Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chicago, Illinois 60666
Sunday, April 28, 1996 15:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airline flight was at Flight Level 240 when the ARTCC advised the captain of possible moderate chop starting at Flight Level 220. The captain advised the flight attendants of this information. A few minutes later the flight was instructed to descend to Flight Level 190. The captain turned on the seat belt sign and requested that the passengers take their seats. During the descent the flight encountered turbulence as it entered a cloud layer at Flight Level 220. As the flight entered the cloud layer a flight attendant was dealing with a passenger who had gotten out of their seat. The flight attendant fell against the passenger seat arm and onto the floor during the turbulence encounter.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

a passenger disturbance that required the flight attendant to leave her seat. A factor in this accident was the encounter with turbulence as the flight attendant was performing her assigned duties.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 4/28/1996
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City CHICAGO
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60666
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1600 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID ORD
Elevation of weather observation facility 667
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5500
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 135
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5000
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 30 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 955
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 9:56AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7443U
NTSB Number CHI96IA145
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Boeing
Aircraft Model 727-222A
Aircraft Series Identifier 727-222A
Aircraft Serial Number 21897
Certified Max Gross Weight 190500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 154
Number of Engines 3
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Jun 8 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2557
Airframe Hours 45716
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name UNITED AIRLINES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 66100
Aircraft Owner City CHICAGO
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60666
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? Yes
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 SJC
Departure City SAN JOSE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1004
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code ORD
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 20 2002 12:42PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --