# Incident 20151228021099I: Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-83(MD-83), Chicago, IL, December 28, 2015

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 28, 2015, 17:45 local time
- Place: Chicago, IL
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Ground/Ramp/Ma
- Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121)
- Operator: AALA
- Location: 41.8500° N, 87.6501° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Chicago, IL, within about 9 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.8500&lon=-87.6501&mi=10
- Aircraft: N569AA, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N569AA-2017-12-26) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-83(MD-83) (registry code 3022083, https://openairdocs.org/model/mcdonnell-douglas-dc-9-83-md-83) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney JT8D series (registry code 52053, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-jt8d-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MCDONNELL DOUGLAS DC-9-83(MD-83)
- Reported engine: P & W JT8D SERIES
- People aboard: 142
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20151228021099I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON DECEMBER 28, 2015, @ APPROXIMATELY 1745, AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT 1575, AN MD83 ARRIVING ORD FROM DFW WAS SLOWLY AND CAUTIOUSLY TAXIING INTO GATE K2 WHEN THE LEFT WINGTIP STRUCK A STATIONARY DEICING TRUCK.

RESULTS OF THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED CONFUSION ON THE RAMP.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS INITIALLY USING A DIGITAL GUIDANCE PARKING SYSTEM FOR SELF-PARKING BUT SIMULTANEOUSLY WAS BEING MARSHALLED-IN BY SOMEONE WITH NO WANDS.  IN ADDITION, A WING WALKER WAS STATIONED ON THE RIGHT WING WITH LIGHTED WANDS, WHILE ANOTHER WING WALKER WAS STATIONED BY THE LEFT WING AND NEAR THE DEICE TRUCK WITH NO WANDS. IT WAS OBVIOUS FROM REVIEWING THE VIDEO AND INTERVIEWING THE CAPTAIN THAT COMMUNICATION BETWEEN GROUND PERSONNEL WAS DEFICIENT. WHEN THE AIRCRAFTS LEFT WINGTIP WAS APPROACHING THE DEICING TRUCK AND A COLLISION WAS IMMINENT, THE WING WALKER HID BEHINDTHE DEICING TRUCK.  EVEN AFTER THE WINGTIP STRUCK THE DEICING TRUCK, THE LEAD MARSHALLER WAS STILL SIGNALING THE AIRCRAFT FORWARD.

THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE TIME WERE POOR, WITH SNOW AND SLEET.  SNOW, SLUSH, AND ICE COVERED THE GROUND AND RAMP SAFETY AREA MARKINGS.  THE LEAD-IN LINE HAD BEEN SHOVELED.

ANY FURTHER RECOMMENDATIONS OR CORRECTIVE ACTIONS ARE DEFERRED TO THE AMERICAN AIRLINES CMO.

RECOMMENDATION:  REVIEW GROUND OPERATION MARSHALLING PROCEDURES.  TURN OFF THE DIGITAL GUIDANCE PARKING SYSTEM WHEN MARSHLERS ARE GUIDING AIRCRAFT.

## Other reports on N569AA (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19880203010419I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19880203010419I), Feb 3, 1988: Doug DC983 (N569AA), Nashville, TN, Substantial damage. Hazardous materials spillage in cargo bay. Smoke and fire was generated. Cargo not properly marked.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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