O'hare International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chicago, Illinois 60666
Friday, August 19, 1994 13:08 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A HARD LANDING ON INITIAL TOUCHDOWN. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE NOSE TIRES FAILED, DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE GENERAL AREA OF THE NOSE LANDING GEAR SUPPORT STRUCTURE, AND THERE WAS FOREIGN OBJECT DAMAGE TO THE #1 AND #3 ENGINES. THE FLIGHT DATA RECORDER (FDR) DATA INDICATED THAT THE INITIAL TOUCHDOWN ACCELERATION HAD A VALUE OF 1.9488 G'S. AT THAT TIME, THE THROTTLE RESOLVER ANGLES INDICATED 52.03, 51.33 AND 49.22 DEGREES FOR THE NUMBER ONE, TWO AND THREE ENGINES, RESPECTIVELY. ALSO, THE FDR REVEALED THAT AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED FOUR OSCILLATIONS IN THE PITCH AXIS. THE MAXIMUM PITCH ANGLE DURING THIS TIME WAS +5.98 DEGREES NOSE UP, AND THE MINIMUM VALUE WAS -2.46 DEGREES NOSE DOWN. DURING THIS TIME FRAME, SPOILER POSITIONS NEVER EXCEEDED 8.0 DEGREES OF DEFLECTION AND THE NOSE WEIGHT ON WHEELS PARAMETER CHANGED FOUR TIMES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FIRST OFFICER'S IMPROPER FLARE AND IMPROPER USE OF FLIGHT CONTROLS DURING THE LANDING FLARE/TOUCHDOWN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/19/1994
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1308
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City CHICAGO
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60666
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport O'HARE INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ORD
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 668
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1250 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID ORD
Elevation of weather observation facility 668
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 12000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 267
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 6003
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 19 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1330
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:59AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number IDUPO
NTSB Number CHI94MA290
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 129: Foreign
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name McDonnell Douglas
Aircraft Model MD-11F
Aircraft Series Identifier MD-11F
Aircraft Serial Number 48429
Certified Max Gross Weight 620900
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Foreign Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 277
Number of Engines 3
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Aug 12 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 45
Airframe Hours 9390
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ALITALIA
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 00050 FIUMICINO
Operator City ROME, ITALY
Operator State OF
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code AAPF
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight International
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code FCO
Departure City ROME, ITALY
Departure State OF
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code ORD
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 22R
Runway Length 7500
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --