Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-31 and Airbus Industrie A-340 incident near Chicago, Illinois, December 14, 2000
On December 14, 2000 at about 2:50 am local time, 2 aircraft, Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-31 (N9342) and Airbus Industrie A-340 (TCJII), were involved in the same incident near Chicago, Illinois (O'Hare International Airport). No one was hurt; 249 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of the pilot of the other airplane to maintain clearance. Factors relating to this accident were the snow-covered taxiways and the ground controller disregarding the pilot of the other airplane's warning of the unsafe/hazardous situation of being unable to taxi around the standing Northwest Airlines DC-9 airplane.
Failure of the captain to maintain clearance from the other airplane that was stopped. Factors relating to this accident were the snow-covered taxiways and the ground controller disregarding the captain's warning of the unsafe/hazardous situation of being unable to taxi around the Northwest Airlines DC-9 airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 14, 2000 · about 2:50 am local time
- Place
- Chicago, Illinois · O'Hare International Airport
- Type
- Incident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 249 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft 1
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-31 · all DC-9-31s on the register
- Registration
- N9342 · no longer on the register · serial 47391
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
- Aircraft 2
- Airbus Industrie A-340 · all A-340s on the register
- Registration
- TCJII · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · foreign airline rules (Part 129)
The NTSB's narrative for the Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-31 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The captain of Northwest Airlines (NWA) flight 142 said that after landing they received taxi instructions from the Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) to taxi to the gate. The captain said his taxi speed was slow due to snow covering the taxiways and blowing snow. The captain said they stopped on the main taxiway because another airplane was blocking the taxiway into the ramp area. The ATCT instructed NWA flight 142 to hold their position until the airplane blocking the way was moved. The captain of Turkish Airlines flight 6 (THY6) said they saw NWA flight 142 on the taxiway. The tail of the airplane was over the parallel taxiway that THY6 was taxiing on. The captain said they stopped short of the airplane. ATCT instructed THY6 to continue taxiing. The captain on THY6 responded that they were unable to move ahead. The captain said that ATCT told them again to continue taxiing. The captain said they started to taxi then decided they could not get around NWA flight 142. The captain said they stopped but slid into the tail of the airplane. The ATCT ground controller said that THY6 was taxiing northbound for runway 9R. "I observed THY6 holding by A10 and I again restated my instructions. THY6 acknowledged and continued taxiing toward A9. THY6 turned at A9 and clipped the rudder of a NWA DC-9 on Taxiway Bravo." The reported visibility at the time of the incident was 1/2 mile with light snow and mist. The runway visual range for runway 14R was reported as 4,000 feet variable 6,000 feet. The winds were reported as 070 degrees at 6 knots.
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 Airbus Industrie A-340 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The captain of Northwest Airlines (NWA) flight 142 said that after landing they received taxi instructions from the Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) to taxi to the gate. The captain said his taxi speed was slow due to snow covering the taxiways and blowing snow. The captain said they stopped on the main taxiway because another airplane was blocking the taxiway into the ramp area. The ATCT instructed NWA flight 142 to hold their position until the airplane blocking the way was moved. The captain of Turkish Airlines flight 6 (THY6) said they saw NWA flight 142 on the taxiway. The tail of the airplane was over the parallel taxiway that THY6 was taxiing on. The captain said they stopped short of the airplane. ATCT instructed THY6 to continue taxiing. The captain on THY6 responded that they were unable to move ahead. The captain said that ATCT told them again to continue taxiing. The captain said they started to taxi then decided they could not get around NWA flight 142. The captain said they stopped but slid into the tail of the airplane. The ATCT ground controller said that THY6 was taxiing northbound for runway 9R. "I observed THY6 holding by A10 and I again restated my instructions. THY6 acknowledged and continued taxiing toward A9. THY6 turned at A9 and clipped the rudder of a NWA DC-9 on Taxiway Bravo." The reported visibility at the time of the incident was 1/2 mile with light snow and mist. The runway visual range for runway 14R was reported as 4,000 feet variable 6,000 feet. The winds were reported as 070 degrees at 6 knots.
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 Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-31 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,641 hours in all; 5,399 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 80,292 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 17, 2000; 352 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 110,000 lb
- Seats: 85
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: P&W JT8D-5 (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W JT8D-5 (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Operator: Northwest Airlines, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: MSP Minneapolis MN at 1:50 am
- Destination: ORD Chicago IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 070° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 0.5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 23°F (-5°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 am from ORD, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 4 | |||
| Passengers | 81 |
The factual record for the Airbus Industrie A-340 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: foreign licence
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 12, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 588,635 lb
- Seats: 271
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cfm International CFM-56-5C2 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cfm International CFM-56-5C2 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 3: Cfm International CFM-56-5C2 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 4: Cfm International CFM-56-5C2 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ORD Chicago IL
- Destination: IST Istanbul
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 14 | |||
| Passengers | 150 |
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.