O'hare International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chicago, Illinois 60666
Sunday, April 4, 1993 20:50 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE CREW HAD AN ELECTRICAL FAULT INDICATION AS THEY STARTED THE LEFT ENGINE FOR A NIGHT DEPARTURE. THEY SHUT DOWN THE LEFT ENGINE TO BOARD A MAINTENANCE TROUBLESHOOTER. THE MECHANIC IDENTIFIED A FAILED PART AND OBTAINED ITS REPLACEMENT. THE FAILURE EXTINGUISHED THE AIRPLANE'S EXTERNAL LIGHTS AND PREVENTED ITS ACCEPTING EXTERNAL ELECTRICAL POWER. A BAGGAGE HANDLER FROM ANOTHER AIRLINE ARRIVED BEHIND THE AIRPLANE WITH BAGS FOR THE FLIGHT. THE CREW PREPARED TO SHUT DOWN THE RIGHT ENGINE TO ACCOMPLISH THE PART REPLACEMENT AND SIGNALLED THE MARSHALLER TO APPLY EXTERNAL POWER TO MAINTAIN LIGHT IN THE PASSENGER CABIN. THE MARSHALLER WAS AT THE EXTERNAL POWER RECEPTACLE ON THE FRONT RIGHT FUSELAGE WHEN THE HANDLER WALKED FORWARD ALONG THE RIGHT SIDE AND INTO THE TURNING PROPELLER. THE BAGGAGE HANDLER WAS ON HER SECOND DAY IN THAT CAPACITY AND ON NIGHT SHIFT. SHE HAD BEEN AN AIRCRAFT CLEANER ON DAYSHIFT FOR AN OPERATOR WHOSE FLEET IS ALL JET. THE JOB CHANGE ENTAILED NO CLASSROOM OR PRACTICAL TRAINING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the unqualified baggage handler's attempting to load an unfamiliar airplane and inadequate training by the airline which employed the baggage handler.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/4/1993
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2050
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City CHICAGO
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60666
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 4
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 667
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2019 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 Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 1
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 48
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2107
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 4 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2115
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:13PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N422MQ
NTSB Number CHI93FA129
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AEROSPATIALE
Aircraft Model ATR-42-300
Aircraft Series Identifier ATR-42-300
Aircraft Serial Number 028
Certified Max Gross Weight 36870
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 49
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 90
Airframe Hours 13694
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SIMMONS AIRLINES
Aircraft Owner Street Address 900 N. FRANKLIN, SUITE 800
Aircraft Owner City CHICAGO
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60610
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 SIMA
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 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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SBN
Destination City SOUTH BEND
Destination State IN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Standing
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --