The hearings are available live (Eastern US time) here:
www.ntsb.gov.
What's more amazing is that the crew asked for an inspection of the rudder, because something wasn't working correctly in the pre-flight check.
"According to statements taken by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey 2 , between 0730 and 0800, an American Airlines maintenance crew chief received a radio call from the cockpit of flight 587 reporting that the number two pitch trim and yaw damper would not engage."
http://www.ntsb.gov/Events/2001/AA58...its/240246.pdf see page 3.