Mcdonnell Douglas DC-8-71 incident near Chicago, Illinois, September 3, 1987
On September 3, 1987, a Mcdonnell Douglas DC-8-71, registered N8078U, was involved in an incident near Chicago, Illinois (O'Hare International airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person had minor injuries; 126 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 incident. 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
- September 3, 1987
- Place
- Chicago, Illinois · O'Hare International
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 126 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-8-71
- Registration
- N8078U · no longer on the register · serial 45946
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SMOKE DETECTED IN THE CABIN RESULTED IN AN EVACUATION OF THE AIRCRAFT JUST AFTER BEING PUSHED BACK FROM THE JET-WAY. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION ESTABLISHED THAT A MALFUNCTIONING PACK VALVE HAD CAUSED THE AIR-CONDITIONING SYSTEM TO OVERHEAT CAUSING THE SMOKE. THE EMERGENCY SLIDE AT DOOR 2R INFLATED PARTIALLY INSIDE THE ACFT AND WAS NOT USABLE. AT THE TIME OF INITIAL INVESTIGATION THE SLIDE TRAY DOOR FROM 2R WAS FOUND LYING ON THE FLOOR INSIDE THE ACFT. EXITS 1L, 2L, 4L, 4R AND FOUR OVER WING EXITS WERE USED (THE CAPT HAD LOWERED THE FLAPS TO FULL DOWN FOR THE EVACUATION). IT WAS DETERMINED DURING INVESTIGATION THAT THE DOOR WAS NOT OPENED FULLY ENOUGH FOR EXIT 2R TO OPERATE PROPERLY. UAL MODIFIED THE TRAINING TO EMPHASIZE THE DOOR OPENING PROCEDURE. THE FA SAID SHE PULLED THE (MANUAL INFLATION) HANDLE ON 2R.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,591 hours in all; 5,102 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Unknown (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 56,166 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme; 610 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 336,000 lb
- Seats: 152
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cfm 56-2C1 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ORD
- Destination: SMF Sacramento CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 030° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:22 pm from ORD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 8 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 118 |
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.