United Airlines Flight 553 Crash (N9031U)

Flight Details and Approach Sequence United Airlines Flight 553 departed Washington-National Airport at 1250 local time for Omaha, with an intermediate stop at Chicago-Midway Airport. During the approach, the flight was cleared to descend to 4,000 feet and vectored for a Midway Airport runway 31L localizer course. At 14:19, the flight was transferred to Chicago Approach Control, which requested speed reductions to 180 knots and later 160 knots. At 14:23, the flight was cleared to descend to 2,000 feet, with further speed reductions requested due to separation from a preceding Aero Commander. The Aero Commander passed the Outer Marker at 14:24 and was cleared to land on runway 31L. Two minutes later, Flight 553 passed the Outer Marker inbound. At 14:27:04, the air traffic controller issued a missed approach clearance, instructing the flight to execute a missed approach, make a left turn to a heading of 180, and climb to 2,000 feet. Simultaneously, the aircraft had just reached 1,000 feet when the stick shaker activated. Full power was applied and the landing gear was retracted in an attempt to execute the missed approach. However, the aircraft continued to descend, attaining a high nose-up attitude of at least 30 degrees, according to some survivors. The aircraft then clipped a tree and impacted trees, houses, utility pole cables, and garages before coming to rest. A post-crash fire destroyed part of the fuselage.