Chicago O'hare Intl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sheridan, Illinois 60551
Thursday, July 15, 2004 23:04 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82 scheduled passenger carrying flight encountered turbulence upon entering "buildup" while descending through 15,000 feet mean sea level (MSL). Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed prior to entering the cloud. The only injury to those aboard was to a flight attendant who was not seated and restrained at the time of the encounter. The seat belt sign had been on but the flight attendants were not instructed to be seated. The captain stated that weather radar displayed a faint green return from the cloud before the event. No lightning or precipitation was observed from the cloud. The first officer stated the radar showed some activity south of their course. The radar indicated a line of three or four well defined cells on the 80-mile range "painting green." They saw lightning "well" south of the airplane. Directly ahead, on the northern most side of the line, the radar displayed five to seven green dots. They estimated the top to be about 17,000 feet MSL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The convection induced turbulence and the flight attendant not being restrained.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/15/2004
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2304
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Sheridan
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60551
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 413042N
Event Location Longitude 0884221W
Event Location Airport CHICAGO O'HARE INTL
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 40
Degrees magnetic from airport 232
Airport Elevation 668
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2253 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 33
Weather Observation Facility ID ARR
Elevation of weather observation facility 706
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Night
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.88
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 29
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 17897
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jul 17 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1009
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 7 2005 10:33AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office O'Hare CMO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N585AA
NTSB Number CHI04LA196
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name McDonnell Douglas
Aircraft Model DC-9-82
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 53248
Certified Max Gross Weight 150500
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 Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Jul 26 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 28
Airframe Hours 38355
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AMERICAN AIRLINES INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO Box 619616 MD 4280
Aircraft Owner City DFW Airport
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75261
Operator is an individual? No
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 AALR
Owner has at least one certificate --
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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) --
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ABQ
Departure City ALBUQUERQUE
Departure State NM
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1916
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ORD
Destination City CHICAGO
Destination State IL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Apr 15 2005 4:54PM
User who most recently changed record SULP
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --