NTSB Factual Report

The National Transportation Safety Board’s full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov. The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAR-12/01.

On December 29, 2010, about 1138 mountain standard time, American Airlines flight 2253, a Boeing 757-200, N668AA, ran off the departure end of runway 19 after landing at Jackson Hole Airport (JAC), Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The airplane came to rest about 730 feet past the departure end of the runway in deep snow. The 179 passengers, 2 pilots, and 4 flight attendants on board were not injured, and the airplane sustained minor damage. The airplane was registered to and operated by American Airlines as a scheduled domestic flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 121. Instrument meteorological conditions in light snow prevailed at JAC at the time of the landing, and the flight operated on an instrument flight rules flight plan. The flight originated from Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), Chicago, Illinois, about 0941 central standard time.

NTSB Probable Cause

a manufacturing defect in a clutch mechanism that prevented the speedbrakes from automatically deploying after touchdown, and the captain’s failure to monitor and extend the speedbrakes manually. Also causal was the failure of the thrust reversers to deploy when initially commanded. Contributing to the incident was the captain’s failure to confirm speedbrake extension before announcing their deployment, and his distraction caused by the thrust reversers’ failure to initially deploy after landing.