I rarely make comment about an accident, but in this case the read is so odd that I will remark only on the text per se, assuming that the inquiry will make more sense than this text.
Approach control vectored the airplane on to a short approach to runway 35L. The airplane overshot the localizer. The first officer was chasing the glide slope.
This is a bad start to the final landing phase, even in good weather.
'Approach control asked American Airlines Flight 1115 if they wanted to go-around.'
I would say that this was a clue that they were not happy, even if the crew were.
'The captain said that they (the crew) could take the approach.' Please tell me that by now they were in one slot or the other.
'The first officer intercepted the glide slope at 500 to 600 feet above ground level (agl). '
At what rate I wonder. But of course by now nicely settled on the LOC ??
'The captain announced at 100 feet agl that he had the runway environment in sight.' From what angle I wonder.
'The first officer then looked outside and began flying a visual approach.'
So, from circa 80' in cr*p conditions and probably poor positioning, he had plenty of time to transfer to visual then?
'The captain said there was sufficient runway environment in sight.' If that is an exact quote, is this new planespeak? If so, sufficient for what?
'The captain said the first officer did not see the PAPIs (Precision Approach Path Indicator lights).'
So there wasn't quite sufficient ‘runway environment' in sight for both pilots then?
'At 50 to 75 feet agl, the first officer "dipped below the glide slope." The audible warning alarm sounded.'
Go back a few steps to "The first officer was chasing the glide slope" and the imagery becomes vivid at this point.
'The captain called for a go-around. The first officer attempted to go-around, but did not advance the throttles in time.'
So, they both sit there with the little airplanes way into the blue and don't open the taps. Well, this would explain the damage to the ventral regions perhaps
'The airplane "landed firm" but the crew noticed nothing wrong with the airplane.'
Other than it refused to fly with no power. At least the plane made a sensible decision.
Damage to the left this, left that, left the other.... So the wings were not quite level then?
'The crew taxied the airplane to the gate. When they got to the gate they noticed the hydraulic quantity indicator was low, but the pressure was normal. ' = Still squirting out. But as luck would have it, the brakes still worked.
If what we read here is true, this type of flying, sometimes acceptable on a bright clear day, is absolutely not acceptable with this reported weather.
This text may be written in a way that makes everything look bleak for the crew, but I just get a bad feeling about this pre-report. I am routinely flying AA now as SLF, and I want to feel confident that my intrepid colleagues will not be sculling about in poor weather conditions, chasing the ILS while below 1,000'.