What happened
During the landing of flight AA102 at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, the aircraft encountered significant weather activity, including rain and multiple thunderstorms in the vicinity. Upon touching down on runway 17L, the aircraft encountered a crosswind of 15 knots, with gusts reaching approximately 20 knots.
As the aircraft transitioned to the ground, it began to weathervane. The pilot was unable to maintain the necessary ground track, leading to a loss of directional control. Consequently, the aircraft type/model (not specified in source) veered off the right side of the runway. Following the excursion, all 20 occupants were successfully evacuated from the plane. The incident resulted in 40 injuries, with two individuals reported to be in serious condition. The aircraft sustained damage that rendered it a total loss.
Findings
Investigations into the event indicate that the primary factor in the excursion was the pilot's failure to apply sufficient rudder input to counteract the weathervaning effect caused by the crosswind during the landing roll.