Incident Overview

Date: Tuesday 7 November 2006
Aircraft Type: Boeing 737-322
Owner/operator: United Airlines
Registration Number: N328UA
Location: Chicago-O’Hare International Airport, IL (ORD/KORD) – ÿ United States of America
Phase of Flight: Standing
Status: Substantial
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 101
Component Affected: Left winglet on the Airbus A-320-200 and the right horizontal stabilizer and elevator on the Boeing 737-300Left winglet on the Airbus A-320-200 and the right horizontal stabilizer and elevator on the Boeing 737-300
Investigating Agency: NTSBNTSB
Category: Accident
An Airbus A-320-200 experienced a contact between its left winglet and the right horizontal stabilizer of a Boeing 737-300 during taxiing on runway 32L at O’Hare Airport. The initial clearance was given to both aircraft as Juliet, to Juliet-1, left on Tango to runway 32L, with the Airbus following behind the Boeing. The Boeing reported they followed the taxi route and turned left onto Juliet-1. Due to traffic in front of the Boeing, the taxi clearance for the Airbus was adjusted to continue straight on Juliet, to Whiskey, to Tango, then back track on Tango, and hold short of Juliet-1. The Airbus subsequently passed behind the Boeing. This resulted in the left winglet contacting the underside of the right horizontal stabilizer and elevator on the Boeing.An Airbus A-320-200 experienced a contact between its left winglet and the right horizontal stabilizer of a Boeing 737-300 during taxiing on runway 32L at O’Hare Airport. The initial clearance was given to both aircraft as Juliet, to Juliet-1, left on Tango to runway 32L, with the Airbus following behind the Boeing. The Boeing reported they followed the taxi route and turned left onto Juliet-1. Due to traffic in front of the Boeing, the taxi clearance for the Airbus was adjusted to continue straight on Juliet, to Whiskey, to Tango, then back track on Tango, and hold short of Juliet-1. The Airbus subsequently passed behind the Boeing. This resulted in the left winglet contacting the underside of the right horizontal stabilizer and elevator on the Boeing.

Description

The left winglet on an Airbus A-320-200 contacted the right horizontal stabilizer and elevator on a Boeing 737-300 while both airplanes were taxiing for takeoff on runway 32L at the O’Hare International Airport. The initial taxi clearance given to both airplanes was Juliet, to Juliet-1, left on Tango to runway 32L with the Airbus following behind the Boeing. The crew of the Boeing reported they followed the taxi route and turned left onto Juliet-1. While on Juliet-1, they stopped short of the intersecting service road because of traffic in front of them and vehicles on the service road. Because traffic was backing up, the taxi clearance for the Airbus was amended to continue straight on Juliet, to Whiskey, to Tango, then back track on Tango, and hold short of Juliet-1. As the Airbus continued to taxi straight on Juliet it passed behind the Boeing. It was at this time that the left winglet on the Airbus contacted the underside of the right horizontal stabilizer and elevator on the Boeing. Both airplanes subsequently returned to the gates and were deplaned normally. Probable Cause: The pilot-in-command failed to maintain clearance with the parked airplane during taxi for takeoff.

Source of Information

https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20070426X00458&key=1https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20070426X00458&key=1

Primary Cause

Failure to maintain clearance with the parked airplane during taxi for takeoff.Failure to maintain clearance with the parked airplane during taxi for takeoff.

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