American Airlines Flight 587

American Airlines Flight 587

Company type	Passenger airline service
Industry	Aviation
Headquarters	New York City , United States
Area served	International (New York City to Santo Domingo)
Products	Passenger air transport

American Airlines Flight 587 was an international passenger service operating between John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City and Las Américas International Airport in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. On November 12, 2001, the Airbus A300B4-605R assigned to this flight crashed shortly after departing, striking the Belle Harbor area on the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens, New York City. All 251 passengers and 9 crew members on board perished, along with five individuals on the ground. This tragedy stands as the second most fatal aviation disaster in the United States, following American Airlines Flight 191 in 1979, and ranks as the second deadliest incident involving an Airbus A300, after Iran Air Flight 655.

Due to its occurrence near the time of the September 11 attacks in Manhattan, initial speculation focused on terrorism. Nevertheless, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) concluded that the crash was caused by excessive rudder movements made by the first officer while reacting to wake turbulence from a preceding Japan Airlines Boeing 747-400. These forceful rudder inputs overstressed and ultimately detached the vertical stabilizer. Additionally, both engines separated before impact because of extreme aerodynamic loads.

Aircraft and crew

The aircraft involved, bearing registration , was an Airbus A300 B4-605R delivered new to American Airlines on July 12, 1988. Its maiden flight occurred on December 9, 1987, and it was the inaugural "R" model A300-600 produced. The plane featured a two-class seating arrangement accommodating 251 passengers (16 business class and 235 economy), with full occupancy during this flight. Propulsion was provided by two General Electric CF6-80C2A5 engines. The cockpit crew consisted of nine members, including Captain Edward States, age 42, a former U.S. Air Force pilot with a total of 8,050 flight hours (3,448 hours on the A300), serving as pilot monitoring and managing radio communications. First Officer Sten Molin, aged 34, was the pilot flying with 4,403 total hours logged (1,835 hours on the A300).

Accident

The aircraft taxied behind a Japan Airlines Boeing 747-400 (JAL Flight 47) to Runway 31L for departure. The JAL flight took off at 9:11:08 am EST. At 9:11:36, air traffic control warned Flight 587 about potential wake turbulence from the preceding B747. Flight 587 received clearance for takeoff at 9:13:28 and lifted off at 9:14:29, approximately one minute and forty seconds after the JAL flight.

While climbing to an altitude of 500 feet, the aircraft initiated a left turn toward heading 220°. At 9:15:00, Captain States reported ascending through 1,300 feet to departure control and was instructed to climb to and hold at 13,000 feet. Data from the flight recorder indicated that at 9:15:36, Flight 587 encountered wake turbulence generated by the preceding JAL aircraft. In reaction, First Officer Molin made rapid alternating rudder inputs starting at 9:15:52, producing sideslip forces that caused failure of composite lugs securing the vertical stabilizer at 9:15:58. The stabilizer detached and fell into Jamaica Bay roughly one mile north of the main crash site.

After losing the vertical stabilizer, the airplane pitched downward entering a flat spin. Aerodynamic forces caused both engines to separate; these fell several blocks away damaging a gas station slightly and causing significant destruction to a house and boat. The detachment of engines cut power to the flight data recorder at 9:16:01; however, the cockpit voice recorder continued recording until impact at approximately 9:16:14.8. The stall warning activated at 9:16:04. The final cockpit dialogue captured included Molin stating, "What the hell are we into, we're stuck in it," followed by States urging urgently, "Get out of it, get out of it." The aircraft impacted near Newport Avenue and Beach 131st Street.

Initial responses and inquiry

The accident, which took place just two months following the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York City, triggered evacuations of prominent landmarks such as the Empire State Building and the United Nations headquarters amid speculation about possible terrorism.

In May 2002, Kuwaiti citizen Mohammed Jabarah collaborated with authorities through a plea bargain, asserting that al Qaeda agents Richard Reid and Abderraouf Jdey had orchestrated shoe-bombing plots as a secondary assault against the United States. Jabarah claimed that Jdey’s explosive device was responsible for destroying Flight 587, while Reid’s attempt was unsuccessful. Nevertheless, the American Airlines passenger list indicated no Canadian passport holders on board, contradicting allegations that Jdey—a naturalized Canadian—was present on the aircraft.

