WASHINGTON – American Airlines Flight 587 lost its tail and plummeted into a New York City neighborhood in November 2001, killing 265 people, because the co-pilot improperly used the rudder to try to steady the plane, federal safety investigators ruled Tuesday.
The National Transportation Safety Board also said an overly sensitive rudder system on the Airbus A300-600 and inadequate pilot training by American were contributing factors.
The decision prompted angry reaction from Airbus Industrie, which manufactured the plane, and American, which trained the co-pilot. Each said the other was more to blame.
The crash occurred shortly after the jet bound for the Dominican Republic took off from John F. Kennedy International Airport. The plane encountered turbulence caused by a Boeing 747 that took off just ahead of it.
According to investigators, co-pilot Sten Molin tried to steady the aircraft using pedals that control the rudder, a large flap on a plane’s tail. When his initial movement failed, Molin tried again and again. His actions placed enormous stress on the tail.
Within seconds, the tail broke off and the plane crashed.
The NTSB staff concluded that his use of the rudder was “unnecessary and aggressive.”
NTSB investigator David Ivie said the only time pilots should use the rudder is when they are landing or taking off in a crosswind, which was not the case for Flight 587.
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