bulletins that highlighted these concerns, and

the FAA indicated that resulting changes to the manufacturers’ airplane flight manuals

might also result in changes in operators’ manuals.

The Safety Board urges the FAA to verify that the actions taken to date in response

to Safety Recommendation A-02-01 will result in all transport-category pilots gaining an

accurate understanding of the operation of rudder travel limiter systems and the effects of

rudder pedal inputs at high airspeed. The Board looks forward to receiving updated

information on the FAA’s continuing efforts to implement Safety

Recommendation A-02-01. 

2.3.3 Characteristics of the A300-600 Rudder Control System 

Design 

The first officer’s use of rudder during the accident sequence may also have been

influenced by characteristics of the A300-600 rudder control system design. As further

explained in this section, the Safety Board analyzed the sensitivity of the rudder control

system and determined that, even though the A300-600 rudder control system was found

to have met all of the certification standards, the system is more sensitive than that on

other transport-category airplanes.

Pilots use the rudder to control an airplane about its yaw axis; however, as

previously noted, pilots rarely exercise such control in flight except for aligning the

airplane with the runway during crosswind landings and for controlling engine-out

situations. On the basis of the results of the certification flight testing and the absence of

any reported operational difficulties in controlling the airplane in these situations, the

A300-600 rudder control system appears to meet all the certification requirements for yaw

axis control and is well suited for these typical rudder use scenarios.

With the advent in the mid-1990s of advanced maneuvering and upset training,

such as the AAMP, transport-category pilots began to be trained to use the rudder in more

than just the typical alignment maneuver and engine-out scenarios. Specifically, some

airlines, including American, instructed their pilots that the rudder could also be used to

assist the ailerons and spoilers in roll control under certain circumstances. However,

because the rudder was not designed and certified for roll control, rudder systems might

not be well suited for this use. Furthermore, the authority and sensitivity of the rudder
Analysis 145 Aircraft Accident Report

control system may be much more critical when it is used for roll control than for the

conventional scenarios.

The Safety Board evaluated the sensitivity of the A300-600 rudder system to

determine whether it played a role in the accident. Because there is no industry standard

measure of pedal sensitivity, Board investigators defined, for the purposes of this

evaluation, rudder pedal sensitivity as the lateral acceleration produced in the cockpit per

pound of rudder pedal force above breakout force. Investigators also developed four

metrics193 to compare various aspects of the A300-600 rudder control system design

related to rudder pedal sensitivity with those of other transport-category airplanes,

including the A300-600’s predecessors, the A300B2 and A300B4 (as shown in table 5).194

At 250 knots calibrated airspeed (KCAS), the A300-600 rudder pedal design showed the

lightest pedal forces of all airplanes evaluated.

In designing the A300-600, Airbus made two changes to the rudder control system

originally used on the A300B2/B4, both of which had a significant effect on rudder pedal

sensitivity. First, the amount of force required to depress the rudder pedals was decreased.

According to Airbus, this change was made to maintain consistency with the control

wheel forces, which were reduced in response to pilot feedback indicating a desire for

lighter roll control (wheel) forces. The decrease in pedal force resulted in an increase in

the A300-600 rudder pedal sensitivity. Second, the rudder travel limiter system was

changed from a variable ratio design to a variable stop design. The variable ratio design

allows a constant range of pedal travel but reduces the maximum possible deflection of the

rudder through an internal limiter as airspeed increases. Consequently, a given pedal input

results in reduced rudder deflection as airspeed increases. In contrast, the variable stop

design limits both rudder deflection and rudder pedal travel as airspeed increases. With

this design, a given amount of pedal input results in the same rudder deflection at all

airspeeds, but the pedal travel (and consequently, pedal force) required to hit the pedal

stops decreases as airspeed increases. 

With a variable ratio design, a given pedal input produces about the same airplane

response in sideslip angle, yaw rate, and lateral accelerations at all airspeeds, but, with a

variable stop design, a given pedal input produces a greater response for those parameters

as airspeed increases. In other words, a variable stop design becomes more sensitive as

airspeed increases. Specifically, as shown in figure 8, the A300B2/B4 variable ratio

design has a relatively constant rudder pedal sensitivity at all airspeeds, whereas, with the

A300-600 variable stop design, rudder pedal sensitivity significantly increases as airspeed

increases. For example, the A300-600 is twice as responsive to a pedal displacement at

250 KCAS as it would be at 165 KCAS. The A300-600’s increase in rudder pedal

193 The metrics were (1) the ratio of maximum force to breakout force, (2) the degrees of rudder

commanded per pound of force above the breakout force, (3) the pedal displacement as a percent of total

displacement at low airspeed, and (4) the work involved in pushing the pedal to maximum. For more

information, see section 1.6.2.3.

194 The Safety Board recognizes that these four metrics are not an exhaustive list and that other airplane

design features may also affect rudder pedal sensitivity. For example, the Board’s metrics do not account

for the yaw inertia of the airplane, which can depend on configuration characteristics, such as the number

and location of engines.
Analysis 146 Aircraft Accident Report

sensitivity as airspeed increases creates a control system change that pilots may not

expect.

Pilots may not be aware of the type of rudder control system that is installed on

their airplanes or fully understand the characteristics of a variable ratio or variable stop

rudder control system design because of the lack of explicit training or experience in this

area. If a pilot assumed that the sensitivity of the rudder on any airplane remained

relatively constant across a range of airspeeds, this assumption would lead to the

erroneous expectation on an airplane equipped with a variable stop rudder travel limiter

system that the response to a given pedal input, including the subsequent rolling moment,

would be about the same regardless of the airspeed. The Safety Board emphasizes that the

sensitivity of the variable stop rudder travel limiter system may be confusing to pilots only

at higher airspeeds. In fact, the Board has found no indication of any undesirable

sensitivity during conventional rudder use scenarios (that is, crosswind landings or

engine-out situations).

The Safety Board concludes that the Airbus A300-600 rudder control system

couples a rudder travel limiter system that increases in sensitivity with airspeed, which is

characteristic of variable stop designs, with the lightest pedal forces of all the

transport-category aircraft evaluated by the Safety Board during this investigation. These

characteristics likely played a role in the accident sequence, as discussed in section 2.4. 

2.4 Analysis of the Accident Sequence

The accident sequence began when the first officer made a right rudder pedal input

in response to the second wake turbulence encounter. The accident sequence continued

for 6.5 seconds as the first officer made five subsequent alternating full rudder pedal

inputs until the vertical stabilizer separated from the airplane. As further explained in this

section, a combination of the three factors discussed in section 2.3—the first officer’s

tendency to react aggressively to wake turbulence, his pilot training, and characteristics of

the A300-600 rudder control system design—influenced the first officer’s initial rudder

pedal input and his subsequent alternating full rudder inputs.

2.4.1 Initial Rudder Pedal Input

The second wake turbulence encounter occurred at 0915:51 while flight 587 was

in a 23o left bank. This encounter produced momentary changes in the airplane’s load

factor that were similar to those experienced during the first wake turbulence encounter

15 seconds earlier—a 0.4 G drop in normal load factor, a 0.06 G drop in longitudinal load

factor, and a 0.05 G shift to the left in lateral load factor. The first officer reacted to this
Analysis 147 Aircraft Accident Report

second wake encounter by moving the control wheel rapidly to the right. Further, unlike

his response to the first wake encounter, the first officer also depressed the right rudder

pedal. 195

The Safety Board considered why the first officer responded differently to the

second wake turbulence encounter than he did to the first encounter. One possibility is the

difference in the bank angle at the beginning of the two encounters. For the first

encounter, the airplane was approximately wings level. Before the second encounter, the

airplane was already in a 23o left bank, and, according to the Board’s simulations, the

rolling moment generated by the second wake would have acted to roll the airplane (in the

absence of countering control inputs) about 10o farther to the left and would have resulted

in no significant yaw.196 However, if the first officer sensed a roll acceleration to the left

while already in a left bank, he may have been prompted to react with a more aggressive

control response.

The Safety Board emphasizes that the second wake encounter did not place

flight 587 in an upset condition, and the airplane’s response to the wake did not indicate

that an upset was imminent.197 Therefore, the Safety Board concludes that the first

officer’s initial control wheel input in response to the second wake turbulence encounter

was too aggressive, and his initial rudder pedal input response was unnecessary to control

the airplane. In analyzing the reason for these inputs, the Board evaluated the three factors

discussed in section 2.3: the first officer’s reactions to wake turbulence encounters,

training factors, and the A300-600 rudder control system design.

2.4.1.1 First Officer’s Reactions to Wake Turbulence Encounters

As discussed in section 2.3.1, the first officer had a tendency to overreact to wake

turbulence encounters, indicating an exaggerated concern with such encounters. The first

officer expressed concern before takeoff about the spacing between Japan Air Lines

flight 47 and flight 587, so he was clearly aware of the possibility of encountering wake

turbulence. Further, the first wake turbulence encounter, although brief and minor, would

have heightened the first officer’s awareness of the possibility of additional wake

turbulence, thus preparing him to react to any subsequent encounter. Therefore, the initial

rudder pedal input in response to the second wake turbulence encounter was consistent

195 Minor pedal movements (about 1o) were recorded on the FDR after the first wake encounter.

However, these movements were not likely deliberate pedal inputs by the first officer. Further, the rudder

movements recorded during this time were within the authority of the yaw damper and could have been the

result of yaw damper inputs.

196 Nominal movement of the control wheel (and the corresponding aileron and spoiler deflection) could

have countered this amount of additional roll. Further, the yaw damper is designed to compensate for yaw

disturbances produced by standard wake turbulence.

197 The Airbus A300-600 FCOM and the joint industry Airplane Upset Recovery Training Aid defined

upsets to include unintentional bank angles of greater than 45°. According to FAA Flight Standards

Handbook Bulletin for Air Transportation 95-10, “Selected Event Training,” and American Airlines’

selected event training program, upset conditions include “excessive (greater than 90°) roll attitudes” and

“high (greater than 35°) pitch attitudes.” 
Analysis 148 Aircraft Accident Report

with the first officer’s tendencies to overreact and overcontrol the airplane in response to

wake turbulence encounters.

