What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Narrative: June 18, 1996. American airlines flight 636 diverted into Richmond international airport due to a #1 and #2 compass misalignment. Inspectors from this office inquired about the diversion with the station manager when we were directed to the aircraft and the crew. A review of the aircraft maintenance log revealed three open discrepancies on the compass system (pir's 89,90,91). Further review of the mechanical history unveiled seven previous pilot discrepancies on compass reliability (pir's 72, 74, 76, 77, 78, 79, 82). This is being reported as an incident due to the fact that both #1 and #2 compass systems were not reliable. Flight crew had to rely on the wet compass for navigation. If weather conditions would have required an instrument approach or an approach into an area requiring navigation through terrain, this navigational malfunction could have resulted in a tragedy. The subsequent day. Flight 1715 departed Richmond and the compass alignment problem returned. After further investigation, the wet compass was found to be inaccurate as well. Note: crew history information requested but not attained. Crew history information irrevelant to incident.
As the FAA filed it
NARRATIVE: JUNE 18, 1996. AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT 636 DIVERTED INTO RICHMOND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT DUE TO A #1 AND #2 COMPASS MISALIGNMENT. INSPECTORS FROM THIS OFFICE INQUIRED ABOUT THE DIVERSION WITH THE STATION MANAGER WHEN WE WERE DIRECTED TO THE AIRCRAFT AND THE CREW. A REVIEW OF THE AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE LOG REVEALED THREE OPEN DISCREPANCIES ON THE COMPASS SYSTEM (PIR'S 89,90,91). FURTHER REVIEW OF THE MECHANICAL HISTORY UNVEILED SEVEN PREVIOUS PILOT DISCREPANCIES ON COMPASS RELIABILITY (PIR'S 72, 74, 76, 77, 78, 79, 82). THIS IS BEING REPORTED AS AN INCIDENT DUE TO THE FACT THAT BOTH #1 AND #2 COMPASS SYSTEMS WERE NOT RELIABLE. FLIGHT CREW HAD TO RELY ON THE WET COMPASS FOR NAVIGATION. IF WEATHER CONDITIONS WOULD HAVE REQUIRED AN INSTRUMENT APPROACH OR AN APPROACH INTO AN AREA REQUIRING NAVIGATION THROUGH TERRAIN, THIS NAVIGATIONAL MALFUNCTION COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A TRAGEDY. THE SUBSEQUENT DAY. FLIGHT 1715 DEPARTED RICHMOND AND THE COMPASS ALIGNMENT PROBLEM RETURNED. AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION, THE WET COMPASS WAS FOUND TO BE INACCURATE AS WELL. NOTE: CREW HISTORY INFORMATION REQUESTED BUT NOT ATTAINED. CREW HISTORY INFORMATION IRREVELANT TO INCIDENT.
Other reports on N203AA · 4
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.