Boeing 737-322 accident near Chicago, Illinois, August 1, 2000
On August 1, 2000 at about 3:15 am local time, a Boeing 737-322, registered N313UA, was involved in an accident near Chicago, Illinois. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 117 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the evasive maneuver performed by the pilot. A factor was the activation of the collision avoidance system.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 1, 2000 · about 3:15 am local time
- Place
- Chicago, Illinois
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 117 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737-322 · all 737-322s on the register
- Registration
- N313UA · no longer on the register · serial 23674
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A passenger sustained a serious in-flight injury during an evasive maneuver following a Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) warning approximately 20 minutes prior to landing. The weather did not support the presence of clear air turbulence. In a written statement, the copilot stated, "However, shortly thereafter while continuing our descent into Chicago, the Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) alerted us to a potential conflict with an aural 'TRAFFIC, TRAFFIC' warning, the EHSI [Electronic Horizontal Situation Indicator] displayed a visual warning as well. ... Almost immediately after the initial Traffic Advisory (TA), a subsequent 'CLIMB, CLIMB, CLIMB' aural warning was issued at approximately 14,000 feet as well as visual warnings on the EHSI and the EADI [Electronic Attitude Director Indicator]. ... The TCAS Resolution Advisory 'RA' commanded a pitch attitude of approximately 5 degrees nose up. Within one minute the TCAS 'CLEAR OF CONFLICT' aural warning was issued and the captain reestablished a descent while I notified ATC [Air Traffic Control] of the RA and our resumption of the descent. ... The captain contacted the flight attendants to ascertain the condition of the passengers and cabin crew. He was informed that one passenger hurt his ankle during the avoidance maneuver, but was not in need of immediate medical assistance." The doctor who treated the passenger stated, "Radiographs were take[n] 01 August 2000 and were significant for a left fibular fracture."
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,672 hours in all; 3,089 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 39,238 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, July 13, 2000; 262 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 130,000 lb
- Seats: 113
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cfm CFM56-3C-1 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BOS Boston MA at 1:16 am
- Destination: ORD IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 300° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,300 ft; scat at 2,400 ft
- Temperature: 158°F (70°C), dew point 151°F (66°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 am from ORD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 5 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 112 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.