- Date
- December 19, 2019, 10:20 local (16:20 UTC)
- Place
- Chicago, IL
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 184 uninjured
- Damage
- No damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N68802Boeing 737
- Defining event
- Taxi-to runway: Cabin safety event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Major Investigations Division
- Case key
- 100734
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
an abrupt stop during taxi to avoid a collision with another airplane, causing a flight attendant to fall.
Findings · 1
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
On December 19, 2019, at approximately 1020 central standard time, United Airlines flight 2390, a B737-900ER, N68802, made an abrupt stop on the taxiway to avoid ground traffic at Chicago O'Hare International Airport (KORD), Chicago, Illinois. One flight attendant suffered a serious injury, and there were no injuries to the remaining 5 crewmembers and 179 passengers onboard. There was no damage to the airplane. The flight was operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 as a regularly scheduled passenger flight from KORD to Portland International Airport, Portland, Oregon. According to the operator, the airplane was pushed back from the gate and was given instructions from Outbound Ground Control (OGC) to taxi to runway 28R by joining taxiway A. As UAL 2390 was proceeding to taxiway A, an Embraer 175 had landed and was in communication with the Inbound Ground Control (IGC), and was also instructed to proceed to taxiway A. The UAL 2390 flight crew stated they were given no instructions to follow or give way to other airplane. As UAL 2390 approached taxiway A, the flight crew noticed the E175 approaching from behind and to the left and stopped abruptly to avoid it. During the abrupt stop, a flight attendant preparing the cabin for departure fell and sustained a serious injury. UAL 2390 returned to the gate and medical personnel met the airplane to treat the injured flight attendant.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N68802
- Reported as
- Boeing 737 (924ER)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 42739
- Built
- 2013
- Engines
- Cfm Intl CFM56-7B27E, 27,300 lbs thrust, turbo fanCfm Intl CFM56-7B27E, 27,300 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- United Airlines
- Registered owner
- United Airlines Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Departed
- ORD · Chicago, IL
- Destination
- PDX · Portland, OR
- Airport
- ORD · Chicago O'Hare Intl
- Equipment
- Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Data recorder, Angle of attack indicator, Onboard weather, Satellite tracking device, Stall warning system, ADS-B
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
- Age
- 58
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 15, 2019
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 20,003 total · 12,575 in this make and model · 12,575 as pilot in command · 143 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 45
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 12,702 total · 1,494 in this make and model · 1,494 as pilot in command · 184 in the last 90 days · 55 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 12 knots, gusting 19
- Temperature
- 27 °F, dew point 16 °F
- Observed at
- KORD
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 10, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.2 MB in all.