Attorney Donald Nolan calls on Federal Aviation Administration to Revoke Type Certification for Airbus A300-600s.

Business Editors/Legal Writers

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 3, 2002

Serious doubts regarding safety of aircraft emerge as 34 of the

planes continue to carry American passengers on daily flights

"The investigation into the crash of American Airlines Flight 587 has raised more questions than answers. This cannot be just an investigation into a single accident, but rather an investigation into whether a particular type of airplane is safe to fly," said Donald J. Nolan, Nolan Law Group.

"The nature and extent of the testing now being performed begs the question of why this was not done during the certification process," said Nolan. "The Federal Aviation Administration needs to revoke the type certification of the Airbus A-300-600s and start from the beginning. This is a public safety issue for the flying public."

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) probe into the crash is in its sixth month. At a press conference today, to be held at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Langley Research Center, NTSB Chairman Marion Blakey and Dr. Mark Shuart of NASA will discuss composite research.

The NTSB has raised a number of concerns about the Airbus A300-600 series since the investigation began. Investigators have focused on composite materials of the rudder and vertical stabilizers, rudder system design flaws, and the role wake turbulence played in the crash.

The airplane's composite rudder and vertical stabilizer sheared from Flight 587 on November 12 last year, killing 260 on board and five people on the ground when it came down in Queens shortly after takeoff from John F. Kennedy Airport. Nolan Law Group represents a number of families whose family members perished in the crash.

"Our consultants, Greg Feith, a former NTSB accident investigator, and Kevin Darcy, a former chief accident investigator for Boeing, suggest the same type of structural failure that caused Flight 587 to fall from the sky could very well happen again to another Airbus A300-600," continued Nolan. "The American Airline pilot's union earlier this year urged that the entire fleet of aircraft be grounded. If these entrusted professionals have such strong concerns, shouldn't the flying public?"

American Airlines is the only passenger carrier in the United States utilizing the aircraft. The airline is beginning to phase out the 34 A-300s in its fleet because of the age of the aircraft. Federal Express and United Parcel Service operate 69 of the aircraft and globally over 600 A300-600s and A-310s are in use.