Catch22,
Did you fly the A300-605R or the A300b4?
I fly the A300 for AA, and knew the pilots in question. The copilot who was flying the aircraft was civilian background. The Captain was x military (C 141s) Both had been at American for years and years and were consumate aviators. Neither was in the slightest bit ham handed.
The A300 605r rudder becomes progessively more sensitive the faster the aircraft gets. once you pass 230 knots or so the force required to reach the stop is less than the breakout force. At that point the only choice you have is full application of Rudder. Furthermore more the outboard ailerons were removed as part of the aerodymanic cleanup from b4 to 605R, further limiting roll authority laying the ground work for the Rudder trap.
Other aircraft were found to have damaged tails from similar incidents, even though AIRBUS insisted that visual inspections were good enough.
The A300-605R is THE ONLY AIRCRAFT IN THE WORLD that uses a blocker time (constant ratio) rudder load limiter that does not depower the rudder. So the pedal throws become shorter and shorter making the rudder exponentially more sensitive the faster you go. Most pilots will go their career without needing rudder after they leave the runway. IF you suddenly try and use it in the A300 605R you may kill yourself.
The A300B4 had a ratio changer type rudder load limiter so in that aircraft a full throw was always the same at your feet, although the throw at the rudder would reduce. In the605R blockers come up from the floor that restrict the movement. By the time you are going 250 knots a minute after takeoff full travel is achieved by a 1 inch movement of the rudder pedals vs the 4 inch movement that it took to reach full travel while rolling down the runway.
ITS A TRAP FOR POI.
Cheers
Wino