Animations and Presentations from Board Meeting of October 23, 2001� regarding�American Airlines Flight 1420 Report abstract
Weather Animation
(AVI, 5.5 mb)
The preceding event reconstruction exhibits selected data from the cockpit voice recorder (CVR), flight data recorder (FDR), air traffic control (ATC) radio communications, approach surveillance radar (ASR) and other pertinent factual data. The weather animation was created from weather surveillance radar - 1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) images taken from the 0.4 degree base reflectivity scans surrounding the time of the accident. Local time for the weather animation is displayed in real time. The animation depicts the ground track of AA1420 on approach to LIT airport and displays the time and alititude of the aircraft during its descent and approach to the airport. The weather images depict the severity of a storm area over the LIT airport moving from the north west. The weather images are a blend of several different doppler images that are taken at approximate 6 minute intervals. The reflectivity scale indicates the wind severity for the storm as the storm moves over the airport. The location for the LIT airport runways at the airport are shown and ATC communications are provided at the top of the animation.
Chase
Plane Simulation (AVI, 5 mb)
This animation shows the last minute of flight for American Airlines Flight 1420, which crashed while landing at Little Rock, Arkansas on June 1, 1999. The reconstruction uses data retrieved from the Solid State Flight Data Recorder and excerpts from the Cockpit Voice Recorder transcript. The animation starts with the airplane at a barometric altitude of 664 feet, an airspeed of 154 knots, a Localizer beam deviation of 0.4 DOTS to the right and 0.6 DOTS above the Glide Slope. The animation shows the airplane touching down to the right of the runway centerline and continuing to track to the right nearly reaching the right edge of the runway before changing direction to left. The remaining landing roll shows the airplane passing through the runway centerline and eventually departing the left edge of the runway just before reaching the end of the runway. The instruments displayed represent the following (from upper right to lower left): Airspeed, Altitude, Artificial Horizon, Heading with Localizer and Glideslope Deviation, Rudder Position, Right inboard spoiler position, Derived control wheel position, Left outboard spoiler position, Thrust reverser position (unlocked or deployed), and Engine Pressure Ratio.
This animation is an update to the animation prepared for the Public Hearing, held on January 26 - 29, 2000, in Little Rock, Arkansas. The first change corrects the sign of the values driving the pointer on the rudder position instrument display. The second change corrects the heading data driving the airplane's direction to true heading values. The heading data used in the previous animation to drive the airplane's direction was based on the magnetic heading recorded on the Solid State Flight Data Recorder (SSFDR). However, the airplane's flight path, heading, and the position of the runway are based on the use of true heading, which is 3 degrees higher than magnetic heading. In both animations, the heading (with localizer and glideslope deviation) instrument display is driven by the magnetic heading data recorded on the SSFDR.
The Effect of Spoiler Deflection
On Airplane Braking Performance
Flight Crew Performance: Operational
Factors
Flight Crew Performance: Human
Factors
Survival Factors Including Airports
and Emergency Response
