O'hare Intl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chicago, Illinois 60666
Monday, September 23, 1991 13:44 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING AFTER LANDING GROUND OPERATIONS, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A PARKED SEMI-TRAILER. THE SEMI HAD BEEN ESCORTED FROM A CONSTRUCTION SITE ON THE AIRPORT BY A CONTRACTED ESCORT SERVICE. THE ESCORT VEHICLE LED THE SEMI ALONG THE SHOULDER OF THE TAXIWAY INSTEAD OF FOLLOWING ESTABLISHED ROUTES. THE SEMI STRUCK A CONCRETE BUMPER AND THE DRIVER STOPPED TO ASSESS POSSIBLE DAMAGE. HE ESTIMATED THE SEMI-TRAILER WAS ABOUT 100 FEET FROM THE EDGE OF THE TAXIWAY WHEN THE AIRPLANE'S LEFT WING MADE CONTACT. THE FLIGHT CREW REPORTED THEY BELIEVED THEY HAD ADEQUATE CLEARANCE TO TAXI PAST THE PARKED TRAILER UNTIL JUST PRIOR TO IMPACT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FLIGHT CREW'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE FROM OBSTACLES DURING GROUND OPERATIONS. A RELATED FACTOR IS THE FAILURE OF THE DRIVERS OF THE ESCORT VEHICLE AND THE SEMI TRAILER TO FOLLOW ESTABLISHED PROCEDURES AND DIRECTIVES.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/23/1991
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1344
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City CHICAGO
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60666
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport O'HARE INTL
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 80
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1608
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45256
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N442AA
NTSB Number CHI91LA301
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MCDONNELL DOUGLAS
Aircraft Model DC-9-82
Aircraft Series Identifier DC-9-82
Aircraft Serial Number 49468
Certified Max Gross Weight 149500
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 --
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 12300
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF BOSTON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 100 FEDERAL STREET
Aircraft Owner City BOSTON
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 02110
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AMERICAN AIRLINES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address DFW INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Operator City DALLAS/FT.WORTH
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 75261
Operator Code AALA
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 SEA
Departure City SEATTLE
Departure State WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 800
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi
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 --