Chicago-O'hare Intl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chicago, Illinois 60666
Friday, August 12, 1988 15:50 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER AN UNEVENTFUL FLT, THE ACFT WAS LANDED AT CHICAGO-O'HARE INTL ARPT. THE ACFT WAS BEING SLOWED WITH REVERSE PITCH TO TURN OFF AT A HIGH SPEED, WHEN THE ELEVATOR PITCH UNCOUPLING MECHANIZM UNCOUPLED. THE ACFT WAS TAXIED TO THE GATE & THE PASSENGERS DEPLANED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. WITH THE MECHANIZM UNCOUPLED, EACH PLT HAD HALF OF THE PITCH CONTROL AUTHORITY FROM HIS RESPECTIVE CONTROL COLUMN. THE FLT MANUAL STATED THAT UNCOUPLING CAN OCCUR WHEN JAMMING IS NOTED AT ONE CONTROL COLUMN. ALSO, IT NOTED 'PROPER CREW COORDINATION IS REQUIRED IN ORDER TO HOLD THE CONTROL COLUMN AT ALL TIMES AND PREVENT EXCESSIVE ELEVATOR OR AILERON DEFLECTIONS DUE TO WIND AND/OR REVERSE AIR FLOW FROM PROPELLERS . . . . . IF REVERSE IS USED, AT LOW SPEEDS AND WITH HIGH POWER, THE REVERSE AIR FLOW MAY SHAKE VIOLENTLY THE FLIGHT CONTROLS, PARTICULARLY WITH NO CROSSWIND; THE CONTROL COLUMN MUST BE HELD FIRMLY AND/OR, BELOW 30 KTS, THE GUST LOCK MAY BE ENGAGED.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 8/12/1988
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1550
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City CHICAGO
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60666
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CHICAGO-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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1600 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 Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 33
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 225
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 46
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5113
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 12 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1555
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39762
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:02PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N426MQ
NTSB Number CHI88IA200
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 AEROSPATIALE
Aircraft Model ATR-42-300
Aircraft Series Identifier ATR 42-300
Aircraft Serial Number 037
Certified Max Gross Weight 40000
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 50
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Jul 25 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 120
Airframe Hours 2589
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SIMMONS AIRLINES
Aircraft Owner Street Address 900 N. FRANKLIN ST.
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 TVC
Departure City TRAVERSE CITY
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code ORD
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 28 2001 1:04PM
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 --