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CNN Live Saturday

Investigation of Airbus Crash Finds Problem With Worldwide Impact

Aired February 09, 2002 - 18:12   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Investigators looking for the cause of the crash of an American Airlines Airbus back in November say that they've discovered a potential problem that could impact every type of commercial jetliner now in service worldwide. And as we hear from CNN's Charles Feldman in the aftermath of 9/11 there is concern that the problem could become more evident.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHARLES FELDMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We know that an American Airlines Airbus A-300 jet crashed in New York after its tail and rudder broke off. The National Transportation Safety Board says it still does not know why that happened to flight 587, but its analysis of that crash is causing concern that other types of airplanes could suffer a similar fate depending upon certain actions by pilots.

MARION BLAKEY, NTSB: We've calculated that certain rudder inputs by pilots made during certain stages of a flight can cause catastrophic failure of an airlines vertical stabilizer. The concern is not limited to A-300, 600s. It's not even limited just to Airbuses. In fact, what we're talking about here is something that's a concern industry wide.

FELDMAN: And that means some 15,000 airliners worldwide of every size, shape and model could be impacted. The problem, the vertical fin, that's the tall vertical part of the tail section, is simply not designed to extend the stress of certain extreme movements of the rudder. The rudder is attached to the vertical fin and helps the airplane fly straight.

But under certain conditions, pilots are trained to use the rudder more aggressively, to counter turbulence or in the event of an engine failure. In the aftermath of the September terrorist attacks, some airline pilots have openly talked about maneuvering the plane in ways to throw a would-be terrorist off balance.

BLAKEY: Such evasive maneuvers can be created by plane's rudder.

FELDMAN: The NTSB says pilots need to be better educated about the potential dangers of using the rudder too aggressively and the Federal Aviation Administration says it agrees. At least one aviation safety expert, a retired airline captain says he is not surprised by the NTSB findings and nor sure other pilots be. BARRY SCHIFF: I think what the NTSB is intending to do here is to discourage cowboys from let's say fishtailing the airplane rapidly to throw a hijacker off balance -- don't do that is really what they're saying.

FELDMAN: The NTSB finding does raise important questions. Can airliners of the future be designed differently to allow more vigorous use of the rudder and can the planes currently flying be modified to make them safer than they already are?

Charles Feldman, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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