​​On April 14, 1993, about 0659:43 central daylight time, American Airlines flight 102, a McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30, departed runway 17 left, following landing at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, Texas, after a nonstop, overnight flight from Honolulu International Airport, Hawaii. It was raining at the time of the landing, and there were numerous thunderstorms in the area. There were 189 passengers, 3 flightcrew members and 10 cabincrew members aboard the airplane. Two passengers received serious injuries, and 35 passengers, 1 flightcrew member, and 2 cabincrew members received minor injuries during the evacuation of the airplane. The airplane sustained substantial damage. 

​We determined that ​the probable cause of the accident was the failure of the captain to use proper directional control techniques to maintain the airplane on the runway. 

​As a result of the investigation of this accident, we made the following recommendations: 

To the Federal Aviation Administration: 

• ​Review the pilot training recordkeeping systems of airlines operated under FAR Parts 121 and 135 to determine the quality of  information contained therein, and require the airlines to maintain appropriate information on the quality of pilot performance in training and checking programs. (A-94-24)
• Amend the ATC handbook, 7110.65, Chapter 3, "Airport Traffic Control - Terminal," Section 1, General: paragraph 3-8, "Low Level Windshear Advisories," to state that tower controllers should issue the LLWAS advisory, "Low Level Windshear Advisories in Effect," whether or not the facility is equipped with an ATIS. The advisory should continue to be transmitted by ATC, relative to all runways in operation at the airport, until either the information is confirmed to be on the ATIS, or the prescribed 20-minute time limit from the time of the alert has expired. (A-94-25)
• Revise ATC handbook, 7110.65, Chapter 3, "Airport Traffic Control - Terminal," Section 1, General: paragraph 3-8, "Low Level Windshear Advisories," to require controllers to select for display all sensors on the LLWAS when adverse weather conditions, such as thunderstorms, are forecast or present in the terminal area to improve controller and pilot perception of wind conditions affecting the entire airport. (A-94-26)
• Require the manufacturers of rechargeable batteries to provide specific maintenance instructions and recommended care practices.  (A-94-27) 
• ​Issue an Advisory Circular that provides proper maintenance instructions to aviation battery maintenance and repair facilities. (A-94-28) 
• Require all 14 CFR Part 139 airports to perform runway friction tests regularly. (Class II, Priority Action) (A-94-29) Provide FAA certification and safety inspectors with the training and resources necessary to oversee airport runway friction measurement programs. (A-93-30) 
• Place airport certification and safety inspectors on the special emphasis workforce list. (A-94-31) 

To Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport: 

• Monitor surface friction on all operational runways on a more frequent basis, including the buildup of rubber on all runways, and perform rubber removal operations as required, in accordance with FAA Advisory Circular l 50/5320-12B. (A-94-32)  

To American Airlines, Inc:

• Review the guidelines for developing, implementing, reinforcing,  and assessing CRM training programs for flight crewmembers, as contained in FAA Advisory Circular 120-51 A, and ensure that the CRM program conforms to the guidance contained therein. (A-94-33)
• Examine the maintenance procedures and practices that resulted in the misconfiguring of two reverse thrust cascades on the No. 2 engine of N139AA. Determine if this is a single incident, or a more common procedural or maintenance practice error and make the appropriate changes. (A-94-34)