| Status: | Final |
| Date: | 09 FEB 1998 |
| Time: | 09:54 CST |
| Type: | Boeing 727-223 |
| Operator: | American Airlines |
| Registration: | N845AA |
| C/n / msn: | 20986/1125 |
| First flight: | 1975-05-06 (22 years 10 months) |
| Total airframe hrs: | 59069 |
| Engines: | 3 Pratt & Whitney JT8D-9A |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 6 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 115 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 121 |
| Airplane damage: | Substantial |
| Airplane fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | Chicago-O'Hare International Airport, IL (ORD) (United States of America)
 |
| Phase: | Approach (APR) |
| Nature: | Domestic Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Kansas City International Airport, MO (MCI/KMCI), United States of America |
| Destination airport: | Chicago-O'Hare International Airport, IL (ORD/KORD), United States of America |
| Flightnumber: | 1340 |
Narrative:American Airlines Flight 1340 crashed short of the runway while on a coupled instrument landing system (ILS) category II approach to runway 14R at Chicago-O’Hare. The approach was normal until the airplane passed through 200 feet above ground level (agl), where the airplane started a pitch oscillation that grew in time. The airplane descended below the ILS glide slope, then climbed above it, and finally descended below it again, impacting the ground 300 feet short of the runway threshold. Upon impact, the airplane slid over the threshold and then off the right side of the runway, where it came to rest..
The weather at the time of the approach was ceiling overcast at 100 feet, 1/2-mile visibility in freezing fog, temperature and dew point were 28 degrees F. The runway 14R RVR was 1,400 feet variable 1800 feet.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The failure of the flight crew to maintain a proper pitch attitude for a successful landing or go-around. Contributing to the accident were the divergent pitch oscillations of the airplane, which occurred during the final approach and were the result of an improper autopilot desensitization rate."
Sources:
Follow-up / safety actions
NTSB issued 7 Safety Recommendations
| Issued: 19-FEB-1999 | To: FAA | A-99-010 |
| IDENTIFY ALL AIRPLANES OPERATED UNDER TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 121 WITH LIFERAFT CEILING STOWAGE COMPARTMENTS OR COMPARTMENTS THAT FORMERLY HELD LIFERAFTS THAT OPEN DOWNWARD AND ISSUE AN AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE TO LIMIT THE DISTANCE THAT THOSE COMPARTMENTS CAN OPEN. (Closed - Acceptable Action) |
| Issued: 19-FEB-1999 | To: FAA | A-99-011 |
| REEXAMINE THE DESIGN OF SEATBELTS INSTALLED ON PASSENGER SEATS ON AIR CARRIER, AIR TAXI, AND COMMERCIAL AIRPLANES TO DETERMINE THE REASON SOME HAVE BECOME UNHOOKED FROM THEIR SEAT ATTACHMENTS DURING TURBULENCE OR A HARD LANDING AND ESTABLISH A SUITABLE MEANS OF ENSURING THAT THE SEATBELTS REMAIN ATTACHED TO THEIR SHACKLES DURING ALL MODES OF FLIGHT. (Closed - Acceptable Alternate Action) |
| Issued: 01-JUN-2000 | To: FAA | A-00-041 |
