O'hare International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chicago, Illinois 60666
Wednesday, September 2, 1987 19:05 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

SMOKE DETECTED IN THE CABIN RESULTED IN AN EVACUATION OF THE AIRCRAFT JUST AFTER BEING PUSHED BACK FROM THE JET-WAY. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION ESTABLISHED THAT A MALFUNCTIONING PACK VALVE HAD CAUSED THE AIR-CONDITIONING SYSTEM TO OVERHEAT CAUSING THE SMOKE. THE EMERGENCY SLIDE AT DOOR 2R INFLATED PARTIALLY INSIDE THE ACFT AND WAS NOT USABLE. AT THE TIME OF INITIAL INVESTIGATION THE SLIDE TRAY DOOR FROM 2R WAS FOUND LYING ON THE FLOOR INSIDE THE ACFT. EXITS 1L, 2L, 4L, 4R AND FOUR OVER WING EXITS WERE USED (THE CAPT HAD LOWERED THE FLAPS TO FULL DOWN FOR THE EVACUATION). IT WAS DETERMINED DURING INVESTIGATION THAT THE DOOR WAS NOT OPENED FULLY ENOUGH FOR EXIT 2R TO OPERATE PROPERLY. UAL MODIFIED THE TRAINING TO EMPHASIZE THE DOOR OPENING PROCEDURE. THE FA SAID SHE PULLED THE (MANUAL INFLATION) HANDLE ON 2R.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 9/2/1987
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
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 1987
Event Date Month 9
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 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 1822 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/Dark
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 126
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5072
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 2 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2013
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36279
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:48PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8078U
NTSB Number CHI87IA201
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-8-71
Aircraft Series Identifier DC-8-71
Aircraft Serial Number 45946
Certified Max Gross Weight 336000
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 152
Number of Engines 4
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 610
Airframe Hours 56166
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name UNITED AIRLINES
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City CHICAGO
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60666
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 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 Yes
Departure Airport Code ORD
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SMF
Destination City SACRAMENTO
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Standing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 20 2002 12:42PM
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 --