O'hare Intl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chicago, Illinois 60666
Tuesady, July 18, 1989 19:05 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE HYDROPLANED AFTER LANDING AND RAN OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY. RUNWAY INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE RUNWAY GROOVING ALONG THE AIRPLANE'S LANDING ROLL TRACK WAS WORN TO THE POINT TO WHICH IT WAS NONEXISTENT, AND THERE WERE LARGE AREAS OF STANDING WATER ON THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPORT HAD RECORDED 1.28 INCHES OF RAINFALL DURING THE FOUR HOUR PERIOD IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE INCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

HYDROPLANING ATTRIBUTED TO THE PHYSICAL CONDITION OF THE RUNWAY, AND THE AIRPORT PERSONNEL'S FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY MAINTAIN THE RUNWAY. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: THE RAIN AND THE WET RUNWAY.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 7/18/1989
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1905
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City CHICAGO
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60666
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 7
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1850 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?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 6000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
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) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
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) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Heavy
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 250
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5076
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 18 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1938
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41282
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:51PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1846U
NTSB Number CHI89IA140
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 MCDONNELL DOUGLAS
Aircraft Model DC-10-10
Aircraft Series Identifier DC-10-10
Aircraft Serial Number 48262
Certified Max Gross Weight 430000
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 302
Number of Engines 3
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Jul 10 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 121
Airframe Hours 28724
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name UNITED AIRLINES
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 66100
Aircraft Owner City CHICAGO
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60666
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name UNITED AIRLINES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address BOX 66100
Operator City CHICAGO
Operator State IL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 60666
Operator Code UALA
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 CLE
Departure City CLEVELAND
Departure State OH
Departure Country
Departure Time 1852
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 22R
Runway Length 7500
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --