Date:	Sunday 10 August 1986
Time:	07:15
Type:	McDonnell Douglas DC-10-40
Owner/operator:	American Trans Air
Registration:	N184AT
MSN:	46751/36
Year of manufacture:	1973
Total airframe hrs:	29155 hours
Engine model:	Pratt & Whitney JT9D-20
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed, written off
Category:	OT
Location:	Chicago-O'Hare International Airport, IL (ORD) -   United States of America
Phase:	Standing
Nature:	Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi
Departure airport:	Los Angeles International Airport, CA (LAX/KLAX)
Destination airport:	Chicago-O'Hare International Airport, IL (ORD/KORD)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The DC-10 was unloaded following a charter flight. Company maintenance personnel had placed damaged passenger seatbacks (incorporating solid-state chemical oxygen generators) in the forward cargo hold with seat covers and oil. A company mechanic examined the seatbacks to find a serviceable unit. He encountered a loose oxygen generator, which he handled improperly by its oxygen hose. The generator went off by accident, generating a 430deg C heat. Seat covers ignited and the fire eventually burned through the cabin floor. The cabin was soon engulfed in flames.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "
Oxygen system .. information insufficient .. company maintenance personnel
CONTRIBUTING FACTORS
Supervision .. improper .. company/operator management
Lack of familiarity with aircraft .. company/operator management
Tie down .. improper .. company/operator management
Oxygen system .. not understood .. company maintenance personnel
Lack of familiarity with aircraft .. company maintenance personnel"

Aviation Letter 238
ICAO Adrep Summary 5/88 (#52)
NTSB/AAR-87/03/SUM

photo (c) Ryan Hales; Chicago-O'Hare International Airport, IL (ORD)

photo (c) via Werner Fischdick; Frankfurt International Airport (FRA); July 1984

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