Two United Airlines aircraft collided on the apron of Chicago O’Hare International Airport on Friday afternoon.
Flight UA2652 was carrying 113 customers and five crew members at the time of the incident, bringing the total number of people involved to 118. The Boeing 737-700 (registration N21723) had apparently completed its flight and was maneuvering through the congested O’Hare ramp area when the collision occurred, while visibility was clear. Fortunately, the stationary Boeing 767 had no passengers aboard.
The collision involved the horizontal stabilizer of the Boeing 767—a critical flight control surface located at the rear of the aircraft’s tail section. Damage to horizontal stabilizers can affect aircraft controllability and requires thorough inspection and potential repair before the aircraft can return to service.
Chicago O’Hare International Airport ranks among the world’s busiest airports, handling over 900,000 aircraft operations annually. The airport’s complex layout includes multiple runways and extensive taxiway and ramp systems where aircraft maneuver in close quarters.
United Airlines operates O’Hare as one of its primary hubs, with hundreds of daily departures and arrivals creating congested ground conditions that require precise coordination between pilots, ground controllers, and ramp personnel.
