What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On Monday, October 15th at approximately 0700 CDT, a southwest airlines aircraft, registration number N8314L, a Boeing 737-8H4, was struck by another southwest airlines aircraft, registration number N416WN, a Boeing 737-7H4, at Midway international airport. Both aircraft were on the ground and taxiing to their respective gates at the time of the incident.
N8314L was stopped and waiting to finish taxiing into gate B25. Pilot statements were supplied by southwest airlines. In this statement, the pilot of N8314L stated that he stopped taxiing into gate B25 because a baggage cart was parked on the red safety line. While he was waiting for the baggage cart to be moved by ground personnel, he felt a jolt to the aircraft and then asked the first officer to contact ATC and ask if they had been struck by another aircraft. The pilot of N416WN confirmed via radio that they had struck N8134L.
Because N8314L had stopped taxiing into gate B25, the aft end of the aircraft was still partially in the movement area. While N8314L was stopped, aircraft N416WN attempted to taxi behind N8314L in order to reach its assigned gate, B26. I spoke to the captain of N416WN in person and he stated that he looked out of the left window and thought he could clear the other aircraft. As he proceeded, the left hand wing tip of his aircraft, N416WN, made contact with the right hand horizontal stabilizer of N8314L, resulting in damage to both aircraft. No crew or passengers were injured. N416WN proceeded to taxi into its assigned gate, B26. The pilot of N8314L decided to shut down the engine and be towed into the gate. Both aircraft were deplaned and moved to maintenance facilities for repair.
As the FAA filed it
ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 15TH AT APPROXIMATELY 0700 CDT, A SOUTHWEST AIRLINES AIRCRAFT, REGISTRATION NUMBER N8314L, A BOEING 737-8H4, WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER SOUTHWEST AIRLINES AIRCRAFT, REGISTRATION NUMBER N416WN, A BOEING 737-7H4, AT MIDWAY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. BOTH AIRCRAFT WERE ON THE GROUND AND TAXIING TO THEIR RESPECTIVE GATES AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT.
N8314L WAS STOPPED AND WAITING TO FINISH TAXIING INTO GATE B25. PILOT STATEMENTS WERE SUPPLIED BY SOUTHWEST AIRLINES. IN THIS STATEMENT, THE PILOT OF N8314L STATED THAT HE STOPPED TAXIING INTO GATE B25 BECAUSE A BAGGAGE CART WAS PARKED ON THE RED SAFETY LINE. WHILE HE WAS WAITING FOR THE BAGGAGE CART TO BE MOVED BY GROUND PERSONNEL, HE FELT A JOLT TO THE AIRCRAFT AND THEN ASKED THE FIRST OFFICER TO CONTACT ATC AND ASK IF THEY HAD BEEN STRUCK BY ANOTHER AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT OF N416WN CONFIRMED VIA RADIO THAT THEY HAD STRUCK N8134L.
BECAUSE N8314L HAD STOPPED TAXIING INTO GATE B25, THE AFT END OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS STILL PARTIALLY IN THE MOVEMENT AREA. WHILE N8314L WAS STOPPED, AIRCRAFT N416WN ATTEMPTED TO TAXI BEHIND N8314L IN ORDER TO REACH ITS ASSIGNED GATE, B26. I SPOKE TO THE CAPTAIN OF N416WN IN PERSON AND HE STATED THAT HE LOOKED OUT OF THE LEFT WINDOW AND THOUGHT HE COULD CLEAR THE OTHER AIRCRAFT. AS HE PROCEEDED, THE LEFT HAND WING TIP OF HIS AIRCRAFT, N416WN, MADE CONTACT WITH THE RIGHT HAND HORIZONTAL STABILIZER OF N8314L, RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO BOTH AIRCRAFT. NO CREW OR PASSENGERS WERE INJURED. N416WN PROCEEDED TO TAXI INTO ITS ASSIGNED GATE, B26. THE PILOT OF N8314L DECIDED TO SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND BE TOWED INTO THE GATE. BOTH AIRCRAFT WERE DEPLANED AND MOVED TO MAINTENANCE FACILITIES FOR REPAIR.
Other aircraft in the event · 1
Each aircraft in a collision has its own report.