The Safety Board notes that the first officer was not unique in responding to a

wake turbulence encounter with a rudder pedal input. The ASRS special study of

uncommanded, in-flight upsets found that pilots used rudder pedal inputs during recovery

efforts in 11 (one-third) of the 33 reported events, most of which were induced by wake

turbulence.198 Even the captain of the earlier 727 flight on which the first officer made a

series of alternating full rudder pedal inputs did not admonish him for using the rudder in

response to wake turbulence; rather, the captain cautioned the first officer only against

making such large inputs.

2.4.1.2 Training Factors

As discussed in section 2.3.2.2.2, the AAMP excessive bank angle simulator

exercise was unrealistic because the airplane quickly achieved a 90o

 bank angle that pilots

were led to believe resulted from the effects of a wake turbulence encounter. The roll

upset recovery techniques taught during this exercise may have resulted in inappropriate

(negative) training regarding the effects of wake turbulence and the proper response to it.

Further, the inhibition of the flight controls during the initial part of the exercise

misrepresented the true airplane response to large rudder inputs and could have led pilots

to believe that large wheel and rudder pedal inputs would initially have little effect on the

airplane. This misrepresentation could have imparted inappropriate training to

overcontrol the airplane during a wake encounter and could contribute to surprise and

confusion if large wheel and rudder pedal inputs were attempted in an actual wake

turbulence encounter.

Given his prior experiences with this simulator exercise,199 it is possible that, as the

second wake hit flight 587, the first officer may have been concerned that the airplane was

about to enter a hazardous bank angle upset and, therefore, responded with both the

control wheel and rudder pedal as he had been encouraged to do in the simulator.

However, the airplane’s response to the control wheel and rudder pedal was not what the

first officer would have expected based on his simulator experience. In the simulator,

despite using full wheel and possibly pedal, the airplane would still roll to 90°. However,

during the accident sequence, the airplane responded to the first officer’s initial right

control wheel input with an immediate and large right rolling moment. In addition, the

airplane responded to the initial right rudder pedal input with a yawing moment to the

right, which resulted in a left sideslip and an associated additional rolling moment to the

right.200 Thus, the first officer was faced with an abrupt and aggravated rolling moment to

the right while the airplane was developing a substantial right yaw and an abrupt heading

change to the right.

198 For more information, see section 1.18.9.

199 The first officer received AAMP simulator training four times between November 1997 and

December 2000.

200 The resulting rolling moment from the rudder input was slightly delayed from the lateral

acceleration.
Analysis 149 Aircraft Accident Report

2.4.1.3 A300-600 Rudder Control System

It is not known whether the first officer intended to command a large or a partial

rudder deflection when he made his initial rudder pedal input. If his intention was to

command a partial deflection, characteristics of the A300-600 rudder control system

design might have contributed to the large magnitude of the deflection. As previously

discussed, on the basis of the AAMP excessive bank angle simulator exercise (which

depicted reduced control effectiveness) and the first officer’s apparent perception of the

wake turbulence as an upset event, it is possible that the first officer thought a full rudder

input would be an appropriate response. However, it is equally possible that the first

officer may have intended to react to the wake turbulence with only a partial rudder pedal

input and that the full rudder deflection that he achieved may have been the result of his

lack of knowledge concerning the pedal restrictions or the sensitivity of the rudder control

system. In either case, because of his lack of understanding of the rudder control system

and the airplane’s response to rudder inputs at high airspeeds, the first officer was likely

surprised and confused at the airplane’s response to his control inputs.

2.4.2 Subsequent Rudder Pedal Inputs

The initial control wheel and rudder pedal inputs were not sufficient to develop the

aerodynamic loads that ultimately caused the vertical stabilizer to separate from the

airplane. The effects of four additional full rudder deflections (left-right-left-right)

allowed the buildup of enough sideslip angle to achieve those loads. 

After the first officer made his initial rudder pedal input, he made a series of

alternating full rudder inputs. The Safety Board’s airplane performance study revealed

that the resulting motion of the airplane, including the hazardous buildup in sideslip angle

that eventually led to the high loads that resulted in separation of the vertical stabilizer,

was solely the result of these rudder pedal inputs and was not associated with the effects of

wake turbulence. In fact, if the first officer had stopped making these inputs at any time

before the vertical stabilizer separation, the natural stability of the airplane would have

returned the sideslip angle to near 0o, and the accident would have been avoided.

Therefore, it is crucial to analyze the factors that contributed to the sustained nature of the

rudder pedal inputs made by the first officer: the role of training, the airplane’s response to

the initial rudder pedal input as a potential triggering event for an adverse aircraft-pilot

coupling (APC) event, and the characteristics of the A300-600 rudder control system

design that may facilitate sustained, alternating rudder inputs. 

2.4.2.1 Role of Training 

The Safety Board considered the role of training in the first officer’s inaccurate

assessment of the airplane’s response to his initial rudder input. As already discussed,

because most pilots are not trained in, and have no experience with, the effects of large or

rapid rudder inputs at high airspeeds, it is likely that the large right yaw and subsequent

rolling moment resulting from the first officer’s initial rudder pedal input were surprising

and confusing to him. The first officer may have failed to perceive that his control wheel
Analysis 150 Aircraft Accident Report

and rudder pedal inputs were the cause of the airplane motion in part because that motion

may have appeared out of proportion to his pedal inputs. At 240 knots, the pedal would

reach its stop with only about 30 percent of the pedal movement required during the

rudder control check on the ground. In the absence of any specific training to the contrary,

the first officer may have perceived that he was only using about 30 percent of the rudder

authority (as opposed to all of it), making it harder for him to associate the airplane motion

with his pedal inputs.

This misperception of the cause of the airplane motion may also have been

reinforced by the AAMP excessive bank angle exercise, during which the application of

full rudder would have initially had no effect in recovering the airplane. Further, if the

first officer was expecting the wake turbulence to have a large effect on the airplane, he

may have found it very easy to ascribe the undesired motion to the wake rather than to his

own control inputs.

In addition, because the first officer’s initial control wheel and rudder pedal inputs

to the right were apparently applied in response to the wake-induced roll to the left, the

sudden acceleration of the airplane to the right (in response to his control inputs) could

have been surprising. If the first officer believed that the airplane motion was a result of

the wake, the sudden acceleration to the right may have led him to believe that the wake

was acting to roll the airplane to the right. This belief, in turn, may have prompted a full

and immediate application of control wheel and rudder pedal to the left. (This sequence of

events would also be consistent with the AAMP excessive bank angle simulator exercise,

which depicted a 10° roll in one direction followed by a 90° roll in the opposite direction

after taking off behind a heavy airplane.)

In summary, the first officer’s lack of training in the airplane’s actual response to

rudder pedal inputs at high airspeeds and the negative training he received from the

AAMP excessive bank angle simulator exercise may have contributed to his incorrect

assessment of his interaction with the airplane during the accident sequence. In other

words, because of these factors, the first officer likely did not recognize that the airplane’s

motion was being caused by his control inputs rather than the wake turbulence.

2.4.2.2 Airplane Response to Initial Input as Triggering Event for an Adverse 

Aircraft-Pilot Coupling 

A 1997 National Research Council (NRC) report provides a broad definition of

aircraft-pilot coupling (APC) events. According to the report, unfavorable or adverse

aircraft-pilot coupling APC events are “rare, unexpected, and unintended excursions in

aircraft attitude and flight path caused by anomalous interactions between the aircraft and

the pilot.” APC excursions can be oscillatory or divergent (non-oscillatory) and can be

catastrophic. They occur when the dynamics of the airplane and the dynamics of the pilot

combine to produce an unstable system.201

201 For more information, see section 1.18.8.
Analysis 151 Aircraft Accident Report

APC events do not typically occur unless a triggering event is present. The trigger

is critical because it causes a pilot to alter his or her control strategy. After a trigger, a

pilot switches from a low-gain control behavior or piloting technique to a high-gain

behavior or technique, that is, one that uses large corrective inputs even for small errors.202

A trigger can be caused by a pilot who overcontrols an aircraft or responds in an

inappropriate manner to a flight condition. According to the NRC report, either an

environmental trigger203 or a vehicle trigger204 often precedes such a pilot trigger.

The first officer’s initial overcontrol (wheel and pedal inputs to the right) was in

response to an environmental trigger—the second wake encounter. His initial overcontrol

and lack of an appropriate understanding regarding the airplane’s response to rudder pedal

inputs at a higher airspeed (240 knots) may have combined to serve as a pilot trigger for an

APC event. Consistent with the APC scenarios described in the NRC report, the

environmental and pilot triggers increased the first officer’s gain, resulting in large

corrective inputs that hindered a return to normal flight.

The flight 587 accident was a more complex event than those events discussed in

the NRC report because all three axes (pitch, roll, and yaw) were involved at the same

time and the rudder was used to control roll, resulting in a phase lag. Nevertheless, the

NRC report provides a valid framework and starting point for industry to use in fully

developing the issues associated with the flight 587 accident and those events that involve

the coupling of flight control inputs and catastrophic flightpath excursions. 

2.4.2.3 Characteristics of the A300-600 Rudder Control System Design That 

May Be Conducive to Sustained Alternating Inputs

The coupling of motion in the roll and yaw axes and the associated phase lag

between pedal inputs and roll response in transport-category airplanes are phenomena that

are not present in the pitch and roll axes and are likely unfamiliar to pilots. Because of

these phenomena, an attempt to control roll with the rudder pedals could lead to

confusion; increased pilot gain; and sustained, detrimental inputs on the controls. Certain

rudder control system design characteristics may exacerbate these effects. Specifically,

light rudder pedal forces and small displacements at high airspeeds, which are A300-600

design characteristics, have been identified as factors in some APC events. 

The FAA’s Advisory Circular (AC) 25-7A, “Flight Test Guide for Certification of

Transport Category Airplanes,” addresses APC susceptibility and cautions against flight

controls with small displacements and light force gradients—features that are both present

202 According to the NRC report, pilot gain is the sensitivity with which the pilot reacts to a given

situation. If the situation is urgent, and the pilot reacts with large corrective inputs, even for small system

errors, the pilot is said to be exhibiting high gain. More relaxed responses imply a lower pilot gain. 

