NTSB and Rudders
Wino,
Your reference to the USAir 427 accident in Pitt.and the 727 wake experiment indicating that the wake was of no consequence but only triggered a mechanical problem ignores the fact that wake turbulence can trigger a pilot's instinctive reaction to aircraft attitude transitions along with erroneous flight instrument readings, due to the wind shear forces in turbulence..
Excerpt from a NTSB letter dated January 21, 1998. "Pilots reaction to turbulence, MOSTLY INADVERTANT, does cause more problems than the jolt of turbulence itself."
What mechanical problem are you referring to?
The aircraft crashed in a left bank attitude. Both pilots left legs were fully extended (medical examiner statement) and both left rudder pedals were sheared off their supporting structures!
Pilot reactions to turbulence is fully documented in TWA 705, United 585, COPA 185, USAir 1016 and EgyptAir 990 accidents.
AA 587 is not included in this catagory as the pilots did not have the time or the conmtol force available to counteract the immense forces on the combined fin and rudder surface area.
Fraternally
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