Flight 1420 was commanded by Captain Richard Buschmann, age 48, a very experienced chief pilot with 10,234 total flight hours, of which approximately half were accumulated flying the MD-80 series of aircraft. Buschmann graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1972, serving in the Air Force until 1979. He held the rank of lieutenant colonel with the US Air Force Reserve Command, and was hired by American Airlines in July 1979. Experienced at flying the Boeing 727 for American, he transitioned to flying the twin-engine McDonnell Douglas MD-80 series in 1991.