Nashville International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Nashville, Tennessee 37217
Wednesday, May 15, 1991 8:13 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

FLT 1206 WAS ON FINAL FOR A CAT II ILS RWY 2L APCH. THE LAST RPRTD RVR PRIOR TO LANDING WAS 700 FT, & 1200 FT RVR WAS RPRTD AS THE FLT CROSSED THE OUTER MARKER. MINIMUMS FOR THE APCH WERE 1200 FT RVR. ON SHORT FINAL, THE CAPT SAW APCH LIGHTS & DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPILOT AS THE ACFT DSCNDD BELOW 200 FT AGL. THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN 408 FT SHORT OF THE RWY THRESHOLD, DAMAGING THE APCH LIGHTING SYS & THE ACFT. DFDR READOUT REVEALED THE ACFT RATE OF DSCNT INCREASED FROM 720 FPM TO 1400 FPM AFTER THE AUTOPILOT WAS DISCONNECTED, WHILE AIRSPEED REMAINED CONSTANT. INSPN OF THE ACFT NAV EQUIP & ARPT NAV AIDS REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF MALFUNCTION. ALTHOUGH THE CAPT STATED THAT HE HAD THE APCH LIGHTS VISUALLY, HE WAS UNAWARE THE ACFT HAD LANDED SHORT. THE FLT ENGINEER STATED HE FELT THE ACFT HAD INDEED LANDED SHORT. THE CAPT DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPILOT AT ABOUT 200 FEET AGL, ALTHOUGH COMPANY PROCEDURES REQUIRED USE OF THE AUTOPILOT DOWN TO DECISION HEIGHT (100 FT AGL).

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE CAPTAIN'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER GLIDE PATH AFTER DISCONNECTION OF THE AUTOPILOT DURING THE FINAL APPROACH. FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT WERE: THE CAPTAIN'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW COMPANY PROCEDURES FOR CATEGORY II APPROACHES, THE FIRST OFFICER'S FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY MONITOR THE APPROACH DURING THE FINAL PHASE, PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN, AND THE LOW VISIBILITY AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 5/15/1991
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 813
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City NASHVILLE
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 37217
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport NASHVILLE INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BNA
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 599
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 801 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID BNA
Elevation of weather observation facility 599
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Dawn
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 700
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 138
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5012
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44850
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 9:57AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N882AA
NTSB Number ATL91IA094
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BOEING
Aircraft Model 727-223
Aircraft Series Identifier 727-223
Aircraft Serial Number 21521
Certified Max Gross Weight 178000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 154
Number of Engines 3
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AMERICAN AIRLINES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 61616
Aircraft Owner City DFW AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75261
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AMERICAN AIRLINES, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 61616
Operator City DFW AIRPORT
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 75261
Operator Code AALA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MSY
Departure City NEW ORLEANS
Departure State LA
Departure Country
Departure Time 618
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 2L
Runway Length 7702
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --