2001-11-12
American Airlines
Flight AA587
Departure
John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York, USA
Destination
Las Americas International Airport, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Causation Breakdown
Recurrence Likelihood Today
Low
New training standards explicitly prohibit aggressive rudder inputs during wake turbulence encounters. Revised guidance is now included in type-rating training for all Airbus aircraft. Structural inspection requirements for composite tails have also been strengthened.
Summary
AA587 crashed into a Queens neighborhood two months after the September 11 attacks, initially causing widespread alarm. Investigation found the first officer's aggressive rudder responses to wake turbulence tore off the vertical stabilizer. The crash killed all 260 aboard and 5 on the ground. It remains the second-deadliest aviation accident on U.S. soil.
Cause & Investigation
Determined cause
Pilot error — excessive rudder inputs
Shortly after takeoff from JFK, the first officer made a series of aggressive alternating rudder inputs in response to wake turbulence from a preceding Japan Airlines 747. The side-loads exceeded the A300's design limits, causing the composite vertical stabilizer to separate from the fuselage. Both engines then detached and the aircraft crashed into the Belle Harbor neighborhood of Queens, New York.
Investigation body
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), USA.
Timeline & Safety Improvements
Flight AA587 disaster
Airbus A300B4-605R operating for American Airlines. 265 fatalities, 0 survivors.
Formal investigation opened
Conducted by: National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), USA.
Cause determined: Pilot error — excessive rudder inputs
Shortly after takeoff from JFK, the first officer made a series of aggressive alternating rudder inputs in response to wake turbulence from a preceding Japan Airlines 747. The side-loads exceeded the A300's design limits, causing the composite vertical stabilizer to separate from the fuselage. Both engines then detached and the aircraft crashed into the Belle Harbor neighborhood of Queens, New York.
Improvement implemented
The A300 rudder system sensitivity at low speeds was formally documented and retraining programs updated.
Improvement implemented
FAA issued new guidance on the dangers of excessive rudder pedal inputs in wake turbulence situations.
Improvement implemented
Pilot training on wake turbulence response was revised industry-wide to discourage aggressive control inputs.
Improvement implemented
Composite tail structure inspection standards were reviewed and enhanced.