# NTSB CHI85IA101: Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-31, N8959E, Chicago, IL, January 31, 1985

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: January 31, 1985, 11:06 local (17:06 UTC)
- Place: Chicago, IL
- Location: 41.9875° N, 87.9214° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs from NTSB’s distance and direction from CHICAGO O'HARE INTL (ORD), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.9875&lon=-87.9214&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 26 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 12910
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI85IA101
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/12910/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI85IA101

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of engine power(partial) - nonmechanical, takeoff - initial climb
  - weather condition - icing conditions (cause)
  - anti-ice/deice system - delayed, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - improper use of equipment/aircraft, pilot in command
  - engine assembly - too cold (cause)
  - precautionary landing - performed, pilot in command
  - information, pilot in command
  - terrain condition - wet (cause)

## Analysis

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.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N8959E](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8959E-1994-08-26), registration cancelled 1994-08-26, S/N 47157 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MCDONNELL DOUGLAS DC-9-31
- Registry model: [Douglas DC-9-31](https://openairdocs.org/model/douglas-dc-9-31) (registry code 3022065) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 47157
- Engines: P&W JT8D-1B 18000 lbs thrust turbo jet
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Operator: Eastern Airlines
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Destination: CLT, CHARLOTTE, NC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: ORD, O'Hare International Arpt, runway 32, 11,600 × 200 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 12,000 total, 200 in the last 90 days, 75 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 300° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 1 °F, dew point 12 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: ORD, 1 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Incident 19850131006329I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19850131006329I), Jan 31, 1985: Doug DC931, Chicago, IL. Low N1 speed nr 2 engine. Aborted. Airborne on second attempt, engines lost power, returned. Ice on both engines.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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