National Transportation Safety Board Washington, D.C. 20594 PRSRT STD OFFICIAL BUSINESS Postage & Fees Paid Penalty for Private Use, $300 NTSB Permit No. G-200 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 PB2004-910404 Notation 7439B National National Transportation Transportation Safety Board Safety Board Washington, D.C. 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 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 NTSB/AAR-04/04 T Y B OA PB2004-910404 National Transportation Safety Board Notation 7439B 490 L’Enfant Plaza, S.W. Adopted October 26, 2004 Washington, D.C. 20594 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: 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 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 Contents 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.