O'hare International Arpt Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chicago, Illinois 60666
Thursday, January 31, 1985 11:06 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ABORTED TAKEOFF THAT BEGAN THIS SEQUENCE WAS DUE TO ENGINE INLET ICING. MOISTURE FROM THE WET RAMP WAS INGESTED INTO THE ENGINES AS THE ACFT TAXIED TO THE RUNWAY. NO ENGINE ANTI-ICE WAS USED BECAUSE NO VISIBLE MOISTURE EXISTED. FOLLOWING THE ABORT THE PILOT TURNNED THE ENGINE ANTI-ICE ON, BUT UNBEKNOWN TO HIM THE SYSTEM WAS UNABLE TO DE-ICE THE ENGINES. SUSPECTING, BUT NOT SURE THAT ICE WAS HIS ORIGINAL PROBLEM, HE DID A FULL-POWER ENGINE RUN-UP PRIOR TO HIS NEXT TAKEOFF. SINCE HIS ENGINE INDICATIONS LOOKED GOOD PRIOR TO BRAKE RELEASE. HE PERFORMED THE TAKEOFF BUT ABORTED THE FLIGHT SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF DUE TO A POWER LOSS ON BOTH ENGINES. ONE-FOURTH INCH OF ICE WAS FOUND ON THE ENGINE INLET BULLETS AFTER THE AIRCRAFT TAXIED BACK TO THE RAMP.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 1/31/1985
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1106
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City CHICAGO
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60666
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport O'HARE INTERNATIONAL ARPT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ORD
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 320
Airport Elevation 667
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1050 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 320
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 CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) -17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
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 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 26
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5016
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 31 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1122
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28026
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 N8959E
NTSB Number CHI85IA101
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-9-31
Aircraft Series Identifier DC-9-31
Aircraft Serial Number 47157
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 85
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
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
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name EASTERN AIRLINES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address MIAMI INTERNATINAL AIRPORT
Operator City MIAMI
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 33148
Operator Code EALA
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1105
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CLT
Destination City CHARLOTTE
Destination State NC
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 32
Runway Length 11600
Runway Width 200
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --