Boeing B777-222 accident near Chicago, Illinois, July 17, 2003
On July 17, 2003 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Boeing B777-222, registered N779UA, was involved in an accident near Chicago, Illinois (Chicago O'Hare Intl airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 269 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The turbulence encountered during the descent which seriously injured a passenger returning to her seat after the seat belt sign was activated. A factor was that it was not possible for the returning passenger to comply with the lit seat belt sign.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 17, 2003 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Chicago, Illinois · Chicago O'Hare Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 269 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing B777-222
- Registration
- N779UA · registry record · serial 26941
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A passenger sustained a broken ankle when the flight encountered moderate turbulence. The captain reported that the seat belt sign was on prior to entering a buildup. The captain stated, "However a passenger, ... had still not taken her seat. Apparently she had been in the lavatory when I turned on the seat belt sign, and was returning to her seat at the time of the encounter." An excerpt from an airline weather study stated, "Even though the main band of convective activity had passed the location of the incident, the possibility of a towering cumulus cell re-building behind the first band was indeed possible as the air mass was becoming gradually unstable again. ... Therefore, the pilot report of encountering a jolt of light turbulence followed by moderate turbulence is plausible."
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,014 hours in all; 1,681 in this make and model; 220 in the last 90 days; 92 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: January 1, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,840 hours in all; 1,970 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 46 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: May 1, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 28,617 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, September 23, 2002; 3,115 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 545,000 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney PW4077 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney PW4077 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DEN Denver CO at 7:00 pm
- Destination: ORD Chicago IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; a few clouds at 4,800 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 pm from ORD, 57 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 12 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 257 |
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.