O'hare International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chicago, Illinois 60666
Monday, November 15, 1993 15:13 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FLIGHT CREW REPORTED IT WAS A HEAVY TRAFFIC PERIOD, AND ATC WAS USING PARALLEL RUNWAYS. THEY REPORTED THEY WERE VECTORED ONTO A LONGER THAN NORMAL FINAL APPROACH, AND SLOWED DOWN EARLIER THAN USUAL. 25 DEG FLAPS WAS SELECTED TO MAINTAIN THE ASSIGNED AIRSPEED, BUT THEY DELAYED LANDING GEAR EXTENSION BECAUSE OF THEIR DISTANCE FROM THE RUNWAY. NUMEROUS GENUINE AND 'PHANTOM' TCAS TRAFFIC ALERTS WERE RECEIVED DURING THE APPROACH, WHICH DISTRACTED THEM FROM THE CHECKLIST. AT 500 FT AGL, THE GPWS SYSTEM BEGAN TO SOUND 'WHOOP WHOOP TERRAIN', AND THE CREW STATED THEY WERE DISTRACTED BY ALL THE NOISE IN THE COCKPIT, AND CONFUSED BY THE 'TERRAIN' MESSAGE FROM THE GPWS. WHEN THE GPWS WAS (AUTOMATICALLY) INHIBITED AT 50 FT AGL, THE CREW RECOGNIZED THE LANDING GEAR WAS NOT EXTENDED. THEY EXECUTED A GO-AROUND, AND THE AFT FUSELAGE STRUCK THE RUNWAY IN THE PROCESS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE CAPTAIN'S FAILURE TO ASSURE THAT THE LANDING GEAR WAS EXTENDED FOR LANDING. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: TRAFFIC ALERT DISTRACTIONS, THE FLIGHT CREW'S FAILURE TO USE THE CHECKLIST, AND INADEQUATE COMPANY SYSTEMS TRAINING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/15/1993
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1513
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City CHICAGO
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60666
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 11
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1450 Central Standard 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 CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1800
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) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
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 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 86
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2132
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 15 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1615
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:45PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N16762
NTSB Number CHI94FA039
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BOEING
Aircraft Model 727-227
Aircraft Series Identifier 727-227
Aircraft Serial Number 21245
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 152
Number of Engines 3
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Sep 4 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 512
Airframe Hours 43721
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name UNITED STATES TRUST CO. NY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 114 W. 47TH STREET
Aircraft Owner City NEW YORK
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 10038
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CONTINENTAL AIRLINES, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 4607
Operator City HOUSTON
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 77210
Operator Code CALA
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/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code IAH
Departure City HOUSTON
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1312
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 Dec 20 2002 12:42PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27L
Runway Length 10141
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --