- Date
- September 11, 2022, 15:50 local (20:50 UTC)
- Place
- Chicago, IL
- Injuries
- 322 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Defining events
- Taxi-from runway: Ground collisionStanding: Ground collision
- 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
- Parties
- Southwest Airlines, American Airlines
- Case key
- 105950
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
Southwest Airlines flight crew’s misjudgment of the distance required to safely pass the American Airlines airplane.
Findings · 3
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.
N963WN · Boeing 737-7H4
N909NN · Boeing 737-823
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.
N963WN · Boeing 737-7H4
N909NN · Boeing 737-823
Analysis
After landing on runway 27R at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, Southwest Airlines B737 flight 2659 (SWA2659) was cleared by ground control to taxi to gate M-14 via taxiways Z, D, TT, A, A-19. As they proceeded down taxiway A, both pilots observed an American Airlines B737 (AA1121) holding short of taxiway A-19. The pilots of SWA2659 asked ground control for permission to utilize taxiway A-20 instead and were granted permission. The captain said that as he tried to pass AA1121, he stayed left of centerline to ensure wingtip clearance. The first officer was looking out the window and informed the captain that their airplane’s wingtip was clear. However, their right winglet impacted the left elevator of AA1121. AA1121 was stationary on taxiway A and holding short of taxiway A-19 with the parking brake set, awaiting entry to gate K-20, when it was impacted by SWA2659. Figure 1. Depiction of SWA2659 taxi route and area of occurrence (Adapted from Google Earth) Post-event examination of both airplanes revealed that the right winglet of SWA2659 was damaged and sheared off by the impact and the left elevator of AA1121 was substantially damaged.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N963WN
- Reported as
- Boeing 737-7H4
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 36676
- Built
- 2011
- Airframe hours
- 36,032
- Engines
- CFM Intl CFM56-7B24, 24,200 lbs thrust, turbo fanCFM Intl CFM56-7B24, 24,200 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Southwest Airlines Co
- Registered owner
- Southwest Airlines Co
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · September 4, 2022
- Departed
- KDEN · Denver, CO
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- KORD · Chicago O'Hare International
- Equipment
- Heads up display, Onboard weather, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Data recorder, Auto-pilot, Angle of attack indicator
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
- N909NN
- Reported as
- Boeing 737-823
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 31159
- Built
- 2012
- Airframe hours
- 29,368
- Engines
- CFM Intl CFM56-7B, 27,000 lbs thrust, turbo fanCFM Intl CFM56-7B, 27,000 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- American Airlines Inc, doing business as American Airlines
- Registered owner
- Bank Of Utah Trustee
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · September 7, 2022
- Departed
- KMCO · Orlando, FL
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Angle of attack indicator, Auto-pilot, Data recorder, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, Stall warning system, Onboard weather, Heads up display, Electronic primary flight display
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 · 4
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N963WN
- Age
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Flight engineer, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 31, 2021
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 25,749 total · 15,983 in this make and model · 13,997 as pilot in command · 126 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Co-pilot, aircraft N963WN
- Age
- 52
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Private, Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 27, 2022
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 12,573 total · 167 in this make and model · 7,280 as pilot in command · 167 in the last 90 days · 57 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N909NN
- Age
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 10, 2020
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 21,000 total · 6,248 in this make and model · 6,190 as pilot in command
- Role
- Co-pilot, aircraft N909NN
- Age
- 38
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 11, 2019
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 8,000 total · 1,874 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Temperature
- 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.86 inHg
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 18, 2023, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.3 MB in all.