American Airlines Flight 625

Infobox Airliner accident|name=American Airlines Flight 625
Date=April 27, 1976
Type=Pilot error
Site=St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Fatalities=37
Injuries=
Aircraft Type=Boeing 727
Operator=American Airlines
Tail Number=airreg|N|1963|disaster
Passengers=81
Crew=7
Survivors=51

American Airlines Flight 625, a Boeing 727, crashed at St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands on April 27, 1976 while on a domestic scheduled passenger flight originating in Warwick, Rhode Island and ending at Saint Thomas, United States Virgin Islands with an intermediate stop at John F. Kennedy International Airport.

The American Airlines Boeing 727 (Registration N1963) overran the departure end of Runway 9 when landing at the Harry S Truman airport. The aircraft struck an Instrument Landing System antenna, crashed through a chain link fence, and traveled another 1,040 feet until stopped by a building. The aircraft was destroyed.

The airport at St. Thomas was notorious among pilots for its short (4,658 feet) runway. In fact, the Boeing 727 was the heaviest aircraft type authorized to use it, and even then it was only authorized in one direction.

Ultimately, the NTSB attributed this crash to pilot error on the approach – for example the maximum flap setting of 40 degrees was never applied, which meant that the aircraft's speed was 10 knots higher than Vref as it crossed the runway threshold. This, combined with the fact that the aircraft 'floated' from the turbulent winds in the area, meant that it was already 2,300 feet down the runway at the point of touchdown. The pilots did not act quickly enough on the brakes and proceeded to go full-throttle three seconds after touchdown, however they were unable to reach take-off speed because the 727's engines are slow-responding, taking about 6.6 seconds to power up. After five seconds of waiting for power, and with only 700 feet of runway left, the pilot panicked, according to the report, and applied full brakes. However, he forgot to point the nose of the plane down, which would have significantly slowed the aircraft. Further, the pilot forgot to apply reverse engine thrust until immediately before impact. Ultimately, the aircraft ran off the end of the runway and into a Shell gas station, killing 37 (35 passengers and two flight attendants) of the 88 on board. Thirty-eight other passengers and crew were injured and one person on the ground was seriously injured. The probable cause was the captain's actions and his judgment in not being aware that when he touched down 2,300 feet into the 4,658-foot runway, he did not have enough distance to perform a go-around.

As a result of the crash, American Airlines ended all jet flights to St. Thomas, flying instead to St. Croix (where the runway is much longer) from which passengers could fly to St. Thomas using propeller-driven aircraft. Jet flights resumed when the runway was lengthened to 7,000 feet.

ee also

* Lists of accidents and incidents on commercial airliners
* Air safety

References

* United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority, CAP479 World Airline Accident Summary Volume 2, ISBN 0-903083-44-2

External links

* [http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19760427-1 Aviation Safety Network for American 625]
* [http://amelia.db.erau.edu/reports/ntsb/aar/AAR77-01.pdf NTSB Accident Investigation Report] (PDF file)