203 An environmental trigger typically involves an environmental circumstance that results in

destabilizing control inputs. Atmospheric turbulence has been cited as an example of an environmental

trigger. In addition, an environmental trigger may increase the pilot’s stress level, resulting in an increase in

pilot gain.

204 A vehicle trigger typically involves a change in the effective aircraft dynamics, resulting in

inconsistencies between the pilot’s input strategy and the aircraft dynamics.
Analysis 152 Aircraft Accident Report

on the A300-600 rudder system at higher airspeeds. The AC indicates that such features

can be associated with APC, which could help explain the first officer’s series of

alternating full rudder inputs.

Another design characteristic of the A300-600 rudder system that may increase its

susceptibility to an APC event is the changing performance as airspeed increases (a

characteristic of all variable stop rudder systems). For APC prevention, the NRC report

notes that a flight control system should be designed “to perform consistently throughout

as much of the flight envelope as possible.”205 Although the design characteristics of the

A300-600 provide a consistent ratio between the rudder pedal and rudder surface

deflection at all airspeeds, the response of the airplane to a given rudder pedal input

increases as airspeed increases, resulting in significantly different performance

characteristics at opposite ends of the design envelope.

In the flight 587 accident sequence, the small pedal displacements of the A300-600

rudder control system at 240 knots may have facilitated the first officer’s large, rapid

inputs to the rudder system. The first officer performed sustained full alternating rudder

pedal inputs that led to a hazardous buildup in sideslip angle in a short period of time. A

system with large pedal displacements would make achieving these inputs more

demanding physically, providing greater feedback regarding the magnitude of the pilot’s

efforts on the controls. Thus, the ability to achieve full rudder deflection with the small

pedal displacements on the A300-600 at 240 knots was a likely factor in sustaining the

flight 587 event. 

2.4.3 Summary

The first officer’s rudder pedal inputs, which created airloads that were sufficient

to cause the vertical stabilizer to separate from the airplane, resulted from the confluence

of several factors. First, the first officer had a predisposition to overreact to wake

turbulence encounters. Second, his concerns about the effect of wake turbulence were

likely exacerbated by the AAMP training provided by American Airlines, whose

excessive bank angle simulator exercise portrayed wake turbulence encounters as capable

of quickly upsetting an A300-600 to extreme bank angles and could have encouraged

pilots to make large magnitude flight control inputs, including rudder pedal inputs, to roll

the airplane out of such an upset. Third, as with most line pilots, the first officer likely did

not understand the airplane’s response to large rudder inputs at high airspeeds or the

mechanism by which the rudder rolls a transport-category airplane. Finally, light rudder

pedal forces and small pedal displacement contributed to the high sensitivity of the

A300-600 rudder pedal system at high airspeeds and increased the airplane’s susceptibility

to a rudder APC event.

205 The NRC report notes that the consistent performance of the system would minimize the chance that

the pilot would change a control strategy to compensate for the system response characteristics.
Analysis 153 Aircraft Accident Report

2.5 Prevention of High Loads Resulting From Pilot 

Rudder Pedal Inputs

2.5.1 Rudder Pedal Inputs at High Airspeeds

Rudder control systems with a variable ratio rudder travel limiter may provide

better protection against high loads from sustained rudder pedal inputs at high airspeeds

than systems with a variable stop rudder travel limiter because variable ratio rudder travel

limiter systems require more physical effort from a pilot (in terms of force and

displacement) to produce cyclic full rudder inputs. For airplanes with variable stop rudder

travel limiter systems, protection from dangerous structural loads resulting from sustained

alternating large rudder pedal inputs can be achieved by reducing the sensitivity of the

rudder control system (for example, by increasing the pedal forces), which would make it

harder for pilots to quickly perform alternating full rudder inputs.

As discussed previously, there is no certification standard regarding rudder pedal

sensitivity or any requirement for the sensitivity to remain constant at all airspeeds. The

Safety Board concludes that certification standards are needed to ensure that future

airplane designs minimize the potential for APC susceptibility and to better protect against

high loads in the event of large rudder inputs. Accordingly, the Safety Board believes that

the FAA should modify 14 CFR Part 25 to include a certification standard that will ensure

safe handling qualities in the yaw axis throughout the flight envelope, including limits for

rudder pedal sensitivity. The Safety Board further believes that, after the yaw axis

certification standard has been established, the FAA should review the designs of existing

airplanes to determine if they meet the standard. For existing airplane designs that do not

meet the standard, the FAA should determine if the airplanes would be adequately

protected from the adverse effects of a potential APC after rudder inputs at all airspeeds.

If adequate protection does not exist, the FAA should require modifications, as necessary,

to provide the airplanes with increased protection from the adverse effects of a potential

APC after rudder inputs at high airspeeds.

The Safety Board notes that some rudder control system designs incorporate

features (such as hinge moment capacity limits or yaw damper characteristics) that can

help attenuate the hazardous buildup of sideslip and/or vertical stabilizer loads resulting

from alternating rudder pedal inputs at high airspeed, even though these features may not

have been designed for this purpose. However, because alternating pedal inputs are not

considered in the airplane certification standards, the absence of rudder system features

that, in addition to their primary function, mitigate the hazards posed by such inputs does

not necessarily constitute a design deficiency.

Some airplanes have hinge moment restrictions to limit the hydraulic force that the

rudder actuator can apply.206 With this design feature (also called a blowdown limit), the

hydraulic power available to move the rudder is limited and cannot overcome high vertical

206 The A300-600 does not have this design feature.
Analysis 154 Aircraft Accident Report

stabilizer aerodynamic loads regardless of the pilot’s commands. This feature adds an

extra level of safety to prevent high vertical stabilizer aerodynamic loads.

In addition, the yaw damper can provide an additional level of protection against

inappropriate alternating full rudder inputs commanded by the pilot. Most

transport-category airplanes have yaw damper systems that automatically input a small

amount of rudder deflection to dampen lateral-directional oscillations. These yaw damper

systems, including the one on the A300-600, typically act independently of pedal

commands, so the yaw damper may add to or subtract from the rudder commanded by the

pilot.

The yaw damper is not intended to correct for or contain inappropriate oscillatory

rudder pedal inputs commanded by the pilot. However, because the yaw damper can

suppress all lateral-directional oscillations, it will tend to have such an effect and will

consequently delay the buildup of the sideslip angle that can result from such pedal

commands. 

The Safety Board notes that the A300-600 yaw damper system allows a pilot input

to override a yaw damper command when the rudder is at the full deflection limit

permitted by the rudder travel limiter system for a particular airspeed. Under these

conditions, a pilot input can override a yaw damper command in the opposite direction

and keep the rudder at the full deflection limit by providing increasing pressure on the

rudder pedals. Simulation and FDR data indicated that the first officer’s rudder pedal

inputs during the flight 587 accident sequence were consistent with a suppression of yaw

damper inputs at the rudder deflection limits. The simulations indicated that, if the yaw

damper inputs had not been suppressed, the yaw damper would have moved the rudder

partially back toward neutral, thereby lessening (but not preventing) the buildup of the

sideslip angle and aerodynamic loads on the vertical stabilizer. Such a delay could have

provided an additional level of safety because the initial response of the airplane to a

sustained rudder pedal input would not have been as severe and could have reduced the

chance of pilot surprise or confusion.

The Safety Board concludes that, because of its high sensitivity (that is, light pedal

forces and small pedal displacements), the Airbus A300-600 rudder control system is

susceptible to potentially hazardous rudder pedal inputs at higher airspeeds. Therefore,

the Safety Board believes that the FAA and the Direction Général de l’Aviation Civile

should review the options for modifying the Airbus A300-600 and the Airbus A310 to

provide increased protection from potentially hazardous rudder pedal inputs at high

airspeeds and, on the basis of this review, require modifications to the A300-600 and

A310 to provide increased protection from potentially hazardous rudder pedal inputs at

high airspeeds.

2.5.2 Alternating Full Control Inputs

Alternating full inputs on the control wheel and rudder pedals, such as those made

by the first officer, should not be necessary to control a transport-category airplane under
Analysis 155 Aircraft Accident Report

any circumstance.207 Industry literature (that is, the NRC report and AC 25-7A) indicates

that an effective way to stop an APC event is to cease the inputs.208 Recognition of an

APC event by either the pilot making the inputs or the nonflying pilot before structural

damage is crucial. However, according to the NRC report, pilots are not trained to

recognize the initial indications or to understand that APC does not necessarily imply poor

airmanship.

The Safety Board concludes that, to minimize the potential for APC events,

transport-category pilots would benefit from training about the role that alternating full

control inputs can play in such events and training that emphasizes that alternating full

rudder inputs are not necessary to control a transport-category airplane. Therefore, the

Safety Board believes that the FAA should develop and disseminate guidance to

transport-category pilots that emphasizes that multiple full deflection, alternating flight

control inputs should not be necessary to control a transport-category airplane and that

such inputs might be indicative of an adverse APC event and thus should be avoided. 

2.5.3 Pilot Guidance on Design Maneuvering Speed

During this accident investigation, the Safety Board learned that many pilots might

have an incorrect understanding of the meaning of the design maneuvering speed (VA) and

the extent of structural protection that exists when the airplane is operated below this

speed.

From an engineering and design perspective, maneuvering speed is the maximum

speed at which, from an initial 1 G flight condition, the airplane will be capable of

sustaining an abrupt, full control input limited only by the stops or by maximum pilot

effort. In designing airplanes to withstand these flight conditions, engineers consider each

axis (pitch, roll, and yaw) individually and assume that, after a single full control input is

made, the airplane is returned to stabilized flight conditions. Full inputs in more than one

axis at the same time and multiple inputs in one axis are not considered in designing for

these flight conditions.

The American Airlines managing director of flight operations technical told the

Safety Board, during a postaccident interview, that most American Airlines pilots believed

that the airplane would be protected from structural damage if alternating full rudder pedal

inputs were made at an airspeed below maneuvering speed. The American Airlines A300

fleet standards manager confirmed this belief during testimony at the Board’s public

hearing for this accident. The Board notes that the American Airlines A300 Operating

Manual contained only one reference to design maneuvering speed, which indicated that it

was the turbulence penetration speed (270 knots). However, as evidenced by flight 587,

207 As a result of the flight 587 accident, the industry-developed Airplane Upset Recovery Training Aid

now states, “it is important to guard against control reversals. There is no situation that will require rapid

full-scale control deflections from one side to the other.”

