The first major structural component failure of a composite part on a commercial airplane occurred during the crash of American Airlines Flight 587. The fractured composite lugs that attached the vertical stabilizer to the aircraft tail and the fractured composite honeycomb rudder were examined as part of the National Transportation Safety Board investigation of the accident. In this paper the composite fractures are described and the resulting clues to the failure events are discussed.


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    Title :

    Fractographic Examination of the Vertical Stabilizer and Rudder from American Airlines Flight 587


    Contributors:

    Publication date :

    2005


    Size :

    12 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English




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    Materials Examination of the Vertical Stabilizer from American Airlines Flight 587

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