What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On Wednesday, September 11, 2019 at 1207 CST, skywest airlines N710SK, a Bombardier CL-600-2C10 operating under flight number SKW3019 departing from Chicago o?hare international airport (kord) to harrisburg international airport (kmdt), struck another aircraft during push back from gate G19A. The aircraft struck was a skywest airlines N765SK, a Bombardier CL-600-2C10 operating under flight number SKW3039 departing from Chicago o?hare international airport (kord) to detroit metropolitan airport (kdtw). N765SK was stationary and was holding short on the west line, at the top of the alley awaiting clearance to taxi. N710SK returned to gate under tow and N765SK taxied back to gate under its own power.
N710SK had 33 passengers and a crew complement of 4. There was no report of injuries.
Inspection of both aircraft indicated that N710SK had the left horizontal stabilizer tip damaged and N765SK received corresponding damage to the vertical stabilizer stinger fairing.
The flight crew on N710SK had relayed to the pushback driver that clearance to push was given by gate control. During the push, both wing walkers signaled to the tug driver that there was an obstruction but failed to get his attention until it was too late.
An examination of gate G19A revealed that with traffic holding on the west line, short of taxiway alpha, an aircraft will not have sufficient clearance for a safe pushback.
Follow up with the ground service provider; envoy (sima), indicated that the tug driver has been with the company for a little over a year and both wing walkers were employed under a year. The ground personnel involved were terminated. Transferred all pertinent findings to swia cmo for further investigation and disposition.
As the FAA filed it
ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2019 AT 1207 CST, SKYWEST AIRLINES N710SK, A BOMBARDIER CL-600-2C10 OPERATING UNDER FLIGHT NUMBER SKW3019 DEPARTING FROM CHICAGO O?HARE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (KORD) TO HARRISBURG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (KMDT), STRUCK ANOTHER AIRCRAFT DURING PUSH BACK FROM GATE G19A. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK WAS A SKYWEST AIRLINES N765SK, A BOMBARDIER CL-600-2C10 OPERATING UNDER FLIGHT NUMBER SKW3039 DEPARTING FROM CHICAGO O?HARE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (KORD) TO DETROIT METROPOLITAN AIRPORT (KDTW). N765SK WAS STATIONARY AND WAS HOLDING SHORT ON THE WEST LINE, AT THE TOP OF THE ALLEY AWAITING CLEARANCE TO TAXI. N710SK RETURNED TO GATE UNDER TOW AND N765SK TAXIED BACK TO GATE UNDER ITS OWN POWER.
N710SK HAD 33 PASSENGERS AND A CREW COMPLEMENT OF 4. THERE WAS NO REPORT OF INJURIES.
INSPECTION OF BOTH AIRCRAFT INDICATED THAT N710SK HAD THE LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER TIP DAMAGED AND N765SK RECEIVED CORRESPONDING DAMAGE TO THE VERTICAL STABILIZER STINGER FAIRING.
THE FLIGHT CREW ON N710SK HAD RELAYED TO THE PUSHBACK DRIVER THAT CLEARANCE TO PUSH WAS GIVEN BY GATE CONTROL. DURING THE PUSH, BOTH WING WALKERS SIGNALED TO THE TUG DRIVER THAT THERE WAS AN OBSTRUCTION BUT FAILED TO GET HIS ATTENTION UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE.
AN EXAMINATION OF GATE G19A REVEALED THAT WITH TRAFFIC HOLDING ON THE WEST LINE, SHORT OF TAXIWAY ALPHA, AN AIRCRAFT WILL NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT CLEARANCE FOR A SAFE PUSHBACK.
FOLLOW UP WITH THE GROUND SERVICE PROVIDER; ENVOY (SIMA), INDICATED THAT THE TUG DRIVER HAS BEEN WITH THE COMPANY FOR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AND BOTH WING WALKERS WERE EMPLOYED UNDER A YEAR. THE GROUND PERSONNEL INVOLVED WERE TERMINATED. TRANSFERRED ALL PERTINENT FINDINGS TO SWIA CMO FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION AND DISPOSITION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other aircraft in the event · 1
Each aircraft in a collision has its own report.