Chicago-O'hare Int'l Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chicago, Illinois 60666
Tuesady, April 8, 1986 13:19 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED MOMENTS AFTER TOUCHDOWN. WINDS AS REPORTED BY THE TWR WERE FROM 350 DEGS AT 19 KTS GUSTING TO 29 KTS. THE CAPTAIN AND COPILOT REPORTED THE TOUCHDOWN WAS NORMAL. THE 3 FLIGHT ATTENDANTS SAID THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD AND STARTED SHAKING VERY BADLY. THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS ALSO REPORTED THAT THE PREVIOUS 2 LANDINGS HAD BROUGHT A GREAT DEAL OF VIBRATING/SHAKING TO THE AIRCRAFT. THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR TEE BOLT WAS FOUND SEPARATED. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE TEE BOLT SHOWED THE FRACTURE EMANATED FROM A SHALLOW PREEXISTING CRACK IN THE DRAG BRACE BEARING SURFACE RADIUS THAT THE METALLURGIST FOUND TO BE SHARPER THAN DESIRED. THE COLLAPSE OF THE LANDING GEAR IS CONSIDERED RELATED TO THE FRACTURED TEE BOLT. THE SAFETY BOARD IS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHETHER OTHER EVENTS, CIRCUMSTANCES OR CONDITIONS WERE PRESENT THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE TEE BOLT FAILURE IN THIS INSTANCE. THE OPERATOR HAS AMENDED THEIR REPAIR SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE TEE BOLTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/8/1986
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1319
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 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CHICAGO-O'HARE INT'L
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 1332 Central Standard 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 CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 113
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2698
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 8 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1332
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34465
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 3:38PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9054U
NTSB Number CHI86FA119
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BOEING
Aircraft Model 737-222
Aircraft Series Identifier 737-222
Aircraft Serial Number 19935
Certified Max Gross Weight 100800
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 --
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 32714
ELT Installed Yes
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 UNITED AIRLINES
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
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 OMA
Departure City OMAHA
Departure State NE
Departure Country
Departure Time 1205
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 27R
Runway Length 7416
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --