Midway Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chicago, Illinois 60638
Wednesday, December 13, 1989 22:09 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A SNOW STORM & SNOW REMOVAL OPERATIONS WERE IN PROGRESS. CREW REPORTED BRAKING ACTION FAIR-TO-GOOD FIRST 2/3 OF RWY BUT DETERIORATING TO NIL APPROACHING DEPARTURE END. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TURN OFF RWY ALL BRAKING WAS LOST & AIRCRAFT SKIDDED OFF DEPARTURE END COLLIDING WITH BLAST FENCE AND LOCALIZER ANTENNA. THE LAST 1/3 OF THE RWY HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY SANDED ABOUT 1 HOUR PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADEQUATE SNOW REMOVAL BY AIRPORT PERSONNEL.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 12/13/1989
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 2209
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City CHICAGO
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60638
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MIDWAY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MDW
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 617
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2210 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID MDW
Elevation of weather observation facility 617
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 1200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1200
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
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 Moderate
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 36
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5071
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 13 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2230
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41993
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:15PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8969E
NTSB Number CHI90IA044
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MCDONNELL DOUGLAS
Aircraft Model DC-9-31
Aircraft Series Identifier DC-9-31
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight 104000
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 110
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MIDWAY AIRLINES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5035 W. 55TH ST
Aircraft Owner City CHICAGO
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60638
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 MIDA
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 DFW
Departure City FT. WORTH
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 2027
Departure Time Zone CST
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 4R
Runway Length 6102
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --