Investigation Summary
American Airlines Flight 1502 was a proficiency training flight operating in clear weather conditions. The aircraft, named Flagship Oklahoma, had been in service for approximately two years. After nearly an hour of flight, the aircraft was observed by witnesses on the ground performing unusual maneuvers. One witness, a local fisherman, reported seeing the aircraft perform multiple rolls and noted a possible engine fire, though this was not conclusively proven by wreckage analysis. Another witness observed the jet in a 60 to 70 degree dive at an altitude of only 100 feet before it disappeared behind dunes and struck the water. The impact was extremely violent, fragmenting the airframe and splitting passenger seats in half. Investigators found the flaps were likely set to 30 degrees, a configuration used for canyon approach training. While the investigation considered the possibility that two engines were inoperative at the time of impact, the lack of flight recorders and the extent of the damage prevented a definitive conclusion.
Final Conclusions
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) determined the probable cause to be a loss of control for an undetermined reason. While the specific trigger for the loss of control remained unknown, the investigation highlighted the inherent risks of practicing multi-engine failure maneuvers at low altitudes. Consequently, the FAA abolished the requirement for 707 flight crews to practice landings with two engines failed on the same wing during training flights.
Photographic Evidence (1)
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Systems & Failure Modes
Flap System
The wreckage indicated a 30-degree flap setting, which is consistent with the configuration used for a canyon approach maneuver.
Pratt & Whitney JT3C-6 Engines
Investigators examined the possibility that two engines were inoperative during the final maneuver, though this could not be proven.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was a Boeing 707-123 named Flagship Oklahoma, delivered new in 1959.
- 02The Manufacturer Serial Number (MSN) for the aircraft was 17629/8.
- 03All six occupants were American Airlines crew members, including four captains, one instructor, and one trainee.
- 04Wreckage analysis indicated a probable flap setting of 30 degrees at the time of impact.
- 05The crash occurred just one month after the 1960 New York mid-air collision, the world's deadliest aviation disaster at the time.
- 06The aircraft was valued at approximately $5 million at the time of the loss.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Revision of 707 Training Requirements
The FAA removed the requirement for Boeing 707 flight crews to practice landings with two failed engines on the same wing to reduce the risk of loss-of-control accidents during training.