Remembering American Airlines Flight 587

On the 12th of November 2001 an Airbus A300B4 crashed into the neighborhood of Belle Harbor on the Rockaway Peninsula of Queens, New York City, shortly after takeoff. All 260 people aboard the plane (251 passengers and 9 crew members) were killed, as well as five people on the ground.

American Airlines Flight 587 was a scheduled flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK/KJFK) to Santo Domingo Americas International Airport (SDQ/MSDS)

The crew taxied to runway 31L behind a Japan Air Lines Boeing 747. Takeoff roll was initiated about 09:14, 1 minute and 45 seconds following the 747. After leaving the ground the landing gear was retracted at 09:14 The tower controller then cleared the crew for the bridge departure: Flight 587 contacted the ARTCC controller about 09:15, and stated they were climbing out of 1,300 feet for 5,000 feet. The controller responded by clearing the flight to climb to 13,000 feet. 

At that moment, while in a climbing left turn, the crew heard a brief squeak and a rattling sound, possibly caused by wake turbulence. Some fifteen seconds later the Airbus began to yaw to the right. Full right and left rudder were applied, and the first officer called for "max power" at 09:15. Again full right and left rudder were applied and sounds of a snap, a thump and a loud bang were heard when the rudder travelled full right again. The entire vertical tail fin had separated, and the Airbus entered an uncontrolled descent from an altitude of about 2500 feet. During this descent both engines separated from the wings coming down within 100 feet of each other near the Newport Avenue / Beach 129th Street crossroads. 

The aircraft crashed into Beach 131 Street, a Queens residential area.

The cause of the crash was due to an in-flight separation of the vertical stabilizer due to 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 A300-600 rudder system design and elements of the American Airlines Advanced Aircraft Maneuvering Program.

Because the crash occurred just two months and one day after the September 11 attacks and also in New York City – several major buildings including the Empire State Building and the headquarters of the United Nations were evacuated, thinking this was another terrorist attack.

Aircraft Information:

Airline: American Airlines

Code: AA/AAL

Aircraft: Airbus A300-605R

Registration: N14053

Serial Number: 420

Engines: 2 x GE CF6-80C2A5

First Flew: 09/12/1987

Age at accident: 13 Yrs. 1 Mth

THOUGHTS ARE WITH THE FAMILIES AND FREINDS THINKING OF LOVED ONES TODAY