Mcdonnell Douglas MD-80 and Beech E33 incident near Chicago, Illinois, August 31, 1989
On August 31, 1989 at about 5:53 am local time, 2 aircraft, Mcdonnell Douglas MD-80 (N490AA) and Beech E33 (N7135N), were involved in the same incident near Chicago, Illinois (O'Hare Intl airport). No one was hurt; 4 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 CONTROLLER TO CLARIFY THE CONFUSING COMMUNICATIONS, TO CORRECT THE PILOT'S MISINTERPRETATION OF THE INSTRUCTIONS BEING GIVEN, AND THE FAILURE OF THE SUPERVISOR TO PROPERLY MONITOR THE SITUATION. FACTORS RELATED TO THE INCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S MISINTERPRETATION OF THE CLEARANCE, THE CONTROLLERS EXPECTANCY AND AURAL PERCEPTION OF THE COMMUNICATIONS.
THE FAILURE OF THE CONTROLLER TO CLARIFY THE CONFUSING COMMUNICATIONS, TO CORRECT THE PILOT'S MISINTERPRETATION OF THE INSTRUCTIONS BEING GIVEN, AND THE FAILURE OF THE SUPERVISOR TO PROPERLY MONITOR THE SITUATION. FACTORS RELATED TO THE INCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S MISINTERPRETATION OF THE CLEARANCE, THE CONTROLLERS EXPECTANCY AND AURAL PERCEPTION OF THE COMMUNICATIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 31, 1989 · about 5:53 am local time
- Place
- Chicago, Illinois · O'Hare Intl
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Mcdonnell Douglas MD-80
- Registration
- N490AA · registry record
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Beech E33 · all E33s on the register
- Registration
- N7135N · registry record · serial CD1139
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Mcdonnell Douglas MD-80 final · quoted from the NTSB record
GLA268 (BEECH E33, N7135N) WAS CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF ON RWY 27L FROM THE BRANCH INTERSECTION BY A FULL PERFORMANCE LEVEL (FPL) CONTROLLER. AA9168 (MD-80, N490AA), WHICH HAD BEEN CLEARED TO RWY 27L BY A DEVELOPMENTAL CONTROLLER UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE FPL CONTROLLER, TWICE ACKNOWLEDGED THE TAKEOFF CLEARANCE FOR GLA268. GLA268 WAS AGAIN GIVEN TAKEOFF CLEARANCE BY THE FPL CONTROLLER. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME AA9168 INITIATED ITS TAKEOFF ROLL FROM THE END OF THE RWY. AA9168 SAW GLA268 AHEAD OF IT AND QUERIED THE DEVELOPMENTAL CONTROLLER. AT THIS POINT THE FPL CONTROLLER TOOK OVER AND INSTRUCTED AA9168 TO ABORT ITS TAKEOFF. THE PILOT OF GLA268 REPORTED HE WAS ABOUT 50 FT AGL WHEN HE HEARD AA9168 ABORTING THE TAKEOFF.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Beech E33 final · quoted from the NTSB record
GLA268 (BEECH E33, N7135N) WAS CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF ON RWY 27L FROM THE BRANCH INTERSECTION BY A FULL PERFORMANCE LEVEL (FPL) CONTROLLER. AA9168 (MD-80, N490AA), WHICH HAD BEEN CLEARED TO RWY 27L BY A DEVELOPMENTAL CONTROLLER UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE FPL CONTROLLER, TWICE ACKNOWLEDGED THE TAKEOFF CLEARANCE FOR GLA268. GLA268 WAS AGAIN GIVEN TAKEOFF CLEARANCE BY THE FPL CONTROLLER. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME AA9168 INITIATED ITS TAKEOFF ROLL FROM THE END OF THE RWY. AA9168 SAW GLA268 AHEAD OF IT AND QUERIED THE DEVELOPMENTAL CONTROLLER. AT THIS POINT THE FPL CONTROLLER TOOK OVER AND INSTRUCTED AA9168 TO ABORT ITS TAKEOFF. THE PILOT OF GLA268 REPORTED HE WAS ABOUT 50 FT AGL WHEN HE HEARD AA9168 ABORTING THE TAKEOFF.
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 for the Mcdonnell Douglas MD-80 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 140,000 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Unknown UNKNOWN (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Operator: American Airlines
The flight
- Destination: CMH Columbus OH
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27L, 10,141 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 130° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Observation at 5:50 am from ORD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
The factual record for the Beech E33 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,521 hours in all; 107 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 92 in the last 30 days; 1,558 as pilot in command; 482 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-550-B1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Great Lakes Aviation
The flight
- Destination: SPW Spencer IA
- Runway 27L, 10,141 ft by 150 ft
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.