Cargo Jet Clips Commuter Plane At O'Hare
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Fire crews were dispatched Wednesday afternoon after a cargo jet and an American Eagle commuter plane clipped each other at O'Hare International Airport.
WBBM Newsradio's Steve Miller reports Fire Department Media Affairs Director Larry Langford says a 747 cargo plane came into contact with the American Eagle plane. Both aircraft were on the ground at the time.
The incident happened around 1 p.m. when the Boeing cargo plane (EVA Flight 661) was taxiing on Taxiway A and its wing clipped the rudder of American Eagle Flight 4265, an Embraer 135, that was pulling into Gate G-20, according to an FAA spokeswoman.
The cargo plane was scheduled to depart O'Hare for Anchorage. The American Eagle plane had just arrived from Springfield, Mo.
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In fact, the American flight was perfect and even landed 20 minutes early before it was hit.
Bruce Wirtz MacArthur, a passenger on the American flight, said the plane veered to the right about 10 feet when it was hit.
"It was very calm and we were lucky we weren't in the process of getting off the aircraft. Because then I'm afraid something not-so-good would've happened."
"It was kind of like David hit Goliath," he added.
He said there was no sound when the planes hit.
There were 18 passengers and three crew members on the American Eagle plane who were evacuated, but no one was injured.
There were also three crew members on the cargo plane.
