Boeing 737-222 accident near Chicago, Illinois, April 8, 1986
On April 8, 1986 at about 7:19 pm local time, a Boeing 737-222, registered N9054U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chicago, Illinois (Chicago-O'Hare Int'L airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person had minor injuries; 113 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 8, 1986 · about 7:19 pm local time
- Place
- Chicago, Illinois · Chicago-O'Hare Int'L
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 113 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737-222 · all 737-222s on the register
- Registration
- N9054U · no longer on the register · serial 19935
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED MOMENTS AFTER TOUCHDOWN. WINDS AS REPORTED BY THE TWR WERE FROM 350 DEGS AT 19 KTS GUSTING TO 29 KTS. THE CAPTAIN AND COPILOT REPORTED THE TOUCHDOWN WAS NORMAL. THE 3 FLIGHT ATTENDANTS SAID THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD AND STARTED SHAKING VERY BADLY. THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS ALSO REPORTED THAT THE PREVIOUS 2 LANDINGS HAD BROUGHT A GREAT DEAL OF VIBRATING/SHAKING TO THE AIRCRAFT. THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR TEE BOLT WAS FOUND SEPARATED. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE TEE BOLT SHOWED THE FRACTURE EMANATED FROM A SHALLOW PREEXISTING CRACK IN THE DRAG BRACE BEARING SURFACE RADIUS THAT THE METALLURGIST FOUND TO BE SHARPER THAN DESIRED. THE COLLAPSE OF THE LANDING GEAR IS CONSIDERED RELATED TO THE FRACTURED TEE BOLT. THE SAFETY BOARD IS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHETHER OTHER EVENTS, CIRCUMSTANCES OR CONDITIONS WERE PRESENT THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE TEE BOLT FAILURE IN THIS INSTANCE. THE OPERATOR HAS AMENDED THEIR REPAIR SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE TEE BOLTS.
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: 11,400 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 32,714 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme
- Maximum gross weight: 100,800 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D-9 (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: United Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: OMA Omaha NE at 6:05 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27R, 7,416 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft; not recorded at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:32 pm from ORD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 5 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 108 |
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.