Two regional aircraft clipped wings on the ground at Chicago O’Hare International Airport on Tuesday, resulting in no injuries and prompting the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to investigate, officials said.
The wingtips of GoJet Flight 4423 and SkyWest Flight 5433 made contact around 7 p.m. while the two jets were waiting for gate space at the airport, the FAA said in a statement based on preliminary information provided to Fox News Digital.
Both aircraft “taxied safely to the terminals, where passengers exited normally,” the statement said.
The FAA said the agency is investigating the incident and provided no further details.
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SkyWest told Fox News Digital that its flight, operating as United Express, arrived safely at O’Hare before its wing made contact with another aircraft. No injuries were reported, and its passengers deplaned normally at the gate. Its maintenance teams are inspecting the aircraft, the airline said.
Fox News Digital reached out to GoJet for comment on the incident but did not immediately hear back.
The SkyWest flight had arrived from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, while the GoJet flight had arrived from Richmond, Virginia, WBBM-TV reported.
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Close calls involving aircraft have been on the rise, with a panel of independent experts concluding last month that the FAA needs better staffing, equipment and technology to help prevent these incidents.
A shortage of air traffic controllers has forced workers into frequent overtime, leading to fatigue. Some workers have reported employees showing up to work under the influence of alcohol or drugs or sleeping on the job, The New York Times reported last week.
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The report found that some air traffic controllers have even developed physical or mental health problems and avoid seeking help over concerns it might jeopardize their jobs.