The case describes the weather associated with the crash landing of American Airlines Flight 331 on 22 December 2009 at the Norman Manley Airport in Kingston, Jamaica. The airplane skidded during landing, overran the runway, broke through the perimeter fence, crossed a highway, and stopped about 40 meters from the Caribbean Sea. The fuselage broke into three major pieces but there were no fatalities; however, numerous injuries were reported.
Heavy rain and a 7 m/s (14 kt) tail wind component were reported at the time of the accident. We will examine synoptic charts, satellite imagery, soundings, and radar imagery to identify features that created hazards to this flight prior to and during landing including heavy rainfall, severe weather, low visibility, low ceiling, and turbulence.
22 December 2009 (22-23 December)
Quasi-stationary front, squall lines, upper-level cyclone and trough, upper-level jet streak, a developing surface low, and a low-level jet.