Page:CAB Accident Report, American Airlines Flight 20.pdf/16

 air speed of approximately 105 miles per hour and was endeavoring to contact the ground at the intersection of runways 5 and 6, as was the common practice of the airlines. Captain Bryant stated that while the aircraft was gliding close to the ground prior to landing the wheels made very light contact with the ground at a point about 1,000 feet south of the runway range light in the unpaved portion of the runway No. 6, north of the intersection with runway No. 5. Simultaneously with the contact a violent squall accompanied by heavy rain struck the aircraft, causing it to balloon up to a height of at least 25 feet, and its left wing to drop appreciably. In order to maintain control captain Bryant applied partial power and by manipulating the controls, the airplane was returned to a level attitude. When the aircraft ballooned into the air he noticed a "green glow" dead ahead through the windshield which he believed to be the range lights at the south end of runway No. 6. Not being able to see any red obstruction lights and believing he was correctly lined up with runway No. 6 he then elected to continue his landing instead of going around a second time. Upon contacting the ground again in a normal landing position he suddenly saw that he was heading directly into the levee bordering the airport on the east side, and at that moment he first noticed the red obstruction lights along the top of the levee. He endeavored to avoid this levee by application of full right brake and full power to the left engine. Due to the wet slippery surface of the field the aircraft did not groundloop as intended but turned only slightly sideways and skidded on into the levee. Captain Bryant's stated that he was not able to see the red obstruction lights on the levee until he saw the levee itself in the glow of his landing lights.