American Airlines Flight 587
Alternating rudder inputs during a wake turbulence encounter overloaded the vertical stabilizer shortly after takeoff from New York.
Incident date:
LEVEL 3 Final report
Causes
Wake turbulence in airline accidents
Official investigators identified wake turbulence in 2 of the incidents we cover, from 1994 to 2001. Each account explains how it arose in that case. A shared topic does not mean the same cause.
Last updated
| Date | Flight | Aircraft | Location | Fatalities | Report status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 November 2001 | American Airlines Flight 587 | Airbus A300-605R (official designation A300B4-605R) | Belle Harbor, New York | 265: 260 on board and 5 on the ground | LEVEL 3 Final report |
| 8 September 1994 | USAir Flight 427 | Boeing 737-3B7 (737-300) | Near Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, about 6 miles northwest of Pittsburgh International Airport | 132: all 127 passengers and 5 crew; 0 on the ground | LEVEL 3 Final report |
USAir Flight 427
A rudder reversal sent a Boeing 737 into an uncontrollable left roll during its approach to Pittsburgh.
Incident date:
LEVEL 3 Final report