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NASA Langley to Assist in American Airlines Flight 587 Inquiry
By Tariq Malik
Staff Writer
posted: 04:18 pm ET
29 November 2001
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The National Transportation Safety Board has turned to NASA for help in its ongoing investigation of the Nov The National Transportation Safety Board has turned to NASA for help in its ongoing investigation of the November 12, 2001 crash of American Airlines Flight 587 in Belle Harbor, New York, hoping to learn why the planes tail section sheared off in mid-flight. The planes tail section and rudder parts, made up of a composite of carbon-fiber reinforced epoxy, are on their way to NASAs Langley Research Center, where scientists specializing in such materials can study them. Transportation safety board officials hope the scrutiny will lead to an explanation of how and why the tail section separated from the rest of the plane. "This isnt the first time weve worked with NASA," said Ted Lopatkiewicz, a spokesman for the transportation safety board, adding that it is a first using the Langley center to help study a composite material. In the past, the board has looked to NASA for assistance with wind tunnel tests and icing protocols for planes. Officials with NASAs Office of Aerospace and Technology said the center has also participated in studies of debris from crash of TWA Flight 800 in July of 1996. Lopatkiewicz said board officials decided to enlist the aid of Langley scientists because of their extensive experience working with composite materials and structures for civilian and military aircraft, as well as spacecraft. American Airlines Flight 587 was an Airbus A300 carrying 251 passengers and nine crewmembers. The tail section rudder parts are expected to arrive at Langley by Dec. 3.
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