ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 354946
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| Date: | Monday 15 December 1997 |
| Time: | 16:26 LT |
| Type: |  Airbus A300B4-605R |
| Owner/operator: | American Airlines |
| Registration: | N90070 |
| MSN: | 513 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 24372 hours |
| Engine model: | GE CF6-80C2A5 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 246 |
| Aircraft damage: | Minor |
| Category: | Serious incident |
| Location: | Montego Bay, -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Unknown |
| Departure airport: | Jfk, NY (KJFK) |
| (KMBJ) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
According to the flying pilot, the existing wind information was different from the planned wind information, resulting in a 'circle to land' approach on runway 25. The downwind leg and turn to final were normal with the airplane on speed, and 'in the slot'. As per the final approach checklist the pilot armed the spoilers for deployment on main wheel touchdown. Upon touchdown the airplane bounced and the pilot said he increased the pitch attitude of the airplane to soften the second touchdown. On the second touchdown, a flight attendant heard a loud bang in the aft section of the airplane. Post flight inspection revealed damage to the tail skid area on the underside of the airplane. According to the flight manual, the deployment of the ground spoilers induces a 2 degree pitch up and increases the sink rate of the aircraft, therefore contributing to the higher pitch angle that can result in tail strikes. In the American Airlines A300 operating manual under touchdown, it states that 'no attempt should be made to hold the airplane off by further increase in attitude.' According to the flight data recorder the pitch attitude reached a maximum of 11.78 degrees which occurred when the airplane touched down for the second time. The tail strike pitch attitude is 11.4 degrees.
Probable Cause: The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing, compounded by the automatic deployment of the ground spoilers on main wheel spin-up, resulting in a pitch angle beyond the tail strike pitch angle of the airplane, which led to the tail contacting the runway.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB ATL98IA024
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 12 May 1997 | N90070 | American Airlines | 0 | near West Palm Beach, FL | |
min |
| Loss of control | ||||||
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 12-Mar-2024 06:19 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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