United Airlines Jets Collide on Ground at Chicago O’Hare Airport

Ground Collision at O’Hare: A Deeper Look into Aviation Safety Concerns

On the afternoon of October 17, 2025, Chicago O’Hare International Airport became the scene of a ground collision involving two United Airlines jets. While such incidents on the tarmac are often low-speed, the event has cast a spotlight on the intricate and high-stakes environment of ground operations at one of the world’s busiest airports. The collision, which involved a taxiing passenger plane and a stationary aircraft, resulted in no injuries, a fortunate outcome that nonetheless fails to quell rising questions about airport safety protocols and the pressures facing the aviation industry.

The incident involved United Airlines Flight 2652, a Boeing 737 arriving from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, with 113 passengers and five crew members on board. As it was taxiing toward its gate, it made contact with a stationary and unoccupied United Airlines Boeing 767. This event is not an isolated anomaly; it marks the second tarmac collision at O’Hare in 2025. This pattern, combined with broader, national-level discussions around aviation safety and staffing, elevates a local incident into a significant case study on the potential vulnerabilities within the U.S. air travel system.

The Incident of October 17th

For the passengers aboard UA2652, the flight from Jackson Hole had been routine until the final moments on the ground. As the Boeing 737 navigated the complex network of taxiways at O’Hare, it struck the horizontal stabilizer of the parked Boeing 767. According to United Airlines, the contact occurred while the arriving flight was moving toward its designated gate. The immediate aftermath saw the deployment of emergency vehicles to the scene, a standard procedure to ensure the safety of everyone involved and to assess the aircraft for damage.

Bill Marcus, a passenger seated in 22F, captured the scene from his window. He reported that the initial impact was not perceptible to him. The first indication of a problem came from the captain’s announcement, stating a need to “document what happened.” It was only then that Marcus looked out his window and realized their plane had collided with another. He described feeling a “shuddering” or “turbulence” not from the collision itself, but when the two aircraft were subsequently pulled apart. Upon deplaning, passengers were met with a notable presence of Chicago police officers, a detail Marcus felt underscored the seriousness with which officials were treating the situation.

The official response from United Airlines was swift, confirming the basic facts of the incident. The airline stressed that no injuries were reported and that all 113 customers and five crew members deplaned normally at the gate. While the damage to the aircraft is under investigation, the primary focus remains on the sequence of events that allowed a moving plane to come into contact with a stationary one in a controlled airport environment.

“It was a bit of a shock, honestly. [The pilot] said they need to document what happened, and that’s when I looked out my right window and saw our plane had collided with another United flight.” – Bill Marcus, Passenger on UA2652

A Pattern of Incidents and Systemic Pressures

This event gains significant weight when viewed in the context of recent history at O’Hare. In January 2025, a similar incident occurred when an American Airlines flight clipped a United flight while both were taxiing. In that case as well, no injuries were reported, but the repetition of such an event at the same airport within a year suggests a potential pattern that warrants closer examination of ground control procedures and pilot awareness.

The concerns are not limited to Chicago. Nationally, both the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have been focusing on enhancing runway and tarmac safety. The NTSB has identified this area as a critical concern, noting that the runway environment is a confined space where the risk of collision is heightened. In response to these risks, the FAA has been implementing new strategies, such as the Surface Safety Metric (SSM), to better identify and mitigate potential dangers before they result in incidents. These initiatives reflect a system-wide effort to move beyond simply reacting to accidents and toward proactively managing risk.

Passenger Bill Marcus voiced a concern that resonates with ongoing national news: the state of air traffic control. He openly wondered if the collision was related to “what’s going on in Washington” or a “shortage at all in people directing traffic.” His speculation is not unfounded. Reports preceding the incident highlighted significant air traffic controller staffing shortages across the country, with the FAA reportedly short by approximately 3,500 controllers. O’Hare itself experienced a ground delay on October 7, 2025, due to these very staffing issues. An ongoing government shutdown has been cited as a contributing factor, with essential personnel like air traffic controllers working without pay, a situation that has historically led to increased sick leave and further strain on an already stressed system.

Concluding Section

The October 17th tarmac collision at O’Hare, while thankfully resulting in no harm to passengers or crew, serves as a critical reminder of the fragility of airport ground operations. It is not merely an accident involving two aircraft but a symptom of potentially larger, systemic issues. The incident underscores the importance of the ongoing efforts by the NTSB and FAA to improve surface safety, but it also highlights the real-world consequences of external pressures like staffing shortages and government shutdowns on the national aviation infrastructure.

As investigations by the FAA and NTSB get underway, the focus will be on determining the precise cause of this latest collision. The findings will be crucial in implementing corrective actions, whether they relate to ground control procedures, pilot training, or airport infrastructure. For the traveling public, this event is a tangible example of why consistent funding, adequate staffing, and a relentless focus on safety protocols are not just bureaucratic talking points, but essential components for maintaining one of the safest modes of transportation in the world.

FAQ

Question: What happened at Chicago O’Hare Airport on October 17, 2025?
Answer: A United Airlines Boeing 737 (Flight UA2652), taxiing to its gate after landing, made contact with a stationary, unoccupied United Airlines Boeing 767 on the tarmac.

Question: Were any passengers injured in the collision?
Answer: No. According to United Airlines and passenger reports, there were no injuries among the 113 passengers and five crew members, and everyone deplaned normally.

Question: Is this the first time an incident like this has happened at O’Hare?
Answer: No. This was the second reported tarmac collision between commercial jets at O’Hare in 2025. A similar incident involving an American Airlines and a United Airlines plane occurred in January 2025.

Question: What are the potential causes of the collision?
Answer: An official investigation is pending. However, the incident occurred amidst broader concerns about aviation safety, including reported nationwide shortages of air traffic controllers, which have specifically impacted operations at O’Hare.

Sources: WGN-TV Chicago