# NTSB CHI92IA061: Mcdonnell Douglas DC-10-30, N142AA, Chicago, IL, December 23, 1991 - Type: NTSB incident investigation - Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report - Date: December 23, 1991, 09:05 local (15:05 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: 315 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 5, 1993 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 15320 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI92IA061 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/15320/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI92IA061 ## Probable cause (aircraft 2) THE LOCAL CONTROLLER'S NOT UNDERSTANDING READ BACK OF RADIO COMMUNICATIONS. FACTORS INCLUDE THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND OF FLIGHT 73 NOT UNDERSTANDING VERBAL INSTRUCTIONS; LOCAL CONTROLLER NOT VISUALLY IDENTIFYING THE AIRCRAFT; AND INADEQUATE SURVEILLANCE (FAA) IN THE TOWER. ## Probable cause (aircraft 1) THE LOCAL CONTROLLER'S NOT UNDERSTANDING READ BACK OF RADIO COMMUNICATIONS. FACTORS INCLUDE THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND OF FLIGHT 73 NOT UNDERSTANDING VERBAL INSTRUCTIONS; LOCAL CONTROLLER NOT VISUALLY IDENTIFYING THE AIRCRAFT; AND INADEQUATE SURVEILLANCE (FAA) IN THE TOWER. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Near collision between aircraft, takeoff - roll/run - instructions,written/verbal - not understood, pilot in command (contributing factor) - communications - not understood, atc personnel(lcl/gnd/clnc) (cause) - inadequate surveillance of operation, faa(organization) (contributing factor) - identification of aircraft visually - not used, atc personnel(lcl/gnd/clnc) (contributing factor) - Near collision between aircraft, takeoff - initial climb - instructions,written/verbal - not understood, pilot in command (contributing factor) - communications - not understood, atc personnel(lcl/gnd/clnc) (cause) - inadequate surveillance of operation, faa(organization) (contributing factor) - identification of aircraft visually - not used, atc personnel(lcl/gnd/clnc) (contributing factor) ## Analysis (aircraft 2) AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT 73 (N142AA) WAS HOLDING IN POSITION ON RUNWAY 32R. AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT 489 (N497AA) WAS CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 9L. SHORTLY AFTER THIS, AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT 873 WAS CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 32L, FROM T1 INTERSECTION. BOTH FLIGHT 73 AND FLIGHT 873 ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLEARANCE AND INITIATED TAKEOFF ROLLS. THE LOCAL CONTROLLER DID NOT DETECT THE CONFUSION. A NEAR COLLISION OF TWO OF THE AIRCRAFT OCCURRED WHEN FLIGHT 489, IN INITIAL CLIMB PHASE OF FLIGHT, PASSED OVER FLIGHT 73, ON TAKEOFF ROLL, IN THE INTERSECTION OF RUNWAYS 32R AND 9L. ## Analysis (aircraft 1) AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT 73 (N142AA) WAS HOLDING IN POSITION ON RUNWAY 32R. AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT 489 (N497AA) WAS CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 9L. SHORTLY AFTER THIS, AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT 873 WAS CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 32L, FROM T1 INTERSECTION. BOTH FLIGHT 73 AND FLIGHT 873 ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLEARANCE AND INITIATED TAKEOFF ROLLS. THE LOCAL CONTROLLER DID NOT DETECT THE CONFUSION. A NEAR COLLISION OF TWO OF THE AIRCRAFT OCCURRED WHEN FLIGHT 489, IN THE INITIAL CLIMB PHASE OF FLIGHT, PASSED OVER FLIGHT 73, ON TAKEOFF ROLL, IN THE INTERSECTION OF RUNWAYS 32R AND 9L. ## Aircraft 1 - Registration: [N142AA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N142AA-1999-12-29), registration cancelled 1999-12-29, S/N 46714 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: MCDONNELL DOUGLAS DC-10-30 - Registry model: [Mcdonnell-Douglas DC-10-30](https://openairdocs.org/model/mcdonnell-douglas-dc-10-30) (registry code 3023501) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 46714 - Airframe hours: 65122 - Engines: GE CF6-50C2 turbo fan - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: American Airlines, doing business as American Airlines - Registered owner: American Airlines - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: AAIP, January 2, 2000 - Destination: HNL, HONOLULU, HI - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: ORD, Chicago O'Hare, runway 32, 10,003 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Aircraft 2 - Registration: [N497AA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N497AA-2015-05-11), registration cancelled 2015-05-11, S/N 49735, built 1989 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: MCDONNELL DOUGLAS DC-9-82 - Registry model: [Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-82(MD-82)](https://openairdocs.org/model/mcdonnell-douglas-dc-9-82-md-82) (registry code 3022082) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney JT8D series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-jt8d-series) (registry code 52053, turbo-jet) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 49735 - Airframe hours: 6624 - Engines: P&W JT8D-217 20000 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: American Airlines, doing business as American Airlines - Registered owner: Wilmington Trust Company - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: AAIP, January 2, 2000 - Destination: IAH, HOUSTON, TX - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: ORD, Chicago O'Hare, runway 9, 7,966 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot, aircraft N142AA; age 54; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 21,565 total, 720 in this make and model, 216 in the last 90 days, 72 in the last 30 days - Pilot, aircraft N497AA; age 59; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 10,000 total, 3,623 in this make and model, 200 in the last 90 days, 75 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 40° at 9 knots - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,000 ft broken - Temperature: 34 °F, dew point 30 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: ORD, 1 nm away ## Other investigations on N142AA (1) 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 FTW88LA050](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW88LA050), Jan 10, 1988: Mcdonnell Douglas DC-10 (N142AA), Dfw Airport, TX, no damage. Probable cause: UNEXPECTED OPENING OF THE IL DOOR, WHICH CAUGHT THE PASSENGER BETWEEN IT AND THE BULKHEAD AS THE DOOR MOVED INWARD AND UPWARD. A SECONDARY CAUSE WAS THE FAILURE OF THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS TO FOLLOW… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.