Wingtip of A320 strikes tail of other aircraft while taxiing in close quarters at ord.

Attributes
ACN	716212
Time
Date	200611
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : ord.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 195 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 1400
ASRS Report	716212
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 6579 flight time type : 3579
ASRS Report	716210
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Airport Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We were instructed to taxi to runway 32L behind a company B737. While on taxiway 'J' ground control changed our taxi route to stay on taxiway J to taxiway west then taxiway T to hold short of J1. As the B737 turned onto J1 we passed behind him and headed to taxiway west. While turning onto taxiway west the B737 called ground control and stated that they felt a shudder as we passed behind them. I checked the wing of my aircraft and saw no damage. At that time I was considering returning to the gate for an inspection even though we did not have any indication that we had made contact with the B737. I did feel that it was prudent to return and have the aircraft inspected. Ground control then told us that the company wanted us to return. Once at the gate I called the flight duty manager to advise him of the incident. Supplemental information from acn 716210: we were unaware of any impact until air carrier Y queried ground control and returned to the gate. Regarding the incident chain of events; I was distraction with updating the box from runway 9L; our anticipated departure runway; to runway 32L at T10 and xchking the amended taxi route at approximately the same time the impact occurred. As such; I was not backing up the captain at a higher risk time in his taxi profile.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WINGTIP OF A320 STRIKES TAIL OF OTHER ACFT WHILE TAXIING IN CLOSE QUARTERS AT ORD.

Narrative: WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO TAXI TO RWY 32L BEHIND A COMPANY B737. WHILE ON TXWY 'J' GND CTL CHANGED OUR TAXI RTE TO STAY ON TXWY J TO TXWY W THEN TXWY T TO HOLD SHORT OF J1. AS THE B737 TURNED ONTO J1 WE PASSED BEHIND HIM AND HEADED TO TXWY W. WHILE TURNING ONTO TXWY W THE B737 CALLED GND CTL AND STATED THAT THEY FELT A SHUDDER AS WE PASSED BEHIND THEM. I CHKED THE WING OF MY ACFT AND SAW NO DAMAGE. AT THAT TIME I WAS CONSIDERING RETURNING TO THE GATE FOR AN INSPECTION EVEN THOUGH WE DID NOT HAVE ANY INDICATION THAT WE HAD MADE CONTACT WITH THE B737. I DID FEEL THAT IT WAS PRUDENT TO RETURN AND HAVE THE ACFT INSPECTED. GND CTL THEN TOLD US THAT THE COMPANY WANTED US TO RETURN. ONCE AT THE GATE I CALLED THE FLT DUTY MGR TO ADVISE HIM OF THE INCIDENT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 716210: WE WERE UNAWARE OF ANY IMPACT UNTIL ACR Y QUERIED GND CTL AND RETURNED TO THE GATE. REGARDING THE INCIDENT CHAIN OF EVENTS; I WAS DISTR WITH UPDATING THE BOX FROM RWY 9L; OUR ANTICIPATED DEP RWY; TO RWY 32L AT T10 AND XCHKING THE AMENDED TAXI RTE AT APPROX THE SAME TIME THE IMPACT OCCURRED. AS SUCH; I WAS NOT BACKING UP THE CAPT AT A HIGHER RISK TIME IN HIS TAXI PROFILE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.