http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/news/investigators/wabc_040505_investigatorsstor y_flight587.html Exclusive: New Questions About The Crash Of Flight 587 By The Eyewitness News Investigators (New York-WABC, April 5, 2005) - There are new questions tonight about what caused the crash of American Airlines flight 587 in Queens more than four years ago, killing 265 people died. Last month the same type of plane, an Airbus A-300, suddenly lost its rudder during a flight. That is the same problem that doomed flight 587. The Investigators' Jim Hoffer is here with his exclusive report. The former chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board tells Eyewitness News that this recent incident with a Canadian Airbus may require a reopening of the investigation into flight 587. Just months ago, the NTSB ruled it was pilot error that caused that crash shortly after takeoff from JFK. But the sudden loss of an Airbus rudder just weeks ago has aviation experts questioning the findings in the flight 587 crash. Pictures are sending shock waves through the aviation industry. They show how, three weeks ago, the rudder of an Airbus model A-310 suddenly tore off from the tail fin while in flight. The pilots of the chartered Canadian jet managed to return safely back to Cuba. In November 2001, 265 people died when a similar model Airbus crashed in Queens after it's tail fin and rudder broke off. The National Transportation Safety Board blamed the copilot for "unnecessary and excessive" use of the rudder. But that conclusion is now in question following the recent disintegration of an Airbus rudder. James Hall, Former NTSB Chairman: "They should look very closely at this incident with the possibility of recommending to the board that the flight 587 investigation be reopened." An NTSB spokesman tells Eyewitness News it is "following the Canadian investigation carefully," and that it has "sent an investigator to look at the tail fin and rudder." But the spokesman adds: "There's no way yet to know if there's any relation to flight 587." This aviation attorney who represents family's of flight 587 victims says there are stark similarities. Marc Moller, Aviation Attorney: "When two airplanes have serious failures, you've got to start thinking very seriously about the cause. Is the cause related to the materials?" The Airbus A-300's and A-310's tail and rudders are made of composite plastic fibers rather than the usual metal. Just days ago, the FAA issued a directive requiring visual and tap inspections of the rudders of some 400 of these planes being flown by American Airlines and Fed Ex. The former NTSB chair says the directive doesn't go far enough. James Hall, Former NTSB Chairman: "I don't know that we know enough to know those types of inspections are going to find those types of problems that caused the rudder to fall off the Airbus." In a statement to Eyewitness News, Airbus says it is inappropriate to speculate on the cause of the plane's rudder failure, but the manufacturer points out that in the crash of flight 587 the tail fin broke off with the rudder still attached. In this recent case, the tail stayed attached and only the rudder broke off. American Airlines tonight also reports finding two planes in its Airbus fleet that had to be repaired because of minor splits in the rudder material. Also today, Senator Chuck Schumer called for the NTSB to reopen its investigation into flight 587. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> DonorsChoose. A simple way to provide underprivileged children resources often lacking in public schools. 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