Ted Lopatkiewicz, spokesperson for the NTSB, stated that there was no evidence supporting a terrorist act; instead, findings revealed the plane was destroyed following the detachment of the vertical stabilizer, with no signs of an internal explosion or event.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB initiated a comprehensive three-month probe after the crash, conducting 349 interviews and reconstructing aircraft components. The Airbus A300 had departed shortly after a Japan Airlines Boeing 747-400 from the same runway, entering into the wake turbulence created by the larger jet. The first officer’s forceful rudder inputs intended to control the aircraft induced excessive stress on the vertical stabilizer, which ultimately separated from the fuselage, resulting in loss of control and subsequent crash. The investigation concluded that these "unwarranted and extreme" rudder movements—not wake turbulence alone—were responsible for structural failure. The NTSB emphasized that if the first officer had ceased rudder activity earlier, the airplane would have regained stability. Additional contributing elements included the Airbus A300-600's highly sensitive rudder mechanism and facets of American Airlines’ Advanced Aircraft Maneuvering Training Program.

Attention centered on how the vertical stabilizer became detached. This component is secured to the fuselage at six attachment points, each comprising composite and aluminum lugs fastened by titanium bolts. Examination revealed that while bolts and aluminum lugs remained intact, composite lugs failed. Previous occurrences—such as manufacturing delamination and severe turbulence experienced in 1994—led to scrutiny of composite materials used in critical structures like engine mounts and wing assemblies. Testing confirmed that composite integrity was preserved; failure resulted from loads exceeding design specifications.

Hundreds witnessed the crash; among them, 52% reported observing fire or an explosion before impact, though some mistakenly identified a wing separation instead of detachment of the vertical stabilizer. Following the disaster, hangars at Floyd Bennett Field were utilized temporarily to assist with victim identification efforts.

Findings

The formal accident report determined that repeated rudder deflections by the first officer—from full left to full right—produced escalating sideslip angles. This dangerous sideslip generated extreme aerodynamic forces that caused separation of the vertical stabilizer. Had rudder inputs ceased prior to structural failure, the aircraft would have stabilized and avoided crashing. The vertical stabilizer was subjected to forces surpassing its design limits by a significant margin. Structural assessments verified that it conformed to design and certification standards.

Factors contributing to the accident included the first officer’s overreaction to wake turbulence; American Airlines’ training protocols potentially encouraging aggressive rudder use; probable misinterpretation by the first officer regarding rudder effects at high velocity; and sensitivity of the A300-600’s light rudder pedal forces increasing vulnerability to improper inputs.

Unlike fly-by-wire systems, the Airbus A300-600 employs traditional mechanical flight controls. The NTSB concluded that its rudder system was susceptible to damage from excessive pilot inputs. The Allied Pilots Association contended this sensitivity represented a design deficiency not disclosed by Airbus, referencing a 1997 report documenting ten incidents where A300 tail fins experienced stress beyond allowable limits.

Airbus attributed primary responsibility for the crash to insufficient pilot training on rudder behavior provided by American Airlines. While tail fins can endure full rudder deflection below maneuvering speed, abrupt multiple reversals—as executed by the first officer—exceeded design assumptions. The NTSB highlighted that American’s Advanced Aircraft Maneuvering Program (AAMP) exaggerated wake turbulence effects during simulator training by simulating a Boeing 747 wake causing a 90° roll instead of a realistic 5–10°, fostering overly aggressive pilot reactions. This raised concerns about reliance on simulator-based upset recovery training within AAMP. Author Amy Louise Fraher points out that flawed simulator instruction shaped pilots’ inaccurate expectations regarding aircraft handling characteristics, which contributed to this accident.

Determination of probable cause

According to the National Transportation Safety Board's investigation:

The NTSB concluded that the primary cause of this incident was the in-flight detachment of the vertical stabilizer, resulting from forces exceeding the ultimate design limits. These forces were triggered by the first officer’s unnecessary and excessive use of rudder pedal inputs. Additional contributing factors included the design characteristics of the Airbus A300-600 rudder system and aspects of American Airlines' Advanced Aircraft Maneuvering Program (AAMP).

In response to these findings, American Airlines updated its pilot training curriculum.

Casualties

Nationalities of victims

Nationality	Passengers	Crew	Ground	Total
United States	176	9	5	190
Template:Country data Dominican RepublicTemplate:Namespace detect showall Dominican Republic	68	-	-	68
Template:Country data TaiwanTemplate:Namespace detect showall Taiwan	3	-	-	3
France	2	-	-	2
Template:Country data HaitiTemplate:Namespace detect showall Haiti	1	-	-	1
Template:Country data IsraelTemplate:Namespace detect showall Israel	1	-	-	1
Total	251	9	5	265

All 260 individuals on board lost their lives, alongside five people on the ground. Among those who died was Hilda Yolanda Mayol, a survivor of the September 11 attacks who was traveling with family to escape trauma. Also among the deceased was Ashot Melikjanyan, an actor of Soviet-Armenian origin who had become an American citizen.

