Chicago O'hare International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chicago, Illinois
Monday, August 8, 2011 11:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A near-midair collision occurred when an Embraer ERJ-145 regional jet departing from runway 32L passed within close proximity to an Embraer ERJ-135 regional jet on approach to runway 9R. The local controller had cleared the ERJ-145 for takeoff without ensuring that adequate spacing existed between the ERJ-145 and the approaching ERJ-135. The ERJ-135 was instructed to go around, but the two airplanes passed within 125 feet vertically and 350 feet horizontally of each other above runway 32L. When interviewed, the local controller stated that he had overlooked the arriving airplane during his scan, possibly because he was distracted by coordination requirements affecting two other airplanes.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The improper air traffic control takeoff clearance issued by the local controller because of his lack of monitoring and lack of awareness of the conflicting arrival airplane.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 8/8/2011
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1100
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Chicago
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site --
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport Chicago O'Hare International
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ORD
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 672
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 1051 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID ORD
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 18000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3200
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.77
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report 1051 SCT032 BKN180 OVC250 10.00 25.6 19.4, 09005,
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 84
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 30503
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 14 2012 11:01AM
User who most recently changed record duns
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number -- --
NTSB Number OPS11IA819A OPS11IA819B
Missing Aircraft Indicator -- --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part -- --
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes Yes
Damage None None
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name EMBRAER EMBRAER
Aircraft Model EMB-135KL EMB-145LR
Aircraft Series Identifier -- --
Aircraft Serial Number 145579 14500842
Certified Max Gross Weight -- --
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class -- --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 37 55
Number of Engines 2 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection -- --
Date of Last Inspection -- --
Airframe hours since last inspection -- --
Airframe Hours -- --
ELT Installed Yes Yes
ELT Activated No No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No No
ELT Type Unknown Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name -- --
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8909 PURDUE RD STE 300 11495 NAVAID RD
Aircraft Owner City INDIANAPOLIS BRIDGETON
Aircraft Owner State IN MO
Aircraft Owner Country USA USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 46268-3152 63044-2335
Operator is an individual? No No
Operator Name -- --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Street Address -- 11495 NAVAID RD
Operator City -- BRIDGETON
Operator State -- MO
Operator Country USA USA
Operator Zip code -- 63044-2335
Operator Code CHQA RAIA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation -- --
Operator Certificate Number CHQA058A RAIA053A
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) -- --
Second Pilot on Board -- --
Departure Point Same as Event No Yes
Departure Airport Code LSE ORD
Departure City La Crosse Chicago
Departure State WI IL
Departure Country USA USA
Departure Time -- --
Departure Time Zone -- CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city --
Destination Airport Code ORD MLI
Destination City Chicago Moline
Destination State IL IL
Destination Country USA USA
Specific Phase of Flight -- --
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 26 2012 2:19PM Jun 26 2012 2:19PM
User who most recently changed record duns duns
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 32L 32L
Runway Length 9685 9685
Runway Width 200 200
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --