| Date: | Thursday 15 February 1979 |
| Time: | 09:11 |
| Type: |  Boeing 727-232 Adv. |
| Owner/operator: | Delta Air Lines |
| Registration: | N467DA |
| MSN: | 20744/972 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1973 |
| Engine model: | P&W JT8D |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 115 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | None |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Chicago-O'Hare International Airport, IL (ORD) -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Taxi |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Chicago-O'Hare International Airport, IL (ORD/KORD) |
| Orlando Airport, FL | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
A near collision occurred on the ground at Chicago-O'Hare International Airport, Illinois, USA, involving Delta Air Lines Flight 349, a scheduled passenger flight, and Flying Tiger Flight 74, a scheduled cargo flight. When cleared by various taxiways to runway 4R for departure, Delta Flight 349 was instructed initially by the air traffic outbound ground controller to stop before crossing runway 9R, an active landing runway. Clearance to cross this runway was issued subsequently by the ground controller as Flight 349 approached runway 9R. About this time, Flying Tiger Flight 74 was completing an instrument landing system approach to runway 9R and had been cleared to land by the air traffic local controller. Shortly after touchdown, the captain of Flying Tiger Flight 74 saw the Delta aircraft entering the runway directly in front of him, and to avoid collision, he veered his aircraft off the runway. The cargo plane, a Boeing 747, was damaged substantially. The Boeing 727 was not damaged, and there were no injuries to the occupants of either aircraft.
Probable Cause: "The O'Hare outbound ground controller's issuance of a taxi clearance across runway 9R, which permitted Delta Flight 349 to move into a collision path with Flying Tiger Flight 74 and, further, the failure of the pilots of Delta Flight 349 to maintain a continuous vigil for landing traffic before entering an active runway. The improper clearance was the result of the ground controller's failure to see the displayed radar target of the landing aircraft.
Contributing to the accident were the approach controller's failure to effect required spacing criteria between Flying Tiger Flight 74 and the preceding arrival aircraft and the local controller's failure to issue a missed approach clearance when he noted the less-than-required separation."
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 27-Oct-2025 06:49 | ASN | Added |
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2025 Flight Safety Foundation