Chicago O'hare Internatio Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chicago, Illinois 60666
Monday, February 9, 1998 9:54 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The full report for NTSB Report Number AAB-01-01 is available at www.ntsb.gov/publictn/publictn.htm. On February 9, 1998, about 0954 central standard time (CST), a Boeing 727-223 (727), N845AA, operated by American Airlines as flight 1340, impacted the ground short of the runway 14R threshold at Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) while conducting a Category II (CAT II) instrument landing system (ILS) coupled approach. Twenty-two passengers and one flight attendant received minor injuries, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane, being operated by American Airlines as a scheduled domestic passenger flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 121, with 116 passengers, 3 flight crewmembers, and 3 flight attendants on board, was destined for Chicago, Illinois, from Kansas City International Airport (MCI), Kansas City, Missouri. Daylight instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the failure of the flight crew to maintain a proper pitch attitude for a successful landing or go-around. Contributing to the accident were the divergent pitch oscillations of the airplane, which occurred during the final approach and were the result of an improper autopilot desensitization rate.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/9/1998
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 954
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City CHICAGO
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60666
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport CHICAGO O'HARE INTERNATIO
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 667
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 956 Central Standard 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 CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 1600
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0.5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
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 23
Injury Total None 99
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 23
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1972
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 9 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1130
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record May 2 2002 11:23AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\HAMG
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N845AA
NTSB Number DCA98MA023
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Boeing
Aircraft Model 727-223
Aircraft Series Identifier 727-223
Aircraft Serial Number 20986
Certified Max Gross Weight 178500
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 150
Number of Engines 3
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Feb 6 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 12
Airframe Hours 59069
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AMERICAN AIRLINES
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4333 AMON CARTER BLVD
Aircraft Owner City FORT WORTH
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76155
Operator is an individual? No
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 AALA
Owner has at least one certificate --
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MCI
Departure City KANSAS CITY
Departure State KS
Departure Country --
Departure Time 843
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 2 2002 11:21AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\HAMG
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 14R
Runway Length 13000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --