Boeing 747-47UF and Bombardier INC CL-600-2C10 accident near Chicago, Illinois, December 5, 2010
On December 5, 2010 at about 3:21 am local time, 2 aircraft, Boeing 747-47UF (N499MC) and Bombardier INC CL-600-2C10 (N502MJ), were involved in the same accident near Chicago, Illinois (Chicago O'Hare Iap airport). No one was hurt; 37 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The Boeing 747 first officer’s failure to maintain clearance from another airplane while taxiing due to his inadequate judgment of the distance between the airplanes.
The Boeing 747 first officer’s failure to maintain clearance from another airplane while taxiing due to his inadequate judgment of the distance between the airplanes.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 5, 2010 · about 3:21 am local time
- Place
- Chicago, Illinois · Chicago O'Hare Iap · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 37 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Boeing 747-47UF · all 747-47UFs on the register
- Registration
- N499MC · registry record · serial 29260
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
- Aircraft 2
- Bombardier INC CL-600-2C10
- Registration
- N502MJ · registry record · serial 10050
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative for the Boeing 747-47UF final · quoted from the NTSB record
A regional jet was waiting to be marshaled into a gate. A Boeing 747 taxied behind it and the 747's right winglet contacted the regional jet's horizontal stabilizer, causing substantial damage. The first officer of the 747 thought that he had sufficient clearance to taxi by the regional jet. The first officer reported that the flight was his first out of that airport.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The NTSB's narrative for the Bombardier INC CL-600-2C10 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A regional jet was waiting to be marshaled into a gate. A Boeing 747 taxied behind it and the 747's right winglet contacted the regional jet's horizontal stabilizer, causing substantial damage. The first officer of the 747 thought that he had sufficient clearance to taxi by the regional jet. The first officer reported that the flight was his first out of that airport.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record for the Boeing 747-47UF from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during taxi (to runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Copilot
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience in position › Copilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,000 hours in all; 5,500 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,000 hours in all; 0 in this make and model
- Last flight review: November 3, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Other crew
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Other crew
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 45,113 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 11, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 875,000 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Ge CF6-80C2B5F (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Ge CF6-80C2B5F (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Engine 3: Ge CF6-80C2B5F (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Engine 4: Ge CF6-80C2B5F (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Operator: Atlas Air INC
The flight
- Departed from: ORD Chicago IL
- Destination: TOL Toledo OH
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 320° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,300 ft
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 2:51 am from ORD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 4 |
The factual record for the Bombardier INC CL-600-2C10 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during standing (engine(s) operating) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot of other aircraft
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience in position › Pilot of other aircraft
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,104 hours in all; 3,148 in this make and model; 240 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 4,100 as pilot in command; 711 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 5, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,500 hours in all; 3,640 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 1,635 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 16, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 20,636 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, December 3, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 75,000 lb
- Seats: 70
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Ge CF34-8C5B1 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Ge CF34-8C5B1 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mesa Airlines INC
The flight
- Departed from: CLT Charlotte NC at 1:05 am
- Destination: ORD Chicago IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 2 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 29 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.