208 Within the AC, see chapter 2, “Flight,” and section 3, “Controllability and Maneuverability.”
Analysis 156 Aircraft Accident Report

cyclic rudder pedal inputs, even when made at airspeeds below maneuvering speed, can

result in catastrophic structural damage.

Existing regulations and guidance pertaining to maneuvering speed may have

contributed to the misunderstanding regarding the degree of structural protection provided

by operating below maneuvering speed. Title 14 CFR 25.1583, “Operating Limitations,”

lists maneuvering speed among the airspeed limitations that must be furnished to the pilots

of transport-category airplanes and states that, along with maneuvering speed, pilots must

also be furnished “with a statement that full application of rudder and aileron controls, as

well as maneuvers that involve angles of attack near the stall, should be confined to speeds

below this value.” Although it is true that full control inputs should be confined to

airspeeds below maneuvering speed, the statement in Section 25.1583 could also be read

to incorrectly imply that an airplane could withstand any such inputs so long as they were

made below maneuvering speed. The explanation of design maneuvering speed in

AC 61-23C, “Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge,” may be even more

misleading, stating that, “any combination of flight control usage, including full deflection

of the controls, or gust loads created by turbulence should not create an excessive air load

if the airplane is operated below maneuvering speed.” This statement strongly—and

incorrectly—suggests that, if multiple control inputs were made below maneuvering

speed, the airplane would be protected against structural damage. 

The Safety Board has no reason to believe that the misunderstanding about

maneuvering speed is limited to A300-600 pilots. As a result, the Safety Board concludes

that there is a widespread misunderstanding among pilots about the degree of structural

protection that exists when full or abrupt flight control inputs are made at airspeeds below

the maneuvering speed. Therefore, the Safety Board believes that the FAA should amend

all relevant regulatory and advisory materials to clarify that operating at or below

maneuvering speed does not provide structural protection against multiple full control

inputs in one axis or full control inputs in more than one axis at the same time.

2.6 Upset Recovery Training

In October 1996, the Safety Board issued Safety Recommendation A-96-120,

which recommended that the FAA “require 14 CFR Part 121 and 135 operators to provide

training to flight crews in the recognition of and recovery from unusual attitudes and upset

maneuvers, including upsets that occur while the aircraft is being controlled by automatic

flight control systems, and unusual attitudes that result from flight control malfunctions

and uncommanded flight control surface movements.”209

More than 8 years have passed since the issuance of Safety

Recommendation A-96-120. Although the FAA has expressed agreement with the intent

of the recommendation, it has not yet taken the necessary regulatory action to require

unusual attitude training for air carrier pilots. In contrast, the air carrier industry has

209 This recommendation was classified “Open—Acceptable Response” on December 20, 1999. For

more information, see section 1.18.6.1.
Analysis 157 Aircraft Accident Report

recognized the need for such training by voluntarily developing programs, such as the

American Airlines AAMP, and issuing the Airplane Upset Recovery Training Aid. There

is widespread agreement among operations and training managers that unusual attitude

training helps prepare flight crews for such unusual situations. However, without a

regulatory requirement and published guidance from the FAA, the design and adoption of

such programs has been voluntary, and approval of the POI assigned to the individual

operators has been without the benefit of broader guidance from training experts within

the FAA.

As discussed in section 2.3.2.2, the Safety Board’s investigation found deficiencies

in the American Airlines AAMP, including the following:

• ground school training that encouraged the use of rudder for roll control;

• a simulator exercise in which pilots were encouraged to employ large rudder

inputs without being fully trained in the operating properties of the specific

rudder control system or fully understanding the structural loads that might be

imposed on the airframe by certain inputs;

• a simulator exercise that provided unrealistic portrayals of an airplane response

to wake turbulence and significantly suppressed control input effectiveness to

induce a large rolling potential that was unlikely to occur with an airplane as

large as an A300-600; and 

• a simulator exercise that encouraged the use of rudder in a highly dynamic

situation without portraying the large buildup in sideslip angle and sideload

that would accompany such rudder inputs in an actual airplane.

The Safety Board’s review of other carriers’ upset recovery programs indicated

that the shortcomings in the AAMP are not unique and that inconsistencies exist among

programs, especially regarding simulator use. The Safety Board concludes that FAA

standards for unusual attitude training programs that take into account industry best

practices and are designed to avoid inaccurate or negative training would lead to

improvement and standardization of industry training programs. Accordingly, the Safety

Board urges the FAA to take expeditious action to require such unusual attitude training,

as recommended in Safety Recommendation A-96-120.

Pending the completion of such regulatory action by the FAA, the Safety Board

reclassifies Safety Recommendation A-96-120 “Open—Unacceptable Response.”

Further, the Safety Board believes that the FAA should adopt and disseminate written

guidance for use in developing and accepting upset recovery programs; such guidance

could take the form of an AC and should reflect the industry’s best practices and be

designed to avoid inaccurate or negative training.

Regarding simulator training, the Safety Board recognizes that some members of

the training community advocate the introduction of upset situations in simulators by

having pilots close their eyes or look away as the upset is established, rather than by

attempting a simulated context for the onset. The Board also recognizes that some
Analysis 158 Aircraft Accident Report

members of the training community believe that advanced simulators should not be used

in upset training because the range of simulator fidelity is relatively narrow and the

portrayal of accelerations is not comparable with what could occur during an aggressive

upset.210 Therefore, the Safety Board concludes that the use of lower levels of automation,

such as simulators without motion or simple computer screen displays, may be more

appropriate to provide the necessary awareness training with less danger of introducing

incorrect information. Accordingly, the Safety Board believes that, along with developing

upset recovery program guidance, the FAA should evaluate issues concerning the level of

automation appropriate to teaching upset training and develop and disseminate guidance

that will promote standardization and minimize the danger of inappropriate simulator

training.

210 For example, see the testimony of the vice president of training for Airbus North America customer

services at the Safety Board’s public hearing (p. 232 of the public hearing transcript).
159 Aircraft Accident Report

3. Conclusions

3.1 Findings 

1. The captain and the first officer (the flying pilot) were properly certificated and

qualified under Federal regulations. No evidence indicates any preexisting medical

conditions that may have adversely affected the flight crew’s performance during the

flight. Flight crew fatigue was not a factor in this accident.

2. The accident airplane was properly maintained and dispatched in accordance with

Federal regulations. 

3. The air traffic controllers who handled American Airlines flight 587 were properly

trained and qualified. The local controller complied with Federal Aviation

Administration wake turbulence spacing requirements when handling flight 587 and

Japan Air Lines flight 47, which departed immediately before flight 587. 

4. The witnesses who reported observing the airplane on fire were most likely observing

a fire from the initial release of fuel or the effects of engine compressor surges. 

5. Flight 587’s cyclic rudder motions after the second wake turbulence encounter were

the result of the first officer’s rudder pedal inputs.

6. Flight 587’s vertical stabilizer performed in a manner that was consistent with its

design and certification. The vertical stabilizer fractured from the fuselage in

overstress, starting with the right rear lug while the vertical stabilizer was exposed to

aerodynamic loads that were about twice the certified limit load design envelope and

were more than the certified ultimate load design envelope. 

7. The first officer had a tendency to overreact to wake turbulence by taking

unnecessary actions, including making excessive control inputs. 

8. The American Airlines Advanced Aircraft Maneuvering Program ground school

training encouraged pilots to use rudder to assist with roll control during recovery

from upsets, including wake turbulence. 

9. The American Airlines Advanced Aircraft Maneuvering Program excessive bank

angle simulator exercise could have caused the first officer to have an unrealistic and

exaggerated view of the effects of wake turbulence; erroneously associate wake

turbulence encounters with the need for aggressive roll upset recovery techniques;

and develop control strategies that would produce a much different, and potentially

surprising and confusing, response if performed during flight. 

10. Before the flight 587 accident, pilots were not being adequately trained on what effect

rudder pedal inputs have on the Airbus A300-600 at high airspeeds and how the

airplane’s rudder travel limiter system operates. 
Conclusions 160 Aircraft Accident Report

11. The Airbus A300-600 rudder control system couples a rudder travel limiter system

that increases in sensitivity with airspeed, which is characteristic of variable stop

designs, with the lightest pedal forces of all the transport-category aircraft evaluated

by the National Transportation Safety Board during this investigation. 

12. The first officer’s initial control wheel input in response to the second wake

turbulence encounter was too aggressive, and his initial rudder pedal input response

was unnecessary to control the airplane.

13. Certification standards are needed to ensure that future airplane designs minimize the

potential for aircraft-pilot coupling susceptibility and to better protect against high

loads in the event of large rudder inputs.

14. Because of its high sensitivity (that is, light pedal forces and small pedal

displacements), the Airbus A300-600 rudder control system is susceptible to

potentially hazardous rudder pedal inputs at higher airspeeds.

15. To minimize the potential for aircraft-pilot coupling events, transport-category pilots

would benefit from training about the role that alternating full control inputs can play

in such events and training that emphasizes that alternating full rudder inputs are not

necessary to control a transport-category airplane. 

16. There is a widespread misunderstanding among pilots about the degree of structural

protection that exists when full or abrupt flight control inputs are made at airspeeds

below the maneuvering speed.

17. Federal Aviation Administration standards for unusual attitude training programs that

take into account industry best practices and are designed to avoid inaccurate or

negative training would lead to improvement and standardization of industry training

programs. 

18. The use of lower levels of automation, such as simulators without motion or simple

computer screen displays, may be more appropriate to provide the necessary

awareness training with less danger of introducing incorrect information.

