Boeing 737-7H4 and Boeing 737-823 accident near Chicago, Illinois, September 11, 2022
On September 11, 2022 at about 8:50 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Boeing 737-7H4 (N963WN) and Boeing 737-823 (N909NN), were involved in the same accident near Chicago, Illinois (Chicago O'Hare International airport). No one was hurt; 322 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Southwest Airlines flight crew’s misjudgment of the distance required to safely pass the American Airlines airplane.
Southwest Airlines flight crew’s misjudgment of the distance required to safely pass the American Airlines airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 11, 2022 · about 8:50 pm local time
- Place
- Chicago, Illinois · Chicago O'Hare International · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 322 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Boeing 737-7H4, built 2011 · all 737-7H4s on the register
- Registration
- N963WN · registry record · serial 36676
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
- Aircraft 2
- Boeing 737-823, built 2012 · all 737-823s on the register
- Registration
- N909NN · registry record · serial 31159
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative for the Boeing 737-7H4 final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
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 Boeing 737-823 final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
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 737-7H4 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during taxi (from runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 25,749 hours in all; 15,983 in this make and model; 126 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 13,997 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 31, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,573 hours in all; 167 in this make and model; 167 in the last 90 days; 57 in the last 30 days; 7,280 as pilot in command; 1,702 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 27, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 36,032 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, September 4, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 155,000 lb
- Seats: 148
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cfm Intl CFM56-7B24 (turbofan); 56,616 hours total
- Engine 2: Cfm Intl CFM56-7B24 (turbofan); 54,867 hours total
- Operator: Southwest Airlines CO
The flight
- Departed from: KDEN Denver CO at 7:31 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 5 | |||
| Passengers | 139 |
The factual record for the Boeing 737-823 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during standing
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Aircraft › Effect on equipment
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › (general) › Pilot of other aircraft
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 21,000 hours in all; 6,248 in this make and model; 6,190 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 10, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,000 hours in all; 1,874 in this make and model
- Last flight review: January 11, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 29,368 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, September 7, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 174,700 lb
- Seats: 180
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cfm Intl CFM56-7B (turbofan); 33,603 hours total
- Engine 2: Cfm Intl CFM56-7B (turbofan); 26,030 hours total
- Operator: American Airlines Inc
The flight
- Departed from: KMCO Orlando FL at 5:49 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 6 | |||
| Passengers | 172 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DCA22LA201.