But not for lack of effort. Seasoned NTSB investigators, who relish the opportunity to leave their offices behind, are working around the clock — spending the days searching through wreckage, not stopping for food or rest. Like all detective work, fresh evidence is the best and NTSB staffers move relentlessly in the first few hours and days after an accident. Evenings are spent sharing information with colleagues and outside experts — like specialists from the airplane's manufacturer, Airbus, and representatives from American Airlines — who can offer their own guidance and experience.
Yet after a half century of jet flight, there may be no precedent to look back on. How the accident actually happened is what has even grizzled veterans scratching their heads. The result of what happened is emerging: the plane came violently apart and sent huge sections of the aircraft hurtling through the air. The so-called vertical tail fin — the vertical part of the tail with the distinctive 'AA' logo on it — was recovered from the water looking oddly clean and undamaged, looking as good as the day it left the hangar.
Eyewitnesses and 587's pilots knew there was something very strange going on as the aircraft rolled down the runway at John F. Kennedy Airport Monday morning. The NTSB's George Black said the plane was "wobbly." That, pilots will tell you, is not a word you ever want associated with an aircraft of any size — at any speed.