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A full inspection of both aircraft found no major damage, although flight data suggests one of the jets remains on the ground in Chicago. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is now investigating the incident.
Taxiing United 737 Clips Parked 767 Tail
As per CBS News, the incident happened on Friday afternoon at Chicago O’Hare as an arriving United Airlines flight was taxiing to its arrival gate. The Boeing 737-700 had just completed a two-hour and 30-minute flight from Jackson Hole (JAC) when it made contact with the horizontal stabilizer of a parked United 767. Pictures posted to social media show the 737’s wingtip stuck beneath the 767’s left horizontal stabilizer, with the incident occurring as the 737 negotiated O’Hare’s busy and sophisticated ramp area.
The impact was reportedly light, with many passengers apparently unaware of the mishap. But the pilot soon announced there would be a delay as United ground staff gathered around the two aircraft. One passenger, Bill Marcus, did not feel the initial collision, but said there was some “shuddering” as the two aircraft separated. Simple Flying reached out to United Airlines and received the following response,
“On Friday afternoon, UA2652 was taxiing to its arrival gate when it made contact with the horizontal stabilizer of another United aircraft. Passengers deplaned normally and no injuries were reported. The other aircraft was stationary, and no passengers were onboard.”
No Major Damage, But 737 Remains Grounded
Passengers remained on the plane for just under an hour before deplaning normally. Although the damage was reported as minor, the 737 remains on the ground in Chicago almost a day after the incident.
This aircraft is a 26-year-old Boeing 737-700 registered as N21723. It was delivered to Continental Airlines in 1999 before it was merged into United’s fleet in 2010. The narrowbody can seat up to 126 passengers in two cabin classes, with 12 in domestic first and 114 in economy.
The registration of the Boeing 767 involved has not been reported, so the condition of this aircraft is unknown. United is one of the few remaining Boeing 767 operators for passenger flights, maintaining the world’s second-largest 767 fleet behind Delta Air Lines.
Worrying Trend Of Ground Collisions
There have been a series of ground incidents at major US airports this year, raising concerns about lapsing safety standards amid ongoing air traffic controller shortages. Prior to Friday’s mishap in Chicago, the most recent incident happened earlier this month at LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and could have been more serious under different circumstances.
The accident on October 1 — which saw two regional Delta jets collide at a taxiway intersection — injured a flight attendant when the wing of one aircraft crashed into the nose and cockpit of another. Just a month earlier, two United aircraft were involved in a minor collision at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) after a 737-900 clipped the tail of a parked aircraft, similar to what happened to two United 777s at the same airport in May.
The uptick in ground incidents comes as leading US airports grapple with critical staffing shortages. The FAA is targeting thousands of new hires in the next few years, but levels lag well behind targets. As one of the country’s busiest airports, Chicago O’Hare also has one of its most complicated operational environments, given its eight active runways.