3.2 Probable Cause

The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of

this accident was the in-flight separation of the vertical stabilizer as a result of the loads

beyond ultimate design that were created by the first officer’s unnecessary and excessive

rudder pedal inputs. Contributing to these rudder pedal inputs were characteristics of the

Airbus A300-600 rudder system design and elements of the American Airlines Advanced

Aircraft Maneuvering Program.211

211 Members Carmody and Healing voted against the Vice Chairman’s revision, which reversed the

order of the two contributing factors shown in the staff draft report. For more information, see the Board

Member Statement that follows section 4, “Recommendations.”
161 Aircraft Accident Report

4. Recommendations

4.1 New Recommendations

As a result of the investigation of this accident, the National Transportation Safety

Board makes the following recommendations:

To the Federal Aviation Administration:

Modify 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 25 to include a certification

standard that will ensure safe handling qualities in the yaw axis throughout

the flight envelope, including limits for rudder pedal sensitivity. (A-04-56)

After the yaw axis certification standard recommended in Safety

Recommendation A-04-56 has been established, review the designs of

existing airplanes to determine if they meet the standard. For existing

airplanes designs that do not meet the standard, the FAA should determine

if the airplanes would be adequately protected from the adverse effects of a

potential aircraft-pilot coupling (APC) after rudder inputs at all airspeeds.

If adequate protection does not exist, the FAA should require

modifications, as necessary, to provide the airplanes with increased

protection from the adverse effects of a potential APC after rudder inputs at

high airspeeds. (A-04-57)

Review the options for modifying the Airbus A300-600 and the Airbus

A310 to provide increased protection from potentially hazardous rudder

pedal inputs at high airspeeds and, on the basis of this review, require

modifications to the A300-600 and A310 to provide increased protection

from potentially hazardous rudder pedal inputs at high airspeeds.

(A-04-58)

Develop and disseminate guidance to transport-category pilots that

emphasizes that multiple full deflection, alternating flight control inputs

should not be necessary to control a transport-category airplane and that

such inputs might be indicative of an adverse aircraft-pilot coupling event

and thus should be avoided. (A-04-59)

Amend all relevant regulatory and advisory materials to clarify that

operating at or below maneuvering speed does not provide structural

protection against multiple full control inputs in one axis or full control

inputs in more than one axis at the same time. (A-04-60)
Recommendations 162 Aircraft Accident Report

Adopt and disseminate written guidance for use in developing and

accepting upset recovery programs; such guidance could take the form of

an advisory circular and should reflect the industry’s best practices and be

designed to avoid inaccurate or negative training. (A-04-61)

Along with developing the guidance recommended in Safety

Recommendation A-04-61, evaluate issues concerning the level of

automation appropriate to teaching upset training, and develop and

disseminate guidance that will promote standardization and minimize the

danger of inappropriate simulator training. (A-04-62)

To the Direction Général de l’Aviation Civile:

Review the options for modifying the Airbus A300-600 and the Airbus

A310 to provide increased protection from potentially hazardous rudder

pedal inputs at high airspeeds and, on the basis of this review, require

modifications to the A300-600 and A310 to provide increased protection

from potentially hazardous rudder pedal inputs at high airspeeds.

(A-04-63)

4.2 Previously Issued Recommendations Resulting 

From This Accident Investigation

As a result of the investigation of this accident, the Safety Board issued the

following recommendations to the Federal Aviation Administration:

Require the manufacturers and operators of transport-category airplanes to

establish and implement pilot training programs that: (1) explain the

structural certification requirements for the rudder and vertical stabilizer on

transport-category airplanes; (2) explain that a full or nearly full rudder

deflection in one direction followed by a full or nearly full rudder

deflection in the opposite direction, or certain combinations of sideslip

angle and opposite rudder deflection can result in potentially dangerous

loads on the vertical stabilizer, even at speeds below the design

maneuvering speed; and (3) explain that, on some aircraft, as speed

increases, the maximum available rudder deflection can be obtained with

comparatively light pedal forces and small pedal deflections. The FAA

should also require revisions to airplane and pilot operating manuals that

reflect and reinforce this information. In addition, the FAA should ensure

that this training does not compromise the substance or effectiveness of

existing training regarding proper rudder use, such as during engine failure

shortly after takeoff or during strong or gusty crosswind takeoffs or

landings. (A-02-01)
Recommendations 163 Aircraft Accident Report

Carefully review all existing and proposed guidance and training provided

to pilots of transport-category airplanes concerning special maneuvers

intended to address unusual or emergency situations and, if necessary,

require modifications to ensure that flight crews are not trained to use the

rudder in a way that could result in dangerous combinations of sideslip

angle and rudder position or other flight parameters. (A-02-02)

Require all manufacturers of transport-category airplanes to review and, if

necessary, revise their maintenance manual inspection criteria for severe

turbulence and extreme in-flight maneuvers to ensure that loads resulting

from positive and negative vertical accelerations, as well as lateral

accelerations, are adequately addressed. (A-03-41)

Require all manufacturers of transport-category airplanes to establish and

validate maximum threshold values for positive and negative vertical and

lateral G accelerations beyond which direct manufacturer oversight and

intervention is required as a condition for returning the airplane to service.

(A-03-42)

Require all operators of airplanes that have experienced accelerations

exceeding the threshold values established as a result of Safety

Recommendation A-03-42 (or that the operator has reason to believe might

have exceeded those thresholds), as determined from FDR and other

available data, to notify the FAA immediately of such high loading events

and provide all related loads assessment and inspection results. (A-03-43)

Require manufacturers of transport-category airplanes to immediately

notify the appropriate certification authority of any event involving

accelerations exceeding the threshold values (or that the manufacturer has

reason to believe might have exceeded those thresholds) necessitating the

intervention of the manufacturer, and provide all related loads assessment

and inspection results. (A-03-44)

Require that within 2 years, all Airbus A300-600/A310 and

Boeing 747-400 airplanes and any other aircraft that may be identified as

recording filtered data be retrofitted with a flight data recorder system

capable of recording values that meet the accuracy requirements through

the full dynamic range of each parameter at a frequency sufficient to

determine a complete, accurate, and unambiguous time history of

parameter activity, with emphasis on capturing each parameter’s dynamic

motion at the maximum rate possible, including reversals of direction at the

maximum rate possible. (A-03-50) 

For additional information about Safety Recommendations A-02-01 and -02, see

section 1.18.4.1 of this report. For additional information about Safety Recommendations

A-03-41 through -44, see section 1.18.4.2 of this report. For additional information about

Safety Recommendation A-03-50, see section 1.18.7.3 of this report.
Recommendations 164 Aircraft Accident Report

4.3 Previously Issued Recommendations Classified in 

This Report

Safety Recommendation A-96-120 (previously classified “Open—Acceptable

Response”) is classified “Open—Unacceptable Response” in section 2.6 of this report.

For more information about this recommendation, see sections 1.18.6.1 and 2.6 of this

report. 

BY THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD

ELLEN ENGLEMAN CONNERS

Chairman

CAROL J. CARMODY

Member

MARK V. ROSENKER

Vice Chairman

RICHARD F. HEALING

Member

DEBORAH A. P. HERSMAN

Member

Adopted: October 26, 2004
165 Aircraft Accident Report

Board Member Statements

Member Carol J. Carmody’s Statement, in which Member Richard F. Healing joined

I support the probable cause language in the original staff draft, which listed

contributing factors as the American Airlines Advanced Aircraft Maneuvering Program

and characteristics of the A300-600 rudder system. I heard no reason either during the

staff presentations, or in the explanation provided by the Vice Chairman in submitting his

substitute, to reverse this order. To diminish the role of the AAMP in the accident is to

downplay the role it played in the pilot’s actions which caused the accident. One of the

undeniable facts of this accident is the pilot’s inappropriate use of rudder. Staff was

unable to find any example of unusual rudder use by the pilot before his AAMP training.

When questioned by a captain for using the rudder in an earlier incident, the first officer

“insisted that the AAMP directed him to use the rudder pedals in that manner.” To elevate

the characteristics of the A300-600 rudder system in the hierarchy of contributing factors

ignores the fact that this system had not been an issue in some 16 million hours of testing

and operator experience—until the AAMP trained pilot flew it. The justification for the

change was that the Board must address the future and, therefore, must give more

attention to the aircraft rudder characteristics. That is what our recommendations are

designed to do, and our recommendations do address the design issues. The probable

cause should reflect accurately what the investigation and the report demonstrate; the

substitute probable cause does not do that.

167 Aircraft Accident Report

5. Appendixes

Appendix A

Investigation and Public Hearing

Investigation

The National Transportation Safety Board was initially notified of this accident on

November 12, 2001, about 0930 eastern standard time. A full go-team was assembled and

departed from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C., for New

York shortly thereafter. The team arrived on scene later that day. Accompanying the team to

New York was former Chairman Marion Blakey and former Board Member George Black.

The following investigative teams were formed: Aircraft Operations, Human

Performance, Aircraft Structures, Aircraft Systems, Powerplants, Maintenance Records,

Air Traffic Control, Meteorology, Aircraft Performance, Witnesses, and Materials.

Specialists were also assigned to conduct the readout of the flight data recorder and

transcribe the cockpit voice recorder in the Safety Board’s laboratory in Washington, D.C.

In accordance with the provisions of Annex 13 to the Convention on International

Civil Aviation, the Safety Board’s counterpart agency in France, the Bureau d’Enquêtes et

d’Analyses pour la Sécurité de l’Aviation Civile (BEA) participated in the investigation as

the representative of the State of Design and Manufacture. Parties to the investigation

were the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), American Airlines, the Allied Pilots

Association, National Air Traffic Controllers Association, Association of Professional

Flight Attendants, General Electric Aircraft Engines, Honeywell Engines and Systems,

and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Airbus Industrie participated in the investigation

as a technical advisor to the BEA, as provided in Annex 13.

Public Hearing

The Safety Board held a public hearing on this accident from October 29 to

November 1, 2002, in Washington, D.C. Acting Chairman Carol Carmody presided over

the hearing; former Board Members John Hammerschmidt, John Goglia, and George

Black also participated in the hearing. The issues presented at the hearing were the design

and certification of the Airbus 300-600 vertical stabilizer; the design, certification, and

operation of the A300 rudder system; wake turbulence; and American Airlines’ operations

and training. 

The technical panel comprised investigators from the Safety Board and the BEA.

Parties to the public hearing were the FAA, American Airlines, Airbus, and the Allied

Pilots Association.
168 Aircraft Accident Report

Appendix B

Cockpit Voice Recorder Transcript

The following is the transcript of the Fairchild A-100A cockpit voice recorder,

serial number missing, installed on American Airlines flight 587, an Airbus A300-600,

N14053, which experienced an in-flight separation of the vertical stabilizer shortly after

takeoff from John F. Kennedy International Airport in Jamaica, New York, on

November 12, 2001. 

