Page:American Airlines Flight 23-11.pdf/2

Rh wheel had touched the ground, the ship ballooned to about 10 feet off the ground and floated for a distance of approximately 1000 feet. When the ship again made contact with the runway, the captain applied brakes, but without effect. The new asphalt runway, slick with water from the preceding rain, offered practically no traction to the wheels. Shoff attempted to groundloop to the left, but to no avail, and the airplane ran off the end of the runway, crossed a small intervening strip of sod, hit a wire fence at the end of the field, and came to rest astride the fence with its right wheel in a ditch.

Subsequent investigation revealed that the brakes were in good mechanical condition. The wheel tracks made by the airplane on the runway, however, show that the only time the brakes had been effective was when the airplane crossed a concrete strip about 175 feet in width at the end of the runway. This was insufficient to do more then slow the plane down. Ceiling and visibility in the vicinity were above the required minimums, but wind conditions were abnormal. A small tornado had passed through the business section of Little Rock, about 2½ miles from the airport, approximately a half—hour before the accident and had caused considerable damage, although the Weather Bureau, some nine blocks away from the path of the tornado, recorded no signs of unusual velocity.

PROBABLE CAUSE: Poor brake reaction due to slippery runway surface.

CONTRIBUTING FACTOR: Gusty wind on ground, causing airplane to balloon.