Amateur-built SD3-60 accident near Chicago, Illinois, March 2, 1991
On March 2, 1991 at about 9:45 pm local time, a amateur-built SD3-60, registered N385MQ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chicago, Illinois (O'Hare Field). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 22 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN EXCESSIVE LANDING FLARE BY THE COPILOT. FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACCIDENT ARE THE INOPERATIVE WING FLAPS AND THE CAPTAIN'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISON.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 2, 1991 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Chicago, Illinois · O'Hare Field
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 22 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SD3-60
- Registration
- N385MQ · registry record · serial SH3707
- 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 ACCIDENT AIRPLANE OVERROTATED AND STRUCK THE RUNWAY WITH AIRCRAFT FUSELAGE DURING A NO FLAP LANDING. THE FIRST OFFICER WAS FLYING THE APPROACH AND WHEN HE ASKED FOR FLAP EXTENSION BOTH PILOTS STATED THEY DID NOT EXTEND. THE CAPTAIN ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE APPROACH. THE FINAL APPROACH WAS FLOWN WITH THE CAPTAIN MANIPULATING THE THROTTLES AND THE FIRST OFFICER ON THE FLIGHT CONTROLS. THE AIRLANE BOUNCED ON TOUCHDOWN. THE CAPTAIN ASSUMED COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND COMPLETED THE LANDING.
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: 5,087 hours in all; 1,903 in this make and model; 502 in the last 90 days
- 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: 26,453 lb
- Seats: 39
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-65AR (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Simmons Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: AZO Kalamazoo MI at 9:55 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 32, 10,003 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 22 knots, gusting 31
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,100 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:45 pm from ORD, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 19 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI91LA103.