- Date
- August 16, 2000, 11:40 local (16:40 UTC)
- Place
- Chicago, IL
- Injuries
- 105 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Pushback/towing
- Aircraft
- N764ATBoeing 727-264
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 2, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000816043069A
- Case key
- 50058
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
the fractured tow bar and the inadequate weld of the tow bar by an unknown person.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The tow bar fractured through a weld on a tow bar during the pushback of a Boeing 727. Weld material remained partially attached at both ends of the separation and in some locations the weld was not attached to its adjoining surface.
Factual narrative
On August 16, 2000, at 1140 central daylight time, a Boeing 727-264, N764AT, operated by American Trans Air as flight 253, was substantially damaged during pushback at the Midway Airport, Chicago, Illinois. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 121 scheduled domestic passenger flight was operating on a flight plan. The 3 crew members, 4 flight attendants and 98 passengers aboard the aircraft reported no injuries. The driver of the pushback tractor reported no injuries. The flight was destined to the Dallas Fort Worth Airport, Dallas, Texas and was originating at the time of the accident.
The driver of the pushback tractor reported that when he applied the brakes to the tractor, the steering wheel "jumped" in his hands and the tractor veered to the right. The tow bar subsequently fractured at the location of a weld and the aircraft impacted the tractor's mirror.
Inspection of the tow bar revealed that the fracture occurred within the weld material with some of the weld material still attached to the tow bar. Photos of the tow bar are included in this report.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N764AT
- Reported as
- Boeing 727-264
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22984
- Airframe hours
- 49,819
- Engine
- P&W JT8D-17 SER, 16,000 lbs thrust, turbo jet
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- American Trans Air
- Registered owner
- First Security Bank
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · July 17, 2000 · 219 hours before
- Departed
- MDW
- Destination
- DFW · Dallas, TX
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- MDW · Chicago Midway
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 37
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 8,407 total · 2,654 in this make and model · 4,777 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 21° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 162 °F, dew point 131 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MDW
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N764AT · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.