| REQUIRE OPERATORS OF BOEING 727 AIRCRAFT EQUIPPED WITH SPERRY AEROSPACE SP-50 AND SP-150 AUTOPILOTS TO PERFORM THE MODIFICATIONS DESCRIBED IN SPERRY SERVICE BULLETIN (SB) 21-1132-121 (FOR SP-50 AUTOPILOTS) AND SB 21-1132-122 (FOR SP-150 AUTOPILOTS) IF THESE 727 AIRCRAFT ARE USED FOR COUPLED INSTRUMENT LANDING SYSTEM CATEGORY II APPROACHES AT FLAP SETTINGS LESS THAN 40. (Closed - Acceptable Action) |
| Issued: 01-JUN-2000 | To: FAA | A-00-042 |
| DEVELOP SETS OF OPERATING LIMITATIONS FOR SPERRY AEROSPACE SP-50 AND SP-150 AUTOPILOTS ON COUPLED INSTRUMENT LANDING SYSTEM APPROACHES THAT ARE APPROPRIATE FOR THE DESENSITIZATION SCHEDULES USED BY THESE AUTOPILOTS SO THAT EVERY POSSIBLE DESENSITIZATION SCHEDULE HAS A CORRESPONDING SET OF OPERATING LIMITATIONS. THE LIMITATIONS SHOULD ADDRESS APPROACH FLAP SETTINGS AND AIRSPEEDS SPECIFICALLY, AND SHOULD ALSO CONSIDER TOLERANCES ON WINDS, CAPTURE ALTITUDES, GLIDE SLOPE ANGLES, AND/OR OTHER PARAMETERS THAT COULD ADVERSELY AFFECT AUTOPILOT PERFORMANCE AND SAFETY OF FLIGHT. (Closed - Acceptable Action) |
| Issued: 01-JUN-2000 | To: FAA | A-00-043 |
| ADVISE ALL OPERATORS OF BOEING 727 AIRCRAFT EQUIPPED WITH SPERRY AEROSPACE SP-50 AND SP-150 AUTOPILOTS TO INFORM THEIR PILOTS, MAINTENANCE, AND ENGINEERING PERSONNEL OF THE DANGERS OF CONDUCTING COUPLED INSTRUMENT LANDING SYSTEM APPROACHES AT AIRSPEEDS THAT ARE NOT CONSISTENT WITH THE DESENSITIZATION SCHEDULE OF THE AUTOPILOTS, AND NOTIFY THE OPERATORS THAT THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN ASKED TO DEVELOP OPERATING LIMITATIONS FOR THE USE OF THESE AUTOPILOTS ON COUPLED APPROACHES THAT WILL ENSURE THAT THE APPROACHES ARE CONDUCTED IN A MANNER CONSISTENT WITH THE AUTOPILOT DESIGN. (Closed - Acceptable Action) |
| Issued: 01-JUN-2000 | To: FAA | A-00-044 |
| REVIEW THE CERTIFICATION OF ALL AUTOPILOT SYSTEMS THAT USE TIME-BASED DESENSITIZATION SCHEDULES AND DEVELOP OPERATING LIMITATIONS, AS NECESSARY, FOR THE USE OF THESE AUTOPILOT ON COUPLED INSTRUMENT LANDING SYSTEM APPROACHES. THE LIMITATIONS SHOULD ADDRESS APPROACH FLAP SETTINGS AND AIRSPEEDS SPECIFICALLY, AND SHOULD ALSO CONSIDER TOLERANCES ON WINDS, CAPTURE ALTITUDES, GLIDE SLOPE ANGLES, AND/OR OTHER PARAMETERS THAT COULD ADVERSELY AFFECT AUTOPILOT PERFORMANCE AND SAFETY OF FLIGHT. (Closed - Acceptable Action) |
| Issued: 01-JUN-2000 | To: FAA | A-00-045 |
| ADVISE ALL OPERATORS OF AIRCRAFT EQUIPPED WITH AUTOPILOT SYSTEMS THAT USE TIME-BASED DESENSITIZATION SCHEDULES TO INFORM THEIR PILOTS, MAINTENANCE, AND ENGINEERING PERSONNEL OF THE DANGERS OF CONDUCTING COUPLED INSTRUMENT LANDING APPROACHES AT AIRSPEEDS THAT ARE NOT CONSISTENT WITH THE AUTOPILOT DESENSITIZATION SCHEDULE, AND NOTIFY THE OPERATORS THAT THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN ASKED TO DEVELOP OPERATING LIMITATIONS FOR THE USE OF THESE AUTOPILOTS ON COUPLED APPROACHES THAT WILL ENSURE THAT THE APPROACHES ARE CONDUCTED IN A MANNER CONSISTENT WITH THE DESIGN OF THE AUTOPILOT. (Closed - Acceptable Action) |
Show all AD's and Safety Recommendations
Photos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does
not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Kansas City International Airport, MO to Chicago-O'Hare International Airport, IL as the crow flies is 643 km (402 miles).
