AA A321 takes off after smashing ground sign
 

American Airlines A321-231 (N114NN) taxiing out at New York-JFK New York on flight #AA300 to Los Angeles with 109 pax was damaged when its left outer wing struck a sign leaving a large dent on the wing.

Despite the damage, the flight took off.

The pilots then contacted the New York Center controller and stated their intentions to return to JFK Airport, citing they had a "strong roll to the left" on departure

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....ceb92012b0.jpg

https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/aa3...G&__tn__=*NK-R

US News reporting says passenger witnesses claim the plane went to a 90 degree angle on takeoff and hit a runway light. Doesn't sound right.

Word is that at rotation, aircraft lurched left follow by left wing drop, and hit a runway remaining sign before liftoff.

Wake turbulence maybe?

Hahahaha :D

What sort of a sign would be installed on movement areas of an airport so high off the ground that a taxying aircraft could hit it with its outer wing? What is that, 15 or 20 feet up?

Other possible scenarios are available. :O

Ernst Udet
 

Arch Du Liber!
This chap was brilliant , 62 enemy aircraft shot down in WW1
Barnstormer in the 20s and developed the Stuka in the 1930s together with Melitta Staufenberg.

AA300 reported 'we were banking an uncontrolled bank 45 degrees to the left' and 'an uncommanded roll to the left as we rotated' on takeoff to New York Center on 134.6 as they were leveling at FL200 and said they wanted to return to JFK. They said the aircraft was 'fine' but that they wanted to get it checked out.

Ironically they departed 31L from KE intersection with winds of 010 at 17 reported by tower prior to takeoff roll.

So 04L would have actually been less crosswind, but they were departing 04L and 31L KE dependingn on the first fix on the route.
(Flights with first fix RBV are in that scenario generally departed 31L KE)

Blackadder: Always treat your kite like you treat your woman - Lord Flasheart

The R & N thread is becoming the domicile of non-pilots and jokers with little emphasis paid/ professional input applied, to the story being told who think Blackadder was funny. It was in parts, like the curate's egg.

But really, this thread should be a serious discussion (does anyone remember how to do that?) on current affairs and industry news, rumours, happenings, reported mishaps and upsets and accidents.

Save the other stuff for Jet Blast.

Some funny things happening with PPRune site at the moment; thread jumps, lost posts, etc.
The Blackadder post seems right out of context (to me).

Maybe just a victim of the thread jumping.

Which, being interpreted (and de-autocorrected to Ach! Du Liebe) meaneth: F'ing Hell!

So...

The aircraft struck something on the ground while taxiing and no one onboard noticed anything before the takeoff?

The pilots did not feel a thump?

The flight attendants did not feel, hear or even see anything?

The passengers on the left side of the aircraft with window seats did not see anything?

The pilots reported problems with the handling of the aircraft at takeoff but yet climbed to FL200?

What's going on here?

Is it conceivable a part of the sign remained hooked on the wing for a few seconds?

What appears to have happened is that for yet undetermined reasons, right at rotation the aircraft lurched to the left with a significant wing drop. During the ensuing excursion, the left wingtip struck the 5000' remaining marker before becoming airborne. Passengers and flight attendants did report the damage to the flight deck, and the aircraft returned to JFK.

That is about all we know right now. Let the investigators investigate.