WASHINGTON
- The National Transportation Safety Board will
announce within two months the findings of its investigation into
the crash of American Airlines Flight 587, which killed 265 people
on Nov. 12, 2001.
NTSB Chairman Ellen Engleman Conners told
The Associated Press on Wednesday that the investigation has been
completed and a hearing to discuss the probable cause will be held
before the third anniversary of the accident.
"We're very close," said Engleman
Conners, who did not discuss any findings.
Flight 587 plunged into a New York
neighborhood 103 seconds after takeoff from John F. Kennedy
International Airport, killing all 260 passengers and five people
on the ground.
Investigators believe a series of sharp
rudder movements caused the Airbus A300-600's tailfin to break off
shortly after takeoff for a flight headed to the Dominican
Republic.
The investigation's central question has
been whether the pilot used the rudder improperly or if the
movements were caused by a flaw in the flight controls' design.
The probe has been characterized by
fingerpointing between American Airlines and Airbus. The airline
has accused Airbus of withholding information about similar
incidents; Airbus has said the pilots operated the plane
improperly.
Engleman Conners said that back-and-forth
has not hampered the investigation. "We are very focused on
our investigation," she said. "The goal is to find the
probable cause."
On the Web:
National Transportation Safety Board:
http://www.ntsb.gov
