# NTSB DCA25LA120: Bombardier CL-600-2B19, N420AW, Chicago, IL, February 2, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: February 1, 2025, 19:02 local (Feb 2, 2025, 01:02 UTC) - Place: Chicago, IL - Coordinates: 41.9786, -87.9048 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.9786&lon=-87.9048&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: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 13 uninjured; on the ground: 1 serious - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Major Investigations Division - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 199663 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA25LA120 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/199663/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=199663 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA25LA120 ## Probable cause The tug driver’s failure to ensure the taxiway was clear of aircraft prior to crossing, resulting in a collision with the left wing of the taxiing aircraft. Contributing to the accident was the limited visibility of the aircraft due to ambient lighting conditions and the absence of the aircraft’s nose-gear light, which reduced the tug driver’s ability to detect the aircraft’s presence in time to avoid the collision. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: use of policy/procedure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063032): Personnel issues › Task performance · Ground crew (probable cause); cases with it: [Bombardier CL-600-2B19, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063032/cases.md?model=1390008), [All aircraft, 191 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063032/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: identification/recognition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Ground crew (probable cause); cases with it: [Bombardier CL-600-2B19, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/cases.md?model=1390008), [All aircraft, 559 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041510/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: [Bombardier CL-600-2B19, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md?model=1390008), [All aircraft, 618 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md) ## Analysis A serious injury was sustained by a tug driver following a collision with the left wing of Air Wisconsin flight 6181, a CRJ-200, during taxi operations at Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD). No injuries were reported among the airplane’s crew or passengers. Night visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed at the time of the accident. Flight 6181 landed at ORD and was initially held at the B Pad for an open gate (see Figure 1). Once cleared, the aircraft proceeded southbound on Taxiway A under a standard clearance. The first officer was actively monitoring both ramp and ground control frequencies during the taxi. The captain reported first observing the tug on Taxiway B as the tug began crossing at the access road. The tug appeared to be slowing down suggesting an intent to stop. The captain could not recall whether the tug’s headlights were illuminated and believed he saw the vehicle using ambient lighting. After briefly diverting attention toward the gate area, the captain looked back and recognized an imminent collision with the tug. Braking was initiated immediately by the captain, but the impact occurred shortly thereafter. The captain described the impact as “not that bad” and believed the tug had struck the wingtip. The flight crew then communicated with the flight attendants, followed by dispatch via the Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS). According to the tug driver, while returning from the international terminal, the vehicle approached the service road leading to the L gates. Before entering the road and crossing taxiway B, the tug came to a complete stop at the designated stop sign and the driver observed an airplane taxiing outbound on Taxiway B. The driver checked both directions and waited until the outbound aircraft cleared the taxiway. The driver also verified that no aircraft were approaching from behind or the opposite direction before proceeding to cross the taxiways (A&B). The driver stated that as the tug was crossing the taxiways, the left wing of flight 6181, approaching on taxiway A, was not visible until the last moment, leaving insufficient time to react. He also noted the absence of a nose-gear light on flight 6181, which may have contributed to the tug driver not detecting the presence of flight 6181 before the collision. Figure 1. Ground position tracks for flight 6181 with respect to taxiways A & B. The collision resulted in the tug overturning and trapping the driver, leading to serious injury. Post-flight inspection revealed substantial damage to the leading-edge front spar of the airplane’s left wing. The tug driver emphasized that had he been aware of the airplane’s presence, he would not have entered the intersection. Figure 2. Damage to the aircraft (Source FAA). Figure 3. Damage to the tug (Source FAA). According to the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) ground motor vehicle operating regulations manual, dated August 2023, a driver must stop prior to initiating thecrossing of the taxiways A, B, and V to determine if the crossing could be accomplished without stopping in the islands between the taxiways. Vehicles on service roads must yield to vehicles crossing taxiways. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N420AW](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N420AW), registered now, S/N 7640, built 2002 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BOMBARDIER INC CL-600-2B19 - Registry model: [Bombardier CL-600-2B19](https://openairdocs.org/model/bombardier-cl-600-2b19) (registry code 1390008) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [GE CF34 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/ge-cf34-series) (registry code 30015, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 7640 - Year built: 2002 - Airframe hours: 45460 - Engines: GE CF34 SERIES 9140 lbs thrust turbo fan; GE CF34 SERIES 9140 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: Air Wisconsin Airlines LLC, doing business as American Eagle - Registered owner: Air Wisconsin Airlines LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, May 5, 2023 - Departed: AZO, Kalamozoo, MI - Destination: Same as departure - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: ORD, Chicago O'Hare International Airport - Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Data recorder, ADS-B, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; injuries: none; airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review December 15, 2024; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 17,000 total, 14,500 in this make and model, 15,000 as pilot in command, 132 in the last 90 days, 37 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 27; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; seat: right; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 1,190 total, 259 in this make and model, 745 as pilot in command, 57 in the last 90 days, 25 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 120° at 11 knots - Visibility: 11.5 statute miles ## 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 20250201000859A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250201000859A), Feb 1, 2025: Bombardier Inc CL-600-2B19, Chicago, IL, Substantial damage. On February 1, 2025, the accident aircraft, a CL-600-2B19, departed kalamazoo battle creek international airport (azo) and arrived at Chicago o’hare… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 10, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=199663. 5.4 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 5.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19257718&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redact-Rel.pdf - Flight crew report (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 36 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19187972&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=AW%20Interview%20Notes%20Aircraft%20420%20Tug%20Event%20ORD%20Captain%20and%20First%20Officer-Rel.pdf - Tug driver statement (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 59 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19257493&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Tug%20Driver%20Written%20Statement-Rel.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.