A Delta Airbus A350 and an Endeavor Bombardier CRJ900 jet were involved in a collision on the tarmac at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Tuesday morning.
The incident occurred as both planes were taxiing for takeoff, with the wingtip of the Delta aircraft striking the tail of the Endeavor jet.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Delta Flight 295 was preparing to depart for Tokyo, while Endeavor Flight 5526 was bound for Lafayette, Louisiana. The collision happened around 10:10 a.m. local time at the intersection of two taxiways. No injuries were reported among the 221 passengers on the Delta flight or the 56 passengers on the Endeavor jet.
Passengers described the experience as alarming, with one person reporting hearing “very jarring, metal scraping sounds, then loud bangs.” Photos and videos shared on social media showed significant damage to the tail of the Endeavor aircraft, which had its vertical stabilizer severed. Both planes were safely moved to maintenance hangars following the incident.
Delta Airlines issued a statement apologizing for the disruption and confirming that affected passengers were rebooked on alternate flights scheduled for later in the day. The airline is cooperating with the FAA, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and other authorities as an investigation into the incident is underway.
The runway and several taxiways near the scene were temporarily closed following the collision. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, one of the busiest airports in the world, continued operations with no major disruptions reported.
FOX News, CNN, New York Post contributed to this report.
