What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 5/11/2002, at 1745 central standard time, a southwest (swa) B-737 aircraft N408WN was parked at gate F6 at Midway airport in Chicago, Illinois and was struck by an American trans air (amta) B-757 aircraft N552TZ. The pushback operator/driver failed to keep visual contact with the wing walkers while aircraft N552TZ was being pushed back from gate A3 which is located directly across from gate F6. The wing walkers attempted to get the attention of the pushback driver as the aircraft's tails got closer to each other. The right elevator of the amta B-757 struck the right elevator of the swa B-737 causing substantial damage to the honeycomb structure of both aircraft's horizontal stabilizer/elevator. A flight attendant onboard the B-757 suffered a minor bump to her head with no laceration.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 5/11/2002, AT 1745 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A SOUTHWEST (SWA) B-737 AIRCRAFT N408WN WAS PARKED AT GATE F6 AT MIDWAY AIRPORT IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS AND WAS STRUCK BY AN AMERICAN TRANS AIR (AMTA) B-757 AIRCRAFT N552TZ. THE PUSHBACK OPERATOR/DRIVER FAILED TO KEEP VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE WING WALKERS WHILE AIRCRAFT N552TZ WAS BEING PUSHED BACK FROM GATE A3 WHICH IS LOCATED DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM GATE F6. THE WING WALKERS ATTEMPTED TO GET THE ATTENTION OF THE PUSHBACK DRIVER AS THE AIRCRAFT'S TAILS GOT CLOSER TO EACH OTHER. THE RIGHT ELEVATOR OF THE AMTA B-757 STRUCK THE RIGHT ELEVATOR OF THE SWA B-737 CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE HONEYCOMB STRUCTURE OF BOTH AIRCRAFT'S HORIZONTAL STABILIZER/ELEVATOR. A FLIGHT ATTENDANT ONBOARD THE B-757 SUFFERED A MINOR BUMP TO HER HEAD WITH NO LACERATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.