Weather problems that are unlikely to be a factorPosted at 10:10 AM GREENWICH HOUR
Simon King
BBC meteorological presenter and meteorologist
Although the cause of the accident is still unknown, the moment when there is an airplane incident near an airport, a detailed weather observation is taken.
Investigators will then use this information to determine if the time has had an impact.
We know that the accident occurred around 9:00 p.m. local time (02:00 GMT), and although there is a clear sky with visibility of more than 10 miles (16 km), there were winds in gusts At that time around Washington DC.
The wind came from a west-northwest direction with a speed of 16 MPH (26 km / h), with 26 mph (42 km / h).
The American Airlines flight will have used track 33 (direction 330º), which means that it would almost be landed in the wind (290 °), as an airplane would normally do.
However, there is always a wind of wind component which is something that pilots are aware in any landing.
In this case, the backwind on the surface was 10 MPH at 17 MPH (16-27 km / h). It is within the limits of the plane and the ability of a pilot to land, so I am sure that there would have been no weather concerns when approaching.
