# NTSB CHI88IA015: Boeing 737-322, N305UA, Chicago, IL, October 29, 1987

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: October 29, 1987, 15:47 local (21:47 UTC)
- Place: Chicago, IL
- Location: 41.9769° N, 87.9081° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at CHICAGO O'HARE INTL (ORD), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.9769&lon=-87.9081&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 147 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report July 10, 1989
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Safety recommendations: Yes
- NTSB case key (mKey): 13981
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI88IA015
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/13981/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI88IA015

## Sequence of events

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

- Near collision between aircraft, takeoff
  - control tower service - inadequate, atc personnel(lcl/gnd/clnc) (cause)
  - atc clearance - improper, atc personnel(lcl/gnd/clnc) (cause)
  - visual lookout - not attained, pilot of other aircraft
  - lift-off - continued, pilot in command
  - maneuver - performed, pilot in command
- Near collision between aircraft, approach - vfr pattern - final approach
  - control tower service - inadequate, atc personnel(lcl/gnd/clnc) (cause)
  - atc clearance - improper, atc personnel(lcl/gnd/clnc) (cause)
  - visual lookout - not attained, pilot in command
  - lift-off - continued, pilot of other aircraft
  - maneuver - performed, pilot of other aircraft

## Analysis (aircraft 2)

THE SOUTH RWYS (32L, 9R, & 4R) WERE BEING CTLD BY THE SOUTH LCL CTLR (SLC) & THE NORTH RWYS (9L & 4L) WERE CTLD BY THE NORTH LCL CTLR (NLC). AT 1543:26, SLC TOLD UNITED FLT 973 (BOEING 737) TO HOLD ON 32L & EXPECT A 3 MIN DELAY BFR TKOF. AIR WISCONSIN FLT 954 (FOKKER F27) HAD BGN A VISUAL APCH TO 9R. AT 1545:23, AFTER COORDG WITH NLC, SLC CLRD THE F27 TO CIRCLE (SIDE STEP) FOR A LNDG ON RWY 9L & CHG FREQ TO NLC. THE FINAL APCH PATH (EXTD CTRLN OF 9L) CROSSED OVR RWY 32L. AT 1546:53, SLC CLRD THE 737 TO TKOF. AT APRX V1 (133 KTS), THE 737 PLTS SAW THE F27 CONVERGING, AS IT WAS ABT TO CROSS THEIR INTENDED TKOF PATH. THE F27 CREW DID NOT SEE THE 737. THE 737 CAPT DID NOT THINK HE COULD SAFELY CROSS UNDER THE F27 OR ABORT THE TKOF. HE ELECTED TO AVOID THE F27 BY CLBG OVER THE OTR ACFT RATHER THAN PASSING UNDER IT. AFTER THIS INCIDENT, THE TWR PROCEDURE WAS CHGD SO THAT NO TKOF CLNC WOULD BE ISSUED TO A DEPG FLT ON RWY 32L UNTIL ARRIVING ACFT, CLRD TO LND ON RWY 9L, HAD REACHED THE THRESHOLD OF THAT RWY.

## Aircraft 1

- Registration: [N305UA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N305UA-2013-03-18), registration cancelled 2013-03-18, S/N 23666, built 1987 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BOEING 737-322
- Registry model: [Boeing 737-322](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-737-322) (registry code 138447Y) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [CFM International CFM56 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/cfm-international-cfm56-series) (registry code 13802, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 23666
- Engines: GE CFM56-3 20000 lbs thrust turbo fan
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Registered owner: United Airlines
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: ORD
- Destination: OMA, OMAHA, NE
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: ORD, Chicago O'Hare, runway 32L, 13,000 × 200 ft, concrete

## Aircraft 2

- Registration: [N511AW](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N511AW-1994-04-11), registration cancelled 1994-04-11, S/N 10690 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: FOKKER F27-500
- Registry model: [Fokker F.27MK 500](https://openairdocs.org/model/fokker-f-27mk-500) (registry code 4990629) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 10690
- Engines: Rolls-Royce DART 536 2100 horsepower turbo prop
- Damage: No damage
- Flight: Part 121
- Registered owner: Air Wisconsin
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: MKE, MILWAUKEE, WI
- Destination: ORD
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: ORD, Chicago O'Hare, runway 9L, 7,416 × 150 ft, concrete

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot, aircraft N305UA; age 49; flight engineer, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 15,000 total, 10,000 in this make and model
- Pilot, aircraft N511AW; age 36; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 10,000 total, 2,500 in this make and model, 6 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 60° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: ORD

## Other investigations on N305UA (2)

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.

- [NTSB DEN05IA076](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN05IA076), May 17, 2005: Boeing 737-322 (N305UA), Denver, CO, incident, minor damage. Probable cause: the improper use of procedure used by the ground personnel resulting in the right wing of the aircraft colliding with the left wing of another aircraft. A factor in this incident was the failure to…
- [NTSB LAX90IA293](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX90IA293), Aug 21, 1990: Boeing 737-322 (N305UA), Los Angeles, CA, incident, minor damage. Probable cause: IMPROPER MAINTENANCE SERVICE BY A COMPANY EMPLOYEE WHO ALLOWED A FOREIGN OBJECT (FLASHLIGHT) TO REMAIN IN THE LANDING GEAR EXTEND/RETRACT LINKAGE DURING A NIGHT SERVICING BEFORE THE FLIGHT.

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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