Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-82 accident near Chicago, Illinois, September 23, 1991
On September 23, 1991 at about 6:44 pm local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-82, registered N442AA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chicago, Illinois (O'Hare Intl airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 80 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FLIGHT CREW'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE FROM OBSTACLES DURING GROUND OPERATIONS. A RELATED FACTOR IS THE FAILURE OF THE DRIVERS OF THE ESCORT VEHICLE AND THE SEMI TRAILER TO FOLLOW ESTABLISHED PROCEDURES AND DIRECTIVES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 23, 1991 · about 6:44 pm local time
- Place
- Chicago, Illinois · O'Hare Intl
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 80 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-82 · all DC-9-82s on the register
- Registration
- N442AA · registry record · serial 49468
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AFTER LANDING GROUND OPERATIONS, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A PARKED SEMI-TRAILER. THE SEMI HAD BEEN ESCORTED FROM A CONSTRUCTION SITE ON THE AIRPORT BY A CONTRACTED ESCORT SERVICE. THE ESCORT VEHICLE LED THE SEMI ALONG THE SHOULDER OF THE TAXIWAY INSTEAD OF FOLLOWING ESTABLISHED ROUTES. THE SEMI STRUCK A CONCRETE BUMPER AND THE DRIVER STOPPED TO ASSESS POSSIBLE DAMAGE. HE ESTIMATED THE SEMI-TRAILER WAS ABOUT 100 FEET FROM THE EDGE OF THE TAXIWAY WHEN THE AIRPLANE'S LEFT WING MADE CONTACT. THE FLIGHT CREW REPORTED THEY BELIEVED THEY HAD ADEQUATE CLEARANCE TO TAXI PAST THE PARKED TRAILER UNTIL JUST PRIOR TO IMPACT.
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: 4,000 hours in all; 427 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,300 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 149,500 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D-217-A (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: American Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: SEA Seattle WA at 3:00 pm
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 7 | |||
| Passengers | 73 |
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.