Mcdonnell Douglas MD-10 accident near Chicago, Illinois, November 29, 2005
On November 29, 2005 at about 3:53 am local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas MD-10, registered N359FE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chicago, Illinois (O'Hare International airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the flight crew to see and avoid the crew stairs and the failure of unknown persons to properly secure the stairs after use. Factors associated with the accident were the dark light conditions and the gusty winds.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 29, 2005 · about 3:53 am local time
- Place
- Chicago, Illinois · O'Hare International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas MD-10 · all MD-10s on the register
- Registration
- N359FE · no longer on the register · serial 46635
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane contacted a 747 crew stair structure with the underside of the left wing while taxiing. The stairs were located on the left edge of the taxiway, partially on the grass. The captain, who was a company line check airman (LCA), was sitting in the right seat during the flight. This LCA was conducting upgrade training for a captain trainee who was sitting in the left seat. In addition, an FAA inspector who was observing the training was sitting in the cockpit jump seat during the flight. While taxiing the LCA became occupied with an auxiliary power unit (APU) warning light in the cockpit. The crew was unaware that the airplane contacted something until they were informed of the damage by maintenance personnel when they reached their destination. On the night of the accident, the stairs were located at the edge of the taxiway, partially on the grass. The location of the stairs was reported to air traffic control by another airplane that taxied out after the accident airplane. Three days after the accident, the damaged stairs were located against a hangar. The damage to the underside of the left wing consisted of a series of parallel scratches and gouges from the leading edge of the wing to the trailing edge of the aileron. The scratches and gouges contained areas of red, white, and yellow paint transfers. These paint transfers matched the color of the stairs. The LCA and the captain trainee both reported that they never saw the stairs. The FAA inspector stated he saw the stairs, but thought the airplane had cleared them. None of the three reported feeling the impact with the stairs. The operator of the stairs reported that the stairs were secured against a hangar after they last used them on the day prior to the accident. The only lights near the area where the stairs were located were the taxiway lights. The accident occurred on an overcast night. The winds at the time of the accident were gusting to 27 knots.
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, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,400 hours in all; 3,650 in this make and model; 77 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 5,000 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,800 hours in all; 761 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 0 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 68,161 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 440,000 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: General Electric CF6-60 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ORD Chicago IL at 4:13 am
- Destination: MEM Memphis TN
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 220° at 16 knots, gusting 27
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,100 ft; scat at 2,600 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.39 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 am from ORD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.