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

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.