What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On may 18, 2017, Alaska airlines flight 138, a B737-990ER departed anchorage international (anc) for Chicago ohare international (ord). Asa 138 landed on runway 27R and was taxiing eastbound to gate H4 via taxiway b behind eny 3703 EMB-145LR on taxiway b (operating as American eagle flight 3703).
Eny 3703 was cleared to turn left onto transition taxiway A14, and cross taxyway alpha (inner taxiway) behind company acft on right hand side which was ENY3267 travelling east to west on alpha. Asa 138 was still on taxiway b with clearance to taxi eastbound toward taxiway A19.
After turning onto taxiway A14, eny 3703 came to a stop approximately midway between txwy alpha and bravo in order to hold for eny 3267 on taxiway alpha approaching from in front and travelling from eny 3703'S right to left. Asa 138, still on taxiway b, continued to taxi as directed, approaching eny 3703 from behind and travelling from eny 3703'S left to right. When the first officer queried the captain if they had enough clearance from eny 3703, the asa 138 captain responded that he did not think he could stop in time, so he steered about 20 feet to the right in an effort to avoid eny 3703. Time was 13:36:40Z, 08:36:40L.
The asa 138 captain and first officer thought they had cleared eny 3703 since they did not feel or see anything unusual. After passing eny 3703, ord ground control told asa 138 he had a phone number to call ord twr when able. At 13:49:51Z asa 138 called ground control for the ord twr phone#. Then at 13:50:02Z eny 3703 reported to ground control they thought the asa acft that went by them earlier had clipped the tail of their acft.
Once at gate H4, the captain of ASA138 went to look for damage to his acft, and found the left winglet had sustained minor damage. Eny 3703 sustained minor damage to the right-hand horizontal stabilizer.
No injuries were reported aboard either aircraft.
METAR wx: kord 181251Z 25022G37KT 10SM BKN034 22/14 A2967 rmk AO2 pk wnd 24037/1249 SLP043 T02220144.
As the FAA filed it
ON MAY 18, 2017, ALASKA AIRLINES FLIGHT 138, A B737-990ER DEPARTED ANCHORAGE INTERNATIONAL (ANC) FOR CHICAGO OHARE INTERNATIONAL (ORD). ASA 138 LANDED ON RUNWAY 27R AND WAS TAXIING EASTBOUND TO GATE H4 VIA TAXIWAY B BEHIND ENY 3703 EMB-145LR ON TAXIWAY B (OPERATING AS AMERICAN EAGLE FLIGHT 3703).
ENY 3703 WAS CLEARED TO TURN LEFT ONTO TRANSITION TAXIWAY A14, AND CROSS TAXYWAY ALPHA (INNER TAXIWAY) BEHIND COMPANY ACFT ON RIGHT HAND SIDE WHICH WAS ENY3267 TRAVELLING EAST TO WEST ON ALPHA. ASA 138 WAS STILL ON TAXIWAY B WITH CLEARANCE TO TAXI EASTBOUND TOWARD TAXIWAY A19.
AFTER TURNING ONTO TAXIWAY A14, ENY 3703 CAME TO A STOP APPROXIMATELY MIDWAY BETWEEN TXWY ALPHA AND BRAVO IN ORDER TO HOLD FOR ENY 3267 ON TAXIWAY ALPHA APPROACHING FROM IN FRONT AND TRAVELLING FROM ENY 3703'S RIGHT TO LEFT. ASA 138, STILL ON TAXIWAY B, CONTINUED TO TAXI AS DIRECTED, APPROACHING ENY 3703 FROM BEHIND AND TRAVELLING FROM ENY 3703'S LEFT TO RIGHT. WHEN THE FIRST OFFICER QUERIED THE CAPTAIN IF THEY HAD ENOUGH CLEARANCE FROM ENY 3703, THE ASA 138 CAPTAIN RESPONDED THAT HE DID NOT THINK HE COULD STOP IN TIME, SO HE STEERED ABOUT 20 FEET TO THE RIGHT IN AN EFFORT TO AVOID ENY 3703. TIME WAS 13:36:40Z, 08:36:40L.
THE ASA 138 CAPTAIN AND FIRST OFFICER THOUGHT THEY HAD CLEARED ENY 3703 SINCE THEY DID NOT FEEL OR SEE ANYTHING UNUSUAL. AFTER PASSING ENY 3703, ORD GROUND CONTROL TOLD ASA 138 HE HAD A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL ORD TWR WHEN ABLE. AT 13:49:51Z ASA 138 CALLED GROUND CONTROL FOR THE ORD TWR PHONE#. THEN AT 13:50:02Z ENY 3703 REPORTED TO GROUND CONTROL THEY THOUGHT THE ASA ACFT THAT WENT BY THEM EARLIER HAD CLIPPED THE TAIL OF THEIR ACFT.
ONCE AT GATE H4, THE CAPTAIN OF ASA138 WENT TO LOOK FOR DAMAGE TO HIS ACFT, AND FOUND THE LEFT WINGLET HAD SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE. ENY 3703 SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT-HAND HORIZONTAL STABILIZER.
NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED ABOARD EITHER AIRCRAFT.
METAR WX: KORD 181251Z 25022G37KT 10SM BKN034 22/14 A2967 RMK AO2 PK WND 24037/1249 SLP043 T02220144.