The tragedy claimed five residents from Belle Harbor: Thomas (79) and Helen Concannon (73); Kathleen Lawler (48) and her son Christopher Lawler (24), a law student at St. John's University; and Franco "Frank" Pomponio (45), a respected coach at Bishop Kearney High School. While Frank’s wife, daughter, and dog survived, he was trapped and perished in the crash. Their family dog, Dakota, survived after returning to find Frank. Kathleen Lawler is survived by her husband Thomas and two daughters enrolled at Bishop Kearney, along with Pomponio’s daughter—all teammates on the varsity softball team. Pomponio’s son attended SUNY Albany. The community had recently suffered losses from 9/11 as well, with seven individuals associated with Bishop Kearney passing in both events.

Following the disaster, Geraldine Pomponio, Frank’s widow, spearheaded initiatives aimed at reducing air traffic above residential neighborhoods. She criticized the FAA for delays in rerouting flights away from these areas despite prior commitments.

Authorities at Las Américas International Airport arranged a private space for relatives who had not yet been informed about the crash. Meanwhile, JFK Airport officials accommodated families of victims at the JFK Ramada Plaza, later transferring support services to Manhattan’s Javits Center.

Cultural background

In 2001, American Airlines dominated the route between JFK and the Dominican Republic, operating 51 weekly nonstop flights. Nearly 90% of those aboard the ill-fated flight were of Dominican heritage.

The Guardian highlighted the flight's iconic status within Washington Heights, a predominantly Dominican community in Manhattan. Belkis Lora, related to one of the passengers, remarked, "Almost every Dominican in New York has either flown this route or knows someone who has. It’s known for getting you there early. Back home, there are even songs about it." Seth Kugel from The New York Times portrayed these trips as emblematic of the Dominican experience in New York, reflecting their deep and sometimes complicated connection to their homeland. Despite criticisms over fare costs and baggage limits, American Airlines remained the favored airline for this journey. David Rivas, who owns a travel agency in New York, likened holiday travel to Santo Domingo to Muslims undertaking a pilgrimage to Mecca.

The tragedy did not deter passengers from booking flights on the JFK–Santo Domingo corridor; Dominicans continued to rely on these services until American Airlines ended operations on April 1, 2013.

Memorial

A tribute honoring the 265 lives lost was established in Rockaway Park, near Belle Harbor along the Rockaway Beach and Boardwalk at Beach 116th Street. Unveiled on November 12, 2006—the fifth anniversary of the disaster—the dedication ceremony was attended by then-Mayor of New York City Michael Bloomberg. Each year on November 12, commemorative events take place featuring a reading of all victims' names followed by a moment of silence at 9:16 am, marking the crash time. The memorial, created by Dominican artist Freddy Rodríguez in collaboration with Situ Studio, faces the Atlantic Ocean and is oriented toward the Dominican Republic. It displays the names of those lost along with a bilingual inscription from Dominican poet Pedro Mir: "" ("Afterwards I want nothing more than peace").

On May 6, 2007, a collection of 889 unidentified human remains fragments were interred within four crypts at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx.

Documentaries

Several documentaries have explored the details surrounding the accident.

In 2006, National Geographic Channel aired an episode of Seconds From Disaster entitled "Plane Crash in Queens," which provided an in-depth look at Flight 587. That same year, Modern Marvels on The History Channel featured the incident in its "Engineering Disasters 20" episode. The Canadian series Mayday, also known as Air Crash Investigation, dramatized the event in a 2014 episode called "Queens Catastrophe." Additionally, the BBC science program Horizon produced an episode focusing on this crash.

Further coverage includes an episode titled "Pilot Error" from Discovery Channel’s Aircrash Confidential, MSNBC’s 2011 Why Planes Crash episode "Human Error," and the 2020 installment "Crashing in a New York Neighborhood" from Black Box Down.

See also

• List of accidents and incidents involving commercial aircraft
• 2008 Mexico City Learjet crash
• Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo, inspired in part by Flight 587

External links

• NTSB Docket featuring the Cockpit Voice Recorder Transcript (76.5 KB; Archived version)
• Archived AA.com as of November 13, 2001 – contains a condolence letter from Donald Carty
• Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety – Airbus’s investigative representative
  • "Incident on November 12, 2001, in New York." (Archived)
  • "Accident survenu le novembre 12, 2001 à New York." (Archived)
• Photographs of the aircraft and crash location from Airliners.net