LEGEND

HOT Crewmember hot microphone voice or sound source

RDO Radio transmission from accident aircraft

CAM Cockpit area microphone voice or sound source

RMP Radio transmission from local ramp control

PA Voice transmitted over aircraft public address system

INT Voice transmitted over aircraft interphone system

GND Radio transmission from JFK ground control

TWR Radio transmission from JFK control tower

JAL47 Radio transmission from Japan Airlines flight 47

PD14 Radio transmission from police department flight 14

DEP Radio transmission from New York departure control

-1 Voice identified as Pilot-in-Command (PIC)

-2 Voice identified as Co-Pilot (SIC)

-3 Voice identified as pushback crewman

-? Voice unidentified

* Unintelligible word

@ Non-pertinent word

# Expletive

- - - Break in continuity

( ) Questionable insertion

[ ] Editorial insertion

... Pause

Note 1: Times are expressed in eastern standard time (EST).

Note 2: For ATC transmissions, generally, only radio transmissions to and from the accident aircraft were transcribed.
 INTRA-COCKPIT COMMUNICATION AIR-GROUND COMMUNICATION TIME & TIME & SOURCE CONTENT SOURCE CONTENT 0845:35 START of RECORDING START of TRANSCRIPT 0845:50 CAM [sound similar to paper rustling] 0846:04 CAM-1 [unintelligible comment] 0846:05 HOT-2 now what? 0846:08 HOT-2 it's part of the job. quick nap. [sound of yawn] 0846:44 CAM-1 ** seagulls getting in *. why are they flying around that con- struction site? 0846:50 CAM-1 oh, coffee truck. 0846:51 HOT-2 [sound of chuckle] flying around 'cause it looks like a dump. that's why. they don't know any better. 0847:02 HOT-2 good question. 0847:10 HOT-2 this thing's going triple the speed it was. 0847:18 HOT-2 did you see that thing the union passed just before they ap- proved the whole thing they changed some something with the list or something.
 INTRA-COCKPIT COMMUNICATION AIR-GROUND COMMUNICATION TIME & TIME & SOURCE CONTENT SOURCE CONTENT 0847:24 CAM-1 St. Louis thing. 0847:26 HOT-2 what did they do? 0847:28 CAM-1 aah, you know.... we were talking about this last time, I guess you know. @@ was (always saying) how I, I was getting the, the information, and um, I guess there were some uh, holes in the previous document, where the pilots of TWA guys in St. Louis given a certain scenario could cross through the fence and come out of the AA system as Captains. 0848:00 HOT-2 eeewh. 0848:03 CAM-1 beyond that I, I don't, I can't really explain it. * uh, but my un- derstanding is, they, they plugged those holes in the fence. 0848:13 HOT-2 'kay. 0848:20 CAM-1 sit there and read this, this the legalese stuff * . I mean you really have to sit down and study this to get it. 0848:25 HOT-2 really hard. oh yeah. 0848:32 HOT-2 and it's also a "mute" point seeing how it's passed now. 0848:35 CAM-1 yeah.
 INTRA-COCKPIT COMMUNICATION AIR-GROUND COMMUNICATION TIME & TIME & SOURCE CONTENT SOURCE CONTENT 0848:39 HOT-2 which is good which means @@ was causing trouble and he.... plugged the hole. 0848:44 CAM-1 you know he's a force now. he outta run for aaaah, union job. 0848:58 CAM-1 boy, he's a New Yorker with an attitude. 0849:02 HOT-2 we need a new @. 0849:04 CAM-1 yeah. 0849:06 CAM-1 well, @. irreplaceable. what was he saying to you this morn- ing, anything? 0849:11 HOT-2 nothing. 0849:12 CAM-1 'cause he's still on the inside, isn't he? 0849:14 HOT-2 oh yeah. 0849:15 CAM-1 huh?
 INTRA-COCKPIT COMMUNICATION AIR-GROUND COMMUNICATION TIME & TIME & SOURCE CONTENT SOURCE CONTENT 0849:16 HOT-2 he's a @.... he's on the inside, very much so.... he still goes down, you know, DDR, doing you know.... whatever.... he's very much on the inside. trust me, when friggin has a problem he goes.... this guy did this or whatever. call @ man. @ got a friggin wealth of knowledge sitting there. it's like @.... except that there's a wealth of knowledge on how to give things back which we shouldn't have been tapping. 0849:54 CAM-1 what? 0849:57 HOT-2 @ was calling up @. you know we were paying @? this # un- ion didn't even tell us way back then. 0850:02 CAM-1 is that right? 0850:03 HOT-2 oh yeah. @ was hired as a consultant. and taken off flight.... no one told us about that. 0850:15 CAM-1 I didn't know that. 0850:16 HOT-2 yeah. 0850:17 CAM-1 so they, they really didn't tell us. 0850:18 HOT-2 oh no. 0850:19 CAM-1 they still haven't told us. we just found out.
 INTRA-COCKPIT COMMUNICATION AIR-GROUND COMMUNICATION TIME & TIME & SOURCE CONTENT SOURCE CONTENT 0850:21 HOT-2 [sound of hiccup and cough] excuse me, I was just reading uh, aaaah I think I found it out in the accounting thing. I was scouring through um, APA's accounting. all the people that got flight time pay and how much it was. you know and that's where I found it, that @ got removed from, trip pay. paid by APA, which could only be one, I mean, what else is he doing? 0850:50 CAM-1 yeah. 0851:03 HOT-2 [sound similar to yawn] 0851:11 HOT-2 [sound of singing] 0851:24 HOT-2 I think across from it, it said consulting. [sound of chuckle] 0851:27 CAM-1 said what? 0851:28 HOT-2 said removed from trip. it said like reason or whatever. it said consulting or something. 0851:32 CAM-1 *. 0851:33 HOT-2 consultant, yeah. 0851:56 HOT-2 well we're getting paid, that's nice. thank you very much. can't beat that. 0852:17 CAM-1 ***.
 INTRA-COCKPIT COMMUNICATION AIR-GROUND COMMUNICATION TIME & TIME & SOURCE CONTENT SOURCE CONTENT 0852:18 CAM [sound of clunk] 0852:44 HOT-1 the door is closed. 0852:46 HOT-2 *. 0852:50 HOT-? before *. 0852:52 HOT-2 *. 0852:53 INT-3 ground to cockpit? 0852:54 INT-1 hello. 0852:55 INT-3 hello cockpit. we just locked up and we're all secure b

standing by. 0852:58 RDO-2 American five eighty eight, ready to do push-back. 0853:01 INT-1 okay, brakes released. standby for the clearance. 0853:03 RMP five eighty seven, stand by. you're gonna be number push. I'll give you a call. 0853:06 RDO-2 stand by, American five eighty seven.
 INTRA-COCKPIT COMMUNICATION AIR-GROUND COMMUNICATION TIME & TIME & SOURCE CONTENT SOURCE CONTENT 0853:08 HOT-2 uuuuh, probe heat. 0853:11 HOT-1 on. 0853:11 HOT-2 ECAM doors display, slides? 0853:12 HOT-1 green and armed. 0853:13 HOT-2 beacon, nav lights? 0853:14 HOT-1 on, on. 0853:15 HOT-2 cabin ready? 0853:15 HOT-1 received. 0853:18 HOT-2 checklist is done. we're not cleared. 0853:21 HOT-1 okay. 0853:24 HOT-2 number two. 0853:26 HOT-1 three four and all right five thousand pounds heavy? 0853:47 HOT-1 hmmmm.
 INTRA-COCKPIT COMMUNICATION AIR-GROUND COMMUNICATION TIME & TIME & SOURCE CONTENT SOURCE CONTENT 0853:55 INT-1 I guess there's traffic out there somewhere. 0853:58 HOT-1 where's the TPS? 0854:05 INT-3 oh yeah, it's just pulling up now. 0854:18 HOT-1 two.... three.... oh, two three nine, okay. 0855:23 HOT-2 [sound of humming] 0855:27 HOT-1 what's the temperature? 0855:57 PA-1 well ladies and gentlemen, Captain States again. we're all but- toned up ready to go. we're just waiting for an airplane behind us uuuh, to move on out of our way, and then we will be pushing back. 0856:07 CAM [sound of hi-lo chime] 0856:08 PA-4 [sound of male flight attendant beginning passenger an- nouncement in Spanish] 0856:08 RMP American five eighty seven.... 0856:09 RDO-2 yes.
 INTRA-COCKPIT COMMUNICATION AIR-GROUND COMMUNICATION TIME & TIME & SOURCE CONTENT SOURCE CONTENT 0856:11 RMP five eight seven, do you still have a ground crew there

0856:12 RDO-2 I believe we have ground crew. 0856:14 HOT-2 yes, we have ground crews still? 0856:15 RMP American five eighty seven, (have your ground crew t

ence the company seven thirty seven departing the ayou're cleared to push. 0856:16 HOT-1 huh? what? 0856:20 RDO-2 reference the seven three, we're cleared to push, Amfive eighty seven heavy. 0856:30 INT-1 evidently there's a seven thirty seven back there uh, see him, we're cleared to push. 0856:31 INT-3 okay cockpit um, they just disconnected and, should other couple of minutes. 0856:37 INT-1 okay, whatever you like. 0856:49 HOT-2 I can't believe how much money GE makes just renting little shacks to construction people. you know if GE's in uh, it's huge money. I mean they don't, they don't....
 INTRA-COCKPIT COMMUNICATION AIR-GROUND COMMUNICATION TIME & TIME & SOURCE CONTENT SOURCE CONTENT 0856:56 HOT-1 they're, they're, you know if you looked into it, you could probably find GE in virtually, everything. 0857:02 HOT-2 GE is actually like one of the largest banks in the world. it's like the largest bank in the world. 0857:05 HOT-1 yeah. 0857:07 HOT-2 they have more flexibility because they don't have the restric- tions of a bank. banks have certain restrictions as to what they can and can't do as far as, their hands tied. ah,ah, it's unbe- lievable. 0857:22 HOT-2 they, they own more aircraft than American Airlines. 0857:25 HOT-1 GE does? 0857:32 HOT-2 I'm not gonna say size wise but a lot of those corporate jets and all that other stuff.... 0857:35 HOT-1 yeah. 0857:36 HOT-2 ...more aircraft. 0857:37 HOT-1 just numbers, yeah. 0858:00 INT-3 hey cockpit, that aircraft is clear, we'll start our pushba
 INTRA-COCKPIT COMMUNICATION AIR-GROUND COMMUNICATION TIME & TIME & SOURCE CONTENT SOURCE CONTENT 0858:04 INT-1 brakes released, cleared to push. 0858:10 HOT-1 three sixty nine, what were we threeeee.... forty nine. 0858:17 HOT-2 what do you need? 0858:32 HOT-1 fifty one, fifty one, one fifty six, twenty one one. * change, forty two C. 0859:27 INT-3 ground to cockpit, you're cleared to start. 0859:29 INT-1 cleared to start. 0859:34 HOT-1 starting two. 0859:37 HOT-1 valves open. 0859:37 CAM [sound similar to ECAM chime] 0859:53 INT-3 parking brakes park. 0859:55 INT-1 brakes are parked, cleared to disconnect, see you ou

