N90070

On May 12, 1997, about 1529 eastern daylight time, an Airbus A300B4-605R, N90070, flight 903, registered to Wilmington Trust Company Trustee, operated by American Airlines Inc., as a 14 CFR Part 121 scheduled domestic passenger flight, experienced an inflight loss of control, about 10 miles north of HEATT intersection in the vicinity of West Palm Beach, Florida. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and an IFR flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained minor damage. The airline transport pilot-in-command (PIC), commercial pilot first officer, 6 flight attendants, and 155 passengers sustained no injuries. One passenger sustained serious injuries, and one flight attendant received minor injuries. The flight originated from General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport, Boston, Massachusetts, about 2 hours 16 minutes before the accident.

According to American Airlines safety personnel, the PIC stated the cabin seatbelt signs were illuminated, and they were level at 16,000 feet. They had received an air traffic control (ATC) clearance to hold at HEATT intersection located southeast of West Palm Beach. Weather was depicted in the vicinity of the holding fix on the weather radar. They requested and received clearance from ATC to hold north of the holding fix. As they were approaching the holding fix, they encountered a loss of control. The airplane pitched up and down, rolled to the left and right, and descended rapidly. The flightcrew initiated the "Escape" procedure and recovered the airplane. The PIC was advised of passenger injuries by the flight attendants. He declared an emergency with ATC and landed at Miami International Airport, Miami, Florida, without further incident.