Aviation expert eyes pilot error

Police guard the wreckage of American Airlines Flight 331, near the seaside above the Port Royal main road in Kingston, before it was moved to a hangar at the Norman Manley International Airport last month. - Norman Grindley/Chief Photographer

A United States-based aviation expert is claiming that the decision by the pilot of American Airlines Flight 331 to land the aircraft in weather conditions it was not capable of handling might have contributed to the December 22 accident.

Michael Slack was responding to reports that the 737-800 aircraft which overshot the runway at the Norman Manley International Airport was attempting to land in a tailwind of 14 knots.

He said a 2004 study showed that the maximum tailwinds for take-offs and landings by the 737-800 model airplane was 10 knots in clear weather conditions.

See full story in lead4 (It could have been pilot's error - expert).