
An airport tug driver at Chicago O’Hare was seriously injured after his vehicle was struck by an American Airlines regional jet that was taxiing to the gate on Saturday evening, airport officials have confirmed.
The aircraft involved in the collision was a CRJ-200 operated by Air Wisconsin on behalf of American Airlines and branded as American Eagle.
Flight AA6181 had just arrived at Chicago O’Hare following a short 35-minute flight from Kalamazoo, Michigan, and was taxiing to the gate when the United Airlines tug vehicle attempted to cross the same taxiway.
The wing of the aircraft came in contact with the tug, flipping the vehicle over and projecting the driver out of the cab. Rescue workers had to free the 64-year-old victim after he was pinned underneath the vehicle before he was rushed to Lutheran General Hospital.
The Chicago Police Department said that the man sustained critical injuries to his head and lower body and he remains in a serious but stable condition.
The incident occurred at around 7 pm on Saturday evening and while there were no injuries reported on the airplane, passengers were delayed in deplaning as emergency services responded to the incident.
In a statement, a spokesperson for United Airlines said the carrier was making sure that the victim “receives any necessary support and care.”
There is conflicting information over how the accident happened, but American Airlines said in a statement that the aircraft “came into contact with a tug on an active taxiway.”
The incident occurred less than a week after an American Airlines ramp agent at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) was tragically killed when a tug vehicle reversed over him.
American Airlines said it was “devastated” by the loss of the ramp agent and promised to investigate the circumstances.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and our local team members. We are focused on ensuring that all involved have the support they need during this difficult time,” a statement from the airline continued.
In January, Air Wisconsin announced that it had lost its only remaining regional flight contract with American Airlines, with the relationship between the two carriers set to formally end in April.
The Appleton-based airline plans to go it alone with a charter-only business model, although it remains to be seen how successful Air Wisconsin’s new strategy will be.
Mateusz Maszczynski honed his skills as an international flight attendant at the most prominent airline in the Middle East and has been flying ever since... most recently for a well known European airline. Matt is passionate about the aviation industry and has become an expert in passenger experience and human-centric stories. Always keeping an ear close to the ground, Matt's industry insights, analysis and news coverage is frequently relied upon by some of the biggest names in journalism.