1972 Chicago–O'Hare runway collision

1972 Chicago–O'Hare
runway collision
North Central Airlines Flight 575 · Delta Air Lines Flight 954
The remains of the Delta Air Lines Convair 880 involved in the collision, stripped of parts and awaiting scrapping, photographed at O'Hare International Airport on January 31, 1974. .
Accident
DateDecember 20, 1972 (1972-12-20)
SummaryRunway incursion caused by pilot error and ATC error due to failures in communication
Site
Total fatalities10
Total injuries17
Total survivors128
First aircraft

A North Central Airlines DC-9, similar to the aircraft involved
TypeMcDonnell Douglas DC-9-31
OperatorNorth Central Airlines
IATA flight No.NC575
ICAO flight No.NC575
Call signNORTH CENTRAL 575
RegistrationN954N
Flight originO'Hare International Airport, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
StopoverMadison, Wisconsin, U.S.
DestinationDuluth, Minnesota, U.S.
Occupants45
Passengers41
Crew4
Fatalities10
Injuries15
Survivors35
Second aircraft

The aircraft involved in the accident, seen in 1971
TypeConvair CV-880
OperatorDelta Air Lines
IATA flight No.DL954
ICAO flight No.DAL954
Call signDELTA 954
RegistrationN8807E
Flight originTampa, Florida, U.S.
DestinationO'Hare International Airport, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Occupants93
Passengers86
Crew7
Fatalities0
Injuries2
Survivors93

On December 20, 1972, North Central Airlines Flight 575 and Delta Air Lines Flight 954 collided on a runway at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. Ten people died – all on the North Central aircraft – and 17 were injured in the accident. This was the second major airliner accident to happen in Chicago in December 1972; the other was United Air Lines Flight 553, which crashed 12 days earlier on approach to Midway Airport.