In-Flight Separation of Vertical Stabilizer American ...

1 national TransportationSafety BoardWashington, 20594 OFFICIAL BUSINESSP enalty for Private Use, $300 PRSRT STDP ostage & Fees PaidNTSBP ermit No. G-200In- flight Separation of Vertical StabilizerAmerican Airlines flight 587 Airbus Industrie A300-605R, N14053 Belle Harbor, New YorkNovember 12, 2001 Aircraft Accident ReportNTSB/AAR-04/04PB2004-910404 Notation 7439 BNational TransportationSafety BoardWashington, TransportationSafety BoardWashington, Accident ReportIn- flight Separation of Vertical StabilizerAmerican Airlines flight 587 Airbus Industrie A300-605R, N14053 Belle Harbor, New YorkNovember 12.

2 2001 NTSB/AAR-04/04PB2004-910404 national transportation safety BoardNotation 7439B490 L Enfant Plaza, October 26, 2004 Washington, 20594E PLURIBUS UNUM national TRASPORTATION BOARDSAFETYNN ational transportation safety board . 2004. In-Flight Separation of Vertical Stabilizer , AmericanAirlines flight 587, Airbus Industrie A300-605R, N14053, Belle Harbor, New York, November 12, Accident Report NTSB/AAR-04/04. Washington, : This report explains the accident involving American Airlines flight 587, an AirbusIndustrie 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.

3 The safety issuesdiscussed 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 orbelow an airplane s design maneuvering speed, and upset recovery training programs. Safetyrecommendations concerning these issues are addressed to the Federal Aviation Administrationand the Direction G n ral de l Aviation national transportation safety board is an independent Federal agency dedicated to promoting aviation, railroad, highway, marine,pipeline, and hazardous materials safety .

4 Established in 1967, the agency is mandated by Congress through the Independent safety BoardAct of 1974 to investigate transportation accidents, determine the probable causes of the accidents, issue safety recommendations, studytransportation safety issues, and evaluate the safety effectiveness of government agencies involved in transportation . The safety Boardmakes public its actions and decisions through accident reports, safety studies, special investigation reports, safety recommendations, andstatistical publications are available in their entirety on the Web at < >.

5 Other information about available publications alsomay be obtained from the Web site or by contacting: national transportation safety BoardPublic Inquiries Section, RE-51490 L Enfant Plaza, , 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. Topurchase this publication, order report number PB2004-910404 from: national Technical Information Service5285 Port Royal RoadSpringfield, Virginia 22161(800) 553-6847 or (703) 605-6000 The Independent safety board Act, as codified at 49 Section 1154(b), precludes the admission into evidence or use of board reportsrelated to an incident or accident in a civil action for damages resulting from a matter mentioned in the report.

6 IiiAircraft Accident ReportContentsFigures .. viiAbbreviations .. viiiExecutive Summary .. xi1. Factual Information .. History of flight .. Injuries to Persons.. Damage to Airplane .. Other Damage .. Personnel Information.. Captain .. Interviews Regarding the Captain .. First Officer.. Interviews Regarding the First Officer .. Airplane Information .. Stabilizer and Rudder .. Control System .. Hearing Testimony on the A300-600 Rudder Control System .. Changes to the A300-600 Rudder Control System Design.

7 Rudder Control System Design ComparedWith Other Airplanes .. Certification.. Certification for the Vertical Stabilizer .. Aviation Regulations .. Hearing Testimony on Section .. Conditions.. Loads for the Vertical Stabilizer .. Stabilizer Certification Tests .. of the Full-Scale Vertical Stabilizer Certification Test .. of the Attachment Fitting Certification Tests .. Axis Certification Requirements .. Maneuvering Speed Information .. Records .. Meteorological Information.

8 Aids to Navigation .. Communications .. Airport Information.. Air Traffic Control Information .. flight Recorders .. Cockpit Voice Recorder .. flight Data Recorder .. 48ivAircraft Accident Wreckage and Impact Information .. General Wreckage Description .. Vertical Stabilizer and Rudder .. Rudder Control System .. Powerplants .. Medical and Pathological Information .. Fire .. Survival Aspects .. Tests and Research .. Video Study .. Airplane Performance Study.

9 Wake Vortex Investigation .. flight 587 Simulation .. Loads on the Vertical Stabilizer .. Examinations of the flight 587 Vertical Stabilizer and Rudder .. Nondestructive Inspections .. Materials Testing and Microstructural Examination .. Fractographic Examination of the Main Attachment Lugs .. Structural Analyses and Tests .. Finite Element Analysis and Progressive Failure Analysis .. Postaccident Lug Tests .. Summary of Structural Analyses and Tests .. Systems Testing.

10 Rudder Servo Controls and Linkages .. Artificial Feel and Trim Unit .. Rudder Control System Ground Tests .. Yaw Autopilot and Yaw Damper Actuators .. flight Control Linkages .. Human Performance Tests .. Vertical Motion Simulator Tests .. Control Force and Control Surface Displacement Ground Tests .. Temperature Tab Study .. Cockpit Voice Recorder Sound Spectrum Study .. Speech Study .. Organizational and Management Information .. flight Crew Training .. Selected Event Training.