What happened
On December 8, 1972, United Air Lines Flight 553 was operating a scheduled domestic route connecting Washington National Airport to Omaha, Nebraska, with a stopover at Chicago Midway International Airport. The aircraft assigned to this leg was a Boeing 737-222, bearing the registration N9031U and named City of Lincoln.
While the aircraft was in the process of approaching Chicago Midway International Airport for its scheduled layover, it crashed. The incident occurred during the final phase of the flight's journey before reaching its intermediate destination.
Investigation
Authorities conducted an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the crash to determine the sequence of events and identify any mechanical or environmental factors that may have contributed to the disaster. The investigation focused on the operational decisions made by the flight crew during the approach phase.
Findings
The official conclusion established that the primary factor leading to the accident was the captain's failure to properly manage the flight. This lack of proper management directly resulted in the loss of control and subsequent crash at Chicago Midway International Airport.