How can it possibly be "clear" what caused this crash just two hours after it happened?

http://realserver.brooklyn.cuny.edu:...encoder/jfk.rm

Link to live JFk approach frequency. Quality is poor due to net congestion.

The UN building is about 15-20 miles away from the main impact site.

AA587 was apparently delayed about 30 min taking off - perhaps another piece of the puzzle.

The debris field seems scattered - There is a clip of an engine cowl in a gas station.

Media are going wild with every sort of speculation. Every Tom, Dick & Harry seems to be an expert!

CB

Sorry to see the BBC's poor conduct of reporting this incident.

Quite vile speculation..

:mad: :mad: :mad:

Regards speculation on bombs, terrorist actions, etc. .. Heard about this sittinng in an expat bar in southern China, first reaction was "terroris sh*t again" by expats. Local Chinese lauging about it... Cooler heads must prevail.. Lost one on take off possibly, What is the history of the engines on A300..

CNN Asia speculating engine and corresponding hydraulic failure.

One stupid "expert" has just said that losing an engine off a wing is quite common.
What an a**hole of a moron.
Why oh why don't we put all these experts on a flight and......

The worst speculation is by the kids in the stockmarket. Within an hour, the Dow had dropped 200 points.

Fabulous to have your company at the whim of such people. I have, by the way, worked in the City of London and for an American merchant bank (based in NYC) so I have seen this at first hand.

There are some reports (according to BBC) that there was smoke coming from one of the engines on take off, reported by the following aircraft.
Just another bit of uncomfirmed information.

CBC Radio just carried observations by Paul Marsina, a US Air Express pilot resident in crash area. He saw the a/c at full power in a turn then an explosion (could not say exactly where), then engine detached and a/c "nosedived".

Raw Data, I could not agree more but if I were to write it I would have worded it somewhat stronger.

Mooney, I am similarly saddened. I thought it was only the chicken noodle nerds that had such a scant regard for the truth!

My condolances to the families of the deceased. Another sad day for aviation.

Oh would you TT and I suppose you think that would be helpful?

Raw Data, the alternative would be an uncontained catostrophic engine failure. That now appears to be more likely.

This is a site for professional pilots to provide their thoughts. If you do not want to join in then do not criticise others who want to.

Sad Day for all concerned.

ITN had an "expert" on-air saying something like "well, with reports of a fire coming from the aircraft before it hit the ground, looks like mechanical failure, or possibly PILOT ERROR" - Whoaah, what a complete **********! I'll never belive an ITN "expert" again.

My thoughts are with you all.

JetAgeHobo said:
Are you asking how often has an engine fallen off an A300 wing? :confused:

I think it's quite common. Statistics show that precisely 1 in every 1,234,567 A300 takeoffs result in the departure of one or more engines.

In addition, otherwise reliable GE and RR engines are mysteriously affected as soon as they are bolted to an A300 airframe and show a marked increased in incidence of catastrophic failure. Experts think it is the notorious Airbus FBW system that causes structural weakening of the engine pylons.

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

CNN video of a GE CF6-80C2A5 engine on the lot of the Texaco Gas station shows a large hole in the side of the cowling, the result of an apparent uncontained turbine separation. N14053, a A300B4-605R, delivered July 1988, c/n 420.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/bus...000/528306.stm

Interesting graph to see BAs share price at the time of the accident.

AA spokesman in Dallas has just given the main hours run on airframe & engines

Aicraft was new in 1988

No 1 engine about 600 hrs run
No2 engine about 9700 hrs run.

AA gave the exact figures - I just didn't note them exactly.

Whitehouse spokesman says that "NO government agency released a statement, saying that the aircraft had suffered a pre impact explosion!"
Also comparisons now being drawn to the Concorde accident. :(
American Airlines Press conference:-
Airbus A-300
N14053
Delivered brand new on July 12th 1988.
Last "A" check Nov 11th
Last "B" check Oct 3rd
Overhaul Dec 9th 1999
Next Sched overhaul July 2002.
It has 2 GE CF6-08C2A5 engines.
Number 1 had 694 hrs since major overhaul.
Number 2 had 9788hrs since major overhaul.
Next overhaul due at 10000hrs.

God bless them all!
Eff Oh :(

AMR just announced the A300-600 came out of an A-Check yesterday

Out of curiosity, (having flown with GE engines maybe I should know). How long are these engines on the wing until major overhaul?
I agree too many experts and too little knowledge.