Aerospatiale ATR-42-300 accident near Chicago, Illinois, April 5, 1993
On April 5, 1993 at about 1:50 am local time, a Aerospatiale ATR-42-300, registered N422MQ, suffered minor damage 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; 48 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the unqualified baggage handler's attempting to load an unfamiliar airplane and inadequate training by the airline which employed the baggage handler.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 5, 1993 · about 1:50 am local time
- Place
- Chicago, Illinois · O'Hare International
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 48 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale ATR-42-300
- Registration
- N422MQ · no longer on the register · serial 028
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CREW HAD AN ELECTRICAL FAULT INDICATION AS THEY STARTED THE LEFT ENGINE FOR A NIGHT DEPARTURE. THEY SHUT DOWN THE LEFT ENGINE TO BOARD A MAINTENANCE TROUBLESHOOTER. THE MECHANIC IDENTIFIED A FAILED PART AND OBTAINED ITS REPLACEMENT. THE FAILURE EXTINGUISHED THE AIRPLANE'S EXTERNAL LIGHTS AND PREVENTED ITS ACCEPTING EXTERNAL ELECTRICAL POWER. A BAGGAGE HANDLER FROM ANOTHER AIRLINE ARRIVED BEHIND THE AIRPLANE WITH BAGS FOR THE FLIGHT. THE CREW PREPARED TO SHUT DOWN THE RIGHT ENGINE TO ACCOMPLISH THE PART REPLACEMENT AND SIGNALLED THE MARSHALLER TO APPLY EXTERNAL POWER TO MAINTAIN LIGHT IN THE PASSENGER CABIN. THE MARSHALLER WAS AT THE EXTERNAL POWER RECEPTACLE ON THE FRONT RIGHT FUSELAGE WHEN THE HANDLER WALKED FORWARD ALONG THE RIGHT SIDE AND INTO THE TURNING PROPELLER. THE BAGGAGE HANDLER WAS ON HER SECOND DAY IN THAT CAPACITY AND ON NIGHT SHIFT. SHE HAD BEEN AN AIRCRAFT CLEANER ON DAYSHIFT FOR AN OPERATOR WHOSE FLEET IS ALL JET. THE JOB CHANGE ENTAILED NO CLASSROOM OR PRACTICAL TRAINING.
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: 9,088 hours in all; 1,153 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,694 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 36,870 lb
- Seats: 49
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PW-120 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: SBN South Bend IN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 030° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:19 am from ORD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 5 | |||
| Passengers | 43 |
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.