Accidents: AA 1420

One of the last weather-caused airline crashes in the United States was American Airlines Flight 1420 in Little Rock on June 1, 1999. As we mark its 20th anniversary, well tie together some of the radar and thunderstorm skills weve learned in previous articles. Youll also see brand-new radar scans of the storm from modern high-resolution display software-which is far more detailed than that in the NTSB report-and well contemplate what you might see if you encounter a similar storm on modern radar today.

Tim Vasquez

Monday, June 10, 2019 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

The 1999 American Airlines Flight 1420 crash resulted from a confluence of severe thunderstorms, crew fatigue, and critical procedural failures, including the omission of a pre-landing checklist, leading to aircraft misconfiguration and an inability to stop effectively.
The meteorological conditions involved an outflow-dominant storm complex, part of a weak bow echo, which generated a downburst and extreme crosswinds directly over the runway, as revealed by detailed radar analysis.
The incident serves as a crucial lesson for pilots on the paramount importance of strict adherence to procedures, understanding complex weather phenomena like bow echoes, and managing fatigue to prevent the rapid escalation of risks in challenging weather.

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Some of us might find it surprising that 20 years have passed since The Matrix and Britney Spears were cultural sensations. While we might argue that popular culture is trending downhill, U.S. airline safety is steadily improving, in part from over 52 years of collaboration between the NTSB, the FAA, and manufacturers. (Notwithstanding Boeing’s latest, um, adventures.)

One of the last weather-caused airline crashes in the United States was American Airlines Flight 1420 in Little Rock on June 1, 1999. As we mark its 20th anniversary, we’ll tie together some of the radar and thunderstorm skills we’ve learned in previous articles. You’ll also see brand-new radar scans of the storm from modern high-resolution display software—which is far more detailed than that in the NTSB report—and we’ll contemplate what you might see if you encounter a similar storm on modern radar today.