O'hare Intl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chicago, Illinois 60666
Thursday, August 31, 1989 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

GLA268 (BEECH E33, N7135N) WAS CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF ON RWY 27L FROM THE BRANCH INTERSECTION BY A FULL PERFORMANCE LEVEL (FPL) CONTROLLER. AA9168 (MD-80, N490AA), WHICH HAD BEEN CLEARED TO RWY 27L BY A DEVELOPMENTAL CONTROLLER UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE FPL CONTROLLER, TWICE ACKNOWLEDGED THE TAKEOFF CLEARANCE FOR GLA268. GLA268 WAS AGAIN GIVEN TAKEOFF CLEARANCE BY THE FPL CONTROLLER. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME AA9168 INITIATED ITS TAKEOFF ROLL FROM THE END OF THE RWY. AA9168 SAW GLA268 AHEAD OF IT AND QUERIED THE DEVELOPMENTAL CONTROLLER. AT THIS POINT THE FPL CONTROLLER TOOK OVER AND INSTRUCTED AA9168 TO ABORT ITS TAKEOFF. THE PILOT OF GLA268 REPORTED HE WAS ABOUT 50 FT AGL WHEN HE HEARD AA9168 ABORTING THE TAKEOFF.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE CONTROLLER TO CLARIFY THE CONFUSING COMMUNICATIONS, TO CORRECT THE PILOT'S MISINTERPRETATION OF THE INSTRUCTIONS BEING GIVEN, AND THE FAILURE OF THE SUPERVISOR TO PROPERLY MONITOR THE SITUATION. FACTORS RELATED TO THE INCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S MISINTERPRETATION OF THE CLEARANCE, THE CONTROLLERS EXPECTANCY AND AURAL PERCEPTION OF THE COMMUNICATIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 8/31/1989
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 53
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 8
MidAir Collision Indicator --
On Ground Collision occurred ? --
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 667
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 50 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 Night/Bright
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) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5075
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43646
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 #2

Aircraft Registration Number N490AA N7135N
NTSB Number CHI89IA180A CHI89IA180B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage None None
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MCDONNELL DOUGLAS BEECH
Aircraft Model MD-80 E33
Aircraft Series Identifier MD-80 E33
Aircraft Serial Number CD1139
Certified Max Gross Weight 140000 3050
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft -- 4
Number of Engines 2 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown Unknown
Date of Last Inspection -- --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0 0
Airframe Hours -- --
ELT Installed No Yes
ELT Activated No No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown Unknown
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name AMERICAN AIRLINES GREAT LAKES AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No No
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No No
Operator Street Address PO BOX 619616 RR 3 BOX 115A
Operator City DALLAS SPENCER
Operator State TX IA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 75261 51301
Operator Code AALA GLBA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown Unknown
Operator Certificate Number -- --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not -- --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight -- --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail -- --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Positioning Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board Yes No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 53 53
Departure Time Zone CDT CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt -- --
Destination Airport Code CMH SPW
Destination City COLUMBUS SPENCER
Destination State OH IA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27L 27L
Runway Length 10141 10141
Runway Width 150 150
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --