Near-crash uncovers crack in air safety system - USA TODAY, 05/27/2003 "Airbus understood that losing a tail fin would prove catastrophic. Even so, they kept their concerns to themselves until after a tail fin did break off one of its jets, causing the second-worst aviation disaster in U.S. history." "At 3:29:14 p.m. May 12, 1997, as [Flight 903] began a turn, it suddenly banked hard to the right, back to the left, then to the right again. Overall, the jet banked left or right nine times within 40 seconds. In the most severe bank, the jet tilted at 83 degrees ? its right wing pointed nearly at the ground. Eventually, the pilots increased the speed of the jet enough to regain control. Thirty minutes later, the jet landed in Miami, the cabin a mess of upended food carts, luggage and trembling passengers. The pilots' rudder movements were nearly identical to those on Flight 587. The co-pilot on the later flight whipped the jet's rudder left or right five times. On its last swing, the tail fin snapped off the fuselage." http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2003/05/27-air-safety.htm