0859:58 INT-3 ground to cockpit, disconnecting, see ya out front.
 INTRA-COCKPIT COMMUNICATION AIR-GROUND COMMUNICATION TIME & TIME & SOURCE CONTENT SOURCE CONTENT 0900:00 INT-1 so long. 0900:02 INT-3 so long. 0900:15 HOT-2 forty five N two. 0900:17 HOT-1 the valve is closed. 0900:21 HOT-1 starting one. 0900:25 HOT-1 valve's open. 0900:47 HOT-1 see ya salute, four guys going away. 0901:03 HOT-2 forty five N two. 0901:05 CAM [sound similar to Selcal buzzer] 0901:07 HOT-2 APU? 0901:07 HOT-1 valves closed, done. 0901:13 HOT-2 you got your four guys, all set? 0901:13 HOT-1 yep, dos, tres.
 INTRA-COCKPIT COMMUNICATION AIR-GROUND COMMUNICATION TIME & TIME & SOURCE CONTENT SOURCE CONTENT 0901:14 RDO-2 American five eighty seven, we’re gonna be going ov

ground. we’ll talk to you later. 0901:15 RMP five eighty seven, cleared to contact ground, have a gflight. 0901:20 RDO-2 good day. 0901:24 RDO-2 morning ground, it's American five eighty seven heavthe information Delta coming out of uh, Tango Alpha. 0901:30 HOT-2 clear right. 0901:31 HOT-1 clear left. fifteen when you're ready. 0901:32 CAM [sound of several clicks] 0901:33 GND American five eighty seven heavy Kennedy ground, rthree one left for departure. taxi left on Bravo. hold sJuliet. 0901:39 RDO-2 left Bravo, short of Juliet, American five eighty seven 

0901:55 HOT-2 come back. 0902:05 HOT-1 your leg, you check the rudders.
 INTRA-COCKPIT COMMUNICATION AIR-GROUND COMMUNICATION TIME & TIME & SOURCE CONTENT SOURCE CONTENT 0902:23 HOT-2 rudders check. 0902:26 HOT-1 okay. 0902:40 HOT-2 taxi checklist is complete. 0902:59 HOT-2 takeoff checklist, anti-ice? 0903:01 HOT-1 off. 0903:02 HOT-2 auto-brakes. 0903:03 HOT-1 max. 0903:38 HOT-2 okay, the box is updated. we have, stand alone sheet, for.... runway thirty one left. flaps fifteen, bleeds on. assumed tem- perature is supposed to be forty two. we have forty two set. weight was three forty nine point three. and your stand alone sheet's for three forty nine three. weights check, temperature check. and I'm gonna double check the winds here. forty two degrees is supposed to give us one oh one point one. we got one oh one point one. numbers are one fifty, fifty four and fifty six.... three thirty at eleven. winds checked. takeoff data and TRP for thirty one left. 0904:28 HOT-1 two hundred forty six people, crew of nine, two hundred fifty five SOBs. takeoff data, set and cross-checked, flex power. three one left, Kennedy.
 INTRA-COCKPIT COMMUNICATION AIR-GROUND COMMUNICATION TIME & TIME & SOURCE CONTENT SOURCE CONTENT 0904:36 HOT-2 set and cross-checked. takeoff data and TRP. 0904:39 HOT-2 AFS panel and radios? 0904:41 HOT-1 aah, fifty six is preset, two forty two, everything else remains the same, set checked. 0904:45 HOT-2 gotcha. 0904:47 HOT-2 flaps fifteen, stab trim is nose up point seven.... stab trim? 0904:53 HOT-1 uuuuh, point seven nose up set. 0904:56 HOT-2 slats and flaps? 0904:57 HOT-1 calls for fifteen, fifteen, set at fifteen, fifteen, fifteen. fifteen, uploaded. 0905:01 HOT-2 verified fifteen, fifteen. 0905:05 HOT-2 ECAM? 0905:06 HOT-1 checked. 0905:08 HOT-2 takeoff config?
 INTRA-COCKPIT COMMUNICATION AIR-GROUND COMMUNICATION TIME & TIME & SOURCE CONTENT SOURCE CONTENT 0905:09 HOT-1 norm f' takeoff. 0905:11 HOT-2 takeoff briefing? 0905:12 HOT-1 all right, you start out. if something happens prior to V one, call what you see, I'll decide whether or not to abort. uuh, unless it an engine failure or an inability to fly, we'll plan on continuing the takeoff. uh, it's a hundred feet and then uh, a left turn to what? 0905:40 HOT-1 uh, runway heading to three hundred feet, that's a heading to two one zero to a thousand feet and then it's the uh, engine uh, clean-up or the airplane clean-up stuff.... after the immedi- ate action items you have the airplane, the radio we'll plan on left hand traffic to come back to uh, either one of the three ones.... highest min safe altitude on runway heading is twenty eight hundred foot, and once you make a left turn over water it's eighteen hundred feet. the terrain is flat with towers. oth- erwise you plan on about a heading two two zero, five thou- sand feet. questions? 0906:15 HOT-2 no. 0906:16 HOT-1 briefing complete.... the Concorde returns. 0906:53 GND Japan Air forty seven, continue via Bravo, turn right at 

cross runway four left. 0907:00 JAL47 Japan Air forty seven, on Bravo, Juliet cross runway twuh, four left.
 INTRA-COCKPIT COMMUNICATION AIR-GROUND COMMUNICATION TIME & TIME & SOURCE CONTENT SOURCE CONTENT 0907:07 GND Japan Air four seven, that's correct, thanks. 0907:55 HOT-2 I was flying in here about three nights ago, comin' innnn, 'bout ten o'clock, doing that twelve, twelve, thirty departure turn, Dingo turn. so I don't know comin' in here, not ten o'clock somewhere there, nine o'clock, somewhere, and uh.... 0908:01 GND Japan Air forty seven heavy, monitor the tower one o

point one. so long. 0908:05 JAL47 one one nine one, Japan Air forty seven, so long. 0908:12 HOT-2 Egypt Air, was told to do. they were rocketing off towards the city and they were told to.... 0908:17 HOT-1 Egypt Air was told to do what? 0908:19 HOT-2 turn thirty degrees, somewhere you know, like, you know, it was thirty degrees off their course. they were turn told to pick up a heading, and he said "roger" and he didn't turn. and the controller said, "pick up this heading." and he didn't turn. he says, "you need to turn immediately now Egypt Air, and I wanna know why you're not turning." finally he turned he says, "Egypt Air, we need to discuss on the ground why it took you fifteen miles to make a heading change when I asked you and you responded." they were really.... 0908:47 HOT-1 pissed.
 INTRA-COCKPIT COMMUNICATION AIR-GROUND COMMUNICATION TIME & TIME & SOURCE CONTENT SOURCE CONTENT 0908:48 HOT-2 ...pissed, and uh I think they were like ready to.... 0908:51 HOT-1 launch the fleet. 0908:52 HOT-2 oh yeah, 'cause he was heading towards the city. he was.... 0908:54 HOT-1 oh really. 0908:56 HOT-2 oh yeah, that's why he's ticked, that's why he's so ticked. 0908:58 GND American five eighty seven heavy, follow the Japan A

Boeing seven forty seven ahead. monitor the tower niner point one. so long. 0909:03 RDO-2 follow Japan Air over to tower nineteen one, American Eighty seven heavy. 0909:09 HOT-2 really ticked. 0909:13 HOT-1 follow JAL. 0909:17 HOT-2 these guys just uh, merged. with Japan and another j.... what's the other Japan company? 0909:20 HOT-1 All Nippon?
 INTRA-COCKPIT COMMUNICATION AIR-GROUND COMMUNICATION TIME & TIME & SOURCE CONTENT SOURCE CONTENT 0909:21 HOT-2 no, not Nippon, there's another one I think. they merged this morning. 0909:27 HOT-1 really. 0909:27 HOT-2 [sound of yawn] yeah. the big news, Japan and what other Japanese airline is .... I *, I don't think it was All Nippon it was uh.... 0910:15 HOT-1 crossing two two right. clear on the left. 0910:20 HOT-2 on the right. 0910:27 TWR Japan Airlines forty seven heavy, Kennedy tower, run

three one left, taxi into position and hold. 0910:32 JAL47 runway three one left, taxi into position and hold. 0910:34 TWR PD fourteen uh, caution wake turbulence, there'll be eral heavy jets departures over Canarsie momentarily

