O'hare Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chicago, Illinois 60618
Saturday, June 11, 1983 17:33 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE #1 ENG FAILED & THE TAKEOFF WAS ABORTED AT APRX 70 KTS. THE AIRCREW TAXIED THE ACFT CLEAR OF THE RWY & STOPPED ON THE REVERSE HIGH SPEED TURNOFF. THE AIRCREW OF ANOTHER COMPANY ACFT TRANSMITTED THAT THE #1 ENG WAS ON FIRE. THERE WAS NO FIRE WARNING LIGHT IN THE COCKPIT, BUT THE #1 ENG WAS SHUT DOWN & A FIRE EXTINGUISHER WAS DISCHARGED INTO THE ENG. ANOTHER RADIO CALL WAS RECEIVED THAT THE ENG WAS STILL ON FIRE & A SECOND EXTINGUISHER WAS DISCHARGED INTO THE ENG. THE OTHER 2 ENGS WERE ALSO SHUT DOWN & ALL OCCUPANTS WERE EVACUATED USING THE EMERGENCY EXITS. TWO PASSENGERS RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE 2ND STAGE TURBINE DISK HAD FRACTURED FROM FATIGUE WHICH INITIATED AT THE BASE OF CAVITIES IN THE BOTTOM OF THE AIR SEAL GROOVE. THE INSIDE & OUTSIDE SURFACESOF THE DISK AIR SEAL GROOVE SHOWED SIGNS OF FRETTING AS IF THE MATING AIR SEAL HAD BEEN MOVING FORE & AFT WITHIN THE GROOVE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/11/1983
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1733
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City CHICAGO
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60618
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 6
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1728 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 Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 9
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 15
Injury Total None 125
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 17
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1622
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 21957
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7273U
NTSB Number CHI83FA251
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 Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BOEING
Aircraft Model 727-222A
Aircraft Series Identifier 727-222A
Aircraft Serial Number 21420
Certified Max Gross Weight 210000
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 147
Number of Engines 3
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 113
Airframe Hours 14777
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
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/Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1733
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code TPA
Destination City TAMPA
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 22L
Runway Length 8071
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --