Air Wisconsin Flight 6181 had just arrived at Chicago O'Hare after completing a quick flight from Kalamazoo, Michigan. The aircraft had departed the Michigan town at 18:37 local time, and operated a 37-minute flight to Chicago.
Air Wisconsin is a regional subsidiary of American Airlines and United Airlines , meaning it operates regional flights for these larger carriers under the brand names of American Eagle and United Express.
Because of the changing time zones, AWI6181 arrived in the Windy City at 18:14 local time, according to Flightradar24.
The aircraft, a Bombardier CRJ200 with the registration of N420AW, was taxiing to its arrival gate when it collided with a ground tug on the taxiway.
The collision resulted in the tug flipping over upon hitting the aircraft's wing, and pinning the 64-year-old driver underneath.
In a statement, American Airlines explained:
“After safely landing at Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), American Eagle flight 6181, operated by Air Wisconsin from Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport (AZO) to ORD, came into contact with a tug on an active taxiway. Nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and team members, and we are reviewing this incident."
The tug driver was immediately taken to Lutheran General Hospital, according to CBS News. He suffered serious injuries to both his head and lower body, but police reported that the man was stabilized under the care of the hospital.
The driver did not work for American, but is employed by United. The Chicago-based carrier released a statement as well:
"On Saturday evening, a United tug at O'Hare made contact with another airline's aircraft while it was taxiing. The United employee was taken to a local hospital for evaluation, and we are ensuring he receives any necessary support and care."
Luckily, no passengers onboard were injured, and the incident had no major impact on O'Hare's operations. Passengers were driven by bus to the airport terminal after a brief delay.
Yesterday's collision was relatively minor, but is still the latest in a series of aviation accidents and tragedies that have occurred in the United States in the past several weeks.
On January 28, 2025, an American Airlines ramp agent was killed after being struck by a ground service vehicle at Charlotte Douglas International Airport .
Meanwhile, America's deadliest aviation accident in 25 years occurred on Wednesday night, when an American Eagle flight operated by PSA Airlines encountered a midair collision with a Blackhawk helicopter operated by the US government.
Both aircraft fell into the nearby Potomac River, and no survivors were found in the subsequent rescue operations.
To make matters worse, a medical jet crashed less than one minute after takeoff from Northeast Philadelphia Airport (PNE) on Friday night.
The aircraft, which was bound for Mexico via a stop in Missouri, was carrying a pediatric patient, her mother, and four crew members. The crash killed everyone on board and one person on the ground after plunging into a Philadelphia suburb.
These incidents have brought heightened concern regarding the safety of US aviation. While yesterday's incident was not nearly as severe, it occurred during an extremely difficult time for US aviation.
