Hearings announced

Air Safety Week, Jan 10, 2000

Apropos of the Flight 1420 accident, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will conduct hearings as part of its investigation Jan. 26-28, at the Arkansas Excelsior Hotel in Little Rock, Arkansas. Although only 10 of the 145 aboard the MD-82 were killed, Board Chairman Jim Hall said the crash is important because of its "potential for a much greater number of fatalities." The final report containing findings and recommendations will be dealt with at a "sunshine" hearing some months hence in Washington, DC. This particular hearing is slated to focus on a number of inter-related issues arising from the crash:

* Flight crew decision-making and the relationship to fatigue.

* The availability of weather data.

* Aircraft performance.

* Passenger safety and emergency response.

* Runway overrun protection.

* American Airlines' operational practices and procedures and FAA oversight.