Embraer EMB 145LR and Bombardier INC CL 600 2C10 incident near Chicago, Illinois, February 18, 2015
On February 18, 2015 at about 3:45 am local time, 2 aircraft, Embraer EMB 145LR (N698CB) and Bombardier INC CL 600 2C10 (N154GJ), were involved in the same incident near Chicago, Illinois (Chicago O'Hare Intl airport). No one was hurt; 113 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight crew's failure to manage cockpit tasks during taxi resulting in a loss of situation awareness and subsequently taxiing past a required turn point and onto an active runway without clearance. Contributing to the runway incursion was the ground controllers ineffective monitoring to ensure issued taxi instructions were followed.
The flight crew's failure to manage cockpit tasks during taxi resulting in a loss of situation awareness and subsequently taxiing past a required turn point and onto an active runway without clearance. Contributing to the runway incursion was the ground controllers ineffective monitoring to ensure issued taxi instructions were followed.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 18, 2015 · about 3:45 am local time
- Place
- Chicago, Illinois · Chicago O'Hare Intl · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 113 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Embraer EMB 145LR LR, built 2004 · all EMB 145LRs on the register
- Registration
- N698CB · registry record · serial 14500877
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
- Aircraft 2
- Bombardier INC CL 600 2C10 700C, built 2005
- Registration
- N154GJ · no longer on the register · serial 10224
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative for the Embraer EMB 145LR final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight crew of GJS3710 was heads down during taxi and missed the turn from taxiway F to taxiway N, did not observe the flashing runway guard lights at the edge of runway 28R and taxiway F, and taxied onto runway 28R without clearance, nearly colliding with ENY3084. The closest proximity between center of each airplane was estimated to be about 94 feet, which corresponds to approximately 20 to 30 feet between wingtips. According to interviews with the flight crew of GJS3710, the first officer was head down doing cockpit tasks and coordinating with the flight attendant for pre-takeoff passenger requirements. The captain, operating the aircraft, gave way to an inbound 757 on taxiway A. The captain stated that as he was approaching taxiway F, he looked down to confirm the frequency settings in the cockpit and when he looked up again, he thought he was passing taxiway B on taxiway F, but was actually passing taxiway N on taxiway F. He stated that he did not see the runway guard lights at the intersection of taxiway F and runway 28R. This loss of situation awareness resulted in GJS3710 entering runway 28R without clearance. The ASDE-X was working normally and alarmed, indicating a conflict on runway 28R; however, the air traffic control front-line manager on duty in the tower stated that there was insufficient time to cancel ENY3084's takeoff clearance. ENY3084 maneuvered to the left of runway centerline to avoid GJS3710, and then continued takeoff. Following the event, taxiway F was closed from taxiway N to taxiway P, removing direct access to the runway from the terminal ramp on taxiway F.
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
The flight crew of GJS3710 was heads down during taxi and missed the turn from taxiway F to taxiway N, did not observe the flashing runway guard lights at the edge of runway 28R and taxiway F, and taxied onto runway 28R without clearance, nearly colliding with ENY3084. The closest proximity between center of each airplane was estimated to be about 94 feet, which corresponds to approximately 20 to 30 feet between wingtips. According to interviews with the flight crew of GJS3710, the first officer was head down doing cockpit tasks and coordinating with the flight attendant for pre-takeoff passenger requirements. The captain, operating the aircraft, gave way to an inbound 757 on taxiway A. The captain stated that as he was approaching taxiway F, he looked down to confirm the frequency settings in the cockpit and when he looked up again, he thought he was passing taxiway B on taxiway F, but was actually passing taxiway N on taxiway F. He stated that he did not see the runway guard lights at the intersection of taxiway F and runway 28R. This loss of situation awareness resulted in GJS3710 entering runway 28R without clearance. The ASDE-X was working normally and alarmed, indicating a conflict on runway 28R; however, the air traffic control front-line manager on duty in the tower stated that there was insufficient time to cancel ENY3084's takeoff clearance. ENY3084 maneuvered to the left of runway centerline to avoid GJS3710, and then continued takeoff. Following the event, taxiway F was closed from taxiway N to taxiway P, removing direct access to the runway from the terminal ramp on taxiway F.
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 Embraer EMB 145LR from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Runway incursion veh/AC/person during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › ATC personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Rolls-Royc AE3007 SER (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Rolls-Royc AE3007 SER (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: American Eagle Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: ORD Chicago IL
- Destination: CMH Columbus OH
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 28R, 13,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 290° at 12 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; a few clouds at 3,800 ft
- Temperature: 12°F (-11°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 2:51 am from ORD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 1 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 50 |
The factual record for the Bombardier INC CL 600 2C10 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Runway incursion veh/AC/person during taxi (to runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Workload management › Task allocation › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › ATC personnel
Co-pilot
- Flight time: 4,500 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,100 hours in all; 5,400 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Ge CF34-8C5B1 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Ge CF34-8C5B1 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Gojet Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: ORD Chicago IL
- Destination: CYYZ Toronto
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 28R, 13,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 1 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 57 |
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.