Date:	Wednesday 10 April 2019
Time:	20:40
Type:	Airbus A321-231 (WL)
Owner/operator:	American Airlines
Registration:	N114NN
MSN:	6046
Year of manufacture:	2014
Total airframe hrs:	18408 hours
Engine model:	IAE V2533-A5
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 110
Aircraft damage:	Substantial, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	New York-John F. Kennedy International Airport, NY (JFK) -   United States of America
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:	New York-John F. Kennedy International Airport, NY (JFK/KJFK)
Destination airport:	Los Angeles International Airport, CA (LAX/KLAX)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
American Airlines flight 300, an Airbus A321, experienced a left roll during takeoff from runway 31L at New York's JFK Airport. During the left roll, the airplane’s left wingtip struck the ground and a runway distance marker on the left side of the runway.
The flight crew completed the takeoff and safely returned to the airport 28 minutes later.

The wind at the time resulted in a 14- to 17-knot crosswind from the right, which was below the company’s 35-knot crosswind limitation. The initial takeoff roll proceeded normally, with the captain (the pilot flying) applying left rudder pedal to counter the right crosswind. The captain stated that he kept the airplane near the runway centerline and that "everything was ok" when the airplane reached 80 knots. When the airplane reached the rotation speed of 156 knots while still on the ground, the captain made a large left rudder pedal input, from 8° to 25°, during a 1.5-second timeframe. In response to this large rudder pedal input, the airplane’s heading deviated to the left, and its lateral acceleration increased to a maximum of 0.32 G.
During a postaccident interview, the captain stated the airplane made a "significant" turn to the left. The captain also stated that he was "looking at the runway edge" and knew he had to get the airplane into the air. Digital flight data recorder (DFDR) data showed that the sidestick was pulled to its full nose-up position and a right sidestick position. During the aft sidestick and right sidestick application to rotate the airplane, the rudder remained close to its full-left deflection for 3 seconds. As the nose of the airplane lifted off the ground, the airplane began to roll to the left, and the left roll rate accelerated as the main landing gear lifted off the ground, reaching a maximum of 37° left wing down as the captain moved the rudder and sidestick to full right and to full aft. These movements arrested the left roll and allowed the airplane to continue to lift off.
The large left roll angle immediately after liftoff resulted in the left wingtip striking the ground and a runway distance marker, part of which remained imbedded in the wingtip.
No airplane flight control abnormalities were noted, except for a left aileron deflection as the left wingtip scraped the ground. Thus, the left roll that occurred was in response to the captain’s left rudder pedal input during rotation of the airplane.

Probable cause: The captain’s excessive left rudder pedal input during the takeoff ground roll, which caused a large heading deviation and a left roll upon rotation that resulted in the left wingtip striking the ground.

00:51 UTC / 20:51 local time:
KJFK 110051Z 36017KT 10SM SCT250 10/M03 A2998 RMK AO2 SLP153 T01001028

23:51 UTC / 21:51 local time:
KJFK 102351Z 33015KT 10SM FEW070 FEW250 11/M03 A2996 RMK AO2 PK WND 34026/2257 SLP145 T01111028 10161 20111 53034

Flightaware track
ABC7NY

photo (c) Seat 16A; New York-John F. Kennedy International Airport, NY (JFK); 10 April 2019

photo (c) NTSB; New York-John F. Kennedy International Airport, NY (JFK); 10 April 2019; (publicdomain)

photo (c) Eric Sallard; Los Angeles International Airport, CA (LAX/KLAX); 16 April 2015; (CC:by-sa)

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