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#REDIRECT [[O'Hare International Airport#Major accidents and incidents]]
{{Short description|Aircraft incident in Chicago in 2006}}

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{{notability|date=September 2024 | 1=Events}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox Aircraft incident
| name = 2006 O'Hare International Airport runway incursion<br />{{nobold|{{small|United Airlines Flight 1015{{·}}Atlas Air Flight 6972}}}}
| occurrence_type = Incident
| date = {{start date|2006|07|23}}
| type = [[Runway incursion]] due to [[Air traffic control|ATC]] error
| site = [[O'Hare International Airport]], [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]], United States
| total_fatalities = 0
| total_survivors = 131
| plane1_image = 279ap - United Airlines Boeing 737-300, N322UA@ORD,01.03.2004 - Flickr - Aero Icarus.jpg
| plane1_image_upright = 1.15
| plane1_caption = N322UA, the aircraft similar to the one involved
| plane1_type = [[Boeing 737 Classic#737-300|Boeing 737-322]]
| plane1_operator = [[United Airlines]]
| plane1_tailnum = N315UA
| plane1_origin = [[O'Hare International Airport]], [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]], United States
| plane1_destination = [[Denver International Airport]], [[Denver]], [[Colorado]], United States
| plane1_passengers = 120
| plane1_crew = 7
| plane1_fatalities = 0
| plane1_survivors = 127
| plane2_image = Boeing 747-47UF(SCD), Atlas Air JP6686152.jpg
| plane2_image_upright = 1.15
| plane2_caption = N418MC the second aircraft involved seen here in September 2009
| plane2_type = [[Boeing 747-400|Boeing 747-47UF]]
| plane2_operator = [[Atlas Air]]
| plane2_tailnum = N418MC
| plane2_origin = [[Frankfurt Airport]], [[Frankfurt]], Germany
| plane2_destination = [[O'Hare International Airport]], [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]], United States
| plane2_crew = 4
| plane2_fatalities = 0
| plane2_survivors = 4
| IATA = UA1015
| plane1_ICAO = UAL1015
| plane1_callsign = UNITED 1015
| plane1_occupants = 127
| plane2_IATA = 5Y6972
| plane2_ICAO = GTI6972
| plane2_callsign = GIANT 6972 HEAVY
| plane2_occupants = 4
}}
}}
On July 23, 2006, a [[United Airlines]] [[Boeing 737]] operating as Flight 1015 nearly collided with an [[Atlas Air]] [[Boeing 747]] operating as Flight 6972. UAL1015, bound for [[Denver International Airport]], was carrying 120 passengers and 7 crew members whereas GTI6972, originating from [[Frankfurt Airport]], [[Germany]], was carrying 4 crew members only. The near miss occurred at the intersection of Runways 27L and 14R at [[O'Hare International Airport]].

== Aircraft ==
The first aircraft involved in the near miss was a 19-year-old Boeing 737-322 with [[serial number]] 23947 and was [[Aircraft registration|registered]] as N315UA. It was manufactured by [[Boeing Commercial Airplanes]] in 1987 and was powered by two [[CFM International CFM56]] engines.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Serious incident Boeing 737-322 N315UA, Sunday 23 July 2006 |url=https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/370284 |access-date=2024-08-06 |website=asn.flightsafety.org |archive-date=7 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240807011104/https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/370284 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Aircraft Inquiry N315UA |url=https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/Search/NNumberResult?NNumberTxt=315UA |access-date=August 6, 2024 |website=registry.faa.gov}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=1050.pdf |url=https://skybrary.aero/sites/default/files/bookshelf/1050.pdf |access-date=August 6, 2024 |website=skybrary.aero}}</ref>{{Rp|page=1}}

The second aircraft involved was a 4-year-old Boeing 747-47UF with serial number 32840 and was registered as N418MC. It was manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes in 2002 and was powered by four [[General Electric CF6|General Electric CF6-80]] engines.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Aircraft Inquiry N418MC |url=https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=418MC |access-date=August 6, 2024 |website=registry.faa.gov}}</ref><ref name=":1" />{{Rp|page=2}}

== Incident ==
O'Hare International Airport was ranked as the sixth busiest airport globally. Due to this, the [[Air traffic control|control tower]] was usually split into two or more positions to relieve stress and congestion. However, on the day of the incident, the North Local Control Tower (NLC) was closed. Therefore, the South Local Control Tower (SLC) was bearing all the responsibilities on their backs, including aircraft landing on Runway 14R and departing from Runway 27L. As a result, two additional controllers were required to assist the SLC.

The weather conditions were extremely favorable that day, with excellent visibility. At exactly 21:57:28 [[Central Time Zone]], the flight crew of Atlas Air Flight 6972 established initial contact with the SLC tower to request permission to land on Runway 14R. The SLC clears the flight to land and advises them of another traffic departing on the same runway: United Airlines Flight 938. Around 22 seconds later, the SLC clears UAL938 for departure. At 21:57:20 CST, as UAL1015 is holding short on Runway 27L, the SLC instructs UAL1015 to line up and wait at the runway. Finally, at 22:00:22 CST, the crew of UAL1015 was cleared for takeoff on Runway 27L. Atlas Air Flight 6972 touches down at around the same time on Runway 14R. Everything runs smoothly for UAL1015 until the airframe reaches 110 knots. The pilots of UAL1015 noticed that the Boeing 747 was approaching the Runway 27L-14R intersection. They decided that they weren't going to abort the takeoff and soon, it became clear that they'll have to rotate above him. Ten knots prior to the [[V speeds|Vr]] speed, the aircraft lifted off and overflew GTI6972 with only 35 feet to spare. Flight 6972 was completely on Runway 27L when the Boeing 737 was lifting off.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=B733 / B744, Chicago IL USA, 2006 {{!}} SKYbrary Aviation Safety |url=https://skybrary.aero/accidents-and-incidents/b733-b744-chicago-il-usa-2006 |access-date=2024-08-06 |website=skybrary.aero}}</ref><ref name=":1" />{{Rp|pages=3–4}}

== Analysis ==
According to the analysis, before United Airlines Flight 1015 was given permission for takeoff, the [[air traffic controller]] was facing a ton of distractions. When UAL1015 asked permission for takeoff, the SLC glanced out the window to Runway 14R and didn't spot an aircraft. Then he was verifying the distance of United Airlines Flight 938, the aircraft which departed Runway 14R, to ensure adequate [[wake turbulence]] separation. All of this was done in about 3–4 seconds.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" />{{Rp|pages=3–4}}

== Aftermath ==
After the investigation, the [[National Transportation Safety Board]] (NTSB) concluded that the South Local Control Tower's (SLC) failure to monitor Atlas Air Flight 6972 and United Airlines Flight 1015 caused a loss of separation between the two aircraft.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" />{{Rp|page=12}}

== See also ==

* [[2005 Logan Airport runway incursion]]
* [[2007 San Francisco International Airport runway incursion]]
* [[Air Canada Flight 759]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{Aviation accidents and incidents in 2006}}
{{United Airlines Holdings}}
[[Category:Runway incursions]]
[[Category:Accidents and incidents involving the Boeing 737 Classic]]
[[Category:Accidents and incidents involving the Boeing 747]]
[[Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in the United States in 2006]]
[[Category:Aviation accidents and incidents caused by air traffic controller error]]
[[Category:2006 in Illinois]]
[[Category:July 2006 in the United States]]
[[Category:Airliner accidents and incidents in Illinois]]
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[[Category:United Airlines accidents and incidents]]
[[Category:Atlas Air accidents and incidents]]

Latest revision as of 09:30, 7 May 2025

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