Casualties unknown

1988-10-17: Boeing 727-200 (N706AA) — American Airlines, Inc. — St. Thomas

St. Thomas, US

On October 17, 1988, a Boeing 727-200 (registration N706AA) operated by American Airlines, Inc. was involved in an aviation accident near St. Thomas. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 16 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 1781061362Data APIEditorial standards
Boeing 727-200
Photo: Pete Macklin / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

During a crosswind landing on Runway 10, the right wing contacted the runway. The crew reported a normal approach and smooth touchdown, with the captain noting a sudden left wing rise after touchdown.

Incident Overview

A landing incident occurred when the right wing of an aircraft was dragged along the runway during a crosswind landing on Runway 10. The crew reported that the approach was normal and the touchdown was smooth on the right main landing gear, with a right bank of 3 to 5 degrees.

Captain's Account

The captain stated that immediately after touchdown, the left wing suddenly rose. He rapidly applied aileron correction to counter the movement. The remainder of the rollout was normal, and the crew was unaware that the right wing had contacted the runway until later.

Flight Crew Statement

The crew indicated that they did not detect any abnormal contact or vibrations during the landing rollout. The discovery of the wing strike occurred after the flight, when damage to the right wing was observed.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001213X27107. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.