O'hare International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chicago, Illinois 60666
Tuesady, April 25, 2000 9:28 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane departed from a closed runway. No injuries were reported. The first officer's stated, "After normal preflight and gate departure. We advised metering that we were ready for taxi and would prefer 32R if available. Ground gave us clearance to taxi to 32R. Tower first had us hold short and then position and hold awaiting the departure of two aircraft from intersecting runways. We were then cleared for takeoff." The airport had issued a runway closure NOTAM. The flight's dispatch contained the NOTAM. The dispatch listed the runway status as open. ATIS did not list the runway closure. A FAA recommendation stated, "Add the suggestion to our list of good operating procedures that closure strips should not be used as departure strip runway separators. Closure strips should be placed and left in a prominent position on the podiums. ... In addition to Locals and Grounds receiving runway closure strips, both Flight Data and Ground Metering should have closure strips as well. ... Revise Flight Data, Clearance Delivery, and Ground Metering positions relief checklists to include runway closure information. Brief operational personnel that runway closures must be broadcast on the ATIS. Brief operational personnel that pilots must be informed that a runway is closed when it is requested for takeoff/landing. Brief operational supervisors of the requirement to ensure ATIS broadcasts are correct and contain pertinent information."

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the flightcrew not detecting the runway closure NOTAM and the Air Traffic Control personnel on the metering, ground, and local positions giving an improper clearance to taxi to a closed runway. Factors were the closed runway, ATIS information not issued by Air Traffic Control personnel, and insufficiently defined procedures of disseminating pertinent safety of flight information.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 4/25/2000
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 928
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City CHICAGO
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60666
Event Date Year 2000
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 668
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 856 Central Daylight 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 CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 52
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 28
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 16
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 167
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 10449
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Apr 26 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Sep 7 2001 7:37AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N779AN
NTSB Number CHI00IA125
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 777-223ER
Aircraft Series Identifier 777-223ER
Aircraft Serial Number 225
Certified Max Gross Weight 648000
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 253
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4087
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AMERICAN AIRLINES INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4333 AMON CARTER BLVD. MD 5662
Aircraft Owner City FORT WORTH
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76155
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 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 International
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code ORD
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 928
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LHR
Destination City LONDON
Destination State OF
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 12 2001 4:00AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 32R
Runway Length 10003
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --