- Date
- May 17, 1986, 09:59 local (14:59 UTC)
- Place
- Chicago, IL
- Injuries
- 224 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Safety recommendations
- Yes
- Case key
- 13538
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
U.S. Air flight 373 passed over American airlines flight 695 at the intersection of runways 32R and 4L while both aircraft were taking off. Both aircraft had been cleared for takeoff by the local controller at o'hare tower. The aircraft came within twenty feet of each other during the occurrence. The local controller was involved in giving additional severe weather avoidance (swap) clearances when he inadvertently forgot he had cleared the U.S. Air flight for takeoff and then about 20 seconds later cleared the American flight for takeoff.
U.S. Air flight 373 passed over American airlines flight 695AT the intersection of runways 32R and 4L while both aircraft were taking off. Both aircraft had been cleared for takeoff by the local controller at o'hare tower. The aircraft came within twenty feet of each other during the occurrence. The local controller was involved in giving additional severe weather avoidance (swap) clearances when he inadvertently forgot he had cleared the U.S. Air flight for takeoff and then about 20 seconds later cleared the American flight for takeoff.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N973VJ
- Reported as
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-31
- Category
- Airplane
- Engine
- P&W JT-9D, 14,500 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Registered owner
- Usair
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Departed
- ORD · Chicago, IL
- Destination
- PIT · Pittsburgh, PA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- ORD · O'Hare, runway 4L, 7,500 × 150 ft, concrete
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
- Registration
- N6833
- Reported as
- Boeing 727-223
- Category
- Airplane
- Engine
- P&W JT-9D, 14,500 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Registered owner
- American Airlines
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Destination
- OKC · Oklahoma City, OK
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- ORD · O'Hare, runway 32R, 10,003 × 150 ft, concrete
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N973VJ
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N6833
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,000 ft broken
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ORD