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Aircraft Accident Report PB2001-910402 NTSB/AAR-01/02 DCA99MA060 NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD WASHINGTON, D.C. 20594 AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT REPORT RUNWAY OVERRUN DURING LANDING AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT 1420 MCDONNELL DOUGLAS MD-82, N215AA LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS JUNE 1, 1999 7195A Aircraft Accident Report Runway Overrun During Landing American Airlines Flight 1420 McDonnell Douglas MD-82, N215AA Little Rock, Arkansas June 1, 1999 RAN S P T O L R A T LUR IBUS A N P UNUM E O T I I O T A N N S A D FE R T Y OA NTSB/AAR-01/02 B PB2001-910402 National Transportation Safety Board Notation 7195A 490 L’Enfant Plaza, S.W. Adopted October 23, 2001 Washington, D.C. 20594 National Transportation Safety Board. 2001. Runway Overrun During Landing, American Airlines Flight 1420, McDonnell Douglas MD-82, N215AA, Little Rock, Arkansas, June 1, 1999. Aircraft Accident Report NTSB/AAR-01/02. Washington, DC. Abstract: This report explains the accident involving American Airlines flight 1420, a McDonnell Douglas MD-82, which crashed after it overran the end of runway 4R during landing at Little Rock National Airport in Little Rock, Arkansas. Safety issues discussed in this report focus on flight crew performance, flight crew decision-making regarding operations in adverse weather, pilot fatigue, weather information dissemination, emergency response, frangibility of airport structures, and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) oversight. Safety recommendations concerning these issues are addressed to the FAA and the National Weather Service. 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 PB2001-910402 from: National Technical Information Service 5285 Port Royal Road Springfield, Virginia 22161 (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 Abbreviations . ix Executive Summary . xii 1. Factual Information . 1 1.1 History of Flight . 1 1.2 Injuries to Persons. 8 1.3 Damage to Airplane . 9 1.4 Other Damage. 9 1.5 Personnel Information. 9 1.5.1 The Captain . 9 1.5.2 The First Officer. 10 1.5.3 The Flight Attendants. 11 1.6 Airplane Information . 12 1.6.1 Maintenance Records. 13 1.6.2 Spoiler System Information . 15 1.6.2.1 Testimony on Spoiler System Operation . 19 1.6.2.2 Other Spoiler Events . 20 1.6.3 Braking System Information . 21 1.6.4 Weight and Balance . 22 1.6.5 N215AA’s Previous Flights on the Day of the Accident. 22 1.6.6 MD-80 Demonstrated Landing Distance . 23 1.7 Meteorological Information . 23 1.7.1 Airport Weather Information . 23 1.7.2 National Weather Service Information . 26 1.7.3 American Airlines Weather Information . 31 1.7.4 Additional Weather Information . 33 1.7.4.1 Lightning Data . 33 1.7.4.2 Witness Statements . 33 1.7.4.3 Windshear Hazard Study . 33 1.8 Aids to Navigation . 34 1.9 Communications . 34 1.10 Airport Information. 34 1.10.1 Runway 4R/22L Safety Areas . 36 1.10.2 Runway 22L Approach Lighting System Support Structure . 37 1.10.3 Runway 4R Assessments . 38 1.10.3.1 Tire Marks . 38 1.10.3.2 Runway Surface Information. 39 1.10.4 Air Traffic Control Tower Information . 40 1.11 Flight Recorders . 42 1.11.1 Cockpit Voice Recorder. 42 1.11.2 Flight Data Recorder . 42 1.12 Wreckage and Impact Information . 43 1.12.1 General Wreckage Description . 43 Contents iv Aircraft Accident Report 1.12.2 Spoiler System . 46 1.12.3 Engines. 46 1.12.4 Landing Gear and Brake Assemblies. 46 1.13 Medical and Pathological Information . 47 1.14 Fire . 48 1.15 Survival Aspects . 48 1.15.1 General. 48 1.15.2 Evacuation of Passengers and Crewmembers . 50 1.15.3 Emergency Response . 51 1.15.4 Passenger Statements . 54 1.16 Tests and Research . 55 1.16.1 Spoiler System Ground Tests. 55 1.16.1.1 Testing Conducted After the Palm Springs Incident . 56 1.16.2 Main Landing Gear Tire Examination. 57 1.16.3 Cockpit Voice Recorder Sound Spectrum Study. 58 1.16.4 Airplane Performance Study . 59 1.16.4.1 Calculated Ground Trajectory . 60 1.16.4.2 Ground Deceleration Study . 61 1.16.5 Engineered Materials Arresting System Computer Model . 63 1.17 Organizational and Management Information . 64 1.17.1 Aviation Safety Action Program . 66 1.17.2 Flight Crew Training . ..
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