HANDOUT

American Airlines Flt 1420 (N215AA)

Runway overrun during landing
Overview
On 1st June 1999, at 2350hrs, American Airlines flight 1420 a DC9 (MD82), crashed after it
overran the end of runway 04R during landing at Little Rock National Airport in Little Rock,
Arkansas. The flight departed from Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas. There were 2 Flight Crew, 4
Cabin Crew, and 139 passengers aboard.

After departing the end of the runway, the airplane struck several obstacles; passed through a
chain link security fence, over a rock embankment to a flood plain, and collided with the
structure supporting the runway 22L approach lighting system.

The captain and 10 passengers were killed; the first officer, the flight attendants, and 105
passengers received serious or minor injuries; and 24 passengers were not injured. The
airplane was destroyed by impact forces and a post-crash fire.

This flight was the third and final leg of the first day of a 3-day sequence for the flight crew. The
flight sequence began at O’Hare Airport, Chicago. According to company records, the captain
checked in for the flight about 10:38hrs, and the first officer checked in about 10:18hrs.

Flight 1420, from Dallas/Fort Worth to Little Rock, was scheduled to depart about 20:28hrs.
However, before its arrival at Dallas/Fort Worth, the flight crew received an aircraft
communication addressing and reporting system (ACARS) message indicating a delayed
departure time of 21:00hrs. After deplaning from their inbound flight, the flight crew proceeded
to the departure gate for flight 1420.

The flight crew received the trip paperwork for the flight, which included an American Airlines
weather advisory for a widely scattered area of thunderstorms along the planned route and two
National Weather Service (NWS) in-flight weather advisories for an area of severe
thunderstorms 4 along the planned route.

The airplane originally intended to be used for the flight was delayed in its arrival to Dallas/Fort
Worth because of the adverse weather in the area. After 21:00hrs, the first officer notified gate
agents that flight 1420 would need to depart by 23:16hrs because of American’s company duty
time limitation.

The first officer then telephoned the flight dispatcher to suggest that he get another airplane for
the flight or cancel it. The accident airplane, N215AA, was substituted for use on flight 1420.
The flight’s 22:40hrs departure time was 2 hours 12 minutes later than the scheduled departure
time. The captain was the flying pilot, and the first officer was the non-flying pilot.

© Global Air Training Limited 2015 1.1

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The Captain
The captain, age 48, was hired by American Airlines in July 1979. The captain began his
aviation career with the U.S. Air Force in 1972, he left active military service in 1979 at the rank
of captain and began working for American Airlines afterward.

In July 1998, the captain was promoted to check airman on the MD-80. In January 1999, the
captain was promoted to chief pilot at the Chicago-O’Hare base. The base manager indicated
that the captain was selected for a chief pilot position because of his flying background,
company achievements, and leadership skills.

The captain had 10,234 hours total flying time including 7,384 hours as a company pilot-in-
command 5,518 of which were on the MD-80.

The First Officer

The first officer, age 35, was hired by American Airlines in January 1999. He qualified as a first
officer on the MD-80 on February 22, 1999. He was serving a 1-year probation period required
of new company hires.

A captain who flew with the first officer in May 1999 stated that he was an “above average new
hire who was very competent and knowledgeable.” Another captain who flew with the first
officer in May 1999 stated that he was an “experienced pilot with good cockpit discipline.”

According to American Airlines records, the first officer had accumulated 4,292 hours of flying
time, 182 of which were as a company MD-80 pilot.

Student Exercise

Observe the video and list any factors that could have impacted on the performance of the crew
or contributed to the accident.

Following the video there will be a group discussion on the events.

© Global Air Training Limited 2015 1.2