Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of Figures and Tables
- Preface and Acknowledgment
- Acronyms and Abbreviations
- Introduction: How Teamwork Is More Important than Technical Prowess
- 1 Rethinking Normal Accidents and Human Error – A New View of Crisis Management
- 2 USS Greeneville – The Downside of Charismatic Leadership
- 3 The Hillsborough Football Disaster – Explosive Team Chemistry
- 4 American Airlines Flight 587 – Latent Failures Align
- 5 Bristol Royal Infirmary – The Price of Organizational Overreach
- 6 US Airways Flight 1549 – Thinking through Crisis
- 7 Team Resource Management
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
4 - American Airlines Flight 587 – Latent Failures Align
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of Figures and Tables
- Preface and Acknowledgment
- Acronyms and Abbreviations
- Introduction: How Teamwork Is More Important than Technical Prowess
- 1 Rethinking Normal Accidents and Human Error – A New View of Crisis Management
- 2 USS Greeneville – The Downside of Charismatic Leadership
- 3 The Hillsborough Football Disaster – Explosive Team Chemistry
- 4 American Airlines Flight 587 – Latent Failures Align
- 5 Bristol Royal Infirmary – The Price of Organizational Overreach
- 6 US Airways Flight 1549 – Thinking through Crisis
- 7 Team Resource Management
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
An improperly trained pilot can break any airplane.
Captain John Lauber, Vice President of Safety and Technical Affairs, AirbusOn November 12, 2001, American Airlines Flight 587 departed New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport at 9:14 a.m. en route to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The beautiful, clear fall morning was jarringly transformed when, less than two minutes after takeoff, the Airbus A300–605R encountered wake turbulence from a previously departing Boeing 747 and broke apart in flight. All 260 people onboard as well as 5 people on the ground were killed, making this accident the second deadliest single aircraft crash on U.S. soil to date. Similarities between the tragic events of 9/11 just two months prior and this disaster, such as the airline, size airplane, time, and location of the crash just fifteen miles from New York City's World Trade Center, led many people to initially suspect terrorism. However, this fear proved unfounded when investigators quickly eliminated sabotage as a factor.
The morning prior to the accident proceeded uneventfully. The pilots arrived early and conducted their normal routines. The airplane was inspected, fueled, loaded, and ‘weight and balance’ calculations were within limits. The weather was clear, and winds were light out of the northwest. The boarding process took a little longer than usual due to the recently adopted changes in post-9/11 security procedures.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Thinking Through CrisisImproving Teamwork and Leadership in High-Risk Fields, pp. 63 - 97Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2011