# NTSB DCA14CA170: Embraer EMB 145XR, N16147, Chicago, IL, September 13, 2014 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: September 12, 2014, 20:26 local (Sep 13, 2014, 01:26 UTC) - Place: Chicago, IL - Coordinates: 41.973331, -87.899169 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.9733&lon=-87.8992&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Taxi-from runway: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 37 uninjured; on the ground: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report August 23, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Major Investigations Division - NTSB case key (mKey): 90189 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA14CA170 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/90189/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90189 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA14CA170 ## Probable cause The tractor driver's failure to give way to the taxiing airplane. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Ground crew (probable cause); cases with it: [Embraer EMB-145XR, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=3260214), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Taxi-from runway: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200) (defining event); cases with it: [Embraer EMB-145XR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md?model=3260214), [All aircraft, 618 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md) ## Analysis On September 12, 2014, about 2026 central daylight time, an ExpressJet ERJ145XR, dba United Express flight 4528, N16147, was struck by a United Airlines baggage tractor while taxiing to the gate at Chicago O'Hare International Airport (KORD), Chicago, Illinois. There were no injuries to the 37 passengers and crew members onboard the airplane and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The tractor driver received minor injuries. The flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 121 as a regularly scheduled passenger flight from Joe Foss Field (KSFD), Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to KORD. According to the operator, the flight had just landed and was taxiing on taxi-way A from the east and had just switched to United Ground Control. The flight was instructed to taxi from A to the alley and transition to the "B" side "J"-line and taxi to gate E2. As the airplane entered the United Airlines control area, a baggage tractor drove into the path of the taxiing airplane on the roadway between the gates C-29 and B-16. The airplane was unable to stop and the right wing struck the moving baggage tractor, knocking it onto its right side. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and right leading edge. ## Factual narrative On September 12, 2014, about 2026 central daylight time, an ExpressJet ERJ145XR, dba United Express flight 4528, N16147, was struck by a United Airlines baggage tractor while taxiing to the gate at Chicago O'Hare International Airport (KORD), Chicago, Illinois. There were no injuries to the 37 passengers and crew members onboard the airplane and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The tractor driver received minor injuries. The flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 121 as a regularly scheduled passenger flight from Joe Foss Field (KSFD), Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to KORD. According to the operator, the flight had just landed and was taxiing on taxi-way A from the east and had just switched to United Ground Control. The flight was instructed to taxi from A to the alley and transition to the "B" side "J"-line and taxi to gate E2. As the airplane entered the United Airlines control area, a baggage tractor drove into the path of the taxiing airplane on the roadway between the gates C-29 and B-16. The airplane was unable to stop and the right wing struck the moving baggage tractor, knocking it onto its right side. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and right leading edge. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N16147](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N16147), registered now, S/N 145749, built 2003 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: EMBRAER EMB 145XR (XR) - Registry model: [Embraer EMB-145XR](https://openairdocs.org/model/embraer-emb-145xr) (registry code 3260214) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rolls-Royce AE3007 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-ae3007-series) (registry code 54582, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 145749 - Year built: 2003 - Engines: ROLLS-ROYC AE3007 SER turbo fan; ROLLS-ROYC AE3007 SER turbo fan - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: ExpressJet Airlines, doing business as United Express - Registered owner: Wells Fargo Bank Northwest Na Trustee - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Departed: KFSD, SIOUX FALLS, SD - Destination: KORD, Chicago, IL - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: KORD, Chicago O-HAre - Equipment: Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 34; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, unknown; seat: left; restraint: 5-point - Co-pilot; age 29; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, unknown; seat: right; restraint: 5-point ## Weather - Conditions: Night - Wind: 330° at 14 knots - Visibility: 8 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,400 ft overcast - Temperature: 46 °F, dew point 43 °F - Altimeter: 30.27 inHg - Icing: Unknown - Turbulence: Unknown - Observed at: KORD ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20140912015899A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140912015899A), Sep 12, 2014: Embraer EMB-145XR, O'Hare, IL, Minor damage. On September 12, 2014, at approximately 2026 CDT, express jet airlines operating as united/continental airlines, flight 4528, was impacted by a tug on the… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 26, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90189. 218 KB in all. - Engineering Change Repair Authorization (item 1, .PDF, 218 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40475300&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Engineering%20Change%20Repair%20Authorization-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.