Accident McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10 N128AA, Wednesday 25 March 1987
ASN logo
 

Date:Wednesday 25 March 1987
Time:09:30 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic DC10 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10
Owner/operator:American Airlines
Registration: N128AA
MSN: 46984/250
Total airframe hrs:29020 hours
Engine model:GE CF6-6K
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 177
Other fatalities:0
Aircraft damage: None
Category:Accident
Location:Chicago, IL -   United States of America
Phase: Initial climb
Nature:Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:Chicago, IL (KORD)
Destination airport:Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, TX (DFW/KDFW)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
AFTER ARRIVING AT THE GATE IN CHICAGO, FUMES & SMOKE WERE NOTED IN ZONE C OF THE CABIN, THEN THE CABIN LGTG WENT OUT & THE EMERG LGTG CAME ON. MAINT PSNL FND THE #2 APU HAD AN AUTO-SHUTDOWN DUE TO A MALFUNCTION. THE APU WAS PLACARDED AS INOP & THE ACFT WAS RTRND TO SVC. AS IT WAS CLBG, SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, SMOKE BCM NOTICEABLE & THE CREW ELECTED TO RTRNTO THE ARPT & LND. AFTER LNDG, THE SMOKE HAD DISSIPATED & FIRE DEPT PSNL RPRTD NO INDCN OF SMOKE OR FIRE. SUSPECTING ONLY AN AIR CONDITIONING PROBLEM, THE CREW ELECTED TO CONT TO THE GATE. AS THEY BGN TAXIING, A FLT ATTENDANT RPRTD THE SMOKE WAS INCREASING, SO THE CAPT STOPPED THE ACFT & DIRECTED AN EVACUATION. A X-WIND PREVENTED PROPER DEPLOYMENT OF THESLIDES ON THE RGT SIDE OF THE ACFT. DRG THE EVACUATION, AN ELDERLY PAX, USING SLIDE L-4 ON THE LEFT SIDE, WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED BY OTHERS WHO CAME DOWN THE SLIDE AFTER HIM. ALSO, 5 PAX RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES DRG EVACUATION. AN INV REVEALEDTHE SMOKE WAS CAUSED BY OIL FROM A FAILED APU BEARING WHICH LEAKED INTO THE AIR CONDITIONING SYS.

Probable Cause:

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: CHI87MA101
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year and 7 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB CHI87MA101

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
27-Mar-2024 12:26 ASN Update Bot Added

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description

The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:

CONNECT WITH US: FSF on social media FSF Facebook FSF Twitter FSF Youtube FSF LinkedIn FSF Instagram

©2025 Flight Safety Foundation

1920 Ballenger Av, 4th Fl.
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
www.FlightSafety.org