Ground collision of two Boeing planes in Chicago sparks FAA investigation

CHICAGO (AP) — A plane taxiing for departure clipped another aircraft at Chicago O’Hare International Airport on Sunday evening, the Federal Aviation Administration said Monday.

No injuries were reported, both planes were of Boeing design, and the FAA says it will investigate the incident.

The left wing tip of Flight 11 from All Nippon Airways, a Japanese airline, struck the rear of Delta Air Lines Flight 2122 on Sunday around 6:30 p.m. Central Time, FAA spokesperson Tony Molinaro said. The All Nippon Airways flight was a Boeing 777, and the Delta Airlines aircraft was a Boeing 717.

American aircraft manufacturer Boeing faces increasing scrutiny following a series of mechanical failures and subsequent grounding of its Boeing 737 Max 9 model after an emergency exit door failed and caused an emergency landing last week. It was not immediately clear what caused the incident on Sunday and whether it was related to a manufacturing flaw.

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Boeing representatives did not provide a comment on Monday regarding the collision at O’Hare and instead directed The Associated Press to speak with the airlines involved and the FAA.

Delta spokesperson Emma Johnson said Monday afternoon by phone that an All Nippon Airways aircraft clipped a Delta plane while it was parking at a gate after arriving at O’Hare from Detroit.

“Customers deplaned normally at the gate and the aircraft is being evaluated by Delta’s maintenance technicians,” the company said in an emailed statement.

Raymond Bongalon, a customer service representative with All Nippon Airways, said Monday afternoon that the airline could not yet provide any information on what happened.

The airline’s flight status search said Flight 11 was bound for Tokyo but canceled because of “aircraft inspection.”

The Chicago Department of Aviation did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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Savage is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.