Amateur-built SD3-60 accident near Chicago, Illinois, May 11, 1991
On May 11, 1991 at about 8:18 pm local time, a amateur-built SD3-60, registered N715NC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chicago, Illinois (O'Hare International airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 21 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 NOSE WHEEL STEERING HYDRAULIC LINE DURING AFTER LANDING GROUND OPERATIONS. A RELATED FACTOR IS THE MANUFACTURER'S INADEQUATE INSPECTION AND/OR REPLACEMENT STANDARDS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 11, 1991 · about 8:18 pm local time
- Place
- Chicago, Illinois · O'Hare International
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 21 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SD3-60
- Registration
- N715NC · no longer on the register · serial SH-3610
- 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 PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING POST LANDING TAXI OPERATIONS, HE WAS UNABLE TO STEER THE AIRPLANE OR APPLY NORMAL BRAKES. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE TAXIWAY, AND RAN ACROSS A GRASS MEDIAN AND SERVICE ROAD BEFORE IT IMPACTED A LIGHT POLE AND CAME TO A STOP. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED A FAILED NOSEWHEEL STEERING HYDRAULIC LINE, WHICH ALLOWED SYSTEM FLUID TO BE PORTED OVERBOARD INTO THE NOSE WHEELWELL. FURTHER EXAMINATION REVEALED THE LINE FAILED AS A RESULT OF A PUNCTURE OF THE INTERNAL HOSE BY THE WORN/FRAYED OUTER BRAID. RECORDS INDICATE THE FAILED LINE WAS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT AND HAD OPERATED THROUGH 17,969 HOURS AND 21,324 CYCLES.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,758 hours in all; 2,990 in this make and model; 197 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 17,887 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, April 28, 1991; 82 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 23,300 lb
- Seats: 40
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-65AR (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Simmons Airlines/Am.Eagle
The flight
- Departed from: RFD Rockford IL at 7:42 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:31 pm from ORD, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 4 | |||
| Passengers | 17 |
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.