Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-32 incident near Chicago, Illinois, June 29, 1990
On June 29, 1990 at about 2:10 pm local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-32, registered N948ML, was involved in an incident near Chicago, Illinois. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 65 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S INADEQUATE WEATHER EVALUATION. FACTORS IN THE INCIDENT WERE THE WEATHER AND ARTCC'S FAILURE TO ISSUE A WEATHER ADVISORY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 1990 · about 2:10 pm local time
- Place
- Chicago, Illinois · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 65 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-32 · all DC-9-32s on the register
- Registration
- N948ML · no longer on the register · serial 47169
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PASSENGER TRANSPORT EXPERIENCED SEVERE TURBULENCE DURING AN EN ROUTE DESCENT TO DESTINATION. THE FLIGHT'S FORECAST INDICATED THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT IN THE DESTINATION VICINITY. THE CREW HEARD DESTINATION ATIS ANNOUNCE SEVERE TURBULENCE ON APPROACH BUT RECALLED NO ATC ADVISORY STATING TURBULENCE WAS SEVERE. THE PILOT COMPLIED WITH ATC'S REQUEST TO SLOW FOR TRAFFIC SEPARATION, PLACING THE SPEED BELOW THAT RECOMMENDED FOR TURBULENCE PENETRATION. THE AIRPLANE WAS TURNING TO AVOID CLOUDS AND VIRGA, WITH SPEEDBRAKES EXTENDED AND AUTOPILOT ENGAGED WHEN IT ENTERED INCREASING TURBULENCE. THE AIRPLANE PITCHED UP 20 DEGREES AND ROLLED TO 45 DEGREES. THE PILOT RIGHTED THE AIRPLANE AND STOPPED THE DESCENT 500 FEET BELOW ASSIGNED ALTITUDE. SPEED BRAKE EXTENSION INCREASES ROLL RATE. AUTOPILOT USE IN SEVERE TURBULENCE IS RECOMMENDED ONLY IN THE PITCH-HOLD MODE.
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: 15,580 hours in all; 8,000 in this make and model; 220 in the last 90 days; 73 in the last 30 days; 8,170 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 109,000 lb
- Seats: 107
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D-9B (turbojet); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DCA Washington DC at 12:45 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 9,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:05 pm from MDW, 33 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 5 | |||
| Passengers | 60 |
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.