O'hare Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chicago, Illinois 60666
Thursday, February 6, 1986 17:12 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FLIGHT CREW WAS UNABLE TO LOWER THE NOSE WHEEL LANDING GEAR THROUGH EITHER THE NORMAL OR BACKUP SYSTEMS. THE AIRPLANE SUBSQUENTLY MADE A NOSE GEAR UP LANDING RESULTING IN MINOR DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE. AN EXAMINATION OF THE NOSE GEAR DRAG BRACE ASSEMBLY REVEALED A BROKEN DRAG BRACE PAWL BLOCK LINK WHICH LEFT THE NOSE GEAR IN AN UP AND LOCKED POSITION AND PRECLUDED IT FROM BEING LOWERED IN FLIGHT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 2/6/1986
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1712
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City CHICAGO
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60666
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport O'HARE
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1734 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID ORD
Elevation of weather observation facility 667
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Bright
Lowest Ceiling Height 1500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) -2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 20
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 30
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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 51
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5064
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 6 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 33243
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7059U
NTSB Number CHI86IA083
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 BOEING
Aircraft Model 727-22
Aircraft Series Identifier 727-22
Aircraft Serial Number 18866
Certified Max Gross Weight 142000
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 172
Number of Engines 3
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Aug 9 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1462
Airframe Hours 49405
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
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
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 Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code OKC
Departure City OKLAHOMA CITY
Departure State OK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1437
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code ORD
Destination City CHICAGO
Destination State IL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 4R
Runway Length 8071
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --