Chicago O'hare Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chicago, Illinois 60666
Saturday, August 27, 1988 16:50 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

SCHEDULED DOMESTIC PART 121 FLIGHT COULD NOT GET LANDING GEAR TO EXTEND ON APPROACH TO CHICAGO MIDWAY AIRPORT. AFTER MISSED APPROACH, CREW TRIED UNSUCCESSFULLY TO EXTEND GEAR MANUALLY USING PROCEDURES IN COCKPIT CHECKLIST AND FLIGHT OPERATIONS MANUAL. EMERGENCY GEAR-UP LANDING WAS MADE AT CHICAGO O'HARE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED A DISCONNECTED GEAR SELECTOR ACTUATING ROD FROM THE NORMAL LANDING GEAR RETRACT/EXTENSION ACTUATING ASSEMBLY. CREW DAMAGED MANUAL GEAR EXTENSION MECHANISM IN MANUAL EXTENSION ATTEMPTS. FAA APPROVED PROCEDURAL CHECKLIST HAD OMITTED CRITICAL STEP IN MANUAL GEAR EXTENSION PROCEDURE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER PROCEDURAL CHECKLIST IN WHICH A CRITICAL STEP WAS NOT LISTED.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/27/1988
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1650
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City CHICAGO
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60666
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CHICAGO 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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1642 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 160
Weather Observation Facility ID ORD
Elevation of weather observation facility 667
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
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 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 7
Injury Total None 61
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 7
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2384
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 27 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1705
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39098
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:02PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N852TW
NTSB Number CHI88FA223
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BOEING
Aircraft Model 727-31
Aircraft Series Identifier 727-31
Aircraft Serial Number 18571
Certified Max Gross Weight 152000
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 124
Number of Engines 3
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Apr 29 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 720
Airframe Hours 56099
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TRANS WORLD AIRLINES, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 605 THIRD AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City NEW YORK
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 10158
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name TRANS WORLD AIRLINES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 605 THIRD AVE.
Operator City NEW YORK
Operator State NY
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 10158
Operator Code TWAA
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 STL
Departure City ST. LOUIS
Departure State MO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1457
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MDW
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 14L
Runway Length 10003
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --