Agency says investigation complete, hearing to discuss probable cause(s) will take place in two months

NTSB Chairman Ellen Engleman Conners has announced that the Board has completed its investigation of American Airlines Flight 587 accident that killed 265 people on November 12, 2001. In comments made to the Associated Press, Engleman Conners stated that the agency will hold a hearing to discuss the probable cause(s) of the accident, most likely before the third anniversay of the crash. "We're very close," said Engleman Conners, while declining to discuss any details of the crash.

Flight 587 left JFK International Airport bound for the Dominican Republic, and just under two minutes later crashed into a residential neighborhood. 260 pax died in the crash, which also took five lives on the ground. So far, the evidence appears to point to sharp rudder movements causing the Airbus A300-600 to shed portions of its rudder and vertical stabilizer, with the subsequent loss of control of the aircraft.

American Airlines and Airbus continue to trade accusations -- the airline believes that Airbus did not inform them about similar past incidents, and the aircraft manufacturer says that the pilot operated the rudder improperly. However, Engleman Conners commented that the accusations have not had any effect on the investigation. "We are very focused on our investigation," she said. "The goal is to find the probable cause."

FMI: www.ntsb.gov, www.amrcorp.com, www.airbus.com