0910:41 PD14 roger that PD fourteen, we'll be looking. 0910:44 CAM [sound of clunk] 0910:51 PA-1 well ladies and gentlemen, at long last, we are number two for takeoff. uuh, toward the northwest today. immediately after takeoff we'll be in a left hand turn heading for the shoreline
 INTRA-COCKPIT COMMUNICATION AIR-GROUND COMMUNICATION TIME & TIME & SOURCE CONTENT SOURCE CONTENT and uh, getting ourselves pointed southbound. 'bout another two or three minutes it'll be our turn to go. flight attendants, prepare for takeoff please. 0911:08 TWR Japan Airlines forty seven heavy, wind three zero zero 

zero runway three one left, cleared for takeoff. 0911:12 JAL47 runway three one left, cleared for takeoff, Japan Air foseven heavy. 0911:27 HOT-1 yeah, I guess that controller was bent outta shape, huh? 0911:29 HOT-2 ticked. 0911:33 HOT-1 can't hardly blame him. 0911:35 HOT-2 ah, I'm sure. 0911:36 TWR American five eighty seven heavy Kennedy tower, cawake turbulence runway three one left, taxi into positihold. 0911:41 RDO-2 position and hold three one left, American five eighty heavy. 0911:44 HOT-1 position and hold. I see traffic out there. hopefully he's going to the right side.
 INTRA-COCKPIT COMMUNICATION AIR-GROUND COMMUNICATION TIME & TIME & SOURCE CONTENT SOURCE CONTENT 0911:55 HOT-2 takeoff briefing we got, PA? 0911:57 HOT-1 [sound of single chime] 0911:58 HOT-1 complete. 0912:00 HOT-2 ignition. 0912:05 HOT-1 Reach? ignition's off. 0912:07 HOT-2 bleeds? 0912:09 HOT-1 bleeds are on. 0912:12 HOT-1 he say Reach? 0912:13 HOT-2 Reach four oh one or something like that yeah. 0912:16 HOT-1 Air Force is coming to Kennedy. 0912:19 HOT-2 is that a Reach, that's the Air Force? 0912:20 HOT-1 yeah, that's the.... 0912:20 HOT-2 transponder?
 INTRA-COCKPIT COMMUNICATION AIR-GROUND COMMUNICATION TIME & TIME & SOURCE CONTENT SOURCE CONTENT 0912:21 HOT-1 TARA. 0912:22 HOT-1 it's a tanker. 0912:24 HOT-1 the call sign. that looks like a seven four out there though. 0912:30 HOT-1 all right, position and hold on the uh, left side. 0912:36 HOT-1 final appears clear, transponder is TARA.... 0912:38 HOT-2 brake.... thank you. brake fans? 0912:39 HOT-1 fans are off. 0912:40 HOT-2 lights to go. I'm gonna make... left turn two twenty. go out the Bridge five thousand feet's the top. if we have a problem, I'll clean it up at six.... ten.... left traffic for this runway.... 0913:05 TWR Japan Air forty seven heavy, fly the Bridge Cimb, cont

York departure, good morning. 0913:10 JAL47 Bridge Climb, switch to departure, Japan Air four sevmorning. 0913:21 HOT-1 you have the airplane.
 INTRA-COCKPIT COMMUNICATION AIR-GROUND COMMUNICATION TIME & TIME & SOURCE CONTENT SOURCE CONTENT 0913:21 HOT-2 I got the brakes. 0913:22 HOT-1 I have the radios. 0913:27.6 TWR American five eight seven heavy, wind three zero zer

niner, runway three one left, cleared for takeoff. 0913:31.7 RDO-1 cleared for takeoff, American ah, five eight seven hea

0913:35.3 HOT-2 you happy with that distance? 0913:38.5 HOT-1 aah, he's.... we'll be all right once we get rollin'. he's sup- posed to be five miles by the time we're airborne, that's the idea. 0913:45.5 HOT-2 so you're happy. lights? 0913:47.1 HOT-1 yeah, lights are on. 0913:47.8 HOT-2 takeoff check's complete, I'm on the roll. thank you sir. 0913:53.5 HOT-1 thrust SRS, runway. 0913:54.7 CAM [sound similar to increase in engine RPM] 0914:03.8 HOT-2 you got throttles.
 INTRA-COCKPIT COMMUNICATION AIR-GROUND COMMUNICATION TIME & TIME & SOURCE CONTENT SOURCE CONTENT 0914:08.9 HOT-1 eighty knots, thrust blue. 0914:23.4 HOT-1 V one. 0914:24.3 HOT-1 rotate. 0914:25.7 HOT-1 V two 0914:28.5 HOT-1 V two plus ten. 0914:30.4 HOT-2 positive rate, gear up please. 0914:31.5 HOT-1 gear up. 0914:33.1 CAM [sound of thump and two clicks] 0914:38.5 HOT-2 heading select. 0914:41.9 HOT-1 clear left. 0914:42.6 TWR American five eight seven heavy, turn left. fly the Brid

Climb. contact New York departure. good morning. 0914:48.3 RDO-1 American five eighty seven heavy, so long.
 INTRA-COCKPIT COMMUNICATION AIR-GROUND COMMUNICATION TIME & TIME & SOURCE CONTENT SOURCE CONTENT 0914:51.4 HOT-1 gear's up. 0914:52.5 HOT-2 check speed, level change. 0914:54.8 HOT-2 flaps up. 0914:56.5 HOT-2 climb power. 0914:57.1 CAM [sound of click] 0915:00.0 RDO-1 ah New York, American five eighty seven heavy, thirt

hundred feet, we're climbing to five thousand. 0915:04.7 DEP American five eight seven heavy, New York departurecontact. climb maintain one three thousand. 0915:10.2 RDO-1 one three thousand feet, American five eighty seven 

0915:14.6 HOT-2 one three I see, slats retract. 0915:16.5 HOT-1 slats. 0915:17.2 CAM [sound of several clicks] 0915:28.5 HOT-1 clean machine.
 INTRA-COCKPIT COMMUNICATION AIR-GROUND COMMUNICATION TIME & TIME & SOURCE CONTENT SOURCE CONTENT 0915:28.5 HOT-2 [sound similar to yawn] thank you. 0915:36.4 DEP American five eighty seven heavy, turn left, proceed 

WAVEY. 0915:37.3 HOT-1 [sound of brief squeak and a rattle] 0915:41.0 RDO-1 uh, we'll turn direct WAVEY, American five eighty sevheavy. 0915:44.4 HOT-2 left turn direct WAVEY.... 0915:44.7 HOT-1 little wake turbulence, huh? 0915:45.6 HOT-2 ...yeah. 0915:47.3 HOT-2 [sound similar to five sets of stabilizer trim switch clicks] 0915:48.2 HOT-2 two fifty thank you. 0915:51.8 CAM [sound of a thump] 0915:52.3 CAM [sound of click] 0915:52.9 CAM [sound of two thumps] 0915:54.2 HOT-2 max power. [spoken in strained voice]
 INTRA-COCKPIT COMMUNICATION AIR-GROUND COMMUNICATION TIME & TIME & SOURCE CONTENT SOURCE CONTENT 0915:55.0 HOT-1 you all right? 0915:55.3 HOT-2 yea, I'm fine. 0915:56.3 HOT-1 hang onto it. hang onto it. 0915:56.6 CAM [sound of snap] 0915:57.5 HOT-2 let's go for power please. 0915:57.7 CAM [sound of loud thump] 0915:58.5 CAM [sound of loud bang] 0916:00.0 HOT-2 [sound similar to human grunt] 0916:00.2 CAM [roaring noise starts and increases in amplitude] 0916:01.0 HOT-2 holy #. 0916:01.0 CAM [sound similar to single ECAM chime] 0916:02.0 CAM [sound similar to single ECAM chime] 0916:04.4 CAM [sound similar to stall warning repetitive chime for 1.9 seconds]
 INTRA-COCKPIT COMMUNICATION AIR-GROUND COMMUNICATION TIME & TIME & SOURCE CONTENT SOURCE CONTENT 0916:06.2 CAM [roaring noise decreases and ends] 0916:07.5 HOT-2 what the hell are we into *. we're stuck in it. 0916:07.5 CAM [sound similar to continuous repetitive chimes for one second] 0916:09.6 CAM [sound similar to continuous repetitive chimes for three sec- onds] 0916:12.8 HOT-1 get out of it, get out of it. 0916:14.8 END of RECORDING END of TRANSCRIPT
197 Aircraft Accident Report

Appendix C

Differences Between American Airlines

Flights 903 and 587

American Airlines flight 903 entered a stall and experienced a loss of control

because the flight crew did not maintain an adequate airspeed during the level-off. At the

start of the stall event, the airplane was in a 42o right bank and was rolling farther to the

right, despite a full control wheel input to the left. The flight crew did not recognize that

the airplane had entered a stall, did not use proper stall recovery techniques, and did not

recover the airplane in a timely manner. As a result, the airplane remained in a stalled

condition for more than 35 seconds, during which time the effectiveness of the lateral

controls was reduced because of the stall.

When lateral controls are ineffective and the airplane is in an uncontrolled roll

toward an extreme bank angle, the use of the rudder to help control the bank angle is

appropriate, even though rudder use in a stall poses a significant risk of exacerbating the

stall and departing farther from controlled flight. The proper response to recover from a

stall is to move the control column forward, thereby decreasing the angle of attack and

restoring lateral control. In the absence of this corrective action, the continued use of the

rudder to keep the airplane upright may be necessary. Such was the case in the flight 903

stall event.

During this event, flight 903 entered a series of pitch, yaw, and roll maneuvers as

the flight controls oscillated. The airplane was eventually recovered at an airspeed of

280 knots. No evidence from the flight 903 investigation indicated that Airbus A300-600

rudder control sensitivity at high airspeeds was a safety issue. The flight crew did not have

any difficulty in regaining control of the airplane after exiting the stall, even though the

stall recovery occurred at an airspeed at which the rudder control system sensitivity would

have been similar to that during flight 587’s second wake encounter. A contributing factor

to the high loads experienced by flight 903 was the slow moving rudder travel limiter; the

Safety Board issued safety recommendations to address the rudder travel limiter system

on May 28, 2004.

Flight 587 had not entered a stall and was not in an upset. Further, the lateral

controls were always fully effective; consequently, the use of the rudder to assist with roll

control during the second wake encounter was only discovered during the flight 587
Appendix C 198 Aircraft Accident Report

investigation. A slow moving rudder travel limiter was not a factor in the flight 587

accident (see table C-1 for a comparison of the issues from both investigations).

Table C-9. Comparison of the Issues From the Flight 903 and Flight 587 Investigations

Slow moving rudder travel limiter Yes No

High speed sensitivity No Yes

Rudder input necessary Yes No

Stall/loss of control Yes No

Pilot training Yes Yes

Issue 903 587

Slow moving rudder travel limiter Yes No

High speed sensitivity No Yes

Rudder input necessary Yes No

Stall/loss of control Yes No

Pilot training Yes Yes

Issue 903 587

Table C-1.