Incident Overview
Date: Wednesday 20 December 1972
Aircraft Type: McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31
Owner/operator: North Central Airlines
Registration Number: N954N
Location: Chicago-O’Hare International Airport, IL (ORD) –
ÿ United States of America
Phase of Flight: Take off
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 10 / Occupants: 45
Component Affected: Air Traffic Control SystemAir Traffic Control System
Investigating Agency: NTSBNTSB
Category: Accident
A Delta Air Lines Convair CV-880 (N8807E) and a North Central DC-9 (N954N) collided during a taxying operation in bad weather. The collision resulted from a communication failure by air traffic control, specifically concerning separation between the aircraft. The controller failed to provide clear instructions to the flight crew of the Delta CV-880, leading to ambiguity in the controller’s transmission. Furthermore, the controller did not utilize all available information to determine the location of the CV-880, and the CV-880 flight crew did not request clarification. This combination of factors resulted in a collision.A Delta Air Lines Convair CV-880 (N8807E) and a North Central DC-9 (N954N) collided during a taxying operation in bad weather. The collision resulted from a communication failure by air traffic control, specifically concerning separation between the aircraft. The controller failed to provide clear instructions to the flight crew of the Delta CV-880, leading to ambiguity in the controller’s transmission. Furthermore, the controller did not utilize all available information to determine the location of the CV-880, and the CV-880 flight crew did not request clarification. This combination of factors resulted in a collision.
Description
A Delta Air Lines Convair CV-880 (N8807E) taxied across runway 27L in bad weather (250 feet visibility in fog, indefinite ceiling at 200 feet). At the same time, a North Central DC-9 (N954N) took off from runway 27L. Both aircraft collided. PROBABLE CAUSE: “The failure of the air traffic control system to ensure separation of aircraft during a period of restricted visibility. This failure included the following: (1) the controller omitted a critical word which made his transmission to the flight crew of the Delta CV-880 ambiguous; (2) the controller did not use all the available information to determine the location of the CV-880; and (3) the CV-880 flight crew did not request clarification of the controller’s communications”
Primary Cause
Communication failure by air traffic control regarding aircraft separation.Communication failure by air traffic control regarding aircraft separation.Share on:
